Leaving the receiving courtyard, Su Yang followed behind Lin Sheng while his mind remained occupied by everything he had just heard.
His acupoints weren't truly blocked.
His body possessed a special physique.
And if he could gather enough energy while strengthening his body sufficiently, he might even cross an entire major realm in a single breakthrough.
For someone who had been called a cripple since childhood, those words were almost impossible to digest.
Su Yang unconsciously clenched his fists.
For the first time...
The path before him no longer appeared completely dark.
Several steps ahead, Lin Sheng suddenly stopped.
A middle-aged man hurried over from the inner courtyard.
The moment he saw Su Yang, his expression immediately became anxious.
"Yang'er."
His gaze quickly moved across his son's body before settling on Lin Sheng.
"Physician Lin..."
The Su Family Patriarch's voice contained a mixture of hope and nervousness.
It was the expression of a father who had heard too many disappointing answers over the years.
Physicians had examined Su Yang countless times.
Some had confidently declared that they could cure him.
Others had shaken their heads after examining him for several hours.
In the end...
Every single one had failed.
Lin Sheng looked at the Patriarch.
"Patriarch Su."
"How is my son?"
The Patriarch's eyes immediately fixed upon Lin Sheng.
"His condition is unusual."
The man's heart sank.
Unusual.
That word could mean many things.
"Is it..."
"Impossible to treat?"
Lin Sheng shook his head.
"No."
"Quite the opposite."
The Patriarch froze.
Lin Sheng calmly continued.
"Your son doesn't possess an ordinary physique."
"His acupoints are not actually blocked in the conventional sense."
The Patriarch's eyes widened.
"What?"
Lin Sheng didn't rush to explain.
"I've studied records concerning unusual martial physiques throughout history."
"Some physiques naturally strengthen the body."
"Some allow their owners to comprehend martial concepts more easily."
"Others possess extraordinary compatibility with particular forms of martial cultivation."
He looked toward Su Yang.
"Your son's physique belongs to the latter category."
The Patriarch's breathing became heavier.
"What does that mean?"
"It means..."
Lin Sheng paused briefly.
"His body is naturally suited toward Internal Martial Arts."
The Patriarch's expression changed.
For years, the Su Family had believed that Su Yang's greatest weakness was his inability to cultivate Internal Martial Arts.
Yet now...
The very physique they had considered defective might actually be the reason behind it.
Lin Sheng continued.
"His nine major acupoints are interconnected."
"Energy entering one isn't stored there."
"Instead, it is distributed across all nine."
The Patriarch frowned.
"I've personally examined Yang'er's body before."
"I never discovered anything like that."
"That's precisely the problem."
Lin Sheng smiled faintly.
"The distribution is too subtle."
"Unless someone's perception is sufficiently refined, it simply appears as though the energy disappears."
The Patriarch fell silent.
That explanation made sense.
Yet another question immediately surfaced.
"If that's the case..."
"How can Yang'er cultivate?"
Lin Sheng looked at him calmly.
"He needs considerably more energy than an ordinary martial artist."
"Much more."
"And his body must be strong enough to withstand the transformation."
The Patriarch immediately understood.
"So..."
"His body strengthening?"
"Yes."
Lin Sheng nodded.
"That is one of the reasons I recommend that he continue practicing External Martial Arts."
"Once his physique reaches the appropriate level, his body will be much better prepared to withstand the energy required for his breakthrough."
The Patriarch's expression gradually brightened.
"Then..."
"How far can he advance?"
Lin Sheng didn't give him an exaggerated answer.
"If everything goes smoothly..."
"He may be able to directly reach the peak of the Innate stage when he first succeeds in cultivating Internal Energy."
The Patriarch's eyes widened.
Even Su Yang couldn't help looking back.
"Peak Innate?"
Lin Sheng nodded.
"Under normal circumstances, that would be extremely difficult."
"But your son's physique is fundamentally different."
"He doesn't need to accumulate energy in the same manner as ordinary martial artists."
"His nine acupoints function as a single system."
"If enough energy is supplied..."
"The transformation can happen simultaneously."
The Su Family Patriarch's face slowly filled with excitement.
For the first time in many years...
He saw genuine hope for his son.
Yet despite his excitement, a trace of doubt remained.
The Su Family possessed an Astral Gang Ancestor.
Such an existence should have examined Su Yang personally long ago.
So why had nobody discovered this?
Lin Sheng also found the matter strange.
Either the Ancestor wasn't currently available...
Which would explain why the Wei Family had dared to cooperate with the Jade Sword Palace and pressure the Su Family.
Or...
The Ancestor had already discovered something.
But if that were the case, why had Su Yang remained untreated all these years?
There was clearly something unusual about the situation.
Lin Sheng didn't ask.
Some mysteries were better left untouched until he possessed more information.
Suddenly...
A sound came from behind him.
Thump!
Su Yang dropped to his knees.
Lin Sheng turned around.
"Yang'er?"
