Following the swaying oil lamp of the young Daoist leading the way, Qin Jiuye descended the wooden stairs to the lower deck, step by step.
She had followed too many people through the darkness tonight. Her movements were now agile and practiced; she was no longer the trembling "outsider" who had first stepped onto the island. Her eyes had adjusted to the gloom, and her mind grew sharper. Using the time it took to descend into the hold, she focused her energy on piecing together the information she had gathered.
Aside from the suspicious Dalu Brew, the grand performance in the Immortal Seclusion Grotto—though it hadn't mentioned a word about the secret formula—had not been entirely fruitless for her and Qiu Ling.
Previously, she had harbored a doubt. If the secret formula of Chuanliu Academy had reached the Treasure Mirage Pavilion through Yuan Shuqing’s chest, then where did Fangwaiguan’s formula come from?
Many in the Treasure Mirage Pavilion knew about the chest, and Chuanliu Academy had intervened midway. It was unlikely that the formula had leaked from the rigorous and low-profile Chuanliu Academy; it was far more probable that it shared the same source as the one obtained by Su Lin. Before today, Chuanliu Academy’s role in this game remained unknown. But after Di Mo had publicly turned them into a target for all, she had reason to believe that Chuanliu Academy might be an ally rather than an enemy. As for why they were involved, that remained a mystery.
Then there was Fangwaiguan itself.
According to Qiu Ling, the "Ciyi Needle" was being pursued by the authorities but had lingered near Jiugao to escort a shipment of "cargo." What that "cargo" was and whether it was currently hidden somewhere in Lixin Lake was the most urgent problem to solve. The answer likely lay within this great ship of Fangwaiguan.
From the initial Qingping Dao massacre to the Treasure Mirage Pavilion and tonight’s Edge-Sharpening Ceremony, Fangwaiguan had never been absent. Perhaps none of it was a coincidence; the hidden thread simply hadn't revealed itself yet.
Thunder rumbled faintly through the hull, the echoes distorted within the cabin. It lost its sense of pressure but gained a sinister, ghostly quality. There was a faint, strange odor in the air, seemingly emanating from deep beneath the floorboards. Qin Jiuye tried to identify it but gave up, as she had no time to linger.
The carved wooden door at the end of the deep corridor was pushed open. She found herself once again in that enclosed, dim room. Without Yin Huaizhang and the dark-faced brute, the surroundings felt even quieter. Strangely, she could not smell the scent of Wusongzi. The young Daoist leading her shot her a quick glance, hesitated for a moment, then thrust the oil lamp into her hand and retreated hastily without even announcing her presence. His departure looked almost like a flight.
Was it because of his fellow disciple who had been forced to commit suicide in public? Or was it something else...
"I did not expect us to meet again so soon."
Yuan Qi’s voice rang out suddenly from behind the gauze curtains. Qin Jiuye quickly composed herself and prepared to respond carefully.
"Greetings, Sect Leader Yuan."
She bowed her head in salute, yet she could still feel his gaze wandering insolently over her through the curtains. After a long silence, he continued in a leisurely tone.
"Anyone who can board Fangwaiguan’s ship tonight is a guest. You need not be so formal."
As he finished speaking, Yuan Qi actually rolled off the bed and walked straight toward her. He had changed out of the hemp mourning clothes he wore while pleading his case in the Immortal Seclusion Grotto. Over his white inner robes, he loosely wore a magnificently embroidered crane cloak. His headcloth and jade crown were gone, and his long hair hung loose, bringing with it a chilling aura.
Qin Jiuye narrowed her eyes to observe him, only then realizing that the room was even dimmer than before. Aside from the oil lamp in her hand, there wasn't a single flicker of candlelight. Was Fangwaiguan following the example of Guoran Restaurant in cutting costs? They couldn't even spare a candle.
Before she could think further, Yuan Qi had reached her.
In just one day, this sickly man could now walk with a brisk pace and steady breath. Amidst her surprise, a strange feeling began to take root in Qin Jiuye’s heart. She wasn't so arrogant as to believe her medical skills could make a dying man improve to this extent in a single day.
"Why is the lady silent? Did you not say you wished to check my pulse again?"
Qin Jiuye quickly pulled herself together, a smile plastered on her face, though her feet didn't move an inch.
