The Art of Healing and Deception

"Well, Wei Ge, are we being followed?"

"Huh? No. Those three women disappeared, and there's no suspicious person trailing us either."

"Good. Turn that corner, yeah, the one up ahead, and head into that alley. Quick! I'm in pain, damn it. Sure, I'm wearing the 'Indestructible Golden Silk Armor,' so Qin Ni'er's palm can't harm me, but Lian Zhou Luo'er's sword... that actually pierced my shoulder! Damn it! This 'Indestructible Golden Silk Armor' is like a vest, doesn't cover the shoulders. Ahh, easy, it hurts like hell!"

Qiao Wei helped the Third Young Master into a quiet alley. There were no people around, only a couple of stray cats rummaging through a trash pile.

The Third Young Master slumped against the wall, gritting his teeth and hissing in pain. Qiao Wei took out a handkerchief and laid it on the ground, helping him sit. After the Third Young Master was settled, he pulled out a pair of scissors and began cutting the fabric around the wound.

As he snipped, Qiao Wei couldn't help but praise, "Third Young Master, that performance you just did—haha, you nailed it! The expression, the movements, the blood spurting out... I swear, it looked more real than the real deal!"

"Of course," the Third Young Master said smugly. "I've watched tons of movies and TV shows. Back in college, I even joined the drama club. I've participated in three university drama festivals, always playing the villain, and every time, I won the Best Supporting Actor award. Heh-heh…"

He paused, then a frown crossed his face. "But that blood really did come out... Qin Ni'er's palm didn't make me cough blood, but Lian Zhou Luo'er's sword actually punctured my lungs. I intended to spit out tomato juice for the effect, but instead, real blood came out. Ugh—easy, will you? Can't you see the hole in my shoulder? Want me to jab you with a sword and see how you like it?"

"Heh-heh, no need, Third Young Master. I've been in this business for decades, seen and experienced all sorts of injuries," Qiao Wei replied with a smile, cutting away the fabric around the wound. "But about this movie and university business, what are you talking about?"

"Movies are like plays, you know? The kind where people in flashy costumes perform on stage. Don't tell me you've never seen one. University... well, it's an institution where people gather to collect money and perform plays. You ever thought of joining? Just pay fifty thousand silver and you're in for life membership—oh, and I can introduce you to the club, of course~"

"Heh, no thanks. I'm too poor to afford fifty thousand silver. Third Young Master, your wound seems troublesome!" Qiao Wei said, eyeing the injury closely. "The tip of Lian Zhou Luo'er's sword has barbs, so it's gouged the wound into a cross shape... and the blood's flowing out nonstop, like a damn fountain!"

"Wei Ge, are you done yet? I didn't ask you to study the damn weapon! Hurry up and treat my wound. If you keep pondering weapons, I'll bleed out before you're done! Just sprinkle the best hemostatic powder you can find. I've got plenty!"

The Third Young Master fumbled through his robe and handed Qiao Wei a small pouch full of various medicines. Some were for boosting internal energy, some for healing, some for enhancing vitality, and others were for sleep or... less appropriate uses.

Qiao Wei sifted through the pouch with a sigh. "Third Young Master, do you run a medicine shop? You've got every kind of drug here. I'm impressed. But the medicine's one thing, but how do I stitch this up? I don't have any tools, and I don't know how to press points..."

"...Wei Ge, you, one of the Four Great Devils, don't know how to press points?" The Third Young Master couldn't believe his ears.

Qiao Wei scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, I didn't practice that skill as a kid. Pressing points is an art—takes time, energy, and requires a mastery of finger techniques too. Those who can truly master pressing points, well... they can't do anything else with their martial arts. That's how tough it is."

The Third Young Master thought for a moment, realizing this made sense. He could manage a few basic pressure point techniques, but they were rudimentary at best—he couldn't even press his own points correctly, let alone someone else's.

"So, what now? We need to stop the bleeding first. Don't overthink it. Just sprinkle the hemostatic powder quickly."

