Whoever was spitting such vulgar language–kept cursing and yelling outside of the pharmacy. At least ten pairs of feet sprinted alongside the road leading up to here.

Not a good sign for business.

The weighing scale tumbled over. Shit. The ginseng rolled over. Shit. Then, everything toppled to the floor.

“W-Wait, wait!” Time to break bones, ah. The white-cladded person didn’t wish for such an event. They grabbed the bamboo hat off from the shelf, placed it on their head, and smoothed out the long white veil. “I’ll be on my way! Just wait outside!”

Could they be the stationed royal guards? Here to take this doctor away?

Or maybe they could be some of the men from the teahouse, still mad about the broken chairs and crushed food?

There were plenty of possibilities. Well, lucky for them—this doctor saved a century-old aged wine for a likely occasion.

As the stranger closed the doors behind them, they raised a brow. Even through the hazy veil, it was obvious that their wooden floor sign had been snapped in two! There went the promotion.

But what the stranger saw was even more bewildering. They tilted their head, both confused and curious of the commotion happening in the street before the pharmacy.

“Trouble!” Someone called out.

Aiya.

Ten rugged men had surrounded a lone figure, with some of them carrying sheathed swords while others curling their fingers into huge fists.

At the center was the same boy from yesterday, with lean arms crossed against his chest and a huge grin on his face. Ah, it’s Yue Liang…

Wait! Why is Yue Liang here?! How did he know?! About a billion questions rushed through the stranger’s mind. Their jaw dropped in surprise.

One of the men craned his neck and made a face. He pointed at the white-robed person and yelled, “Hey, that’s the guy from Chuánqí Teahouse!”

“Huh? Where?! Where?!” Soon, the other men turned their heads. They gawked at the confused stranger, who only came outside to defend their business. “OH, IT’S HIM! IT’S HIM!”

“Can I help you?” asked the stranger, flickering their eyes from one side to the other.

Ten men. Only three carried swords. Seven were unarmed. Four were tall and huge. The others were a bit on the shorter end and thin. Quickly, the stranger made note of where every one of them stood and how they were standing. All had terrible postures, not even grounding themselves in stance.

The largest of them all had turned around and, with a smirk, said, “Thank you, sir, but you already helped yesterday! You can go on with your day because the Eight Snake Gang is here to teach this violent criminal a lesson!”

Eight Snake Gang, ah?

But there are ten of them… Who’s more violent? One boy or ten grown men?

“No, no! I was j-just…!” With a sheepish smile, the stranger waved those words away with their hand. “Just being a doctor trying to help others!”

It was too early in the morning, but so many people overheard the yelling that they stopped to crowd around the pharmacy. Given that nothing much was eventful, a large street fight was what they needed: excitement. Besides, everyone loved to see a good brawl, and some loved cheering for the underdog even more.

Now, wait a moment! Why did the skies grow so dark and ominous?

“Repeat what you just said to me, you little shit!” The largest man snatched the collar of Yue Liang’s ragged shirt. “AWFULLY BRAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO RAN AWAY YESTERDAY!”

The stranger, witnessing trouble, creased their brows together.

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Aiya, but the people whom Yue Liang showed aggression to–weren't even any of these men! If anything, it should’ve been the Yéye-storyteller and the granddaughter-companion to show up here and beat some fear into Yue Liang. Since people would gossip today about yesterday’s event—the Eight Snake Gang, who has never been heard of—by the way—would jump at this chance, turning this whole mess into being about them. They wanted to be transformed into feared heroes!

Not that the stranger cared about who was taking who’s cred— Ah, the way those men phrased their responses was odd. They made it seem like…

“Oh, were they the ones who saved Chuánqí Teahouse yesterday?” asked a woman, one of the people gawking at the scene of a brewing streetfight. “Wow, they’re all so brave for saving that old man and the little girl, ah!”

Just like that—the stranger was removed from the true narrative!

Humans of the Mortal Realm have always been quick to be judgemental though. If they say that you aren’t a God, you aren’t a God. If they say that you’re a villain, you’re a villain. Even if you end their life yourself. Quite stubborn for such short-lived people.

