I would like to say my return to the Sect is triumphant and wondrous, but it really isn't.

I shamble up to the elevator, covered in dirt and grime, and smelling worse. My hair is a mess, my robes are torn and filthy. I don't look good, I don't feel good, I don't smell good. Still, procedure must be observed, so as the Outer Sect Guards give me unkind looks, I stand up straight and announce myself.

"Outer Sect Disciple Hei Lian returning to the Sect." I hold my hand out to verify my identity as I speak, trying to muster as much dignity as I can in my lamentable state.

One of the Guards goes over the register as another confirms I am who I say I am. "... Disciple Hei Lian, you are late by three days." This is mostly just a comment and observation. That I am late hardly matters - people are late (and early) all the time. But it is somewhat alarming to me that I'm late.

I planned to arrive just before the Tournament. It seems that I've missed it… well. I was never going to be able to get proper seats to it anyway, not at my level and seniority, but I would've liked to have watched on one of the transmission formations.

"It is as Senior Brother says. I was waylaid by illusions."

The Guard just grunts, barely looking up from his paperwork. My excuse is not new or unexpected, but they still have to write it down. "Noted. Welcome back to the Sect, Outer Disciple Hei Lian."

I return the nod, and step onto the elevator, closing my eyes as the wind rushes past. Moments after, I step off into the Sect proper, and release a breath I wasn't aware I was holding. I think this is the first time returning has really felt like home.

And the first thing I should do is take a bath for Heaven's sake.

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With my hair cleaned and done up in a ponytail, my robes replaced with ones that aren't crusty and beginning to cause chafing, and most importantly, with me no longer smelling like a midden, I feel… renewed. Rejuvenated. Reborn, even.

It doesn't hurt that now that I've had a chance to take stock of myself and assess, I seem to have grown. Heart Demons are renowned for being dangerous things to face, but facing them often leads to growth - they exist as things that hinder you, as something that holds you back. It is only natural that defeating them and growing past them allows you to progress.

"I suppose I should be thankful, 'Jingming'," I muse quietly, closing my eyes and breathing deeply. It is not as though I wouldn't have reached the Sixth Step of Qi Condensation without the trial, but all the same, the ordeal has given me a clarity I might not have had before.

I still cannot say what that was truly about. Was it actually an ordeal or some hallucination caused by the Forest? It seemed to have rules, but were they rules born from me, the Tree, or Heaven? A demon? I didn't know. I suppose it didn't actually matter. I'd gotten through it. I'd seen a glimpse of what I was working towards but when it came about, it would be real - and it wouldn't be empty.

But enough about that. I have apples to prepare.

I have a whole basket full (and it makes me feel kind of like Red Riding Hood), but my first stop is to get them checked out. If they were poisonous… well, I'd already be dead by now, I assume, but that doesn't mean they're just safe to eat in greater numbers.

And I ought to know what the hell I'm dealing with, for when I write the recipe down later after all.

Things like this are usually handled by the Medicine Pavilion - they're the ones best suited to determine if its poisonous, any side effects eating it might have, and whether it has any medicinal properties.

There's a few more glances and stares my way now as I move through the Sect grounds, although I cannot really place why. My appearance, perhaps? My power? Sixth Step of Qi Condensation is no small feat for an Outer Disciple, especially one at my age. If my progress continues like this, I could even be promoted to an Inner Disciple!

Although if such a thing were possible, Zhou Cheng would surely become a Core Disciple first.

The Medicine Pavilion is one freely accessible on the Earth Ring - for obvious reasons, the Sect doesn't want to bar anyone from seeking medical treatment. It doesn't even cost points or anything as such to get treated, although depending on the severity of the injury, there is no guarantee you will be treated.

An Outer Disciple who becomes crippled can be helped, but you are less likely to receive the top of the line, all stops pulled kind of treatment a Core Disciple or Elder would receive.

The one who greets me is a vaguely familiar face - Bang Yanhuo, a Core Disciple. The last time I saw him, I was having my pills appraised. The Medicine Pavilion is the one that handles these things naturally, due to the crossover that Medicine has with Alchemy. "Hei Lian," he greets. I'm a little pleased he remembers me. "Are you here to donate some pills?"

I blink, and just hold out an apple. "No pills today, Senior Brother - this humble servant just wished to have these identified and assessed."

The moment his eyes seem to register the apple, all of his attention shifts to it. "You- where did you get this?" He snatches the apple from my hand which, in my opinion, is rather rude.

"In the Forest of Wandering Phantoms, Senior." I'm not trying to be a smartass, but there's no other answer to give.

With the intensity and scrutiny of a jeweller inspecting a diamond, he turns the apple over and over, glancing over at my basket full of them and seeming somewhere between incredulous and impressed. "These are Dreambound Apples - and you would have me believe an Outer Disciple was able to retrieve them?"

I frown a little. "I am merely telling Senior Brother the truth of things. Whether it is believed or not does not come into it." I say that, but if he claims I clearly stole them, there is a risk he will confiscate them. "Senior, is it truly so strange that I was able to get them?"

