Chapter 157 Life and Death Talisman

Ping Yizhi stroked his beard, pondered for a long time, and slowly said, "The problem with practicing this skill lies in the qi and blood. Practicing it will inevitably burn the body. Men have abundant yang qi, and I estimate that they will suffer from qi deviation not long after practicing it. However, there is still a way to resolve it by self-harm."

Women possess a strong yin energy, which is why even reaching the level of a princess in cultivation could lead to problems. If this energy isn't channeled in time, she could suffer a qi deviation, paralysis, and death. All the hard work and cultivation, gone in an instant—who could bear that?

Longkui's expression turned grave: "Then what should I do?"

Ping Yizhi glanced at her, hesitated, and finally sighed: "There is a way, but I'm afraid the princess won't agree."

Longkui said, "Please speak freely, Doctor Ping."

Ping Yi pointed and said, "For a man to practice this skill and resolve the problem of boiling blood, he must castrate himself."

Everyone was shocked to hear about self-castration. Lin Zhennan thought to himself, "Who created such a martial art? Are they crazy? Who would practice it and let a eunuch do it?"

Ping Yizhi continued, "If a woman wants the same effect, then... then she must remove the root of her womb and sever the source of her menstrual flow. This is the foundation for a woman's yang energy. If you cut open her abdomen with a silver knife and remove the thing in her abdomen that governs menstruation and childbirth, then the hot blood will naturally subside and the yang energy will no longer surge upwards."

These words shocked everyone in the room.

Qu Feiyan exclaimed in shock, "What? They're going to cut open my abdomen... wouldn't that mean..."

The purple-clad envoy drew his sword, roaring, "Are you an accomplice of Hong Tai, plotting to kill the princess?"

Lady Wang also said, "If you cut open his belly, how can he survive? Doctor Ping must be joking."

Seeing that the princess was not angry, Ping Yizhi realized that his medical skills had been recognized by her, and said, "I have my own way to save your life, but from now on, you will not be able to have children or get married."

Qu Feiyan said, "Sister Long hasn't gotten married or had children yet. If she can't have children, her lifelong happiness will be ruined. No, no, that won't do."

Shi Potian frowned and asked, "Doctor Ping, is there no other way?"

Ping Yizhi shook his head and said, "I have practiced medicine for decades, and this is the most direct method. If the princess is willing to follow this method, not only will her feverish illness be cured, but her martial arts skills will also improve. However..." He glanced at Long Kui and did not continue.

However, the princess had not yet given birth, and with this surgery, she would never be able to become a mother again.

This is not something everyone can accept.

Silence filled the hall. Long Kui remained expressionless, but her jade-like fingers clenched tightly, turning slightly white.

Shi Potian suddenly said, "No."

Longkui's eyes lit up as she looked at him.

Everyone looked at him hopefully.

Shi Potian said seriously, "Sister Long, you can't use this method. If you can't have babies, you won't be able to be a mother in the future, that would be too pitiful, no way."

Longkui looked at him, a complex light flashing in her eyes, and said softly, "Young Master Escort, you don't understand. I've been searching for a way to remedy the flaws in this skill for over a decade."

Shi Potian said, "I know. Your cultivation method is incorrect because it generates heat toxins. Yang Yinglong's Yin internal energy was able to help you suppress the heat toxins before, which means there is a way to solve it. If we can find Yang Yinglong's cultivation method, or a similar Yin cultivation method, we can make up for the defects in your cultivation method and stop generating heat toxins."

Longkui was taken aback: "You mean...?"

Shi Potian said, "Young Master Zhang's family also possesses Yang Yinglong's cultivation method, though incomplete, we can find a way to complete it. I can ask them for this mental cultivation technique, allowing you to solve the problem without self-harm."

Longkui sighed, "Young Master Escort, this kind of supreme skill is something they would rather die than give to you."

Shi Potian laughed and said, "How will we know if we don't try? At worst, we can just trade with them."

Long Kui smiled slightly, thinking to herself that the young镖头 (bodyguard) was too naive. Unless they were brothers in arms, who would trade places with you?

Ping Yizhi stroked his beard and said, "What Young Master Lin said does make sense. If we can find the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique to balance Yin and Yang, it can indeed cure the princess's hidden dangers. However, such a peerless martial art is extremely rare and hard to come by."

