Quinn Shepherd examined Emperor Evan and saw that the emperor looked like a torn burlap sack stuffed with rice—except instead of rice leaking out, it was blood, spilling everywhere. Things looked dire.
His qi and blood were withering at an alarming rate; as they drained away, the divine treasuries inside him shuddered, sending out thunderous booms like the collapse of heaven and earth.
With his yuanqi and blood draining away and his divine treasuries collapsing, if treatment didn’t come soon, the emperor wouldn’t last an hour before dying.
“So you’re a Middle Dispersal Doctor.”
Emperor Evan forced his eyes open and asked weakly, "Is there still hope for me?"
Quinn carefully examined his wounds, fingers flying as he swiftly used the Heaven-Forging Demon Art to seal the emperor’s soul—locking his spirits inside his body. Instantly, Emperor Evan couldn’t speak or even move his eyes.
Quinn took out some Dragon Spittle Elixir and smeared it on the emperor’s wounds. Looking up, he saw Grandpa Blind and Grandpa Mark didn’t linger—they simply walked away.
“Are they drawing off the pursuers?”
Quinn was puzzled. He said to the Dragon-Qilin, "Back to Granny Sue’s courtyard."
The Dragon-Qilin turned around. Quinn sat on its back, fed Emperor Evan more Dragon Spittle Elixir, then massaged his body to expel clotted blood, all the while calculating his options and taking out a few spirit pills.
Back when he first created the Grand Unification Art, it came with serious flaws—his body’s qi and blood were depleted, his spirit was failing. To save himself, he refined two kinds of spirit pills: one, the Spirit Buddha Pill to restore his spirit; the other, the Blood-Glory Pill to replenish his qi and blood. Finally, he used the Spirit Renewal Great Nourishment Art to devour a whole Crimson Dragon Carp, which fully restored his body.
The pill in his hand was the Blood-Glory Pill.
Quinn hesitated. Right now, Emperor Evan’s qi and blood were weak but still salvageable. If he took the Blood-Glory Pill and his qi and blood surged all at once, it might overwhelm his already collapsing divine treasuries!
Emperor Evan’s cultivation was vast; if the energy inside his divine treasuries exploded all at once with nowhere to go, the emperor would detonate on the spot—Quinn and the Dragon-Qilin would be blown to bits by the runaway force.
But if he didn’t replenish Emperor Evan’s qi and blood, the situation would be just as dangerous.
"I have to draw out the energy from his divine treasuries first, then restore his qi and blood."
Quinn pondered for a moment. The best way would be to use silver needles to guide out the raging energy, but if he stuck them into the divine treasuries, they’d probably melt instantly—no time to draw the energy out before it scattered.
The next option was to use a seal—to lock the energy from Emperor Evan’s divine treasuries inside his body. But Quinn didn’t have enough power to seal the emperor’s cultivation.
Another option was to use a 'spirit pill'—or rather, a dissolving poison—to dissolve Emperor Evan’s cultivation. But such pills were often made from deadly toxins; one misstep and even the emperor’s body would be destroyed!
Quinn decided on the second method. He couldn’t seal Emperor Evan’s power, but Granny Sue probably could.
"But even if I save him, he’ll just be a cripple."
Quinn felt a pang of sympathy. Emperor Evan was in his prime, healthy enough to live two or three hundred years. After this ordeal, he’d be no different from an ordinary person—just a few decades left at most.
A ruler of his caliber, reduced to a commoner—it was hard to imagine Emperor Evan accepting that. Who knew how devastated he’d be when he woke up?
"The second method might actually be best—seal the energy inside his divine treasuries. Maybe, just maybe, he could repair them himself..."
Quinn shook his head. The odds of that were slim.
The Dragon-Qilin carried them back to Granny Sue’s courtyard in the woods. Quinn gathered his yuanqi, lifting Emperor Evan with it—smooth and steady, no jostling at all.
Granny Sue came out at the sound, startled. "Quinn, what are you up to—wait, the emperor? Planning to skin the emperor and wear his hide so you can be emperor yourself? You rascal, you’re getting more ambitious every day!"
Granny Sue was delighted, then suddenly worried: "But the emperor’s harem is full of little fox spirits—three thousand beauties! Be careful or they’ll charm you to death."
Quinn sighed, "I don’t want to skin him and be emperor. Granny, help me seal the energy in his divine treasuries—don’t let him explode. I’m going to buy some herbs. And don’t turn the emperor into stew while I’m gone!"
Granny Sue looked worried. "Be back before dark, or that little scoundrel Tyson Li will be grinning as he wears the emperor’s skin, running off to be emperor himself!"
Emperor Evan woke up, overhearing their conversation. He thought, "Who is this Middle Dispersal Doctor’s granny—so fierce and ruthless? And wasn’t Tyson Li supposed to be dead? Why is he here too...?"
His injuries were too severe; he slipped back into unconsciousness.
Quinn dashed out, got his bearings, and sped toward the nearest city.
The closest was Yan City, a small town. Disaster had struck, so the pharmacies were short on herbs. Quinn visited several shops before gathering enough ingredients to restore qi and blood, then hurried back.
He returned before dark and breathed a sigh of relief. Checking Emperor Evan, Quinn saw Granny Sue had already sealed the energy from the divine treasuries inside his flesh. The emperor was alive, but his body was beginning to break down—his soul, however, was intact.
"Once you unravel the Heaven-Forging Demon Art, his flesh won’t be able to contain his soul—he’ll die for sure!" Granny Sue said.
"He won’t die!"
Quinn said solemnly, "I can keep his soul in this world. As long as his body draws breath, I can bring him back!"
Granny Sue shook her head. "I’ll go make dinner. After you eat, be careful—the old demon will come out soon."
Quinn tensed. He quickly gave Emperor Evan some Blood-Glory Pills and Spirit-Buddha Pills, used yuanqi to help him absorb the medicine, then stuck silver needles all over the emperor’s body to guide the medicinal power. He also refined a few more spirit pills.
Granny Sue finished making dinner and called Quinn to eat.
After dinner, Granny Sue went into her room. Quinn kept tending to Emperor Evan. Soon, a rustling sound came from outside, and Granny Sue giggled, "Quinn, how’s His Majesty doing?"
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Quinn’s soul nearly left his body at the sound, but he kept his composure. "Cult Master Li, you’re also a leader of our Holy Cult—why act like this?"
The voice instantly grew old and laughed. "I’m already dead—no longer of the Holy Cult. The Grand Fostering Heavenly Demon Sutra is yours now. I do whatever I please! Hand over the emperor—I’ll be emperor, then abdicate to myself and become empress!"
Quinn didn’t answer.
Suddenly the door burst open. Granny Sue stormed in, sneering, "If you won’t give me the emperor, I’ll take him myself!"
She stared for a moment, stunned—Quinn had planted the emperor in the dirt, standing straight like a pine tree.
Quinn circled Emperor Evan, activating his arts, striking him palm after palm.
"Creation Earth Origin Art? Creation Spirit Art? Huh, and even Creation Ghost-God Art!"