"Gen – General," Lin Qian's weak voice continued flowing from the spirit energy bird.
"Tie – Yan – Fang – took – all – three – cores –" Lin Qian stopped. Her breathing was ragged, and it was clear she was struggling to stay conscious. But she was determined—she had to send this message.
"Be – careful – dangerous – insane –"
"Left – to cavern –" "Take – them – hide –"
"I'm – sorry –" A sob could be heard, broken and defeated.
"We – failed – protect –" Lin Qian's voice trembled, the weight of her words pressing down before she choked out the last, heartbreaking truth. "Lei – dead –" The sobbing grew louder.
Her cries wavered, fading into silence. A shaky breath—then another—until nothing remained but the soft hum of the spirit energy bird.
------------------------------
A hand, slick with blood, fell limp against the cold stone floor.
The spirit energy bird flapped its wings, lifting off, carrying its final message into the night.
Lin Qian's vision wavered—tilted—her cheek pressed against the ground. The world around her darkened.
Boots entered her fading line of sight—fast, urgent.
A voice, raw with desperation, shattered the silence.
"DOCTOR!"
Xuan Tian arrived to a horrific scene. He had been on countless battlefields, had seen Celestial bodies turn to golden dust, scattered by the wind. He had witnessed Demons disintegrate into blood-red mist. But he had never seen anything like this.
Corpses. Still, unmoving, lifeless bodies.
Celestials and Demons did not leave remains. The sight of flesh and bone torn apart, frozen in expressions of pain and terror, was something he was unaccustomed to. It was too visceral. Too real.
Blood everywhere. Bodies strewn across the courtyard. The victims of Tie Yanfang's unchecked wrath were scattered like discarded dolls, their lives snuffed out without purpose. A massacre driven not by necessity, but by sheer, senseless destruction.
Three of the bodies he recognized—A-He, Xiao Lan, and Madam Hao. The victims they had saved. Now dead, their abdomens gaping open, their cores ripped away.
Xuan Tian gritted his teeth.
Nearby, Luo Zhang—A-He's father—lay draped over Mrs. Luo, as if trying to shield her. Across the room, Xiao Lan's father lay motionless, lifeless. Their bodies remained where they fell, silent witnesses to the horror that had unfolded.
Xuan Tian checked each body, one by one, forcing himself to hold onto a sliver of hope. But the more he searched, the heavier his fury became. Each lifeless body was another failure. Another name he could not save.
His fingers clenched into fists, rage boiling beneath the surface.
Then—
A sob.
Xuan Tian's head snapped up.
It was faint, but it was real. Someone was alive.
The sound came from another room—Chen Wei's room.
In a blink, Xuan Tian was gone, moving like a phantom toward the source.
Someone had survived.
"DOCTOR!"
As he entered the room, Xuan Tian saw Lin Qian sprawled on the ground, her cheek pressed against the cold floor, tears streaking down both cheeks. Blood covered her face, chest, and hands.
He rushed to her.
No golden dust. She was alive.
Xuan Tian knelt beside her, fingers swiftly pressing against her wrist. He checked her pulse and then immediately channeled his spirit energy into her fragile body.
From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a pile of golden dust.
His heart sank. Lei Xiong.
The shock nearly caused internal injuries.
He forced himself to focus, swallowing the grief that threatened to consume him. Right now, the only thing that mattered was making sure Lin Qian survived.
A short time later, Lin Qian coughed weakly. Xuan Tian halted his treatment and turned his attention to her.
Lin Qian's eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first, before slowly settling on Xuan Tian.
"General," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Tie Yanfang—"
Xuan Tian stopped her. "Please, don't speak. I already know. I'll take care of him. Right now, making sure you're safe is the priority."
"But the cavern—"
"I've left defensive measures in place. They will be fine. I promise."
Lin Qian nodded weakly. Then, as if suddenly remembering, her gaze shifted toward the pile of golden dust. Her eyes welled with tears.
Xuan Tian followed her line of sight, and his face darkened. There was no doubt. That pile of dust was Lei Wen.
Lin Qian struggled to sit up. Xuan Tian helped her, steadying her as she trembled.
"General, can you please help me gather him?" Lin Qian pleaded, her voice breaking.
"Of course." Gentle spirit energy flowed from his fingers, gathering the golden dust. With practiced precision, he formed it into a golden crystal pendant and placed it in Lin Qian's hands. It was a tradition among Celestials—to create a pendant from the dust of the fallen as a memento.
Clutching the pendant tightly, Lin Qian sobbed, her tears falling freely. She broke down completely.
Xuan Tian didn't know how to comfort her. He had never consoled anyone before. But he understood her grief—deeply. He felt as if he might cry, but no tears would come.
The only thing he could do was place a steady hand on her back, offering silent support.
While doing so, he scanned the room. That was when he noticed Chen Wei on the bed, his abdomen gaping open, his lifeless eyes wide in agony.
His core had been harvested while he was still awake.
Xuan Tian felt pure, unfiltered rage surge through him.
Tie Yanfang will pay for this.
Barely containing his fury, he forced himself to continue scanning the room. Then, he saw Elder Mo slumped against the bed, his body covered in battle wounds.
Elder Mo had fought to the end.
Then, Xuan Tian saw a finger twitch. He blinked. Surely it was his imagination. He stared at the hand, willing it to move again.
Another twitch.
His breath caught. Had he truly seen it? He thought he was losing his mind—until the whole hand shifted.
Xuan Tian was sure this time. Elder Mo was still alive.
He turned to Lin Qian, who was still crying.
"Doctor," Xuan Tian whispered, his voice low but urgent. "I need to check Mo Chaoren. I think he's still alive."
Lin Qian's sobs quieted. She looked toward Elder Mo, her swollen eyes widening slightly before she nodded weakly.
Xuan Tian moved swiftly, kneeling beside Elder Mo. He pressed his fingers to his wrist. A pulse—faint, but there.
He was right.
Without hesitation, Xuan Tian channeled a steady stream of spirit energy into Elder Mo's body, stabilizing his failing strength. It didn't take long before Elder Mo stirred, his breathing becoming more even. Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open, and his gaze locked onto Xuan Tian.
"Shengzun..." Elder Mo rasped weakly.
"Don't speak. Just try to circulate your spirit energy," Xuan Tian instructed, his tone firm but careful as he continued his treatment.
But Elder Mo weakly reached out, grabbing Xuan Tian's wrist. "Shengzun... please hurry back. To the cavern."
Xuan Tian thought he was worried about Tie Yanfang reaching the cavern before him. He immediately reassured him, "Don't worry. I left a very elaborate maze on the mountain path. Even if Tie Yanfang is a Saint, he won't escape unscathed." His eyes glinted cruelly.
Elder Mo was deeply moved. He hadn't expected Xuan Tian to use his precious spirit energy to save him. Even in his weakened state, he could feel it—Xuan Tian's energy surpassed anyone he had ever encountered. It was overwhelming yet steady, powerful yet warm. But more than the energy itself, it was the sincerity behind it that struck Elder Mo.
For that, Mo Chaoren gladly gave his life.
Still gripping Xuan Tian's wrist, Elder Mo's voice came weaker but filled with urgency. "Shengzun... must hurry back. Tie Yanfang – secret path – directly inside – cavern."