A troubled look appeared on the Sect Leader's face as he welcomed the unexpected guest.
'Was she the daughter of the Qinghai City Lord?'
His gaze turned toward Princess Sohui.
Dressed elegantly in unassuming yet classically styled garments, she was sipping her tea with restrained etiquette.
She was so beautiful that even he, who prided himself on cultivating the Dao enough not to be swayed by feminine wiles, had his eyes captivated for a moment.
Clack.
Princess Sohui set down her teacup.
The silk, adorned with subtle scattered patterns, flowed down gracefully in fluid lines following her movements.
"I earnestly need the help of the Huashan Sect."
Princess Sohui spoke comfortably even facing the Sect Leader of the Huashan Sect.
And the Sect Leader accepted it as well.
The title 'Princess' was a rank bestowed upon the daughters of the imperial clan who were close to the Emperor, so even the Sect Leader of the Huashan Sect had to bow his head out of courtesy.
The Sect Leader fell into thought.
'Difficult, so difficult.'
The purpose of Princess Sohui's visit was far more significant than he had thought.
'Cooperation with the Imperial Court.'
His head throbbed.
The Murim and the Imperial Court were mutually non-aggressive.
Yet, Princess Sohui before him was hoping for cooperation with the Huashan Sect.
"Is the City Lord in critical condition?"
"He is fine for now."
Contrary to her words, she nibbled on her thumbnail, perhaps out of anxiety.
"But if things continue like this, it is only a matter of time."
She was in an urgent state of mind.
Right now, her father, the Qinghai City Lord, was in quite a critical condition.
He was managing major and minor affairs soundly, but that was only on the outside.
Beneath the magnificent dragon robe were only shriveled hands and feet, covered in scars.
'He needs to receive treatment as soon as possible.'
She had called upon countless physicians, but none could cure her father.
Only the last physician had given her words containing hope.
That it might be possible if it were the Divine Doctor Sage Hand, who inherited the essence of the Tianzhong Medical Sect.
She tried to move hastily.
But she could not.
The Imperial Court was a battlefield right now.
Yet, if it became known that the Qinghai City Lord was critically ill, it was obvious that the jackals within the Imperial Court would make their move.
Therefore, the method she ultimately chose was to move secretly without anyone knowing.
'But assassins are already chasing me.'
Her eyes dimmed slightly.
She thought she had moved carefully, but even before reaching the Huashan Sect, assassins were already attacking.
The fact that they knew of this mission meant the client must be someone close to her.
'The only fortunate thing is that I hurriedly arrived at the Huashan Sect...'
It was the only positive thing.
The Huashan Sect was one of the Nine Sects and One Clan.
No matter how many assassins the Imperial Court sent, they could not touch the Huashan Sect.
"Please protect us."
"...Amitabha."
The Sect Leader, who had softly recited a Daoist mantra, closed his eyes tightly.
'It is difficult. Whether it will be a blessing or a curse.'
The Sect Leader's insides burned with anxiety.
For it was none other than the affairs of the Imperial Court.
'Lives are on the line.'
But his hesitation was brief.
"...Very well."
The Sect Leader accepted the proposal.
How could he abandon a filial daughter who had risked her life to protect her father?
As a Daoist, he could not do so.
"How may I help you?"
"First, please protect us. And externally, could you say that I came to invite a Daoist from the Huashan Sect?"
"You intend to hide the fact that the Qinghai City Lord is critically ill."
The Sect Leader understood.
"I understand."
"Thank you."
Princess Sohui swept a hand over her chest with a relieved expression.
At that moment, the Sect Leader spoke up.
"However, while we can help with other things, we cannot tell Divine Doctor Sage Hand to come and go as we please."
"I know that as well."
Princess Sohui said softly.
"Persuading him is my responsibility."
Just as the Sect Leader was about to answer that he understood.
"Ah, I said I don't want to."
"Don't be like that and learn it."
Noisy voices were heard from outside.
"Enough."
"I'm saying it's good if you learn it..."
As the sound of their bickering grew louder, two people could be seen climbing up toward the Purple Mist Pavilion past the window.
They were Tianhui and the Divine Doctor.
