After a moment of tense silence, Xue Zi Ye coldly grabbed the medical kit and threw it toward him. Miao Feng caught it effortlessly and nodded to her. “My apologies.”
He swiftly unfastened the kit and began inspecting the herbs and tools inside with great care, occasionally sniffing some of the medicinal plants. If he was unsure, he passed them to the sect's disciples, who were knowledgeable in medicine, instructing them to taste and identify any potential poisons.
Xue Zi Ye watched coldly, with a sneer. “Such a crude method—if I really intended to use poison, it would be something on the level of the Seven-Star Begonia.”
Seven-Star Begonia? Miao Feng was slightly startled, but time was pressing. He continued his inspection without expression, checking every item thoroughly. Once confirmed to be safe, the herbs were repacked and handed to the disciples outside for safekeeping.
“Master Xue, please enter the sedan chair.”
He lifted the curtain and slightly bowed, watching her sit inside. As he glanced at her hands, he noticed them trembling slightly. For a moment, a trace of emotion flickered across his usually impassive face—so, even this calm and resolute woman was inwardly nervous when faced with such a situation.
Miao Feng glanced at her, then gently lowered the curtain and said softly:
“Rest assured. I will ensure the sect leader’s safety, but I will also guarantee your well-being.”
* * *
As the sun rose over the icy peaks, the sedan chair came to a stop at the jade steps of the Grand Light Hall. A disciple on duty saw it and rushed inside to report.
“The sect leader summons Master Xue,” came the reply moments later, passing through layers of fluttering banners inside the hall.
Xue Zi Ye, sitting in the sedan, trembled slightly, her eyes flickering, fingers clenched tightly. At that moment, the poison she had temporarily suppressed with Bi Ling Dan seemed to rise again, its deadly power making her body shudder uncontrollably.
“Master Xue,” the curtain was lifted from outside. Miao Feng bowed in front of the sedan, his face calm.
She steadied herself, slowly got out, and stepped onto the jade stairs. Miao Feng followed her at a measured pace, while attendants carrying her medical kit and various tools marched behind, as if they were about to perform a grand ritual.
Xue Zi Ye walked step by step toward the imposing and solemn hall, her gaze becoming more determined and composed with each step.
Yes, at this point, there was no turning back, not even for a single step.
She was, after all, a healer—saving lives was her duty. Yet today, she was venturing alone into the den of tigers and wolves, about to commit an act that violated the very principles of a healer. In that cold, menacing hall, surrounded by dangers, anyone could easily kill her, a defenseless woman, with a mere flick of the wrist. However, she was willing to pay any price to drag that demon sitting on the high jade throne down to hell!
Miao Feng followed silently behind her, his footsteps so light they were inaudible.
She lowered her head and entered the grand hall, receiving the medical kit from one of the attendants.
“Master Xue,” a deep voice echoed from the depths of the hall, pulling her wandering soul back. “You’ve finally come…”
Lifting her head, Xue Zi Ye saw countless crimson prayer banners fluttering in the grand hall. On the central jade throne, a luxurious golden robe cascaded down like a waterfall. The elderly man, with hair as white as snow, reclined against the throne, cradling a beauty in his arms, and stretched out his hand toward her. His pale fingers trembled slightly, the veins under his parchment-thin skin writhing like invisible snakes beneath the surface.
Xue Zi Ye was startled in that moment: Was that... the Sect Leader?
—In just one night, he had become so frail!
“When you examine me, stand by my side,” the Sect Leader turned his head and whispered weakly into Miao Feng's ear, his voice barely intelligible, “You're the only one I trust now, Feng.”
Miao Feng visibly trembled at these words, then replied quietly, “Understood.”
“Feng,” the Sect Leader lifted his hand, gesturing faintly. Miao Feng bent down to support his arm and helped him descend the jade steps. In that instant, realizing how weakened the once-mighty leader had become, a flash of shock appeared in Miao Feng's eyes. Miao Shui remained where she was, simply folding her sleeves and standing at a distance by the hall’s drapery, seemingly keeping watch.
Xue Zi Ye pushed the medicinal pillow across the table, saying, “Let me take your pulse first.”
The Sect Leader silently placed his wrist on the pillow. Standing beside him, Miao Feng’s gaze flickered for a moment—he knew the wrist was one of the most vulnerable parts of the body. If she harbored any ill intentions, then...
But before his hand could move toward the hilt of his sword, Xue Zi Ye had already released the Sect Leader's wrist.
“The illness is a result of inner energy going awry, and it’s been a month and seventeen days since it began,” she said after a brief examination, lowering her eyes and writing down her observations with calm confidence. “Your Qi has gone out of control, spilling out of your energy sea. Your meridians are in disarray, and the Three Burners Meridian is paralyzed. The acupoints throughout your body are swollen, and each night at midnight, it must feel like you’re being pierced by thousands of needles, making the pain unbearable—is that correct?”
Surprise flickered in the Sect Leader’s eyes as he looked at the young female doctor, then he nodded. “Exactly right.”
