Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 743 – The Medicine’s Name

Four days after the conclusion of the massive battle, the headquarters of the Mount Song Army was still frigidly cold, but the scent of blood had greatly weakened. It was no longer possible to see the tense sight of several hundred soldiers carrying stretchers while running and yelling, or the divine sight of ten-some streams of Sacred Light simultaneously lighting up the night sky above the Sacred Hospital.

Many white plumes of smoke rose up from the area around Mount Song, drifting up into the sky. When people in the headquarters saw this sight, they would stop and mourn, for each white plume of smoke represented a soldier that had died in battle. Based on the initial counts, the number of soldiers sacrificed by the Great Zhou in this military campaign already exceeded ten thousand, and this was not counting the workers in charge of logistics and the cultivators that had come from various areas to offer assistance.

However, the mood of the Sacred Hospital was no longer as tense as it was a few days ago. The great majority of those injured had had their wounds brought under control, and those who were untreatable had been carried out long ago. But for some reason, the room at the very back was still packed with people and the mood there was particularly fraught with worry.

“I won’t listen to a single explanation; I just need all of you to save him.”

The general’s face was extremely grim, his tone incredibly unyielding, and when his gaze rested on the bed, his voice was tinged with hints of ruthlessness.

The wounded person on the bed was very young. Judging by his clothes and the cloth bag tied to his waist, he was probably an array master. His body was thin, his skin a light shade of brown, but now it was white as snow, a clear sign that he had lost too much blood. His lips were flaking and his breathing was extremely weak. It seemed like he could die at any time.

Upon hearing the general’s order, everyone in the room felt a massive pressure, at the same time feeling rather confused.

Such a young array master must have come from a very famous sect and possessed limitless prospects, but this general was a trusted aide highly regarded by Divine General Ke and had a lofty reputation in the Mount Song Army headquarters. With his incredibly high status, there was no need for him to throw such a large fit over a single wounded array master. Besides the military doctors, there were even two people from the Orthodoxy present to treat this young array master’s injuries.

The general knew what these people were thinking, but he gave no explanation.

He had a vague understanding of this young array master’s background, but this was not the reason for his fury and anxiety.

Right before coming to the hospital, he had received a dossier reporting on the results of the investigation into what had happened.

Besides this young array master on the bed teetering on the edge of death, no one knew just what had actually happened on that cliff. However, the soldiers who had personally witnessed the resulting scene on that cliff were very sure that it had assuredly been an extremely heroic action, because what they saw was extremely tragic. Ten-some soldiers had used the magical artifacts constructed in secret by the Wenshui Tang clan and blown themselves up, bringing five wolf cavalry with them into death. Moreover, on the path of retreat along the cliff, they had discovered the corpses of ten-some more soldiers.

This most elite squad of the Mount Song Army, made up of brave and daring soldiers, had sacrificed themselves just so that this young array master could survive. Thus, if he did not save this array master, how could he soothe the souls of his deceased subordinates?

“I will not give a single explanation, because I truly do not have the ability to save him.”

A woman dressed in white ceremonial clothes stood up from the bed, her clear and beautiful face covered in exhaustion, the pure and gentle Sacred Light gradually dispersing from her slender fingers.

The general was silent.

This woman was from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green located in the capital and was called An Hua. She had arrived at the Mount Song Army headquarters two days ago and begun to work without rest, attempting to rescue the casualties on the battlefield. If it were not for the fact that the Mount Song Army headquarters had sufficient reserves of crystals to help her meditate and recover, there was a high chance that she would have already died from wringing her body dry of Sacred Light.

No matter how disastrous or anxious the general’s mood, he could say no harsh word to her.

And he could very clearly see that she had already given her all in order to save the young array master on the bed.

The general turned to the chief cleric of the Sacred Hospital.

The cleric almost imperceptibly shook his head.

The doctors from all the hospitals in the area were unable to do anything for the array master’s injuries. Was the Sacred Light technique of the Li Palace clerics and the teachers of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green unable to save him as well?

The general’s mood had reached its lowest and he could no longer control himself. He pounded his fist against the table.

The atmosphere in the room was extremely depressed. One person took off his hat, intending to begin grieving.

It was at this point that a military doctor in the corner sadly remarked, “It would be fine if we had a Cinnabar Pill.”

The name ‘Cinnabar Pill’ seemed have a magic power, plunging the room into an almost deathly stillness. The only sound was that of breathing that was gradually growing more rough and hurried.

A few people’s eyes suddenly glowed with joy, yet upon realizing something, quickly dimmed again.

Just as expected, the chief cleric sighed and said, “On the first day of the campaign, we used up our allotment.”

The general was well aware of just how many heavily wounded soldiers had been sent back from the battlefield on the first day of the campaign. From the very start, he had placed no faith in this pill, but when he heard someone mention the name again, he could not help but cling to this final hope and asked, “When will the next lot be distributed? Can he possibly hold on until that day?”

The cleric shook his head. “The next distribution of the pills is in ten days, but with his injuries, he will only be able to last for five days at the most.”

An Hua had been studying the Sacred Light technique in the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green until now. When the war with the demons began, she had placed all her efforts on cultivation so that she could head to the frontlines and treat the injured as quickly as possible. Thus, she had paid no attention whatsoever to the affairs of the outside world. Taken together with the fact that she had only arrived at the Mount Song Army headquarters two days ago, she was completely perplexed by what everyone was speaking about.

“What is the Cinnabar Pill? A type of medicine?” she asked the cleric.

From its name, one could guess that its primary ingredient was cinnabar, which truly could be used in medicines to help staunch bleeding. But this young array master’s injuries were so serious that even her Sacred Light technique had no effect. In her view, perhaps if several cardinals worked at the same time there was some hope. Could this medicine possible have a similar effect?

The cleric understood what she was thinking and answered, “The Cinnabar Pill can cure this person’s wounds.”

One by one, everyone else nodded, none of them holding the slightest doubt. After witnessing the Cinnabar Pill work for themselves, they all had the feeling that the Cinnabar Pill could cure all the injuries and illnesses of the world.

An Hua had never even heard of this medicine, so she was even more perplexed by their fervent faith.

“If it…really will work, why aren’t we trying it as quickly as possible?”

The cleric ruefully sighed. “Where could we possibly find this sort of treasure?”

Everyone present thought of the saying going around that this medicine could only belong in the heavens, and said nothing.

The general said to An Hua, “This medicine is very rare.”

An Hua was still confused, asking, “If this medicine really does have such a miraculous effect, why not have the herbalist give out the recipe and then have the Imperial Court or the Li Palace produce it in mass quantities?”

The room fell silent once more.

Everyone was looking at her, seemingly rather nervous.

No one answered her question.

It was like the entire Sacred Hospital had fallen silent.

There was not a single sound.

It was like she had asked about a taboo.