"Dan Heng…"
Lingsha murmured softly, her expression tinged with remembrance.
Of course she had heard that name before. One of the High-Cloud Quintet, the reincarnation of the Imbibitor Lunae. The mastermind of the Imbibitor Lunae Rebellion—anyone whose true name was tied to such a famed upheaval was clearly someone the Xianzhou held in great regard.
But none of that had anything to do with her, who had left Luofu many years ago. What made her remember this name was her own master—Yunhua.
Her master would often speak of this reincarnated dragon sovereign, hoping he would one day return to Luofu and take command of its affairs. Yet every time she brought up the matter, her words would become vague, as if holding something back.
Lingsha had once suspected that her master's expulsion from Luofu might have been connected to this man.
"How did you remember your past life?"
By law, when a Vidyadhara reincarnates, their past memories are severed entirely. The foundation of their recognition as a new self is that the previous memories vanish completely.
Though the upper echelons of the Vidyadhara possess secret methods to restore memories, who would take such a huge risk for Dan Feng—a man nearly classified as a sworn enemy—to restore his memories?
"I don't know." Dan Heng's face showed a hint of struggle, but he quickly steadied himself.
This was what he had always found puzzling. If he had a choice, he would never have restored his past memories.
He spoke honestly. "Shortly after I revived, the memories returned to me on their own. But as for why, I do not know. Dan Feng, who was imprisoned in the Shackling Prison, was already dead in spirit—he left behind no means to recover his memories."
"Whatever the truth is, I shall find it out myself."
Lingsha's voice was cold, entirely devoid of warmth. She did not outright deny his claim, but she clearly did not fully accept it either.
"You two… did something happen between you?"
Sensing the freezing tension between them, Bailu asked timidly.
Lingsha, though new to her position, had treated her well. Strict in discipline, yes, but far better than the rigid elders before her.
And Dan Heng had once fought alongside her—he even saved her life.
Seeing two people she cared about glaring at each other made Bailu anxious.
But conflicts between adults—how was she supposed to solve that?
She was only a child! How was this problem even fair to her!
As she fretted, unsure how to dispel the tension, a cry for help suddenly came from outside the door.
"Help! Lady Dragon! Sushang is dying!!!"
"It's Guinaifen and Sushang!"
Bailu recognized the voices instantly.
Those two sisters who spent every day performing the 'break boulder on the chest' trick on the streets of Luofu—taking turns as victim and perpetrator, earning a fortune through their endless cycle of mutual torment.
But because of their lack of skill, during the first month they were practically registering specialist appointments here daily. All their earnings went straight to Bailu, making her feel like some villain running a pyramid scheme with two naïve underlings donating their money to her.
Fortunately, they eventually mastered the trick. Except that one time—what was it?
Oh, right. When that little girl named Yunli stomped down from the heavens and shattered the stage slab, flattening Sushang's soul right out of her body.
Other than that, they hadn't returned.
But this time, Guinaifen's panicked scream could only mean one thing: they had really messed up again.
Given their occupation, it was surely no small injury. Without timely treatment, at best Sushang would be left with permanent sequelae; at worst… Guinaifen could trade her performance slab for a gravestone.
"If you're going to argue, then get out. You can't interfere when I'm treating patients!"
With that, Bailu didn't waste another second. Her small body and long tail shot like an arrow into the front room.
Only Dan Heng and Lingsha were left staring at each other.
Dan Heng remained silent for a moment, then lifted his foot and stepped toward the door.
"You're leaving just like that?" Lingsha's cold voice rang out.
Dan Heng stopped but didn't turn around. "Miss Bailu was clear. I didn't come here to argue. Since there's a patient, I can check on the situation and lend a hand."
He left without hesitation, hurrying after Bailu.
"Sigh…"
Lingsha exhaled softly.
As a guest aboard the Astral Express, Dan Heng's contributions during the Arbor Crisis were beyond question.
