Chapter 15: Healing
The moon scatters across the Milky Way, stretching over a long and winding road. The wind and smoke have faded, leaving a solitary figure on the dim path.
(T/N: Wannabe Fang Yuan typa ahh moment)
Under the night sky, a young man with half of his blue robe stained red hurried towards the Beast Town. He looked rather miserable, but fortunately was unharmed. Only after leaving the Beast Mountains did he finally breathe a sigh of relief and slow his pace.
"Crimson Ice Serpent King, Fire Fox, I won't forget this!"
This wasn't the first time he had fought beasts, but the wild ones were completely different from those in captivity.
Today's crisis taught Chen Guan an important lesson. In a place like this, one must stay in peak condition at all times and, above all, never lose vigilance.
Had he been at his best, even against the Serpent King, he could have used his strengths to exploit its weaknesses and wouldn't have ended up so battered.
Ignoring the curious looks from the mercenaries on both sides of the street, Chen Guan walked towards the inn. But a thought struck him, and he changed his mind, heading instead to the Thousand Medicine Pavilion.
Since he was injured, wasn't this the perfect opportunity to get closer to the Little Fairy Doctor?
The Thousand Medicine Pavilion was as bustling as ever. As he entered, many gazes fell upon him—some curious, some surprised, even a few envious. Only those who were truly injured had the chance to go up to the second floor and receive treatment from the Little Fairy Doctor. Otherwise, other mercenaries wouldn't give you a chance.
Not spotting the familiar steward, Chen Guan didn't mind. He clutched his arm and made his way to the second floor, already knowing the rules from listening to mercenaries' discussions the previous night.
The second floor was spacious, and the Little Fairy Doctor had a room to herself, almost like a private clinic.
When Chen Guan arrived, the Little Fairy Doctor was diagnosing a mercenary. He found a seat and waited; within minutes, her work with the other patient finished, and he got up to sit before her.
"Thank you for this," he said.
"No need to thank me. Did a beast injure you? You'll need to remove your shirt so I can treat and bandage the wound," she replied after a quick inspection.
She recognized him from the brief encounter the previous night.
Though curious about his experience, she didn't pry since they weren't close.
Chen Guan nodded, removing his outerwear and the soft armor beneath, revealing a clean, muscular torso. His chest showed a faint bruise, and his arm bore visible claw marks.
"Got careless and got ambushed by a Fire Fox. I'll be heading back tomorrow to catch it for a roast. I've memorized its scent; I'll definitely find it," he said.
"You sure hold grudges. A Fire Fox is a tier-two magical beast, and I've heard its meat doesn't taste very good—something about a strange smell."
She tended to his wound with tools, making light conversation to ease any awkwardness.
"It's not holding a grudge, it's called payback. That little thing looks delicious; just need to remove the smell. No one understands ingredients better than I do."
The Little Fairy Doctor rolled her eyes subtly without a word.
True enough, people who hold grudges never see themselves that way.
Chen Guan continued, "So, you treat all these mercenaries here without charging them? That last guy didn't pay anything."
She carefully cleaned his wound, applied her secret medicine, and began bandaging without looking up. "It depends. Some give coins, others offer herbs, or even magical cores. It doesn't matter if they pay or not—it's all just a small effort. Of course, if they use Thousand Medicine Pavilion's herbs, that's a different matter."
"No wonder everyone calls you the Little Fairy Doctor. You're really generous."
"I don't lose out, though. Most of what they offer is worth more than the treatment fee, and I often need to go to the Beast Mountains to gather herbs, where they sometimes help, or even test medicines for free."
Chen Guan nodded slightly. He knew her real dream was to become an alchemist.
Unfortunately, she didn't meet the qualifications to be an alchemist and had to settle for becoming a physician.
Physicians were respected, especially in a place like this, but for someone like the Little Fairy Doctor, who possessed the rare "Woeful poison Body," it felt like a waste of talent.
For now, he kept his thoughts to himself. Soon, the wound on his arm was dressed, even tied with a small bow. He moved slightly, realizing it didn't hinder his movements, so he left it as it was.
"Thank you. My name is Chen Guan. I'll probably be bothering you often."
He put his soft armor back on, donned a new shirt, and took out two notebooks filled with medical recipes and experience notes as his payment—he'd come prepared, knowing what the Little Fairy Doctor liked.
As expected, she glanced at the notebooks and was immediately captivated, so much so that her curiosity about his interspatial ring was overshadowed by her desire to read.
"These notes are precious. It's too much to give them as payment; I really shouldn't accept them, but they're fascinating. Thank you."
"You deserve them. My trash is your treasure, as they say. Each thing has its greatest value in the hands of the right person."
"You always have an answer, don't you?"
"Facts are facts. I'll be off, then. Next time, I'll treat you to Fire Fox stew."
"…"
The Little Fairy Doctor watched him leave, finding him rather interesting.
He claimed not to hold grudges, yet couldn't forget the Fire Fox, and even seemed to have an impressive background—he owned an interspatial ring, after all.
A hint of curiosity stirred within her, but it was soon swept away by her excitement for the notebooks. She closed the door eagerly, immersing herself in her "studies."
The dark night turned to dawn.
Chen Guan made purchases in town, stocking up on seasonings and cookware before heading back to the Beast Mountains.
With his arm wound properly dressed and a second-tier healing pill consumed afterward, he was back in fighting shape.
His small goal for the day? Settling the score—especially with that Fire Fox!
Not that he held grudges; the cookware and spices were simply for convenience.
After all, beasts in the mountains were either too large or too small, and the Fire Fox was just the right size for a meal. Besides, wasn't there a river in the valley?
As he entered the mountains, two men, one tall and one short, appeared at the base, looking hesitant, as if deciding whether to go in.
(End of Chapter)
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