Chapter 258: I Am Willing
Danba and Duan Yanming fell silent. In the battle to protect the Sacred Body all those years ago, the Sacred Body’s side had been utterly defeated, and Medicine Valley had paid an extremely heavy price.
They had lost fully half of their foundation and were nearly forced out of the five great Outsider Influences.
Even now, Medicine Valley had yet to fully recover, ranking dead last among the five great Outsider Influences.
It was understandable that Nangong Ziqing didn’t want to get dragged into the mess surrounding the Sacred Body again.
Hu Shishi didn’t know any of this and argued her case, "Elder, if Elder Duan and Elder Danba’s influence isn’t enough, what if you add Dragon Flame to the equation?"
Nangong Ziqing snorted with contempt. "The Old Dragon King has been in seclusion for over ten years, and no one knows if he’s alive or dead. The Dragon Flame of today isn’t even worth mentioning."
Hu Shishi declared loudly, "Elder, the Old Dragon King is still alive and well! What’s more, he has already accepted Cheng Yuan as his disciple. He will become Cheng Yuan’s Guardian!"
Nangong Ziqing’s pupils contracted slightly. ’If this boy really is the Old Dragon King’s disciple, then this matter might be worth considering.’
"Are you telling the truth? Is this boy really the Old Dragon King’s disciple?"
Hu Shishi’s eyes flickered. The Dragon Lord had only promised to introduce Cheng Yuan to the Old Dragon King; whether the Old Dragon King would actually accept him was still unknown. But right now, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and nod.
"It’s true!"
Duan Yanming, who was standing to the side, also stepped forward to corroborate her story. "I know about this as well. The Dragon Head told me himself! Otherwise, why would I have taken such a huge risk to become sworn brothers with my third brother? It’s all because the Old Dragon King is backing him."
Nangong Ziqing was swayed. She even grew a little excited, as if she could see the hope of Medicine Valley’s resurgence.
Before the last battle to protect the Sacred Body, their Medicine Valley had been the strongest of the five great Outsider Influences!
Nangong Ziqing turned to look at Nangong Zihan and asked gently, "Zihan, only you can cure Cheng Yuan. You should be the one to decide."
Nangong Zihan didn’t answer right away. After all, what her matron had just said made a lot of sense. She and Cheng Yuan had only just met. Her good feelings toward him all stemmed from their genes, from the mutual attraction of their physical constitutions.
’I have to be sure. Setting aside the reason of our constitutions, would I still like Cheng Yuan?’
Nangong Zihan took out a handful of Silver Needles and swiftly placed a dozen or so into her own body, temporarily sealing her Celestial Doctor Body.
The unsettling feeling in Nangong Zihan’s heart vanished. She slowly turned her head to look at Cheng Yuan, carefully studying his face.
’So handsome.’
’So bright and sunny.’
’So clean.’
’And his body is so nice.’
’He’s totally my type!’
Alright, Nangong Zihan had to admit it: she was a sucker for a pretty face.
Nangong Zihan quickly determined that if she were an ordinary girl and they had met in a crowd, she probably would have fallen for Cheng Yuan at first sight.
Having made up her mind, Nangong Zihan removed the Silver Needles and looked at Nangong Ziqing with a resolute gaze. "Matron, my personal honor and disgrace are small matters. I am willing to pay any price for the resurgence of Medicine Valley."
Nangong Ziqing understood Nangong Zihan well. For her to say that meant she had already developed strong feelings for Cheng Yuan and was just too shy to admit it.
"I understand!"
Nangong Ziqing turned and looked intently at Hu Shishi. "Miss Hu, what place does Cheng Yuan hold in your heart?"
Hu Shishi answered without a second thought, "Xiaoyuan’s place in my heart is above everything else!"
"Then are you willing to give up everything for Cheng Yuan?"
"Of course I am!"
Nangong Ziqing nodded in satisfaction. "Then contact your father at once and immediately annul your engagement to Cheng Yuan."
