Chapter 61

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Chapter 61: Title

Xia Shi never imagined that when she told the Floating Life Palace Master to find a medical cultivator, he’d bring Chen Ci instead.

Chen Ci’s eyes showed momentary surprise upon seeing her.

"You’re from the Thirteen Ghost Domains?" Xia Shi narrowed her eyes, her tone hostile.

She’d assumed Chen Ci became a wandering doctor after leaving Divine Doctor Valley, yet here he stood with Jiang Fenghe, appearing deeply acquainted.

Without his puppet shell this time, Chen Ci answered personally, his voice still gravelly and cold. "Does it matter? Do you have alternatives?"

In present-day Yunze – no, the entire Nine Realms – with Divine Doctor Valley in seclusion, no better medical cultivator existed than him.

He turned toward the two figures lying on the floor.

A smirk touched his lips. "Salvageable."

"But terms apply."

"What terms?" Xia Shi knew Chen Ci never worked without steep payment.

"I want the method ensuring Miss Jiang’s sister avoids Nine Realms’ spiritual power interference and lives freely like ordinary cultivators."

Xia Shi’s lips thinned. This was her private agreement with Jiang Fenghe – now Chen Ci held Lu Ciyou and Yan Li’s lives hostage.

"Done."

At her consent, Chen Ci produced forty-nine silver needles arranged in ordered rows.

He approached the patients, then paused. "Only one."

As he passed, Xia Shi seized his arm, stormy emotions swirling in her dark gaze. "You break faith."

Chen Ci pried her hand off. "I said salvageable. Never specified numbers."

Suiyin interjected anxiously, "How to save both?"

Chen Ci’s face darkened. "Only one."

He pointed at blood-drenched Yan Li. "This one’s already dead. Meridians beyond mending. Even with rare treasures, she’d remain bedridden – useless."

"Worth saving?"

Bypassing Yan Li, he levitated Lu Ciyou. Silver needles flew with precision, piercing acupoints as spiritual energy flowed.

The unconscious woman twitched, jaw clenched against pain but silent.

After half an incense time, Chen Ci retrieved his needles, lowering Lu Ciyou gently.

"Minor injuries. Lost an eye, but keeps her life." His dismissive glance at Yan Li seemed charitable.

Seeing both wounds, Chen Ci understood why the other had been ravaged so completely.

She let out a light sigh, fingers resting on the severely injured person’s wrist. As she probed the depleted Dantian, she found no trace of the Golden Core.

This was expected – only by burning one’s Golden Core and absorbing spiritual power beyond the meridians’ capacity could every channel in the body rupture completely.

Chen Ci felt faint admiration. He’d never seen anyone sacrifice so much for another. Most cultivators preferred self-destruction over core dissipation. Though dissipation offered slim survival chances, the aftermath brought hundredfold suffering. The fortunate might retain some spiritual power but remain stagnant forever; the unlucky faced complete Golden Core destruction.

This case represented the worst outcome.

Chen Ci wondered why she hadn’t died yet.

Any other cultivator – even at transformation stage – would’ve perished long ago with such injuries.

"Blind in one eye?" Suiyin flexed her fingers, shifting her gaze from Lu Ciyou’s bone-deep wounds to Chen Ci. "Aren’t you the healer who resurrects corpses? Why can’t you fix these two?"

Chen Ci: "…"

With a mix of amusement and anger, the healer flicked a silver needle toward her.

The needle clanged against steel, sparking as it rebounded. Chen Ci caught it effortlessly.

A figure now shielded the sharp-tongued girl, frost-patterned sword sliding into its scabbard. Jiang Fenghe tugged Suiyin’s sleeve, whispering urgently, "She’s untouchable."

"I know," Chen Ci said coldly. He hadn’t even used spiritual power – just delivering a warning.

Xia Shi glanced at Suiyin, brows lowering in silent admonishment. With Lu Ciyou and Yan Li still unconscious, they couldn’t risk provoking potential Thirteen Ghost Domains connections.

Suiyin turned away with a huff, biting back further remarks.

Chen Ci inspected the silver needle before addressing Xia Shi. "I’ve saved your people. Your turn."

Xia Shi pointed skyward. "We need only deceive that."

Both Chen Ci and Jiang Fenghe looked up through the broken roof. The sky.

Deceiving heaven itself.

Jiang Fenghe snorted derisively. How could anyone believe this madness?

Chen Ci brushed his palm, tone ambiguous. "Truly living up to your ‘challenging heaven with one sword’ reputation. Reckless words and ideas come easily to you."

The sarcasm hung thick. Suiyin tensed to retort, but Xia Shi’s restraining hand stopped her.

