Mission out of nowhere? Seriously, are you sure I should heal her? Ye Cang pondered skeptically. Wouldn't she just try to kill me after I save her life? His brow furrowed. And putting aside her unclear intentions, did he, a mere mortal cultivator, even possess the ability to heal someone so drastically injured yet brimming with profound power? This smacked of a ludicrous joke.
Yet the punishment for failing - losing his coveted Wish system?? That was simply too cruel to bear. He had to complete this mission, no matter the odds.
"System, how can I possibly heal her?" Ye Cang asked desperately. Any excitement over the bountiful rewards had been extinguished, replaced by pure anxiety over the grave consequence of potential failure.
"Are you an idiot, stupid host?" the system replied with contempt. "You have medical knowledge, alchemy mastery, and my gifted alchemy furnace at your disposal. Yet you still ask how to heal her? Your lack of awareness is staggering."
Ye Cang didn't have time to be riled up by the system's insults. It spoke true - with his skills and tools, healing the woman may be within his capabilities after all. The crucial issue was safely transporting her back to his residence first, where he could meticulously treat her grievous wounds. With only one day before the deadline, he couldn't risk exposure by initiating treatment out in these dangerous wilds.
As he approached the crater's edge again, Ye Cang's nerves were fraught with a peculiar blend of trepidation and thrilled curiosity. Could you fathom the sheer bizarreness and incredulity of his situation?
A meteor had seemingly scorched everything in its landing...except for the unconscious, ethereally beautiful woman lying untouched at the impact's epicenter. It beggared belief, like something straight out of fantasy.
Had she actually been flying through the air, only to be struck by the meteorite? Or had she tried mimicking some fictional hero's feat by punching it, only to be the one obliterated?
As Ye Cang approached her still form, he gasped at the dichotomy before him. The surrounding area was utterly devastated by that cataclysmic force. Yet her flawless porcelain skin and pristine azure dress remained unblemished, bar a trickle of blood from the corner of her lips - the sole indication of her perilous state.
Up close, her beauty was so resplendent, so exquisitely ethereal...it practically stole Ye Cang's breath away.
She wore a pristine white gown that flowed elegantly to the ground, unadorned save for a single teardrop-shaped earring. As she lay there motionlessly, not a speck of dust marred the integrity of her raiment. Despite the scene of utter devastation surrounding her, she looked utterly serene - as if a slumbering fairy had somehow become misplaced amid this apocalyptic destruction. Her beauty bordered on the indescribable, so ethereally perfect that it practically stole one's breath away.
Ye Cang studied her unconscious form for a prolonged moment before forcing his wandering thoughts to refocus. "Fair maiden, it is unwise to slumber so exposed. You'll catch your death out here in the elements, especially given your injured state. Allow me to convey you to my residence for treatment."
His cautious words stemmed from lingering trepidation that some deadly spell or mechanism could activate upon nearing her. But when no such danger manifested, Ye Cang exhaled in relief. Daring to step closer, he gently scooped the beauty up in a princess carry. Though the circumstances were extraordinary, he couldn't help but delight in this rare chance to hold such an exquisite woman so intimately. How many men ever got this blessed opportunity?
Cradling her lithe form protectively, Ye Cang began the journey back to his home, a journey that took a full hour even at his swiftest pace. Upon arriving, he carefully laid Mu Qianxue upon his bed, gasping for air. "She may not look it, but this maiden is utterly deadweight!"
After catching his breath, Ye Cang opened his system panel to review what resources were available for reviving his mysterious charge:
Name: Ye Cang
System Level: 1
Occupation: Tier 6 Alchemist
Power: 7 (Average human: 10)
Speed: 11 (Average human: 10)
Physique: 9 (Average human: 10)
Health: 10/10 (Healthy)
Cultivation: 5th Level Qi Condensation
Attribute: Space
Skills: Teleportation
Status: Beginner Cultivator
Charm Value: 100 (20+ Rewarded)
Lucky Draw: 10
Wish Points: 50
System Store (Lvl 1 Unlocked)
Inventory: Cooking Proficiency Book Lvl 1, Alchemy Craft Lvl 1, 2x Rage Cards, 2x Speed Cards, Alchemy Recipe Book Vol 1, 10 Spirit Stones, 10x Experience Cards, Tattered Underwear, Compensation Package, Tier 6 Alchemy Card, Medical Skills, 'Mist Walker' Technique, Tailoring Skills, Alchemy Furnace.
"System, install the Cooking Proficiency Book Level 1, Alchemy Recipe Book Volume 1, Tier 6 Alchemy Card, Medical Skills, 'Mist Walker' Technique, and Tailoring Skills," Ye Cang commanded.
With his capabilities now bolstered, he scrutinized Mu Qianxue's prone form anew, determination burning in his eyes. While unfathomably bizarre, this happenstance represented a pivotal opportunity - both for attaining coveted rewards and, more importantly, pushing his cultivation to soaring new heights.
Ye Cang would spare no effort in reviving this celestial beauty from the precipice of death itself.
"Ding... Congratulations on using Cooking Proficiency Book Level 1."
"Ding... Congratulations on using Alchemy Recipe Book Vol. 01."
"Ding... Congratulations on using Medical Skills."
"Ding... Congratulations on using 'Mist Walker' Technique."
"Ding... Congratulations on using Tier 6 Alchemy Card."
"Ding... Congratulations on becoming a Tier 6 Alchemist."
"Ding... Congratulations on acquiring Tailoring Skills."
A cacophony of system notifications bombarded Ye Cang as he tried installing all those abilities simultaneously. Instantly, he felt like his head was being battered by a thousand hammers - a deluge of knowledge and skills violently inundating his consciousness. For him, each passing second dragged into a subjective eternity of agonizing sensory overload.
The torturous download continued unabated for five endless minutes. By the time it finally ended, Ye Cang was drenched in a cold, clammy sweat, his body trembling uncontrollably. He grimaced, realizing too late how reckless it had been trying to integrate that much at once.
Tentatively, he checked his system panel again:
Name: Ye Cang
System Level: 1
Occupation: Tier 6 Alchemist, Tier 1 Tailor
Power: 7 (Average Human: 10)
Speed: 11 (Average Human: 10)
Physique: 10 (Average Human: 10)
Health: 10/10 (Healthy)
Cultivation: 5th Level Qi Condensation
Attribute: Space
Skills: Teleportation, Mist Walker, Medical (Max Level)
Status: Beginner Cultivator
Charm: 100 (20+ Rewarded)
Lucky Draw: 10
Wish Points: 50
System Store (Lvl 1 Unlocked)
Inventory: Alchemy Card Lvl 1, 2x Rage Cards, 2x Speed Cards, 10 Spirit Stones, 10x Experience Cards, Tattered Underwear, Compensation Package, Alchemy Furnace
Ye Cang exhaled slowly upon seeing his newly maxed-out Medical skills. No wonder the data transfer had been so agonizing - receiving that depth of professional knowledge all at once could've killed a lesser man. He counted himself fortunate to have a system-enhanced physique.
