Physician's Odyssey Chapter 100

Chapter 100 - Seeking Victory in the Eight Extraordinary Meridians
Vegetative state, something that no one was unfamiliar with.
It had always been a typical gimmick in dramas after the princess was being hit by a vehicle. Speaking in medical terms, as long as a patient possessed the sleep-wake cycle with the absence of responsiveness and awareness, they'd be deemed as a vegetative state.
The current study of medicine was still in a blank state in terms of treating the vegetative state, especially in western medicine, since this involved the most complicated study of the brain's nervous system.
As for TCM, there were some accidental results in treating a vegetative state, and they're generally split into two situations. Firstly, a fluke by using acupuncture to clear up a certain acupoint and vessels to revitalise the patient's nervous system, allowing them to restore their consciousness.
As for the second one, the vegetative state was also separated into temporary and permanent. Patients that were in that state for over a year would be deemed a permanent vegetative state. So those that had been in a vegetative state for a shorter time had a higher chance of restoring their consciousness. Some vegetative patients that recovered might not be due to external help, but they might merely be in that state temporarily and recover naturally after that, which was often misunderstood as an effective treatment.
Both Wang Guofeng and Su Tao knitted their brows, while Song Sichen and Dou Fang exchanged a glance and smiled at the judge's panel. If Su Tao had seen their smiles, he would probably have the urge to beat them up.
Perverted judges always liked to come up with a tough question to deliberately make things difficult for students and took joy in this stuff. After the college entrance exam every year, there would be exam candidates that felt the problem was too difficult and suicided.
But everything was within their expectations. Since this was the finals, it couldn't be an easy problem for the two of them, like how things were throughout the elimination. Thus, they had to give the two of them a difficult question.
Judges would feel happy when the contestants find it difficult, since this put worth in the judges' standards.
So what about the Physician King title? Every single Physician King Tournament would give birth to a Physician King. But in the TCM field, the five of them represented the highest standards of achievements throughout the TCM field. When they started their careers, they did not have such a platform for them to shine. All of them had gone through billows and waves before they were known as divine physicians that could assume the title of a Physician King. So it's naturally easy for them to make things difficult for two younger generations that had just started their path.
Although the topic was challenging, it would be able to demonstrate the participant's ability, if they succeeded.
Wang Guofeng had been known as the genius of a thousand years in the Medical Dao Sect, and he had already been determined as one of the next key figures in TCM. Thus, the TCM Association had created a package for him to push him into society in the next three to five years.
On the other hand, Su Tao brought the Heavenseizing Hand, which was also known as the Saint Hands of Xing Lin back into the world, cutting his way through thorns throughout the tournament and was known as the greatest dark horse in the history of the Physician King Tournament.
With their talents, it would lower the standard of this tournament if the judges came up with a minor illness. They might even be ridiculed by the two of them.
Thus, the judges had deliberately come up with a tough question for the two of them to perform, exceeding their usual standard.
Wang Guofeng first walked to the patient and took the pulse of the patient. The patient's condition wasn't ideal, since he had been in a vegetative state for at least five years. The patient's muscles had already atrophied, and due to being on long-term nutrient fluid, the function of the patient's five viscera and six bowels had also suffered grave damages. Even if the patient could recover his conscious, the patient would still be no different from a stroke patient in paralysis. It was so much so that the patient might even have to spend his life on the bed.
Facing this reality, perhaps being in the vegetative state was more of a blessing for the patient, since walking out of the vegetative state would mean more suffering.
There's also a song lyric that could be used to describe the patient's state, being asleep is bliss as awakening is too painful.
However, Wang Guofeng took a deep breath without hesitation and retrieved his needle case from his medical box. He was prepared to conduct acupuncture.
The vegetative state was a rare symptom, since the patients were practically standing at the border of death. It's something that could be rarely treated in the western medicine field. Firstly, it's seldom seen as there weren't over fifty people in the world that suffered from this. Secondly, patients would typically be nursed until they recover by themselves and rarely resorted to any stimulating means, since that would be equivalent to be harming. In more serious views, that meant murder!
Wang Guofeng was an acupuncture master, so he had a light touch when using acupuncture. From the pulse that he took, he had already confirmed the patient's body state, so he had a direction to work from, so the first needle was between the legs.
Song Sichen nodded his head. He could roughly guess Wang Guofeng's treatment plan. He's to clear the governing and conception meridians to restore the patient's vitality.
In wuxia novels, the governing and conception meridians were frequently mentioned meridians. The conception meridians represented the blood, while the governing meridians represented Qi that formed the main meridians in a human body. Clearing the governing and conception meridians would result in clearing eight meridians. Once eight meridians were cleared, the rest would also be cleared and improve the physique, strengthening bones and create a cycle.
But novels have exaggerated them, since they said that those powerful experts who had all cleared their governing and conception vessel meridians would grant leaps and bounds to martial arts. Although it was a little exaggerated, the human body would really be freed from illnesses when the two meridians were cleared.
The conception meridian was the Sea of Yin, while the governing meridian was the Sea of Yang, using his Qi to create a Qi Center to stimulate the patient's bodily functions.
