Chapter 35: Boundless Flame

As the moon rose above the willow branches, the reputation of the needle-master was solidified.

Once the title "Benevolent Healer" was mentioned, the surrounding soldiers nodded in unanimous agreement. A squad leader, acting on orders from Luo Cheng, the Prince of Beiping, had a plaque carved and rushed to the Imperial Medical Valley. The command was to hang it at the acupuncture tower for the Heaven Realm, where Ling Xuan was tasked with removing the needles from two dozen soldiers.

As soon as the plaque was unveiled, revealing the four bold characters "Benevolent Hands, Miraculous Skills," the soldiers erupted in cheers. Without waiting for the squad leader to speak, they immediately helped mount it.

Inside the tower, Ling Xuan heard the commotion and a corner of his mouth curled up. "Not bad. That 'kidney-deficient' fellow actually has some substance, even if he is a bit of a dimwit."

"A bit of a dimwit? Isn't that just the 'Ren' (Benevolent) in your title?" Ye Ziyan chuckled. "Are you talking about yourself?"

"He's the fool, not me. He's practically handing me military merit on a silver platter. Isn't it a bit ungrateful to complain when I'm getting the better end of the deal?" Ling Xuan laughed. "Two hundred points of military merit per person—not a single point less."

"But there are so many people left; what are we going to do?" Ye Ziyan asked with concern. She knew that if Ling Xuan were to continuously invoke the Qi-Observation and Breath-Sensing techniques while performing his Taiji Acupuncture, he would surely end up as exhausted as he had been the past two days.

"A needle-master needs cooperation, not solo heroics," Ling Xuan said with a smirk. "Have the remaining soldiers stand in formation."

Stepping out of the small building, he called toward the Qi-Sea Realm acupuncture tower, "Brother Sun, shall we collaborate?"

"Young Prince, is that really feasible?" Sun Tianxin was still hesitant, as such a practice had never been implemented in the Imperial Medical Bureau.

"Brother Sun, you have an uncanny accuracy for acupuncture points and have mastered the Qi-Observation and Breath-Sensing techniques. Though our styles differ, you have seen my methods in the bureau." Ling Xuan bowed. "A healer’s heart is that of a parent; the soldiers came here with hope, and we shouldn't let them leave disappointed."

"Since the Young Prince is so confident, let us give it our all," Sun Tianxin replied, returning the bow. "Let me witness your unique skills again, and let the soldiers see what true 'Benevolent Hands' look like."

"My lady, prepare the silver needles," Ling Xuan commanded.

Qi-Observation and Breath-Sensing were activated simultaneously. Sun Tianxin quickly scanned the standing soldiers, calling out, "Fengfu, Quchi, Shenmen, Neiguan..."

Ling Xuan channeled his Taiji Wuji art, and his "Smoke-Veiled Cold Moon" technique unfolded. Under the moonlight, his figure became ghostly, flickering among the soldiers as he struck with his silver needles.

The soldiers had never witnessed such a sight; their eyes widened, and they held their breath in anticipation. Seeing their focus, Ling Xuan seized the opportunity to drift toward the soldiers waiting for their needles to be removed. The small white snake coiled on his arm, pulsing with strands of energy that flowed into him.

Ling Xuan’s speed increased. "Smoke-Veiled Cold Moon" was a technique unique to the "Spirit Snake Coiling the Moon," and it grew more potent under the bright moonlight. The onlookers could only hear Sun Tianxin calling out the acupuncture points while seeing shadows darting back and forth. Even Ling Xuan found their seamless coordination during this first attempt incredible.

Ye Ziyan’s eyes flashed with a purple glow. Ling Xuan was moving so fast that even she struggled to track him; she could only see the needles on the tray vanishing in the blink of an eye. Hou Junji stood stunned—he had never seen such footwork. It was more agile, swift, and graceful than anything he had ever known.

The squad leader was left completely bewildered. Instead of sabotaging Ling Xuan, he had inadvertently helped boost his reputation, carving the name "Benevolent Hands" into everyone’s memory.

"Excellent!"

As Sun Tianxin finished his call, he collapsed, utterly exhausted. Even though he had reached the Qi-Sea Mystic Realm, the concurrent use of his techniques had taken a massive toll.

