The Calm and The Chaos of the Medical Hall
The Medical Hall of Dragon's Zenith Academy was a sprawling complex designed to manage both combat injuries and complex Qi imbalances. Its main triage room, where the team first arrived, was a study in serene functionality: pale jade beds, faint golden light cast by Mana-fueled lamps, and the constant, soothing drone of Healing Arrays set into the floor. The air was thick with the faint, comforting aroma of purified medicinal herbs—a world away from the marsh's filth.
A gentle-faced Master Physician, bearing the insignia of a Fifth-Grade Healer, quickly attended to the three conscious students. Their common injuries—Li Shulai's back wounds, Chen Ruipeng's physical exhaustion, and He Lingxuan's minor Mana depletion—were quickly deemed manageable and treated with basic restorative pills and salves.
Finally, the physician's attention focused entirely on the unconscious Lin Yan. He moved the boy to a specialized examination cot and began his meticulous diagnostic process. He checked Lin Yan's basic vitals, finding them dangerously weak but consistent.
When he examined the arm that had been gnawed by the Poison Leech King—an injury that should have been rife with spreading venom and potential necrosis—a look of profound astonishment crossed his face, rapidly growing into genuine alarm.
"Strange... truly strange..." the physician muttered, gently prodding the clean scar.
"Master Physician, how is he? The poison was from the Leech King," He Lingxuan urgently inquired, stepping closer, her anxiety visible despite her controlled demeanor.
The physician ignored her, consumed by his analysis. He carefully checked Lin Yan's eyelids, then meticulously felt his pulse with three fingers, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
The Physician's Shocking Diagnosis
"The wound on his arm... the toxin is utterly gone. No trace remains. It has been purified entirely, not neutralized by an antidote, but eradicated by some force of extreme Yang and unyielding Rigidity," he finally stated, his voice hushed with disbelief. "The cellular structure has been subjected to a flawless elemental cleansing. This level of spiritual purification is typically only seen in artifacts imbued by Ancient Deities or through specific, supreme Heavenly Arts—powers that should not be accessible to a student of this age and rank. It utterly defies the known limits of mortal Mana."
He continued to probe Lin Yan's deeper conditions using a specialized spiritual artifact—a faintly humming bronze sphere—to read the state of his Mana Sea and Astral Core.
"Yet," he continued, retracting the sphere, "his physical body suffers from catastrophic depletion of Vital Qi and blood, his spiritual consciousness is dormant, and his pulse is weak but remarkably stable. There is no fever, no inflammation, no sign of the frantic energy dissipation typical of a critical injury. Instead, it is... orderly. His soul seems to have withdrawn to the deepest recesses of his being."
The physician paused, looking directly at the three students, his eyes wide with professional confusion.
"...It's as if he has voluntarily withdrawn from his own body. He hasn't suffered an acute injury, but rather an enormous, sudden expenditure of spiritual capacity. His internal state resembles someone who has exhausted a divine power and is now deliberately sealed off to survive the aftermath. I have practiced medicine for many years, but I have never encountered a condition that is simultaneously so stable, so weak, and so utterly bizarre. It is a profound state of... self-protective slumber."
Consultation and Escalation
The physician, realizing the gravity and unique nature of the case, swiftly issued a mental command. Within moments, two other senior healers hurried over, drawn by the urgency in their colleague's Qi signature.
"Masters," the primary physician spoke quietly, leaning over Lin Yan, "observe this pulse. The boy is simultaneously dying from exhaustion and yet perfectly stabilized by an external force now retreating within him. His entire system is being preserved in stasis after a complete spiritual discharge. I believe this case touches upon areas beyond standard cultivation medicine—perhaps the realm of Celestial Secrets."
The consulting physicians examined Lin Yan, their own expressions quickly changing from skepticism to deep perturbation.
"The residual Yang Qi in the wound is terrifyingly pure," one confirmed, stroking his beard. "It is the signature of Heaven's Wrath, yet it healed rather than destroyed. If the Academy learns a student possesses or is possessed by such a power, the repercussions will be severe. This is not mere cultivation; this is an existential anomaly."
"We must document this carefully and keep the core truth within the Hall for now," the primary physician concluded, looking at Li Shulai's grim, watchful face. "For the moment, he is simply an exhausted novice in a deep coma. No one needs to know about the divine cleansing."
The Weight of Guilt and New Loyalty
Li Shulai pushed himself off the wall, walking slowly to the bedside. He looked at the pale, fragile face of the friend he had once openly mocked for his weakness. The shame was a searing brand on his soul.