"Yes," he says bluntly, "Dreambound Apples protect themselves with a powerful illusion, which makes them incredibly difficult to harvest unless one is prepared. Cultivators in Core Formation would have trouble dealing with them, and you were able to find so many, of such high quality? How?"

"... Truthfully speaking, Senior, I could not say," I offer, shrugging a little, "I experienced the illusion, but after breaking free, it released the fruit to me. I did not even know what they were until Senior enlightened me."

He studies me carefully for a little longer. "It released them to you?"

"Yes, Senior. I didn't want to risk touching any still on the branch in case it put me back under, but these seemed safe enough." Given one hit me in the face without ill effects. Beyond, you know. Being hit in the face.

After a small while, he nods and hands it back. "There is no danger in consuming Dreambound Apples provided they have naturally been released. They do, however, possess a strong Yin nature, and can be distilled into an elixir that can soothe the mind and grant clarity of thought. If you contribute them to the Sect, I can guarantee you a hundred points per apple."

Hund-that's more points than I'd get in a fortnight just doing regular chores! I glance mournfully at the basket… well, I have a lot of them. "Then I can contribute six to the Sect, Senior," I offer, counting them out. That leaves me with enough for one pie, and some other things besides.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

He takes them from me carefully, setting them aside into his sleeves where they disappear - qiankun sleeves, I'd guess - and then we clasp hands to verify everything.

"One more thing, Senior Bang," I interject, just as he goes to unclasp. "This disciple has a desire to learn the basics of medicine and healing - enough to perform first aid, if at all possible." I don't really have the time or inclination to train to be a proper doctor, Cultivator or not, but being able to perform basic triage and first aid is invaluable.

At least in the sense that if I ever get impaled again, Heavens forbid, I'll know what to do more than just 'eat pill and pray'.

"Considering your contributions to the Medicine Pavilion already, I suppose I can give you an introductory text." That's surprisingly generous of him, actually. "But if you wish to receive some tutelage, then that will require points."

He names the amount. It's easily covered by my new stockpile, so I nod.

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Medicine, for a Cultivator at least, is all rooted in Qi. Cultivators, as a whole, are quite good at healing themselves - as we refine our bodies, they naturally become 'healthier', and grow more efficient at repairing themselves. Admittedly, how 'good' they are is a question of the cultivator in question. A Cultivator in Qi Condensation, such as myself, may find they are rarely sick and hard to bruise, and any minor scrapes we get might clear up within a few hours.

Relatively speaking, at least. I might not get a common cold or flu anymore, but there are diseases that are much more frightening that I'm still susceptible to, although at a certain point, it really stops being an illness and starts being a curse.

So it goes up the chain, until 'death' itself becomes a condition one can treat. Those who step into the Nascent Soul Realm may persist past their own body's death via their Origin Soul, for example, although the mechanics of which elude me - and existing without a body isn't recommended, regardless. There are stories of Master's, upon the destruction of their body, possessing their students, although the ending varies from 'They coexisted peacefully until the Master could create a new body to inhabit', to the kind of terrible tragedy that involves everybody dying gruesome deaths. Like Hamlet, if the Ghost of Hamlet's Father was able to possess him to try and kill Claudius directly and then fucked everything up for everyone.

That's all beyond me though. At my level, and with my very basic instruction, I am only really equipped to diagnose basic problems and assist the patient's own recovery. With the proper texts, I could probably go so far as to diagnose diseases or poisons and concoct remedies with the right ingredients, but I am far from being a Doctor or Healer. I'm more of a Nurse.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to work longer, Hei Lian?" Bang Yanhuo asks, as I finish my training shift. It's been a tiring day, but I don't mind it. I need to catch up with Zhou Cheng, before he wonders if I've been eaten or worse.

"Ah? Are my skills that impressive, Senior Bang?"

"No." Don't be so blunt, Senior. You could've at least said something like 'It's not that' or 'You're doing well on your first day'! "You handle patients well. I haven't had this easy a time dealing with them since…" He pauses for a moment, brow slowly furrowing. "... I do not think I have had this easy a time. Ever."

I roll my shoulders. "I'm sorry to disappoint you then, Senior Bang, but I have other business I must attend to. I will be sure to make time in the future."

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It would be wrong of me to impose any further on you, Hei Lian, but still, I must ask you to make one final round - could you bring food out to everyone in the Phoenix Wing?"

"Of course, Senior Bang." The 'Phoenix Wing' was the name for the wing where critical patients were kept - the ones who'd suffered severe injuries, or serious illnesses and weren't expected to be able to leave on their own power for a while yet.

I head back into the kitchens to get whatever they were being served, and a surly Outer Disciple points me towards a cart already loaded up with bowls of the saddest congee I had ever seen. I risk a quick taste test just to confirm my suspicions, and it's almost worse than I thought. I know it was something of a stereotype for hospital food to be terrible - and there was even a decentish reason, given you had to make it in bulk and it had to be easy to digest - but come on.

If I had to eat this, I'd be put in hospital, not out of one!

"This won't do at all," I declare, shaking my head. I know I just said I had to go find Zhou Cheng, but this goes against everything I believe in! Or well, the main thing I believe in.