Hu Shishi refused without a moment’s hesitation. "Elder, why would you make such an outrageous request? I will absolutely not annul my engagement to Xiaoyuan!"
"Then I’m sorry, but we can’t save Cheng Yuan!"
"Why? Didn’t you and the Saintess just come to an understanding?"
Nangong Ziqing subconsciously glanced at Nangong Zihan, whose face was slightly flushed. "You all talk first. I’ll go prepare the medicinal ingredients."
With that, Nangong Zihan bolted from the room like a startled rabbit.
Nangong Ziqing’s tone grew somber. "Miss Hu, the mixed toxins in Cheng Yuan have already spread to his bone marrow and Brain Domain. He is beyond medicinal cure. Currently, there is only one way to save him."
"What is it?"
Nangong Ziqing found it difficult to say. She turned and flicked Danba hard on the forehead. "You explain it to Miss Hu."
Danba rubbed his head and said sheepishly, "Benefactor Hu, it’s like this. The Celestial Doctor Body is the Sacred Body’s Companion Spirit Body. No matter what kind of injury the Sacred Body sustains, or what kind of poison it’s afflicted with, the Celestial Doctor Body can help it reconstruct its foundation and even allow it to reach a higher level! Of course, the price is also immense. It requires the sacrifice of her first drop of blood, as well as all the Celestial Doctor True Essence in her body!"
’First drop of blood??’
Hu Shishi staggered slightly. She finally understood why Nangong Ziqing had told her to break off the engagement with Cheng Yuan!
’So that was the reason!’
Hu Shishi couldn’t accept it. She absolutely couldn’t accept it. She had finally found someone she loved; how could she give up so easily?
"Is there no other way?"
Danba hesitated for a moment, turning to look at Nangong Ziqing with a questioning gaze, unsure if he should say what was on his mind.
Nangong Ziqing, however, had no such reservations. ’As long as Medicine Valley can cure the Sacred Body, that’s all that matters. And if Zihan doesn’t have to pay the price, that’s even better.’
’As for whether anyone else lives or dies, what does that have to do with me?’
Nangong Ziqing nodded without hesitation. "There is one other method. However, it is extremely dangerous and requires enduring excruciating pain. Miss Hu, you need to think this through carefully."
Hu Shishi said without the slightest hesitation, "There’s no need to consider it! I’m not afraid of danger, and I’m not afraid of pain."
Nangong Ziqing gave Hu Shishi an approving look. "It seems, Miss Hu, that your love for the Sacred Body runs deep. I am impressed! In that case, I’ll tell you. As long as we have a pure Magical Artifact to act as a conduit, Zihan can transfer her Celestial Doctor True Essence into your body! Then, you will be the one to expel the poison from Cheng Yuan. Are you willing?"
"I am!"
Nangong Ziqing reminded her, "Miss Hu, you should have already experienced the Celestial Doctor True Essence. Just a tiny bit made you uncomfortable. Once a large amount of it enters your body, it will cause excruciating pain! It’s several times more painful than childbirth! Are you absolutely sure you’ve thought this through?"
"I can handle it!"
"Fine! Then that’s what we’ll do! Now there’s just one last crucial component remaining. We need a Magical Artifact that possesses a trace of a sacred aura."
After a moment’s hesitation, Duan Yanming took out a piece of something that resembled a deer antler. Instantly, the entire room filled with a virile, masculine aura, within which one could faintly sense a feeling of sanctity and majesty.
"Sister Ziqing, this is the ultimate treasure of our Dali Duan Dynasty, the Dragon Horn. It should be able to serve as the Magical Artifact."
Nangong Ziqing nodded slightly. "The Dragon Horn does indeed possess a sacred aura. However, it is an object of extreme hardness and pure yang energy, so it will likely consume a certain amount of the Celestial Doctor True Essence. But, since we have no better option, the Dragon Horn it is."