During the competition period, the medical hall was packed to the brim.
Many disciples from each pavilion had sustained injuries, and the medical staff were overwhelmed. With insufficient hands on deck, they had to call upon the disciples from the Medical Pavilion who had just finished their matches to assist.
By the time Wen Shuangbai arrived, the line of injured patients had already stretched to the main entrance.
She carefully maneuvered around the wounded, but the moment she stepped over the threshold, the thick scent of blood assaulted her nose, and the clamor of voices filled her ears.
Some were causing a scene at the "emergency area."
"Why can't I get treated here? I'm in so much pain I could die!"
"Apologies, but this area is reserved for critically injured disciples only."
The man raised his half-severed pinky finger. "Is this not serious enough?!"
The white-robed healer smiled gently. "Only injuries affecting the spiritual bone qualify."
"Outrageous! I demand treatment here today!"
"Very well," the healer replied amiably. "How about this—I’ll break your spiritual bone first, then treat you. Does that work?"
The man: "..."
Others were chatting idly.
"I’ve heard the rankings for each pavilion’s competition," said a brother missing a leg, leaning on his severed limb as he spoke to a sister in front of him who had lost an arm. "Strange—this year, many of the top three in each pavilion were disciples who’ve never stood out before."
"Wasn’t it said that the top disciples went to Ningyuan Mountain but arrived late?" The one-armed sister cradled her detached hand, tenderly blowing away the dust clinging to it. She turned to glance at the man’s Mystic Heaven Mirror and suddenly brightened. "Senior Sister Zhuohua took first in the Sword Arts Pavilion! As expected of her! But this second place, Yin Xuan… who’s Yin Xuan?"
The legless brother shook his head, clueless.
Behind them, someone gazed enviously at their severed limbs. "You’re so lucky—you could retrieve your broken parts. Mine were completely devoured by a demon beast. I couldn’t even recover them."
The two expressed sympathy. "Then you’ll have to spend more on medicine."
The man nearly wept. "Yeah..."
Hearing this, Wen Shuangbai paused mid-step, deep in thought.
So, whether or not you retrieve your severed limbs affects treatment costs.
Good to know. If I ever lose an arm or leg, I must remember to recover the pieces.
The crowd was overwhelming, and Wen Shuangbai searched for a while without success.
Until a junior sister called out to her, "Second Senior Sister, over here!"
Wen Shuangbai hurried over.
The line was incredibly long, but her junior sisters were positioned near the front.
At the very front, three people were busy at work.
Unfortunately, the one seated and diagnosing injuries was none other than Xie Ziyin.
The other two were likely his junior brothers, dressed as flamboyantly as peacocks, being ordered around by Xie Ziyin with expressions of suppressed resentment.
Wen Shuangbai: "..."
This guy was truly inescapable.
She glanced briefly before turning away, rushing to her junior sister’s side.
Only to find another familiar face there.
Lu Jiayao was supporting their unconscious senior brother, waving enthusiastically at her while garbling, "%%￥#@&..."
Wen Shuangbai: "?"
What on earth? She couldn’t understand a single word.
She looked to her junior sister for an explanation.
Wen Xin obliged. "Second Senior Sister, it was Senior Brother Lu who helped me bring Senior Brother here. His throat is injured, so he can’t speak clearly."
Lu Jiayao was a sound cultivator, also a disciple of the Sword Arts Pavilion.
The "Arts" in Sword Arts Pavilion referred to spellcasters—cultivators specializing in offensive techniques like sound cultivation, blade cultivation, and others.
"I see." Wen Shuangbai eyed their blood-soaked senior brother with concern. "How is he?"
Wen Xin: "The senior sister at the entrance said Senior Brother’s spiritual bone is unharmed. Just superficial wounds—nothing serious."
Relieved, Wen Shuangbai cupped her hands toward Lu Jiayao in gratitude. "Thank you, Brother Lu."
Though his voice was ruined, Lu Jiayao persisted in trying to speak. "$%&&%..."
The sound was grating, like nails scraping a chalkboard, making Wen Shuangbai shudder. She hastily cut him off. "Brother Lu, don’t force yourself. You can talk after you’re treated."
Lu Jiayao shook his head, gripping her arm excitedly as he struggled to articulate. "Wen—Shi—mei—you—#%& I… can%—"
Wen Shuangbai: "..."
From their two encounters, she’d deduced that Lu Jiayao suffered from an incurable condition: "If I don’t finish my sentence, I’ll die."
But no matter—Wen Shuangbai was well-versed in the art of placation. She nodded along. "Mhm, yes, of course."
She tried to take over supporting their senior brother, considering Lu Jiayao was also injured.
But he refused, insisting he could manage. Seeing his determination, she didn’t press further, standing by with Wen Xin to chat quietly.
Wen Xin: "Senior Sister, Senior Brother took second place!"
Wen Shuangbai: "I heard earlier."
Wen Xin: "What about you, Senior Sister?"
Wen Shuangbai: "Sixth."
Wen Xin beamed. "Amazing! You’re so impressive!"