Seeing the two, the Sect Leader's eyes widened.
'What could have happened?'
The once-aloof Divine Doctor was clinging entirely to Tianhui, without any regard for his dignity.
"I'm just asking you to learn it from me."
"No, I said I'm fine."
Tianhui peeled off the clinging Divine Doctor.
Exhausted by the old man's constant demands for him to become his disciple, Tianhui headed for the Purple Mist Pavilion.
'I need to let the Sect Leader know.'
He walked away, ignoring the Divine Doctor, but only for a moment.
"Huh?"
Through the open window, his eyes met the Sect Leader and a woman who were looking out.
'Who is that woman?'
Tianhui narrowed his eyes.
Just as the woman also saw Tianhui and was about to speak with slightly startled eyes.
『Let's pretend we don't know each other, alright?』
Tianhui immediately sent a sound transmission.
The woman flinched slightly, but after assessing Tianhui, she nodded with a surprised face.
"Why, why won't you learn it?"
Even in the midst of this, the Divine Doctor kept talking.
"I'm not interested."
Tianhui said firmly.
'I'm busy to death just looking at new martial arts right now, why would I waste time on medicine?'
In the past, the reason he learned medicine was as a diversion after exhaustively studying all the martial arts within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
But learn medicine first?
How absurd.
'Instead of doing that, I'll just wander the Murim and look at other martial arts.'
Now that the large framework of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was gone, he had no restrictions on traveling the Murim.
From the Nine Sects and One Clan and the Eight Great Families, to the Six Emperors—no, the Five Emperors Gate of those bastards from the Dark Black Lotus.
There were heaps of martial arts in the Central Plains that he had yet to see.
At Tianhui's indifferent attitude, the Divine Doctor opened his mouth, trying somehow to catch his interest.
"If you learn it, it will be quite useful. One of our sect's absolute arts is the Spirit Elixir..."
Suddenly, the Divine Doctor's voice cut off.
Wondering if he had finally given up, Tianhui turned his head, only to see the Divine Doctor blushing.
"S-since when were you watching?"
His gaze was directed at the Sect Leader, who had somehow approached close by.
"I saw nothing."
The Sect Leader casually turned his head away.
The Divine Doctor covered his face with his palm.
At that moment, Princess Sohui sprang to her feet.
"Elder Divine Doctor!"
At the loud cry, the Divine Doctor frowned as he looked at her, tilting his head.
"Hmm...?"
For some reason, it was a familiar face.
But just as he was rummaging through his memories because the name wouldn't come to mind.
"It's been a long time."
At the following words, he realized who she was.
"The daughter of the Qinghai City Lord."
"That's right."
Princess Sohui's expression brightened considerably upon seeing that the Divine Doctor recognized her.
"Excuse me for a moment."
Saying a brief word to the Sect Leader, she slipped out of the Purple Mist Pavilion and rushed over to the Divine Doctor.
"I have been looking for you continuously."
"For me?"
The Divine Doctor said in a displeased manner.
Just mentioning the Imperial Court made him sick to his stomach.
How many vicious things had he seen when he stayed at the Imperial Court long ago?
The filthy sight of them scheming in the dark to kill their own flesh and blood just to become Emperor.
That was not all.
The sight of them wiping out three generations to eradicate the roots was enough to make him sick.
That was why he had avoided the Imperial Court.
"Elder."
Princess Sohui grabbed the Divine Doctor's hand.
Erasing her usual cold expression, she made eye contact with the Divine Doctor with a face showing faint tears, pleading with him.
"My father is critically ill."
"So what do you want me to do?"
The Divine Doctor said bluntly.
Whether the Qinghai City Lord was critically ill or not had nothing to do with him.
"Please help me."
"No."
Despite her continued pleas, the Divine Doctor spoke firmly.
Princess Sohui's complexion darkened.
Knowing the relationship between the Divine Doctor Sage Hand and the Imperial Court, she thought it wouldn't be easy, but this seemed utterly hopeless.
Meanwhile, while the two were talking.
"What is going on here?"
The Sect Leader asked Tianhui.
"He told me to become his disciple."
As Tianhui spoke nonchalantly, the Sect Leader was greatly surprised and narrowed his brows.
