Elder Pan Xia didn’t stay for long.
The moment Jia Yun collapsed, he bolted from his seat—rushing from the VIP section to the arena floor below. It was almost comical how delayed his reaction was, as if he only just remembered his responsibility as an Elder at the last second amidst his panic and confusion.
I couldn’t blame him.
It must have been a shock to his system.
The crowd stirred as he made his way down, whispers rippling through the stands.
"The Elder of the Cloud Mist Sect is moving!"
"Elder Pan Xia himself is stepping in—"
The murmurs grew as Pan Xia reached Jia Yun and crouched beside her, his hands glowing faintly with energy as he performed a diagnosis. His expression twisted—whether from genuine concern or lingering shock, I couldn’t tell.
I let my gaze sweep over the audience. Reverence, curiosity, unease—all of it mixed together at the sight of a true Elder of one of the Three Major Sects taking action.
It was strange, really. Back in LLO, healers weren’t treated with this much respect.
I turned to Chang Fan. “How are healers perceived in this part of the world?”
Chang Fan blinked at me, momentarily caught off guard. “Master? Uuh… Highly respected. Healers are highly respected, but it differs from one cultivations to another.”
That gave me an idea.
I turned to Ren Jin. “Lord Ren, what do you think Elder Pan would feel if I were to offer healing?”
Before Ren Jin could answer, Long Xieren scoffed. “You would offer a treasure for free to someone from another Sect?”
I rolled my eyes. “I am a somewhat capable healer. I may know a healing spell or two.”
Ren Jin, ever composed, studied me for a moment before nodding. “I believe Elder Pan would welcome it.”
“Is Elder Pan a healer?” I asked.
From the way he was pressing down on Jia Yun’s body and the careful movements of his fingers, I half expected him to start monologuing about how he had stopped this and that meridian, staunched her internal bleeding, and provided first aid with a mystical-sounding technique.
Long Xieren scoffed. “What made you think so? The Cloud Mist disciple simply fumbled hard this time. If only she knew her limits, she wouldn’t have ended .”
Okay. So that was a no, then.
A misconception on my part.
Long Xieren lacked the full context though.
Regardless, I should offer my aid. I was partly responsible, though the fault didn’t ultimately lie with me.
Down in the arena, medics hurried onto the stage, carefully carrying Jia Yun away on a stretcher while Pan Xia accompanied them. His expression was unreadable—probably trying to process what the hell had just happened.
Well, whatever. I could deal with him later.
I turned to Ren Jin. “Before I go and join them to offer my aid, surely none of you have forgotten about the bet?”
Ren Jin smiled knowingly before raising a hand. “I gracefully accept my defeat.” At his signal, an attendant stepped forward, carrying a small container. Within it, nestled neatly in separate compartments, were three distinct treasures.
Long Xieren smirked. “Congratulations on your victory, fellow Daoist.”
I took my time inspecting them, not wanting to risk some underhanded trickery.
Nether Ghost Flames? Check. A swirling mass of eerie blue flames, flickering within a jade vial.
Molten Black Steel? Check. A dense lump of jet-black metal, radiating faint traces of heat.
True Royal Divine? …Check. A pristine flower contained within an ornate bottle, its petals swirling in hypnotic patterns.
Satisfied, I carefully pocketed my winnings in my Item Box.
Then, just as the last of the medics carried Jia Yun away, Enforcer Liang Na’s voice rang out across the arena.
“The victor—Fan Shi!”
Xianxia medbays were different from the sterile, clinical environments I was used to.
There were no beeping heart monitors, no antiseptic smells, and no fluorescent lights. Instead, incense burners filled the air with the scent of medicinal herbs, while glowing talismans fluttered softly on the walls, providing gentle illumination. The room was a mix of wood and jade, with beds carved from spirit-enhancing materials designed to accelerate healing.
It didn’t take much effort to find Jia Yun. I simply used Divine Sense to track them down.
Divine Sense was quickly becoming my favorite skill. It continued to evolve at an alarming pace, to the point where I was starting to rely on it more than I should. What had started as a simple awareness skill was steadily transforming into something far more potent.
The only patient in the facility was Jia Yun, unconscious on a bed surrounded by a formation that pulsed with healing energy.
Pan Xia stood at her bedside.
“If it isn’t Senior Da,” he said without turning around. “Come to gloat about your winnings?”
I raised an eyebrow. “I’m not so crass as to do something like that.”
Pan Xia finally looked at me, eyes narrowed. “Was it you?”
Ah. No way in hell I was admitting to that.