At this, Lu Jiayao passionately interjected. "%^￥&@!"
Wen Shuangbai: "?"
Though Wen Xin didn’t understand either, she grasped his intent. "Senior Brother Lu also ranked sixth."
Wen Shuangbai was stunned. "!"
Wait—Lu Jiayao made the top ten?
In the original story, Lu Jiayao wasn’t a nobody—he was a likable minor character, part of the "cheer squad" used by the author to highlight the protagonists’ brilliance.
Wen Shuangbai distinctly remembered his ranking being beyond the top twenty.
Under her scrutinizing gaze, Lu Jiayao straightened proudly.
Even he hadn’t expected such a high placement.
Eager to explain how it happened, he was about to launch into the story when a group suddenly rushed past, heading straight for Xie Ziyin.
Distracted, Lu Jiayao craned his neck to watch the drama unfold.
"Brother Ziyin!" Yu Xiaoxiao cried anxiously, her pale yellow robes stained with blood. "Please, you have to check on Brother Lijue—he’s fading fast!"
Wen Shuangbai’s eyes narrowed with interest as she observed the scene.
Two men carried an unconscious Bai Lijue on a stretcher, propelled by spiritual energy, trailing behind Yu Xiaoxiao.
One was familiar—another subordinate of the Bai family.
The other she didn’t recognize, but she knew who he was: Lu Ying, the undisputed top disciple of the Sky-Questioning Pavilion and a key member of the protagonist group.
"At Ningyuan Mountain, Brother Lijue’s spiritual bone was damaged. Brother Ziyin, you must help him..."
For cultivators, spiritual bone injuries were life-threatening.
But this wasn’t Xie Ziyin’s responsibility—the medical hall had senior sisters and elders for such cases.
Xie Ziyin was treating a head wound and didn’t even glance up, his voice calm. "Left side of the entrance. Find Senior Sister Ye."
Yu Xiaoxiao pleaded. "But Brother Ziyin, you know his condition best! You’ve treated him before—we trust no one else..."
The girl looked utterly distraught, pitiable in her despair, yet Xie Ziyin remained unmoved, his focus solely on his current patient.
Lu Ying frowned at the sight and pulled the girl behind him, shielding Yu Xiaoxiao as he stared deeply at Xie Ziyin. "Xie Ziyin, are you really going to stand by and do nothing? Have you forgotten all the times we fought side by side?"
Xie Ziyin, having nearly finished his work, signaled with his eyes for the two peacocks to handle the aftermath. He wiped his hands clean and slowly raised his gaze, countering, "Did we ever?"
From his perspective, reviewing the original host's memories, he could only see these people as freeloaders exploiting his medical skills.
The onlookers secretly watching the drama: "..."
"Fine."
Seeing this, Lu Ying had nothing more to say. He took Yu Xiaoxiao's hand and turned to leave.
One of Bai Lijue's subordinates had long noticed Wen Shuangbai standing nearby. His close friend had been stripped of his cultivation and expelled from Qingling Mountain because of her, and now the young master's injuries had worsened because of her as well.
The Bai family couldn't swallow this grievance. They stopped Yu Xiaoxiao and her group, whispering furiously in their ears before pointing at Wen Shuangbai and snarling, "It's her!"
Yu Xiaoxiao looked over and, recognizing Wen Shuangbai, froze for a moment.
Her gaze lingered briefly between Xie Ziyin and Wen Shuangbai before she stopped the Bai family members and approached, calling softly, "Senior Sister Wen."
Wen Shuangbai: "?"
She was utterly baffled. Weren't these people in a hurry to get Bai Lijue treated? Why were they wasting time here? Did they want him to die faster?
Yu Xiaoxiao bit her lip. "I know this matter isn’t Senior Sister’s fault. I’ll apologize on behalf of Brother Bai. Whether you chose to help him or not was entirely your decision. Please don’t take it to heart."
Xie Ziyin, who was writing a prescription for a patient, couldn’t help but prick up his ears at this.
He had witnessed the venomous words of this villainess before.
And just as expected—
Wen Shuangbai nodded agreeably. "Alright. But it’d be better if Bai Lijue came to apologize to me personally after he wakes up. Don’t you think so, Junior Sister?"
Yu Xiaoxiao: "..."
Lu Ying frowned. "You—"
"Brother Lu." Yu Xiaoxiao steadied the furious Lu Ying and avoided the bait, instead saying, "Senior Sister, I have a request to make."
Her eyes glistened with sincerity. "Could you give up your spot for Brother Bai? His spiritual bone is injured, and his condition is critical..."
Wen Xin’s eyes widened, and she clenched her fists, ready to charge forward.
These people were going too far!
Wen Shuangbai swiftly pulled her little sister back, shielding her as she retorted, "Is your Brother Bai’s life more valuable than my senior brother’s?"
Yu Xiaoxiao was taken aback. She glanced at Yin Xuan and patiently explained, "Your senior brother only looks severely injured, but his spiritual bone isn’t damaged..."
Wen Shuangbai’s voice turned icy. "No."
