"Yue Shuang, is this the healer you've been talking about?"
Huang Laoliu approached Yang Fan from behind, his tone laced with cold disdain, a flicker of icy malice in his eyes.
Even though Yang Fan had his back turned, his heightened senses, honed by his powerful spiritual awareness, clearly detected the hostility emanating from Huang Laoliu.
For highly skilled cultivators with strong spiritual consciousness, it was common to sense the animosity of those nearby. Thus, when interacting with those of a higher realm, one had to be cautious and keep their thoughts well-guarded.
But to Huang Laoliu, Yang Fan was merely a low-level practitioner in the early stages of Qi Refining, unworthy of such consideration. Why would he bother with subtlety?
"Huang Laoliu, how many times must I remind you? Don't address me that way. Call me Fifth Sister or Elder Five," Yue Shuang said coldly, her face tight with displeasure at his arrival.
Huang Laoliu simply gave a dismissive smile, stepping closer to scrutinize Yang Fan with a mocking air.
Though he had to admit, the man before him possessed an attractive appearance and an air of grace.
A pretty face, no doubt. The kind that women fawned over.
In his mind, Huang Laoliu immediately labeled Yang Fan a "pretty boy," and there was no denying the scorn that came with that assessment.
"I'm Huang Yu, the sixth of the seven brothers aboard the *Tian Xing Zhou*. May I ask for your distinguished name?" His tone was laced with condescension, as though addressing someone beneath him.
The moment Yang Fan laid eyes on Huang Yu, he felt no sense of goodwill. The name itself struck a bitter chord—Huang Yu. It reminded him of another name, Yang Yu, the young master of the Yang family in the capital.
That day, Yang Yu had stood on the *Wen Tiantai* of the Yang family fortress, casting a scornful gaze upon Yang Fan and his brother. "Good, very good... Just as Mr. Xu said. In three years, I'll return to this fortress."
"Both of you can face me together, and we'll see if either of you can even leave a scratch on me."
"Don't forget to attend the *Wen Tian Dahui* in three years. That'll be the day I cripple you both."
As he departed, Yang Yu had given Yang Fan one last withering glance.
That memory, though only from half a month ago, was deeply etched in Yang Fan's mind.
No matter how much ridicule or scorn he had faced, he had always held his composure, never revealing even a hint of despair before his enemies.
But memories linger, and Yang Fan would not easily forget them.
Compared to the formidable Yang Yu, Huang Laoliu was nothing. The former had ascended to the *Condensing Spirit* stage by the age of sixteen, possessing a talent that even surpassed Yang Fan's former self.
Yet despite the vast difference in ability between Huang Yu and Yang Yu, their arrogance bore a striking resemblance.
Yang Yu's pride was grounded in raw talent, personal power, and the influence of his family.
Huang Laoliu, however, had little foundation for his arrogance. Reaching the late stage of Qi Refining at his age was mediocre at best.
Such cultivators had been abundant at the Yang family fortress, and Yang Fan had seen plenty of them. They had all treated him with respect.
"I am Yang," was all Yang Fan offered in response, revealing only his surname.
Indeed, from the beginning, he had never disclosed his full name, not even earlier in the hall when he had introduced himself.
In certain circles, his name still carried weight. Among those who knew of the Yang family's reputation, Yang Fan had some measure of renown.
"Ah, Yang the healer! A pleasure indeed!" Huang Yu's expression flickered with subtle irritation. He had asked for a full name and received only a surname.
"Huang Laoliu, Yang the healer is our honored guest aboard the *Tian Xing Zhou*. Please show some respect," Yue Shuang admonished sternly.
"Yue Shuang, since when did you start speaking on behalf of outsiders? And where exactly have I been disrespectful?" Huang Laoliu's gaze settled on her face, a smirk playing at his lips.
Cunning, this one. His behavior was confrontational, but his words carried no trace of disrespect that could be directly called out.
"You...!" Yue Shuang was fuming, but there was little she could say. She turned to Yang Fan and said apologetically, "Yang the healer, please don't take my sixth brother's attitude to heart. He's always been this way."