Food should be enjoyed!

The Outer Disciple who was manning the kitchens raised an eyebrow at me, arms folded over his chest. "You got a problem with my cooking?"

He's older than me, that much is clear, so I should be more polite. But frankly, I'm too insulted by the fact he called this cooking. This isn't cooking! This is just boiling! "I do," I retort challengingly, meeting his gaze despite the fact that he's got at least a foot on me in height, "I ask you to step aside - I will prepare the food for our fellow disciples."

He locks eyes with me, and for a moment, it seems like he might resist further - but then he just steps aside with a grunt and a disinterested look. Cooking for him is just a chore. No wonder the food is terrible. It sounds so incredibly corny to say, but I strongly believe that 'love' is a vital ingredient in cooking.

If you do not cook with love, how can those who eat it appreciate it? If those who eat it cannot appreciate it, why does it exist?

The congee he's cooked already is a good starting point, however, and it'll save me having to boil and wait for a fresh pot. I pour it all back into the large cooking pot they have, and immediately set about seasoning it because this bastard didn't even use salt.

Hermetic Sea Salt has a fairly weak flavour and a slightly metallic tang to it, but it is loaded with nutrients and minerals that can help with recovery. Strong flavours are no good for a hospital, but that doesn't mean they have to be bad, or worse, nonexistent. Some of the Violet Moon Bells I gathered earlier (and having verified they weren't poisonous) can be powdered alongside some Seven Star Pepper, and a few dried Mountain Elder Sage leaves - that will help disguise their bitter taste, and their medicinal properties should help with recovery.

Flakes of dried Steel Armour Fish for added protein, as well as some extra Yang energy to assist the body's healing, but not so much as to create an overly fishy flavour - fortunately the fishy taste is concentrated in their armour and bones. Let it simmer for a little longer to thicken up and become a little creamier. Too thick is no good either - I like it thick personally (not a euphemism, but also, not not a euphemism), but this is a hospital. It has to be easy to swallow and digest.

One final taste test to ensure I've got the seasoning right - a pinch more pepper, I think - and I've got something I'd be proud to serve.

Hei Lian's Medicinal Congee, complete!

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"Are you looking for work, Hei Lian?" one of the older Disciples asks from where he's laid up in bed. He's covered in bandages enough that I'm a little surprised he can move freely at all. "It just so happens that I have room in my quarters for a cute servant."

I let out a good-natured laugh and flash him a smile that in my past life, I reserved purely for customers I wanted to get away from. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Senior, but my services are already spoken for."

"Damn," he laments, leaning back, "They must be blessed by the Heavens to have an adorable underling like you."

One of the other patients snorts, setting her spoon against her bowl with a soft clink. I gave it to her less than a minute ago, and it's already empty. "At least try to be dignified. Hei Lian is half your age - and even if he weren't, you would have to get in line behind me."

"Ah? Do you hear something, Hei Lian? It sounds like an annoying gnat's buzzing in my ears again. Please close the window so it doesn't happen again."

Immediately, tension creeps up my spine.

Senior Sister narrows her gaze. "You should be careful of gnats - they have quite the painful sting. Shall I show you, Gan Weishu?"

I laugh nervously, taking her empty bowl and pushing my cart a little faster. Don't bring me into whatever spat you've got going on! I don't want to be involved!

"Ha?! Are you forgetting who put you in that bed, Shu Xiuyin?!"

"Are you forgetting who put you in yours?!"

"Ignore those two," the next patient says helpfully, accepting the bowl with grateful hands, "They've been fighting nonstop since they arrived on the same wagon. We're taking bets on whether they'll break down and marry each other or just kill each other."

That's… kind of morbid, Senior. I try not to glance too much at his condition, but the blanket is pretty conspicuously flat right after his waist.

He notices anyway, and gives me a cheerful wink. "Don't worry, Junior - you should've seen the other guys. There were twenty of them - bastards from the Starry Night Cult - I was on a mission to suppress them, after they raided some villages, and-"

"Oh stop telling that story already!" someone else called, "We've all heard it a hundred times! You fought the Night's Edge, he cut off your legs, you cut off his head, everyone clapped!"

Senior No Legs rolls his eyes. "Don't mind him," he says in a conspiratorial whisper, "He's just cranky he had an accident whilst performing alchemy instead of something exciting."

"I'm cranky because I'm starving! Hurry up and bring me the damn food before I starve to death!"

"Please wait just a bit longer, Senior!" I call back sweetly, turning back to Senior No Legs. "I'm sure it's a great story, but I really must serve the others."

He waves me off, already slurping down congee with a satisfied hum. "Go on, go on. I'm not going anywhere." He lets out another small laugh at his joke. Well. I'm glad he's taking his injuries in good grace?

Fortunately, the other patients don't have any secret feuds or sudden anecdotes they want to embroil me in. I get a few comments and questions, but it's mostly appreciation for the food. It put me in a pretty good mood as I pushed the cart along.

Of course, immediately after thinking that I get a shock I wasn't expecting. "Zhou Cheng?!"