Chapter 1407: Saving Elder Liao

He was stunned for a moment, then understood.

It wasn't because Zhang Xuan was stronger than him; instead, the lotus had already been severely weakened by his and the Azure Dragon Beast's earlier attacks, almost shattering. Zhang Xuan's sword energy precisely located its most fragile point, allowing him to destroy it with remarkable ease.

Even so, it was incredibly impressive.

He hadn't been able to find a weak point in the spontaneously appearing lotus, yet Zhang Xuan had discerned it instantly. Furthermore, he had precisely struck it with sword energy from a significant distance without harming Elder Liao inside. Zhang Xuan's eyesight and control over his power had reached an astonishing level.

Impressed, he looked down to see Zhang Xuan on the ground. Instead of appearing excited after shattering the lotus, Zhang Xuan's face was pale and his brows were furrowed.

“Hmm? What's happening?”

“This lotus is incredibly strange...”

He was about to ask what was happening with the lotus-shaped True Qi when he heard surprised murmurs from below. He quickly looked down and saw the shattered flower, now mist, re-entering Elder Liao's body through his skin, as if it were alive.

“Hmph!”

With a cold snort, Zhang Xuan produced dozens of silver needles between his fingers and flicked them sharply.

The needles whistled through the air.

The silver needles cut through the air and landed on several of Elder Liao's acupuncture points. The mist, which had been burrowing into his body, hissed upon contact with the needles as if encountering its bane, then halted, unable to proceed further.

Only then did Zhang Xuan breathe a sigh of relief. With a sweep of his hand, he brought Elder Liao down from mid-air, placed him back on the stretcher, and then gently tapped the center of his forehead.

“Cough, cough...”

After a violent coughing fit, Elder Liao opened his eyes, spat out a mouthful of black blood, and sat up from the stretcher. Immediately, everyone heard a series of crackling sounds from within his body, like firecrackers exploding.

“This is...”

Bai Yu's eyebrows shot up, and his eyes widened. “Is he about to break through?”

He knew his old friend's condition intimately: plagued by fire poison, his vitality was severed, and he was on the verge of death. Even with his profound medical skills, he couldn't cure him. Yet, this man had only inserted a few needles and tapped his forehead, and now he was on the verge of a breakthrough...

Was he seeing things?

A rumbling sound echoed!

Before his shock could subside, more explosions echoed from within the newly awakened Elder Liao. His cultivation broke through layer by layer, reaching the peak from the mid-stage of Saint Realm Seventh Layer in mere moments.

Even then, his progress didn't slow. He shattered the bottleneck of the Void Imminence Realm peak in just over ten breaths. In an instant, winds surged, and the domain of the Cavernous Void Realm spread out from around his body.

Only then did the process slowly halt, and his cultivation gradually stabilized.

Half-step Cavernous Void Realm!

He had advanced directly from the mid-stage of the Void Imminence Realm to the Half-step Cavernous Void Realm. Such a rapid promotion speed was unheard of.

Bai Yu's lips twitched.

His old friend's cultivation had been stagnant at the mid-stage of the Void Imminence Realm for centuries ever since he was poisoned, never progressing. Bai Yu had never imagined he would now break through so directly and powerfully, with such unstoppable momentum!

“I...”

He was speechless with shock, and Elder Liao sat motionless, staring blankly at the surging power within his own body.

Before he lost consciousness, his vitality was failing, and he was close to death. Now, opening his eyes, he was not only fully recovered but also filled with abundant cultivation, ready to break through instantly. He wondered if he was dreaming.

He slapped himself, and a stinging pain spread across his face.

“I'm still alive?”

Tears streamed down his cheeks, and his body trembled uncontrollably with emotion.

For years, he had lingered on the brink of death, believing there was no escape this time. He never dreamed that not only would his hidden ailments be resolved, but he would also break through in cultivation.

He swayed, then leaped from the stretcher. In a few quick strides, he reached Zhang Xuan, his knees buckling as he knelt down.

“Thank you, Master Zhang, for saving my life...”

Although he had been unconscious and didn't know exactly what had transpired, seeing Master Zhang's pale face and slight trembling body now, he knew that a tremendous price must have been paid to restore him.

“You're welcome... I wasn't entirely confident myself, but thankfully, it worked...”

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan could no longer bear the strain and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

This time, he wasn't faking it.

