A-Fei's Swift Sword

The night was black as ink, but lights blazed throughout the Princess's Residence, illuminating two figures hurrying through its grounds.

Qing Dai moved like the wind, with Lu Changfeng close behind her. They swept past pavilion after pavilion, heading straight for the Spirit Pivot Institute.

Outside the Spirit Pivot Institute's Quiet Chamber, four women waited anxiously.

Besides Jinghong and Fu Rong, Hai Tang and Li Hua of the Three Signs of Spring Equinox were also there. Their hair was disheveled and they looked rather bedraggled, but neither had suffered any serious injury. The one truly in danger was the third sign, Mu Lan, who was receiving treatment from Zi Zhi inside the Quiet Chamber.

The moment Lu Changfeng arrived, all four hurried forward.

Jinghong cupped her fist in salute and spoke rapidly. "Master Lu, Mu Lan, she..."

"No need to explain. Let me take a look first."

Lu Changfeng pushed open the door and entered. A wave of heat struck him in the face, carrying the fresh scent of medicinal herbs mingled with a scorched smell!

Candlelight flickered within the Quiet Chamber, illuminating the scene on the couch.

A woman-Mu Lan-lay facedown on the couch. Her upper garments had been lowered to her waist, revealing her entire smooth back. Yet a horrifying palm print utterly ruined what should have been a beautiful sight.

Slightly left of the center of her back was a clearly defined, dark-red palm print, its edges faintly blackened, as though it had been branded there with a hot iron. The skin around it was an unnatural scarlet, as if seared by raging flames. Even the blood vessels beneath her skin could be seen throbbing, radiating astonishing heat.

A faint, bloody smell of scorched flesh hung in the air.

Lu Changfeng was secretly shocked. What ferocious palm force!

Zi Zhi stood beside the couch, fine beads of sweat seeping from the forehead. Both hands moved in swift, precise jabs, driving silver needles one after another into the major acupoints on Mu Lan's back in an attempt to seal off the spreading poison. Pale-blue frost shimmered from the Cold Plum Art true qi in Zi Zhi's palms, flowing continuously through the golden needles into Mu Lan's body to contend with the rampaging fire poison.

Yet it was plain to see that the wisp of frost was steadily retreating under the onslaught of the scarlet poisonous qi.

"Master!"

At the sight of Lu Changfeng, Zi Zhi reacted as though a savior had arrived. "This poison is incredibly domineering, nothing like ordinary fire poison! Not only does it scorch the meridians and internal organs, but stranger still, it constantly evaporates and dissolves the victim's internal power! My true qi can only slow it temporarily. I cannot eradicate it!"

Lu Changfeng nodded, stepped closer, and focused his gaze.

Mu Lan's face was flushed, her breathing rapid and scorching. Her whole body was like a piece of red-hot charcoal.

He reached out to take her pulse. Beneath his fingers, it was surging, agitated, and rapid. At the same time, a vicious current of scorching qi rushed up through her meridians, trying to lash back at him. As he carefully sensed its nature, he asked, "What do you suspect?"

Zi Zhi's brows drew tightly together. "Judging by the symptoms, it resembles Elysium Powder somewhat... but this poison has no hallucinatory effect. Instead, it is even more domineering and violent. It also resembles the Western Regions Demon Cult's Sacred Fire Palm, but its properties do not match... I have gone through all four hundred and seventy-two types of palm force recorded in the Medical Compendium, and none fits."

"The meridians burn, and internal power evaporates... bizarre indeed!"

Lu Changfeng thought rapidly, likewise ruling out every palm technique he knew. "Who did this? Could you identify their fighting style?"

Hai Tang and Li Hua exchanged a glance, both still shaken.

Hai Tang hesitated. "Master Lu, the one that attacked... was not human. It was a monster! The thing looked like an ape, with fur red as blood all over its body. It moved like the wind and possessed boundless strength! Its attacks followed no technique at all, relying entirely on beastly instinct, but its claw strikes and tearing attacks were incredibly swift and fierce! And its body held exceptionally vast reserves of true qi, supremely yang and unyielding! Mu Lan was struck in the back by one swipe of its claw. That was what injured her like this!"

