Chapter 17: Friends I

Inside the room, the atmosphere grew tense. Luca wanted to speak up. To call out the rudeness of the boy. But was stopped by the sick blind lass. But she sent a look at Kiel... she was promptly ignored.

Tak!

"Do you know what you are afflicted with, Irys?"

Tak!

"Mr. Jiang said it is something called the Spring Tears. It is like poison that weakens the body from the inside. It should've been curable but. I do not have meridians. slowly draining me of my blood essence as it eats my meridians. It gathers enough essence and then I will die. Initially, it was believed I still have a long time as spring is not yet upon us...but it will awaken in three days, and then. We tried to find a cure. Alas, it was a fruitless endeavor. But you already know that.

"I was going to tell you tomorrow, but I knew you would say something sooner or later. Hehe, Irys know you so well, right? I will miss this... no... Irys wonders if you will miss this... no... don't answer that... I.... nevermind... well... at least...I will die into a beautiful spring of blood." she answered with a smile as if she was awaiting some grand event.

Tak!

"The [Spring Tears] is called as such because when those afflicted die, their bodies burst like blooming flowers. However, instead of smiles, witnessing a flowerbed of blood summons tears."

Tak!

Irys smiled as she made her move. Her only reprieve on the issue was a beautiful death, "I know, but it still makes me think. When I die, will it be as beautiful death as I hope, or would it be a horrifying sight? I wonder what is beyond this world. Will I be able to go around and explore the land beyo—"

"Please, stop talking like that, Family Head!" Luca could not hold back her emotions, thinking how their little Family Head would perish, "You will not die! Physician Jiang will find a cure. He said he is very close. And he will complete it and you will be able to go around THIS world!"

Luca had enough. Despite the wishes of the one she served, she could not contain the emotion that had welled up within. She was torn. She was hurt seeing the little girl she watched grow facing the cold reality so readily without contest.

A child like Irys speaks so lightly of her imminent death when she should be running in the fields and basking in the sun. But all she could do was stay inside the mansion. She had all the money in the world but she could not even live without a strained smile. Now she spoke of her death like it was already holding her at the ankles. Luca could not bear to listen. Luca gripped her fist until blood dripped. Hearing Irys talk of her death felt worse than getting stabbed.

Their compassionate and kindhearted master had given her best to support the Family since her parents' untimely end. Her genius enabled them to survive, and she had helped so many, yet she could not even be spared from such a cruel fate.

Irys does not cry to appease her followers' emotions. But Luca had shed enough for Irys as well.

Just as she was crying on her behalf right now, "She will be fine! Kiel! Stop talking about like she will die! She won't die! I will fight the Phoenix of the Netherworld to not allow her to die! She will be fine!"

She unleashed all her pent up emotions... Irys held her hand and showed her a comforting smile, "I'm sorry Luca. I didn't know you were feeling that way… but don't get angry at Kiel. In fact, it fills me with joy to know that he cares enough to attend to my selfish desire to accompany a dying person… though I feel pain to know that you are forcing yourself to be with me every day. And for all your services... and your sacrifices of helping someone like me... know that I hold you with the highest regard."

"Family Head... I-"

Tak!

"I am not doing this out of pity, neither am I going here against my will."

A criisp sound of the piece knocked against the wooden board. Kiel's expression had unknowingly changed.

In these several weeks they spent, even Kiel managed to understand her. Just as she could read him, he could as well. And he noticed many things in their little exchange. It was minute, barely noticeable, but she was shaking. Despite how she acted, Irys was afraid... but she continued to smile.

Kiel was silent for a while. His thoughts kept to himself. But as stoic and unmoving as he was, a slight change surfaced. An unpleasant taste found its way in his mouth.

"When I first met you, you could barely walk to the veranda, and now you can hardly lift a piece. You are blind and cannot see anything, so why is that even when light does not reflect in your eyes, I still see it shine brighter than mine ever could? I visit you to observe and understand… you are dying and growing weaker by the day, yet you smile. Even now, in"

Tak!

"I smile simply because I am thankful for being able to live another day."

