After finishing his meal, Tang San stretched his body vigorously and stepped out of the wooden cabin.
The moment he emerged, he saw five or six individuals heading in his direction. They appeared tall and robust, their garments adorned with purple accents, their expressions somewhat fierce. Two of them bore visible traces of blood.
"Boy, who are you? Where's Doctor Jixiang?" one of them, a large and powerfully built pirate with a sharp glare, demanded as they quickly drew near, sizing Tang San up and down.
Once outside, Tang San had realized his cabin wasn't far from the shore, and it was the only one around. Ahead lay a sandy beach, while behind stretched a vast forest. Though it was already deep autumn, and the greenery was gradually fading.
"Doctor Jixiang isn't here," Tang San replied. Seeing these people and recalling the conversation between Jixiang and another person from his first moment of lucidity, the name "Purple Pearl" surfaced in his mind. Could this be the Purple Pearl Island Heider had spoken of? Had he ended up right in a pirate's den?
Still, Tang San's body had largely recovered now. Self-preservation was no issue. Compared to the Deep Sea Demon Whale, pirates were nothing.
"Not here? Where did he go?" The tall pirate's fierce gaze grew impatient.
Tang San shook his head. "I don't know either." Though he now wore patched, coarse clothing and his handsome face was partially obscured by several days' growth of beard, his noble and elegant bearing remained impossible to conceal.
The tall pirate scrutinized Tang San closely, then snorted. "Where are you from, boy? Are you a spy?" As he spoke, one hand shot out to grab Tang San's collar.
At that moment, a cold voice interjected, "If you want me to save your companions, stop right there."
The large pirate, clearly possessing some strength, halted his hand just before it reached Tang San's chest. Turning to look, he saw Jixiang approaching steadily, holding a small fish basket.
Jixiang was slightly shorter than Tang San but had broad shoulders. He cast a cool glance over the pirates and said flatly, "Bring the injured inside. You—" he gestured toward Tang San, "—assist me." The last sentence was directed at Tang San.
Assist? Tang San didn't protest. His keen mind immediately grasped that Jixiang was providing him with a legitimate identity. Although he didn't need it, he followed Jixiang inside.
Two wounded pirates were placed on the bed where Tang San had been resting. Their injuries—one on the chest, one on the thigh—were severe flesh wounds. The thigh injury was particularly grave; the main artery had been severed. Were it not for a rope tied tightly around the upper thigh, he would likely have bled to death long ago.
The other pirate's wound looked more terrifying—a dagger was embedded in his right chest. Fortunately, it wasn't a through-and-through injury.
Jixiang quickly washed his hands, then walked first to the pirate with the thigh wound. He pulled a wooden box from beneath the bed, opened it, and handed it to Tang San.
"When I say what I need, you hand it to me."
Tang San nodded.
Jixiang unfurled a cloth roll in his own hand, revealing an array of various silver needles. His fingers were long and steady. In quick succession, seven needles were inserted into the pirate's leg.
Tang San could tell Jixiang was sealing the pirate's blood vessels. Though he couldn't recognize acupoints, Jixiang had selected the vessels with perfect accuracy.
After this, Jixiang carefully untied the rope cinched around the pirate's upper thigh.
With a spurt, blood suddenly gushed from the wound, and three of Jixiang's seven silver needles were popped out.
Jixiang's expression changed slightly. He knew this was because the rope had been tied too long, causing dangerously high blood pressure. Just as he was about to retie the rope and reapply the needles to seal the vessels, a slender hand reached out. Before his eyes, the hand seemed to tap several points near the pirate's thigh. The gushing blood immediately stopped flowing.
Jixiang's eyes lit up. He turned to look at Tang San, who smiled and gave him a small nod.
The rest of Jixiang's treatment left Tang San greatly impressed. Using an incredibly fine, hair-thin needle, he sutured the severed artery, then stitched the muscle and skin. His movements were not only astonishingly swift but also supremely precise. The skill could only be described as miraculous.
Tang San could see that the fine needle was Jixiang's Martial Soul, yet Jixiang possessed no Soul Power whatsoever.
Innate zero Soul Power—the weakest of the weak. Regardless of one's Martial Soul, someone born without a shred of Soul Power could never cultivate and increase it through training. No wonder his expression was so detached. Innate zero Soul Power and Tang San's Innate Full Soul Power were absolute opposites. Jixiang must have endured countless scornful looks in his childhood.
Yet, Jixiang's medical skill was the finest Tang San had encountered in this world. The treatment of the other pirate left him even more astonished. Right before his eyes, Jixiang performed a thoracotomy—a surgery to open the chest cavity—stitching the damaged lung. The entire process took nearly an hour.
When everything was finished, Jixiang visibly exuded a sense of satisfaction. It seemed that healing others brought him the greatest joy.
Several pirates who had been quite fierce earlier now stood aside, not daring to even breathe loudly. The respect in their gazes for Jixiang and Tang San had noticeably increased. Especially the tall pirate who had tried to attack Tang San earlier; his face was now full of gratitude.
The surgery was complete. Jixiang stood and addressed the other pirates. "The one with the leg wound can be taken away. The other stays here for observation. He just had thoracotomy; infection is a risk, and he'll need some medication." Today's surgery had been much easier thanks to Tang San's presence. Tang San's acupressure had eliminated the need for Jixiang to use silver needles to seal the patient's blood vessels, saving considerable effort and time.
"Divine Doctor Jixiang, thank you for saving my brother!" The tall pirate thumped to his knees and kowtowed heavily three times. It turned out the one stabbed in the right chest was his own brother.
Jixiang wasn't overly polite. "If you want to thank me, then bring me some medicine next time you return."
