“Elder Brother, please go ahead. What were you attempting to say?” Hui asked, tilting his head.

“You… what are you doing to her? I myself am a specialist in life qi and healing, but… I don’t sense an aura of life about her. Which would suggest…”

Suggest… that she’s dead? Hui wondered, hunkering slightly. He bit his lip. “Elder Brother, I…”

“…that you aren’t healing her at all, but instead…” The man frowned.

“Instead?” Hui prompted, lost.

A few of the other cultivators turned and frowed at Qin Donghai. One or two of them raised their eyebrows at the situation, but no one stepped forward.

“Instead… attacking her?” Qin Donghai finished, distinctly uncomfortable. He frowned at the strange man. He’s dual-cultivating in front of everyone, and no one’s stopping him? Isn’t this unbearably lewd? Why isn’t anyone else bothered by it?

Hui frowned back, deeply confused. Attacking her? What part of this looks like attacking her?

Jin Xian grabbed his arm as well. She leaned into his grip and moaned.

“Does it hurt? Hang in there, Elder Sister,” Hui reassured her. I’ll heal you right up!

Qin Donghai bit his cheeks. He looked at Hui and Jin Xian, and his lip trembled in anger. She’s even moaning now! Could you be a little less obvious? We aren’t all into this exhibitionist display! His grip on Hui’s wrist grew stronger. “Stop, right this moment!”

Hui winced. “Elder Brother, please! It hurts!”

The watching cultivators stared, eyes wide. One of the female cultivators raised her hand to cover her smile. An old man harrumphed and turned away, shaking his head at the display. “Three, together…”

Qin Donghai yanked his hand away, subconsciously wiping his palm on his robes. No! I wasn’t—I wasn’t joining in! I was just… I was trying to stop them! Don’t look at me with those eyes!

Hui furrowed his brows, then turned back to Jin Xian. She bared her teeth at him, heaving a deep breath and shuddering. Quietly, he murmured, “I’m almost there. Bear with me a little longer, Elder Sister.”

“You—you, blatantly—” Qin Donghai spluttered.

“What? Aren’t we all healers? Do you have a problem with me healing someone?” Hui asked.

“Is this really healing?” Qin Donghai protested, flabbergasted. I’ve never seen healing done like this. You have to use tools, techniques… you can’t just send your raw qi into someone and mess around in their body. What’s the difference between that and dual cultivating, then? He’s no better than those frauds who besmirch our fine practice of healing by defrauding people into dual cultivating with them in the name of ‘healing!’

“…Yes?” Hui replied. What part of this isn’t healing? Oh… wait. Is he a hardliner like Wu Fanyun? But then… isn’t he meant to be a healer, himself?

Maybe he’s an exorcist, and he isn’t used to it. In any case… I’m tired of these people acting like I’m committing a crime by healing people! Dual cultivating, whatever. I’m healing them. We’re all healers. Don’t you know what this is? Hui shook his head. “Elder Brother, you aren’t being very clear. What part of this isn’t healing? Explain it to me simply, please.”

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“Well, well, you, you’re just… you’re—putting it in her!” Qin Donghai said.

“Putting what in her? You aren’t being clear enough,” Hui said, frowning at him as if he didn’t understand.

“Your qi!” Qin Donghai burst out, frustrated. Your raw qi! Where’s the tools? The techniques? It’s—it’s dangerous, and lewd!

“Eh? But isn’t that what we all do for healing? Elder Brother, surely you’ve been stopped for completely innocent healing before. Can’t you see that you’re being just as troublesome as those people who protest to the use of life qi for healing are?” Hui asked, putting his hands on his hips.

“But you—you do it wrong!” Qin Donghai said.

Hui shook his head. “Wrong how? Look. Is she healed or not?”

He lifted his hand away from Jin Xian. She stumbled back, closing her eyes. She shook her head, then opened her eyes and looked around. Licking her lips, she wiped the drool off her chin and straightened, squaring her shoulders. Unlike before, she had a keenness and alertness about her.

“She… she seems better, but…” Qin Donghai hesitated. That definitely wasn’t normal healing. And yet… it worked? Is he not a fraudster? But the way he operates… it isn’t right.

Right, she seems better, but did it work? Fang Hua, give me a sign! Hui held his breath, waiting.

After a second, he shook his head. No, no. It’s too much to hope for that she’d wake up right away. Argh, I’ll have to vanish her after all. And right after everyone started paying attention to us, thanks to that annoying Elder Brother who decided to step in and save the ‘delicate maiden’ or whatever.

Heh, if he knew how many people that ‘delicate maiden’ has eaten…

Or was he just protesting that we were being exhibitionists, after deciding that my innocent healing techniques were dual cultivation? Is Elder Brother jealous, perhaps? Does he want Jin Xian?

Elder Brother, your taste is too strong for this small cultivator! Do you really want to be vored by a jiangshi? I don’t want to see that…

Hui gave Qin Donghai a strange look, then shook his head. He put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “You don’t want this. It’s not what you think.”

Completely lost, Qin Donghai just stared at Hui. Please. Can someone explain anything that anyone has said in this conversation so far? I need a map.

He shook his head, refocusing himself. Raising a finger, he pointed at Hui. “Your unorthodox methods may work, but I refuse to acknowledge them. You may have healed her, but I will not acknowledge you as a healer!”

Hui blinked. He tilted his head. “Er, excuse me if I’m being presumptuous, Elder Brother, but… when did I ever ask for your acknowledgement? I wouldn’t dream of having Elder Brother’s acknowledgement! It’s far beyond my meager accomplishments to be acknowledged by Elder Brother.”

Qin Donghai opened his mouth, then glanced around. All the other cultivators looked at him, eyebrows raised. One or two frowned at him, as if asking how he had the right to choose to acknowledge others as healers or not.

He shut his mouth and turned away. No. I refuse to speak! Every time I say something, it leads to a new and even more mysterious misunderstanding! All I’ve done is associate myself with this strange cultivator and his… inappropriate healing techniques. The more I speak with him, the more I tarnish my own reputation! Better to walk away now.

Watching him go, Hui furrowed his brows. “What a strange fellow. What on earth was he trying to say? Do you know, Jin Xian?”

Jin Xian paused. She half turned, then nodded, just a little bit.

“Eh?” Hui asked, startled. Was that… did she nod? Did she wake up? Tentatively, he tried, “…Fang Hua?”

Jin Xian turned. She tilted her head at Hui, her brows faintly furrowed. Quietly, she grunted.

I guess not. That was too much to hope for. Hui sighed, suddenly exhausted. Oh well. I strengthened Jin Xian one way or another. Even if I didn’t meet my ideal scenario, at least I gained something from it. He raised his hand to send Jin Xian away.

Jin Xian caught his hand. She hissed quietly and narrowed her eyes at him.

She doesn’t want to be sent away? Does she understand what’s happening and want to stay because of that, or does she just want to eat the cultivators here? Hui leaned in close. “Jin Xian, do you understand me?”

She blinked blankly, staring right past him.

Hui furrowed his brows. I almost feel like Elder Sister is being difficult, but… it’s very possible she still hasn’t woken up. I guess I’ll keep an eye on her for a little while longer before I send her away.