Cangmang Asks the Way 1: Guardian of the Lamp

Shortly after Cang Liuqing's family left early in the morning, they called from Ji County to say that after a doctor's examination, Qin Siyuan's condition was not serious and the family did not need to worry. They would be returning to Beijing by car in two days.

Upon hearing this news, Cang Tianci felt relieved. He thought of his master at Eagle Cliff. His master had said he could return after the fifth day of the month, and today was already the sixth; it was time to go back to his master's side.

He told his father, Cang Zhenye, about his decision. Cang Zhenye happily said, "Well, it's time for you to go back. Then let your eldest brother take you there."

"Dad, no...no need, I...I can manage," Cang Tianci refused.

Cang Lifeng's voice rang out: "That won't do. Your leg isn't healed yet, and I can't let you walk alone. I haven't seen the old doctor for over ten years. I want to go and kowtow to the old doctor for the great kindness he showed in saving my father and Xiaohua back then. I can take you there and thank him while I'm at it."

"I'll go see the old doctor too, I remember him!" Cang Xiangyang, now a grown man, said loudly.

Unable to resist his two brothers' insistence on giving him the gift, Cang Tianci had no choice but to agree.

Su Yumei quickly stuffed some dried food, cured meat, and a small jar of newly brewed rice wine into the satchel that Xiangyang was carrying, and also packed up the gifts that Cang Liuqing had brought and handed them to Cang Lifeng and Cang Xiangyang.

The three brothers bid farewell to their parents and embarked on the mountain path leading to Eagle Cliff. Lifeng led the way with steady steps; Tianci walked in the middle, his cane tapping softly on the ground; Xiangyang brought up the rear, his eyes constantly watching Tianci's progress. The mountain wind howled, fluttering their clothes, and the warm sunlight illuminated their resolute profiles.

Pushing open that familiar wooden door, the tranquility of the thatched hut and the aroma of medicine wafted out. Chen Jiren was sitting by a small clay stove under the eaves, brewing medicinal tea, the rising steam blurring his thin face.

Hearing the noise, he slowly raised his eyes. His gaze first fell on Cang Tianci, who stood leaning on his crutches, his breathing steady. The restlessness and aggression caused by his leg injury had completely disappeared, replaced by a restrained vitality and tranquility.

His gaze then swept past Tianci and settled on the two young men at the door. Time had etched its mark on their faces, but the contours of their features were still faintly discernible. Cang Lifeng, the boy with the stubborn, wolf-like eyes of yesteryear, had grown into a towering figure, exuding a rugged strength and responsibility forged through life-and-death trials. Cang Xiangyang, the somewhat timid and hesitant child of his memory, had shed his naiveté, his eyes now bearing the ruggedness born of experience.

"Mr. Chen!" Cang Lifeng's voice boomed, filled with barely suppressed excitement. He strode forward, knelt down with a thud, and bowed deeply, proclaiming loudly, "Cang Lifeng, the eldest son of the Cang family, along with my second brother Cang Xiangyang, kowtow to express our deepest gratitude to the venerable physician for saving our lives!"

Cang Xiangyang followed suit and knelt down, crying out, "Thank you so much, old divine physician!"

This unexpected and generous gift shook the tranquility of the thatched hut. Chen Jiren paused, his hand stroking his beard. His usually calm and serene mind was now stirred by a gentle breeze. He looked at the two men kneeling upright before him, their heartfelt gratitude and sincerity, their profound friendship forged through hardship, like the purest jade, striking his weathered heart. More than ten years had passed in the blink of an eye, and the good deed he had casually sown years ago had borne such a heavy fruit. He remained silent for a moment, his gaze seemingly piercing through time, seeing the two desperate yet stubborn boys of Xiqiao Village from back then.

"Get up, get up quickly!" Chen Jiren's voice was less indifferent than usual, but more gentle and firm. "We are just country folk, we don't deserve such a grand gesture. Saving lives and healing the wounded is the duty of a doctor."

Li Feng and Xiang Yang insisted on kowtowing three times before getting up and standing respectfully to the side.