“Hah…” Xue Zi Ye glanced at his face, then nodded. “After the onset of the illness, you must have tried various treatments—but unfortunately, none of them were effective, and the condition only worsened.”
A hint of impatience crept into the Sect Leader's eyes, and he cut her off. “Then, how long will it take to recover?”
Xue Zi Ye paused her writing and smiled. “Shouldn’t the Sect Leader first ask ‘Can it be cured?’”
The Sect Leader smiled as well, though his gaze grew darker. “I didn’t think I needed to ask that. If even the Valley Master of Medicine Valley says it can’t be cured, then my fate must truly be sealed...”
“Yes,” Xue Zi Ye said, unfazed by the mounting tension in the air. “You’ve already reached the level of an earthly immortal. Ordinary methods can no longer harm you. If not for this current deviation in your energy, it seems there would be nothing in this world that could trouble you, Sect Leader.”
She spoke lightly, almost dismissively, as she played with the silver needles beside her, unconcerned with the fact that the Sect Leader, gravely ill, was losing his usual self-restraint.
“Enough with the games!” Suddenly, the Sect Leader’s arm shot forward, his hand clamping around Xue Zi Ye’s throat. Veins bulged in his hand as he growled, “Tell me—can it be cured? If not, I’ll have you buried with me!”
Xue Zi Ye, strangled by the force of his grip, let out a small gasp. Her hand slipped, causing a silver needle to pierce her finger, but she couldn’t even cry out.
Miao Feng’s face turned ashen. Instinctively, he took a step forward to intervene, but hesitated, as if some invisible force held him back.
—After all, in the decades he had served the Sect Leader, he had never openly defied him.
“...It...can be cured!” In that brief moment, Xue Zi Ye managed to squeeze out two words.
The Sect Leader released her instantly, allowing her to collapse back into her seat, gasping for breath. His face softened, his features regaining their usual benevolent mask. “Ah... I knew it. Medicine Valley's skills are unparalleled in this world. How could I have doubted you?”
He placed his hand back on the pillow and spoke with an unsettling calmness. “Then, I’ll leave myself in your capable hands, Master Xue.”
Xue Zi Ye clutched her throat, breathing heavily, her face pale. She shot a cold glance at the Sect Leader, then at Miao Feng standing nearby—a trace of contempt flashed in her eyes. Miao Feng’s hand still trembled on the hilt of his sword, but he had not dared to draw it. When he saw her glance at him, his whole body shuddered, and he quickly averted his gaze.
Miao Shui, on the other hand, simply stood by, watching as if nothing had happened.
Xue Zi Ye slowly lowered her hand and exhaled. “Fine… I’ll use the Golden Needle Meridian-Opening technique from the ‘Hidden Secrets of Medicine Valley’ to clear all your meridians. But I expect the Sect Leader to keep his word and release Ming Jie afterward.”
“Of course,” the Sect Leader smiled warmly. “I am a man of my word.”
Xue Zi Ye nodded, opened her medical kit, and spread out a series of medicine boxes—inside were alternating red and white pills, exuding a strong fragrance. She carefully selected two. “This is Purple Gold Vitality Pill to replenish Qi and blood. The Sect Leader should take it first, and once it takes effect in about a quarter of an hour, I will proceed with the needle treatment. This box contains Anxi Incense, which calms the mind and relieves pain. Please light it in the incense burner.”
“Feng,” the Sect Leader commanded in a low voice.
“Yes.” Miao Feng stepped forward without hesitation, took the pill, smelled it, and even tasted a small amount—testing it on himself. Xue Zi Ye watched him, her expression complicated.
“No issue,” Miao Feng reported after a moment, bowing slightly. “It can be used.”
“Then light it,” the Sect Leader ordered, swallowing the pill and gesturing for Miao Feng to light the incense.
The rich fragrance filled the cold grand hall, and the silence grew so deep that one could hear the faintest sound of a pin dropping. Xue Zi Ye lowered her head, carefully sterilized the silver needles over the flame, and then looked up. “Please turn around.”
She gently picked up a needle and said, “I will begin the meridian opening. Please relax your entire body and stop all internal energy flow.”
The Sect Leader’s eyes flickered briefly, but he complied, turning his back to her. As he did, Miao Feng took a step forward, positioning himself to watch over everything. The Sect Leader pulled off his outer robe, exposing his back to a stranger for the first time—when the golden robe fell away, everyone’s faces changed!
What...what is that?! Xue Zi Ye suppressed a gasp as she gazed at his exposed back.
It was hardly human—the crisscrossing scars wove a terrifying picture, with even fragments of white bone faintly visible beneath the skin, like a doll that had been shattered and then clumsily sewn back together.
“Did you know?” the Sect Leader’s low voice came from ahead, followed by a chilling laugh. “I, too, came from the Asura Field.”
Xue Zi Ye’s eyes widened in shock for the first time, and her hand trembled, causing the needle to quiver.
“Begin,” the Sect Leader ordered, his voice deep.
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