Shi Potian said, "We'll find it eventually."

Ping Yizhi nodded and said no more. He stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your Highness, Young Master Lin, I must return to my hometown to gather herbs, so I will take my leave now."

Longkui said, "Doctor Ping, please wait. I have another matter to ask you."

Ping Yi pointed and said, "Please speak, Princess."

Longkui said, "My brother the Emperor took Hong Tai's elixir, the Leopard Embryo Tendon-Changing Pill. Although he looks energetic now, I'm afraid it won't be long before the effects kick in. Could Doctor Ping possibly concoct an antidote?"

Ping Yizhi pondered for a moment and said, "I have only seen the Leopard Embryo Tendon-Changing Pill once and have not studied it in detail, so I dare not speak rashly. However, if I could obtain a sample of the pill and study it carefully, perhaps I could figure out the antidote."

Shi Potian asked, "Was my drop of blood useless?"

Ping Yizhi thought for a moment and said, "Young Master Lin, could you please drip a few more drops of your blood? Your blood contains medicinal components. I will take it back and study it. Perhaps I can deduce the formula for the antidote from it."

Shi Potian nodded, extended his finger, and Ping Yizhi took out a small bottle to catch it. Shi Potian then squeezed out a small amount of blood and gave it to him, which Ping Yizhi carefully put away.

"If I can concoct the antidote, I will send it to you. If not..." Ping Yizhi sighed, "then we will have to capture Hong Tai and force him to hand over the antidote."

Longkui nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Dr. Ping."

Ping Yizhi, carrying his medicine box, took his leave.

After a fierce battle, everyone was exhausted and went back to their rooms to rest late at night.

The next morning, a commander of the Imperial Guards came to report: "Princess, the Imperial Physician Wang has confessed."

Longkui sat in the hall, holding a teacup, and said calmly, "What did he say?"

The commander of the Imperial Guards said, "Physician Wang said that he wasn't deceived, but rather controlled by Hong Tai. Hong Tai planted something called the 'Life and Death Talisman' inside him, which causes excruciating pain when it takes effect, forcing him to obey Hong Tai."

Longkui frowned: "Life and Death Talisman? What's that?"

The commander said, "Even Physician Wang couldn't explain it clearly. He only said that Hong Tai used his internal energy to condense water into ice and injected it into his body. The internal energy on the ice shards attached to his meridians, and every now and then it would flare up, causing unbearable pain and itching, making him wish he were dead."

Lin Zhennan said, "How could such a vicious method exist in the world?"

Shi Potian said in a deep voice, "It's not impossible to go to such lengths. This Hong Tai is indeed no good person; he specializes in making things that harm people."

Longkui put down her teacup and said, "Bring Physician Wang up here. I will question him myself."

A moment later, Physician Wang was brought in. He knelt on the ground, trembling all over, his face haggard, clearly having been tortured all night; the Imperial Guards were no pushovers.

Longkui coldly asked, "Imperial Physician Wang, how many more people does Hong Tai control?"

Physician Wang said in a trembling voice, "This official...this official doesn't know. Hong Tai is very secretive and never tells this official anything. This official only knows that he has treated many court officials, and I'm afraid...I'm afraid that many of them have also been given the Life-or-Death Talisman by him."

Longkui's face darkened. If the court officials were controlled by Hong Tai, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Shi Potian said, "Sister Long, let me see what that Life and Death Talisman is."

Longkui nodded and asked Physician Wang, "Where is the Life-and-Death Talisman?"

Physician Wang knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the earth, and said in a trembling voice, "Reporting to Young Master Lin, the Life and Death Talisman... was planted on three major acupoints on my back. One is at the 'Soul Gate' acupoint, one at the 'Spirit Hall' acupoint, and one at the 'Mind Abode' acupoint. Master Hong said that these three acupoints are important points on the Governing Vessel. When the power of the talisman is activated, the pain and itching go straight into the internal organs, making life worse than death."

Shi Potian said, "Let me see."

Physician Wang turned around, trembling. Shi Potian walked behind him, placed his right palm on his back, and slowly probed in with his inner force. The Tai Xuan Scripture circulated, and the meridians in Physician Wang's body unfolded in Shi Potian's mind like a scroll. He "saw" the Soul Gate, Divine Hall, and Mind Retreat acupoints, and sure enough, there was a faint, strange kind of inner force lingering in each of them.