"Yes, of course!" The tall pirate rose, and when he looked at Tang San again, his earlier ferocity was gone. "Brother, sorry about before. My brother was hurt, and I was frantic. I'll treat you to a drink sometime."
Tang San was momentarily taken aback. Heider and his crew had left a poor impression, yet this tall pirate, beneath his fierce exterior, seemed quite straightforward and good-natured.
Once they had all gone, Jixiang quietly tidied up the room while saying to Tang San, "You can tell, can't you? They're pirates. But pirates are people too, not all of them are bad. That's why I'm willing to stay here."
Tang San asked, "This is Purple Pearl Island?"
Jixiang nodded. "You know about Purple Pearl?"
Tang San smiled wryly. "My companions and I fell into the sea because we were attacked by pirates under the Purple Pearl flag. If you hadn't saved me, I'd probably be dead by now."
Hearing this, Jixiang slowly straightened up, his gaze on Tang San turning somewhat peculiar. "So, you must be a noble? Purple Pearl only targets nobles; fishermen only need to pay a small ocean tax."
Tang San smiled. "Just as you said, not all pirates are bad. Does that mean all nobles are bad?"
Jixiang froze, looking at Tang San, unsure how to respond.
Tang San turned to look outside. "In this world, only the victors are kings, and the defeated are bandits. The distinction between good and bad people comes down to one thing: whether one can hold fast to their true heart. Tell me about the situation here, would you?"
Jixiang stopped tidying and walked behind Tang San. For some reason, he suddenly felt this recovered man possessed a special charisma—a charisma that inspired submission. Every word he spoke seemed to carry a unique rhythm.
"Perhaps you're right. There are good people among nobles too. For years, Purple Pearl has been 'robbing the rich to help the poor.' While maintaining their own survival, most of the plundered goods have been distributed to struggling fishing villages along the coast. That's why I stay. I am the only doctor in the Purple Pearl pirates."
Tang San turned around, looking closely at Jixiang. Instead of continuing the previous topic, he asked, "Would you like to learn the technique I used to seal blood vessels?"
Jixiang paused, his calm eyes suddenly dimming. "I can't learn it. Your method requires Soul Power. If I had Soul Power, even with my needles alone, I could seal blood vessels too."
Tang San smiled faintly and said something that shattered Jixiang's composure. "What if I could give you Soul Power?"
"You... what did you say?" Jixiang stared at Tang San in shock. No matter how composed he appeared, he was still just a seventeen-year-old boy. From childhood, because of his innate zero Soul Power, he had endured countless hardships and injustices. How desperately he longed to possess Soul Power! Although he possessed medical skills beyond ordinary reach, he knew full well that if he had Soul Power, his abilities would advance to a new level. Moreover, possessing Soul Power had been his lifelong dream.
Tang San said, "I have a special cultivation technique. I can't be certain it's perfectly suited for you, but I believe it at least gives you a chance to become a Soul Master."
Although Jixiang was far more mature than others his age, hearing Tang San's words still sent a surge of uncontrollable excitement through him. His calm eyes now burned with longing.
Tang San pondered for a moment. "I can teach you my acupressure technique, as repayment for saving my life. However, this cultivation technique belongs to my sect. I do not have the authority to pass it on privately. Jixiang, are you willing to take me as your master?"
Jixiang was stunned. Take him as a master? Tang San's words were direct, and in Tang San's clear eyes, Jixiang could see no ulterior motive. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "If you can truly make me a Soul Master, I am willing. But I'm already seventeen. Can I really become one?" No matter how he looked at it, this might be the only chance he'd ever have to become a Soul Master.
Tang San smiled calmly. "I'm eighty percent certain. Would you like to try?"
Jixiang took a deep breath, then thumped to his knees before Tang San, kowtowing three times with great force. "Master." He couldn't let this opportunity slip away. He knew that after accepting him as his master, he would have to obey his master's commands. But if he missed this chance, he feared he would regret it for the rest of his life.
Tang San calmly accepted Jixiang's three kowtows before helping him to his feet. "You are indeed a bit old, but as long as you work hard, you will surely achieve something in the future. Eat this."
Reaching into his Wishful Hundred Treasure Bag, he produced a golden ginseng root and handed it to Jixiang.
As a doctor, Jixiang naturally recognized it and gasped softly, "A Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King?"
Tang San nodded. "Time is pressing, and I have many things to do. There's no time to refine it into medicine. Just eat it directly. I'll help you build your foundation. With its effect of fortifying the essence and nourishing the root, your cultivation will be twice as effective."
At this moment, Jixiang had no doubts left about Tang San's words. A Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King wasn't something just anyone could produce—it was a priceless treasure!
In Tang San's eyes, however, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King's value was limited; at least, it wasn't much use to him personally. Compared to the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng and the Ten-Thousand-Year Nine-Grade Ginseng King, its worth was far inferior. But for Jixiang now, it was perfectly suited.
Jixiang ate with great care, using his fingernail to pierce the ginseng's skin, then immediately leaning in to gently suck the essence. Soon, the ginseng withered, its essence turned to juice and flowed into his stomach. Jixiang didn't discard the leftover skin but carefully tucked it into his own robe. Even depleted of most of its essence, it could still be used to refine some excellent medicines.
"Sit down." Tang San pressed Jixiang's shoulders. The Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King, while not an immortal-grade herb, was still not something an ordinary person could absorb. The principle of "the deficient cannot bear strong tonics" applied; an ordinary person eating this would suffer a complete collapse of the body's vessels from over-supplementing and die. Of course, Jixiang would never suspect Tang San of plotting against him—who would use such a priceless treasure to scheme against someone who only knew medicine?
In the brief moment from standing to sitting, Jixiang's face flushed from normal to deep red, showing just how potent the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King was.