"The Sect Leader’s complexion looks much improved. It seems Heaven favors the worthy; I dare not take the credit."
She had intended to offer a few more auspicious words of congratulations, but on second thought, it felt wrong. Setting aside whether the Qingping Dao bloodbath had truly ended, considering the scene of Yin Huaizhang’s suicide, if Yuan Shuqing’s spirit knew of this, he would likely manifest out of pure rage.
While she was still searching for the right words, Yuan Qi spoke before her.
"I heard that the lady was concerned for me and requested to come for a consultation. I am deeply pleased and moved."
His tone had changed; a feminine softness bled into his low voice, making Qin Jiuye feel incredibly uncomfortable. Only a day ago, this man had nearly had her killed because her needles caused him pain. Why the sudden change in attitude? Was it because she was constantly seen with Qiu Ling?
But if Fangwaiguan truly intended to show goodwill to Kunxu, why hadn't Yuan Qi invited both of them when she and Qiu Ling boarded the ship together?
Qin Jiuye involuntarily tightened her grip on the oil lamp. Her other hand rested on the medicine bag at her waist through her sleeve, maintaining her facade of a greedy, fawning hedge-doctor.
"The Sect Leader is generous; how could I be so ungrateful? It is only my duty. I wonder how the Sect Leader felt after taking the prescription I wrote yesterday? If the Sect Leader doesn't mind, I can certainly examine you again. As for the fee, everything is negotiable..."
"Let us set the consultation aside for a moment. It is rare for you to come of your own accord, allowing me to speak with you about other matters in this quiet place," Yuan Qi interrupted before she could finish. "After witnessing your medical skills yesterday, I have been unable to forget you. It would be a pity for a master of the needle like yourself to remain a mere village doctress in such a chaotic place. Why not follow me? I will treat you well."
The smile on Qin Jiuye’s face froze.
Yuan Qi was a man of few words, but when he spoke, he was difficult to handle. Specifically, the word "follow" instantly placed her in a bizarre predicament—one she had glimpsed before with Li Qiao and Jiang Xin'er.
Her initial impression of Yuan Qi had been complex; she saw him as a man tormented by chronic illness, mentally fragile and mercurial, making him terrifying to deal with. Seeing him again tonight on Qionghu Island, that sense of unease grew stronger. Though his martial arts prowess might not be top-tier, he was a man who could sacrifice others to climb higher. He was not as fragile or innocent as he appeared; at his core, he was a calculating, cold-blooded egoist.
Being targeted by such a person was clearly not a good thing.
Since he had been blunt, he clearly had an agenda. If she continued to hedge and stall, she would only confirm that she was weak and easily manipulated. No matter how she looked at it, she was currently at a disadvantage. There was no perfect solution; her only option was to refuse him clearly.
Thinking of this, she gave a forced laugh.
"I am honored by the Sect Leader’s favor, but I know my own limits. I am no master, merely a wandering physician. I am used to being crude and undisciplined; staying by the Sect Leader’s side would only damage Fangwaiguan’s reputation. It is safer for me to remain a village doctress."
Yuan Qi actually laughed at her words.
His face seemed to have gained some color, and his delicate features looked much more spirited than yesterday, but the smile at the corners of his mouth was chilling.
"I see that Lord Duanyu treats you like a treasure, keeping you by his side. If he does not mind, why should I? Besides, I have not yet mentioned in what capacity you would follow me. Are you so quick to refuse?"
She had spoken plainly, yet he continued to press her. The fire that had been smoldering in her heart since she stepped onto the island tonight began to flicker. Qin Jiuye’s hand inside her sleeve gripped the medicine bag tightly.
*Endure it. Just a little longer.*
She still had a mission tonight; she needed to buy more time for Qiu Ling.
"I have heard that the World’s Greatest Villa is home to countless experts. Since the Sect Leader has gained the Villa Master’s favor today, why worry about finding a suitable physician to accompany you in the future? I think that Mister Teng Hu is quite excellent. I had the honor of seeing him yesterday at Xuanyu Shoal; he truly possesses a refined, immortal grace. I am ashamed to even be in his presence, and my medical skills are not even a ten-thousandth of his..."
Yuan Qi likely didn't know she had been to the Treasure Mirage Pavilion. By mentioning Teng Hu now, she was using a "standard of the industry" to belittle herself. Furthermore, if Yuan Qi and Teng Hu had collaborated and had a falling out, mentioning him might divert this impossible conversation elsewhere.