Yu Xiaoxiao hesitated, then recalled the Wen family’s financial struggles.
She took out a small spatial pouch, thinking she was being generous. "I won’t let you suffer losses. There are thirty thousand spirit stones here as compensation..."
Wen Shuangbai had had enough. "Get lost!"
Yu Xiaoxiao stood frozen, her face pale.
She didn’t understand. Didn’t Senior Sister Wen desperately need money?
The amount she offered wasn’t small—even the top prize at the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion was thirty thousand spirit stones.
Besides, she had also entered the tower. She knew exactly what kind of injuries they had sustained, and this senior brother’s condition really wasn’t that serious.
"Um." Someone behind Wen Shuangbai suddenly spoke up timidly. "If you give me the thirty thousand spirit stones, I’ll let you go first..."
"No need." Lu Ying flatly refused, turning to Yu Xiaoxiao. "Do you still trust Xie Ziyin? Do you really want to risk Bai Lijue’s life in his hands?"
Yu Xiaoxiao: "I—"
"Let’s go." Lu Ying led the tearful girl away, but not before casting one last glance at Wen Shuangbai and Xie Ziyin—as if he were looking at dead men.
---
Once Xie Ziyin finished instructing the patients, it was finally the turn of the senior brother and Lu Jiayao.
Yin Xuan’s injuries truly weren’t severe, and Xie Ziyin quickly treated him before writing out a prescription.
He glanced at Wen Shuangbai, who stood right beside him, but instead handed the prescription to the peacock-like Li Xingyang, leaving no room for argument. "Give this to the patient’s sect."
Li Xingyang’s face was a picture of reluctance.
He couldn’t understand how, just a month ago, he had been the one bullying Xie Ziyin—yet now, Xie Ziyin treated him like a servant!
But he didn’t dare resist. He was afraid.
In his eyes now, Xie Ziyin was no different from a demon lord.
Li Xingyang sighed weakly and took the prescription, circling around to hand it to Wen Shuangbai. "Here, go get the medicine in the back."
Wen Shuangbai also treated Xie Ziyin as air, asking only Li Xingyang, "Why hasn’t my senior brother woken up yet?"
Other unconscious patients would wake up immediately after being treated by a medical cultivator.
Why was her senior brother the only exception?
She seriously doubted Xie Ziyin’s character.
Li Xingyang looked at the silver-haired man slumped over her shoulder and scratched his head.
How would he know?
He had no choice but to go back and ask the demon lord. "Senior Brother Xie, why hasn’t her senior brother woken up?"
Xie Ziyin was examining Lu Jiayao’s throat and shot him a cold look. "Is your brain filled with straw?"
Li Xingyang: "!!!"
How dare he call him an idiot?! The audacity!!!
But remembering something, he deflated and lowered his head resentfully, awaiting further scolding.
Xie Ziyin had never mentored such a foolish intern. "As a medical cultivator, you can’t even tell the difference between unconsciousness and sleep?"
Li Xingyang: "Huh?"
He scrutinized Yin Xuan carefully, listening to his breathing, then gasped in realization. "Your senior brother is asleep!"
Wen Xin: "..."
Wen Shuangbai: "..."
Wen Shuangbai opened her mouth but hesitated.
She wanted to say—couldn’t this guy keep his voice down? Was this really something to announce proudly?
But the next moment, Li Xingyang exclaimed even louder in admiration, "He actually fell asleep?! And he’s sleeping so soundly! That’s amazing!"
The crowd: "..."
They pointed and whispered, though it was unclear whether they were discussing the earlier incident with Yu Xiaoxiao or the fact that the senior brother had merely been asleep.
In any case, once Lu Jiayao’s throat was treated, the group quickly carried the still-sleeping Yin Xuan, paid for the medicine, and fled the scene.
Now that he had his voice back, Lu Jiayao—who had been silent for too long—chattered nonstop all the way back to the Outer Peak with Wen Shuangbai and the others. He went from ranting about Yu Xiaoxiao’s group to marveling at Yin Xuan’s ability to sleep through everything, then suddenly asked, "Do you know how I placed sixth?"
Wen Xin, curious, asked, "How?"
Lu Jiayao grinned. "Heh, actually, I didn’t do anything. There’s a pill shop in Qingzhou City that sells fasting pills in all sorts of delicious flavors. That day, I was stuck in line for a long time buying them, so I arrived late for the competition—and ran into Senior Brother! When he saw me eating the pills, he wanted to try some too. He asked if I’d share in exchange for telling me the secret to clearing the tower!"
Wen Shuangbai, who had been planning for the second round of the competition, perked up. "What secret?"
Lu Jiayao spoke with great solemnity. "Oh, it’s that the demon beasts in the tower either take the form of the ugliest or the most beautiful, the most pitiful or the quietest and least noticeable. If you really can’t tell, just kill them all. If you can’t kill them all, run."
Wen Shuangbai: "..."
So, turns out you could just use the old "listening to your words is like listening to your words" trick to swindle Lu Jiayao out of his fasting pills, huh?
