All Things Are Contracts

Chapter 162: Incurable Disease

In the Eastern Kingdom’s academy town, this ancient city full of scholarly atmosphere had become somewhat quiet recently. Anyone with a bit of ability could sense this hidden change. Every day, people in different attire entered the city and then weren’t seen active again. As for the academies within the town, they had directly given all students an extended holiday.

Only as the day approached did everyone understand what was happening. A grand event involving major forces from all over the world, belonging to the human race, was about to be held in the academy town. Thunder Lord and the others had discussed for a long time whether to hold this battle secretly or make it public. The final conclusion was to make it a grand affair, best if the whole world knew about it. Because this was an opportunity to flex muscles, a chance to convey confidence to all people that the human race now had countless experts and emerging geniuses, and was not afraid of the Nightmares’ challenge. This kind of competition was more like a grand military parade, letting the various forces that had been dormant for years show their faces and boost morale.

In a teahouse in the academy town, a middle-aged Taoist was having tea with a handsome young man – it was the Alchemist and Zhanyue. Discussing alchemy with the Alchemist, Zhanyue had learned a lot.

“How do you feel after just advancing to a fifth-grade alchemist?” the Alchemist asked. Under his guidance, Zhanyue, who had broken through to the Profound Realm, had also successfully advanced to a fifth-grade alchemist, catching up with Baizhi’s level. But his skill was still far behind Baizhi’s, and many things needed time to settle. In terms of experience, he was far inferior to Baizhi.

“The path of alchemy is indeed as vast as smoke, as misty as the sea. The more I learn, the more ignorant I feel,” Zhanyue sighed.

“That’s natural. Even as a ninth-grade alchemist, I dare not say how far I’ve gone in alchemy. I have the formula for tenth-grade pills, but just reading it feels like reading a book from heaven, completely different from ordinary pill-refining methods. It involves understanding and application of the Dao and its implications. But you don’t need to aim too high. At least before you advance to a ninth-grade alchemist, I can still guide you. These paths have been walked countless times by our predecessors,” the Alchemist instructed.

As they chatted, they heard a commotion from below. Opposite the teahouse was a pharmacy that also served as a clinic to treat patients. The doctors in the academy town’s clinics were quite skilled, and there were even alchemists present.

At this moment, a plainly dressed man was kneeling outside the clinic, holding a little girl. The man had spent all his savings trying to cure his daughter, but the final conclusion was that the girl’s illness was incurable. The girl was about seven or eight years old, trembling constantly in her father’s arms.

“Father, it hurts. My head hurts, my hands hurt, my feet hurt too,” the little girl’s eyes were red, her tears long dried up.

“Liu San’er, go home. Kneeling here won’t solve anything. If others see this, they might think our clinic has done something terrible. We’ve examined your child, we even invited a sixth-grade alchemist from the merchant association to look at her. It’s indeed an incurable disease, there’s nothing we can do. Continuing to spend money is just a waste. The unused medicine at home, bring it back, we’ll buy it all back at the original price,” an elderly man in plain dress from the clinic looked at the father and daughter with some pity, but he had no solution. They were doctors, not immortals.

The crowd gathering around grew larger, all discussing the father and daughter’s situation, shaking their heads and sighing. Some even generously threw some money to Liu San’er.

“Doctor Wang, I know, I know you’ve all tried your best. I’m not expecting you to cure Ying’er’s illness now, I just hope you can help suppress her pain a bit. She’s in too much pain, can’t sleep, can’t eat. At least, I want her to be able to spend her remaining days happily, even if it’s just a few days,” the man named Liu San said chokingly. He knew there were some things he couldn’t change, and he had accepted fate, but he didn’t want his child to spend her last days in such pain.

The old man sighed deeply, “Ah, we’ve tried all the painkillers, all treatment plans. For this kind of incurable disease accompanied by endless pain, we really have no solution. Even if we knock her out or give her sleeping pills, she still wakes up in pain. We… we… ah…” Not only could they not save the little girl’s life, they couldn’t even make her less painful. This doctor had saved many lives in his lifetime and seen countless incurable diseases, but this time it was particularly heart-wrenching. He felt utterly powerless, but he had done all he could, even breaking rules to invite a sixth-grade alchemist to find a solution.

“Yin deficiency, qi depletion, soul and bones scattered, meridians blocked, not a single internal organ intact. It’s a miracle she’s lived till now. This is a truly incurable disease, not due to insufficient medical skill,” From far away, the Alchemist could see the girl’s condition at a glance. But even as a ninth-grade alchemist, he had no means to cure the little girl.

