"Do you remember? Among the needles I asked you to prepare for moxibustion, there's a very short and thin one—an ear needle, specifically designed for auricular acupuncture. On the lower edge of your inner ear, just in front of the earlobe, and slightly below the protruding outer part of the ear, is the adrenal gland acupoint. If you stimulate that area with the needle, it can excite the physiological activity of the adrenal glands."
"Adrenal glands?" Shen Xingkong became more confused and a bit apprehensive.
"Hehe! The adrenal glands are very important organs located above the kidneys. They secrete a hormone called adrenaline. In hospitals, when doctors resuscitate patients in shock or near-death, they inject adrenaline to stimulate the heart to revive it," Professor Shi patiently explained.
"Can adrenaline make someone stronger?"
"In theory, no, but in practice, yes. Adrenaline has high excitability and high anesthetic properties. It can make the heart beat more forcefully, expand muscles and blood vessels, thereby increasing the oxygen content in muscles. This, in turn, temporarily boosts a person’s strength and explosiveness while dulling pain. You've probably seen on the news how people, even after suffering severe injuries, can still perform incredible feats in moments of danger. That's the adrenaline at work."
"Oh~~~"
"However, you should know that every organ in the body has its limits, especially the heart. If there's an excess of adrenaline, it could... Hello... Shen Xingkong, are you still there? Hello? Hello...? How come the call got disconnected?" Professor Shi, having been interrupted by Shen Xingkong's "Oh~", was about to issue some serious warnings when he realized the call had already been cut off.
Standing in the entrance of the first building in the neighborhood, Shen Xingkong pulled out his needle kit and took out the magical bee-tail gold needle. His mind was buzzing with everything Professor Shi had just said about adrenaline, though he hadn’t heard a word of the subsequent warnings.
It wasn’t that Shen Xingkong was reckless; it was just that Wang Lei was currently wreaking havoc in his home, disturbing even his neighbor Aunt Wang. He needed to act swiftly and decisively, showing Wang Lei that provoking him would come with severe consequences.
Holding the needle in his right hand and feeling his ear with his left, Shen Xingkong searched for the spot Professor Shi had mentioned. When he thought he had found it, he steeled himself and pricked the needle in.
"Ow..." Shen Xingkong winced in pain. He had never practiced auricular acupuncture before, so he wasn’t sure of the exact location, and his technique was unrefined.
But remembering the rabid dogs in his house and Wang Lei’s smug face, Shen Xingkong endured the pain, despite his ear starting to bleed. He kept trying, one prick after another.
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The human ear is almost entirely covered in acupoints, but the adrenal gland area is quite small, making it hard to pinpoint. After about ten tries, Shen Xingkong finally stopped. He held the bee-tail needle between his fingers, feeling a reaction near his lower back.
In an instant, a hot wave surged from his back, swiftly flowing through his right arm, passing through the needle, and being absorbed into the ear acupoint. Immediately, the heat wave triggered the seventh sense, sending feedback to his brain, where his vision suddenly changed. He saw two tiny red objects wriggling slightly.
Shen Xingkong couldn't help but get excited. It was the first time the seventh sense had transmitted an image to him. Was he seeing his adrenal glands? Seeing his own internal organs was something unimaginable for anyone.
He tried increasing the flow of heat slightly, and the tiny red objects in his vision began wriggling faster. As he increased the heat a bit more, the wriggling quickened further. Simultaneously, Shen Xingkong felt his heart rate accelerate, pounding powerfully, and his brain seemed to be in a state of heightened excitement.
It appeared that Professor Shi wasn’t lying, and Shen Xingkong had found a way to make himself stronger. He couldn’t contain his excitement and accidentally increased the heat flow significantly.
"Ugh..." Shen Xingkong suddenly felt a brief moment of dizziness. The meridians through which the heat flowed felt slightly hot, and his heart seemed ready to leap out of his throat. His entire body felt as though all 360 million pores were maximally dilated.
Shen Xingkong pulled out the needle, carefully placed it back in the kit, and then looked at his hands. Had he really become stronger? He felt like he had boundless energy and even tried a few jumps on the spot. His feet felt so light, it was as if he could fly, reminding him of the euphoric sensation described by drug users.
Just then, footsteps and a muttering voice came from outside the entrance.
"Dammit, that bastard Shen Xingkong still isn’t back. Making us wait around like idiots... Now I have to go buy them cigarettes..."
Hearing the grumbling, Shen Xingkong’s face twisted into a sly grin. Just perfect, he had caught one of them alone—time to test out his newfound strength.
He suddenly sidestepped out of the first building's entrance.
The guy coming out was one of Wang Lei's cronies. He had followed his buddies to teach Shen Xingkong a lesson. Wang Lei had given them free rein, telling them to go all out as long as they didn’t kill or cripple him. Wang Lei even promised that whoever caught Shen Xingkong first would get two $100 game cards for "Legend of Mir."
"Why do we have to force our classmates like this?" Shen Xingkong, filled with anger and sadness, asked as he clenched his fists and stared down his classmate.
"You brought this on yourself by messing with Lei Ge. You’re digging your own grave. Haha, now that I’ve got you, you’re finished!" The guy was so blinded by the thought of karaoke, prostitutes, and game cards that he rushed forward, aiming a kick at Shen Xingkong’s stomach.
For some reason, even though the kick seemed fast, it appeared slow-motion to Shen Xingkong. This was another effect of the adrenaline—heightened reflexes that allowed him to perceive every detail around him.
Shen Xingkong easily sidestepped, dodging the kick, and then swung his fist toward his classmate’s chest.
He didn’t think he had used much force, just enough to push the guy back.
“Thud!”
Shen Xingkong’s punch landed solidly on the guy’s ribs, followed by a beast-like scream.
“Ahhh…” The guy was sent flying three meters back and collapsed on the pavement, clutching his chest, his face pale as a sheet.