Chapter 197: The Origin of That Mass of Death Qi

Chapter 197: Chapter 197: The Origin of That Mass of Death Qi

Ji Bufan’s intelligence network was remarkably efficient. On the third day after Jing’an sent a message to Ji Bufan, a healer arrived at Celestial Heart Hall.

Chu Fan had actually heard of this healer’s title before. It was just that with Yun Xi so gravely ill, his mind was in such turmoil that he hadn’t been thinking straight.

This old man was over 160 years old, an Independent Cultivator with a cultivation at Soul Emergence Realm Tier Three. Rumor had it that he was the disciple of the Medical Saint Hand, Miao Guchun.

In the Cultivation Realm of the Eastern Domain, he himself was known by the resounding title of the Invisible Nether Monarch.

It was said that anyone he treated, even those whose lives hung by a thread, he could bring back from the brink of death.

However, in this world, any healer of great skill was bound to have some eccentricities.

The Invisible Nether Monarch, Chi Hui, was no exception. He had his "Three to Save" and "Three to Not Save."

For anyone who met any of the "Three to Save" conditions, he would treat them without asking for a single coin, even traveling thousands of miles to do so. As for the "Three to Not Save," he would not lift a finger to help, even if you offered him the world or held a blade to his throat.

The Three to Save: First, those born under an extremely specific and rare alignment of celestial signs—if their birth chart met at least three of four particular conditions related to the year, month, day, and hour, he was obligated to save them.

Second, those of great virtue who were injured in the act of saving another.

The Three to Not Save: First, those who violated the basic tenets of morality. Second, disciples of the Six Sects and Eight Gates. Third, those born of extreme Yang.

Aside from his three rules, whether he treated anyone else depended entirely on fate. If he felt an affinity with the person, he would charge nothing. If he felt no affinity, the price was a life for a life.

As Yun Xi had been expelled from the Lingyun Sect, she no longer counted as a disciple of the Six Sects and Eight Gates. Furthermore, she didn’t fall into any of his other absolute categories for treatment or refusal.

It was a mystery what methods Ji Bufan had used to convince him to come.

Although Chi Hui was over 160 years old, he had the face of a man in his forties or fifties. He had a stalwart, imposing figure and a square-jawed, heroic face. He looked nothing like a miraculous healer, but rather more like a Grand General.

A Medicine Boy of twelve or thirteen followed at his side, slightly stooped under the weight of a large medicine chest on his back.

Led by a female disciple, Chi Hui and the boy were brought into Celestial Heart Hall, where Jing’an personally escorted them to the courtyard where Yun Xi was resting.

"My Lord, Bufan has brought the Invisible Nether Monarch, Divine Doctor Chi Hui," Jing’an announced from outside the room.

"Sect Leader Jing exaggerates," a voice interjected from outside. "Although I have some medical skill, I would not be so arrogant as to call myself a Divine Doctor."

Hearing the title "Invisible Nether Monarch," Chu Fan quickly rose and opened the door.

"I have heard of the Invisible Nether Monarch’s fame since I was a boy," Chu Fan said, bowing to Chi Hui. "Thank you for taking the trouble to travel so far, Divine Doctor."

"I have heard of what Young Friend Chu accomplished on Taiyue Mountain several days ago," Chi Hui replied. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Since it is your esteemed wife who is unwell, I will not delay if I have the ability to treat her. Let us dispense with the pleasantries; allow me to examine her first."

Ever since entering Celestial Heart Hall, Chi Hui had spoken with surprising humility.

He seemed a world apart from the Invisible Nether Monarch of the stories Chu Fan had heard.

With Yun Xi’s health on the line, Chu Fan dared not dally, and he quickly led the doctor into the room.

Chi Hui walked to the bedside. Yun Xi, lacking the strength for more, simply gave him a weak nod in greeting.

"Madam, please do not move. Forgive my impertinence," Chi Hui said, taking Yun Xi’s wrist and placing his fingers on it to feel her pulse.

He remained still, listening intently to her pulse for a long time.

Chi Hui’s brow furrowed deeper and deeper. Finally, he released Yun Xi’s hand, stood up, nodded at Chu Fan, and led the way out of the room.

Chu Fan sensed the gravity of the situation, and his heart sank.

Once outside, Chi Hui didn’t stop. He motioned for the Medicine Boy to stay back and walked all the way to the pavilion in the middle of the courtyard.

Chu Fan was the only one who followed.

"Young Friend," Chi Hui began, getting straight to the point, "did your wife ever go to a so-called Land of Death before she reached the Core Formation stage?"