"We thought we were the strong ones," Li Shulai whispered, his voice raw with sudden maturity. "I judged him by the force of his Mana Sea. I pursued glory and strength, only to be saved by a power that wasn't Mana at all. That arrogance nearly cost us our lives and likely cost him... this."
He reached out, his rough hand hovering near Lin Yan's head, before he drew it back, unable to touch the sacred, burdened mystery before him. "That creature—the one with the golden eyes—it was cold, but it acted to save Lin Yan's vessel, and in doing so, saved us. We are utterly indebted. We owe him our loyalty, our secrecy, and our protection. If the Academy knew the truth, they wouldn't study him; they'd dissect him."
Chen Ruipeng remained a silent, colossal presence near the foot of the bed. He pulled out the cracked black-rimmed glasses he had cleaned and placed them gently on the bedside table. His immense hands, capable of crushing stone, were carefully clasped. He had no eloquent words, but his face—lined with new reverence—was a promise. I am the shield. He risked everything to keep me from breaking. I will not fail him again.
He Lingxuan nodded sharply, her eyes cold and focused, having already reached the same tactical conclusion. "He's right, Shulai. We tell no one about the golden eyes, the Hexagrams, or the decrees. We tell them it was Lin Yan's 'Qi-gazing' ability, pushed past its limit, that allowed him to predict the Leech King's weakness, and the backlash caused the deep coma."
The Team's New Missions: The Threefold Vow
Li Shulai walked slowly to the bedside. He looked at the pale, fragile face of the friend he had once openly mocked. The shame was a searing brand on his soul.
"We thought we were the strong ones," Li Shulai whispered, his voice raw with sudden maturity. "I judged him by the force of his Mana Sea. That arrogance nearly cost us our lives. We are utterly indebted. We owe him our loyalty, our secrecy, and our protection. If the Academy knew the truth, they'd cage him."
He Lingxuan nodded sharply, her eyes cold and focused. "We tell no one about the golden eyes, the Hexagrams, or the decrees. We tell them it was Lin Yan's 'Qi-gazing' ability, pushed past its limit, that allowed him to predict the Leech King's weakness, and the backlash caused the deep coma."
She then turned to her teammates, her voice dropping to a decisive whisper. "This is not over. We need a strategy for the long term. He cannot be left vulnerable. What are our roles now?"
Chen Ruipeng, the silent giant, spoke first, his voice a low, rumbling commitment. He pointed to the powerful Healing Arrays humming faintly in the Medical Hall floor. "The Master Physician said his condition is unique. He needs constant safety. I am the shield. My Mana and my strength are for defense. I will ensure no one disturbs his rest, no one questions his presence, and no one attempts to exploit his vulnerability." He settled into a chair near the cot, folding his arms across his massive chest, a human fortress. "I will be the barrier and the sentinel."
He Lingxuan nodded, her eyes glowing with approval. "That is essential, Ruipeng. And my role is clear. The Physician confirmed he needs gentle, internalized recovery. I cannot force Mana into him, but I can use my Alchemist skills. I will use the purest essences of the natural world—elixirs, rare herbs, gentle decoctions—to naturally replenish his severely depleted Vital Qi and blood. I will refine supplements that his body cannot reject." She clenched her fist around the jade box containing the Cloud-Hidden Flowers. "This is my purpose now. I will be his lifegiver."
They both turned to Li Shulai, the team leader and the one with the highest standing in the Combat College.
Li Shulai understood the unspoken weight of their gazes. He took a slow breath, the burden of their combined secret settling on his shoulders. "I have the loudest voice and the most to lose reputation-wise, but that also makes me the best distraction. I will manage the external perception. I must use our 'Twenty-Nine Minutes' victory to create a smoke screen of glory," he stated, his voice hard with resolve. "I will ensure that everyone focuses on the mission record, and forgets the wounded Diviner. I will also use my network to monitor the school's subtle movements and gossip for any potential threat to his secret." "I will be the distraction and the alarm."
The three stood over Lin Yan, their solemn vows cementing the team not just as comrades, but as conspirators bound by a profound secret and an inescapable debt.
"Until he wakes," He Lingxuan finalized, her voice low and resolute, "we execute our new mission. He used the ultimate power to keep us alive; we use our collective mortal strengths to keep him safe."
The truth of their survival lay in the fragile boy on the cot, and their new, true mission had just begun.