TAK!

Kiel made his final move, defeating Irys for the 337th time.

Yet, as he sat there, claiming yet another victory, Kiel was silent for a good second before speaking, "…It appears that I have lost."

Irys was confused, "What do you mean? You cornered me. I have no more moves to make; what do you mean you lost? Are you alright in the head, my friend?" Irys asked, fearing Kiel had been afflicted with delusions.

"I am afraid so." Kiel answered, "I won in the game, but in everything else it is my lost… so as hard as it is, I have to admit that I have lost."

Kiel could not believe it himself.

'To feel joy from simply living… how amusing.' Kiel lives as well, but not like Irys. He lived to keep breathing and remember what he has lost, but Irys lived for the sake of living.

Despite the wrong cards she was dealt with, she remains true to her desires. She's mature yet still spooled to her wishes, she is in pain, yet she refuses to cry for the sake of others.

Irys lives listening to her desires, yet she is without greed on all fronts.

Kiel's lips curved up to a smile as his eyes became gentle when looking at Irys' stupefied expression.

All of a sudden, Kiel got up from his chair and into Irys' bed, where he took her hand, holding it as gently as possible.

"Ki-Kiel… yo… you lecher, what are you doing?" Irys said as her pale face turned redder than a tomato, "Yo-you're moving a little too fast, aren't you... wait no... have you finally failed to control the emotions you hold deep in your heart now that I am dying? Is that it!?"

The lass suddenly burst with energy no one knew she pulled out of just to play along.

"Kiel! Be careful on how you approach the Family Head! She's fragile an—"

Luca raged, but Irys waved her to let him be. She was enjoying the unexpected surprise.

Her smile alone was enough to stop Luca's temper.

Only after a while did Kiel snap out of his trance. He looked at Irys, who could barely stay still, and ignored her antics, "Can I ask you something, Irys?"

"Wha-what is it, my dear… friend?" she spoke, unable to even look him in the eyes. Turning away as sheepishly as she could, even flashing him a playful grin.

"…do you want me to save you?"

***

Spirit Veins are different from meridians.

If meridians exist in every living being. It could be used upon birth and transform even a normal house pet into an Immortal given the right conditions.

Spirit Veins are the same, but they cannot be accessed by all. Spirit Veins are hidden, and only a few are blessed with their Spirit Veins alive and working upon birth.

Many who fail to walk the path of cultivation is often because they cannot find their Spirit Veins. It was seen as the epitome of despair in the eyes of mortals.

But in reality, Spirit Veins didn't do much outside of specific functions. Their presence gave practitioners the right to be called cultivators and create their path to supremacy. But that was a false belief those who lived in the backwaters held. In truth, anyone who walks the path was a Cultivator and there were as many ways to become a practitioner of powerful martial arts and skill as there were stars in the night sky.

There was the path of Sorcery that needed the Heart's opening. There was the path of the Knights that focused on controlling one's will and manifesting them in various ways.. There were those who instead of being born with Spirit Veins had Spirits that remain dormant in their bodies and awaken once they come of age. But even then, a path could be abandoned for another.

The freedom of choice. That was the beauty of the cultivator world.

It does not matter if your origin and biology dictated a path. Try hard enough going against your set path could be changed. But as beautiful as the world of cultivation was, reality is not as grand as others would think. It is perilous and deadly. And in mays ways, it reflects the Mortal World and one of the ways it is reflected is through diseases. Spirits Veins exist both physically and not. And because of this, it is susceptible to diseases and complications like a mortal would and these problems were called Heavenly Restrictions.

Spring Tears was a type of Heavenly Restriction that has the Spirit Veins secrete a type of poison that would slowly eat away at a cultivator's spirit energy, weakening the meridian, and causing a hemorrhage at the end - or so this reality believes.

"Normally, the Spring Tears can be cured without any problem. The afflicted only needs to be a cultivator and pass a level, and while in the middle of raising their strength, the Physician would flush the vile energy out of the body.