"’A Land of Death?’" Chu Fan repeated, thinking for a moment before shaking his head.

Chi Hui reached out, picking at one of the pavilion’s pillars. His gaze was grave. "That’s impossible," he said. "Your wife’s Death Qi is emanating from her Nascent Soul. It must have invaded her body before she reached Core Formation. Then, when she formed her Golden Core, the Death Qi became embedded within it."

Hearing this, Chu Fan grew pensive. "Is there a cure?" he asked.

Chi Hui shook his head. "If the Death Qi had not been activated, I would have had ways to keep it contained within her Nascent Soul. At the very least, I could have prevented it from seeping out to consume her life force. But..."

Here, Chi Hui clasped his hands in a formal gesture toward Chu Fan. "Please forgive my bluntness. If your wife had not lost her Primordial Yin, this Death Qi wouldn’t have been triggered until she reached the Soul Emergence Realm, at the earliest. Unfortunately, a few days ago, after your... Yin Yang Harmony..."

’How could I not understand?’

He had already suspected as much. Now, with his fears confirmed, he was consumed by regret and self-blame. And from the look on Chi Hui’s face, it was obvious the doctor had no solution either.

’With a reputation like his, if even he has no solution, who in this world can possibly save Yun Xi?’

"Alas, my Cultivation is ultimately too shallow, and my own aptitude is mediocre," Chi Hui said. "I only managed to learn thirty percent of my master’s Medical Dao. I am powerless to treat your wife’s condition."

Chi Hui’s words were a death sentence for Yun Xi. A sharp, twisting pain seized Chu Fan’s heart.

"If left unchecked, the Death Qi will consume her life force completely. Your wife has seven days at most. However, while I cannot cure her, I can slow the process down. This will buy you time to find another renowned healer."

"But if even you, Divine Doctor Chi, the Invisible Nether Monarch, can do nothing... then who in this world possibly can?" Chu Fan couldn’t stop his fists from clenching, his teeth gritting. But there was no medicine for regret in this world.

"You flatter me, Young Friend. The world has given me far too much credit; I am unworthy of the title ’Divine Doctor.’ In this age, if any can truly be called a Divine Doctor, there are but two."

"Who are they?"

"From the Southern Border, there is the Celestial Deformed Saint Hand, King of Ten Thousand Gu, Yin Duansheng. And from Hundred Flowers Valley in the Central State, there is the Hundred Flowers Wanderer, Lao Yisheng."

"Ah!"

Chu Fan cried out in surprise. He had never heard of a "Celestial Deformed Saint Hand, King of Ten Thousand Gu," but Lao Yisheng... not only had he heard of the man, he had met him. That old fellow was an absolute glutton! He remembered when he and Yan Ying had encountered Lao Yisheng. They had drunk his Hundred Flowers and Hundred Fruits Brew, remained drunk for days, and experienced a massive boost in their Cultivation.

Yan Ying had even told him at the time that Lao Yisheng’s medical skills were extraordinary.

"The Southern Border is very far, and its customs are... peculiar. Yin Duansheng is known to be perverse and unpredictable. It would be better for you to go to the Central Domain, Young Friend. The only problem is, the Hundred Flowers Wanderer’s movements are erratic... *sigh*. In the end, it will all depend on your fortune."

Chi Hui sighed. He had come here because he had heard of Chu Fan’s recent deeds—particularly the annihilation of Red Blood Mansion, which was equivalent to excising the greatest tumor from the Eastern Domain. He had wanted to see for himself this young man who was not yet thirty years old.

And the reason he had been so forthcoming was because of Yun Xi’s peerless beauty.

For such a stunning woman to perish in her youth—even Chi Hui felt it would be a profound shame.

"Come. I will help contain the Death Qi within your wife’s body."

After saying this, Chi Hui went back into the room with Chu Fan. He instructed Chu Fan to help Yun Xi into a sitting position while he took out an array of Silver Needles.

There were 108 Silver Needles in total, all of varying lengths and thicknesses. One by one, he inserted them into the acupoints on Yun Xi’s body.

Despite possessing the Cultivation of the Soul Emergence Realm, by the time he had placed all 108 Silver Needles, Chi Hui’s robes were soaked through as if they’d just been laundered, and his hair was plastered to his head with sweat.

With Yun Xi’s body now bristling with Silver Needles, Chu Fan could clearly see the mass of Death Qi being bound by a profound and mysterious force, finally coming to rest within her Dantian...