The Mysterious Second Princess

"It's just a bronze mirror, isn't it? If you want one, the royal palace could compensate you with a hundred of them."

The young princess, seeing Cheng Yunfei's pained expression, pouted angrily. "That's no ordinary mirror…" Cheng Yunfei replied weakly, feeling utterly defeated. He could barely contain the urge to cry. If his grandfather found out that he had damaged such a valuable magical artifact, who knew what kind of punishment awaited him? The thought alone filled him with a deep sense of dread and frustration.

"Hehe, Yang Healer, your skills are truly remarkable! Just a moment ago, my injury seemed serious, and yet, in no time, you healed it completely. Even more astonishing, the skin where I was treated is now smoother and fairer... By the way, do you also know some kind of beauty-enhancing magic?"

The young princess's lively curiosity returned, her words fluttering with excitement.

"Beauty enhancement? Yes, I do know a little about it," Yang Fan admitted openly. His honesty was clear, though he didn't elaborate much.

In the *Celestial Art*, specifically in the *Holy Healing Chapter*, there were numerous spells for various ailments, not limited to merely healing injuries. One of these spells, called the *Moisturizing Spell*, possessed profound beautifying effects, especially when it came to enhancing the skin.

"Ah, that's amazing!" The young princess exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she gazed at Yang Fan with newfound admiration.

"However," Yang Fan continued, "as a healer, my duty lies in treating injuries and curing illnesses. As for beauty treatments, that falls outside of my responsibilities. Besides, Princess, your appearance is already quite remarkable—among the best in the world. You have no need for such enhancements."

With a soft but firm refusal, Yang Fan kept his professional demeanor. He was a healer, and it was essential to maintain an image of a divine physician who saves lives, not a beautician. Besides, the young princess, with her delicate features and smooth skin, was already quite beautiful—though perhaps not breathtaking enough to be considered a peerless beauty.

*Sigh.*

The young princess pouted in disappointment, muttering quietly to herself, "The servants and maids in the palace always say I'm the most beautiful, but compared to my second sister..."

"Second sister?" Yang Fan's sharp ears caught those words immediately. Could this second sister be the same mysterious second princess that the old master Cheng had mentioned to him before? According to him, the second princess was no ordinary woman—well-versed in both astronomy and geography, a true scholar.

"Oh no! How could I have forgotten the real reason I was in such a hurry? It's all your fault!" The young princess suddenly stomped her foot and glared at Cheng Yunfei with frustration.

"Me? What did I do now?" Cheng Yunfei replied, looking utterly defeated, sinking further into his despair.

"My second sister's condition has suddenly worsened. The physicians in the palace have tried everything, but they've all said that they can only keep her alive for three more days. If the Eastern Healer doesn't return by then... she might... she might..."

The young princess couldn't hold back her tears anymore and started sobbing again.

"The Eastern Healer?" Cheng Yunfei's expression shifted, a wave of worry clouding his features. "The Eastern Healer is always wandering around. Who knows when he'll return? And even if we wanted to find him, where would we start?"

"So, that's why you were rushing to your second sister's side, and you accidentally knocked me down," Yang Fan said thoughtfully.

"Yes," the young princess confirmed through her tears, her gaze suddenly locking onto Yang Fan as if she had just found a ray of hope. She grabbed his arm desperately, as if clinging to a lifeline. "Yang Healer, your medical skills are incredible. Could you please take a look at my second sister?"

Cheng Yunfei's eyes lit up with hope as well, echoing her plea. "I agree! Yang Fan, your abilities seem far superior to the palace physicians!"

"Very well, I'll do my best," Yang Fan said calmly.

"Oh, thank you, Yang Healer! I'll take you to her right away," the young princess said, her tears stopping as a smile of hope spread across her face. She quickly led the way.

Soon, she called for guards to clear a path ahead as they navigated through the intricate corridors of the palace. After weaving through several courtyards and long, winding halls, they finally arrived at a pavilion nestled amidst a serene landscape of mountains and water. The surroundings exuded an ancient elegance, and Yang Fan's eyes brightened at the sight.

The architecture seemed to resonate with some profound truth of the universe, as though the very design was in harmony with the natural order of the world.

"The mistress of this place must be extraordinary," Yang Fan thought, his heart stirred with intrigue.

At last, the princess led them to a room, where a maid bowed before them and opened the door.

"Second sister!" the young princess cried out and dashed inside.