"Most deaths result from the cultivator's inability to leave their lives on the Spirit Doctors. The patient's and the doctor's spirit energy would clash, and then the vile poison would be pushed from meridians to the spirit veins and then it will be corrupted and explode causing the poison to rapidly spread into the entire body. This is when the Spring Tears become nigh-incurable and shortly after an hour of excruciating and torturous pain the patient would die after exploding. However, all of that is useless information because this is not the usual case of Spring Tears.

"Regarding Irys' case, she is much more complicated. Though her problem does have the usual suspect of Spring Tears. The fact that it is eating her meridians to the point that it is barely existing anymore means that is another kind of problem called thee [Heaven's Jeer] where the poison acts differently and maliciously. And it does not only eats away at her meridians but also the organs where it gathers blood and life essence so that it can "bloom" faster than a Spring Tears. And because this thing cripples the Spirit Veins and the Meridians, it effectively shuts down the traditional way of curing Irys by having her cultivate and breakthrough the next stage of cultivation. And because it sucks her blood essence weakening her body, this also result in her being too frail, we cannot do anything like forcing an external force to flush it out or else she will die. Any questions?" Kiel's long winded explanation ended with the stupefaction of the trio Irys, Jiang and Luca.

"Senior Brother, if I could be so bold, everyone in this room already knows this... outside of its name, everyone already knows this." Jiang, who was called to the manor in the middle of the night, asked. He was luckily still trying to create a medicine to cure Irys so he was not too bothered... at first. But seeing a lot of nonsense instead of the promised cure, the old man would rather return to his home and once again try to synthesize a cure instead of wasting time.

"I am aware that no one in this room is dumb enough to not know this. As for the name, it is not something of consequence. However, I am telling you this because I want to ask how you are going to cure her? What is the plan you have in mind?"

It was strange to be put on the spotlight all of a sudden when everyone already knew what he was doing but seeing Kiel was oblivious to the fact, he gave him an answer, "I was creating a medicinal ball that will collect the poison in her body into one place to stop its spreading. That way we can-"

"I will cut you there. Your plan is inherently flawed because unless you can create an Ascended Medicine Ball, the medicine will only further strengthen the poison and hasten her death."

Jiang's brows furrowed, "Then what do you suggest we do! This is the only way! In all of history no one has been able to survive this.... this... Heavenly Jeer you speak of. Every record only says that we can prolong her life and if we can do that, maybe we can find a cure!"

"That is true. I am not denying that it is as good as it gets with your current situation. I am only saying that it is impossible because of your lack of strength, skills, and experience of the high degree, correct?"

"I-I'm sorry, I let my emotions get the best of me." Jiang apologized the next second he realized his mistakes, "But, then... how are we going to save the Family Head?"

Luca and Irys leaned forward awaiting his answer.

"Alright, now that we have acknowledged that we exhausted our options, then I will now must drive home in your mind one crucial fact: Irys is in this state because she is suffering from being unable to use her meridians due to the poison destroying them. With that in mind, why haven't any of you just created one in the first place? If we can create an artificial Meridian, we can force Irys to cultivate, and with a single push through Martial Body Realm 1st, 2nd, and 3rd stages of refining the Organs, Bones, and Muscles, respectively, we can clean her off the Spring Tears and increasing her vitality, curing her in one fell swoop."

"Um… that's because it's impossible, Senior Brother."

"Why would creating a meridian be impossible?"

"Meridians are gifts bestowed upon the heavens to Mortals. It cannot be replicated by us Mortals." answered Jiang, "An artificial meridian is unheard of."

Luca and Irys, though with a heavy heart, nodded.

Creating a new set of meridians was unheard of, but Kiel begged to differ, "The ability to choose is the beauty of this world. And a cultivator can make the impossible possible. A cultivator is envied because they can overturn the heavens. They can turn a mortal into an immortal.. Give birth to the heavens with constellations. But creating a meridian is impossible? That is not true. What you say is impossible is simply something you do not understand. It is not impossible, in fact you can already see it in the world. You are just too narrow minded to truly understand. Mythical Weapons, Talismans, Formation Tablets/Plaques, Natal Weapons, what does all of these have in common?"