He had just unleashed 'One Sword Shatters the Sea,' completely depleting his True Qi. Before he could recover, he had then helped resolve the Yin Frost Fire Poison. Even with the aid of absorbing top-grade spirit stones, his essence, qi, and spirit were so drained that he felt on the verge of collapse.

“Master Zhang...”

Elder Liao rushed over anxiously and helped him up.

Bai Yu swiftly descended from the air. “Don't worry,” he said. “He's just overly exhausted. With enough spiritual energy and time, there shouldn't be any lingering problems.”

He had acted earlier due to a misunderstanding, believing Zhang Xuan intended to harm Elder Liao. Now realizing that Zhang Xuan had not only not harmed him but had actually saved him, his hostility naturally vanished.

What was more crucial was that he himself had been at a loss regarding his old friend's condition. Yet, this person had not only cured him but also enabled a breakthrough in less than three minutes, all without medicine or complex methods. It utterly baffled him; he couldn't comprehend how it was done.

“That's good then...”

Elder Liao breathed a sigh of relief, hearing that Zhang Xuan was fine.

“Master Zhang,” Saint Physician Bai Yu couldn't help but ask, “what exactly happened?”

In all his years as a physician, he had never witnessed such a method of healing, especially one that brought about an instant cure.

“Earlier, in my efforts to save Elder Liao, I did not intend to insult the Saint Physician. I hope you won't take offense!”

Zhang Xuan struggled to steady himself, cupped his fists, and offered an apologetic look.

“That's a minor matter...”

Saint Physician Bai Yu waved his hand dismissively.

He felt that even if he had been physically harmed, let alone merely scolded, witnessing such incredible medical skill firsthand would have been entirely worth it.

It was precisely this dedication to studying medical arts that had allowed him to progress so far, his skills vastly surpassing others.

“I earnestly hope Master Zhang can enlighten me...”

Saint Physician Bai Yu's eyes were filled with sincerity and anticipation.

In fact, it wasn't just him; Master Fei, Feng Ziyi, Zhang Xu, and the others all turned their gazes simultaneously upon hearing the question.

If it had involved consuming elixirs, or using various True Qi guidance to resolve internal toxins and boost strength, it would have been entirely comprehensible. But this method – knocking someone unconscious, verbally abusing them for a while, then seemingly beating them to death... only for it to result in saving them – was utterly baffling and incredible.

If saving lives and detoxifying were truly that simple, the world wouldn't have so many patients dying from illness.

“Well...”

Seeing the eager desire to learn in Bai Yu's eyes, Zhang Xuan gave a wry smile. “Saint Physician Bai Yu,” he said, “could you perhaps allow me to recover a little before I explain?”

He was so weak he felt close to death and simply lacked the energy to speak.

“Right, my mistake...”

Physician Bai Yu's face flushed with shame.

He had been so focused on learning that he'd forgotten Zhang Xuan's debilitated state.

“I have an Essence Replenishing Pill here. If you take it, you'll quickly regain your strength...”

He flipped his wrist, producing a jade bottle, and offered it.

As the peak physician of the Saint Son Hall, countless individuals sought his medical expertise, thus he possessed a considerable number of valuable items.

Zhang Xuan took the Essence Replenishing Pill, glanced at it, and shook his head with a helpless expression.

The pill was indeed excellent, but for him, its utility was limited.

His Heavenly Dao True Qi had incredibly stringent requirements for spiritual energy, and these demands grew exponentially with his increasing cultivation. While an Essence Replenishing Pill would be effective for ordinary Void Imminence Realm experts, it was little more than a sugar pill for him.

“This pill is of no use to me, but thank you anyway...” He shook his head and handed the elixir back.

“Useless?”

Physician Bai Yu was taken aback. “I have more here...”

“I appreciate Saint Physician Bai Yu's kindness, but I'll find my own way to recover...”

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan decided against taking out his top-grade spirit stones. Instead, he looked up at the elder before him. “Elder Liao, I might need a small favor from you!”

“Master Zhang, what are you saying? Just command me! As long as it's within my ability, I will not refuse!” Elder Liao nodded.

“Excellent...”

Zhang Xuan nodded, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. “Elder Liao, then I'll need to trouble you... to attempt a breakthrough to the Cavernous Void Realm!”

“Attempt... the Cavernous Void Realm?”

Elder Liao stood frozen, completely bewildered.