But in the Heavenly Realm, it’s only might is right. If a celestial Immortal says that you’re a villain–and you kill them with a sword that is made for killing celestial Immortals and Gods, then, obviously—you’re not a villain. If you kill a God though with such a special weapon, you’re a hero. If you fail, you are what they say you are. Worse than a villain.

The world didn’t always have to make sense. This was a lesson that the stranger had to learn in the most difficult way. After that experience, they were greatly changed as reflected in their reactions toward violent people.

A hundred years ago, the stranger would have unsheathed their sword in a showy demonstration of their strength. They would also be eager to strike others down for their own amusement.

Now, the stranger prefers for the morning to be quiet and peaceful.

“AHHHH!” A scream erupted the daydream when the man was flipped over Yue Liang’s shoulders.

In a blink of an eye, a red spiritual aura arose from Yue Liang. It was brief and bright before dissipating altogether. The young man raised his burning eyes and locked with the stranger’s. A smirk formed in his red lips.

Yue Liang was aware of the stranger—just as they were of him. Technically, they were both practicing cultivators of the Heavenly path. It’s only that one of them was more chaotic in nature than the other. It distorts their moral alliances and makes another question if both are still walking toward the same direction. It’s easy to understand why.

Every cultivator exudes a particular aura that reflects the color of their Qi. Some scholars theorized that it’s a manifestation of the element in which they are most compatible with. Others argue that it’s more complicated than that—that it also reveals the true nature of a cultivator. Only a cultivator with a mastered sight and other senses—can see another’s spiritual aura…among other features.

However, a well-disciplined cultivator would never just let anyone see their spiritual aura. Such power should never be leaked so carelessly. For two hundred years, the stranger themselves took a painstakingly long time to keep the aura inside, not out. To let spiritual energy out basically means a lack of control over one’s Qi.

One papered window was destroyed—immediately.

The stranger turned to see another man’s pair of shoes sticking out of the pharmacy. On the other side, another man was tossed against the wall. Like a sack of potatoes, he folded over and slept on.

It was clever of Yue Liang. Getting rid of the armed ones—was the first thing that the stranger would’ve done too!

“GET HIM!” All seven remaining men rushed toward the boy—with tight fists in the air and bulging eyes with veins.

Quickly, Yue Liang grabbed their folded friend by the legs—and swung him around and around. From it, men flew in many different directions. When they hit the ground, their eyes had already rolled over to the back of their heads. Pleased with his work, Yue Liang smiled and brushed dirt from his clothes.

All the while, the stranger awkwardly stood in front of the pharmacy’s entrance doors. Dozens of eyes averted to them. They swallowed. They tipped the wide bamboo hat forward, hoping the veil was dense enough for people to not look into their soul. Aiya… So many hoped that they, the doctor, would do something about Yue Liang.

“I—” Who knew that when the stranger looked up, Yue Liang had already squatted down beside the large man, the group’s leader.

Yue Liang counted the shiny coins on the palm of his hand. A pouch had been opened and left aside on the ground. He was so engrossed, he didn’t notice the other person’s open mouth of shock. Too soon, ah!

“Return that sum to him.”

“Don’t you know that one needs money to eat?” The young man asked, standing up.

“As a righteous cultivator, you should not do that.”

“And if I do?”

“Then, you leave me no ch—”

In a flash, Yue Liang’s breath caressed the stranger’s cheek. His fist blurred toward them.

“Are you going to stop me?” said Yue Liang, coolly.

This kid is too fast! Is he a mortal?! What about their heart-to-heart talk yesterday, ah?! Did Yue Liang even learn anything?!

However, once the stranger recoiled—their foot gave way to a mysterious bump, a rock.

Oh…

Soon, the dark skies seemed to engulf more space. The stranger stumbled back against the doors. Red autumn leaves fluttered around. The eyes of the onlookers were wide. Several women covered their faces, and the men, though, tilted their heads.

Huh? No pain came.

Instead, Yue Liang’s eyes grew large with raised brows. His red lips pressed together as though he held his breath. Water filmed over Yue Liang’s eyes, rimmed with red. His hand, flat against the door and supporting his weight. His other hand, though, wrapped around the other person’s waist.

At that moment, the young man could only stammer out, “Mei…Ying?”