Chapter 321: Yin and Yang Dual Flames

The middle-aged general demanded that Hua Changxi go to the Demon-Suppressing Army camp to provide medical treatment, his tone quite overbearing, instantly sparking Hua Changxi's resistance.

Hua Changxi smiled indifferently: "General, I observe that you are no longer young, and as a Nascent Soul cultivator, how can you not even know the most basic principles of being human?"

Seeing the middle-aged general's face fill with anger, Hua Changxi continued: "You came to my door seeking medical help on your own initiative; in other words, you are the one in need. At the very least, you should show me proper respect."

"I am not a soldier under your command; you have no authority to order me around."

The middle-aged general frowned, but thinking of his mission, he swallowed his pride in the face of this young girl, who was even younger than his own daughter, and her public rebuke: "My attitude was incorrect just now; please, Peak Master Hua, accompany me on a trip."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi laughed aloud, looking at the middle-aged general: "Are you so accustomed to issuing orders that you think everyone ought to obey you?"

The middle-aged general, infuriated by the question, suddenly raised his voice: "Peak Master Hua, I have already apologized; why do you still insist on harping on this?"

This commotion immediately drew the attention of everyone nearby.

Hua Changxi's face turned completely cold; although she still held considerable respect for the Demon-Suppressing Army, she was now too disinclined to save face for the middle-aged general.

"I am a healer, and you are a patient; if you seek my medical aid, you must abide by my rules."

"Listen well: I do not make house calls. If you wish to be treated, come to my stall."

The middle-aged general was both furious and shocked; aside from his status as a Nascent Soul cultivator, merely displaying the banner of the Demon-Suppressing Army rarely failed to command respect: "You..."

Hua Changxi, too lazy to bother with him, walked directly to the diagnostic table she had been using earlier and sat down.

In truth, it was not that she couldn't make a trip to the Demon-Suppressing Army camp; the key was whether she felt like it.

Had the middle-aged general consulted her opinion beforehand, considering the severity of the patients' injuries, making a trip would not have been impossible.

But the middle-aged general's attitude made her far too uncomfortable.

Did he think that the moment he called, she would scamper over obediently?

She was no lapdog!

Watching Hua Changxi sit down and begin treating other wounded individuals, the middle-aged general let out a heavy snort of disdain, then turned and stormed off in a huff.

Hua Changxi cast a faint glance at his retreating figure, then focused her attention on treating the Core Formation cultivators lining up.

At this moment, she discovered that although her Art of Observation, Listening, Questioning, and Pulse-Taking had just advanced to the fourth layer, allowing her only to 'see' the surface condition of a Nascent Soul cultivator's infant, she could now see the Golden Cores of Core Formation cultivators inside and out with perfect clarity.

Due to this improvement in her 'vision,' during the subsequent treatments, she discovered a significant problem.

Among the Core Formation cultivators seeking treatment, some had their Golden Cores covered by a faint layer of black flame.

A cultivator's Golden Core naturally radiates spiritual light.

Before her Art of Observation, Listening, Questioning, and Pulse-Taking reached the fourth layer, although she could see clearly into the dantian, the Golden Core floated above the qi sea; furthermore, since the patients had all inhaled demonic qi, which filled their qi seas, she could only discern the location of the Golden Core.

For a Golden Core enveloped in spiritual light, she had been unable to penetrate that light to conduct an in-depth examination.

Concealed by the spiritual light, Hua Changxi had previously failed to notice the black flames on the Golden Cores, but now, those black flames were completely exposed to her eyes.

Hua Changxi was all too familiar with these black flames.

For no other reason than that she possessed them within her own body; moreover, they had penetrated her Nascent Soul and taken root upon her heart.

If one or two Core Formation cultivators harbored black flames within them, it might be coincidence, but if dozens or even hundreds possessed them, there was definitely something wrong.

She had ignited her own black flames because she fell victim to a scheme by the Asura Sect; so what was the cause for these Core Formation cultivators?

Hua Changxi secretly observed those Core Formation cultivators whose Golden Cores were shrouded in black flames, selecting the one with the most severe injuries to test.

