"… let them come."
The door of the healing hall suddenly opened by itself, startling those inside. Before anyone could understand what was happening, a gust of cool air rushed in, carrying a faint scent of medicinal herbs.
Followed by the echoed footsteps of multiple men—slow but disciplined. With every step they took, the air inside the room seemed to thicken, and the echo grew louder, resonating deep within the hall.
Three old men stepped inside.
In the middle, an elderly man dressed in a white robe embroidered with lotus stood before Zheng. His long silver beard hung down to his chest, his fingers pale and thin but steady. His eyes carried neither pride nor impatience, only the calm confidence of an experienced healer.
To his right stood Master Chou, dressed in a plain, light-blue robe. His hair was neatly coiled and secured with a jade pin, and in his hand he carried an inkwell fan engraved with delicate spirit inscriptions that shimmered faintly under the light.
To his left was the youngest among the three—also in a light-blue robe, but embroidered with a willow tree. Opposite the elder in white, his eyes held pride tinged with disdain, as though he questioned the worth of everyone in the room.
The elder master in the white robe stepped forward first. He greeted Zheng, his expression warm and welcoming.
"I am called Runquan," he said softly. "I am the hall master of Silver Valley Healing School."
Next came Master Chou.
"I am Master Chou," he said. "I am the head official healer, the battle medic of the Lone State."
Finally, the youngest stepped forward.
"I am Master He," he said smoothly and confidently. "I am the leader of the Silver Snake Clan."
Yang Yue and Li both widened their eyes, breaths halting for a moment, hearts pounding in their chests.
"Master Runquan of Silver Valley—widely known as the Master Healer of Silver Valley, the best in the Lone State, and one of the top in the entire nation," Li whispered to Yang Yue. "Head official healer, Master Chou—the one who earned the title 'Divine Hand' from the emperor after saving a general and hundreds of soldiers during the northern invasion."
"The other one is Master He, leader of the Silver Snake Clan—the one of the four great clans of the Lone State, recognized throughout the nation. Their clan is the only one that practices medicine," replied Yang Yue. "These three masters are the core healers of the Lone State, but why did they come to see Zheng?"
"I have been wanting to meet you ever since I heard about you," said Master Runquan, his voice calm and measured. "I can see you maintain perfect balance. There's no reckless circulation, no energy wasted. I personally welcome Master Zheng as a healer of the Lone State."
"Thank you, Master," replied Zheng, quickly grasping the situation. "But I take it you came here to inspect me."
"My apologies," Master Runquan slightly bowed his head. "But when I saw you earlier, I sensed a small amount of evil energy lingering around your pouch. It may be small, but it is strong—strong enough to trouble an ordinary healer."
Zheng turned toward his pouch—indeed, a faint trace of evil energy hovered above it. I have to re-seal it later, he thought to himself.
"So, this is the man who stirred all the discussion in town?" said Master He, his voice smooth but edged with skepticism.
"I hear you can perform Heavenly Meridian Acupuncture," said Master He, his hands clasped behind his back as his eyes locked onto Zheng. "But I'd rather see for myself than believe what others say."
Zheng felt a flicker of irritation. He straightened, brushing his robe with one hand. "Very well," he replied smoothly, his voice brimming with confidence. "Do I need to explain, or shall I show you?"
Master He's eyes narrowed slightly. Before he could reply, Zheng had already accepted the challenge.
"Heavenly Meridian Acupuncture? This technique targets the spirit vein. Even the slightest pressure can shatter the vein. The needle must be inserted with exact precision at various intersections, following the patient's Qi rhythm. Then the healer must guide spiritual energy in multiple directions at once to stabilize the weakened Qi. It strengthens and restores the spirit vein," Zheng explained calmly.
"Y-O-U! …"
"If there's even a slight mistake, or if the vein reacts violently, the patient will die—and I could damage my own meridians," said Zheng. "I know what I'm doing."
For the first time in his life, Master He felt a spark of disrespect.
"Anyone can learn the technique," he said with a smirk. "But only a few can actually perform it successfully."
"Shall I perform it on you?" Zheng asked.
"You! Lie down here and let him perform Heavenly Meridian Acupuncture," Master He ordered Li. "I'll see whether he can actually do it or not."
"Stop it, Master He," said Master Chou. "Look around you. Even Master Runquan acknowledges Master Zheng."
"But—"
"Are you claiming you are better than Master Runquan and me combined?" said Master Chou, cutting him off. "All healers know that to refine the best pill or elixir, we need the best materials and tools."
"Yes! It's true."
"I have spent decades as a healer, traveling across many lands, but I have rarely seen the materials and tools he has here," said master Chou. "No ordinary person would be lucky enough to collect such resources."
Hearing Master Chou's words, both Master Runquan and Master He moved around the hall, inspecting and admiring the quality of the herbs Zheng had collected. The faint scent of medicinal herbs mingled with the cool air, giving the hall an almost sacred aura.
While the three master was inspecting and admiring Zheng's healing hall, Elder Haiyan and her three bodyguard has already entered the hall for her last treatment.
After several minutes, the three masters decided to leave. Before they departed, they spoke one final sentence.
"We look forward to your great future."