"A strange beast that can unleash supreme yang true qi and fire poison?"

Hearing this, doubts crowded Lu Changfeng's mind, but now was not the time to investigate. Without understanding the pathology, he could not trigger the Medical Canon. Fortunately, Shennong Qi was supremely pure and clean, the bane of all extreme forms of true qi in the world. Even without knowing what ailment she suffered from, it could expel foreign true qi and gently nourish her body. He could save her directly!

However, this method could only draw it out slowly, and results would take time.

With no other option, Lu Changfeng collected himself and told Zi Zhi, "Zi Zhi, stop circulating your art. Forcing it down with ice to counter fire may only backfire. Protect her heart meridians and vital points with golden needles, and assist me."

Zi Zhi nodded immediately.

Lu Changfeng took a deep breath. The Shennong Glazed Glass Art quietly began circulating within him, and a gentle, boundless aura brimming with infinite vitality spread from his body-Shennong Qi!

It was like the first welcome rain of spring, mild yet abundant, filled with nourishing and purifying power.

He held both palms just above the palm print on Mu Lan's back, slowly feeding pure Shennong Qi into her body. When the formerly savage fire poison encountered this vitality-rich qi, it was like boiling water poured over snow. Its fierce blaze faltered, and beneath the permeating Shennong Qi, its scorching toxicity began to be neutralized and dissolved, strand by strand. At last, its spread was halted.

Within the Quiet Chamber, one could have heard a pin drop.

Everyone held their breath and concentrated, their eyes following Lu Changfeng's every movement.

Qing Dai watched his focused profile, her eyes filled with unreserved trust.

She knew that her master's cultivation realm might be lacking, but this unique ability born of the Shennong Glazed Glass Art, together with his profound understanding of medicine, could often turn the impossible into the possible.

The others felt the same. They had already witnessed Lu Changfeng's medical skills. Even Zi Zhi was a better physician than the useless fools at the Imperial Medical Bureau and the Medical Pharmacy Bureau, and Lu Changfeng surpassed Zi Zhi. With him taking action, Mu Lan's life could at least be saved. As they watched her complexion gradually recover, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Changfeng circulated his art for a full hour without stopping, almost draining his internal power dry. His face was pale, his forehead slick with sweat.

Mu Lan's complexion returned to normal, and her breathing gradually steadied.

[Noble Physician's Canon activated.]

[Target: Mu Lan. Identity: Plum Blossom Guards · Twenty-Four Floral Periods (Subordinate Fourth Rank Commanding Envoy). Overall value: Two and a half stars]

[Condition: ??? (eradicated)]

[Success reward: A-Fei's Swift Sword.]

[Failure penalty: None.]

[Treatment successful. Distributing reward...]

This time was different from before. The technique was imparted directly.

In an instant, an icy, razor-sharp intent pierced straight into Lu Changfeng's mind like a sword drawn from its sheath!

It was not a complicated collection of sword-move diagrams, but an "intent" of utmost simplicity, pursuing instantaneous explosive force and absolute speed.

Along with it, an invisible force seemed to subtly adjust every limb and bone in his body. Deep within his muscle memory, it branded the ultimate sequence of drawing a sword, thrusting, and sheathing it again. Every redundant motion was discarded, all for the sake of unleashing a single, certain-kill sword strike in that fleeting instant of lightning and sparks!

Agony lanced through his head, and Lu Changfeng swayed.

"Master!"

Qing Dai and the others hurried over to support him.

Lu Changfeng shook his head. "I'm fine... the fire poison has been expelled. Zi Zhi, prescribe some medicine to strengthen her foundation and replenish her vitality. All she needs now is proper rest. I'll regulate my breathing for a while." Inwardly, he could not help cursing the Medical Canon for its unreliability. Fortunately, this had not been something like the Ice Skin, Jade Bones Art. Otherwise, he would have undergone a complete transformation on the spot, and no explanation could have accounted for it.