She maliciously dragged that fat fox out to serve as her shield, but Yuan Qi didn't take the bait. He said nothing of his past dealings with Teng Hu. Instead, he walked gracefully to the alchemy furnace in the center of the room and slapped the lid open with a single palm.
Something lit up in the dim room. Qin Jiuye’s thin, sallow face was instantly illuminated by a golden glow. The oil lamp in her hand wobbled, reflecting her turbulent emotions.
"Kunxu has never involved itself in the struggles of the martial world; Lord Duanyu cannot protect you. But I can not only keep you safe, I can give you many things. This is your best choice right now."
Having said his piece, he leaned against the furnace, watching Qin Jiuye with composed expectation. This combination of grace and power, of the carrot and the stick, would make anyone waver. What vision or resolve could a woman from the countryside possibly have?
Sure enough, the woman’s figure seemed frozen by the golden light. After a long while, he heard her murmur a question.
"Is this... gold?"
"Of course. Aside from studying lethal sword techniques and inhuman Daoist arts, this was my master’s only hobby." Yuan Qi stroked the filigree lid of the furnace, his voice growing lower and softer. "Do you not like gold? No one in this world dislikes gold; you must like it too. Follow me, and you follow this gold. You will not regret it."
Qin Jiuye stared blankly at the gold cakes and ingots filling the massive furnace, as if looking at something she couldn't comprehend. So this was what a mountain of gold looked like—the golden light was soft and overflowing, as enticing as melted honey.
She finally understood why she hadn't seen any fire in this furnace earlier. This wasn't a furnace for refining pills; it was Fangwaiguan’s mobile treasury. Yuan Shuqing’s reputation for Daoist cultivation was known far and wide, but behind the scenes, he had been cultivating the "Way of Gold and Silver." Over the years, he had been like a gluttonous Pixiu, consuming everything and letting nothing out, stuffing himself fat.
Since Yuan Shuqing’s death, Fangwaiguan had been severely weakened, becoming a "wealthy but frail" entity that had to find a new patron quickly. Di Mo was by no means a charitable man; his actions today only proved that Fangwaiguan’s value far exceeded what was visible. Yuan Qi had seized the opportunity, privately offering this "tribute" made of gold to Di Mo.
However, while Yuan Qi would reveal his gold to Di Mo, there was no need for him to flatter a wandering physician. This gesture was likely intended to see her in a state of distress and to cut off her retreat. After all, an outsider who had glimpsed Fangwaiguan’s secret could not leave the ship alive; her only choice was to join them.
And she had a nagging feeling that there were other secrets on this ship tonight.
Qin Jiuye forced herself to withdraw her greedy gaze. Adjusting her emotions, she feigned confusion.
"Since Fangwaiguan has the support of a 'Green Mountain,' why worry about having no place to stand in the future? Why must the Sect Leader hand this mountain over to others?"
Yuan Qi narrowed his eyes, clearly understanding the probe in her words.
"You think I am treating a thief as my kin? That I cannot distinguish black from white?"
"The Sect Leader must understand that whether it is the Green Sabers or Chuanliu Academy, they are merely the blades used to kill. The one who truly killed your foster father is the person who gave him that chest of treasures."
"There are grievances and new feuds every day in this martial world. I am not a man obsessed with revenge. I am not my foster father; I do not care if I can preserve the name 'Fangwaiguan.' In time, I will possess something far more glorious, and those by my side will share in that honor." Yuan Qi paused, once again scanning the small, thin woman with that insolent gaze. "It is strange. When I saw you administering needles before, though you had some skill, I have been sickly since childhood and have seen countless masters. I have never cared for nameless nobodies. Yet today, seeing you by Lord Duanyu’s side, I suddenly became interested. And that interest has only grown after you refused me twice. If you did not like it, you should not have boarded my ship tonight. Since you are here, some things are no longer up to you."
His voice echoed in the narrow, stifling space. Qin Jiuye remained motionless, a smile born of absurdity suddenly appearing on her face.
Whether a forced melon was sweet didn't matter; some people just couldn't keep their hands off. First it was Zhu Fuxue, and now it was Yuan Qi. When they spoke of people, it was as if they were mentioning a random object that could be moved left or right, snatched back and forth. If you showed the slightest reluctance, it was deemed ingratitude. And the day they no longer needed you, they could discard you at any time.
