58. The Use of Maltesers!
By the time Gong Yiling found Shangguan Ziyuan, the girl was practically dead.
Why “practically”?
She had apparently been thrown off the cliff. From this height, even a healthy cultivator would be severely injured.
However… she had landed in a pool of water, cushioned by a pile of broken branches.
It seemed she had hit at least ten branches on her way down, slowing her fall.
Talk about luck.
But that didn’t mean Shangguan Ziyuan was in good shape.
“Master… she…” Qiu Shui withdrew her green healing energy and shook her head at Gong Yiling.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve healed her external injuries, but her internal injuries…” Qiu Shui hesitated. “Her meridians are intact, but her dantian is destroyed, and her body can’t convert spiritual energy. My healing arts are ineffective.”
The key difference between healing arts and medicine was this:
Medicine and acupuncture relied on external forces to heal, while healing arts required the patient’s dantian to convert spiritual energy into special true essence for healing.
Even ordinary people, incapable of cultivation, had intact dantians, making them susceptible to healing arts.
But in Shangguan Ziyuan’s case, her dantian had to be repaired first before her internal injuries could be treated.
The problem was…
They weren’t Yan Chuyue.
They had no idea how to fix a damaged dantian. Even ordinary pills were ineffective.
Ordinary pills…
“Ah!”
Gong Yiling suddenly remembered something.
She rummaged through her Universe Ring and pulled out a dark purple Malteser.
Yes, it was called a Malteser. It had another name, but it was too long to bother with.
“Master, what’s this?”
“Based on my observations, it should be the legendary Nine Revolutions Heavenly Divine Pill that can heal all injuries,” Gong Yiling said seriously. “As for whether it’s still effective, I have no idea. And I have no one to ask.”
Qiu Shui hesitated. “What happens if she takes a spoiled pill?”
“I don’t know.”
“This…”
Gong Yiling held the pill, unable to make up her mind.
She didn’t want Shangguan Ziyuan to die or become a living corpse.
But if something went wrong after she took the pill, wouldn’t she be doing more harm than good?
“Can you wake her up?” Miss Gong asked.
“Just waking her up, I think so.”
“Then wake her up. The decision of whether to take it or not is hers, not mine.”
“Okay.”
…
…
When Shangguan Ziyuan regained consciousness, she was confused.
She… wasn’t dead?
But everything was dark. She could barely feel her limbs or torso, as if she had lost something vital.
Her dantian destroyed, limbs crippled, no inner energy, like a useless person.
Before the joy of survival could sink in, she was overwhelmed by emptiness, loneliness, and helplessness.
Even if she survived, what was the difference between this and death…?
And she could feel her condition worsening. This was just a temporary reprieve, a final flicker before being extinguished.
She was still going to…
“If you’re awake, make a sound.”
Huh?
The sudden female voice startled Shangguan Ziyuan.
She seemed to have heard this voice before.
“Is that… Senior?”
“Can you see?” Gong Yiling waved her hand in front of Shangguan Ziyuan’s eyes, but there was no reaction.
“No.”
“As long as you can hear and speak, it’s fine.”
“Did Senior… save me?”
“Not exactly, because you’re about to die.” Gong Yiling patted her forehead unceremoniously. “Fifth Princess, your injuries are too severe. Conventional methods are ineffective.”
Shangguan Ziyuan smiled bitterly. “Thank you for your efforts, Senior, but…”
“Do you have any last wishes?”
“…” Shangguan Ziyuan hesitated. “If possible, could you… inform the Emperor about my death, about the First Prince’s rebellion, and about what you said, that Miss Yan can heal my master…?”
Gong Yiling refused flatly. “No.”
“Ah… I understand. This is the Heartflame Empire’s internal affair. I shouldn’t involve you, Senior. But at least… my master’s matter…”
Gong Yiling: “Why ask me to do something you can do yourself?”
Shangguan Ziyuan was taken aback. “Senior…?”
Gong Yiling held the pill before Shangguan Ziyuan, then, remembering she couldn’t see, said,
“I have a pill that might save you, if it’s still effective.”
“However, due to some reasons, I don’t know what will happen after you take it. The worst-case scenario is death. Or perhaps your constitution will change…”
“If you want to try your luck, I can give you this pill.”
Shangguan Ziyuan seemed to hear only the words “might save you,” asking in disbelief,
“It can… save me?”
“Fifty-fifty. Normally, I would suggest waiting for a more reliable method, but now, this is the only option.”
“Whether you take it or not is up to you. But I’ve warned you about the risks.”
Shangguan Ziyuan didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take it.”
Even if the chance of survival was minuscule, she would take it.
Not for herself, but for her master, the Grand Elder, who was like a second father to her. She had to… find a way to heal him, to keep him alive.
And the First Prince’s plot, she had to stop it. If she had the chance, if she just had the chance!
“Alright.”
This answer was within Gong Yiling’s expectations.
She placed the pill in Shangguan Ziyuan’s mouth and helped her swallow it with some water. “Now it’s up to fate.”
This was all Miss Gong could do.
Whether Shangguan Ziyuan lived or died would soon be revealed—
“Whoosh—!!!”
Suddenly, a dark purple light erupted from Shangguan Ziyuan, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy sent Gong Yiling flying.
“Holy shit!”
Miss Gong barely reacted in time, managing to adjust her posture mid-air to avoid landing face-first.
But then, her head buzzed with a cacophony of system notifications.
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