But the doubts surrounding him were many, and he had once committed grave sins. For the sake of Luofu, she could not let her guard down.
Lingsha followed as well, heading toward the consultation room.
…
"How did she end up like this?"
Bailu stared at Sushang's condition, clutching her head with both hands in shock.
Two Cloud Knights placed both patient and stretcher onto the bed. Everyone present—including Bailu—didn't dare touch Sushang, fearing they might worsen her injuries and send this young beauty to an early grave.
This was too tragic.
Sushang lay on the stretcher, a finger-thick gouge carved through her hair, marked with burns—a clear gunshot graze. A little closer and her skull would've burst open.
Her body fared even worse.
Her clothes were torn and bloodied. Many of her bones were crushed and warped by heavy impacts. Aside from her spine, there was hardly an intact spot. Even her limbs were slightly misaligned.
Dan Heng and Lingsha arrived, and both were stunned at the sight.
Lingsha's tone lost all of her earlier composure, turning into the low, angry growl of a mother beast. "In broad daylight, under the open sky, someone dared to assault a citizen? Outrageous."
"Miss Guinaifen, has the culprit been apprehended?" Dan Heng's spear appeared in his hand.
He looked fully prepared to pursue and subdue the attacker himself if she answered no.
"No, no, no—it was an accident! An accident!"
Guinaifen waved frantically, stopping them.
Then, looking embarrassed, she confessed, "We were performing today. It was a trick called 'bite the bullet.' I shot, she bit."
"?"
Bailu's short neck stretched, her eyes widening like brass bells.
Breaking stones on the chest wasn't enough—they were trying staged suicide now?
Even Dan Heng and Lingsha froze, unsure how to respond.
If it failed… was it homicide or suicide?
"We practiced with plastic bullets, and we'd gotten really good at it. The gun was the weakest one—we picked one Sushang could tank even if something went wrong. But a sudden wind blew when I fired."
Guinaifen's voice grew smaller. "Because the bullet was so light, it got blown off course, skimmed her scalp, then hit the weapon rack. The sledgehammer we use fell and smashed her."
"Then a falling blade cut the rope holding up the dragon-gate prop, and the whole dragon-shaped stone slab crashed down right on her. The giant metal drum next to it got shaken loose and rolled over her too."
She swallowed. "And that's how she ended up like this."
"Miss Bailu~~"
Sushang, half-conscious, miraculously woke up at the sound of a familiar voice. She spoke weakly: "You must…"
"I know, I'll heal you," Bailu said, feeling her heart twist painfully. She was on the verge of tears.
Her preliminary exam was complete—at least ninety bones fractured. The pain must be unimaginable.
"No, I mean… can you give me a discount on the medical bill?"
Having been here over ten times, Sushang knew the prices too well. With injuries this severe, she'd either need a massive operation or a top-grade Dan obtained only through the annual quota from the Alchemy Commission.
Either option would cost several million—maybe over ten million.
Her entire fortune probably wouldn't cover it.
But that wasn't the real problem—the real problem was that if the bill made its way to her mother's ears, the shame alone would kill her, and her mother would surely finish the job.
She knew her mother better than anyone.
Her mother's educational philosophy was simple: "No beatings, no talent." As a girl, she had been beaten into shape since childhood—her mother's hands were terrifying.
If her mother found out about this, she would explode on the spot and drag Sushang out of Luofu personally.
The thought made Sushang shudder despite her injuries.
Her mother must never be alerted.
But Bailu didn't understand, and seeing Sushang so desperate to save money, she snapped, "You're still thinking about money at a time like this?"
Then she sighed, pulling out a brand-new gourd. "You're lucky. A doctor from Yaoqing just finished developing a new elixir. The first batch arrived today. For injuries like yours—nothing touching the cultivation foundation—one pill will heal you completely."
"And it's very cheap. The old medicine with the same efficacy used to cost enough to buy a hundred elixirs."
With that, she shook out a light-blue pill and fed it into Sushang's mouth.