Chapter 559: Soul-Severing Bone-Eroding, A Life-and-Death Thread

"This... what is this power?" Jianying's expression changed drastically.

Lin Xuan's figure appeared before Jianying like lightning, throwing a punch. This punch contained his deep affection for Xiao Yuan and his fury toward the enemy; its power was unprecedented.

"Bang!"

Jianying did not even have a chance to react before being struck in the chest by this punch. His body flew out like a kite with a broken string, spraying a mouthful of blood in the air before slamming heavily into the wall.

"Pfft!" Jianying spat blood again, his face turning deathly pale: "Impossible... you are only at the Foundation Establishment Stage..."

But Lin Xuan did not give him the chance to speak, his figure flashing again as he threw another punch toward Jianying's head. If this punch landed, Jianying would undoubtedly die.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" Seeing the situation was unfavorable, Feiyunzi immediately ordered a retreat.

They had originally thought this was a simple assassination mission, never expecting Lin Xuan's strength to be so terrifying. A cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage was actually able to severely wound a Golden Core Stage Jianying; this simply exceeded their understanding.

"Want to leave? It's not that easy!" Lin Xuan roared, but just at this moment, Taijizi suddenly launched a sneak attack, a sword Qi striking directly at Xiao Yuan.

Lin Xuan was forced to turn back to rescue her, which gave the enemy a chance to retreat. Supported by other assassins, Jianying fled the main hall in a sorry state.

"Lin Xuan, we must retreat immediately!" Xingchenzi shouted during his fierce battle with Feiyunzi, "Xiao Yuan needs immediate treatment, it's too dangerous here!"

Looking at the pale-faced, weakly breathing Xiao Yuan in his arms, Lin Xuan finally calmed down. He knew Xingchenzi was right; the most important thing now was to treat Xiao Yuan, not to fight the enemy to the death.

"Muerxiu, open the teleportation array immediately!" Lin Xuan ordered.

"Yes!" Although Muerxiu was also injured, he still forced himself to unfold the Void Path, opening a teleportation Dharma Array in the center of the main hall.

"Everyone, retreat to Qinglong Peak immediately!" Xingchenzi forced back Feiyunzi and Taijizi with a sword strike, then quickly rushed toward the teleportation array.

On Qinglong Peak, inside the newly built Medical Hall of the Harmony Academy, the atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive.

Xiao Yuan lay quietly on the bed, her once rosy face now pale as paper, her lips devoid of even a trace of color. Most terrifyingly, starting from the wound on her shoulder, black poison veins were slowly but firmly spreading toward her heart, like the tentacles of the Grim Reaper.

Qian Laotou, the chief physician of the Star Moon Sect, was busy, covered in sweat. Various detoxifying Pills, silver needles, and Talismans were used in turn, but none had the slightest effect. Instead, the black poison veins accelerated their spread after every attempt he made to save her.

"How can this be?" Qian Laotou looked at the silver needles in his hand in disbelief, "These silver needles turned black the moment they touched the wound, and even a portion of my spiritual power was corroded!"

Shuiyun Xianzi of the Clear Water Sect was also assisting with the treatment on the side, her fair face covered in beads of sweat: "Elder Qian, what kind of poison is this? My healing water is completely ineffective, and it's even being backlashed by the toxicity!"

Lin Xuan knelt by the bedside, tightly gripping Xiao Yuan's cold hand, his eyes filled with tears. Xiao Yuan's hand was growing colder, and the spiritual power fluctuations within her body were becoming weaker, as if they might dissipate completely at any moment.

"It's all my fault... all my fault..." Lin Xuan's voice choked, "If I had reacted faster, if I had protected her better, Xiao Yuan wouldn't have..."

"Xuan'er, now is not the time for self-reproach," Xingchenzi said heavily, "The most important thing is to find a way to save her."

Muerxiu stood to the side, fists clenched, fury burning in his eyes: "It's all that damned Jianying! Senior Brother, we must make him pay the price!"

"Revenge can wait," Qingfengzi asked urgently, "Elder Qian, can you determine what this poison is?"

Qian Laotou shook his head and sighed: "I have practiced medicine for decades and have never seen such bizarre toxicity. This poison not only attacks the physical body, but more terrifyingly, it specifically targets a cultivator's circulation of spiritual power. Fairy Xiao Yuan's dantian is being eroded by the poison; if we don't find an antidote soon..."

He did not finish, but everyone understood what he meant.

Just as everyone was at their wit's end, Yunyou Zhenren hurried to the Medical Hall. As soon as he entered, he sensed that bizarre toxicity, and his expression instantly became extremely grave.

"This is... Soul-Severing Bone-Eroding Powder!" Yunyou Zhenren said in shock.

"What?" Everyone turned toward him.

Yunyou Zhenren took a deep breath and said slowly: "Soul-Severing Bone-Eroding Powder is one of the legendary deadly poisons. This poison is extremely complex to refine, requiring nine types of extremely yin and toxic materials, refined using special techniques at specific times. Those poisoned first have their spiritual power sealed, then their soul damaged, and finally, they die as their bone marrow completely rots away."

"Then... is there an antidote?" Lin Xuan asked urgently.

Yunyou Zhenren was silent for a moment before saying: "There is, but..."

"But what? No matter how difficult, I am willing to do it!" Lin Xuan said firmly.

"It requires Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass," Yunyou Zhenren said slowly, "This is an extremely rare spiritual herb, rumored to be found only in the depths of the Valley of Death. And it must be Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass that is over a thousand years old to cure this deadly poison."

"The Valley of Death?" Qingfengzi's expression changed drastically, "That is a recognized forbidden zone in the Cultivation World; even powerhouses at the Golden Core Stage dare not easily set foot there!"

Yunyou Zhenren nodded: "Exactly. The Valley of Death not only contains various lethal poisonous miasmas and demonic beasts, but more terrifyingly, the space there is extremely unstable, and spatial collapses can occur at any time. Historically, less than one in ten cultivators who enter the Valley of Death come out alive."

"I don't care!" Lin Xuan said decisively, "No matter how dangerous it is, I must go!"

"Xuan'er, calm down," Xingchenzi advised, "You heard the dangers of the Valley of Death; if something happens to you too, what will happen to the Reform Alliance?"

"Senior Brother is right," Muerxiu suddenly spoke up, "So I should be the one to go. My Void Path gives me a higher chance of survival in that kind of environment."

"No!" Lin Xuan immediately refused, "I cannot let anyone take risks for Xiao Yuan."

"But Senior Brother, although your strength is great, you are not as good as me in spatial arts," Muerxiu insisted, "And the greatest danger in the Valley of Death is spatial collapse; only my Void Path can handle it."

Qingfengzi also stepped forward and said: "Two young friends, in this old man's opinion, this journey is exceptionally perilous and should be undertaken by multiple people looking out for one another. I am willing to go with you."

"Senior Qingfeng, I appreciate your kindness, but..." Lin Xuan began to refuse.

"No need to refuse," Qingfengzi waved his hand, "My Qingfeng Sect and the Reform Alliance are in the same boat; Fairy Xiao Yuan's safety is our safety. Besides, my Wind-Control Art can also be useful in such a treacherous environment."

"In that case, this old Daoist suggests the three of you go together."