Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 936 - 937: Took in a Female Disciple

Chapter 936: Chapter 937: Took in a Female Disciple

The atmosphere here was lively, yet the Su Family and the Sun Family remained completely indifferent, as if the collaboration among the Zhou Family, the Qiao Family, and the Lingtian Group had nothing to do with them.

On Friday, Song Xiaodong still made a trip to Ningjian Medical University.

However, he did not head to the university first; instead, he arranged to meet Lu Yaobing at a restaurant not far from the campus gate.

Lu Yaobing was already waiting in a private room. When she saw Song Xiaodong walk in, she immediately stood up excitedly and said, "Teacher Song! You’re here."

Song Xiaodong nodded slightly and asked, "Have you ordered?"

"I have, but I’m not sure if it suits your taste, Teacher Song."

"It’s fine, I’m not particular about food."

After sitting down, Song Xiaodong went straight to the point and asked, "Classmate Lu Yaobing, the True Qi in your body—did you cultivate it from a young age?"

Lu Yaobing’s eyes widened. "Teacher Song, is this really True Qi?"

"You didn’t know?" Song Xiaodong looked at her, somewhat surprised.

Lu Yaobing exclaimed, "I had no idea!"

"Then how did you manage to cultivate it?" Song Xiaodong was taken aback.

Looking embarrassed, Lu Yaobing explained, "I’ve always enjoyed reading books, especially old ones. Once, while browsing a second-hand bookstall, I came across a thread-bound book that looked pretty old, so I bought it out of curiosity. It turned out to be one of those legendary manuals for Kung Fu training. I didn’t believe it at all, but I thought it seemed fun, so I followed the methods casually."

"You’re kidding me, right?" Song Xiaodong’s face was filled with disbelief.

"I’m not lying, Teacher Song! I even brought the book with me. I had it appraised, and someone told me it was a handwritten copy from the early Republic of China, so it’s not worth much." As she spoke, Lu Yaobing took out the thread-bound old book.

Just as she was about to hand it over to Song Xiaodong, her face suddenly flushed, and she softly said, "Teacher Song, please don’t laugh at me."

Receiving the book, Song Xiaodong saw that it was very worn, with many frayed edges. Carefully flipping through the pages, he noticed a series of illustrations that clearly explained why Lu Yaobing felt embarrassed. The illustrations depicted female nudes—not overly artistic, but detailed enough.

These anatomical drawings were covered with meridian paths and various acupoints.

Feeling awkward at first, Lu Yaobing found it somewhat improper to show such a book to a man, especially in private. It felt rather ambiguous.

However, after Song Xiaodong’s initial odd expression, he became entirely focused on studying the book, showing none of the expected embarrassment. Reassured, Lu Yaobing shifted her chair closer to him and quietly said, "I followed the methods described here. At first, I didn’t notice any changes, but after practicing for over a month, it felt like a small worm was crawling inside me. Whenever I was tired, I’d practice a bit, and it would invigorate me. I chose to study acupuncture in Traditional Chinese Medicine because it talks a lot about meridians and acupoints. But since entering Medical University, I’ve felt like I haven’t learned anything particularly useful—until you, Teacher Song, came along."

Song Xiaodong nodded silently, and both lapsed into a quiet pause.

After going through the entire book, a delighted expression appeared on Song Xiaodong’s face. "This method is quite brilliant and carries substantial potential for wide application. It’s simple and easy to learn."

"Is it really that valuable?" Lu Yaobing was thrilled.

"Yes, it’s definitely a gem. If this method were taught to others, many of them might also succeed in learning it." After a brief pause, Song Xiaodong looked at her and asked, "Would you be willing to teach this to others?"

Without hesitation, Lu Yaobing replied, "Of course, Teacher Song. But if others learn it, what will it be good for?"

Song Xiaodong answered, "It has immense value, especially for those studying acupuncture. If they can cultivate True Qi using your method, they’d be able to master authentic acupuncture. True acupuncture doesn’t merely involve piercing acupoints with needles; the real effectiveness comes from using needles as a medium to channel True Qi for healing."

Overjoyed, Lu Yaobing exclaimed, "So that means I can learn authentic acupuncture techniques too?"

"Exactly!" Song Xiaodong nodded. "I originally planned to teach my method to everyone, but its success rate is too low. Meanwhile, your method, though somewhat less effective, is far easier to master. If you’re willing to share it with others, it would be a significant blessing for all."

"No problem, no problem at all! I’m willing to teach others. I’ve wanted to before, but nobody had the patience to learn."

Song Xiaodong gave an approving nod. "That’s an excellent attitude. In light of your kindness, I’ll teach you a more advanced method for cultivating True Qi. With your talent, I believe you have a good chance of mastering it."

"Teacher Song!" Her eyes glittered with excitement. "Does this mean I can become like you someday?"

"That depends on your fortune, but it’s certainly possible." Song Xiaodong nodded slightly.

"Oh, great! Should I... formally acknowledge you as my teacher?" Lu Yaobing gazed at him earnestly.

Startled, Song Xiaodong hesitated before smiling and responding, "We are of different genders. If I teach you informally, it might be somewhat improper. But if you formally acknowledge me as your teacher, it would make this relationship much more appropriate."

"So you agree?" Lu Yaobing’s face lit up with joy as she looked at him.

"Yes," Song Xiaodong replied with a slight nod.

Immediately, Lu Yaobing stood up and was about to kneel before him.

Extending his hand, Song Xiaodong caught her arm and said, "What are you doing?"

"I’m acknowledging you as my master, so I must kowtow to you," she replied seriously.

Bewildered, Song Xiaodong said, "Come on, nobody does that nowadays."

"But I’m learning True Qi from you, Teacher. This isn’t just an ordinary apprenticeship. I feel it should follow ancient traditions, with kowtowing and serving tea," she insisted earnestly.

Matching her tone, Song Xiaodong replied, "That’s unnecessary. Serving tea will suffice. The essence of acknowledging a master lies in your heart. If you kowtow without truly regarding me as your teacher, it’s meaningless. Conversely, if you consider me your teacher in your heart, those formalities are just empty rituals."

Lu Yaobing nodded, picked up a cup of tea, and respectfully presented it to him. "Master, please drink this tea."

With a faint smile, Song Xiaodong accepted the cup, sipped from it, and said, "I didn’t expect to take you as my disciple today, so I haven’t prepared a gift for you. I’ll make it up to you later. For now, these three silver needles will serve as a token of our profession and apprenticeship."