Who is this?

As Cheonyeong looked at the unfamiliar man with confusion, he revealed his identity.

"I am Nangong Munbaek, the Secondary Family Head of the Nangong family."

"Ah, the Secondary Family Head. I apologize for not recognizing you..."

Cheonyeong was about to greet him with an embarrassed smile, but before he could finish speaking, the man spoke with an urgent expression.

"Tang Family Head, please come with me to the Xuan Pavilion at once."

"Yes?"

"My grandfather has urgently summoned you."

"The Sword Emperor?"

"That is correct. I will explain the reason on the way."

"...Understood. Let us go then."

There was no reason to hesitate. After all, the Secondary Family Head himself had come to request this. His expression was also urgent.

"Thank you."

The reason Nangong Munbaek had come was because of his sister, Nangong Seon-yeong.

They had thought the illness would be cured with the Manggongbaek's inner core, but suddenly an unexpected problem arose.

The Seven Yin Severed Meridian had been completely healed and all yin energy had disappeared, but the surging yang energy could not be controlled.

The physician could find no way to treat it, and with no other options, Nangong Hyeok hastily summoned Cheonyeong, who was staying at the Green Bamboo Pavilion.

When Cheonyeong's party arrived at the Xuan Pavilion, Nangong Hyeok greeted them with a brightened face.

"What has happened?"

"I do not know. It suddenly became like this."

Nangong Hyeok showed his granddaughter with a pained expression.

Her face was flushed with heat rash, and her eyes were bloodshot and bright red.

"According to the physician, the yang energy in her inner core has resolved the yin energy of the Seven Yin Severed Meridian and still remains, running rampant within her body. If left as is, her five organs and six viscera will melt... so I had no choice but to summon you."

"..."

"I apologize for making such a shameless request again. Please, save Seon-yeong."

Whether he had used excessive internal energy while injured trying to save his granddaughter, his complexion was pale and his face was covered in sweat.

"Let me examine her first."

Cheonyeong, with a firm expression, unhesitatingly grasped Nangong Seon-yeong's wrist.

Though not a physician, he could easily tell that her body was boiling and her pulse was excessively rapid.

"Hmm..."

Particularly, the heat was flowing sharply through her blood vessels.

The physician likely had not anticipated this.

Though the Manggongbaek's inner core possessed extreme yang force and was a spiritual medicine capable of controlling yin energy, this was a procedure never attempted before.

Even with caution, such side effects could not have been prevented.

Maintaining composure, Cheonyeong thoroughly examined her body with the Samyang Divine Skill, then spoke with a serious expression.

"If we cannot expel the heat, she will die."

Nangong Hyeok felt his heart sink.

He had already heard this from the physician, but Cheonyeong's words sounded like a death sentence.

Just as hope had bloomed that she could be saved after twenty years, it crumbled in an instant, and despair filled the faces of the Nangong family members.

"Tang Family Head, what should we do? Is there no method?"

How could his frustration be expressed?

Nangong Hyeok forgot all propriety and choked up, but Cheonyeong did not answer and only furrowed his brow in deep thought.

There was no time to think of anything else.

He had to first think of a way to save Nangong Seon-yeong's life before him.

Heat...

To lower such intense heat, there must be corresponding yin energy.

"By chance, do you have anyone who has learned ice techniques or objects containing cold energy?"

"No, we do not have..."

Seeing him unable to give a clear answer and only making a troubled expression, it was clear they did not have such things.

What could be done?

If the heat was not lowered, she would die.

There was no way to expel the heat from her body... Ah!

Suddenly, what flashed through Cheonyeong's mind was the poison pouch of the Manggongbaek he possessed.

Heat and poison are opposites.

If the surroundings were filled with poison, the heat might protect itself by burning the poison and dissipate.

But it was only a hypothesis.

Like the physician, he had never attempted such a procedure, so he could not be certain.

"Tang Family Head, the method..."

Nangong Hyeok's face was distorted miserably.

Even a martial artist at the pinnacle had nothing he could do, so his heart was burning.

"Sigh, Elder."

"Speak!"

"I am not certain."

"...?"

"However, there is a possibility."

"H-How much possibility is there?"

Nangong Hyeok urged.

The expressions of the Nangong family members were no different.

Everyone was waiting for Cheonyeong to speak.

"One in ten, or perhaps even lower. In the worst case, it might result in a more painful death than now. Will you still have me try?"

"..."

He could not answer.

It would be difficult for anyone to decide.

Was this not a dilemma with no good choice?

"Tang Family Head."

"Yes."

"Do it."

"..."

"If we do nothing and leave it as is, there will be no recovery. I cannot let my granddaughter go like this. I cannot simply watch her die helplessly."

"Very well. Then I will try."