Su Yang didn't answer.
He lowered his head.
Then...
Thump!
His forehead struck the ground.
The Patriarch's expression changed.
"Yang'er!"
Lin Sheng immediately understood what the young man intended.
"Get up."
Su Yang didn't move.
"Physician Lin..."
His voice was slightly hoarse.
"For more than thirteen years..."
"Everyone has called me a cripple."
"Every time I cultivated, I failed."
"Every time someone examined me, they told me that my path was already cut off."
His hands slowly tightened.
"But today..."
"You told me that I wasn't a cripple."
"You told me that I have another path."
Thump!
He kowtowed again.
"I want to learn from you."
Lin Sheng frowned.
"There's no need for this."
Su Yang shook his head.
"Please accept me as your disciple."
"I won't stop until you agree."
The Patriarch stood silently to the side.
Although he was surprised by his son's sudden decision, he didn't interfere.
In fact...
He secretly agreed with it.
A physician capable of discovering what countless experts had failed to see was undoubtedly extraordinary.
And if Lin Sheng could also guide Su Yang's cultivation...
Perhaps this was the opportunity his son had been waiting for all these years.
Lin Sheng looked at the stubborn young man kneeling before him.
He had originally intended only to investigate Su Yang.
Then treat him.
Perhaps observe him for a period of time.
He hadn't expected things to develop this quickly.
Yet after thinking about it carefully...
There was little reason to refuse.
Su Yang's unusual physique had already attracted his interest.
More importantly...
If this really was a Child of Luck, keeping the boy close would make observing his future development considerably easier.
Lin Sheng finally sighed.
"Enough."
Su Yang raised his head.
Lin Sheng extended his hand and helped him stand.
"I'll accept you."
Su Yang's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Lin Sheng nodded.
"But..."
His expression became serious.
"You're my second disciple."
"There's only one thing I require from you."
Su Yang immediately became attentive.
"What?"
"Don't expect me to pamper you."
"You'll have to cultivate properly."
"If I tell you to train, you train."
"If I tell you to stop, you stop."
"If your body isn't ready, you don't force a breakthrough simply because you want faster progress."
Su Yang immediately nodded.
"I understand."
Lin Sheng looked at him.
"Good."
"From today onward, you're my second disciple."
Su Yang's expression became excited.
He immediately cupped his fists.
"Disciple Su Yang greets Master!"
Lin Sheng nodded.
"Get used to it."
The Su Family Patriarch couldn't help smiling.
His son had finally found a master.
And judging from what he had witnessed today...
This mysterious Physician Lin might be the perfect person to guide him.
There was, however, another matter.
The Patriarch looked toward Lin Sheng with a slightly complicated expression.
He had heard that Lin Sheng possessed astonishing medical skills.
Perhaps...
He could even help with something that had troubled the Su Family for many years.
Lin Sheng noticed the change in his expression.
"Patriarch Su."
"I have something for you."
He reached into his storage ring.
A small jade container appeared in his hand.
He casually handed it over.
"This is..."
The Patriarch accepted it with some confusion.
The moment he opened the jade container...
A dense medicinal fragrance immediately filled the surrounding courtyard.
His expression changed.
Even before seeing the pill inside, he could tell that it wasn't ordinary.
A powerful medicinal aura surged from within the container.
The Patriarch carefully looked inside.
A perfectly round golden-red pill rested quietly within.
His breathing became slightly heavier.
"This..."
Lin Sheng smiled.
"Consider it a gift for accepting me as your son's master."
The Patriarch immediately became serious.
"This is far too valuable."
"It isn't particularly useful to someone below your level."
Lin Sheng calmly replied.
"But it should be useful to you."
The Patriarch's eyes narrowed.
"You can see my cultivation?"
Lin Sheng smiled.
"Your foundation is already close to perfection."
"You've accumulated enough."
"What you're lacking now isn't cultivation resources."
"It's a final push."
The Patriarch's expression became solemn.
He had indeed reached the point where his current cultivation was almost completely polished.
He had been searching for an opportunity to perfect his foundation before attempting the next breakthrough.
Lin Sheng continued.
"This pill can help strengthen your foundation."
"It should allow you to complete the final stage of accumulation considerably faster."
The Patriarch carefully closed the jade container.
His hands trembled slightly.
"Physician Lin..."
"No."
He looked at Lin Sheng.
"Master Lin."
His attitude had subtly changed.
"Thank you."
Lin Sheng nodded.
"There's no need to be overly polite."
The Patriarch carefully stored the jade container.
His gaze then shifted toward Su Yang.
For the first time...
The father and son seemed to share the same thought.
The humiliation of today...
Might not have been the end.
It might have been the beginning.
Five years.
That appointment had already spread throughout Dongtai Prefecture.
Countless people were waiting to see how Su Yang would perform.
Nobody expected that the young man who had been called a cripple for more than thirteen years...
Had just found the person capable of changing his fate.
Lin Sheng quietly looked toward the distant courtyard.