Xia Shi chuckled. "Since forcibly retaining souls in Nine Realms defies heaven, boldness becomes necessary."

"You claimed capability." Jiang Fenghe’s grip tightened on his blade, newfound wariness in his eyes after recognizing her. Their clash in Lingyang Secret Realm made sense now – her sword energy had repelled his full strike effortlessly.

This heaven-favored genius remained formidable even at Nascent Soul realm.

"I can." Xia Shi’s certainty made her doubters waver.

"How?" Jiang Fenghe demanded.

Xia Shi’s finger stabbed toward the wounded. "By healing them."

Chen Ci: “…”

His brow twitched repeatedly as the healer gritted his teeth. "I said I can’t save her."

He thought he should’ve brought the puppet shell next time – he’d repeated himself three times already.

"You can save her," Xia Shi stated firmly.

She knew Chen Ci could heal her, but chose not to. Even if Yan Li weren’t her junior sect sister, no Sanqing disciple could lie dying before her without receiving aid.

Chen Ci snorted. "What if I refuse?"

Xia Shi crossed her arms, remaining silent.

The stalemate broke when a faint groan echoed. Suiyin turned, expecting Lu Ciyou awake, but found the sound came from Yan Li instead. All eyes widened in shock – the woman had seemed moments from death.

Chen Ci materialized beside Yan Li despite his earlier refusal. For the first time, his diagnosis proved wrong. The severed meridians were mysteriously reconnecting themselves – a phenomenon only seen during post-tribulation breakthroughs, not in dying patients.

When Chen Ci extended spiritual power to investigate, the repairing force retaliated violently. A tidal surge smashed into his chest, sending him flying. Jiang Fenghe intercepted mid-air, both crashing against the door.

Chen Ci coughed blood. Sealing his major acupoints, he swiftly inserted needles to protect his heart meridian. Pale but intrigued, he eyed Yan Li. "Fascinating."

Turning to the others, he announced, "She’ll live."

Suiyin sighed in relief. "Thank goodness!"

Her smile faded when Xia Shi vanished. Following Jiang Fenghe’s gaze, they found Xia Shi attempting what Chen Ci had tried – channeling spiritual power into Yan Li.

"Stop!" Suiyin cried, recalling how the healer had nearly died. Her heart pounded as she rushed to intervene, but Xia Shi stood up first.

Xia Shi rubbed her fingertips as the silken threads around her index finger dissolved. She whispered, "This feels like… spiritual power."

"Spiritual power?" Jiang Fenghe and Chen Ci locked eyes, their thoughts connected through divine communion. Behind his back, Jiang Fenghe silently released a black bird from his palm.

The bird soared upward until dark fog swallowed it whole. Not a feather remained.

"Are there really immortals in the Nine Realms?" Suiyin leaned forward eagerly.

Xia Shi shrugged. "Never met one."

Cultivators of the Nine Realms knew ascension brought immortality – that portraits would preserve their likeness, that stone statues in the mortal realm would bear offerings. Yet no ascensions had occurred in living memory. The faded images worshiped today showed figures from a thousand years past.

"Use the backyard as needed," Jiang Fenghe said, already turning away. "Just keep bloodstains off my porch." His hurried silhouette disappeared with Chen Ci into the rain.

Xia Shi and Suiyin squeezed the unconscious men onto a single bed. "We’ll guard them tonight," Xia Shi decided, fingers brushing her sword’s hilt.

They sat vigil at the wooden table, blades within easy reach. Rain drummed the roof tiles, masking other night sounds. Xia Shi snapped awake from half-sleep to find Suiyin nodding like a little chick pecking grain.

Lightning bleached the room white. In that frozen moment, they saw her – a woman’s figure framed in the doorway.

Knuckles rapped wood politely.

Before Xia Shi could react, Suiyin mumbled sleepily, "Who’s there?"

A musical chuckle answered. Suiyin jerked upright as the door swung open despite Xia Shi’s protective formation. No wind touched the candleless room.

"Such darkness," crooned a velvet voice that made Suiyin’s sword hand twitch. As light bloomed without flame, crimson eyes glowed like forge coals.

Demonic possession? Xia Shi’s muscles tensed. No – this woman’s gaze held sharp clarity. She yanked Suiyin back as the girl instinctively moved toward the stranger.

Their hands clasped together, the usually warm palms now cold and clammy.

Was she frightened?

Xia Shi keenly detected Suiyin’s emotions, feeling puzzled in her heart.

The next instant, Suiyin broke free and stepped towards the unfamiliar woman, bowing her head to murmur, "Aunt Yan."