Zhanyue frowned deeply. If even the Alchemist said it couldn’t be cured, it must truly be an unsolvable illness.

“Senior, is this disease congenital?” Zhanyue asked.

The Alchemist shook his head, “No, it should be an infection from some evil entity later in life. Although the evil entity has left, it has already ravaged her body. Her life force is almost exhausted, all meridians blocked. Even longevity pills like the Long Spring Pill would be useless, as she can’t absorb them.”

As they were discussing, two women walked out from the crowd. One was a middle-aged woman with an elegant temperament, dressed simply but with an unworldly aura. Beside her stood a beautiful young woman in green clothes, her face covered with a white veil. The young woman wore a flower crown on her head, looking innocent and lovely.

“Oh? It’s them?” The Alchemist naturally recognized the two below. “Green Crane Valley Master Yan Baifeng and her beloved disciple.”

“Green Crane Valley Master? One of the four great alchemy masters of the current world?” Zhanyue asked in surprise.

Whether due to their unique aura, the crowd consciously parted to let the two walk in.

Yan Baifeng looked at the little girl, whose breath was as thin as a thread and whose face was contorted in pain, and shook her head. If it could be cured, she would have saved her casually, but unfortunately, this was a truly incurable disease. All meridians were blocked, even if given the right medicine, it couldn’t be absorbed, eliminating the possibility of being cured from the source.

“Master, could the Soul-Melting Bone Pill alleviate her pain?” Feng Xueqing asked beside her.

Yan Baifeng frowned and nodded, “It could, but this child’s life has at most three months left. Even taking the Soul-Melting Bone Pill would only make her more comfortable for these three months. The Soul-Melting Bone Pill is an eighth-grade pill, even I can’t easily refine it.”

“Master has forgotten, I received some pill inheritance in the Flower Sea Heavenly Cave before, including a Soul-Melting Bone Pill,” Feng Xueqing said while holding the little girl’s hand to examine her condition.

Liu San’er was stunned, realizing from their appearance that these two were no ordinary people. He hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed. “Please, fairy ladies, save my daughter.”

“Fairy ladies?” Feng Xueqing shook her head, “I’m no fairy lady. Take this pill and give it to her immediately. I’ll protect you as you do. Although it can’t save her life, at least it will ensure she won’t suffer from pain in her remaining months.”

“Thank you, fairy lady, thank you!” the man excitedly took the pill.

“Xueqing, this is an eighth-grade pill. Is it really worth it?” Yan Baifeng transmitted her voice, somewhat reluctant. If this eighth-grade pill could save the little girl’s life, it would be fine, but it could only make her more comfortable for the remaining few months. Was this really worth it?

“Those ephemeral creatures only live for a few days. You can’t say a life with only three months left is not a life,” Feng Xueqing had no hesitation about her choice. She didn’t care about these things.

“Sigh, do as you wish,” Yan Baifeng knew her disciple’s personality. The pill belonged to her, and how she wanted to use it and who she gave it to was naturally her own decision.

The Alchemist turned to look at Zhanyue, “This little girl is quite a match for you, very generous. Using an eighth-grade pill like this? It’s a pity though. If this little girl’s meridians weren’t all blocked, this eighth-grade pill could cure her illness. The Soul-Melting Bone Pill is very suitable for her condition. Now that she’s taking it, it can only rely on the pill’s own medicinal power to spread, truly a waste.”

“Senior, are you saying that if we solve the problem of the little girl’s blocked meridians, she could be saved by taking the pill?” Zhanyue asked.

The Alchemist nodded.

Suddenly, Zhanyue leapt down from the teahouse, landing in front of the group. He grabbed Liu San’er’s hand. “Don’t take it yet.”

Yan Baifeng and Feng Xueqing’s gazes turned cold simultaneously. Was this sudden intruder here to steal the pill? A mere Profound Being, truly audacious.

“Don’t misunderstand, you two. Let me check the little girl’s condition first, then it’s not too late to let her take it,” Zhanyue explained.

“You? What grade alchemist are you? We can’t cure this illness, what use is it for you to look?” Yan Baifeng said displeased. She was an alchemy master and top physician. She had said it couldn’t be cured, and now a junior was saying to let him try. This was equivalent to slapping her face.

“Senior, let me try. If it really doesn’t work, I’ll naturally know my limits and retreat,” Zhanyue said calmly.

Yan Baifeng pursed her lips. As a master of her generation, there was no need to argue with a junior over such a matter. “Go ahead and try.” She didn’t stop Zhanyue’s next actions.