Chapter 109: Master of Bone Setting

"Doctor, what's the situation?"

Upon arriving at the hospital, everyone asked anxiously after the examination.

"It's not a major issue; the joint just needs to be reset. However, as the saying goes, 'it takes a hundred days to recover from a bone or tendon injury.' After the reset, he will need to be hospitalized for observation before he can be discharged. We cannot rule out the possibility that surgery might be required for a full recovery."

The doctor explained the situation. While this was a Western-style hospital capable of manual reduction, their resources were limited. The star's ankle was already swollen; although no bones or tendons were fractured, the joint was dislocated. Splinting and hospitalization were unavoidable.

"No, that's impossible. I've signed onto a major production and have to report to the set in a month at the latest. Doctor, is there any other way? This project is very important to me; I can't afford any delays."

Before anyone else could react, the star himself grew nervous. He wasn't exactly a top-tier celebrity, and having finally landed a major role, he couldn't let it slip away.

"Doctor, as far as I know, Traditional Chinese Medicine uses manual reduction techniques. Wouldn't that help him recover faster?"

Wu Jing, being a martial artist himself, knew a thing or two about this and had a greater affinity for TCM, so he interjected. Normally, he wouldn't interfere, but he had a decent relationship with the star and was a helpful person by nature; he knew how devastating it was for an up-and-coming star to miss a big opportunity.

"Finding a skilled TCM practitioner can indeed speed up recovery, but it's hard to say for sure. It depends on the practitioner's technique. If done poorly, there could be complications, and in severe cases, surgery might still be necessary."

The doctor's response remained conservative and vague. No one likes to commit to such things, especially when a celebrity is involved.

"Then where can we find a master of bone-setting?"

Wu Jing asked, and everyone looked at each other in silence.

"Uh, I know a master of Chinese martial arts. He might know some experts in this field. By the way, this is the Tiger Bone Wine he gave me. He said it has miraculous effects on joint injuries. If you need it, I can give it to you."

Qiangzi raised his hand timidly and spoke in a low voice, pulling out a bottle of Tiger Bone Wine from his jacket. He had intended to give it to his father; Du Ruo had given him two bottles, and he hadn't been able to bring himself to use them all, planning for his father to have one.

Now that this had happened, he was worried it might negatively impact the promotion of his hometown. As a local and a primary beneficiary of the local tourism development, he had no reason not to step up. The martial arts master he mentioned was, of course, Du Ruo.

He held a somewhat blind admiration for Du Ruo, believing that even if Du Ruo couldn't set bones himself, he would surely know a master who could. After all, in the world of martial arts, medicine and combat were inseparable, and if he could produce such medicinal wine, he must know experts in the field.

"Oh? Young man, may I take a look?"

Others hadn't taken Qiangzi's words seriously, but Wu Jing was interested. Having practiced martial arts since childhood, he possessed real skill. Even if he focused more on forms and training methods rather than combat, his fundamentals were solid, and compared to the others, he had a better understanding of medicinal wines.

Though reluctant, Qiangzi handed the wine over. The bottle looked unremarkable, but when Wu Jing opened it, a rich, medicinal scent wafted out, making the wine-loving Wu Jing's eyes light up.

"May I have a taste?"

After receiving a nod from Qiangzi, Wu Jing poured a little into the cap and tasted it. It was pure and carried a warmth that spread through his body, making him feel as if he were basking in the sun. It was distinct from the harshness of common alcohol, and Wu Jing was impressed.

"Good wine. This is genuine Tiger Bone Wine. It really will have a miraculous effect on bruises and sprains. Xiao Han, perhaps you should let this young man invite someone to take a look. Even if the person doesn't know a bone-setting expert, this wine alone is enough to speed up your recovery."

Wu Jing put the bottle away and returned it to Qiangzi before speaking to the star in the wheelchair. He was a man of tact; he only gave suggestions and didn't make decisions for others. He only did this because he had a connection with the star; otherwise, he would have just paid a visit and left with a bouquet of flowers.

"Alright, then I'll trouble you to make the call, young man."

The star in the wheelchair nodded at Qiangzi with a smile and gave his assistant a look.

The assistant walked away to contact experts in Beijing. The reason he agreed to speak with Qiangzi was only out of respect for Wu Jing; he certainly wouldn't pin all his hopes on a so-called "martial arts master."

...

"Hmm, okay. Send me the address, and I'll come over to take a look."

Du Ruo accepted the call from Qiangzi and agreed without much thought.

The "Ten Thousand Horses Galloping" event had concluded, and he was in a great mood because the spectacle had helped him find a new path when he had been feeling somewhat lost.

His Xingyi Horse-Form Crushing Fist had displayed extraordinary power.

If extracting the skill had given him a ticket into the world of martial arts, then adding attribute points had provided the capital for his body to evolve. What he needed to do now was use the skills granted by his martial arts practice to excavate his body's potential and knock open the door to the inner sanctum of martial arts.