Was it because the martial world was inherently savage that those who roamed it were also exceptionally brutal?
No, of course not.
They wouldn't speak this way to the noble guests on the stone boats by the lake, nor would they speak this way to Di Mo of the World’s Greatest Villa. The reason they could show such ugly, tyrannical faces to her was because, in their eyes, both she and the Li Qiao who followed her were different from those with dignity and status. They were things to be trampled, to be calculated and measured.
They were all incredibly shrewd; they simply chose when to reveal their savagery.
In the past, she might have played the fool or found an excuse to brush it off. After all, she was an expert at compromising and acting humble. For those she couldn't afford to offend, she could only use endless patience to overcome the loss of her dignity.
But today, she suddenly didn't want to do that anymore.
Perhaps it was because she had seen that nameless youth who was dancing with a sword behind a screen one moment and a cold corpse the next. Perhaps it was because of the haunting Zhu Fuxue, who wanted to gouge out her eyes. Or perhaps it was because of the Fangwaiguan disciple in the Immortal Seclusion Grotto who had cut himself open to prove his innocence, the lotus talisman held high, and the silent backs of hundreds of people.
Perhaps it was because she knew that no matter how low she bowed her body or how much she proclaimed her submission, the feet trampling her would not stop.
She suddenly understood where the dark aura that occasionally flickered beneath Li Qiao’s obedient face came from.
*I have a long-standing hatred; it is the evil of the world.*
*If evil deeds go unpunished, this hatred can never be extinguished.*
Qin Jiuye slowly raised her head. This was the first time since entering the room that she looked directly at the man in the crane cloak, standing high above her.
"What does the Sect Leader’s interest have to do with me? I was clearly refusing you. If the Sect Leader did not hear me clearly, I will say it again. I do not wish to join Fangwaiguan, nor do I wish to follow the Sect Leader. In any capacity."
She no longer referred to herself as "this lowly one." Her words lacked their usual subservient tone, her voice as clear as jade striking jade. As soon as she spoke, a heavy silence filled the air.
The smile on Yuan Qi’s face vanished.
He seemed surprised, but more than that, he was displeased. This piece of martial world trash, whose life was worth less than grass, looked insignificant, yet she was as hard as a piece of grit that cracked one's teeth.
Since she refused the easy way, she couldn't blame him for being heartless.
"When you came to the ship to test me yesterday, I could tell you had neutralized the Qingfeng Powder. Do you know that no one has ever been able to cure Qingfeng Powder? If Di Mo found out, he wouldn't let you live until dawn."
Yuan Qi’s voice came with a cold wind. The oil lamp in Qin Jiuye’s hand dimmed, and when it brightened again, she noticed a gap had been silently blown open in the layers of gauze behind Yuan Qi’s bed. The wind came from that pitch-black crevice, faintly carrying the scent of blood.
"As you can see, I have recovered. My body is stronger than ever. Are you not curious about the reason behind this?"
Qin Jiuye recoiled three steps in shock.
She didn't need Yuan Qi to answer; she already knew. It wasn't that she hadn't considered it—as the Sect Leader of Fangwaiguan, Yuan Qi must have also drunk the suspicious Dalu Brew at the ceremony. However, the time it took for the secret formula to take effect seemed to vary. She had observed the other sects in the cave and saw no reaction, which was why she and Qiu Ling had dared to take the risk.
But she had overlooked another possibility: Yuan Qi had taken the formula before even arriving on the island. When she had come to examine him, she had mentioned trying to cure the Qingfeng Powder poison, but he had said it wasn't necessary. If it were just a matter of time, he would have said he didn't have the time. The use of "not necessary" was because he already knew the matter was coming to an end.
He didn't need to cure the Qingfeng Powder, nor did he need Wusongzi anymore, because he knew he was about to obtain a far more powerful "secret medicine."
This pitch-black hold was a palace he had built for himself long ago to welcome the "descent" of the secret formula. Right now, there was likely a blood-drained corpse hidden behind those curtains. This was the true reason why the young Daoist leading her today looked so terrified and why he wasn't the same one from yesterday.
"You have taken the secret formula."
After the initial shock and trembling subsided, Qin Jiuye’s voice was surprisingly calm.
