Li Tianming walked quickly, and Xu Hao occasionally had to lengthen his stride to keep pace with him.
For a man who looked as though he hadn't slept properly in weeks, the older cultivator possessed a remarkable amount of energy.
"Senior Li, is your residence far from here?"
"Not particularly. Another fifteen minutes."
Xu Hao looked at the older man's long strides.
"At this pace?"
Li Tianming glanced at him.
"Having trouble keeping up?"
"Not at all. I was simply wondering whether you intended to arrive before the sun went down."
The older man laughed and slowed slightly.
"You were rather composed when Su Jin wanted your arms. Surely a little walking won't defeat you."
"I was standing still when Su Jin threatened me. It's much easier to look dignified that way."
Li Tianming chuckled.
"Very well. We'll walk at a pace that allows our young healer to arrive with his lungs intact."
"Much appreciated."
Xu Hao smiled, although his thoughts were considerably less cheerful.
He'd managed to escape Su Jin by attracting the attention of a man desperate enough to give an unknown healer a chance.
Now he had to demonstrate that he possessed the medical knowledge he'd claimed.
His Healer card had provided an extraordinary amount of information, but he hadn't yet examined a single patient in this world. Whatever illness troubled Li Min had apparently defeated several experienced healers, and Xu Hao wasn't foolish enough to assume he'd succeed simply because he possessed a special ability.
He would have preferred several days to study local medical practices before attempting something so serious.
Unfortunately, Su Jin had made that rather difficult.
The prospect of losing both arms and his tongue had a remarkable effect on a man's schedule.
---
As they continued through Hibiscus Town, the streets gradually changed.
The crowded shops and market stalls gave way to wider roads lined with expensive establishments. Xu Hao passed merchants selling fine silk, polished ornaments and cultivation materials displayed behind glass.
The buildings grew taller, with painted balconies overlooking carefully swept streets. Servants stood outside private residences, and even the paving stones appeared to be more carefully maintained.
Xu Hao noticed the difference immediately.
He'd travelled through poorer parts of Hibiscus Town that morning. Some of the houses there were little more than patched wooden structures, and he'd seen people searching through discarded vegetables near the market.
Here, enormous residences stood behind decorated walls, separated from the rest of the town by landscaped gardens and private courtyards.
Some things remained remarkably consistent across worlds.
Wealth, it seemed, had a talent for gathering in the same places.
Li Tianming turned onto a broad avenue lined with tall trees.
At the far end stood an enormous wooden gate reinforced with polished metal. Above it hung a plaque bearing the golden character for Li.
Xu Hao looked up at the entrance, which was larger than the entire front of his little house.
Two guards stood beside the gate, dressed in matching uniforms and carrying long weapons.
The moment they recognised Li Tianming, both straightened.
"Welcome home, Master Tianming!"
Li Tianming acknowledged them with a wave.
"Is Father inside?"
"Old Master is at the eastern pavilion, feeding the fish."
"And Min'er?"
"Still resting in her room, Master."
Li Tianming's expression tightened.
"Tell her attendants I've returned. I've brought a healer to examine her."
"At once, Master."
One guard hurried inside while the other opened the gate.
Xu Hao followed Li Tianming into the residence and found himself slowing almost immediately to take in the surroundings.
Beyond the entrance lay a broad courtyard paved with carefully fitted stone. Covered walkways connected several buildings, their wooden pillars decorated with intricate carvings.
Gardens filled the spaces between the courtyards. Ornamental trees stood beside arrangements of polished rocks, while narrow channels carried water between small ponds.
Several stone sculptures lined the pathways.
One caught Xu Hao's attention as they passed.
It depicted a strange beast with the body of a lion and a long, curved horn rising from its forehead. The animal's muscles had been carved with astonishing precision, and its stance gave the impression that it might spring into motion at any moment.
Xu Hao paused beside it.
"Beautiful."
Li Tianming stopped and followed his gaze.
"What is?"
"This sculpture. Whoever carved it understood anatomy remarkably well."
The older man glanced at the statue.
"That old thing? It's been there since before I was born."
Xu Hao moved around the base, examining the faint tool marks beneath the polished surface. The artist had paid particular attention to the creature's joints and the way its weight rested on the stone beneath its paws.
"Do you know who made it?"
"I'm afraid not. It was already part of the residence when I was a child."
"That's a shame. I'd have liked to know more about the craftsman."
Li Tianming looked at him curiously.
"You're interested in stone carvings?"