After a moment, he asked, "Lifeng, I've heard that you were the one who taught Tianci his kung fu. Are you still practicing martial arts now?"

"No, sir," Cang Lifeng replied respectfully. "Now I'm making a living in the south of the city with my younger siblings. Thanks to the trust of my fellow workers, I usually take on some jobs with a few dozen brothers."

Chen Jiren nodded slightly: "With such a foundation, why didn't you pursue a career in martial arts? Tianci spoke highly of you when he mentioned you."

A complex expression flashed across Cang Lifeng's face, and his voice lowered: "Old sir, it was not a voluntary decision to give up, but rather a forced choice." He briefly recounted how he was forced to leave his hometown by Wang Zhenkun, Liu Tietou, and others.

Finally, a glint appeared in his eyes: "However, my skills haven't been wasted. They've given me the confidence to stand tall in Nancheng, and the courage and ability to protect my brothers. With these, I've forged a new path in Nancheng. But I can't let go of what our ancestors passed down. After paying off our family's debts and bringing my younger siblings out, I want to save up enough money to start a martial arts school, so that more poor children like us can have the confidence to stand tall!"

Chen Jiren's eyes gleamed with a strange light. His gaze lingered on Cang Lifeng for a moment before he slowly said, "Your bones and muscles are strong, and your blood and qi surge like rivers and seas. However, you have more strength than flexibility. There must be hidden injuries and stagnation in your body, and a fierce aura is hidden within, like a knife with rust. If you don't take care of yourself, you can still rely on your blood and qi to support yourself in your prime, but once your blood and qi weaken, it will become a serious illness, like a wild horse that has lost its reins and will hurt itself."

Upon hearing this, Cang Lifeng was startled, recalling the faint stagnation and heat he sometimes felt in the quiet of the night.

Chen Jiren then turned to Cang Xiangyang: "Your constitution is a little weak, but you have great resilience. Your busy life makes you susceptible to wind, cold, and dampness invading your middle burner, depleting your vital energy, like a leaky roof. You need to strengthen your foundation and nourish your vital energy, and improve your spleen and stomach; this is the only long-term solution."

Cang Xiangyang subconsciously touched his lower back and abdomen, which often felt sore and swollen.

"Seeing you two today, I realize you have an affinity for this Taoist breathing technique. Therefore, I will impart to you the introductory method of the 'Hibernating Dragon Breathing Technique.' This technique emphasizes a calm and tranquil mind. Without the guidance of a wise teacher, recklessly practicing it will only bring harm. Remember this."

Upon hearing this, both Cang Lifeng and Cang Xiangyang were shocked, overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. They knew the miraculous effects of the Hidden Dragon Technique on Tianci's recovery, and they understood the significance of the old doctor's actions! This was not merely a transfer of power, but a granting them the foundation for a stable life and long-term health.

"Thank you so much, Dr. Xie, for passing on your skills!" The two brothers bowed deeply again, their voices trembling with emotion.

Chen Jiren said no more and gestured for the two to sit cross-legged on the prayer mats in the courtyard. He walked behind Cang Lifeng, stretched out his finger, and gently pressed the "Zhiyang" acupoint on the Du meridian on his back. "Concentrate your mind and follow your finger." Chen Jiren's voice was deep and clear.

A gentle yet penetrating warmth instantly surged from the fingertip into Cang Lifeng's body. This energy was completely different from the raging, untamed power within him. The moment it entered, it triggered a violent rejection reaction from the congested points in Cang Lifeng's meridians, bringing waves of tearing, internal pain. Cang Lifeng groaned, his teeth clenched, and veins bulged on his forehead. The fierce power within him instinctively wanted to fight back, to expel this "strange force."

