Chapter 21 - 21: I'm a Bit Scared
The next morning.
The sleepless Su Changqing walked out of the room early.
The Nine Profound Celestial Doctor's Needle was very complex, involving too much knowledge, and in one night, he had only learned the first profound needle.
"It should be enough to treat Wen Lin's uncle's injury, but I need to see if the teacher has silver needles."
Even though there was a chance for healing, Su Changqing showed no joy.
Mainly, the needle technique was quite mysterious, and he was just adopting a trial-and-error approach.
Without further delay, Su Changqing headed straight to the library.
Shortly after he left, Su Nan walked out of his room.
He quietly watched Su Changqing's departing figure and spoke only after he had left the village, "Come and see me."
As soon as those words were spoken, Su Wenlin and over a dozen others appeared in the courtyard.
"Patriarch."
Everyone bowed in unison, greeting him respectfully.
Su Nan nodded and said directly, "This time, after you return to the Su family, there are two things you must do."
"First, keep an eye on the oldest and the second; don't let them go too far, leave some room for maneuver."
"Second, notify all forces in the Southern Region that within a year, I will establish a new sect."
"Whether they're willing or not, they must contribute some of their top disciples."
"Tell them that those disciples are still theirs, I am just borrowing them for a while, and I will also train them well."
Upon hearing this, the members of the Su family were all taken aback.
The first matter can be handled safely with them involved.
But the second matter is difficult.
For sects or families, the most important thing is the excellent disciples and successors.
They are the fresh blood of the future, and if anything happens to them, the loss cannot be measured by money.
It is foreseeable that even if this is a sect initiated by the Su family, it will face tremendous resistance.
"Patriarch, this matter..." Su Wenlin hesitated to speak.
Before he could finish his sentence, Su Nan waved his hand,
"Tell them this is not up for discussion."
"Whichever family doesn't send people, or sends people to make up the numbers, mark it down for me, and I will visit them one by one."
Upon hearing this, Su Wenlin and the others straightened their expressions and nodded in agreement.
Indeed, there is significant resistance to this matter, but no matter how great the resistance, when the Peak of Quasi-Emperor visits, it will turn to dust.
In the Southern Region, if Su Nan decides to do something, no one can stop him.
"Will the Patriarch be returning with us this time?" Su Wenlin asked.
"I have other matters to attend to."
Su Nan looked into the distance, "Chang Qing still needs a few teachers, I need to confirm them one by one."
"Also..."
He paused, frowned slightly but did not continue to speak.
He only instructed, "The time is almost up, tomorrow morning when Chang Qing goes to school, you will set out immediately."
Sect construction is a big matter, preparations must be made in advance, so that efforts won't be in vain should it fail.
"Understood!"
The members of the Su family bowed their heads and left separately.
...
Time passed quickly, a day went by in a blink.
In the evening, after a day of studying, Su Changqing quickly returned to the village, heading straight for Su Wenlin's home.
Before he could speak, Brother Er Niu had already opened the door.
"You're back early today, Chang Qing."
Brother Er Niu greeted him with a smile as usual.
"Brother Er Niu, your heart is really big."
Su Changqing sighed, "Wen Lin's uncle is bedridden, and you don't seem a bit worried."
The smile on Brother Er Niu's face froze; he almost forgot about this matter.
"It's not that I'm not worried, but worrying doesn't help—his condition worsened today."
Er Niu sighed deeply, looking sad, "I don't know if he can get through the night."
He already knew that his father would return to the Su family early tomorrow morning.
Su Changqing's expression turned serious as he stride into the room, seeing Su Wenlin lying in bed.
Compared to last time, Su Wenlin looked worse.
"Chang... Chang Qing is here..."
Su Wenlin's feeble voice echoed, like a dying person.
"Uncle Wenlin..."
A flash of reluctance passed through Su Changqing's eyes, and he said deeply:
"After examining your injury, I learned a needle technique and asked my teacher for a set of silver needles."
"But... I have no absolute confidence in curing your illness."