"I have suppressed the demonic qi within your body. However, there is a problem with your Golden Core; if no solution is found, I fear you will be unable to break your core and form an infant in the future."

Upon hearing this, the Core Formation cultivator being treated immediately changed color: "Peak Master Hua, what problem has arisen with my Golden Core?"

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Your Golden Core is covered by a layer of extremely unpleasant energy; in my perception, it resembles a layer of flame. Besides that, there are several cracks on your Golden Core."

After hearing this, the cultivator being treated displayed a look of horror, then immediately entered meditation to internally examine his own dantian.

Although cultivators can internally view their own dantians and possess extremely precise perception of their Golden Cores, they cannot see through their Golden Cores as Hua Changxi can.

The cultivator being treated could 'see' the black flames on his Golden Core, but because the cracks on the core were too small and showed no obvious abnormalities, he had failed to detect them.

A moment later, the cultivator being treated opened his eyes: "Peak Master Hua, there are no cracks on my Golden Core?"

Hua Changxi looked at him, grabbed his wrist, guided her spiritual power along his spiritual roots into his dantian, then continued pouring it into the Golden Core, seeping through the cracks.

As external spiritual power invaded his Golden Core, the cultivator being treated immediately sensed the anomaly; he instantly looked at Hua Changxi with a mixture of anxiety and urgency: "Peak Master Hua, can the problem with my Golden Core be cured?"

Hua Changxi replied: "I must first determine exactly what is wrong with your Golden Core."

"I can understand the appearance of cracks in the Golden Core; it should be due to some severe trauma you suffered. However, regarding that layer of flame covering your Golden Core, I am somewhat puzzled."

Hua Changxi looked at him: "When the sudden catastrophe occurred earlier, you must have been very close to the center of the explosion, correct?"

The cultivator being treated nodded.

Hua Changxi asked: "Do you know what kind of flame is on your Golden Core?"

The cultivator being treated hesitated for a moment, then suddenly transmitted his voice to Hua Changxi: "Peak Master Hua, that layer of flame should be... Yin Flame."

He paused.

"When the Alchemy and Artifact Workshop suddenly exploded earlier, I was nearby and personally saw someone holding a black jade lotus petal from a Divine Lamp performing a spell."

"I was too close; after the explosion occurred, that person was also blown away, and the Yin Flames from the black jade lotus petals shot out in all directions. I was simply too unlucky and happened to be struck by a strand of it."

Hearing the cultivator's voice transmission, Hua Changxi's eyes flickered continuously; was the person who destroyed the protective great formation of the Artifact Saint Palace a member of the Asura Sect?

"Peak Master Hua, is there still hope for me?"

Hua Changxi regained her focus, looking at the cultivator being treated: "That layer of Yin Flame, I cannot resolve. As for the cracks on the Golden Core, repairing them will not be easy; it will require some rather precious spiritual herbs."

"I will write you a prescription; follow it to gather the spiritual herbs."

The cultivator being treated took the prescription, repeatedly confirming that as long as he gathered all the spiritual herbs and refined the corresponding pills, the cracks on his Golden Core could be repaired, before thanking her and turning to leave.

"Next."

Hua Changxi took a sip of spiritual tea, preparing to treat the next patient, but found no one stepping forward; looking up, she saw the cultivators lining up for treatment had made way.

Then, the middle-aged general who had appeared earlier accompanied a Nascent Soul peak cultivator with a childlike face and snow-white hair into her line of sight.

The instant she saw the white-haired, youthful-faced cultivator, Hua Changxi narrowed her eyes, and her expression consequently became serious and solemn.

For no other reason than that a ball of flame was also burning upon that person's Nascent Soul heart.

Yet, that flame was not purely black, but interwoven with black and white.

The black flame and the white flame remained distinctly separate, yet entangled with one another.

Hua Changxi suddenly recalled Cold Steward and Jing from the Miscellaneous Duties Hall; both had told her that the black flame was also called Yin Flame, the white flame was also known as Yang Flame, and together, the black and white flames were the Yin and Yang Flames.

This was the first time she had seen a cultivator ignite both the black and white flames simultaneously.