The capital of Linhua, Shuihua, was breathing again.
After the plague that once haunted its streets and the brutal battle that followed, the city stirred with new life. Merchants opened their stalls once more, children's laughter echoed through the alleys, and temples that once burned incense for the dead now rang bells for prosperity. The once-desolate medical quarters were now centers of healing, and the First Sky Battalion's banners waved proudly above city walls more than a symbol of sacrifice, a testament to survival.
The city was recovering and it's fast.
One morning, Zhang Wei was summoned to the palace by the king himself.
Inside the royal meeting hall, he stood silently near the entrance, respectful and composed. The air was thick with energy it's dense, ancient, powerful. Before him sat King Han Yunji , General Wu, and an old man draped in ceremonial white robes with faint silver lining. The man's presence alone made Zhang Wei's hair stood up.
The moment he stepped in, all three turned their eyes toward him.
"You came," King Han Yunji said with a faint smile. "I was curious if anything had changed about you today… and now I see it clearly."
Zhang Wei gave a polite bow. "Your Majesty."
"You've stepped to the world of cultivation, haven't you?" the king asked, narrowing his eyes, studying Zhang Wei like one might inspect a criminal.
Zhang Wei hesitated only a moment before answering, "Yes. I… had a dream. Or something like it. When I woke, i felt different and full of energy, and I could feel my qi flow."
King Han exchanged a glance with General Wu, who nodded approvingly.
"I felt the shift in your aura the moment you entered," said the king. "It is no longer entirely of this world."
Zhang Wei's eyes flicked to the old man. "And this elder…"
The king smiled. "This is my father, the protector of Linhua, though he rarely steps beyond these halls. We call him many things: the Sword of Linhua, and now the Shield of Linhua… but most simply, he's an old fossil who refuses to die.""
The old man chuckled softly. "I like this one," he said. "He has clarity in his eyes."
Zhang Wei lowered his head respectfully. "It is an honor, Senior."
"I sensed your awakening before even you did," the old man replied. "There's something in your path… something deeper. Beneath Heaven, Above Mortal, your fate lingers between those realms."
Zhang Wei furrowed his brows slightly, trying to remember every word. Then the king leaned forward, resting his arms on the lacquered table.
"We called you here to inform you of our next move," he said. "The prince of Hei'an, the one they sent here during the plague we intend to use him."
Zhang Wei frowned. "As a hostage?"
"A deterrent," General Wu corrected. "We've sent word to Hei'an. If they attack, the prince and his entourage will not leave this city alive."
Zhang Wei's gaze darkened. "That's risky. Are we sure they value him?"
The old man's eyes gleamed. "Sharp."
"Speak freely," said the king.
"If they truly cared about this prince," Zhang Wei said, his voice clear and steady, "they wouldn't have sent him here to die. A nation at war does not gamble its heirs on mercy. He was a pawn from the start."
The room fell silent. Then, slowly, the king smiled again. "As I thought. You see clearly."
Meanwhile, in the dark marble halls of Hei'an…
Warlord Zhao Ren sat on a throne of polished obsidian, flanked by General Nie Yun and the one-armed General Xu. A scroll lay unfurled before them, its seal bearing Linhua's colors.
"They threaten the prince," said one advisor. "They claim they'll kill him if we retaliate."
Zhao Ren laughed dryly. "Let them."
"But… Your Majesty, he is your—"
"My son," Zhao Ren interrupted, "born of a whimpering maid with no name and no blood. He is a stain I have long wished erased."
General Xu spat to the side. "Then let me do it. I'll send an assassin myself. Linhua's threat becomes our justification. We'll march with full force."
Nie Yun smirked. "Clever. They'll think they struck first. We'll bury them in their illusion of victory."
Zhao Ren nodded, gaze as cold as steel. "So it begins."
Back in Linhua…
The meeting was nearly adjourned when King Zhao raised a hand. "Before you leave, Zhang Wei… I'd like you to meet someone."
"My youngest son," the king said, his tone unusually soft. "Han Yu."
Zhang Wei turned toward the king and nodded. Moments later, the side doors opened, and a young prince entered, no older than twelve. He wore deep blue robes embroidered with silver threads, a youthful gleam in his eyes as he surveyed Zhang Wei with curiosity and intensity.
"Father, you summoned me?" The young prince asked, his voice sharp.