"I will not blame the result. I will not resent it."

"I will do my very best."

"That is enough. I am sorry for always making unreasonable requests of you."

Normally he might have joked, but the situation did not allow it.

The condition was too serious.

"First, let us move Miss Nangong to the Green Bamboo Pavilion."

"To the Green Bamboo Pavilion?"

"Yes, and please prepare the antidote."

"Antidote? What do you mean?"

"There is no time. Have everyone in the Nangong estate evacuate to fifty paces outside the Green Bamboo Pavilion, and have them consume the antidote that was prepared to capture the Manggongbaek."

"..."

"No matter what happens when I emerge, no one must approach. This is essential."

Cheonyeong's words were firm and consisted of things they could not understand, but no one questioned him.

"Family Head."

"Yes, Father."

"Move Seon-yeong to the Green Bamboo Pavilion and act according to the Tang Family Head's instructions."

"...Understood."

Right now, Cheonyeong Tang was their only hope.

* * *

The Green Bamboo Pavilion was emptied.

In the old room, Cheonyeong, having laid Nangong Seon-yeong down, gazed at her intently.

Her body twisted.

Her entire body flushed red, and the tendons bulged grotesquely from the pain of the heat.

"Huff."

He spoke the words, but doubt crept in.

Was this right?

Was he not just inflicting greater suffering on one who was dying?

If things did not go as he thought...

The corpse would be too horrific to look upon.

If he saw that sight, the Nangong family's hearts would be torn far more miserably than now.

Slap!

After deliberating for a long time, Cheonyeong slapped his own cheek forcefully.

"Damn it, what am I thinking now? There is no other method anyway!"

Cheonyeong took out the Manggongbaek's poison pouch.

If there was only one thing he could do, he would not hesitate or waver in thought.

Success? Failure?

If he delayed and hesitated over such concerns and missed the moment, then there would be nothing he could do.

He would simply do his very best in the moment.

With what he could do now.

Cheonyeong immediately operated the Samyang Divine Skill, drew up the heat, and tore open the poison pouch.

Shhhhk!

As the concentrated poison dripped down, the floor turned pitch black, and the room was quickly engulfed in poisonous mist.

The leaking poison spread in all directions.

"Ugh!"

Even with the Samyang Divine Skill drawn to its limit, his face involuntarily contorted.

"Ugh..."

As Nangong Seon-yeong inhaled the poison, the red heat rash that had bloomed on her face disappeared, and her skin began to turn black.

Cheonyeong, concentrating his mind, grasped her pulse point.

Born with the Seven Yin Severed Meridian, she had not learned the Nangong family's cultivation method.

This was fortunate.

If she had learned the Nangong family's technique, this attempt would have been impossible. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Now he had to guide the heat within her body according to the Samyang Divine Skill's movements.

If she survived, the Samyang Divine Skill might be transmitted to her.

He knew it was a martial art that should not be carelessly transmitted, but what could be more important than saving a life?

Protecting the Central Plains from the Demonic Cult and leaving the Samyang Divine Skill to later generations—all of it was ultimately about saving people.

"So please, forgive me generously!"

Cheonyeong grasped Nangong Seon-yeong's pulse and guided the heat within her body according to the meridian points.

This would have been impossible if he had not opened the middle dantian.

Guiding true energy through observing another's body was not an easy task.

"Miss, I hope you can endure this."

Sweat beaded on Cheonyeong's forehead, and the heat raging wildly within her body began to resist the poison, following the Samyang's circulation.

* * *

As dusk fell and the world quickly darkened, night passed, and as dawn broke in the distance, Cheonyeong, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, withdrew his hand from Nangong Seon-yeong's body.

"Huff."

As if he had exhausted all his energy, Cheonyeong collapsed weakly and gazed at her.

Not a single thread of cloth covered her body.

The heat that had reacted to the poison had blazed like fire and burned all her clothes.

Cheonyeong removed his outer robe and covered her body with it.

"Mm..."

Was it because of the sensation of the cloth touching her?

Nangong Seon-yeong, trembling, opened her eyes and blinked, looking at Cheonyeong, who was smiling exhaustedly.

"...Who are you?"

"Barely saved you. You were lucky."

At those words, her eyes widened, and she quickly sat up.

It was not hot.

Instead of the searing heat that felt like her body was melting, she felt a refreshing energy within her body.

"Ah..."

Tears flowed.

She was so happy to be alive.

Then suddenly she realized.

When she sat up, the outer robe covering her slipped away, and she became completely naked.

And she alternated her gaze between Cheonyeong and herself multiple times.

Her face flushed red.

Not from heat rash, but from embarrassment and shame.

"Kyaaaaaaah!"

A scream burst out.

(End of Chapter)