Fu Haitao and Han Qin circled down to Hui’s side. When the shuttle was about five meters above the ground, Han Qin hopped off and ran to Hui’s side, concern flashing in his eyes. Frowning slightly, he knelt beside Hui and glanced over him, quickly assessing his injuries, then reached out and felt his pulse.

Hui carefully suppressed his cultivation to the utmost, allowing not a single fluctuation to escape. Controlling his breathing and mental energy, he lowered himself to a state of near-unconsciousness. Han Qin’s qi swept through him, searching his body for any internal injuries. Hui didn’t resist, nor show any sign he realized what Han Qin was doing, but simply laid there lifelessly, as if he really was unconscious.

Fu Haitao hovered over Han Qin’s shoulder, watching him. “He isn’t dead, is he?”

Aunty Wen jolted.

“No, no. He’s alive,” Han Qin replied quickly.

Of course I am. If I didn’t want you to think I was alive, you wouldn’t! Hui thought, resisting the urge to click his tongue at Han Qin.

Bored, Fu Haitao settled back on his heels and crossed his arms. He glanced at Hui, then turned away, exuding disinterest with every pore of his body. Closer up, he looked younger than he had at a distance, maybe seventeen years old in appearance.

“Learned Sir… how is it? Is he badly hurt?” Aunty Wen asked, hovering at Han Qin’s shoulder.

Han Qin retracted his qi and made a few quick hand signs, then pressed a hand to Hui’s shoulder. A glowing spell array appeared around Hui’s arm, and the wound closed shut. “He’s injured, but not badly. He should wake up in a few hours, perhaps a bit lightheaded but none the worse for wear.”

“Thank you. We’re so fortunate you were here. I don’t know what I would have done if Enlightened Sir hadn’t been here,” Aunty Wen fretted, her brows furrowed with concern as she looked at Hui.

Smiling warmly, Han Qin gave her a reassuring nod. “Luckily, I was passing by. He should be fine now.”

Hui regarded Han Qin with distrust from where he laid sprawled on the ground. Superficially closing the wound while leaving the sword qi trapped inside? What kind of physician are you? Coming upon a wounded mortal like me, you somehow made it worse! The second the poorly educated physician turned away, Hui drew out a tiny bit of death qi and destroyed the remnant sword qi in his shoulder with it, before the sword qi bounced around too much and undid the healing spell.

Aunty Wen hesitated, then stepped after Han Qin. She reached out but didn’t quite find the courage to grab onto his sleeve. “Sir… Xie Hao is also a physician. Perhaps the two of you could…?”

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Han Qin looked sharply at Hui at that. Faintly, his brows furrowed, but only for a moment before a gentle smile appeared once more. “Once he heals up, I’ll have to invite him to the manor.”

Hui raised his eyebrows internally, watching Han Qin from under long lashes. Hmm, I’ll remember that invitation.

“Han Qin!” Fu Suyin shouted, gesturing. At some point, Fu Haitao had wandered over and stood beside her, looking back over his shoulder at Hui and the rest.

Han Qin turned. He bowed quickly to Aunty Wen and ran to Fu Suyin’s side. Fu Suyin mounted her sword, and Han Qin and Fu Haitao climbed atop their shuttle. Together, the three of them ascended into the sky.

Aunty Wen watched them go, amazement sparkling in her eyes. “To be able to fly like that…”

Hui sat up abruptly, looking around. “What… what happened?”

“You woke up! Shh, shh, rest. You were struck by one of the immortals. You’re fortunate to be alive right now,” Aunty Wen said, pressing him down.

Hui sagged back down as if exhausted. He let out a long breath. “I… my shoulder…”

“How does it feel? Han Qin healed you.” Aunty Wen asked.

“I… it’s healed?” Hui stared at his shoulder, eyes wide with surprise.

Smiling, Aunty Wen knelt. “Here, lean on me. I’ll take you inside.”

Hui jolted, then pushed her away. He climbed to his feet on his own. I don’t want to trouble Aunty Wen. I can walk fine, after all. “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

“If you’re sure,” Aunty Wen said, giving him a look. She turned back toward the manor and sighed. “I wonder if Fu Liyu will still need you, now that Han Qin’s back.”

“Hmm, I wonder,” Hui said noncommittally. He couldn’t solve it! He failed to notice the sword qi in my shoulder, there’s no way he’d notice the subtle spell hidden inside Fu Liyu. Even I nearly overlooked it, and I’m a thousand times more observant than him. No, she’ll still need me… if she really wants that spell gone.

Though… that Han Qin. How good of a doctor is he, if he can’t even notice such obvious sword qi?

He reached to his neck to stroke Zhubi, only for his hand to come empty. Hui closed his hand and dropped it to his side, disappointed. Zhubi… is he still guarding my first clone? I suppose he needs to settle his cultivation, now that he’s advanced a stage… still, I wish he was here with me. My neck feels cold without him.

No, no. I’m blending in right now. If I had Zhubi, I’d stand out.

“It doesn’t mean I don’t want him along, though,” Hui muttered under his breath.

“Hmm?” Aunty Wen asked, glancing at him.

“Nothing, nothing,” Hui replied quickly.

She nodded, then pushed back the door to show him the inside of the hut. A dirt-floor space with four walls and not much else greeted him. Aunty Wen nodded inside. “It’s not much, but it’s a roof over your head. For today, rest. I’ll fetch you a duvet so you don’t get cold. Tomorrow, we can go to the manor and find a cot, maybe a table and chair if there’s any lying about in the servants’ quarters.”

Hui bowed. “Thank you.”

“Nonsense, nonsense. It’s my duty,” Aunty Wen replied, quickly lifting him from the bow. She pushed him into the hut. “Lie down, rest. You’ll need rest after a wound like that!”

Hui nodded and gave in, lying on the dirt floor. He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, but secretly meditated. Tomorrow, I’ll go into the manor and use the excuse of conferring with Han Qin to figure out what’s going on with the Fu family. Right now, I know too little to comprehend the situation! I need to fix that if I’m going to resolve Fu Liyu’s issue!