Dan Shu

Why was this child here? And how had she sneaked in?

Just as Zhang Xiu was puzzling over this, two sets of hurried footsteps sounded behind him.

He turned and saw Stelle approaching with a brown-haired woman in green robes.

When he noticed that the woman's eyes were likewise devoid of light, Zhang Xiu finally remembered this part of the story.

Dan Shu, Leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, had been blind since childhood and bullied for it. After her close friend's death, she had fallen completely into darkness. The girl they had rescued had also been bullied because of her blindness, and her parents had died in the war against the Denizens of Abundance.

"Zhang Xiu, I heard the commotion just now and wondered if it was you."

"Weren't you supposed to go to the Alchemy Commission with everyone? Why are you here?"

"Did you forget? I accepted a commission from the Seat of Divine Foresight to investigate the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. March 7th and the others went to the Alchemy Commission ahead of me."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiu, who had already withdrawn his branches and shoots, looked at the woman beside Stelle. "Who's she?"

"Dan Shu. She's a physician with the Alchemy Commission. We were looking for a girl... Ah, Xiaoyu, are you all right?"

Yaoshi, who was still helping the girl adjust to the light, looked up at Dan Shu just then. She had sensed the unusual power of Abundance within her.

Compassion also prompted her to step forward and cure the woman's ailment.

But Zhang Xiu reached out to stop Yaoshi and shook his head at her.

Stelle hurried over to Xiaoyu, only to suddenly notice the light sparkling in her eyes.

"Xiaoyu? Your eyes...?"

"I-I can see, big sister..." Xiaoyu touched the skin around her eyes with both hands, tears of excitement gathering at their corners.

But she did not dwell on her feelings. Instead, she caught hold of Yaoshi's hem and pleaded, "Big sister, can you help Lady Dan Shu? She can't see either."

Hearing Xiaoyu's words, Dan Shu frowned slightly. The congenital ailments of the Heavenly Person species had even been given the name "Heavenly Flaw," and the Xianzhou still had no means of curing them.

Someone capable of such a miracle was very likely a Pathstrider of Abundance, or even an Emanator!

As for anything higher? She dared not imagine it.

"Forgive my impertinence. Are you... might you be a Pathstrider of Abundance?"

Though she could not see, Dan Shu's extraordinary senses allowed her to locate Yaoshi by her voice.

"Indeed. Dost thou require aid?"

Yet, faced with the chance to regain her sight, Dan Shu hesitated only briefly before declining Yaoshi's offer.

"No. I've grown accustomed to exploring the world with my ears. Thank you for curing Xiaoyu."

Yaoshi took a step forward. "I perceive disorder in the Path energy within thee. Dost thou require me to set it right?"

"I'm a physician with the Alchemy Commission. I often test medicines on myself, so this is normal. There's no need to worry."

"But..." Yaoshi wanted to say more, only for Zhang Xiu's raised hand to stop her again.

"Since you still have business to attend to, we won't disturb you. Stelle, see you at the Alchemy Commission later."

With that, he took Yaoshi's small hand. Just before they left, Xiaoyu waved goodbye to them.

"Big brother, big sister! Goodbye! Thank you!"

"Husband, why?" Yaoshi looked up at Zhang Xiu beside her, seeking an explanation.

"She has followed her own road to its very end. There's no turning back for her now, my wife." Zhang Xiu shook his head.

"Let's go. I've nearly finished putting away all the leaves on my body."

Yaoshi nodded gently and said no more.

Those fragments of information were enough for her to draw certain conclusions.

The Xianzhou had never been particularly peaceful. Only twenty-eight years had passed since the Third War of the Denizens of Abundance. How many people had been wounded by it and sunk deep into delusions? Someone born blind like Dan Shu was even more likely to go to extremes.

Infinite lives, yet wars born of finite resources.

Thoughts churned through her mind until, at last, she seemed to reach a decision.

And a trace of apology took their place in her eyes as she looked at Zhang Xiu.

... Luofu, Alchemy Commission.

"Die! Die! Why won't you die?!"

A Disciple of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had succumbed to mara and was frantically attacking the Cloud Knight before him alongside his two companions.

Yet their opponent sent them flying with a single punch.

The Cloud Knight tore off his upper armor and helmet, revealing a head of red hair.

"Yaoshi's blessing, kid."

Curling his right hand into a claw, Li Ge grinned savagely and ripped open his own chest. In the very next instant, however, the bloody wound healed completely.

He flashed forward and smashed all three of their heads apart, one punch apiece.

Elsewhere on the battlefield, the other Skydeep also unleashed their super strength.

They shielded the other Cloud Knights behind them, each facing at least two lackeys of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.

Even though the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus used elixirs to retain their minds while mara-struck, they were still no match for them.

The battle was almost entirely one-sided. Only Disciples who were themselves Skydeep could face two of their own kind after entering a mara-struck state.

"Damn it! Liu Feng! You fucking idiot! Fuck your mother! You fucking betrayed the Lord of Longevity!"

"Shut up! You're traitors who threw in your lot with Demonbow! They want to kill the Lord of Longevity! Don't you know that?!"

"It's you idiots who made the Lord of Longevity's own people hunt her down! We'll clear up the Xianzhou's misunderstanding of the Lord of Longevity!"

"For fluff's sake! Why waste words on him? Meow!"

By the time March 7th and the others reached the Alchemy Commission, the corpses of Mara-Struck Soldiers and Wolf Beasts were scattered almost everywhere.

The worst injury suffered by the Cloud Knights was merely someone's head being chopped off. A few stitches would fix that.

"Uh, do they really need our help?" March 7th blinked.

"Whatever the case, let's end this war quickly." Welt looked at the dense mass of people fighting ahead and could not help feeling a headache coming on.

There were so many. Far too many. Everywhere he looked was packed with people, with blood splashing in every direction.

By even a rough estimate, at least a hundred thousand people were currently involved in this battle.

Before long, with March 7th and Welt joining the fray, the war ended in an extremely short span of time.

"Hahahaha! Mark it down! I, Li Ge, slew a hundred and fifteen enemies in this battle!"

At the center of the Cloud Knights, the bare-chested Li Ge pounded his chest and stamped his feet like a gorilla, sending the surrounding Cloud Knights' morale soaring.

March 7th could not help remarking, "With corpses piled all around, it's impressive that this Cloud Knight guy can still get so excited..."

"The Xianzhou's love of battle is renowned far and wide. It reminds me of a certain place back home..." Welt adjusted his glasses.

"Mm-hmm, you're quite right, benefactor. Besides, that young man is one of the Skydeep. He's flamboyant by nature and loves nothing more than a fight," Phantylia chimed in beside them.

"Hey, Welt, why do you keep pushing up your glasses? They don't look like they're slipping."

"Ahem. Habit. Just a habit..."

Of course, Welt could not tell March 7th that he did it to look cool.

"The Lord Diviner is waiting up ahead. Would the three of you please follow me?"

The three turned and found a tall, straight-backed man with white hair approaching. It was Chen Chang'an.

"Yes. Sorry for the trouble, but please lead the way."