Chapter 77: A Fifty Percent Assurance!

After a while, Ling Feng furrowed his brow.

Strange!

Extremely strange!

The sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect was unmistakably experiencing abnormal signs of aging, yet Ling Feng couldn't pinpoint precisely what was awry.

No wonder so many Daoist physicians were at a loss; indeed, it was a peculiar illness, an incredibly strange one!

Upon witnessing Ling Feng's furrowed brow, the sect leader's wife heaved a sigh. The same expression adorned her face after the other physicians had examined the sect leader's pulse.

Just as I thought, this young man is unable to cure the sect leader's peculiar illness.

Sigh...

Even Wen Tingguang couldn't help but sigh inwardly. After all, he was just a teenager of barely sixteen years. No matter how skilled he was in medicine, he couldn't possibly surpass the reputation of the Empire's youngest Daoist physician.

"I have some vague speculations about the Sect Leader's illness."

However, what surprised everyone was Ling Feng's utterance of such words.

The murky eyes of the sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect flashed with a glimmer as he looked at Ling Feng with difficulty. "You’re able to cure my illness?"

"I'm not certain yet. I still need to confirm," Ling Feng said calmly.

"You, like the others, are all the same," the sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect shook his head. "Never mind, never mind, you may leave. Our sect won't hold you accountable, you needn't bear any burden."

"I don't feel burdened," Ling Feng said lightly. "Please, suppress the true power within you, Sect Leader. I need to analyze the cause of your illness using acupuncture."

"Very well," the sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect took a deep breath, then leaned against the head of the bed with Ling Feng's support.

"Sect Leader, my apologies."

Undoing the sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect's shirt, Ling Feng swiftly withdrew two golden needles and, with lightning speed, inserted them into the "Tiantu[1]" and "Xuanji[2]" acupoints.

Listening intently, Ling Feng observed the slight trembling of the golden needles.

"H-How is it?" the sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect asked weakly.

"Please refrain from speaking!" Ling Feng's brow furrowed, his voice carrying a tone of seriousness.

The sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect couldn't help but scrutinize Ling Feng a few more times.

Did this young man truly dare to speak to him in such a manner?

Did he see the sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect, who was superior to thousands, as nothing more than a mere patient in his eyes?

"Intriguing, quite intriguing!"

After a prolonged moment, Ling Feng's brow furrowed even more tightly.

"W-What is this?"

Ling Feng distinctly heard it: two heartbeats, two types of pulses!

Although nearly identical, there were still subtle differences.

"How is that possible? How could this be?"

"It's simply unheard of!"

Ling Feng's words set the room on edge. The sect leader's wife quickly inquired, "What's wrong? Young sir, have you noticed something?"

"It's quite tricky!"

Ling Feng's eyes remained locked onto the sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect. "The vitality of the sect leader is being consumed, and nearly ninety percent of the vitality diagram has already been depleted."

The vitality diagram represents a person's life path.

Only Daoist physicians could perceive such a trajectory.

As the veins of the vitality diagram withered, the person's life was nearing its end.

The sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect should have been in the prime of his life, with a vitality diagram as vigorous as a thriving tree. However, now it appeared like a withered and decaying tree on the verge of collapse.

Bluntly speaking, if he weren't a formidable martial artist, his inevitable demise could be deduced solely from the extent of his depleted vitality diagram.

It was no wonder Sun Siyi had previously remarked that there was no cure for the sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect.

"My vitality diagram is depleted by ninety percent. I won't live past next year, will I?" The sect leader of the Cangqiong Sect smiled faintly, showing little surprise.

Similar sentiments have been expressed by other Daoist physicians before.

"Under normal circumstances, yes," Ling Feng nodded.

"In that case, can you treat me?" the sect leader asked calmly.

"I'm fifty percent confident," Ling Feng locked eyes with the Cangqiong Sect's leader. "With your cooperation, I have a fifty percent chance."

"Are you serious about this, young man?" The sect leader's wife's eyes brightened, a glimmer of hope shining through.

