Charlie was an American psychology expert and an authority in the field, so everyone trusted his diagnosis. However, Li Se's assertion that Yu Yan did not have depression was tantamount to negating Charlie's diagnosis, an act of questioning!
"I am merely stating the facts!" Li Se said calmly.
"Severe depression is the fact. Who do you think you are, daring to question my authority here?" Charlie said angrily.
Li Se detested doctors who were overly self-important. He replied, "I am a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine!"
"Oh, my heavens, TCM?" Charlie was stunned. "TCM still exists these days? China is truly backward. TCM has long since declined, and it can even treat depression? I heard TCM involves pulse-taking. You haven't even taken her pulse, yet you dare claim this isn't depression?"
"Heh, TCM? Aren't all the TCM practitioners outside elderly? You're so young, claiming to be TCM, you must be an apprentice," Pan Yang said dismissively.
Yu Dahai and Guo Liqiao frowned. They had allowed Li Se in as a favor to Yu Yan, but now he was questioning Charlie, which seemed like he was there to cause trouble. Naturally, they sided with Charlie. Moreover, Li Se was so young and studied TCM; it was hard for them to believe he had achieved anything in the field.
"TCM emphasizes observation, listening, inquiry, and palpation. I can discern Yan Yan's condition by observing her energy. Furthermore, I examined Yan Yan yesterday," Li Se said unhurriedly.
"Observing energy?" Charlie shook his head, full of disdain. "What is this technique? It seems TCM is truly about superstition and trickery!"
"If you don't understand TCM, don't jump to conclusions!" Li Se was getting annoyed; Charlie was repeatedly denigrating TCM.
"I am merely stating a fact," Charlie sneered. "You claim to be able to discern through observing energy. Then tell me, what evidence do you have to prove this isn't depression?"
"In TCM, depression is classified as 'Yu Zheng' (stagnation syndrome). Therefore, the fundamental pathogenesis of depression is attributed to liver qi stagnation, which can then lead to liver qi overacting on the spleen, liver affecting the kidneys, qi stagnation and phlegm congealing, blood stasis, and virtual excess due to deficiency. I have examined Yan Yan, and she shows no symptoms related to these, which is why I conclude this is not depression," Li Se stated.
"How ridiculous, truly laughable. It's baseless nonsense. I suggest we remove this person!" Charlie said angrily.
"Uncle, Aunt, please ask this person to leave. He's completely disrupting things and will affect Charlie's treatment," Pan Yang quickly said. "Charlie is an expert in this field. It took me considerable effort to invite him here."
Yu Dahai nodded, then looked at Li Se, ushering him out. "You may leave. Yan Yan will be treated by Mr. Charlie."
"Xia Shuyu, please take your friend away!" Guo Liqiao's tone had also turned colder.
"Uncle, Aunt, Li Se's medical skills..." Xia Shuyu tried to speak up for Li Se.
Yu Dahai waved his hand, interrupting her. "Leave!"
Li Se frowned. If these were ordinary patients, he would have left immediately. He wouldn't treat people who didn't believe in him. However, this patient was Yu Yan, and their relationship was somewhat unusual. He couldn't just abandon her. He quickly made a decision. "Since you don't believe me, let's find out by trying."
"What do you intend to do?" Charlie asked, frowning.
Li Se took out five copper coins. These were gold-copper coins he had acquired at an antique club. With a flick of his finger, the five gold-copper coins shot out simultaneously, landing on Yu Yan's forehead, shoulders, and chest.
This display astonished Yu Dahai and Guo Liqiao. He seemed to have some skill. Before they could react, Li Se formed a hand seal, and suddenly, Yu Yan's body began to tremble.
"What have you done to my daughter?" Yu Dahai exclaimed.
"You'll know soon enough," Li Se said in a deep voice.
The five gold-copper coins seemed to be magnetically attached to Yu Yan's body. No matter how much she trembled, the coins did not fall off. After just one minute, a black mist began to emanate from Yu Yan's body.
"Oh my God!" Charlie was dumbfounded.
"Rise!" Li Se shouted lightly.
Yu Yan stood up entirely, though her eyes remained closed. Silver needles appeared in Li Se's hand. With a wave of his palm, he displayed his Flying Needle Blood Pricking skill, inserting needles into acupoints such as Baihui and Taichong.
After a while, Yu Yan seemed to recover, looking confused. "What happened to me?"
"Yan Yan, you're alright?" Yu Dahai and Guo Liqiao said with joy.
"What could happen to me?" Yu Yan looked puzzled.
"How is this possible? This is impossible..." Charlie couldn't believe it.
"How can this be? I clearly found..." Pan Yang was also greatly alarmed, but as the words left his mouth, he seemed to realize he had said too much and quickly shut up.
Li Se ignored Charlie and looked at Pan Yang, inserting a silver needle into an acupoint on his arm.
"You... what did you do to me?" Pan Yang said nervously.
"Heh, you'll know soon enough," Li Se said with a cold smile. He hadn't known who was responsible earlier, but Pan Yang's slip of the tongue confirmed his suspicion that Yu Yan had been afflicted by an evil spell, and Pan Yang was likely involved.
Not long after, Pan Yang felt an unbearable itch. He wanted to scratch, but found he couldn't move his arm. This was the most agonizing sensation. He cried out, "Ahhh, it's so itchy... it's really so itchy..."
"What is your connection to Yan Yan being afflicted by this evil spell?" Li Se asked coldly.
"I found someone to cast an evil spell on her..." Pan Yang couldn't endure even a few seconds. "This b*tch, I pursued her for so long, and she completely ignored me. So I found Master Xuan Shu to cast the spell on her. As of today, she would completely obey me..."
Upon hearing this, Yu Dahai and Guo Liqiao's faces changed drastically. They felt like killing Pan Yang.
"Do you know that after one day, Yan Yan's mind will be damaged, and her intelligence will be no different from a five-year-old child?" Li Se said grimly.
"Let me go... hurry and let me go... otherwise, Master Wu will not let you off easily..." Pan Yang began to threaten. He wished he could die now; this was simply torture.
"Beast!" Yu Dahai roared with fury, punching Pan Yang hard in the face.
Li Se had no intention of letting Pan Yang off easily. Daring to lay hands on his intended woman was an offense punishable by death. He asked coldly, "Where is Master Wu?"