The Cheongseong Sect's Qi Deviation

Elena was bewildered by the unfamiliar term. Qi Deviation? What the hell is that? Still, she kept her composure and declared with absolute confidence, "Of course, I can treat that as well."

No matter what it is, there's no way a level 100 healer like me couldn't cure it!

"If you wish, I can go treat it right away."

"What! Are you truly serious?" Jeonghyeon was genuinely shocked. And for good reason. Qi Deviation was a death sentence in the Murim world. It was the phenomenon where one's internal energy ran wild and could no longer be controlled. The higher one's realm and the greater one's internal energy, the more lethal it became. To martial artists, it was essentially the same as cancer.

The fact that she had answered so readily that she could fix it made suspicion cloud Jeonghyeon's face.

"In all my years, I've never met anyone who spoke of Qi Deviation so lightly."

"I'm speaking lightly because it's easy. Even Qi Deviation is nothing once it falls into my hands."

"Qi Deviation! Are you mocking me right now?" Jeonghyeon snapped, irritated that she couldn't even get the name right while claiming it was simple.

Geumgang stepped in to calm the skeptical man. "Come on, our Lord is a Westerner. She might slip up on a minor pronunciation. Don't get so worked up."

"Then what about that nonsense about curing Qi Deviation so easily?"

"It must be easy because she can actually do it," Geumgang said with absolute certainty. "I stake my life, my martial arts, everything on it. If our Lord says she can heal him, then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she can."

"...And if she fails after saying all that and I come to kill you?"

"Then come kill me." The reply came without the slightest hesitation, leaving Jeonghyeon speechless. When a high-level expert like Geumgang spoke with such conviction, even he began to feel the urge to believe.

"Lady Elena, if you truly can cure him, would you come with us immediately? The matter is extremely urgent."

"Of course." Elena nodded, then turned to her companions. "I'll be back shortly, so please wait here, everyone."

"You're planning to go alone?" Cheongryeo asked, startled. "Without taking us as your escorts..."

"Just to be safe. Cheongryeo and Geumgang, please stay here and guard the surroundings." She was leaving them behind in case the Wicked Dao Alliance launched an attack while she was gone.

"Don't worry about me. I'm not going alone—I'll be traveling with these people from the Cheongseong Sect."

"Indeed. We ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the Cheongseong Sect swear on our honor to protect Lady Elena, so rest assured," Jeonghyeon said, cupping his fist with reliable dignity.

And so, Elena set off for the Cheongseong Sect alongside Jeonghyeon.

Mount Cheongseong. A lush mountain encircled by green trees like a living fortress. The Cheongseong Sect was named after this very mountain because they had built their headquarters upon it.

"This way, please." Guided by Jeonghyeon and the other Daoist priests, Elena arrived at the main temple of the Cheongseong Sect.

"The sect leader brought a Western woman!"

"She's breathtakingly beautiful!"

The disciples working inside the compound buzzed with excitement at the sudden visitor.

"Sect Leader, who is this young lady?"

"She is an outstanding physician from the West. I've brought her here to treat my martial uncle, so do not cause a disturbance." Jeonghyeon answered coolly before turning to Elena with a grave expression. "I will bring my martial uncle now, so please wait here a moment. ...No matter what you see, do not be alarmed."

Does the sect leader really need to handle this personally? Elena found it amusing that he would go fetch the patient himself instead of sending a subordinate, especially while speaking in such a solemn tone.

But when Jeonghyeon actually returned with his martial uncle, she could no longer laugh.

"Mama, give me food!"

From the mouth of an old man with a snowy white beard and flowing white Daoist robes—who looked exactly like a classic immortal—came the lisping words of a toddler.

"Hing~ I'm hungry! I'm so hungry!"

"Martial Uncle, you just ate a moment ago!" Jeonghyeon, who had brought the elder, was desperately trying to restrain him. After finally dragging the old man in front of Elena, he spoke in a heavy, sorrowful voice.

"This is our martial uncle, Songpung-jinnin. He turned seventy this year."

"...."

Elena was rendered completely speechless. Her eyes widened as shock flooded her mind.

So this "Qi Deviation" or whatever was just dementia!

The madness caused by Qi Deviation looked exactly like dementia in Elena's eyes.

If it's dementia, just call it dementia! Why use some fancy term like Qi Deviation and make it confusing?!

What was she supposed to do now? When they had said his mind was abnormal, she had assumed it was some kind of status ailment. She had thought that if it was a debuff-related condition, she could simply heal it.

But can you really call dementia a debuff? Isn't that a physical issue in the brain?