While other Daoist physicians would only shake their heads, Ling Feng dared to claim he had a fifty percent chance!

"Kid, don't make empty boasts!" Wen Tingguang's eyelids twitched, feeling somewhat skeptical.

"I never exaggerate," Ling Feng maintained his gaze on the leader of the Cangqiong Sect. "As long as the Sect Leader is willing to believe in me, I have a fifty percent chance."

Ling Feng had already discerned that an anomaly lay dormant within the body of the sect leader of Cangqiong Sect.

This anomaly could be likened to a parasite, but it displayed remarkable intelligence. It managed to mimic its heartbeat to match the frequency of the Cangqiong sect leader's.

Furthermore, it had the ability to transform into a cluster of true qi, seamlessly blending with the true qi within the Cangqiong sect leader's body.

As a result, regardless of one's proficiency in medical skills, detecting its presence proved futile.

Hence, ordinary Daoist physicians could only witness the Cangqiong sect leader's shattered vitality diagram, helpless to act.

Yet, Ling Feng had a solution: he could complete the vitality diagram and defy destiny itself!

However, the prerequisite was the removal of the anomaly within the Cangqiong sect leader's body. Without it, even if Ling Feng were to grant the sect leader renewed life force, the anomaly would persist in sapping away his vitality bit by bit.

A myriad of thoughts raced through Ling Feng's mind, eventually leading him to a daring solution.

Eye of Plunder!

By activating the Eye of Plunder, Ling Feng could indeed extract the anomaly within the body of the Cangqiong sect leader. However, this carried a certain level of risk; there was a possibility that the Cangqiong sect leader could also be drained in the process.

Nevertheless, there was a method to mitigate this risk. With Ling Feng's mastery of the

Profound Art of Acupuncture and Moxibustion

, he possessed the ability to seal off the soul, vitality, and energy within the body.

By doing so, the risk associated with using the Eye of Plunder would decrease significantly, though it would not be entirely foolproof.

In other words, this was a gamble.

Observing Ling Feng, the Cangqiong sect leader nodded upon catching sight of Ling Feng's determined gaze. "I trust you."

Ling Feng smiled lightly. "Very well. Then there are certain matters the sect leader is entitled to know."

"Please, go on."

"My method involves taking some risks," Ling Feng spoke slowly. "I will require three days to seal the soul, vigor, and spirit of the Sect Leader. After this period, I can commence treatment. However, the treatment process carries inherent risks. Success would result in the complete recovery of the Sect Leader's illness. But in the event of failure..."

"What happens if it fails?" the sect leader's wife interjected.

"Death!"

Ling Feng replied bluntly, without hiding the truth.

If it were to fail, it would result in the sect leader being plundered of vitality by Ling Feng's Eye of Plunder. Not only would the sect leader perish, but the death would be excruciatingly gruesome.

"How dare you!" The maids on both sides shot Ling Feng cold glances.

"You impudent brat, keep quiet!"

Wen Tingguang's heart raced with anxiety. How could this kid dare to gamble with the sect leader's life?

"Everyone, step back," the sect leader gestured weakly, dismissing the maids on either side. His gaze settled on Ling Feng. "I'm willing to give it a try."

With his current condition, he can barely expect to live another six months.

Why not take the risk and give it a try?

"Sect Leader!" The sect leader's wife grasped his sleeve, shaking her head vigorously, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Sect Leader, you mustn't!"

Wen Tingguang, too, clenched his fists. Despite having brought Ling Feng here himself, could it be wise to entrust the sect leader's life to such an inexperienced youth?

"I have made my decision," the sect leader said softly, regarding Ling Feng with a gentle gaze. "Young man, what is your name?"

"Ling Feng," Ling Feng responded. Then, almost as if driven by an unseen force, he added, "And you?"

"Me?" The sect leader of Cangqiong Sect was slightly surprised. Was there truly someone beneath the heavens who didn't know his name?

After a brief pause, he replied calmly, "I am Yue Zhonglian!"

1. Suprasternal notch, or the spot right in the middle of the collar bone. ☜

2. A spot directly below the Suprasternal notch. ☜