"How outrageous! You've only just joined the inner court yet your fellow disciples are already bullying you...” Icy sarcasm is dripping from Jian Cheng’s every word. “Who would have thought such a thing could ever occur?"

On the carpet in front of him, a shamefaced Fatty with his two black eyes aimed at the floor, appears like an embarrassed raccoon,

"I don't want to be the one to say I told you so..." Jian Cheng purses his lips. "So you do it!"

"Um, you told me not to join up too soon... So now what do I do?"

"You fight back!"

"What?" Fatty's white eyeballs bulge out of the bruised blue-black circles, the black pupil in the middle makes each one appear like an archery target. "That's it? That's your only advice?"

"Well then, tell me more about these offenders, so I can come up with something more specific..."

"Well, let's see then..." Like most victims, Fatty is chafing at the bit to explain and excuse himself. "They're all older than me, one or two years older and most are at tier-seven, one was even early tier-eight!"

"Oh, I see. How much bigger are these monstrous bullies than you?"

"Not really bigger, some are almost the same size..."

"Hmm, I see, how much better are these dancing devils with the blade?"

"We didn't use swords, but I doubt they'd be any better than me..."

"Well then, how many of these small, sword-less silkpants have the body strength that comes from cultivating the legendary guixigong, and also have a healer living in their house?"

You could almost hear a pin drop. None do, but Fatty's downcast eyes appear to be searching for one on the rug at his feet.

"Oh, that’s right, I forgot you can heal us now... He finally looks up and pokes two fingers towards his blackened eyes. “So why didn't you fix these then?"

“It's too draining, so I don't bother with such superficial stuff. Also my abilities are a sect secret, so must be used sparingly and privately - besides the black eyes will be a reminder to listen to your senior sect elder!"

He is telling the truth too.... Mostly. Healing is indeed draining and instantly sucks the hard-earned qi out of you - stalling your cultivation until that qi is fully recovered.

However, healers do not draw the foul humours from the five viscera and six bowels of the sick and injured out of the seven orifices into their own bodies as is commonly believed.

In fact, Jian Cheng isn’t sure humours are even real...

The real reason healers often appeared haggard, after the laying of hands, is because healing uses enormous amounts of qi energy. Over time the energy does replenish. Albeit at different rates, again according to how powerful the healing affinity ability is. All a healer really did was set the body to rights according to their understandings of biology and physiology, then accelerate the body’s natural healing process.

Broken bones and wounds were actually easier than any disease or sickness to fix, because the location was limited and could be better targeted and controlled...

Another bonus he's found is, he can also give out energy boosts to restore spent qi... Which is basically all wood affinity farmers do - except into their plants instead of people...

Usually, he'll empty his reservoir just before going to sleep - because emptying it fully, not only exhausts him physically, but exercises the healing muscle more. Many nights he'll secretly boost an uninjured Fatty, just before bed time... Turning the twit into a wittering night-owl, while he would fall instantly into a deep unshakeable sleep.

Naturally he can also heal himself, but it doubles the drain on his personal energy as he is using his qi on top of his own body's natural healing processes. Healing others is the opposite, twice the results for half the effort, as their bodies met him halfway. All he does is use his qi to simply stimulate their own processes. thereby it only consumes their life energy...

One could see why healers are so sought after, unfortunately they are rarer than hen's teeth... One reason there is a dearth of capable healers, is that wood affinity is so rare. Worse, not all of them can heal either - less than half - a fact he probably should have learned earlier...

Also, it is far more lucrative, not to mention less restrictive, to grow spirit herbs.

However, the main reason there are not enough of healers was, there are far too many idiots getting injured... Simple sums you didn't need to bother your abacus with.

The actual healing method had been similarly simple to learn. You could either do it or not do it... He'd picked it up in a single afternoon a week ago.

The trio had been practising their new water affinity techniques in Fatty's new courtyard. Suddenly, piercing through the drizzling mist of the Thundercloud technique, Dazzler snaked out slashing through Li Feng's thin tunic to slice a deep cut down his side.

"Aaargh! You've killed me! Aaahhhh... Hey, how come you have a metal sword, when mine's only wooden?" Fatty is injured, incensed and also a little curious...

"Relax it's all part of our plan!" Jian Cheng isn't really worried about Fatty bleeding out, as the big boy has been eating as hearty as ever. And he'd also hit his mark...

"Ugh," Blood blooms on Fatty's tunic, but he is more concerned with treachery than injury. "What do you mean our plan? I never agreed to any of this, take it back..."

"Don't worry Li ge-ge, help is on the way, just play your part." Fen Ling seems excited.

"What rubbish plan are you two blathering about? I'm in agony here!"

"I told Fen Ling, didn't she tell you?"

"No, I know how to keep a secret." The girl looks offended.

"I can't believe you two backstabbers, why isn't one of you traitors running to fetch a healer?"

"Fear not my friend, for I am a healer!" Jian Cheng announces. "I actually have a wood affinity."

"What?... Then hurry up and heal me!"

"Well, I will be a healer soon, but only if you help us to steal some of the visiting healer's jade slips," Jian Cheng admits.