I kept my expression neutral, preparing for any escalation. I had already mapped out an escape route with Gu Jie’s counsel. If things really hit the fan, I knew exactly where to run.
Then, just as suddenly, Pan Xia withdrew his hostility. He let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples.
“Never mind,” he muttered. “In the end, the Riverfall Continent is just a small world for experts like you.”
It seemed he had fully acknowledged my strength now.
“So,” I said, changing the topic. “How is she?”
Pan Xia exhaled sharply. “Terrible. Internal damage. Ruptured meridians. I might have condemned the rising star of our Sect just because of my greed.” His fingers tightened into a fist. “My cultivation will probably be crippled by the Sect Master upon my return.”
No way. He was this subservient?
Yeah. This guy was done for.
It was surprising how calm he was.
My impression of cultivators from the tropes was rather one sided and unfavorable to them. I imagined Pan Xia to have been raging right about now or venting his frustration to whoever poor mortal crossed there path.
I turned to the patient.
Jia Yun looked… vulnerable.
The raging force of a three-tailed berserker was nowhere to be seen. Now, she was just a girl, unconscious on a bed, her face pale, her body still. Her breathing was shallow, and despite the healing formation surrounding her, her qi flow remained in disarray.
I stared at Elder Pan Xia.
I had a principle—or maybe just a habit—of trying to see the good in people. Pan Xia was no exception. Maybe it was part naivety, but it was also part of human nature. No one saw themselves as the villain of their own story, right?
It was amazing, in a way. It had been over half a week since I arrived in this xianxia world, and I still hadn’t killed a single human being.
And here I thought this genre was teeming with murder hoboes.
I met Pan Xia’s gaze. “How about a deal, Elder Pan?”
Pan Xia hummed, looking weary. “Hmmm…? Unfortunately, with the current state of affairs, I no longer hold any influence in the Sect. The only way for me to redeem myself is to win the auction, which is now impossible, since the Nether Ghost Flames I planned to use have already been swept up by you.”
“Frankly, you have nothing that I want,” I admitted. “This ‘deal’ is more of a… social experiment. Yes, let’s call it that.”
Pan Xia narrowed his eyes. “What kind of deal?”
I gestured toward Jia Yun. “I will heal this girl—though I make no promises of success. However, if I do manage to heal her, you have to promise me something… that you won’t ever cheat again.”
He blinked, confusion flickering across his face. He was probably wondering how I intended to enforce such a thing.
I continued before he could object. “I have a skill that allows me to detect lies with nearly absolute certainty.” I smiled. “Who knows? We might just cross paths again in the future.”
Pan Xia’s expression turned unreadable. He hesitated. “That is to no benefit to… you…”
“Yeah, you’re absolutely right,” I admitted, shrugging. “That’s why I’m also willing to accept payment—preferably a cultivation technique for reference. I’ve grown curious about the methods of this continent.”
Pan Xia studied me carefully. He probably didn’t fully believe my lie-detecting claim, but there was no harm in humoring me.
Sadly for him, I did have the means…
All hail Divine Sense, which I’ve been using for a long time in PVE to sniff out NPCs and hostile monsters on the map.
Still, Pan Xia seemed wary.
In truth, this wasn’t really about him. Establishing a pretense of wanting friendship was just a convenient excuse.
The person I was truly befriending here if anyone, was Jia Yun.
After all, she was the one receiving my healing.
Elder Pan gave me a small nod.
That was all the permission I needed.
I raised one hand, and golden light gathered on my palm before slowly suffusing into Jia Yun. The glow pulsed gently, sinking into her broken body like rays of dawn piercing through the dark.
With our level difference, something of this scale should be fine.
There was no health bar to check, no damage numbers ticking down, no UI indicator confirming success. But I didn’t need them. Jia Yun’s complexion brightened ever so slightly, her ragged breathing evening out.
I spammed Cure a few more times, my palm glowing with each cast, until I felt satisfied.
Pan Xia’s eyes widened. “This is… incredible.”
I tried to recall the skill’s flavor text, hoping to avoid any potential side effects. “It’s a healing spell that uses the natural vitality of the person it’s cast on and the belief of the caster to empower the healing.”
In other words, magic.
And magic had no rhyme or reason.
Pan Xia bent down, placing two fingers on Jia Yun’s wrist to check her pulse. His brows furrowed, then relaxed. “Her meridians are still in a terrible state, but she will heal.” He exhaled, seemingly relieved. “Senior Da, you have my gratitude.”
The old man cupped his fists and bowed.
I didn’t return the gesture.
He still pissed me off.