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The turbulence had subsided, and the village quieted considerably. Gone was the tense atmosphere of drawn knives and arrows, as many of the mountain villagers returned to their homes.

As for the child who was rescued, it is said that a Witch Doctor had been invited over, and these villagers seemed to have completely stopped worrying, as they all started chatting and laughing again.

Perhaps the only ones in sorrow were the family of the unfortunate child killed by the Leopard, but accidents in hunting are quite common among mountain people, who generally have a much greater capacity for acceptance than those from outside.

Perhaps in their eyes, this was not death, but a return to the embrace of the gods...

Qin Fang and his companions were not interested in these matters, and went directly to the home of the child, Bali. Although the number of people had decreased, there still was a crowd of several dozen waiting for news.

Seeing Qin Fang and Song Qingshan arrive, the crowd immediately opened up a path for them to reach the inside, and the looks they gave to Song Qingshan were filled with curious fascination, seemingly a mix of worship, respect, and fear!

Maybe they gradually started to see Song Qingshan as an envoy of the gods...

Qin Fang only smiled in response, feeling not a tinge of jealousy, but rather relieved, as such troubles did not fall on his head.

The people's faith in Song Qingshan was akin to that of fanatical fans chasing stars outside, though it was coupled with an added layer of reverence.

Zhuo Da naturally followed along. Qin Fang and his companions were Han people and had some communication issues with the mountain villagers. Although some understood Mandarin, most still predominantly spoke their local dialect. Having him along would make communication much easier.

After passing through the crowd, Qin Fang and his companions reached the innermost part of the house, where they saw Bali, the child, lying on a bed, with his father, Baru, beside him. Also present was an extremely gaunt old man applying a dark, ointment-like substance to the child's wounds.

"Master Geda..."

Seeing this frail old man, Zhuo Da's face showed utter respect as he quickly stepped forward and greeted him with great veneration. It seemed that his respect for the old man could well be on par with that for Song Qingshan.

The old man merely turned his head slightly, glanced at Zhuo Da, and nodded gently. As the Young Tribe Leader of the Gelan Tribe with some status, and although this place was not within the Gelan Tribe's territory, it was not far off.

Witch Doctors commanded immense respect among the mountain people. Due to their limited numbers, each was cherished almost as if they were deities themselves and no negligence was tolerated in their presence.

Especially someone like Master Geda, whose Medical Arts were profound, his status was comparable to that of a High Priest who represented the gods...

Although Zhuo Da had some status, even his father—the chief of the Gelan Tribe—must pay respectful homage when meeting Master Geda.

When mountain villagers fell ill, seeking medical help was even more difficult than for those outside—the Witch Doctors were few, and with the vast mountains and many tribes, just traveling to reach them was strenuous. Could you expect them to just arrive on demand?

Thus, often seeking a Witch Doctor's aid depended on their mood; the slightest displeasure and their refusal to treat was all it would take.

If you dared to draw sword or gun, you might find the entire tribe descending upon you...

Master Geda appeared to be a very kind and noble healer, simply greeting Zhuo Da briefly, and nodding to Qin Fang and Song Qingshan before continuing to treat Bali...

His methods seemed few, and perhaps it was because the wounds were non-fatal, external injuries: stopping the bleeding and applying medicine seemed sufficient for healing. Thus, all Qin Fang and the rest saw were these dark ointments being smeared by Master Geda onto the wounds...

The child had already awakened, and despite his young age, he showed remarkable resilience. At this moment, he was clenching his teeth, enduring the pain—

Not crying or fussing, even holding back the tears in his eyes without letting them fall.

In this aspect, the children outside clearly could not compare. Furthermore, seeing others take this as expected revealed just a glimpse of the harsh environment these mountain children grew up in.

Qin Fang couldn't say this was necessarily bad. At the least, it fostered a strong will in the children, far more so than those pampered and spoiled children outside.

Yet Qin Fang couldn't commend it as purely good either. Bali was just a few years old and had just experienced a tragedy, now being forced to bear such intense pain, which might cause problems too.

However, these were not problems that concerned Qin Fang and his companions. Most mountain men grew up this way, and only the strong could become true warriors and survive in the mountains.

Master Geda carefully treated each wound with precision. Qin Fang used his Scouting Skill to check the ointment. Though dark and somewhat repulsive at first glance, it contained quite a few effective healing herbs with excellent remedial properties for the injuries at hand.