The internal energy was like three invisible poisonous insects, attached to the meridians and acupoints, trembling slightly with the breathing of Physician Wang.

That internal force was very peculiar, containing yin within yang and yang within yin, rotating endlessly like a tai chi symbol.

Shi Potian tried to use his internal energy to envelop one of the clumps, attempting to force it out. The moment his internal energy touched the strange true energy, Physician Wang screamed in agony, his entire body unbearably itchy, and he collapsed to the ground, rolling around in agony.

Everyone shuddered at the sight of Physician Wang.

Shi Potian quickly withdrew his hand, frowning as he said, "This thing is strange. If we don't use the right method, touching it will only cause it to flare up prematurely."

Physician Wang lay on the ground, drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, his face ashen white. He trembled as he said, "Master Hong said that this Life and Death Talisman can only be neutralized by his unique method. If anyone else forcibly removes it, the talisman's power will penetrate deep into the bone marrow, and even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would be rolling on the ground in agony..."

Qu Feiyan said, "That powerful? Is this how his Divine Dragon Sect controls its followers? It's even more powerful than the Three Corpse Brain God Pill of my sect."

Longkui asked, "Young Master Escort, do you have any way to untie this?"

Shi Potian did not answer, but placed his palm on Physician Wang's back again. This time, he did not rush to act, but instead pushed the Tai Xuan Scripture to its limit. His inner force, like silk threads, delicately wrapped around the three strange true energies, neither touching them nor forcing them back, but simply quietly sensing the changes of yin and yang within them.

He "saw" that although the three clusters of true energy were each coiled separately, they were faintly connected, as if they were one. Their yin and yang ratios were different: the Soul Gate acupoint was more yang, the Divine Hall acupoint was more yin, and the Yin-Yang ratio of the Mind Pavilion acupoint was balanced. The three were interdependent, and pulling one of them would affect the whole.

A moment later, Shi Potian opened his eyes and smiled slightly.

"I understand," he said loudly.

Longkui asked, "What did the young镖头 (bodyguard/escort) see?"

Shi Potian said, "This Life and Death Talisman uses the great principle of the Six Qi Transformation. The internal energy in the three acupoints, the Yang Qi and Yin Qi, constantly flow and change."

If pure Yang internal energy is used to neutralize it, the excessive Yang energy will cause the Yin energy to backfire; if pure Yin internal energy is used to force it, the excessive Yin energy will cause the Yang energy to rebound. Ordinary masters, regardless of which type of internal energy they use, will only allow the talisman's power to sink deeper and deeper.

To resolve this, one must understand the underlying principles of its changes, and then simultaneously attack all three acupoints to expel it.

Qu Feiyan was completely confused: "Brother, could you explain it in simpler terms? I don't understand."

Shi Potian laughed and said, "Simply put, it takes the Six Yang Palms of Tianshan to pull it out."

Lin Zhennan said, "Then we still need to find Hong Tai, right?"

Shi Potian shook his head and laughed, "I've already learned the Tianshan Six Yang Palms. Last night, when I sparred with Hong Tai, the two moves he used, 'Yangchun Baixue' and 'Yangguan Sandie,' were the methods to break the Life and Death Talisman. At the time, I only thought the palm techniques were exquisite, but I didn't expect them to have this use."

Upon hearing this, everyone was both surprised and delighted. Recalling that Shi Potian had previously learned the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" in a single glance, it was not surprising that he could also learn the "Six Yang Palms of Tianshan".

At that moment, Shi Potian used the "Yangguan Sandie" technique, instantly transforming his right palm into three palm shadows, which struck three acupoints on Physician Wang. Once the Yin and Yang energies were stabilized, Shi Potian raised his palm again, and the three foreign internal forces were extracted.

The imperial physician Wang immediately felt a cool sensation on his back, and the dull pain and tingling that had tormented him for so long receded like a tide. He let out a long breath, his body relaxed on the ground, his eyes filled with the relief of surviving a disaster.

"It's...it's resolved?" he murmured.

Shi Potian withdrew his palm, stood up, and nodded, saying, "It's over."

Physician Wang knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly, tears streaming down his face: "Thank you so much, Young Master Lin, for saving my life! Thank you so much, Princess, for sparing my life!"