"Think of it though, the Thundering Tortoise Trio will have their own personal healer! " He grows animated. "Hah! We could do this any time we want!"

"I don't want to do this ever again!" For some reason, Fatty is still unwilling. "Ahh, at least get me something to stall the bleeding."

Jian Cheng hands him a towel, unlike his bloody friend he'd come prepared.

The week before, he'd even had Fatty enter the Pavillion of Enlightenment. Taking advantage of his inner court status, he'd managed to 'borrow' a bunch of biology and physiology jade slips and books, by using the spatial belt and his special bump and snaffle method.

Ever since then, Jian Cheng has been holed up in Fatty's spare room seriously studying them. A healing ability is another powerful trump card. Not only could it save their lives, if he announces it to the Misty Clout Sect it could upgrade his status considerably... Though that desperate option is reserved for times of real trouble. He has heeded Brother Kong's warning about healers basically being slaves to their profession - chosen or otherwise.

Speak of the devil, a weedy little man barges into the courtyard with Xiao Ma following along in his wake.

"Here he is senior Wu, " Xiao Ma rushes around in front to explain the scene. "My shi-jie stabbed him by accident, she is most sorry..."

Fatty stares at her aghast. He’s figured out that Xiao Ma had also been in on this conspiracy from the very beginning. She’d been the one that insisted on leaving to fetch the healer long before Fatty got stabbed.

Jian Cheng was all for waiting patiently in the interests of making it more realistic.

The final betrayal takes the wind out Li Feng's sails somewhat and he glumly plays his part in the charade that follows.

The healer kneels to inspect the fresh wound... Then simply heals it easily... Well, he would of, if he wasn't being peppered with so many questions and inane comments about his technique.

"So you simply sense what's wrong with your qi and make it feel whole again. Isn't that too simple?"

"Who are you boy to question me?" The healer has clearly had enough of being pestered. "Where's your inner sect disciple badge?"

Strangely it is Fatty who leaps to Jian Cheng's defence.

"This is our hired messenger, he needs to know everything to tell my overseer elder later...."

"Humph, how irregular, who is this maverick supervising elder?

Fatty must have been feeling much better already, because he leers as he continues.

"Elder Wei, shall I tell him you want to see him, so you two can thrash out all the painful details?"

"He-he, no need, no need... Elder Wei is always so busy..."

Suddenly Healer Wu is a bubbling brook. "...Can I say how refreshing it is to come across such a good seedlings,” he gushes. “Especially one with such an interest in my humble profession! Does junior have any more questions?"

"Senior flatters me, just a few more...."

That event had been the template for how a team should go about the business of earning benefits.

Since then though, Fatty has apparently forsaken their circle of trust, by foolishly getting himself bullied somehow. Unbelievable! It made a mockery of all their good intentions... Jian Cheng though, has been prepared for exactly such an eventuality, and has been for quite a while...

"Alright, here's the plan I made several weeks ago, back when you two still thought you knew better than me..."

Fen Ling suddenly spots the same fascinating thing Fatty saw on the floor earlier.

"From now on always carry your sword with you. Always have Ling-er, Dazzler and Xiao Xiao or even me out with you. If they want a fight we will accommodate them. That's the short-term solution.”

Jian Cheng pauses for breath, relieved to see he still has everyone’s full attention.

“For the mid-term, turn every possible confrontation into a full-blown battle of attrition. I'll fix you up every night and we’ll wear them down like water drops pierce stone and a rope-saw cuts wood.”

“I’ll trouble Little Xiao to scout out the bullies’ specific movements, then we'll find these clowns on their own and take them out one-by-one...Kill some chickens to scare more monkeys!”

Finally Jian Cheng feels like the general he’s always wanted to be after growing up.

"Meanwhile, Fatty keep practising Thundercloud and Sister Ling the Icy Skies and use them indiscriminately... A few rancid highborns don't put our Thundering Tortoise Sect in their eyes. Even though it's a well-kept secret, we're one of the four divine beast king tribes, so how dare they!"

Fen Ling claps her hands in delight. She has cheered up instantly at the notion of striking back at the hateful sect that snatched her from her home!

"Long-term, we get stronger together - total growth for total domination remember!”

Jian Cheng feels it’s only fitting that Benefactor Wang’s off the cuff remark has become their chapter motto. A man repays favours and grudges alike. It is the cornerstone of every one of his many plans.

“Also, in future if things escalate we'll have make at least one strong ally amongst the inner court - unfortunately an elder will take more time. We'll need one of the seniors at least tier-eight, so I'll have ask Shi-mei Ma again for details about all the likely candidates...

"Right, that's the plan!" Jian Cheng finishes up. "Any questions?"

Xiao Ma steps forward hesitantly, carefully avoiding the intriguing rug however. "Erm, what's the guixigong again, it sounds familiar somehow?"

Oops, Jian Cheng finally sees what the others have seen in the floor rug... So very fascinating...

Emboldened, the little maid continues: "Also, who are the Thundering Turtle Sect? Elder Brother Cheng please advise..."

Jian Cheng reluctantly raises his head, a frozen smile stretches creepily across his lips. "Fen Ling check the surroundings. Li Feng lock the door."