Even a hint of spiritual energy permeated these herbal concoctions, ensuring not only a quick healing of wounds but also preventing any complications—

It could be said that even in the world beyond the mountains where Medical Arts were highly advanced, the treatment of such wounds might not reach this level of efficacy.

"It seems that the witch doctor is not as unreliable as imagined..."

Although the ultimate result of the treatment has not yet fully materialized—after all, even the best medicine can't cure diseases instantly—these wounds will need several days at least to heal completely.

But Qin Fang's worries had already been somewhat alleviated; if this witch doctor could become the guarantor for so many villages in the mountains, he must possess genuine abilities. Otherwise, he would have been eliminated long ago. How else could his practice have been handed down in Miao Jiang for thousands of years?

Qin Fang and the others did not have the luxury of time to ponder these matters, as Master Geda had finished applying the medicine and was already walking toward them.

"Master, greetings..."

Qin Fang and Song Qingshan addressed him with great courtesy as well.

For a healer who truly treats and saves people, at least some level of respect is obligatory, particularly for martial artists like themselves...

"I heard just now that we owe a great deal to the help of you two young friends tonight. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable..."

Unexpectedly for Qin Fang and the others, Master Geda spoke fluent Chinese, not at all like the other villagers who spoke only the local dialect.

"Master flatters us..."

Language was not a barrier, so communication was much easier. Qin Fang immediately responded with a modest fist salute.

"Zhuoda, prepare a place for me. I would like to have a good chat with our two young friends..."

Master Geda seemed to have something he wanted to discuss with Qin Fang and the others, and immediately ordered someone named Zhuoda, while he himself walked outside together with Qin Fang and the others.

The status of witch doctors within a tribe is lofty, and their requests are generally no problem to fulfill. Although Zhuoda was not from the Luosang Tribe, he had been a great help today, and on top of that, it was Master Geda's request—so the preparations were made quite swiftly.

"Do you two young friends possess martial arts skills?"

When the three of them, one elder and two younger, sat down, Master Geda's first question was just that.

"Yes, Master!"

Qin Fang nodded. He had already scouted out the situation and knew that Master Geda himself was trained in martial arts, although only of Level 3 strength, but with remarkably profound energy circulation.

Martial artists have an innate intuition about each other, although it's not always accurate. Yet, combined with some facts, it isn't too hard to make judgements.

For instance, how could Qin Fang and Song Qingshan retrieve the child from the jaws of the leopard, and how could they kill a blind bear with their bare hands today if they had not been trained in martial arts?

"So, did you two come into the mountains looking for the Tang Sect?"

Master Geda did not seem at all surprised by the answer and promptly followed with another question.

"Tang Sect?"

Upon hearing this, however, Qin Fang and Song Qingshan were both stunned, showing considerable shock in their eyes.

In many wuxia novels, the Tang Sect of Shu is known as a rather famous sect, said to be a family-style sect famous for hidden weapons and poison.

But Qin Fang was no longer the novice to the martial world that he once was. The Tang Sect does exist in reality, just not in Shu. As for where exactly it is, few people know.

The heritage of the Tang Sect goes back a very long time, almost a thousand years. Its prestige in the martial world is no less than that of Shaolin Temple, Wudang, or Kunlun. It's just that the Tang Sect is so reclusive that people in the martial world thought it had completely vanished, or considered it merely a legend.

Qin Fang had heard about it once before—when he poisoned Shangguan Tianling. Before dying, Shangguan Tianling had mentioned that the Tang Sect would trouble him. But Qin Fang himself had paid it no mind, particularly since he still had Shangguan Tianling's body in his possession.

"Master Geda, is the Tang Sect in these mountains?"

This time, the one asking was not Qin Fang but the usually quiet Song Qingshan.

Although Song Qingshan knew quite a bit about the affairs of the martial world, he knew very little about the Tang Sect. His backing, the Flying Eagle Sect, was situated in the large mountains of Shu, and he had not expected to find the Tang Sect within these very same mountains.

"You don't know?"

Master Geda was slightly taken aback by Song Qingshan's question, and his words seemed to carry a clear note of disappointment...

However, upon hearing this, Qin Fang and Song Qingshan exchanged a glance, and through their eyes, they had already confirmed that the legendary Tang Sect of Shu did not in fact reside in Shu, but in the secluded and isolated depths of the Yungui mountains.

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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