Chapter 44: Zhou Yun

Eight p. m.

Zhao Wenbin and his team from the city government appeared at the doorway of the ward.

Walking beside him was a middle-aged man in a green priest's robe, with an ethereal aura.

"This is Cui Jianghai, Master Cui, a level-35 second-transformation priest from Qingyun City."

Zhao Wenbin introduced him to Zhou Yi.

Before Zhou Yi could reply, he saw Cui Jianghai's eyes light up as he reached out with a smile:

"You must be young Zhou Yi, right? Hello, hello—I've heard so much about you already.

Now that I see you in person, you truly are extraordinary!"

"Hello."

Zhou Yi shook his hand, somewhat bewildered.

When had he become so famous?

As if sensing his confusion, Zhao Wenbin smiled and explained:

"I told Master Cui about your performance in the college entrance exam dungeon this morning.

After hearing it, he was deeply impressed by you!!"

Zhao Wenbin's tone carried a hint of awe.

A level-35 priest is not easy to recruit.

The city government went through great effort to bring him over from Qingyun City.

Even after arriving, he had been cold and unresponsive the entire way.

Until he learned the patient to be treated was a relative of the candidate likely to become this year's provincial top scorer in Su-Hang.

Only then did he shed his initial indifference and grow eager.

'Of course—no matter where you go, geniuses are always the most welcomed.'

Zhao Wenbin felt a pang of emotion.

He also felt a sense of relief.

Fortunately, they had already cultivated a relationship with such a person early on.

Room 604.

On the tidy bed, Zhou Yun lay with her eyes tightly shut, her delicate face pale as snow.

Thin, visible strands of cold energy slowly seeped from her body.

The once-soft bedding had frozen stiff, dusted with fine ice crystals.

The entire room had grown noticeably cold.

Several nurses with weaker physiques couldn't help shivering.

"Master Cui, what illness is my sister suffering from?"

Watching the pain on his sister Zhou Yun's face, Zhou Yi looked deeply worried.

This outbreak of cold energy was something Zhou Yun experienced every night for the past year.

At such times, an extremely dense yin-cold energy would erupt within her.

Under that yin-cold energy, her body would be racked with excruciating pain.

Lately, this yin-cold has grown worse—even affecting the room's temperature!

"Cold energy spontaneously leaking out—this is indeed strange."

Cui Jianghai's expression turned solemn.

As a priest for so many years, he had never encountered such an odd case.

"Let's try a Purification spell first."

Cui Jianghai clenched his right hand in midair, and a pale blue staff, one point seven meters long, materialized.

"Purify!!"

With a low chant, a powerful magical surge caused a white-gold six-pointed Starlight magic array to appear in midair.

Then, a pure, sacred white energy surged from the array and flowed into Zhou Yun's body.

Under the cleansing power of this sacred energy,

the ice crystals covering Zhou Yun's body vanished rapidly—as if fleeing a natural enemy.

Her delicate face regained its rosy hue.

But before anyone could rejoice, once the Purification effect ended,

a coldness many times stronger than before spread again from every part of Zhou Yun's body.

It completely engulfed her frail frame.

"It's over."

Everyone, including Zhou Yi, felt their hearts sink.

A Class A's first transformation occurs at level 10, and the second at level 30.

The skills learned after first and second transformation differ.

Skills from second transformation are stronger! More effective!

Purification is a potent skill only second-transformation priests can learn, used to remove negative conditions.

If even the Purification skill fails, other skills are likely useless too!!

Cui Jianghai clearly understood this.

His brow furrowed into a deep crease as he cast another spell:

"Rapid Healing!!"

Just like before, the ice shards will be removed quickly.

Once the skill's effect fades, the cold energy will surge back again.

After several spells proved ineffective, Cui Jianghai frowned deeply, falling into thought.

After a long while, he turned to Zhou Yi and asked:

"Youngster Zhou, when your sister first experienced a surge of cold energy, did anything unusual occur?"

"For instance, strange symbols or marks appearing on her forehead?"

"No."

After a moment's thought, Zhou Yi shook his head.

"The first surge happened the day my mother passed away—I remember it clearly.

She was perfectly fine one moment, then suddenly cold energy erupted from her body, and she collapsed in agony."

On the day his sister fainted, he worried she might have suffered an external injury.

So he paid close attention.

That's why he remembered: no strange symbols or marks appeared at all.

"No strange symbols mean this cold surge isn't caused by a curse."

Cui Jianghai rubbed his chin. "Besides, if it were a curse, even if the Purification spell couldn't fully remove it, there should've been some relief the first time."

"And the first surge occurred during intense emotional turmoil—could it be...?"

As if struck by a thought, his eyes suddenly lit up.

His Right-hand technique staff erupted once more with a fierce magic surge:

"Blood Infusion Spell!!"

A magical hexagram glowed, and Zhou Yun, lying on the hospital bed, was enveloped in a blood-red energy.

This red energy resembled blood, emitting a faint metallic scent.

Yet it differed from ordinary blood—there was a hint of sweetness to it.

Under the glow of this red energy,

the cold energy on the bed gradually receded, and Zhou Yun's pale face slowly regained color.

Unlike previous times, after this spell ended, the cold energy did not return.

Zhou Yun's face, which had earlier twisted in pain as if trapped in a nightmare, softened.

Her breathing steadied.

A sweet smile lingered at the corner of her lips, as if she dreamed of something beautiful.

"She's cured!!"

Seeing Zhou Yun slip into a peaceful sleep, Zhou Yi's face brightened with joy.

Zhao Wenbin, Liu Qing, and the others watching also exhaled in relief.

With this, their mission was accomplished.

To avoid disturbing Zhou Yun's rest, the group stepped out of the ward.

They gently closed the door.

Only then did Zhou Yi turn to Cui Jianghai and bow deeply in gratitude:

"Thank you, Master Cui, for curing my sister. If you need any reward, just say the word!

Whatever I, Zhou Yi, can do, I won't hesitate!"

Zhou Yi spoke with conviction, not a trace of falsehood.

This earned a silent nod from Zhao Wenbin beside him.

He had feeling, he had principle—he knew his debts and his grudges.

This Zhou Yi wasn't just endlessly promising—he was exactly the kind of person Zhao Wenbin admired.

And such a genius? The government investing resources in him would be worth every bit.

"No reward is needed—Secretary Zhao and the others have already paid."

"Besides, I've only delayed the symptoms of your sister's illness—I haven't truly cured it."

Cui Jianghai shook his head.

"Only delayed the symptoms?"

Zhou Yi frowned slightly, then hurriedly asked:

"Master Cui, what exactly is my sister's illness? Why can't even you cure it completely?"

Zhao Wenbin and the others nearby turned their gazes toward him, listening intently.

If a Level 35 Priest couldn't cure it, they'd have to seek other methods.