Yun Fei could also be considered a form of Heavenly Treasure, even at this moment. It would not surprise me in the least if the environment of this room — mostly because of the presence of Yun Fei — would be the most toxic place on this entire continent. At the very least, it is possibly the most toxic environment in this kingdom.

The purple Yin flames and the venom of the snake when combined have the capacity to destroy the physical body and the spiritual vessel; even spending an hour in this room, without touching Yun Fei, is likely enough to kill anyone under the Core Formation realm. Touching Yun Fei, on the other hand, whether they are in the Core Formation realm or the Nascent Soul, they would most likely die on the spot.

Yun Fei’s original poison could be considered timid and tame, such that touching the Yin flames would immediately reverse one’s cultivation and obliterate the spiritual veins, but it would show very little physical evidence of such poisoning.

The snake’s venom, however, is terrifying. Even a small dose would be enough to melt a person’s organs within a breath’s time and transform them into a pile of matter that would not even be fit for recycling.

Fortunately, I am made of inorganic materials, and therefore, the snake’s venom has no effect on them and I can handle it with no danger. That is also precisely why combining the venom with my lifeblood — albeit tiny amounts of it — results in a mixture that doesn’t react intensely with Yun Fei’s body either, which is doubly so fortunate as I have injected enough venom into her internal system to kill a thousand people ten times over.

The amount of venom I chose is to precisely match the amount of Yin-attribute in the opposing poison and neutralize it, even though this results in wildly different toxicity parameters.

When the snake venom enters her internal system, it immediately pulls at the dark mist swirling in Yun Fei’s dantian, and even attacks the root of the issue — the spiritual roots themselves.

The snake venom, rather than attacking Yun Fei’s physical and spiritual vessel, attacks the competing poison, in the process leaving a thin film of pulsing blackness on Yun Fei’s already blackened spiritual veins. This thin film of blackness is a result of my lifeblood leaving a protective and inorganic layer of material on Yun Fei’s spiritual veins as if trying to eradicate her Physique and replace it with my own.

When Lan Xiaohui consumed my lifeblood — half my lifespan’s worth of it — this is precisely what happened to Lan Xiaohui’s Physique. However, even Lan Xiaohui’s change would not be enough to withstand this amount of venom or poison, nor did her blood or spiritual veins become inorganic like mine.

Even if I had a hundred years’ worth of lifespan, it would not be enough to fundamentally change Yun Fei to such a degree that she would become immune to such inconveniences, as impurities or toxic materials.

However, this small amount is enough to deliver a package of snake venom that will not immediately kill her, but instead allow her to slowly absorb the venom into her body and spiritual vessel.

So long as the Yin-attribute poison remains in her system, the snake venom should not kill her.

At this stage, I circulate the mixture of poisons and essence through Yun Fei’s body to allow it to absorb, while refining the impurities with my refining flame.

Yun Fei’s screaming only stops when she completely loses her voice, but that does not, in any way, signify an end to her torment.

Even Yun Fei’s bones begin to melt under the influence of these two poisons and my refining flame, gathering in her vessel like a thick glob of slag. This is mostly an effect of my purifying refining flame, as even the poison and impurity within Yun Fei’s bones and organs is drawn out — including the matter it was absorbed into — and refined into some form of toxic elixir.

Yun Fei’s body grows incredibly pale and small incisions appear on her skin, pouring blackened, contaminated blood and impurity.

All in all, this “treatment” costs Yun Fei between twenty to thirty years of potential lifespan, but like this, I can at least maintain her life for six to twelve months — a vast improvement over the one or two weeks of life she had left.

For the next twelve hours, I circulate Yun Fei’s Qi, acting, in a very real sense, like a manual pump for her spiritual heart until her circulation can operate on its own.

With each circulation cycle, the poison absorbs into Yun Fei’s body, having a noticeable effect on her Physique, but it is by no means enough to permanently change it.

This is only a temporary solution, after all. At one point, this delicate balance of Yin and Yang poisons and energies will fall apart and lead to irrecoverable failures.

During these twelve hours, several visitors appear at Starsword Peak, and all of them congratulate Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan on joining the Galaxy Sword sect. However, it quickly becomes clear to them that neither are in the mood for speaking and leave not shortly afterward, offering an invitation to their faction as they depart.

When the process is complete, I withdraw my refining flame and call for Lan Xiaohui.

As my owner enters, her expression changes when she sees Yun Fei, the incisions on her half-naked body, and the pool of thick, black blood on the bed next to her.

Lan Xiaohui reaches for the towel that had become dry by now and asks in a quiet voice. “Is it safe… to approach her now?”

“No,” I reply.

Lan Xiaohui bites her lower lip and nods.

With a motion of her hand, I float to Lan Xiaohui’s side and we depart the room.

Outside, Wu Yulan waits for Lan Xiaohui and when we emerge through the doorway, she approaches.

“How did it go?” she asks.

“The treatment was a success,” I tell both of them. “If I give her a dose of venom every week, I can maintain her life for six to twelve months. After this, no amount of venom will be able to suppress the Yin poison.”

Lan Xiaohui’s eyes are hopeful, even though her expression is one of concern and sadness.

“Then… what do we do after that?” Wu Yulan asks, her tone surprisingly respectful as she addresses me specifically.

“It is no coincidence that all of the materials Lady Yue requested have the ability to strengthen, reshape or rebuild the spiritual roots,” I explain. “For Yun Fei to live, she either has to sever her mortal body and rebuild her spiritual vessel after crossing into the Nihility realm, or to destroy and rebuild her spiritual roots.”

Judging by their expressions, both of these options are equally impossible. What is a medicine that can rebuild spiritual roots? It is a heaven-defying treasure. If someone with deformed or below average spiritual roots had to pick between obtaining me or medicine that could restore their spiritual roots, they would naturally pick the medicine.

Wu Yulan is the first one to recover from the disappointment and the hopelessness of the situation and takes Lan Xiaohui’s hand. “Xuelian, there is still hope. We have at least six months to think of a way.”

Lan Xiaohui nods, her lips curving into a slight smile. “You are right,” she says.

“Let’s not waste any more time,” Wu Yulan says, her tone strangely mellow and affectionate — shy even. “Let’s enter the Core Formation realm together, and explore the Forbidden Lands.”

Lan Xiaohui’s cheeks redden slightly, understanding what Wu Yulan is implying, and then she nods her head. A finger rises to tangle into her hair. “If we cultivate together with Yaoyue, it shouldn’t take very long.”

To this, Wu Yulan nods, her gaze not daring to rise to meet Lan Xiaohui’s.