Her transformation, in Yuan Qi’s eyes, only added to his amusement. The excitement after the bloodlust was working within him, making his eyes bloodshot and his mind increasingly uncontrollable.
"That was something that belonged to Fangwaiguan anyway, wasn't it? My foster father had the chance to cure me, but because of his cowardice and suspicion, he gave that chance away to others. How could I sit idly by? Now that I have secured all of this for myself, it is what I deserve. The wheel of fortune turns for everyone, whether it is Fangwaiguan or the World’s Greatest Villa."
Why mention the World’s Greatest Villa? Had Di Mo not given him the formula?
Qin Jiuye’s heart stirred, but she had no time to think, for another terrifying truth had surfaced.
"Could it be that the news at Qingping Dao... was released by you?"
Yuan Qi sighed softly, reaching into the furnace to idly stir the gold. His posture was utterly reckless.
"My foster father treated me well. It’s just a pity he was so arrogant, so overconfident in his alchemy skills, thinking he could cure me one day. It’s laughable—he couldn't even hold his own fate in his hands, so how could he change mine?"
The image of the heavy rain at Xizhu Mountain and the blood-stained ground flashed before Qin Jiuye’s eyes. She felt an unspeakable sense of frustration for the Yuan Shuqing she had never met.
"Your constitution was weak. If you hadn't been sustained by precious medicinal herbs all these years, you wouldn't have lived this long..."
Before she could finish, he interrupted her angrily.
"But I couldn't wait any longer! I didn't want to spend my best years in a sickly body. I didn't want to watch my junior brothers and sisters master their skills and roam the world while I was trapped in this prisoner's chair of the Sect Leader’s foster son, merely a puppet to fulfill Yuan Shuqing’s reputation for benevolence and mercy!"
As Yuan Qi finished his outburst, he was gasping for breath. The magnificent crane cloak could not hide his weak and incompetent nature, making all his previous actions seem ridiculous.
Qin Jiuye withdrew her gaze, her calm tone sounding particularly piercing.
"Are you the only one in this world tormented by illness? If you had high ambitions and a heart for great things, you could have found a place to show your worth. Why trap yourself in the shackles of martial arts?"
"In the martial world, if one does not seek the heights of martial arts, what else is there to seek? This world was not made for the weak to survive. There is only one sin in this world: to be born lowly and weak."
Yuan Qi’s figure drew closer step by step. Qin Jiuye could almost smell the unmistakable scent of blood on his breath.
"I grew up in the sect, and over the years, I have learned one truth. A mortal body can never become an immortal bone. The root of all suffering in this world is not the confusion of failing to attain the Dao, but the destiny of inescapable illness. In the end, it is all about the word 'sickness.' If there were a secret formula that could cure a hundred ailments, it would be worth more than countless immortal pills. People would flock to it, even willing to sacrifice everything they hold dear. As a physician, you must feel deeply about what I say."
As Yuan Qi’s last word fell, he was only a step away from Qin Jiuye.
This was a distance where a martial arts expert could kill a person with their bare hands, where even the shortest weapon could easily strike. Yet he remained reckless, looking down at her from his height, his eyes devoid of any caution.
Qin Jiuye kept her head bowed. He had never truly seen her as a threat.
She hated that she hadn't learned martial arts; in a dangerous situation, she was at the mercy of others. She couldn't throw a handful of needles like Xin Yu to turn someone into a porcupine, nor could she strike like lightning like Zhu Fuxue to grab someone by the jaw.
She was even less than Yuan Qi; she was just a physician. Her needles were only for curing illness, and her hands were only for taking pulses and brewing medicine. She wasn't strong or powerful. But that shouldn't be the reason for her to be insulted and belittled.
She would not back down. Not before, not now, and not in the future.
She gently placed the oil lamp on the floor and raised her head, offering Yuan Qi a smile.
"Does the Sect Leader know where the two characters of my name, 'Yuanzhi,' come from?"
In the mountains, it is *Yuanzhi* (Far-reaching Ambition); out of the mountains, it is *Xiaocao* (Little Grass).
She was indeed just a blade of wild grass. Even though she had not yet "left the mountain," she had never harbored any grand ambitions. But even wild grass can stand tall after being trampled by a thousand people, shivering but proud in the wind on a cliffside.
"I come from the mountains, and I head toward the martial world. Let today be my official first day in this world!"
