Yunxi did not have to turn around to know the one breaking through was Wei Yunqing. She had just seen her swallow a pill traced with four pill lines, clearly a fourth-grade pill. For Wei Yunqing to use it at a critical moment, it would certainly help raise her cultivation.
Sure enough, when the spiritual fluctuations subsided, Wei Yunqing's cultivation stabilized at mid-stage Nascent Soul. She kept her eyes closed, still drawing out the remaining medicinal power.
Yunxi was about to head with Yun Chen Fózǐ to seek out Xian Feng when a Huaxian Gate Nascent Soul cultivator flashed over to them. The woman cupped her hands to Yunxi. "Ran Daoyou, please come take a look at Junior Brother Xian Xu. He was wounded by an evil spirit's weapon, and the miasma will not disperse. Martial Uncle Xian Feng sent me to ask for you."
She glanced at Yun Chen Fózǐ and added quickly, "Yun Chen Fózǐ, please come as well."
The two exchanged a look, nodded, and flashed to the Huaxian Gate encampment.
They had barely stopped when Xian Xu roared, "Senior Brother, let me out!"
At the moment, Xian Feng had a golden cord wrapped tight around him, keeping him inside the shield. Three Huaxian Gate Nascent Soul cultivators stood around Xian Xu, using their power to suppress him as he began to lose control.
Yunxi's gaze fixed on the wound. The flesh had already turned gray and rotten, and the corruption was still spreading up his arm. Xian Xu's eyes flickered between viciousness and clarity, proof the injury was worse than it looked.
Seeing Ran Xi and Yun Chen Fózǐ arrive together, Xian Feng flashed to their side. "Ran Daoyou, Yun Chen Fózǐ, do you have a way to expel the miasma in Xian Xu's body? This taint is unusually domineering. When I tried to force it out with spiritual power, it darted into his eight extraordinary meridians. He is already losing control. I can only restrain him for now, otherwise…"
There was no need to finish. Both understood. They had not expected Xian Xu to fall to corruption so fast. Others had been wounded before, but as long as they retreated to the Hong Energy Shield and purged the miasma in time, this did not happen.
A realization struck Yunxi. She snapped a look toward Yun Chen Fózǐ, who at the same moment turned toward her. They moved in unison to Xian Xu's side.
Yun Chen Fózǐ flicked his wrist. Thirty-six prayer beads flew from his strand, each bead turning into a golden pellet that struck Xian Xu's body. With every bead that landed, Xian Xu let out a cry, and a layer of miasma scattered. When all thirty-six settled upon his major acupoints, the madness in Xian Xu's eyes faded and clarity returned, if only for a time.
Yunxi stepped forward and snapped a thread of spiritual power into his wound to gauge the extent of the corruption. The instant the thread entered, the miasma in his meridians swarmed it. After just five breaths, the thread was devoured.
Her fine brows drew together. The worst had happened. Xian Feng saw it too. A shadow crossed his cultured features before he asked, with difficulty, "Ran Daoyou, there is no way?"
The Huaxian Gate cultivators stared at Yunxi, waiting in tense silence.
Yunxi sighed, then lifted the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame to her palm. "Xian Feng Zūnzhě, I can send Zi Yan into Xian Xu Daoyou's body and try. I cannot guarantee the result. Do you wish me to attempt it?"
Xian Feng did not hesitate. "Ran Daoyou, do your utmost. I will bear all consequences."
"Very well."
Since he agreed, Yunxi flicked Zi Yan into Xian Xu's body. Almost at once, he screamed.
Everyone saw it clearly. Violet fire wrapped slowly around him, purple lightning flaring within the flames. The miasma recoiled under the suppression, thinning bit by bit. The crowd exhaled as one.
But Xian Feng's gaze only grew heavier. He had noticed Yunxi's spiritual power plummeting. Soon she was gripping a top-grade spirit stone in each hand to replenish herself as fast as she could. In the space of a quarter hour, she burned through six stones.
When her supply of power could no longer keep pace with Zi Yan's consumption, Yunxi had no choice but to stop the burning. It was not that she was unwilling. Xian Xu's Yuányīng had already been wholly polluted.
She put away the spirit stones and recalled Zi Yan, then shook her head to Xian Feng.
A Huaxian Gate Nascent Soul cultivator frowned. "Ran Daoyou, he is improving. Why not continue expelling the miasma? If it is a matter of spiritual power, I have pills and stones—"
Xian Feng raised a hand to stop him and looked at Yunxi. "Ran Daoyou, I know you have done your best. Please tell us frankly how he is."
"My Zi Yan burned the miasma from his meridians clean, but his Yuányīng is tainted. If I continue burning, he will not endure it. Forgive me. I can do no more."
Silence fell among the Huaxian Gate cultivators and those nearby. A corrupted Yuányīng meant a polluted spirit. Falling to evil was only a matter of time.
Even if Yunxi continued to burn away the taint within his Yuányīng, the damage to his spirit would be certain, and his cultivation would plunge. In a place like this, that was a death sentence.
"Amitabha."
Yun Chen sighed, recalled the thirty-six beads, and addressed the briefly lucid Xian Xu. "Xian Xu Daoyou, did you see clearly what weapon wounded you?"
Bound by the cord, Xian Xu still forced himself upright. "It was a black blade with a dragon pattern on the body."
He tried to conjure the blade with spiritual power but found he could not move his qi at all. He had heard Yunxi's words clearly. He would not become one of the evil spirits. He turned to Xian Feng."Martial Uncle, while I am still clear-headed, let me out and call the others back."
"What do you intend to do?"
Xian Xu gritted his teeth. "Even if I die, I will not let the spirits use my skin. I will never raise a blade against my former sect mates. I will make them pay."
Xian Feng closed his eyes briefly. He wanted to stop him, but no words came. He knew why Xian Xu had chosen this.
Fierceness flashed in Xian Xu's gaze, then settled into calm. He twisted against the bindings."Martial Uncle, while I am still myself, let me go. This began with Huaxian Gate, so we will end it. The title of first sect of the Central Region was not won for nothing. The rest I leave to you."
Xian Feng closed his eyes once more, then withdrew the cord. He sent a signal. The cultivators engaged with the spirits flashed back into the Hong Energy Shield. Xian Xu stepped out of the barrier, brushing past Xian Yao.
Xian Yao's face changed. She reached out instinctively to grab him, but she was a heartbeat too late.