Longkui said calmly, "Who said I wouldn't kill you? Although you were coerced, you aided and abetted evil. If you want to avoid death, you have to find a way to break the Leopard Embryo Tendon-Changing Pill."

"You see the most pills. From today onward, go find Ping Yizhi and work for him. If you cannot concoct the antidote within a year, then you must take your own life."

Physician Wang couldn't guarantee anything, but at least he had lived an extra year. He kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "This humble official will definitely help Doctor Ping prepare an antidote!"

The Imperial Guards took Physician Wang away.

Shi Potian withdrew his palm and looked at the back of Physician Wang being escorted away, then suddenly frowned.

Seeing that he seemed lost in thought, Qu Feiyan asked, "Little brother, what's wrong?"

Shi Potian said, "Hong Tai has also planted life-and-death talismans in other people's bodies. I can't remove them one by one. Moreover, he will harm more people in the future, and it's impossible to guard against him all the time."

Longkui nodded: "Young Master Escort is right. This Life and Death Talisman is strange and vicious. If we don't find a way to deal with it, who knows how many more court officials this traitor will control."

Shi Potian thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up: "Why don't I teach everyone these two palm strikes? Everyone will know how to counter them, then we won't have to be afraid of Hong Tai."

These words shocked everyone in the room.

Qu Feiyan was the first to jump up: "Big brother, are you going to teach us the Six Yang Palms of Tianshan? That's Hong Tai's unparalleled martial art!"

Shi Potian laughed and said, "Martial arts are used to protect good people and punish evil people. These two palms can break the life-and-death talisman. If you learn them, you can save good people. That's a good thing. Why hide them?"

Longkui stared at him blankly. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

He casually taught everyone what others would rather die than give up. Is there really such a righteous person in this world?

"Young Master Escort," Long Kui said softly, "do you know the value of these two palm strikes? Learning just one of them could make you a top-tier master..."

Shi Potian laughed and said, "That's even better, everyone is a little safer now."

Longkui was taken aback, then smiled: "Young Master Escort, you are so righteous. I am ashamed."

Qu Feiyan had already jumped up to Shi Potian, tugging at his sleeve: "Big brother, big brother, teach me quickly! I want to learn the Tianshan Six Yang Palm! Let's see who dares to bully me then!"

Shi Potian said, "Alright, alright, I'll teach you."

Lin Zhennan and Madam Wang exchanged a glance, both seeing pride in each other's eyes. Their son, though he couldn't remember his past, had always been so pure and kind.

Sarutobi Higetsu stood to the side, hesitant to speak. He had followed Shi Potian for so long that he already considered himself his lord's retainer. But he knew that he was, after all, a Japanese, and had only joined the lord halfway through his life. Although his lord had treated him well, he had never formally accepted him as a retainer. Now that Shi Potian wanted to teach him martial arts, he dared not hope for it.

Shi Potian suddenly turned to look at him: "Brother Yuanfei, you should learn too."

Sarutobi Higetsu was startled and looked up in disbelief: "My lord...you...you're going to teach me too?"

Shi Potian laughed and said, "Of course. With your high level of skill, you should be able to learn palm techniques quickly. Once you've mastered them, you can even help dispel life-and-death talismans in the future."

Sarutobi Higetsu's eyes reddened, and he knelt down with a thud, his voice choked with sobs: "My lord... this subordinate... what merit do I possess..."

Shi Potian quickly helped him up: "Get up, why are you kneeling?"

Sarutobi Higetsu refused to rise, kowtowing three times until his forehead bled: "My lord's great kindness is beyond repayment. From this day forward, I swear to follow you to the death, even through mountains of knives and seas of fire!"

Shi Potian helped him up and patted him on the shoulder: "You've helped me a lot along the way, and you just risked your life to save me. I haven't thanked you yet."

Sarutobi Higetsu wiped away his tears and shook his head vigorously, indicating that he was welcome.

Shi Potian said no more, walked to the open space in the hall, and slowly assumed the starting stance.

"The Tianshan Six Yang Palm emphasizes the transformation and interplay of Yin and Yang, and the balance of softness and strength. The first move, 'Spring Snow in the Sun,' begins with seven parts Yang and three parts Yin in the palm, and then transitions to three parts Yang and seven parts Yin when the palm strikes out, causing a sudden chill to rise..."