Qin Jiuye raised her head, her hand slipping deftly from her sleeve to accurately grasp his left wrist. She was no martial artist, but her movement in taking a pulse was perfected to the highest degree. Yuan Qi felt a sharp pain in his left hand, followed by a numbness that spread through half his arm. Before he could react, a bitter, pungent medicinal powder was slammed into his face. The fine powder entered deep into his nasal cavity, and a burning pain spread through his lungs.
"You! You dare! Someone, come—"
His voice sounded strange and weak. He held his breath, about to shout again, when he suddenly felt a numbness in his leg. He stumbled and fell to the floor.
Qin Jiuye abruptly withdrew her filiform needle, her entire hand shaking from the force of the sequence.
The first time she had followed the Daoist boy into the ship, she had noticed two corners in the descending stairs that would briefly separate her from the person in front. So, when she came here the second time, she used those two visual blind spots to perform two hidden actions.
At the first corner, she had removed the hairpin from her head. At the second, she unscrewed the head of the pin and quickly tucked the hidden filiform needle into the inside of her cuff.
She had used this pin to pick the lock of the Su family courtyard, to take He Yuanzhou’s blood, and to test the problematic Dalu Brew. Now, that needle was driven straight into a major acupoint on Yuan Qi’s left leg.
This strike had used up all the strength she had gathered along the way, and it seemed to have also drained the merit she had accumulated over years of practicing medicine. She had used this needle to save many patients and reclaim many lives, but in a moment of life and death, this needle was no different from the poison needles Xin Yu used to take lives.
Seeing Yuan Qi fall, Qin Jiuye was anxious to escape. She lifted her foot to step over him and rush for the door, but in the next moment, a cold hand clamped onto her ankle. A great force struck her waist; she dodged clumsily, and the coarse cloth belt around her waist instantly tore apart under the strain.
She turned her head in panic, meeting Yuan Qi’s terrifying face. His hand was thin but excessively powerful; she could almost feel his finger bones sinking into her flesh, dragging her down like a bear trap. It was a force that made one feel the immediate presence of death, an experience that could not be understood without living through it. In her terror, Qin Jiuye confirmed once again that Yuan Qi had taken the secret formula and his body had changed; his acupoint reactions were different from a normal person's. In her haste to escape, she had been careless.
*Clang.*
In the moment of crisis, her past experiences transformed into an inspiration for survival. Something had fallen from her torn belt, wobbling on the floor before stopping not far in front of her. Qin Jiuye shifted her gaze and was momentarily stunned.
It was a copper mirror lying face down on the floor, its shape and size looking somewhat familiar.
Before she could get a clear look, Yuan Qi, who was still holding her ankle, slowly raised his head. His nose, mouth, and eyes were stained red from the powder, and his dilated pupils were like two pitch-black holes, ready to swallow everything before him.
"You will regret this..."
At the critical moment, Qin Jiuye reached out with all her might to grab the copper mirror, then kicked over the oil lamp on the floor. The shattered lamp ignited a small patch of fire on the ground. Qin Jiuye flipped the copper mirror, and a blinding beam of light instantly pierced the darkness, falling directly onto Yuan Qi’s face. He let out a scream as if molten iron had been poured over him, instantly releasing his grip to cover his eyes.
Having learned her lesson, Qin Jiuye did not relax. She yanked the needle from his leg and drove it into another major acupoint.
This time, Yuan Qi finally lost consciousness completely.
Qin Jiuye retrieved her needle and scrambled back four or five steps. Daring not to look again at the man lying on the floor, she turned and bolted out of the room.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
远志 | Yuǎnzhì (Polygala / Far-reaching Ambition) | A medicinal herb; also Qin Jiuye's formal name.
小草 | Xiǎocǎo (Little Grass) | The name for Polygala once harvested; Qin Jiuye's nickname.
鹤氅 | Hèchǎng (Crane Cloak) | A traditional robe made of feathers or fine wool, often worn by Daoists.
毫针 | Háozhēn (Filiform needle) | A very thin acupuncture needle.
大庐酿 | Dàlú Niàng (Dalu Brew) | A specific wine or concoction central to the plot.
黄姑子 | Huáng-gūzi (Village doctress / Hedge-doctor) | A somewhat derogatory term for a female folk healer or shaman.