It was a peculiar boudoir. The room was adorned with calligraphy and paintings, the air thick with the fragrance of burning sandalwood. A delicate screen partitioned the room, concealing the private quarters of its owner. Through the screen, one could vaguely make out the outline of a silk bed, the faint scent of flowers hanging in the air, stirring the heart with its subtle allure.

Standing outside the screen were more than a dozen physicians, including several from the cultivation world, but all of them wore expressions of helplessness and despair.

"There's no hope," one of the secular physicians sighed. "Her condition is too strange. I fear only the three divine healers of the capital could save her."

"Too bad the Eastern Healer is elusive, and as for the other two—one is notoriously eccentric, and the other is a sworn enemy of the prince. What are we to do if the prince decides to punish us?"

These worldly physicians were terrified, fearing the wrath of the King of Yan. Unlike the esteemed healers from the cultivation world, whose status granted them some immunity, these secular physicians had no such protection.

"Second sister! Are you okay?" The young princess circled around the screen and rushed to the bedside, her eyes filled with panic and tears.

"Yue'er, silly child, your sister is fine…" A gentle, melodious voice, faint and tinged with weakness, drifted from behind the screen. It was like a soft breeze at dawn, carrying a slight hint of illness that tugged at the listener's heartstrings.

"Are you really okay?" The young princess's voice quivered with doubt.

Outside the screen, the physicians exchanged sorrowful glances, shaking their heads. It was clear the second princess was merely comforting her little sister.

"I will be fine... I can sense that the one who is destined to help me has arrived," the second princess continued softly, her voice filled with reassurance.

"The one destined to help?" Yang Fan's thoughts stirred. Could this be a coincidence? Or was the second princess merely offering words of comfort?

"Second sister, don't lie to me! But don't worry, I've brought a remarkable healer to see you today," the young princess said hurriedly, standing up and rushing back to the screen's edge. "Yang Healer, come quickly and help my second sister!"

"Yang Healer!" At that moment, every pair of eyes in the room turned toward Yang Fan.

Such a young healer?

The seasoned cultivator-physicians regarded him with thinly veiled disdain and skepticism. The art of healing wasn't just about cultivation level. Experience, knowledge, and skill were just as important—qualities that only came with age and practice. To them, Yang Fan, with his youthful appearance and apparent lack of experience, seemed wholly unqualified.

"Hmm?" An older healer named He let out a surprised murmur, recognizing Yang Fan and Cheng Yunfei from earlier at the river bridge. He had seen Cheng Lao escorting this young man.

"Esteemed Elder He, Yang Healer is a friend of my grandfather's," Cheng Yunfei quickly explained.

Yang Fan smiled faintly, stepping forward as he prepared to enter the screen's interior.

But just then, a voice, sharp and commanding, resounded from outside the room, brimming with an undeniable authority: "Xin'er, has your illness worsened again?"

The moment those words were spoken, an overwhelming sense of power filled the room, causing everyone outside the screen to stiffen under its pressure. Even Yang Fan felt the weight of this imposing presence, a force that sent a shiver down his spine. He could sense the immense strength radiating from it—enough to pose a threat even to him.

The person who just arrived must be...

*The King of Yan, Yuwen Lie.*

Each thud of his footsteps seemed to strike the souls of those present like a heavy hammer.

"Greetings to the King of Yan!" The secular physicians all knelt in reverence, trembling with fear. Even the healers from the cultivation world lowered their heads in deference, their expressions tinged with awe.

The man who entered was tall, with a striking appearance. He looked to be around thirty, clad in an azure robe embroidered with a dragon pattern of purple jade. His eyes gleamed like sharp blades in the darkness, exuding an aura of dominance. Every movement he made carried the weight of his position—a ruler who was not to be defied.

"Father! These healers have tried everything, but none of them can cure Second Sister!" The young princess ran up to him, weeping uncontrollably as she threw herself into her father's embrace.

"Hmph! You physicians

, do you even deserve your titles?" Yuwen Lie's stern gaze swept across the room, his voice as cold as ice, sending waves of terror through the assembled healers.

One of the older healers tried to speak, "Your Majesty, we truly have tried our best…"

But before he could finish, Yuwen Lie waved his hand dismissively. His aura flared with anger, and the old man instantly fell silent, trembling.

And then, with his gaze settling upon Yang Fan—who had remained standing amidst the chaos—Yuwen Lie's eyes narrowed.

"You. Who are you?"