Bai Hehuan watched the arguing old men with amusement. As they argued, they noticed the man and woman who had just entered the courtyard. The elderly physician who had advocated for acupuncture looked at Bai Hehuan and demanded angrily, “Little girl, what are you smiling at?”
Bai Hehuan ignored him and asked the guard, “Where is the patient?”
“In the inner chamber,” the guard replied.
“Lead me in.” Bai Hehuan adjusted the medicine chest on her shoulder.
The physicians exchanged glances, realizing she was another practitioner. The elderly man snorted, “So you’re the little Divine Physician from the newly opened Crane Rain Pharmacy?”
“A Divine Physician is a Divine Physician—there’s no big or little about it,” Bai Hehuan smiled. “I am Bai Hehuan of Crane Rain Pharmacy, greetings to you all!”
“Hmph. A mere girl with such a big attitude,” the old man sneered. “These days, it’s only because we’ve been confined to the Governor’s residence that the city’s patients had nowhere else to go, giving you a chance to make a name for yourself.”
Bai Hehuan bowed. “Then I truly must thank you, elder.”
“Hmph. Go on in, little girl,” the old man waved dismissively.
“Follow me,” the guard stepped forward, leading Bai Hehuan and Su Muyu inside. In the outer hall sat a middle-aged man in official robes, his face ashen. Beside him sat a richly dressed middle-aged woman, her face haggard and tear-stained. Seeing Bai Hehuan enter, the middle-aged man stood up. “The Divine Physician has arrived.”
Bai Hehuan nodded. “Greetings, Governor.”
The middle-aged man waved his hand. “No need for formalities, Divine Physician.”
“May I ask who in the household is ill?” Bai Hehuan inquired.
“My son,” the middle-aged man sighed softly.
“Oh? Your son?” Bai Hehuan had already guessed as much. “Is he in the inner chamber?”
“Yes.” The middle-aged man stood. “I’ll lead you in, but please prepare yourself, Divine Physician. My son’s illness may be unlike anything you’ve seen before.”
“Oh?” Bai Hehuan’s expression remained calm. “How so?”
Su Muyu frowned slightly. He noticed the guard beside them becoming rigid as they walked toward the inner chamber, his expression growing notably tense.
The middle-aged man considered briefly before speaking slowly, “I don’t know if the Divine Physician has read any supernatural tales, but my son’s current condition is like those described in such stories—neither human nor ghost.”
Bai Hehuan suddenly stopped walking and sniffed lightly.
“What do you smell, Divine Physician?” the middle-aged man asked.
“This smell isn’t right!” Bai Hehuan’s expression instantly turned serious.
Su Muyu stepped forward to protect her. “What’s wrong?”
“I smell… corpse decay,” Bai Hehuan hurried forward several steps and finally saw the full scene within the room. A bare-chested man was chained to an iron bed by four iron chains binding his limbs. Hearing their movement, the man turned his head to look at them, his eyes emitting an eerie blue-red light. The iron bed began to shake as the man desperately pulled at the chains, trying to break free.
“Please be careful, Divine Physician. Kuiwu, protect the Divine Physician well,” the Governor instructed the guard.
“No need. I can protect her,” Su Muyu waved dismissively.
But Bai Hehuan stood frozen in place. She was certainly not a coward—even during the Dark River’s Night of Blood, she had never shown a trace of fear. Yet now she stood completely rigid.
The Governor sighed softly, thinking to himself: What Divine Physician? She’s just a girl after all. I shouldn’t have had such expectations—she was already frightened before even examining the patient.
Su Muyu had never seen Bai Hehuan like this. He asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
“This is impossible,” Bai Hehuan muttered. “This can’t be!”
“What’s impossible?” Su Muyu asked quietly.
“Let’s escort the Divine Physician out,” the Governor had already given up.
“Wait.” Su Muyu stepped forward, releasing an energy that forced both the Governor and guard backward.
Bai Hehuan bent down, took out her roll of silver needles, and with a flick of her wrist, sent them flying into the man’s body. But the man showed no reaction, continuing to struggle against his restraints as before.
Su Muyu had seen this acupuncture technique more than once—even someone as powerful as the Patriarch had been forced into deep sleep by it, yet this man showed no reaction at all.
“He can’t even feel pain anymore,” Bai Hehuan stepped closer, examining his pupils. “The closer I get, the stronger the smell of decay becomes. How laughable, truly laughable.”
Su Muyu seemed to understand Bai Hehuan’s words, and his killing intent suddenly surged.
“No need,” Bai Hehuan stopped Su Muyu, then turned and walked out.
“Divine Physician, please wait!” The Governor, instinctively sensing that she had discovered something, immediately followed. But Bai Hehuan ignored him completely, walking straight to the courtyard where the physicians were still arguing. She berated them angrily: “A physician should treat people with honesty. You shame the medical profession, yet you still call yourselves Divine Physicians!”
The elderly physician from before was startled, then responded angrily: “You little girl, how long did you look before claiming to understand everything? Do you dare criticize us? Ridiculous!”
Bai Hehuan retorted furiously: “Does this even need examination? Any physician with a few years of experience would see that this is already a dead man. You’re all discussing whether to use acupuncture or medicine on a corpse—what kind of performance is this? Are you afraid the Governor will execute you if you tell him the truth? Is this how you demonstrate a physician’s benevolent heart, by spouting nonsense?”
The Governor, who had followed her out, stood frozen in the doorway, his hands trembling violently. “Divine Physician, what are you saying? You’re saying my son is already…”
“Already dead, dead beyond dying again,” Bai Hehuan said gravely. “There is no medicine that can save him!”
“This…” The Governor collapsed to the ground.
“Nonsense! If he’s dead, how can he still move?” The other physicians were stunned by her accusations, but a younger one couldn’t help arguing.
“Haven’t you heard of corpse transformation?” Bai Hehuan countered.
The man was momentarily speechless: “Corpse transformation is just something written in books. I’ve never seen it—have you?”
Bai Hehuan gave a cold laugh: “I have indeed seen it—a hundred corpses transforming, slaughtering village after village.”
The elderly physician who had been speaking earlier pondered for a long while before asking, “May I ask this young lady’s full name and who your master is?”
“I am Bai Hehuan, disciple of the Medicine King Valley!” Bai Hehuan declared boldly.