"Very much. Old buildings, sculptures, documents. I enjoy learning how people lived in earlier times, and sometimes the things they made tell us more than their written records."
"An unusual interest for a healer."
Xu Hao smiled.
"I've been told my interests are rather scattered."
"Then try to keep them together until you've seen my daughter."
Xu Hao straightened.
"Of course, senior."
He gave the sculpture one final glance before following.
The Li residence was clearly filled with treasures. Under different circumstances, he could have spent an entire day examining the carvings alone.
---
They crossed another courtyard and entered a garden dominated by a large ornamental pond.
Dozens of koi moved beneath the clear water. Some were red and gold, their scales catching the sunlight as they turned, while others were white with brilliant orange markings.
Several possessed a deep violet colour that Xu Hao had never seen on a fish before.
The largest were nearly as long as a man's forearm, and they gathered eagerly near a wooden pavilion on the opposite bank.
An elderly man stood there, scattering handfuls of food into the water.
Li Tianming stopped.
The urgency that had carried him through the streets seemed to leave him for a moment. He straightened his robes before addressing the elder.
"Father."
The old man turned.
Xu Hao examined him with interest.
He was short and rather thin, with neatly combed white hair and a face marked by fine wrinkles. His plain grey robe carried no elaborate embroidery.
At first glance, he looked like any elderly grandfather enjoying a peaceful morning beside his fish.
Then his eyes settled on Xu Hao.
An enormous pressure descended upon him.
Xu Hao's breath caught as the air seemed to grow heavy around his body. His chest tightened, and a freezing sensation spread through him, making even the simple act of drawing breath difficult.
He tried to move, but his legs refused to respond.
The old man's gaze remained fixed on him, and for one frightening moment Xu Hao felt as though the elder were examining something far deeper than his outward appearance.
His thoughts turned instinctively towards his mind palace and the powers hidden within it.
Could the old man sense his Beast Deck or his Healer Deck? Worse, could he somehow discover the mysterious writing brush?
Xu Hao had no way of knowing.
Perhaps this was simply what happened when a powerful cultivator examined someone far weaker than himself.
But he'd never experienced anything like it.
Da Bao and Er Bao were powerful men. He'd watched them defeat dangerous beasts and manipulate the earth as though it were an extension of their bodies, yet he'd never felt this helpless in their presence.
He remembered Er Bao's warnings about the four great families of Hibiscus Town.
Each possessed an ancestor in the Star River Realm.
Xu Hao looked at the mild-faced elder standing beside the pond and wondered whether he'd just met one of them.
If the old man decided to attack him, he doubted he'd survive long enough to summon Sia.
He lowered his head as much as the pressure permitted.
"Greetings, senior."
The oppressive sensation lingered for another moment before vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared.
Xu Hao nearly staggered. He kept his head lowered until he was certain his legs would support him.
The old man regarded him thoughtfully.
"Interesting."
Xu Hao wasn't certain whether he'd heard correctly.
Then the elder turned towards Li Tianming.
"You're home earlier than expected, and you've brought someone with you."
Li Tianming bowed.
"Father, this is Xu Hao. I met him at Hibiscus Delights. He possesses some medical knowledge, and I've invited him to examine Min'er."
The old man's eyes returned to Xu Hao.
"A healer? He's rather young."
Xu Hao straightened carefully.
"That's true, senior. I'm still learning, but I've studied medicine. Uncle Li has kindly given me the opportunity to examine your granddaughter."
The elder raised an eyebrow.
"Uncle Li?"
Li Tianming gave a short laugh.
"The boy nearly lost his arms to Su Jin this morning. I thought he could call me uncle after surviving that."
"Su Jin?"
"Causing trouble in a restaurant. I'll explain later."
The old man sighed.
"That child is becoming more troublesome every year."
Then he turned towards Xu Hao again.
"So you've come to examine Min'er. Several experienced healers have already failed to find a treatment. What makes you think you'll succeed where they haven't?"
Xu Hao considered the question.
"I don't know that I will, senior. I haven't examined her yet, so I can't tell you whether my knowledge will be useful. I'd prefer to understand her condition before making any promises."
The elder watched him.
"Then you aren't promising a cure?"
"No, senior. I can promise to examine her carefully and explain whatever I discover, but it wouldn't be honest to guarantee a result."
For a moment, the old man remained silent.
Then he looked towards Li Tianming.
His son lowered his eyes.