King Zhao gestured toward Zhang Wei. "This is Zhang Wei, the healer who played a key role in saving our kingdom. He has also begun his cultivation journey, something that could help Linhua in the wars to come."
Zhao Yu bowed slightly, his eyes sharp. "It's an honor, Mister Zhang Wei."
Zhang Wei smiled warmly, bowing back. "The honor is mine, Your Highness."
Then, with a sudden shift in demeanor, Zhao Yu's face grew serious. "But I want to see if you're truly worthy of the title you've earned. If you can answer all my questions, I'll ask teachear to teach you and your companion here the art of cultivation. But if you fail, I'll expect a better response."
Zhang Wei raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A challenge?"
Han Yu's lips curled into a small smirk. "A medical debate. Three questions, and if you answer them all, I'll teach you. But you have to answer clearly."
Pan Qiang, standing beside Zhang Wei, blinked in surprise. "Uh, a debate? With the prince?" He grinned nervously. "This should be fun."
The king, observing the exchange, chuckled softly. "Ah, my son has a passion for medical knowledge. He often challenges other healers and well-known doctors to debates like this. Don't take it to heart, Zhang Wei. He's just testing your skills, his way of learning." The king smiled warmly, clearly amused by his son's enthusiasm for the subject.
Zhang Wei nodded at the king and said softly. "I accept."
Han Yu, standing with an air of confidence, didn't waste time. His eyes narrowed as he asked the first question.
"If a patient has high fever, shallow breathing, and darkened fingertips, but no visible rash, do you cool the blood, purge the heat, or invigorate the meridians?"
"Purge the heat first, then balance the meridians," Zhang Wei answered confidently. "The symptoms point to internal fire scorching the blood. The fingertips are a clue, it means stagnation at the extremities."
Han Yu smirked. "Second question. A soldier is poisoned by Nightshade Blossom. The antidote is Lotus Root Extract, but there's none left. What do you do?"
"Nightshade Blossom disrupts the liver and heart. I'd use Wild Ginseng to sustain the qi, then mix White Wormwood and Shadow Leaf to counteract the toxin's root. It'll delay death long enough for a proper cure."
Han Yu raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Last question. Two patients. One has a stab wound through the lung. The other is a general with a broken rib piercing his spleen. You only have the time and skill to save one. Who do you choose?"
Zhang Wei's expression didn't change. "The one with the lung wound."
"Why?"
"Because the spleen-pierced general has already lost too much blood, and treating him would waste both time and medicine with a slim chance of survival. The other has a clean wound and a high chance of recovery. As a healer, I choose the life I can save."
Han Yu smirked, clearly enjoying the challenge. "Impressive answers, Mister Zhang Wei. But let's dig a little deeper. Medical practice isn't just about memorizing symptoms and treatments, it's about understanding how they all work together. Let's see how well you can handle more complexities."
Han Yu's next question was posed with a glint in his eyes. "If a patient has high fever, shallow breathing, and darkened fingertips, but no visible rash, do you cool the blood, purge the heat, or invigorate the meridians?"
Zhang Wei thought for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he weighed the symptoms. "Purge the heat first, then balance the meridians. The symptoms point to internal fire scorching the blood. The fingertips are a clue, it means stagnation at the extremities." he answers with a confused look because the prince already asked this question.
Han Yu nodded, but Han Yu, who had been listening intently, raised an eyebrow and interjected with a sharp tone. "That's a direct answer, Mister Zhang Wei. But what if additional symptoms were observed? Say, the patient begins coughing up blood, or their eyes turn red? How would your treatment change?"
Zhang Wei met Han Yu's eyes with quiet confidence. "If the patient starts coughing up blood, that indicates a deepening of the heat in the lungs, possibly leading to internal bleeding. In that case, I would avoid further heat-clearing herbs like Cinnabar Blossom or Frostflower, as they would exacerbate the blood-heat. Instead, I'd use something like Snake Herb to stop bleeding, while still cooling the blood and invigorating the meridians to improve circulation. The treatment will evolve depending on the new symptoms, but the goal remains to stabilize the patient and purge the internal fire."
Han Yu nodded thoughtfully. "Not bad. Your reasoning is sound."
But then, Han Yu leaned forward again, testing Zhang Wei further. "So, if the patient also exhibits cold hands and feet, would you still choose to purge the heat, or would you switch your strategy?"