Though Elena wasn't an expert on dementia, she doubted something like that could be fixed with a simple status ailment removal.

"How is he?"

"...P-please wait a moment." Pressed by Jeonghyeon, Elena found herself in an awkward position. She had made such a bold claim, yet now dementia had entered the picture. This was truly troublesome.

I can't say I might not be able to cure it. If I do, he'll really come after Geumgang to kill him!

Deciding to use every means at her disposal, Elena spoke. "First, please seat him in front of me so he doesn't run wild."

"Understood."

The moment Jeonghyeon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tried to sit his martial uncle down as requested—

"Give me food!!!" Songpung-jinnin grew agitated. He even mobilized his internal energy to shake Jeonghyeon off.

"M-Martial Uncle!" Jeonghyeon, who had been thrown backward, quickly regained his stance and tried to restrain the elder. "Please calm yourself! We are not trying to harm you!"

"What nonsense is that when you won't even give me food? I know what you're up to. You ate it all, didn't you? You rice-eating worms!"

"...Please forgive us!" There was no reasoning with him. Jeonghyeon resorted to force to subdue his martial uncle. Even so, the man was still his elder. He couldn't draw his sword and instead charged in with bare-handed combat.

Though fist techniques weren't his specialty, Jeonghyeon was a Peak-realm master. He should have been able to handle most opponents bare-handed, but—

"You lot can go eat dog food!"

"Ack!" His opponent was also a Peak-realm master. Moreover, Songpung-jinnin surpassed him in both internal energy and technique proficiency.

"A-as expected, even among Peak-realm masters, I cannot hope to match my martial uncle." Quickly acknowledging the gap in power, Jeonghyeon looked around. "What are you all standing around for?! Cheongseong disciples, seize our martial uncle at once!"

"Yes!" This time the other members of the Cheongseong Sect joined the fray. In an instant, more than ten strands of Sword Qi flashed. They came from the twenty First-class elders of the sect. A hundred elite disciples added their strength as well. Even the regular disciples in far greater numbers, along with Jeonghyeon who had recovered, charged forward again. Combined, their forces surpassed even the Red Blood Corps.

"Martial Uncle, please regain your senses!"

"Die, you food thieves!" Songpung-jinnin showed no fear whatsoever. As his hand moved, wind surged along its path. The wind wrapped around him like a fortress and blasted away every Cheongseong Sect member rushing toward him.

"Ugh!"

"This is disastrous!" The gathered members groaned in defeat.

"As expected of our martial uncle. Even after falling to Qi Deviation, his Quasi-Transcendental prowess remains!" Jeonghyeon's dejected voice reached Elena's ears as well.

What the actual fuck is this mess? Elena was dumbfounded. They were suddenly fighting among themselves before she could even begin treatment.

Is this old man ridiculously strong, or are you people just that weak? All of you together can't even beat one old guy.

They had promised to protect her with the honor of their sect, yet now it looked like she was the one in danger.

At this rate, I might be the one who gets hurt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠instead of Geumgang. Before that old man tries anything on me, I'd better just use something—anything—to treat him!

The effect was astonishing.

"Wh-what is this?!"

"What is this pure, clear energy?"

The Cheongseong disciples were shocked as an auspicious aura suddenly dominated the entire area.

"Ugh...!"

Songpung-jinnin reacted as well.

"Food... no, no... food..."

He muttered as though his madness—and even his soul—had fled, then staggered unsteadily. The action he took next was shocking. He knelt before Elena.

"Martial Uncle!"

"Our martial uncle is kneeling to that woman!"

The entire Cheongseong Sect was stunned to see their supreme expert—who had just sent everyone flying—kneel before a young girl.

"H-help me... please, help..."

What is this? Did the skill actually work? Elena narrowed her eyes at the sight of Songpung-jinnin kneeling and begging for aid.

As expected, it seems dementia can't be fully resolved with a simple status ailment removal. But his mind looks like it's halfway back...

The skill hadn't been completely ineffective. Finding hope in that realization, Elena decided to use an even stronger technique.

Just to be safe, I'll use Greater Recovery—it's far more powerful than regular Recovery!

Greater Recovery was far more potent than Recovery. And though she hadn't intended it, the visual effect was spectacular. As she prepared the skill, a massive radiance gathered in both of Elena's hands. The disciples who had been knocked down stared at the light, utterly entranced.

"Is this... immortal energy?" Jeonghyeon unconsciously muttered after sensing the aura with his keen perception. It was so sacred that it evoked the very energy said to be possessed by immortals—the ultimate goal of every Daoist practitioner.

Greater Recovery!

In the next instant, a light as brilliant as the sun bathed all of Cheongseong.