"I know what you're thinking, Father. We've brought healers from several towns, and we've spent more money on pills and treatments than I care to count. Some made promises they couldn't keep, while others only made things worse."
Li Tianming paused.
"But I can't stop looking."
The old man's hand became still above the pond.
Li Tianming looked towards the water.
"She's seventeen, Father. She should be enjoying her life, practising her cultivation and arguing with me about things that don't matter. Instead, some mornings she can barely sit up."
Xu Hao remained silent.
He could see the effort it took for Li Tianming to continue.
"I know we've tried too many things already. Perhaps I've been too desperate to believe anyone who offered us hope. But if there's even a chance that someone might recognise what the others missed, I have to let him examine her."
His voice became quiet.
"I'm her father."
The old man lowered his hand and watched the koi moving beneath the water.
For a while, neither man spoke.
Then the elder sighed.
"Nobody is asking you to give up on her, Tianming. I gave up expecting an easy answer a long time ago, but that doesn't mean I've stopped wanting one."
He turned towards Xu Hao.
"My granddaughter is very dear to this family. You have my permission to examine her, but I won't tolerate reckless treatment or extravagant promises."
Xu Hao bowed.
"I understand, senior. I'll explain anything I find before recommending treatment."
The old man studied him for another moment before nodding.
"Very well. Tianming, take him to her."
Both men bowed.
As they left the pavilion, Xu Hao could still remember the terrible weight of the elder's gaze. He resisted the temptation to look back, hoping the old man had discovered nothing unusual about his abilities.
Behind them came the gentle sound of fish disturbing the water.
The elder had apparently returned to feeding his koi, as though nothing remarkable had occurred.
Xu Hao found that almost as unsettling as the pressure itself.
The farther they walked into the residence, the quieter the courtyards became.
Servants moved along the covered walkways carrying bowls and small trays. Xu Hao recognised the smell of medicine before they reached the next building, and the bitter fragrance grew stronger with every step.
By the time Li Tianming stopped outside a separate villa, it was almost overwhelming.
Xu Hao frowned.
"How much medicine has she been taking?"
Li Tianming looked towards the entrance.
"Different amounts at different times. We've followed several treatment plans over the past few months. Pills, herbal decoctions, medicinal baths. There have been so many that I'm not sure I could remember all of them without looking at the records."
"And is she still taking those medicines?"
"No. We stopped most of the treatments when they failed. She still takes something for the pain, but even that doesn't always help."
Xu Hao nodded thoughtfully.
He would need to review everything Li Min had been given. A medicine that helped one condition could worsen another, particularly when several treatments were combined.
But first, he needed to examine the patient.
They entered the villa.
The rooms were bright and beautifully furnished. Delicate screens divided the living area, and fresh flowers stood in a vase near the window.
Despite the pleasant surroundings, the building felt like a sickroom.
The smell of medicine had settled into the furnishings, and several covered bowls stood on a small table near an inner doorway.
Li Tianming paused outside one of the rooms.
Xu Hao watched him draw a breath and straighten his clothing. He even tried to smooth his untidy hair, although it didn't improve his appearance very much.
Then he opened the door.
"Min'er?"
The bedroom overlooked a small private garden.
Fresh air moved through the open windows, stirring the pale curtains. A young woman lay against several pillows on a wide wooden bed.
She appeared to be about seventeen.
Her dark hair had been gathered loosely over one shoulder, and she wore a pale sleeping robe that made her complexion look even lighter.
Xu Hao immediately noticed how thin she was. Her cheeks were hollow, her wrists slender, and her lips possessed almost no colour. Dark shadows surrounded her eyes, and she seemed to be taking shallow breaths even while resting.
She turned towards them.
"Father?"
Her voice was weak but clear.
She tried to sit upright.
Li Tianming hurried forward.
"Don't strain yourself, Min'er. Lie still. There's no need to get up just because I've come in."
The young woman ignored him just long enough to settle into a slightly more dignified position.
Then she examined him.
Her expression changed.
"Have you slept at all? Your eyes look worse than they did yesterday."
Li Tianming stopped beside the bed.
"I'm perfectly well. There's no need to worry about me."
"And you're still wearing those robes. You told me yesterday that you were going to get some rest, but it looks as though you haven't even gone back to your room."
"I've been busy."
"Yes, Father. You said that yesterday too."
Li Tianming cleared his throat.
"Min'er, I've brought another healer. We can discuss my clothing later."
She looked at him for a moment.
