Chapter 1507: Exposed

Entering another chamber of the underground palace, the Ghost Doctor was startled the instant he saw the patient. He quickly looked around at everyone who had accompanied him. “Pavilion Master Fangfei?”

Hei Yun, the group of Demon Fox elders, Ao Feng, and the others all nodded slightly. That was correct.

The Ghost Doctor tried asking once more, “The patient is Pavilion Master Fangfei?”

They nodded again.

The Ghost Doctor pinched his beard and sucked in a breath. He first bent over Luo Fangfei and studied her for a while. Her complexion looked normal, as though she were merely asleep.

Then he sat sideways beside the stone couch, tugged up Luo Fangfei’s sleeve, took one wrist in hand, closed his eyes, focused his mind, and used spiritual power to examine her.

After examining her for quite some time, he opened his eyes again and inspected her palm. He also took each fingertip in turn and pinched it.

Then he released her hand, rose, and bent over her again. He pried open Luo Fangfei’s eyelids to inspect her eyes, then opened her mouth and examined that as well.

Afterward, he had someone remove Luo Fangfei’s shoes and socks. He pinched the centers of her soles with his fingertips while watching for any change in her expression, then pinched each toe in turn.

Finally, he let go, asked for a damp cloth, and wiped his hands. Staring at Luo Fangfei’s sleeping face, he hesitated before shaking his head. “Her body is perfectly normal, and her qi and blood are abundant. There’s nothing wrong with her!”

Hei Yun moved closer. “She was injured before this. Could the injury be the cause?”

The Ghost Doctor gave an “oh.” “How badly was she hurt?”

“Not very badly...” Hei Yun explained what had happened when she was injured. She had taken a Heavenly Succor Pill immediately, but for some reason she simply would not wake.

After listening, the Ghost Doctor shook his head. “Her injuries healed long ago. That shouldn’t be the problem.” He turned and asked the people around him, “Judging by her condition, it looks more like... did she suffer some severe emotional shock before this?”

Everyone immediately nodded again and again. Some seemed to see hope. The Ghost Doctor truly lived up to his reputation: after examining her like this, he had actually discerned that Luo Fangfei had suffered a severe shock beforehand.

Hei Yun immediately admitted, “Yes. Since you can see where the illness lies, sir, you must have a way to save her. Please work your miraculous art.”

The Ghost Doctor thought for a moment. “Was it because of Sacred Venerable Daluo’s death? That doesn’t seem right either. She is still a cultivator. She should have seen her share of life and death. How could the endurance of a cultivator of her standing be so frail?”

“It wasn’t only Luo Qiu’s death...” Hei Yun sighed and recounted in detail what had happened when everything broke loose: Luo Qiu killing Sha Rulai, Luo Fangfei attacking Luo Qiu, Yin Ji’s death, Luo Qiu’s death. He explained each event in turn.

This too had been arranged by Niu Youdao. Niu Youdao had instructed them beforehand that someone would be coming to handle a matter, and when the time came, Hei Yun was to explain the relevant circumstances clearly to the Ghost Doctor.

There were some things Niu Youdao could have told the Ghost Doctor himself. But before the Ghost Doctor had actually carried out his part, it was not appropriate to reveal too much too quickly. Some precautions still had to be taken against accidents.

After hearing the story, the Ghost Doctor’s expression twitched. His gaze settled on Luo Fangfei’s sleeping face. This woman truly had suffered miserable luck.

Her father had taken husband and wife hostage. Her father had killed her husband in front of her. In a fury, she had gravely wounded her own father. Only after living so many years had she learned that her mother was actually the Clan Chief of the Demon Fox race. Then, just after discovering her mother was still alive, her mother had been killed. She discovered that she herself could transform into a demon, only to discover afterward that her father had also been killed. Plainly, she knew her father’s sudden death could not be separated from the severe wound she had inflicted on him. With her father’s strength, who could have killed him so easily otherwise? To say that she had killed him herself was not much of an exaggeration.