"I only treat people according to their worth," Huang Laoliu interjected with a cutting tone.
Yang Fan chuckled inwardly. For all his arrogance, Huang Laoliu had at least some semblance of discernment. Still, it was unclear what he had done to incur such antagonism. As a healer devoted to saving lives, Yang Fan had no interest in petty disputes.
He brushed off the tension with a smile and said to Yue Shuang, "Miss Li, I believe I'll retire to my quarters now."
"Wait," Huang Laoliu suddenly stepped forward, blocking Yang Fan's path. "I haven't finished my business with you yet."
"Oh? And what might that be?" Yang Fan asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I hear you're quite the skilled healer. It so happens that our eldest brother, Yuan Laoda, sustained some damage to his spirit during the earlier incident. I'd like you to help him recover."
"Damage to his spirit?" Yang Fan frowned slightly.
If it were a simple injury or broken bone, that would be no issue. But damage to the spirit was an entirely different matter, one that touched upon the soul itself. With his current level of cultivation, it would be difficult to remedy.
In the *Sacred Healing Tome*, there were indeed techniques for mending the spirit and nurturing the soul. However, these techniques required one to reach the *Condensing Spirit* stage to be practiced.
"Hah, what's this? Is Yang the healer at a loss already? I thought such a minor injury would be nothing for someone with your renowned skills?" Huang Laoliu's smile widened, clearly relishing the opportunity to put Yang Fan on the spot.
"Sixth brother! You're deliberately making things difficult for Yang the healer. His cultivation is only at the early stage of Qi Refining. How could he possibly treat an injury to the spirit?" Yue Shuang could barely contain her fury.
Healing damage to the spirit required a masterful healer. Ordinary physicians couldn't dream of treating such injuries, and even most cultivators below the *Foundation Building* stage could only offer minor remedies. Only a healer of great renown—likely at the *Golden Core* level—could truly mend the soul. In a place like Yuyang Nation, such healers were esteemed as grandmasters, revered by all.
Yang Fan listened quietly to Huang Laoliu's provocations, a faint smile playing on his lips. He neither confirmed nor denied his capabilities.
"Master Healer," Huang Laoliu sneered, "if you can't treat our eldest brother's wounds, I can't guarantee this ship will reach the Xiuyu Pavilion on time."
His tone was taunting, his smirk gleeful. It was clear now: Huang Laoliu wanted nothing more than to embarrass Yang Fan.
But Yang Fan, feeling the rising anger in his chest, stood firm. Though his cultivation was at the early Qi Refining stage, his spiritual power rivaled that of someone in the later *Condensing Spirit* stage. If need be, he could handle a situation like this with ease.
"Sixth brother, is that how you treat esteemed guests aboard our ship?" A deep voice rang out suddenly—it was Yuan Laoda, the eldest of the brothers.
"Eldest brother! I merely wished for this so-called healer to prove his worth. After all, if he can only heal surface wounds, what use is his title?" Huang Yu's voice rose defiantly. "Everyone here, tell me, am I not right?"
Several bystanders, curious about the commotion, chimed in.
"True, just treating surface injuries isn't much to boast about," one muttered.
"Look at him—so young, with such low cultivation. Can he really live up to the title of 'master healer'?" another echoed.
"You..." Yue Shuang stamped her foot in frustration, her face flushed with anger.
Yang Fan remained composed, though he, too, found the situation ridiculous. When had he ever claimed to be some grand master healer?
"Enough!" Yuan Laoda's voice boomed, silencing the crowd instantly with the pressure of his spiritual power.
"Yang the healer, please forgive my sixth brother's impudence. I hope you won't take it to heart," Yuan Laoda said kindly, his tone respectful.
"You're too gracious, Elder Yuan," Yang Fan replied calmly, his gaze shifting back to Huang Yu. He spoke softly, yet with a hint of sarcasm, "But tell me, Huang Daoyou, why do you twist words so freely? Is it because your surname is Huang?"
"You...! How have I twisted any words?" Huang Yu stammered, trying to maintain his composure under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
With a calm smile, Yang Fan continued, his tone light but cutting, "At what point did I ever say I was unable to treat Elder