Li Se had originally intended to give up, but the man’s words had undoubtedly annoyed him. He immediately raised his bid: "Twenty million!"
As soon as he said this, many people couldn't help but look at Li Se. It was known that the one bidding for the Nine Palaces Linked Needles was the national master of Chinese medicine, Xie Yixian, also known as "Divine Hand." Although many hadn't been treated by this Divine Hand, the opportunity to receive a treatment from him was incredibly rare. After all, everyone falls ill eventually, and if not for Chinese medicine, these silver needles would be of little use.
However, Li Se still insisted on bidding for this set of silver needles in this situation, which baffled everyone. He was clearly offending Xie Yixian.
The younger man who had spoken earlier frowned. He was Xie Yixian's eldest disciple, Qin Weicai. He glared coldly at Li Se, intending to berate him, but was stopped by Xie Yixian beside him. Xie Yixian also looked at Li Se for a moment before saying with displeasure, "Young man, these silver needles are of no use to you. Why do you insist on bidding? If this set of silver needles comes into my possession, it will be like adding wings to a tiger. Moreover, I have already promised you a treatment. You can inquire about the skill of my Divine Hand."
"Yes, young man, let's leave it to the Divine Doctor Xie."
"These silver needles are of no use to you at all, and you are offending the Divine Doctor Xie."
"What a great opportunity! Having Divine Doctor Xie treat you once is equivalent to having a chance to save your life!"
"..."
Many people around began to persuade him.
However, Li Se remained unmoved and said lightly, "I am also a practitioner of Chinese medicine!"
When he said this, many were speechless. Everyone knew that to achieve anything in Chinese medicine, one had to rely on age. The older one was, the better their medical skills would be. But looking at Li Se, who was only in his early twenties, daring to call himself a practitioner of Chinese medicine, especially with Divine Hand present, wasn't this asking for humiliation?
"You're still a practitioner of Chinese medicine?" Qin Weicai sneered. "Truly ignorant. I am thirty this year, and in the path of Chinese medicine, I am merely at the very beginning. My teacher is a national master of Chinese medicine, and even in such circumstances, I am only just starting. May I ask who your teacher is, that allows you to call yourself a practitioner of Chinese medicine in your early twenties?"
Xie Yixian also shook his head dismissively. "Young man, do not deceive yourself. Letting me have this set of silver needles will bring you many benefits. However, if you insist on your own way, you will offend me, Xie. You can consider the consequences yourself."
Offending an elder in Chinese medicine was not a good thing, especially someone like Xie Yixian, because everyone gets sick and might one day have to seek his help.
However, while they were talking, the gavel fell, and the Taiyi Nine Palaces Linked Needles were thus sold to Li Se.
"Teacher, this kid is ungrateful!" Qin Weicai said with displeasure.
Xie Yixian merely snorted and didn't say much, but it was evident to everyone that he was truly displeased.
Several more antique auctions were held, and Li Se did not make any further bids, as he found the antiques rather ordinary and wasn't particularly interested. Throughout the entire auction, only this set of silver needles was noteworthy. For a practitioner of Chinese medicine like him, it was indeed like adding wings to a tiger.
After the auction ended, Li Se and Wei Xueru planned to leave directly. However, before they could even exit the Zhongbao Pavilion, Xie Yixian approached them.
"Is there something you need?" Li Se asked indifferently.
"What's your attitude?" Qin Weicai was displeased. "Do you know that dignitaries and nobles treat my teacher with utmost respect? What are you, that you dare to be so arrogant?"
"Weicai, be discreet!" Xie Yixian said calmly.
"Yes, Teacher." Qin Weicai then stopped speaking, merely snorting with displeasure.
Xie Yixian looked at Li Se condescendingly. "Since you are a practitioner of Chinese medicine, may I know your lineage?"
"My teacher has passed away," Li Se said calmly. He had inherited the lineage from his ancestors, so saying his teacher had passed away was not incorrect.
Xie Yixian chuckled and said, "If you are willing to part with these Nine Palaces Linked Needles for me, I can offer you an opportunity to become my disciple. My medical skills, though perhaps not comparable to a true Imperial Physician, are certainly worthy of the title of National Master of Chinese Medicine. Many also call me Divine Hand. Becoming my disciple would be of no disadvantage to you."
"Why don't you quickly kneel and pay homage to your master?" Qin Weicai urged, seeing Li Se unmoved.
Li Se was somewhat speechless. Were these master and disciple too conceited? He shook his head and said, "There's no need. As for these silver needles, I have use for them. Divine Hand, you should look elsewhere and see if you can find better silver needles!"
With that, Li Se no longer wished to deal with the two of them and turned to leave.
"Kid, you don't even cherish the opportunity to become my disciple? You're far too self-important!" Qin Weicai became angry.
Who was his teacher? He was known as Divine Hand, whose medical skills were comparable to a national master of Chinese medicine. Although not an Imperial Physician, he wasn't far off, as the number of Imperial Physicians was limited, and it was even harder for Chinese medicine practitioners to become one. In Western medicine, a breakthrough in a certain disease could earn one the capital to become an Imperial Physician.
But it was not so in Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine had already declined, and the review process for Imperial Physicians was extremely strict. This was why, to date, there were only two Chinese medicine Imperial Physicians.
Xie Yixian was also somewhat angry now. He had offered an opportunity to become his disciple, yet this brat hadn't even considered it. This clearly showed he didn't put him in his eyes. As a renowned practitioner of Chinese medicine, he naturally felt a bit annoyed. He snorted, "Do you feel that becoming my disciple would be demeaning to you?"
"As I said earlier, I am a practitioner of Chinese medicine, and your medical skills may not be superior to mine!" Li Se said neither subserviently nor arrogantly.
"Based on what?" Qin Weicai could no longer restrain himself. "Do you dare to have a medical duel with me? You're not old, but your words are certainly grand. You even dare to say that my teacher's skills are inferior to yours. Fine, then I will represent my teacher and have a medical duel with you. Do you dare?"
"A medical duel?"
"This is Divine Hand's eldest disciple, Qin Weicai!"
"This kid truly doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. He was like this at the auction, and now he's still showing such disrespect to Divine Hand."
"If it really comes to a medical duel, then this kid will truly be asking for humiliation."
"..."
Naturally, no one favored Li Se. In their eyes, Chinese medicine got better with age, and Li Se, who looked to be only in his early twenties, wouldn't know much about Chinese medicine.
Li Se was also somewhat speechless. It was already coming to a medical duel? He had no interest in dealing with Qin Weicai and Xie Yixian, because medical skills were meant for treating illnesses, not for competition. But just as he was about to refuse, a startled cry rang out.
"Is there a doctor? Please save my wife quickly!"
Someone nearby was shouting for help.