"They are all crafted using Runes?" Jiang mumbled.

"That's wrong — anyone else?"

"Me, me… I know." Irys enthusiastically raised her hand.

"Irys, what is it?"

"Is it that they need Spirit Energy to function?"

"That's correct; all of these need Spirit Energy to function. However, these things are all inanimate objects or simple diagrams; they weren't born with the ability to circulate Spirit Energy. If that is the case, shouldn't they shatter and break after a few uses? One could argue Natal Weapons are born from a Cultivator's Heart so they are exempted, but what about the others? These treasures were made to circulate Spirit Energy and to do that, Runes called Dragon Lines are created to allow the flow of Spirit Energy. However, these so-called Dragon Lines have another name and are called Mock Meridian."

"Dra-dragon lines? Mock Meridians? Um, are you talking about Mythic Veins?" confused by his weird words, Luca confirmed.

"…yeah, whatever you want to call it."

Mocking Meridian or Mocking the Heavens, these were the names it was given upon its creation, back in the old reality, that is. In the end, Kiel does not care what it is called.

"Actually, I thought this was your plan all along, seeing you were acclimating Irys with that necklace filled with raw Life Blood Essence used in creating Mock Meridians, or in your words, Mythic Veins. Although I was wrong, you people are lucky, and this situation works to our advantage. It will hurt, and there's a chance that it will fail, leading to an early death; however, if you wish to be cured, this is the only way."

"I trust you." Irys responded with three words.

"Okay, that's good. Then first I need to—"

"Wa-wait a minute, Senior Brother, no one in this town, no, even in this region can create something like a Mythic Vein. Rune Scholars are far and few between. Moreover, I doubt anyone can recreate a whole meridian system! The Three Grand Paths of the Body, Soul, and Spirit cannot be replicated, and the 720 Minor Veins that connect to the 720 Apertures are so complicated that not even the premier researchers know of their secrets. If it was possible, then the title of the Divine Doctor must have been claimed by now! No one would fear being crippled, nor would anyone despair about their lacking ability! Besides, it is too risky; it might lead to the Family Head's death!"

"Are you finished, Jiang?" Kiel asked Physician Jiang with his expression unchanging since the very beginning, "To say that it is impossible when it is the only chance your patient has in living, is that what a kind of Physician you are? You disappoint me, Jiang."

The old man's doubts were warranted, but Kiel could hardly care what he believed to be what was and wasn't possible, "The profession of Physicians is to defy logic, to defy the heavens to save those who are suffering. Nothing can be done if everyone is afraid of venturing into unknown methods. If the patient wishes to undergo the procedure to have a chance to live, you, the Physician, cannot cower. A physician must be steadfast, decisive, and, most of all, must be brave. Now, Jiang, are you a Physician?"

Is he a Physician?

Old Jiang had been a physician for more than six decades.

Is he a Physician?

At the age of 97, he treated those who were hurt, often without compensation.

Is he a Physician?

Despite his seniority in age, before the young man possessed vast knowledge, he bows his head to receive enlightenment and increase his skills.

Is he a Physician?

"I am!"

"Good, then go to my home and pick up every single gift that Irys sent me against my will."

"Yes, senior brother!"

Jiang left in haste.

"Luca, please, assist Mr. Jiang in retrieving the gifts."

"Yes, Family Head."

Luca followed soon after. Behind her usually sharp eyes was a shine that had dimmed these past weeks.

Soon, only Irys and Kiel were left in the room. Irys looked over at Kiel's general direction. She was smirking.

"What is it?" Kiel asked, seeing Irys trying her best to stifle a laugh.

"Yihihi, nothing… it is just that... I found it funny when you lie. It is so unnatural."

"Hooh, what part of it was the lie?"

"The speech about being a doctor. All of that was a lie, wasn't it?" Irys didn't need an answer for Kiel, "You didn't believe any of that, didn't you?"

"…I do, but my view on curing others is different, that's all. It is simply a skillful act, not a matter of conviction. It is simple if you have the skills, then do it, and if you do not… then let the skilled takeover. After all, conviction does not heal patients; skills does." Kiel explained as he helped Irys to lie down.