However, amidst this agonizing clash of ice and fire, the dormant dragon energy displayed astonishing resilience. It moved unhurriedly, like spring water thawing, or a skillful hand threading a needle, precisely smoothing away every blockage. Pain intertwined with an unprecedented sense of comfort. Cang Lifeng, relying on astonishing willpower, forcefully suppressed his turbulent blood and qi, attempting to follow the guidance of the energy. Just as the energy flowed to the meridians in his arm, under a near-inner vision of clarity, the ruthless intuition he relied on when using "Finger Strike to Intercept Meridians" was suddenly replaced by a more subtle "seeing"—the opponent's blood and qi circulation, the pivot of power eruption, seemed to present a clear picture before his eyes. His heart trembled violently, instantly realizing a completely new possibility: the previous "Finger Strike" focused on injuring the opponent's form and breaking their power, brutal and direct; but if he used this dormant dragon energy as a guide, combined with more refined force, he might be able to "intercept its flow" and "disrupt its source," dismantling the opponent from the root! This was not a sudden increase in strength, but a leap in realm, like evolving from brute force chopping wood to mastering the art of butchering an ox. He closed his eyes tightly, deeply immersed in the immense shock and enlightenment, and the fierce aura around him silently subsided and condensed, gaining an inner sharpness.

Chen Jiren then walked behind Cang Xiangyang and pressed his finger on the "Shenque" acupoint on his abdomen. A warm current slowly flowed in, like the warm winter sun shining on a weary body. This warmth quickly spread to his limbs and bones, especially to his waist and abdomen, which were sore from years of hard work. It was as if he were soaking in a warm spring, and the heavy fatigue receded like the tide, replaced by a warm and comfortable feeling. Cang Xiangyang couldn't help but let out a comfortable groan, his heart filled with surprise and joy: "This...this feeling is even more relaxing than a good night's sleep! If I had learned this earlier, I could have done two more trips a day, earned a few more cents, and paid off more of the family's debts..." His honest face flushed with excitement, and he studied even more earnestly, as if he were holding not some ethereal energy, but a real key that could unlock more livelihoods for his family.

After guiding them for a while, and once the two had a basic understanding of the flow of energy and the "continuous yet subtle" breathing rhythm, Chen Jiren withdrew his fingers and carefully taught them the specific techniques. Cang Lifeng, combining his experience of the interplay of ice and fire with his own martial arts insights, continuously verified and deduced the new realm he had just glimpsed in his mind. Cang Xiangyang also tried hard to memorize it; although his understanding wasn't as profound as his elder brother's, he firmly grasped the precious feeling of nourishing the body and dispelling fatigue.

Filled with gratitude and heavy with their bounty, Cang Lifeng and Cang Xiangyang reluctantly left the thatched hut.

After seeing his two elder brothers off, Tianci stood on the edge of the cliff, watching their figures disappear into the winding mountain path. Tianci felt a warm yet heavy feeling in his heart.

What Master taught me today wasn't just a way to improve my health. It was like giving my eldest brother a key to control his qi and blood, and giving my second brother a shield to withstand hardship.

He looked down at his right leg, which he still couldn't use with full strength. Unlike before, when he only felt pain and weakness, now it seemed as if something warm and powerful was slowly emerging from the gaps in his bones, like the first tenacious sprout struggling to emerge from a crack in a rock.

The cold stares of Xiqiao Village, the charcoal fire in the old house, the heritage on the cliff, and Wanqing's tears... so many things churned in his heart, pressing down on his leg which was recovering, and then dissolving into that warm strength.

He didn't quite understand what "cause and effect" meant, nor did he quite grasp the weight of "luck." But he vaguely felt that his life, which he had been rescued from the bottom of the cliff, seemed to belong to more than just himself.

The mountain wind rustled through the withered grass on the cliff edge. Tianci gripped his cane tightly, feeling a familiar, solid texture in his hand.

He suddenly remembered what Sister Liu Qing said when she left: "Some things, though they seem far away, are actually very close."

He didn't understand. But he knew that what his master had passed on to his two elder brothers today wasn't just a few breaths. It was a thread that connected them to something.

He couldn't quite make out what it was yet. But he gripped his cane tightly, turned, and walked back to the thatched hut. His master's medicine pot was still bubbling and steaming.