If a body with an average "Essence, Qi, and Spirit" attribute of 9.85 could deliver a 1,000-kilogram punch, an ordinary person could only exert 200 kilograms—about 20 percent of their potential.

An average martial artist could deliver 300 kilograms—about 30 percent.

A professional boxer, through daily dedicated training and scientific mechanics, could deliver 400 to 500 kilograms—40 to 50 percent of their potential.

Du Ruo, by achieving clarity in his internal force, could exert 70 or 80 percent. By utilizing the body's acceleration and the protection of "Qi," he could even unleash nearly 100 percent of his explosive power.

This was the essence of martial arts: making the tendons and bones strong enough to unleash more of the body's potential. That was what Du Ruo had believed before, but now it was different.

For instance, the power of his Crushing Fist just now could not be explained by mere kilograms.

Du Ruo finally understood that practice only gave him the form of the fist, but he had just grasped a sliver of the soul of the technique. This thrilled him, and he knew what path he should take next.

So, in his good mood, he agreed to Qiangzi's request. Of course, this wasn't because of the star's status, but because Qiangzi had mentioned that if this were handled poorly, it might affect the local tourism industry. That was why Du Ruo agreed to come.

Li Qiyao was driving. Du Ruo had been drinking, and although he had metabolized it, the habit of not driving after drinking was deeply ingrained in him. As for Shang Yuanyuan, forget it; she probably hadn't touched a car since getting her license—who knew if she could even drive?

Ten minutes later, the car pulled up. They didn't go to the hospital because the star didn't want to be treated there, and the hospital was too crowded. After the examination, they had moved to a hotel where they had booked the entire floor so they wouldn't be disturbed.

"Boss Du, do you know any TCM practitioners who are good at bone-setting?"

When Qiangzi saw Du Ruo get out of the car, he immediately led him upstairs and asked curiously.

"Let me take a look first."

Du Ruo didn't say much, just gave a calm reply. To be honest, with his knowledge of human anatomy, meridians, his mastery of the Bronze Statue Technique, and his proficiency in grappling, it would be no exaggeration to call himself a master of bone-setting.

"Hehe, Qiangzi, don't worry. When it comes to bone-setting, Du Ruo is definitely the one."

Shang Yuanyuan knew a bit about it. Her ankle sprain last time hadn't been severe, but after Du Ruo kneaded it a few times, by the time she walked down the mountain, she had completely forgotten the injury.

"That's good." Qiangzi let out a sigh of relief.

"Director, Brother Wu Jing, this is the martial arts master I mentioned, Boss Du."

The director Qiangzi referred to was the head of the Culture and Tourism Bureau. He introduced Du Ruo to the others.

"Boss Du, do you know any TCM bone-setters? If so, please help us contact one."

The director and the injured star were both on their phones—one contacting doctors, the other responding to his company. They only nodded at Du Ruo's arrival. Only Wu Jing, after curiously observing Du Ruo, formally asked him for help.

He had already realized that Du Ruo was definitely a master—at least a master of martial arts. The confidence and bearing of a martial artist were not things an ordinary person could easily cultivate.

"Let me take a look first."

The star's injured foot had been simply splinted and he had taken some painkillers, but no other treatment had been done. The foot looked unnaturally twisted, and the surrounding area was already beginning to swell.

Du Ruo looked down and reached out to touch the injury. His touch was skillful, following the grain of the muscles, and he didn't cause the star any pain, so the star gave him a forced smile and continued his phone call.

"How is it?" Wu Jing leaned in, asking vaguely.

"Brother Wu, I've seen many of your films. This is a minor injury. No bones or tendons are broken; it's just a simple dislocation."

Du Ruo nodded at Wu Jing. In truth, he could see the extent of the injury at a glance—no one understood bones better than a master of grappling.

"Then..."

Before Wu Jing could finish, he was interrupted.

*Snap!* "Ah!"

Du Ruo’s hands were like pliers. One gripped the lower leg, the other the foot. With a pull and a lift, the bones emitted a *snap*. The star, who was in the middle of a call, felt a sudden, sharp pain in his ankle and let out a scream, his grip loosening so much that his phone fell.

The scream was due to the suddenness of Du Ruo's action, but the pain vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

"It's done. Try moving it, or stand up and take a few steps."

The people in the hotel room were startled by the scream and instinctively crowded around, but Du Ruo had already stood up and patted the star on the shoulder, signaling him to try walking.

"Sss, it still hurts a little, but moving it is fine. Walking... walking is okay, too."

Almost instinctively, the star didn't even bother to pick up his phone. Infected by Du Ruo's confidence, he moved his ankle and took a few steps.

"All right, it's fine. The pain is just from some capillary and muscle damage. Qiangzi, have him rub some of your wine on it, and it will be fine. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."

After saying this, Du Ruo washed his hands and left with Shang Yuanyuan and Li Qiyao. The people in the hotel room seemed to still be in a state of shock.