"I see… I see… then, where did you get that speech from?"

"An Organ Dealer."

***

[A few hours before Midnight]

In one of the empty rooms in the Jura Manor, there was a young man surrounded by an assortment of three dozen gifts, ranging from mythical weapons to Spiritual Plants. When they were delivered to Kiel, they were still fresh and had not been processed, but they were individually jarred, labeled, and prepared when Luca and the others retrieved them from his home.

It shocked Luca and Jiang; it was as if Kiel had already planned on doing what he must long before he proposed the idea.

"Kiel, these gifts… have you been asking them from the Family Head so you can prepare to cure her?" Luca said to the boy she once saw as greedy.

"Don't read too much into it. The fact that I have all of them is but a mere coincidence." He announced as he ground dried Serpent Head with the petals of a Golden Flame Lotus.

"But Kiel, even with all this, we still have no one to craft the Mythic Veins. Even if we ask the Flower Smith, it will still take two months before he arrives." Luca's never-ending concerns had yet to quell the doubts in her mind.

Without turning around, Kiel simply raised his finger and wrote a symbol on the ground using blood.

"Glow." A light appeared from the ground and illuminated the room with his command. However, without any spirit energy to support it, the symbol disappeared and dissipated.

"Yo-you're a Rune Scholar? Bu… but you don't even cultivate." Luca was in disbelief.

"Runes were originally created for the scholars to protect themselves. In the past, many Rune Scholars were mortals using blood as a catalyst, and the world was their provider of spirit energy. As for Irys' treatment, I do not need spirit energy; using the power of that necklace is enough to create a Mythic Vein and transform it into a meridian." Kiel explained, "If I'm not wrong, that's Phoenix Blood, correct?"

"Ah, yes." nodded Luca.

"Then, that's good. Though Dragon Blood is also good, it is too overbearing and lacks the attribute of fire. Phoenix Blood is refined and elegant. It is easier to manipulate and is brimming with life. You already acclimated her body in the presence of the necklace to the point that she can no longer live without its presence; she's at the precipice. We only need a simple nudge to make her accept the necklace as her meridian." Kiel further noted.

'As I thought… he couldn't have been normal if he was from a family that could kill Qilins.'

Remembering what happened all those years ago, when the cerulean flames devoured a Qilin. From the family of Hidden Demons, Kiel was anything but ordinary.

Luca bit her quivering lips. She could not believe she was actually leaving the Family Head's fate to someone younger than Irys.

BAM!

With blood coming escaping from her head, Luca knelt down before Kiel, tears from down from her face and hope welling up from her heart, "I, Luca, deeply regrets and apologies for how I acted before your honor… please… accept my heartfelt words…and save the Family Head. If you can cure the Family Head… the Jura Family will be forever indebted to you."

Giving her nothing but a glance, Kiel snorted, "Do not worry, I have given my words that I would cure Irys. It will happen as I will it to be. Now, stop bowing, just keep quiet of what I am capable of and everything can be considered repaid."

His words were simple, yet it was enough to reinforce his intentions.

Kiel would save Irys even if the Heavens refused.

Luca left to prepare Irys, and Kiel finished his preparations.

Only one thing remained for him to accomplish, "Jiang, you're a Physician, so that must mean you are attuned to the attribute of life, correct? What element? Wood or Fire?"

"It would be fire, senior brother." Jiang flipped his wrist and created a spark of flames.

"Fire… I see, then considering your age and stage of cultivation, you must have used the last decades in refining your attributes."

"Indeed, senior brother, though I am unable to break through the realm of true cultivators, the control of my attributes can match even those who are given the title of Spirit Doctors. I can even control any fire that is presented before me." Jiang proudly proclaimed.

"You're a perfect vessel then."

"Vessel?"

Kiel ignored him and continued, "I have an important task for you. This task will be hard, it will be painful, but it will also be something that you would find beneficial and give you an 80% chance of awakening the Spirit Veins to reignite your talents." Finally, Kiel took his attention from the ingredients, "Jiang, I'm going to use your body as a human furnace."