The Medical Dao Sect had combined both TCM and Daoist School's essence. Wang Guofeng was using the theory of the Sheyang Art that was left by the divine physician of the Tang Dynasty, Sun Simiao.
After a few needles, the judges all nodded their heads as Wang Guofeng's solid acupuncture technique, deeply moving them. He had practically brought the Medical Dao Sect's traits to the limits.
Ten-odd minutes later, Wang Guofeng's Qi circulated in his body and his face turned red with vapor emanating from his head. The spectators all felt that they're watching a wuxia drama from this scene. So it turned out that using Qi to treat illnesses wasn't rubbish in those dramas, but it actually existed.
The judges and audience were already used to Su Tao standing silently in the process as this fellow had a habit of making a come back at the last moment and liked to let his opponent take the lead while he caught up with a fancy move to make a comeback.
But actually, they're all blaming Su Tao wrongly.
Su Tao had just treated She Wei of her arsenic poison, so the Qi in his body was practically exhausted. Although he was a divine physician, he had a limit, since his body was also made of blood and flesh.
The reason why he did not make a move wasn't because he was underestimating Wang Guofeng, but because he was exhausted now. Even his dantian was empty, so he chose to delay it to nurture his energy.
Letting Wang Guofeng start first was an act of helplessness and mistake. Just as he had expected, clearing the governing and conception meridians was the best method to treat a vegetative patient.
If there's enough time, like a month or two, for example, he would be able to use the Heat Acupuncture Technique to nurture the body of the vegetative patient, allowing the patient's bodily function to recover and regain his conscious. But due to time constraints in the Physician King Tournament, he had to achieve the most efficient method on the spot. Thus, clearing the governing and conception meridians was the best suitable method.
Any experienced physician knew about the governing and conception meridians. But the reason why not everyone tried it was that it required the foundation of powerful Qi to support it. Wang Guofeng had a vigorous and thick Qi, and his hard work was all for this moment. Thus, his Qi was abnormally stable and robust, so the Rising Dawn Qi in the Seventh Stage continuously nurtured the patient's body like lukewarm water.
Wang Guofeng was a powerful enemy. Even if he was exceptionally shrewd, he disguised himself well. His medical skills also surpassed many people. Having such an enemy, it's a joy instead of trouble, which made Su Tao feel excited since only facing a powerful enemy would give him the motivation!
Su Tao took a deep breath. He knew that he couldn't afford to wait any longer. Placing the medical box on the table, he took out his needles to start the treatment.
Since Wang Guofeng had already used the method of stimulating treatment through the governing and conception meridians, then he couldn't repeat it, or others would feel that he's a copycat.
Since this was a tournament, then he must definitely win. Not only must he obtain victory, but he must also win it beautifully.
When Su Tao placed his first needle, many of the audience members held their breath as they looked at him.
"Gongsun Acupoint communicates with the Penetrating Meridian, and Neiguan Acupoint communicates with the Yin-Linking Meridian, and both points and vessels unite with the chest, heart, and stomach.
"Zulinqi Acupunt communicated with the Girdle Meridian, and Waiguan Acupoint communicates with the Yang-Linking Meridian, both points and vessels unite at the outer canthus, behind the ear, cheek, neck, shoulder, supraclavicular fossa, and the diaphragm.
"Houxi Acupoint communicates with the Governing Meridian, and Shenmai Acupoint communicates with the Yang Heel Meridian, both points and vessels unite at the inner canthus, nape of the neck, small intestine, and the bladder.
"Lieque Acupoint communicates with the Conception Meridian, and Zhaohai Acupoint communicates with the Yin Heel Meridian, both points and vessels unite with the lungs, throat, and diaphragm."
This was the Eight Confluent Points' Song that had been passed down since the ancients.
The so-called "eight points" represented the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, they're not the same as the 12 Standard Meridians, since they did not belong to the inner organs, yet they had an unusual relationship with each other. Thus it was named the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
Li Shizhen's Study of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians once said, "Ordinary people have these Eight Extraordinary Meridians, but without exception, they cannot be cleared. Only a deity can clear it to achieve Dao. The Eight Extraordinary Meridians are the foundation of Qi."
Although Wang Guofeng was executing acupuncture, he had always been paying attention to Su Tao. When he saw through Su Tao's strategy, his nose was nearly crooked from the anger.
That's because of his treatment technique, the Governing and Conception Meridians also involved the six other meridians aside from the two meridians.
That fellow must be doing this on purpose and used an upgraded version of his technique. But he had already started it, so there's no turning back for him. He could only continue along with this technique. As for the six other meridians, he didn't have the extra energy to pay attention to them as it involved the consumption of Qi.
Right now, Wang Guofeng was pouring his Qi into the Governing and Conception Meridians. If he poured Qi into the six other meridians, it might cause the balance between Yin and Yang to break, having a reverse effect. The patient might never wake up or even die due to the rupture of meridians.
Right now, Su Tao practically didn't have any Qi in his body, but he was also left without a choice to resort to this method to revitalise the exhausted vitality.
Although this method was more challenging without any certainty, it's undoubtedly the most gentle method for a vegetative patient to restore his consciousness.
At this moment, Wang Guofeng had placed the last needle down with confidence, and just as he had expected, the finger of the patient twitched, causing a massive commotion in the surroundings.