"How can a disciple of the Huashan Sect..."
"Right?"
Tianhui agreed, thinking he was right.
"So please stop him for me."
At Tianhui's words as he pointed his index finger at the Divine Doctor, the Sect Leader nodded.
"Understood. I will try to speak to him for now."
Just as the Sect Leader was about to step away.
"Hah, hah."
Rough breathing could be heard from ahead.
"Medicine Hall Master?"
The Medicine Hall Master, who had somehow run over using a movement technique, blocked the Sect Leader's path.
"You came too?"
"I-it's a bit different from what Tianhui said."
"What do you mean?"
"The Divine Doctor Elder said that Tianhui doesn't have to become his disciple, and just to receive his teachings."
The Sect Leader wondered if he had misheard.
The Divine Doctor Sage Hand was the foremost physician in the world of his time.
Therefore, it was even harder to believe, let alone understand.
"Why would he do something so devoid of benefit?"
"It seems the Divine Doctor Elder has fallen for Tianhui's talent."
"Ah!"
At the Medicine Hall Master's words, the Sect Leader almost nodded involuntarily.
Tianhui's talent.
It was something beyond amazing, reaching the level of astonishment.
But it was strange.
'Tianhui's talent is in martial arts, and has nothing to do with medicine.'
With his doubts deepening, the Sect Leader looked at the Medicine Hall Master and asked.
"Did Tianhui have a talent for medicine?"
"Did you not know?"
The Medicine Hall Master said excitedly.
"It is a talent unparalleled in the world."
Although he hadn't fully understood the conversation between the Divine Doctor and Tianhui just now, he was aware of the medical skills Tianhui had displayed afterwards.
"...He might even be above me."
At the Medicine Hall Master's confident words, the Sect Leader's thoughts momentarily stopped, unsure of whether to be happy or not.
'Not only in martial arts, but he also possesses an ancient talent for medicine?'
It was astounding.
Martial arts and medicine were fields where even delving into just one was not enough for a lifetime.
Yet, Tianhui, at such a young age, had reached a considerable level in both.
At that moment.
"I don't want to."
The Divine Doctor shook off Princess Sohui, who was pleading earnestly, and clung to Tianhui.
"Just try learning it. There's no downside, is there?"
"I said I don't want to."
"Elder."
"I'm not going."
Princess Sohui chased after the Divine Doctor.
And the Divine Doctor chased after Tianhui.
The three of them spewed one-sided requests at each other, like a game of tag.
At that moment, Tianhui raised his head with an expression of being sick and tired of it.
"I told you I'm a disciple of the Huashan Sect. I'm already overwhelmed learning the Huashan Sect's martial arts right now."
The Sect Leader let out a laugh inwardly.
'Overwhelmed learning martial arts?'
Not only had Tianhui mastered all of the Huashan Sect's martial arts, but he had even learned them to the point of restoring his former martial arts.
At that moment, Tianhui stared at the Sect Leader.
"Right?"
Faced with the gaze forcing him to agree, the Sect Leader smiled awkwardly and answered.
"Heh, haha. That's right."
"What martial arts?"
The Divine Doctor snorted.
"This kid is a fellow sent down from heaven to learn medicine. If he learns my medicine, not only will he be called the reincarnation of Hua Tuo, but he will become a physician who will go down in history."
"No, he won't."
This time, the Sect Leader reacted immediately.
The reincarnation of Hua Tuo!
Tianhui was not someone who would be satisfied with merely being the reincarnation of Hua Tuo.
"Tianhui is a child who will become a Daoist remembered forever in the history of our sect."
"You must not know the talent for medicine this kid possesses right now."
"I may not know his talent for medicine, but I know his talent for martial arts."
Sparks flew from the eyes of the two as they glared at each other.
"Even spanning the past and present, this kid's amazing talent can be counted on one hand..."
"Tianhui's talent is comparable to Bodhidharma and Zhang Sanfeng of the past and present..."
As the Sect Leader and the Divine Doctor suddenly began to spew fiery speeches about Tianhui's talent, Tianhui secretly slipped away from the spot.
"Whatever, I don't care. They can figure it out."