A woman who had lived like a noble princess high above others had, in the blink of an eye, lost her husband, her father, and her mother. Worse, she was entangled in the causes of those deaths. In the space of a moment, nearly her entire family was gone except for her. Her whole world had collapsed at once.

After a long silence, the Ghost Doctor gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “No wonder. I’m afraid I can’t cure her.”

He had already noticed earlier that this woman seemed to be born of a human and a demon. Now he understood. She was actually the child of Luo Qiu and a Demon Fox.

Everyone was shocked. Hei Yun hurriedly pleaded, “Sir, your medical skill is unparalleled beneath Heaven. Whether cultivator or mortal, there are said to be none you cannot treat. Rumor says even ghost cultivators and demon cultivators are no problem for you when something goes wrong. How could you be unable to save her? Sir, name any condition you like.”

The Ghost Doctor waved a hand. “Her condition may be called an illness, but it isn’t really an illness. I’ve encountered several similar cases among ordinary people in the secular world. There is actually nothing wrong with her body. Her mind simply suffered too great a shock, and subconsciously she is trying to escape. She herself does not want to wake. If she refuses to wake, if she cannot let go and refuses to come out of it, no one else can wake her.”

Everyone fell silent.

Hei Yun grew anxious. “Sir, with your medical skill, there must be some way.”

The Ghost Doctor shook his head, but still said, “Bring me silver needles.”

Everyone could tell he seemed to have no good solution and was merely willing to give something a try.

Whatever the case, at least he was willing to try. Hei Yun immediately sent an elder to fetch them.

Before long, a rolled piece of leather was brought over and opened. It was covered with silver needles of every size.

The Ghost Doctor was thoroughly practiced with such instruments. He first placed needles in Luo Fangfei’s hands and feet, applying external tactile stimulation to her body. Then he began inserting needles into Luo Fangfei’s head.

After putting several dozen needles into her head, he circulated spiritual power and made the needles tremble faintly, hoping to wake her by stimulating the brain.

In the end, however, the result was disappointing. After withdrawing the needles with his spiritual power, the Ghost Doctor shook his head. “She has sealed herself inside a beautiful dream and refuses to wake. This old man is helpless.”

While everyone was growing anxious, Ao Feng spoke from the side. “Sir, you said she needs to wake on her own. Do you know when she might wake by herself?”

Hei Yun and the others immediately looked at the Ghost Doctor expectantly.

Stroking his beard, the Ghost Doctor said, “This is the first time I’ve encountered such a condition in a cultivator. Perhaps this old man’s experience is too shallow, but among the cases I’ve seen in the secular world, none ever woke. In the end, most of them lay still so long that their bodies gradually withered away. Once the flesh failed and the lamp ran dry, what strength would they have left to wake? She is certainly different from an ordinary mortal, though. There are miraculous pills and medicines available, and all of you are cultivators who can use spiritual power to keep her qi and blood flowing. I’m afraid she could sleep like this all the way to the natural end of her lifespan without much trouble.”

Hei Yun said sorrowfully, “Then what difference is there between this and being one of the living dead?”

Ao Feng raised a hand, signaling for him not to become agitated yet, then cupped his hands to the Ghost Doctor. “Sir, is there truly no method anywhere in this world that can wake her?”

The Ghost Doctor pondered. “I once read of a method in a ‘medical text.’ If a person of great cultivation reaches a level where the primordial spirit can leave the body, they could send their own primordial spirit into her world, meet her there face-to-face, and persuade her to wake. Someone proficient in arts of mental control might also be able to do it. Another possibility would be someone with profound attainment in the Buddhist Dharma, who might be able to lead her out of the sea of suffering. But Buddhism has long since declined in this world. I’m afraid no one of that attainment can be found anymore.”

Everyone listening felt their teeth ache. None knew what sort of medical text he had read such things in.

For the primordial spirit to leave the body required, according to legend, a cultivation level beyond the Nascent Soul Realm, where the Nascent Soul itself had awakened. Then there was someone proficient in mental-control arts, or someone whose Buddhist attainment could lead another from the sea of suffering.