*Thump!*

Ling Xuan, too, stumbled and fell to the ground after finishing, gasping for air. Although he didn't need to use the sensing techniques, the Taiji Acupuncture still required immense power. Had it not been for the moonlight and the aid of the little white snake, he could never have achieved such a feat. This collaboration required deep trust and intense focus—it was a true union of mental and physical exertion.

"Bravo!" The soldiers cheered loudly.

It wasn't just those who had come for treatment; even those having their needles removed were stunned to find them gone as the shadow passed by, prompting them to shout in amazement.

The squad leader was so shocked by the scene that it took him a long moment to recover, his hands joining the applause unconsciously.

"The Young Prince and Master Sun are exhausted. Please, everyone, return and rest. Help us block others from coming until tomorrow," Hou Junji said, seizing the moment.

"After witnessing such a display, we aren't leaving tonight; we'll stand guard here," the soldiers responded. "It'll be easier to explain to the others tomorrow."

"Assistants, quickly help the masters inside to rest," a soldier suggested.

Hou Junji bowed hurriedly. "Much appreciated, much appreciated."

Even in his exhaustion, Ling Xuan didn't forget the important things. "Remember to pay the military merit," he whispered weakly.

"Don't worry, Master Ling, we will pay!" the soldiers shouted in unison.

Leaning on Ye Ziyan, Ling Xuan entered the building. His expression changed instantly as he urged, "Help me near the window, somewhere with moonlight."

"Moonlight?" Ye Ziyan paused, then realized his intent and beamed. "You found a way?"

"Spirit Snake Coiling the Moon" could only reach its true potential by absorbing the power of moonlight. Since the manifestation of the "Spirit Snake" entity, Ling Xuan had been searching for a way to absorb lunar essence, but neither Qiu Ran Ke nor Qiu Rui had known how. He had once naively believed that entering the Imperial Medical Bureau would provide the answer, but the Chief Physician, Chao, had been clueless, only recommending the *Treatise on Demon Soul Origins*.

He hadn't expected that this collaboration with Sun Tianxin under the moonlight would reveal the secret. The snake tattoo on his arm wasn't just a demonic measuring device; it was the key to absorbing the lunar essence.

It wasn't that the tattoo absorbed it directly; it required the help of the little white snake.

As the little snake flicked its tongue, Ling Xuan adjusted his breathing and channeled his Taiji Wuji. The lunar power permeated through the tattoo and trickled into his body. On his chest, the small red snake writhed, its single vertical pupil spinning with red and orange starlight to form a Taiji pattern.

The orange-black flow of energy inside his body began to shift. The black mist erupted with a layer of red, and the flow transitioned from orange-black to red-orange. Suddenly, the seven-colored mist in his mind exploded. A giant red snake silhouette—which he hadn't seen since he first received it from his parents' portrait—reappeared and swallowed the seven-colored mist in one gulp.

"This..." Ling Xuan was dazed.

Before he could speak, the giant red snake spat out a ball of crimson light, carving lines of text into the air that left him stunned.

It was a martial art exclusive to "Spirit Snake Coiling the Moon": *Flaming Wuji*.

Though it was only one technique, it required the black and white needles as a foundation, with the red needle as a guide—much like how the little white snake had guided the red needle in the cavern to summon the fire snake from the earth's core. However, like the ultimate footwork "Shifting Shadows," it required consuming a Taiji Pearl.

Ling Xuan felt foolish. Was the world trying to force him to become half-human, half-demon?

As if by some strange telepathy, while he sat there stunned, Luo Cheng, the Prince of Beiping, was also dumbfounded after hearing the squad leader's report at the Youzhou military camp. "What? That fool has footwork like that?"

"It's fast, but it exhausts him completely. After inserting and removing the needles, he just lies on the ground, unable to move," the squad leader reported truthfully.

"Is that so?" Luo Cheng tapped his fingers faster and faster before breaking into a grin. "In other words, this fool only obsesses over needles and footwork; his actual combat ability is complete rubbish."

"Most likely. The soldiers were just standing there like puppets," the squad leader agreed.

"Good, very good," Luo Cheng laughed. "No matter how fast your footwork is, without strength, you're just a lowly medical officer. Not worth my concern."

"Young Prince, should I organize more people for tomorrow?" the squad leader asked.

Luo Cheng’s lips curled into a playful, malicious sneer. "A fame-seeker, eh? Since he's dared to cross me, let's show him what it means to be a man whose reputation far exceeds his actual worth."