Chapter 143: The Healer Named Qu

Yun Jiao finally understood why Hall Master Xu had summoned her. Within the current teaching system of the Celestial Sect, cultivation techniques, formations, and talismanic arts were all dominated by the Qingyang Sect. Each sect had its own methods for basic introductory spells, and most possessed at least a few inherited traditions regarding magical artifacts. The only area the Celestial Sect was truly lacking in was spiritual healing.

The threshold for becoming a healer was simply too high. One had to first master the foundations of medicine before even beginning to study spiritual healing—and medical knowledge was not something that could be learned overnight. A normal apprentice would need years just to get started, let alone advance to the level of a spiritual physician.

When Yun Jiao had first started her training programs, she had indeed thought about opening a healing class. But eventually, she gave up on that idea. Healing arts were completely different from formations or cultivation techniques. For one, medicine was far harder to understand; and more importantly, the medical system she had learned belonged to a completely different world.

In her understanding, the human body’s anatomy and the metaphysical system of spiritual meridians were two entirely separate structures. When her Grandmaster had taught her the way of healing, she had instinctively fused the two into one, yet also kept their boundaries distinct.

Her medical foundation came from her original world. For her to teach others, she would need to teach all the medical science she had learned from university—every subject, every branch. That meant students would have to study everything she had studied from elementary school through university and even postgraduate research in order to fully grasp her current level of medical expertise.

The time required for that was one issue, but more importantly, medicine was a serious field that always danced on the edge of life and death. The slightest mistake could lead to irreversible consequences. For that reason, even though she had opened countless other training courses, she had never considered opening a medical one. The medical world had no room for “half-baked” practitioners.

She would only pass on the healing arts to those who already had a solid foundation in medicine—like the healers who had once accompanied her to the western city.

Yun Jiao fully supported Hall Master Xu and the others in their desire to cultivate more healers, and she couldn’t help but feel curious about this mysterious figure they spoke of, someone said to possess extraordinary healing skills. Compared to her own complex and massive medical foundation, a local healer with native knowledge might be more qualified to teach and better suited for this world.

She even considered discussing the matter with her Grandmaster later—perhaps she could use the healing manuals he had passed to her as teaching material. After all, she had already distributed several copies of them to the healers who went with her to the western city. Of course, that would depend on whether this man truly had the skill they claimed.

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“Hall Master, the healer Qu has arrived,” a disciple announced just after Jin Shang finished recounting the man’s background.

Hall Master Xu’s eyes lit up with delight. “Quick, invite him in.”

At once, everyone in the hall instinctively turned toward the door—including Yun Jiao and the old man.

To their surprise, two figures entered—a young man and a young woman. Both appeared quite young; the man seemed not yet twenty, dressed in a white robe with golden embroidery. He was of medium build, a bit thin, his features plain but firm. His dark skin contrasted sharply with his bright robe, and perhaps deliberately so. His chin lifted slightly, and his entire posture exuded a proud, unyielding air that demanded attention.

Beside him stood a girl who looked no more than thirteen or fourteen. She clung timidly to the man’s sleeve, eyes wide and curious as she glanced around the hall—cautious yet lively, like a playful little sparrow.

The man strode forward boldly while the girl followed in small, quick steps. The sect leaders and elders greeted them with enthusiasm. Yun Jiao, however, froze for a moment. Had her eyes deceived her? For an instant, she thought she saw a shadow—an afterimage—behind the young man. But when she blinked and looked again, there was only the two of them. Perhaps it was just the bright light outside distorting her vision.

The young man walked up to the center of the hall, swept his gaze over everyone present, and clasped his fists casually. His tone was indifferent.

“Greetings, fellow cultivators of the Celestial Sect.”

“……”

Not only Hall Master Xu but all the sect leaders were momentarily stunned. Today was the registration examination—he was, after all, a candidate. By custom, he should have addressed them as “Masters” or at least “Elders.” Even if he didn’t know them personally, it was proper to show respect. Yet he had directly addressed them as equals, calling them “fellow Daoists.” It felt…odd.

Then again, he was a healer, and a prodigious one at that. A little arrogance was understandable. They thought of Yun Jiao—after all, she had casually produced heaven-tier formations the year before. In that light, perhaps it wasn’t a big deal.

Hall Master Xu smiled warmly. “This young friend must be the healer of Tianfang City—Fellow Daoist Qu Qiuming?”

“That’s right. I am Qu Qiuming,” the man nodded. His eyes swept the room again. “I came here to register. Why have you summoned me here instead?”

“Please, do not be anxious, Fellow Daoist Qu.” Hall Master Xu’s smile deepened. “We mean no harm. Surely the disciples at the entrance have already told you who we are?”

“I know. You are the Hall Master and Elders of the Celestial Masters Hall,” Qu Qiuming replied with a frown. Suddenly, his eyes sharpened, and he gave a cold sneer. “Don’t tell me you’ve gathered me here because you don’t want me to register?”

“Of course not!” Hall Master Xu was startled by the accusation and quickly explained, “We have long heard of your exceptional skill. To heal hundreds of lives in Tianfang City in a single night—such medical mastery is exceedingly rare, even within the Celestial Sect. Your registration is naturally guaranteed.”

“Good.” A faint smile appeared on Qu Qiuming’s face, as if saving hundreds of lives were merely a trivial matter unworthy of concern.

The more Hall Master Xu saw, the more he believed the man truly possessed remarkable ability. “Most of our registration examinations focus only on the Copper Coin rank—few ever advance to the Flower level. But with your healing talent, that would be far too low a title. After discussion, we have decided: if you can pass the healer’s assessment, we would like to invite you to join the Celestial Masters Hall as a Seven-Petal Elder.”

“Elder?” Qu Qiuming’s eyes widened in astonishment. Before coming, he had made some inquiries—he knew that the Hall had only a dozen elders, each one a legendary figure within the sects, people even sect leaders treated with respect. Becoming an elder meant entering the very highest echelon of the Celestial Order.

Excitement welled up within him, though he quickly masked it with calm composure. With my skills, he thought, even this is only a beginning. Someday, I’ll stand far above them all.

“Our sect is in great need of capable people—especially spiritual healers like Fellow Daoist Qu,” Hall Master Xu said with a satisfied smile. If he could recruit this man, future healer training programs would be much easier to establish.

(End of Chapter)