"But if we just sprinkle it without stitching the wound, it'll heal abnormally, and it might be deformed…"

Qiao Wei hesitated. He didn't care much about how the wound healed, but if it turned out to be ugly and the Third Young Master blamed him, it would be a big trouble.

"Enough, Wei Ge. Stop hesitating and sprinkle the powder. If you take too long, I'll bleed out!" the Third Young Master urged impatiently.

Just then, a cool yet gentle voice echoed from the alley entrance. "I'll stitch him up."

Both men turned at the sound.

Standing at the mouth of the alley was a woman dressed in white, as pure as snow. Her white robe fluttered in the breeze, and her long hair cascaded down her back like a celestial being.

She moved gracefully toward them, her gentle eyes never leaving the Third Young Master.

Qiao Wei exchanged a glance with the Third Young Master, then smiled knowingly and stepped aside.

He had noticed the woman trailing them for a while but hadn't spoken a word. He wasn't sure of her intentions, but if she meant harm to the Third Young Master, Qiao Wei was confident he could handle her in three moves.

"Mei... Mei Jie, what are you doing here?" The Third Young Master was visibly shaken, his voice laced with disbelief.

The woman was, of course, Qiu Ruomei.

When she had heard the rumors in a tavern near the headquarters of the Blowing Snow Hall, she learned that the Third Young Master's reputation had been shattered. Numerous righteous figures were hunting him down, and a martial arts conference was scheduled to publicly judge him. In a panic, she had traveled from the South all the way to find him. After much searching, she finally located him in Dingzhou.

But by the time she found him, the Third Young Master was already severely injured. She had intended to kill Lian Zhou Luo'er and Qin Ni'er to avenge him, but seeing the Third Young Master's wounded state, she realized the truth. He wasn't faking it.

With a soft sigh, Qiu Ruomei squatted in front of him, gently cleaning the blood from his wound as she softly blew on it.

The Third Young Master, inhaling her faint fragrance and feeling the warmth of her breath, felt a strange stirring in his heart.

"Mei Jie, you haven't answered me yet. How did you find me? I thought you had forgotten about your little brother!" The Third Young Master smiled mischievously, a faint blush returning to his pale cheeks.

"Don't talk," Qiu Ruomei said sternly, though her eyes softened. "How can you still joke around in this condition?"

The Third Young Master chuckled, despite his pain. "Oh, come on. It's not that bad. Just a scratch. I was acting, you know? Otherwise, with my 'Sky-Shadow Palm,' those two girls would never have hurt me, even if they practiced for a hundred years... cough, cough..." He broke off, coughing up a few strands of blood.

"You're still talking? Look at you, coughing up blood!" Qiu Ruomei scolded lightly, though her concern was evident. She wiped the blood from his mouth and took his pulse. "Your lungs were injured. How could that woman be so ruthless?" She then pulled out a small, pearl-like pill. "Swallow this."

The Third Young Master followed her instructions, and as soon as the pill touched his tongue, a cool sensation spread through his chest, easing the burning pain in his lungs.

"Good medicine!" The Third Young Master grinned, his smile a little brighter now. "I didn't know your medicine was this good, Mei Jie!"

"This is our Snow Mountain Sect's sacred healing medicine," Qiu Ruomei replied softly. "I only had one left. Don't get hurt again—there's no more of this, and it's the best I have. Really, you're old enough now. You don't need to throw yourself into harm's way for show!" She sighed, then added with a touch of sadness, "Though, compared to your Resurrection Pill, this medicine is nothing."

With that, she retrieved a needle and thread, ready to stitch up his wound.

"Mei Jie, what are you saying? My life is nothing compared to yours. Yours is precious, mine is just a cheap one," the Third Young Master joked, but the instant the needle pierced his skin, he gasped in pain.

Qiu Ruomei smiled softly. "Now you know the pain, huh? Stop talking nonsense. Hold on, it'll be over soon."

Her hands flew swiftly as she stitched up the wound, her movements graceful and precise. Though the wound was an odd shape, she sewed it perfectly, each torn edge aligning seamlessly.

Qiao Wei