"Father, you look as though someone dragged you through the Dark Forest. If you keep refusing to sleep, we'll need another bed in here."
Xu Hao nearly laughed, but managed to keep his expression straight.
The girl looked gravely ill, yet there was nothing weak about her tongue.
Li Tianming sighed.
"Very well. I'll sleep properly tonight, provided you promise to stop worrying about me."
"I'll believe that when you actually do it."
She held out her hand.
Li Tianming took it, and for a moment neither spoke.
Xu Hao watched the tired man's expression soften.
He thought of his own parents.
If he'd been lying in that bed, his mother would have searched relentlessly for a treatment. His father would have spent every spare moment reading medical journals and consulting colleagues.
Xu Hao lowered his eyes, suddenly missing his parents more sharply than he had in days.
Then Li Tianming turned towards him.
"Min'er, this is Xu Hao. He's a young healer I've brought to examine you."
Li Min looked him over.
Her dark eyes were remarkably alert despite her weakened appearance.
One eyebrow rose.
"He's younger than the last one."
Li Tianming cleared his throat.
"Age isn't everything. I thought it would be worthwhile to let him examine you."
"No, but you spent half an hour complaining that the previous healer lacked experience. I'm beginning to suspect you change your standards whenever someone new arrives."
"That was different."
"Was it?"
Xu Hao smiled.
He was beginning to understand why Li Tianming had looked so much more relaxed while arguing with Su Jin than he did when talking to his daughter.
He stepped forward and bowed.
"Miss Li, my name is Xu Hao. I know you've already been examined by several healers, so I'll try not to make you repeat anything unnecessarily."
She nodded.
"That would be appreciated. I've answered the same questions so many times that I could probably recite my symptoms in my sleep."
"I'd still like to hear your answers directly, if you don't mind. But I'll try to keep the examination as comfortable as possible."
Li Min studied him.
"You're very polite. The last healer announced that he'd identified my illness before I'd finished describing my symptoms."
"That sounds frustrating."
"It was. Especially when he changed his diagnosis twice during the next hour."
Li Tianming looked uncomfortable.
"Min'er, that physician came highly recommended."
"I'm not insulting him, Father. I'm simply explaining why I'd prefer someone who asks questions before announcing a miracle."
Xu Hao nodded.
"Then we're in agreement."
For the first time, she gave him a small smile.
"Very well, Healer Xu. Where would you like to begin?"
"With your pulse, please. I'd also like to ask about the pain you've been experiencing."
She extended her wrist.
Xu Hao moved a stool beside the bed and gently placed two fingers against her skin.
Her pulse was weak.
He could recognise that much immediately, but there was more to it. The beats came faster than he expected and felt thin and strained beneath his fingertips.
He concentrated, recalling the knowledge provided by his Healer card.
The rhythm suggested that her body was struggling to compensate for something.
He kept his expression neutral.
"Miss Li, do you feel tired even after resting?"
She gave him a faint smile.
"I've been lying in bed for months. These days, getting dressed feels like climbing a mountain."
"And do you become dizzy when you sit up?"
"Often. Sometimes the whole room seems to move, and I have to lie down again before I can finish whatever I was doing."
"Have you been eating normally?"
"Not particularly. My attendants keep trying to persuade me to eat more, but I rarely feel hungry. Sometimes it makes the pain worse."
Xu Hao looked towards her abdomen.
"Can you show me where the pain is strongest?"
She placed a hand over her upper stomach.
"Here, mostly. Sometimes it spreads, and I can't tell exactly where it begins. There are days when I barely notice it, but when it becomes bad, I find it difficult to think about anything else."
Xu Hao nodded.
"When did you first experience the pain? And did the weakness begin around the same time?"
"Several months ago. At first, I thought I'd eaten something that disagreed with me. The weakness came later, although I didn't notice how much worse I was getting until I started having trouble walking around the residence."
He considered her answers.
There was another question he needed to ask, although he suspected she wouldn't particularly enjoy answering it.
"Have you ever noticed blood when you're sick, or stools that are unusually dark?"
Li Min hesitated before nodding.
"Sometimes. The earlier healers knew about that."
Li Tianming stepped closer.
"They gave her medicines to strengthen her blood. Some helped for a few days, but she always grew weak again."
Xu Hao didn't answer immediately.
Persistent abdominal pain, weakness, dizziness and a rapid pulse were concerning enough. Together with possible evidence of continued bleeding, they suggested that something more serious might be happening inside her body.
