Disaster Averted by Spending Money

"Little Medicine Immortal, what is going on here?"

Leaning on his bone staff, Tuoba Yuan withdrew his gaze from the Medicine Immortal Hall's beast-hide door curtain and fixed it on Little Medicine Immortal. His voice was not loud, yet it carried a crushing pressure, like a boulder weighing upon everyone's hearts. The surrounding tribespeople fell silent, even unconsciously softening their breaths.

Little Medicine Immortal took a deep breath, stepped forward, let her hands hang at her sides, and spoke openly:

"Reporting to the Great Elder, a month ago, I went to Hundred Beasts' Mausoleum to gather herbs and discovered a human on Shattered Stone Beach. He was covered in blood, his dantian shattered and his meridians severed. He had already fallen unconscious. I could not bear to watch him be devoured by demonic beasts, so I took it upon myself to bring him back to the tribe to recover."

She paused, bit her lip, and lowered her voice.

"This was my doing alone and has nothing to do with anyone else. I know the tribe's rules. Bringing a human into the tribe without permission deserves punishment."

"Nonsense!"

Tuoba Yuan abruptly slammed down his bone staff. The crimson gem at its base struck the sand with a dull thud. Anger surfaced on his wrinkled face, and flames blazed in his clouded eyes.

"The tribe's rules state it clearly: no tribesperson may bring a human into the tribe without authorization. Violators shall be severely punished! As the Tavern Keeper of the Medicine Immortal Hall, have you forgotten even this rule?"

Little Medicine Immortal's knees gave way, and she knelt in the sand, pressing her forehead against the scorching yellow grains.

"Little Medicine Immortal knows her mistake. I was desperate to save him and was muddleheaded for a moment. I had planned to