They had never even heard of people like that existing in this world. Where were they supposed to find one? What difference was there between saying all this and saying nothing?

The Ghost Doctor continued, “There is also one clumsy method. I’ve given the same advice to the families of similar patients I encountered before. You can give it a try.”

Any method was better than none. Hei Yun hurried to say, “Please tell us, sir. We’re listening. We’ll do exactly as you say.”

The Ghost Doctor said, “Although she has sealed herself away and unconsciously shut off her six senses, her physical body remains intact. In other words, the body’s mechanisms are functioning normally. Her body can actually still hear people speaking. So have someone speak beside her often. Talk as much as possible about things she is interested in, or say things that might strongly stimulate her. There is some possibility she may wake. Beyond that, medicines and the like are useless. Even if you killed her, she might die without ever waking.”

...

At Qiyun Sect, Hei Shi strode quickly into the tower’s hidden chamber and reported to Wu Chang, who sat cross-legged in the darkness. “Sacred Venerable, we’ve received word from inside the Sacred Realm. It’s confirmed. There’s no mistake. That person truly went to the Desolate Marsh Deadlands. We don’t know exactly where, though. The Demon Foxes have too many eyes and ears throughout the Deadlands, so it was difficult to track the destination.”

Without opening his eyes, Wu Chang asked, “When is Nantian Wufang coming back out?”

Hei Shi understood what he meant. Nantian Wufang and the others could not remain at Tianmo Sacred Land forever. However many had gone in would have to come back out. In other words, when Nantian Wufang emerged, that person would have to emerge as well. They had already anticipated this, which was why they had not disturbed the person who went to the Desolate Marsh Deadlands.

Hei Shi replied, “They should leave the Sacred Realm tomorrow. We’ve confirmed the matter now. Do we arrest the person when they come out?”

Wu Chang said, “Do not alert the snake by striking the grass. Confirm who it is first, then decide what to do.”

Hei Shi hesitated. “That person probably isn’t from the Demonic Sect, so I’m afraid they won’t return to the sect with Nantian Wufang. If they slip away somewhere along the route, we’ll lose track of where they’ve gone. Trying to follow closely enough to identify them may itself alert the snake.”

Wu Chang said, “I’ll make the trip myself.”

...

Waves rolled across the boundless sea. A figure broke the surface, climbed onto an island, and headed toward Medicine Valley at an unhurried pace.

Amid the heaving waves, another figure rose halfway from the sea, only his upper body showing above the water. It was Wu Chang, disguised after following the first man here. His gaze was cold as he watched the figure disappear deeper into Medicine Valley...

The next day, a flying mount descended onto a lonely island. Hei Shi arrived with an eagle cage on his back and searched until he found a stone cavern. Wu Chang was sitting cross-legged inside. Hei Shi stepped forward and saluted. “Sacred Venerable.”

Wu Chang said calmly, “He’s from Medicine Valley. The man was disguised, so I don’t know who he is. There aren’t many people in Medicine Valley. Investigate and you should get an answer. Don’t alert the snake by striking the grass.”

“Understood.” Hei Shi acknowledged the order, then took down the eagle cage and removed a messenger Goldenwing. He wrote a secret letter, secured it to the bird, and released it.

Half a day later, someone came out of the sea, jumped ashore, and met with Hei Shi.

After a whispered exchange, Hei Shi returned alone to the cavern and reported to Wu Chang. “Sacred Venerable, our people investigated. Over the past few days, basically no one has left Medicine Valley. Only Hei Li’s disciple Xiao Tianzhen went out once several days ago, but he returned very quickly. Since someone must have been absent these past few days, there is only one person who looks especially suspicious. Ghost Doctor Hei Li has supposedly spent the past several days inside his medicine hut preparing medicine and never showed himself. He only appeared again yesterday.”

Wu Chang opened his eyes. “I thought it would be him. Don’t disturb anyone else. Notify Hei Li and have him come here. I want to see him.”

[End of Chapter 1507]