On Earth, he would have been worried about blood loss somewhere in the digestive tract.
But this world possessed cultivation techniques capable of causing injuries that might be invisible from outside the body. He couldn't assume that an ordinary explanation accounted for everything.
Xu Hao looked at Li Min.
"I'd like to examine how energy is moving through your body. Would that be all right?"
She glanced towards her father before returning her attention to him.
"What would you need to do?"
"For now, nothing painful. I'll continue taking your pulse and use a small amount of Water energy to help me observe your meridians. If anything feels uncomfortable, tell me immediately and I'll stop."
Li Min nodded.
"All right. Please go ahead."
Xu Hao closed his eyes.
He recalled the knowledge he'd received when upgrading his Healer card, particularly what he'd learned about meridians and the relationship between bodily vitality and the spiritual forces circulating through a cultivator.
A faint coolness stirred within him.
His Water affinity was still weak, and he had no desire to force unfamiliar energy into a patient whose condition was already serious.
Instead, he allowed only a trace of awareness to follow the contact at her wrist.
At first, the impressions were scarcely different from an ordinary examination. He could feel her pulse and the gentle warmth of her skin, but the deeper flow of energy remained difficult to distinguish.
Gradually, other sensations began to emerge.
He became aware of faint currents moving through her body. Some appeared to flow steadily, while others seemed weakened or disrupted.
Xu Hao concentrated, trying to separate what he was actually sensing from what he expected to find.
He'd never examined a patient in this way before, and he had to resist the temptation to interpret the unfamiliar sensations too quickly.
His mother had once reminded him that the first explanation that sounded convincing wasn't necessarily the right one.
He slowed his examination.
Li Min watched him quietly for a while before speaking.
"Is something wrong, Healer Xu?"
Xu Hao opened his eyes.
"There's something unusual about the way energy is moving through your body. I haven't determined the cause yet, so I'd like to examine it a little more carefully."
Her expression became serious.
"Of course. Take your time."
Xu Hao closed his eyes again and followed the faint disturbances towards her abdomen.
At first, the impressions overlapped. There was a general weakness throughout her body, but it wasn't evenly distributed, and something near the upper part of her stomach felt different from the surrounding tissue.
He concentrated on that area without trying to force his Water energy farther into her body.
As his awareness became clearer, he began to recognise the signs of an injury deep within the upper abdomen.
The disturbance appeared to involve the stomach wall.
That alone would have been serious, particularly in someone who'd grown so weak over several months.
But there was another abnormality.
A thin thread of unfamiliar energy clung to the damaged tissue. It was faint enough that he almost overlooked it, and it didn't move like the natural energy circulating through Li Min's body.
Xu Hao examined the area again.
Each time the surrounding tissue seemed to settle, the foreign energy disturbed it, as though something were repeatedly interfering with the healing process.
He began to wonder whether this small, persistent injury could explain the months of pain and weakness.
It would fit several of her symptoms, particularly the signs of continued bleeding.
But he still needed more evidence.
Xu Hao carefully withdrew his awareness.
Xu Hao kept his fingers at her wrist while he considered what he'd found.
Li Tianming had been standing beside the bed without moving.
At last, his patience gave way.
"Well, little brother? Have you found anything that might explain what's wrong with her?"
Xu Hao looked towards him.
"I believe I may have found something important, Uncle Li, but there's a detail I need to confirm before explaining it."
Li Tianming immediately leaned forward.
"What do you need to know?"
Xu Hao gently released Li Min's wrist and turned towards her.
"Miss Li, I'd like you to think carefully about the period before your illness began. Did anything happen that might have caused an injury to your abdomen? Perhaps a fall, an accident or a blow?"
Li Min frowned.
"A blow?"
"Yes. Even something that didn't seem particularly painful at the time. It might not have left a bruise, and you may not have considered it an injury."
Her expression changed.
It happened so quickly that Xu Hao almost missed it.
Her eyes widened slightly before she lowered them towards the blanket across her knees.
Li Tianming frowned.
"What do you mean, a blow? Min'er hasn't been involved in any fighting. She's spent most of her time studying and practising her cultivation."
Xu Hao kept his attention on Li Min.
He waited, certain she'd remembered something important.
"Miss Li, if anything comes to mind, even something that seemed unimportant, I'd like to hear about it. It may help explain what I found."
She remained silent for a while.
Then she looked towards her father.
"Father..."
Her voice was very quiet.
"There's something I never told you."