Jiang did not hesitate to accept the proposition.

Thus, Kiel and Jiang continued their preparations for the next two hours.

It was a simple task for Kiel, but it was grueling and painful for Jiang. But, with gritted teeth, he pushed on.

[ Midnight]

"Young Master Kiel we—" stepping into the room for the first time in dozens of hours, Luca froze.

have completed the preparation, and the Family Head said she's prepared." Luca arrived with Irys in her arms.

Ignoring the change in his title, Kiel had Luca place Irys in the middle of a runic circle wearing the Phoenix Blood around her neck.

"I leave her in your care, Young Master."

"Mm." He nodded and moved along the procedure as fast as he could.

There were no less than a hundred runic symbols on the ground all serving the purpose of expunging the world's spirit energy. All written in under an hour.

"That was fast. It is like you already knew what you needed to do." Irys quipped.

Kiel did not react to her words.

Feeding Irys a concoction of his own making, he whispered to her, "Now, close your eyes… if you feel pain, scream and flail as much as you would like. However, never are you allowed to let go of your desire to live because the moment you give up, your body will collapse, and you will die."

Irys smirked at his words, "I believe in you… don't worry, I'll live… and tomorrow, we will play another game."

"…we will." Kiel stepped away from Irys and pricked his fingers.

He drew out ten years' worth of lifespan from his blood essence and dropped it in the formation.

As the red light filled the room, the door was sealed, and the curtains were pulled down.

Kiel used the formation to draw the raw blood essence from the necklace placed in the middle, "Jiang, are you ready?"

"Yes."

Thus, without a moment's hesitation, Kiel struck the old man's chest and cut it open to retrieve a sample of his blood. Jiang closed his wounds with the spirit strings and Kiel held in his hand blood the size of a pearl. It contained no impurities and despite it having exited Jiang's body, it had no lingering essence of the latter.

This blood did not belong to him but the boy's he called Senior Brother.

Irys' body needed her blood essence rejuvenated so she wouldn't die during the procedure. But, he couldn't possibly use his vigorous blood essence. His was too strong and filled with vitality that would put a cultivator to shame. But it also needed pure blood essence without a hint of impurity to not affect the Blood of the Phoenix. Thus, Kiel's was a specific requirement. Now, after having it refined in a human's body, it was now weakened and Jiang was strengthened keeping him alive. No better than ever before.

Kiel had Jiang intake a part of his blood essence without absorbing it and before writing the runes, Kiel had his blood essence slowly dissipate into the body of the old man until it was as weak as Jiang's blood essence.

An adult's meridian system was taken away from Jiang. It was painful. Parts of his veins and muscles were ripped to shreds. But he was given more than he suffered. With newfound vigor he managed to save himself.

Jiang's purpose has come to an end. Kiel moved the blood through with spirit energy he gathered and refined through the runes inside the room.

In the room, Kiel was something of a cultivator himself. He could control and command spirit energy without having the need to cultivate. He made use of the room to its absolute limits. It was now an extension of his body and in that room, the man who overturned the heavens and bent its rules to fit his needs returned albeit temporarily.

The blood pearl floated over his palms. Its luster is beautiful without comparison. He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes, 'No mistakes.'

He spoke of curing Irys like it was something simple. But, it needed months of preparation and altering to complete a proper procedure. And right now, this was the culmination of his efforts.

He approached irys' body and sat right next to her.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

She answered with three words, "I trust you."

Kiel did not miss a beat the next second later as he started moving with absolute precision. He clasped his hands together with the blood pearl at the center and his hands separated, the blood pearl had become a rope. No, it was not a rope, when one was taken deeper it was a collective of strands so thin they were barely visible.

There were a total of 720 strands. All of which had a part of Kiel. All of which he managed to control like tendrils.They moved with precision and they found their ways into the 720 apertures of the body at the entry of the meridian.