Zhang Wei's brow furrowed slightly at the new detail but responded calmly. "Cold hands and feet indicate a sudden stagnation of qi, often signaling that the body is failing to circulate warmth due to excessive internal heat. In this case, I would choose to invigorate the meridians first to restore circulation. Once the qi flow is stabilized, I would then purge the heat with a much gentler approach, using herbs that promote warmth without exacerbating the coldness."
Han Yu looked impressed, but Han Yu wasn't done yet. "And if the patient is also extremely anxious, sweating, and complaining of chest tightness, how would your treatment change?"
Zhang Wei sighed softly and then spoke with clarity. "Anxiety can disrupt the qi and further aggravate the heat. The combination of anxiety, sweating, and chest tightness suggests the presence of qi stagnation in the chest and lungs. I would use calming herbs like Dreamleaf to soothe the patient's spirit and relieve anxiety while using chest-expanding herbs such as Starbreaker Vine to alleviate tightness. Only then would I turn to heat-clearing methods. The body's state of mind and emotions must be taken into account at every step."
Han Yu frowned, clearly unsatisfied. "But healing is not just about symptoms. What if this patient's condition is actually due to a much deeper, more insidious cause, a hidden malignancy, or perhaps poison in the bloodstream? Could all these symptoms merely be the tip of the iceberg?"
Zhang Wei's expression grew solemn, but his voice was firm. "Then we look beyond the symptoms and focus on the cause, not just the effect. The symptoms are a response to something deeper, something that can't be treated with herbs alone. If there is poison, I would first need to flush the body with a detoxifying herb, like Longan or Peach Kernel, then pinpoint the toxin. But this requires more than just knowledge, it requires a deep understanding of the patient's history, their lifestyle, and even their emotional state."
Pan Qiang exhaled, impressed. "That was intense..."
Han Yu, however, was far from finished. He stepped closer, his tone turning more philosophical. "I have been taught, as have many healers, that blood and qi must be balanced at all costs, but I believe if the body is pure, then the mind and soul will follow. My belief is that once the body is healed, there's no need for the body's conflict with the soul."
Zhang Wei's eyes narrowed as he processed the prince's words.
"That is wrong," Zhang Wei said calmly but firmly. "The body and soul are not separate. They must be treated as one. You cannot ignore the conflict of the mind because a conflicted mind will cause imbalance in the body. True healing isn't just the treatment of symptoms; it's about understanding the person as a whole. If you ignore the soul, the body will resist. Healing the mind is just as important."
The prince blinked, clearly taken aback by Zhang Wei's words. There was a long silence before Han Yu finally spoke.
"Perhaps you're right… but I will continue to test my beliefs. In exchange for your wisdom, Zhang Wei, I will asked my teacher to teach you and your companion Pan Qiang the art of cultivation."
Zhang Wei and Pan Qiang shared a look, both stunned by the offer.
Then Zhang Wei, curiosity evident in his tone, asked, "Your Highness, you and your father, what realm are you both at? I can sense the overwhelming aura from all of you, but I can't discern your exact levels."
King Han Yunji, hearing the question, chuckled softly. "Ah, you're keen. You're right to ask. My realm, as well as General Wu's, is Nascent Lower Realm. As for my father and the Han Yu" he gestured to the elder who had remained quietly observing from the back "he's at Nascent Upper Realm while Han Yu just started cultivating and at the Qi gathering realm."
Zhang Wei's eyes widened, intrigued. "Nascent Upper Realm? That's… beyond what I can comprehend."
The king nodded. "Yes, it is a realm of immense power. As for General Cao, he was at Nascent Middle Realm before he fell. That's why he was such a force on the battlefield."
Zhang Wei absorbed the information. "I understand… So, I have much to learn."
Han Yu smiled. "Indeed, you have much to learn so am i. But we will begin your cultivation with what my teacher can teach you. It's not just for battle; it's so you can protect yourself, and protect Linhua so let's work hard together."
Zhang Wei nodded. "I'm ready."
Then, Han Yu turned back to the others, his tone serious now. "But I have a feeling... that the Heian don't truly care about Prince Wei. They see him as nothing more than a pawn. They won't send him to Linhua if they actually want him alive."
The king, General Wu, and the elder exchanged knowing looks. Han Yu's words hit home, as they all knew that the prince was expendable to the Heian, and his life was merely a means to provoke war.