At this moment, Su Changqing was almost giving up, just trying his best.
"Ah, forget about confidence. I've come to this point; what should I fear?"
Su Wenlin patted his chest with difficulty, laughing, "Go ahead... your Uncle Wenlin can endure it."
Su Changqing nodded solemnly, then, with Brother Er Niu, gently supported Su Wenlin up and took out the silver needles.
The silver needles were of varying sizes, totaling seven hundred and twenty-nine, and were extremely fine, barely visible to the naked eye.
According to his Confucian teacher, although these silver needles were not paired with the Celestial Doctor's miraculous scroll, they were considered rare treasures.
"Whew..."
Su Changqing took a deep breath, recalling the needle technique of the first profound needle of the Nine Profound Needle Art.
After going over it in his mind, he opened his eyes, a silver glow flashing across them.
In an instant, the body of Su Wenlin before him disappeared, revealing a network of intricate meridian paths underneath.
Su Changqing casually stroked, and an almost invisible silver needle decisively and accurately landed on Su Wenlin's chest.
After the first needle fell, his speed quickened, and his hand seemed to leave an afterimage.
In mere breaths, Su Wenlin's chest was already covered with silver needles.
At first, neither Su Wenlin nor Brother Er Niu reacted, they simply watched passively.
In their eyes, Su Changqing was just doing something futile.
Letting Su Changqing experiment was a way not to leave him with regrets.
As for the silver needles piercing the body?
Su Wenlin was the Great Saint's cultivation level; trivial silver needles were nothing, even Divine Soldiers weren't a concern.
They had no worries at all, just waiting for Su Changqing to finish and notice the ineffectiveness and give up.
But who knew, midway through Su Changqing's needle procedure, Su Wenlin's complexion had changed subtly, and unexpectedly, his internal blood began to flow uncontrollably.
When Su Changqing had placed all the silver needles, he felt as though his chest was burning, and a wave of indescribable pain swept through his body.
Su Wenlin's expression changed instantly; instinctively, he wanted to exert his powers to resist, knowing it was a sign of his old injuries recurring.
It was right before his return to the Su family for official affairs, when his strength was most needed; if his old injuries recurred, his capabilities would be reduced by at least thirty percent.
Usually during such times, he would suppress it forcefully with his cultivation, and slowly resolve it, happening once or twice annually, to which he was almost accustomed.
However, this time, as he prepared to exert his powers again, he was horrified to discover that his blood flow was beyond his control!
He used all his strength but couldn't expel those silver needles?
Su Wenlin panicked, "Chang Qing, what... what are you doing?"
"Why... why can't I exert any strength?"
Beside him, Brother Er Niu glanced sideways, secretly giving a thumbs up.
Su Changqing wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Don't worry, Uncle Wenlin, this is a normal phenomenon."
"This first profound needle technique, known as Sealing Heaven, can lock all human aura blood vessels, said to seal even the heavens without movement."
"But this is just the beginning, the main part is yet to come!"
Seal even the heavens?
Su Wenlin felt a tingling; just what had the Confucian sage taught?
He hurriedly asked, "Is Chang Qing proficient in the needle technique, is there confidence?"
Su Wenlin was truly frightened; the needle method seemed uncanny.
It didn't consider cultivation strength but seemed to pin the body's deepest primal roots, leaving it immobile.
Now he could only hope Su Changqing had complete confidence.
However, who knew, Su Changqing's face turned solemn, shaking his head, "I told Uncle Wenlin beforehand."
"I don't have absolute confidence; anyway, Uncle Wenlin is already like this, I can only treat a dead horse as if it were alive!"
"Uncle Wenlin, brace yourself; it might hurt a bit next."
Saying this, Su Changqing was about to proceed.
"Wait a moment!"
Su Wenlin almost fell on his knees upon hearing this, his cold sweat trickling down instantly.
He nervously swallowed, looked to Brother Er Niu on the side,
"Quickly, call Uncle Su Nan!"
"He's not here... I'm a bit scared."