Chapter Sixty-One: The Cure

Ling Tian stood nearby, examining Nan Gong Xue’s condition and pondering possible treatments. Meanwhile, Nan Gong Ye pinned down the old priest and gave him a thorough beating. Afterward, Nan Gong Ye searched the old man’s body, turning up a Bagua mirror, a fly whisk, a coin sword, and many other small objects. A group of people gathered to inspect these items, finding that each contained hidden mysteries, exactly as Ling Tian had described.

Only then did Nan Gong Zhenyu fully believe Ling Tian’s words and gain a new respect for him. Clearly, this man was no ordinary person if he could see through the old priest’s tricks.

“You wretched old fool! Swindling money is one thing, but do you realize your actions could worsen my sister’s illness and kill her?” Nan Gong Ye shouted angrily, delivering two more kicks that made the old priest howl in pain. “Someone, tie him up and wait for Young Master Ling’s judgment!”

Ling Tian investigated meticulously. The yin energy had spread throughout Nan Gong Xue’s body, her internal organs corroded, her health severely declined. To put it simply, though Nan Gong Xue was only eighteen, her body was in the condition of an eighty-year-old, and her organs were deteriorating faster and faster.

In the words of the common folk, Nan Gong Xue’s illness was beyond saving.

Fortunately, she had already used a talisman to ward off evil; otherwise, she would have died long ago.

Nan Gong Zhenyu approached Ling Tian, looking at his daughter’s vacant eyes and pale face, so heartbroken he nearly shed tears.

“Young man, how is my daughter now?” Nan Gong Zhenyu asked quietly. “If you can cure her, I’ll meet any condition you name.”

Ling Tian deeply understood Nan Gong Zhenyu’s feelings—the helplessness of a responsible man unable to save his own daughter.

“Rest assured, I’ll do my best. But your daughter’s illness is very serious—I can’t guarantee I can cure her. I’ll try my utmost,” Ling Tian said, taking a deep breath. He reached into his robe and pulled out a healing talisman, flicking it onto Nan Gong Xue’s chest. It transformed into a gentle light, permeating her body.

The healing talisman turned to ash.

Everyone present was stunned. This was true mastery—quiet, effortless magic far superior to the old priest’s flashy tricks.

An Qi watched, a spark of recognition flashing through her mind. Now she understood why Ling Tian seemed so familiar: he was the expert who sold her the spirit talisman.

The healing talisman’s purpose was to repair Nan Gong Xue’s damaged body and strengthen her vitality. Once her health improved, the evil-warding talisman could work even more effectively.

Ling Tian used two more healing talismans in succession. The color in Nan Gong Xue’s cheeks returned, her breathing steadied, though her eyes remained dull and lifeless.

Ling Tian produced an evil-warding talisman, activating it with his spiritual sense. A faint golden light formed a sphere, enveloping Nan Gong Xue and slowly seeping into her body. Ling Tian himself guided the talisman’s power, making it even stronger than when An Qi had used hers.

An Qi was now sure—this young man was the master from the Sapphire Market who sold her the spirit talisman, for the effect was identical. The only difference was that Ling Tian didn’t use any incantation, but that hardly mattered.

Nan Gong Ye’s face revealed sudden realization—the true master had always been by their side, and he hadn’t noticed, foolishly asking Ling Tian to bring the stone.

Nan Gong Xue’s spirit gradually returned. Her once rigid face showed signs of life, a glimmer appeared in her previously vacant eyes. If not for her frail body, everyone might have thought she was fully recovered.

“Don’t speak. Breathe steadily. Don’t resist,” Ling Tian murmured, helping Nan Gong Xue lie flat on the bed. He placed his index finger on her wrist, and a stream of pure true energy flowed through her meridians. For ordinary people, their meridians are blocked, like roads cluttered with obstacles. To clear the corpse poison from Nan Gong Xue’s body, Ling Tian had to expend a great deal of true energy to first unblock her meridians.

Since the corpse poison had been in her for so long, without first clearing her meridians, Ling Tian would need much more time, and by then, Nan Gong Xue’s organs might fail.

Nan Gong Xue felt a warm current surge into her body, an indescribable pain spreading slowly from her wrist to her entire body, as if she might burst at any moment. But she knew Ling Tian was helping her, so she bit down on the blanket and forced herself to endure.

Ling Tian gave her a reassuring smile and whispered, “It’ll be over soon.”

Nan Gong Xue nodded and playfully winked at Ling Tian, showing she wasn’t as fragile as she appeared. Nan Gong Zhenyu and the others watched anxiously. Except for Nan Gong Zhenyu, everyone wondered why Ling Tian seemed to do nothing but check her pulse, yet Nan Gong Xue bit the blanket in pain.

As a martial artist who had just entered the initial stage of qi training, Nan Gong Zhenyu was awed by Ling Tian’s power. He realized Ling Tian was unblocking Nan Gong Xue’s meridians—something he himself hadn’t fully achieved. Nan Gong Zhenyu slapped his forehead, thinking, How foolish to consider myself the family’s top expert, when a true master was right beside me all along.

He was deeply ashamed.

Ling Tian discovered Nan Gong Xue’s meridian blockages weren’t severe, and he thought to himself: if this girl practiced martial arts, she would be a prodigy. To cultivate, one must first clear the meridians to absorb spiritual energy smoothly.

Those with poor aptitude don’t just lack intelligence—their bodies are innately deficient. Nan Gong Xue’s meridians were wider and less blocked than most; with training, she could clear them quickly.

Clearly, she was a promising candidate for cultivation.

“Your body is overwhelmed with yin energy and corpse poison. So, as I treat you, I must set aside considerations of propriety,” Ling Tian stated gravely. Although he did not require Nan Gong Xue to undress or do anything improper, when he entered the healing state, he could not afford distractions about gender. Ling Tian needed his full focus on the treatment.