"Mm….it's… a little…uncomfortable… hehe…. Irys is…Hmm….Ack… Ouch…ah…Aahhhh!" the lass could not help but scream in pain as her body was invaded by foreign matter. She grabbed the nearest thing she could and she held onto the clothes of the friend she had. It hurt so much that she wanted to die. But this fate would not allow her to even have such a peaceful end.

And as she did, she felt something wet. Something sticking and warm. She felt it, the blood streaming from his body. The wounded young man was pushing himself past his limits. Irys knew that it was not just her who was suffering.

The people in her employ was also holding onto their chests. Jiang put his life on the line. And Luca… she had done nothing but do everything for her.

Irys clenched her fist and steeled her resolve.

"I…. will… live! I…. want… To live! I…. will… live! I…. want… To live! I…. will… live! I…. want… To live! I…. will… live! I…. want… To live!" she repeated these words as she clung to life. She shouted the words that she had wanted to speak for so long.

The words that had withered from the lack of hope. But now the rain of fate came to her side. She had been given a chance to live. To experience life longer than what she was given.

So, she cried.

"I WANT TO LIVE!"

And Kiel answered her call. His blood finished its travels to the meridians. They aligned themselves perfectly and then they melded with Irys' original pathways perfectly. Because of his blood's purity and lack of any attribute, Irys' body thought that it was a domestic substance. Slowly, Kiel had his blood assimilated and finally, after dozens of minutes, as his blood and sweat mixed, it reached perfect harmony…. He finally gained control.

'It's time!'

Kiel recalled his blood outside of Irys' body. The pain she felt was unimaginable. Her cries almost caused her throat to rip. But she continued to cling to life.

Kiel ripped the broken meridian and from her pores came out black blood. Strands of murky blood came out from her body. The sensation was similar to magma searing her body. The vile stench of poison and rotting meridians appeared and was quickly burned by Jiang's flames.

from her body and started the second phase. Kiel tapped the Phoenix Blood and like he did with his blood, he transformed it into 720 strands and had it enter the same way Kiel ripped Irys' meridian.

And it was at this moment that the medicine Kiel fed her opened and did its job.

As Kiel started the alignment of the Phoenix Blood to the now empty meridian system the raw blood essence of the Phoenix reacted with the medicine reigniting the Phoenix's regenerative property and its transcendental ability to recall upon the souls of the dead to the living world, the Phoenix Blood from the necklace

On the side, Jiang watched with widened eyes.

'I can't believe it... he-he controlled 720 ends of his blood and ripped out her meridians and now using the modeled Meridian System and used it to pry open her pores?' Jiang was in pain, but his disbelief knocked any other thought leaving only awe in his mind as he made a realization, 'He's doing it… he's reforging her meridians.'

The screams of pain continued throughout the night, yet no one seemed to have noticed that another fight began east of the Town, as a rift opened nearby. Irys' scream was drowned as an unprecedented Blood Moon appeared after midnight, and eight celestial creations moved in the night sky.

To Kiel's luck, the screams of the people drowned on their own.

When the clash of steel and the gnawing of flesh ended, the crimson light from the Jura Family had subsided.

When the screams stopped, the door was opened by an old man.

"What happened!?" asked Luca, her appearance made it appear like she aged over a year in six hours. Behind her were the employees of the mansion who had been awaiting the news.

Jiang motioned and allowed Luca to enter and as they rushed in, they were stopped by the door by by the patient.

In the room, there was a blind girl seated in the middle of the rune formation.

"Family Head?"

"My meridians are changing and healing. I am the peak of the first realm of cultivation as he used the energy of the room to awaken my ability to cultivate and forced the blood out of my bodyHe even made a pill to give me my energy back….he must have planned for this for a long time… right?"

She asked, but she didn't need anyone's answer.

She knew him better than anyone, "So you are good at keeping secrets."

With a slightly smaller red gem embedded in her chest and black grime staining her robes, Irys had Kiel's head sleep on her lap. She told everyone to keep silent to allow him to sleep in peace.

As she took a deep breath, Irys smiled, and after fighting the urge to touch Kiel's face, she placed her forehead on his as she whispered to him, "Thank you, my dear… friend."

That night, several monumental events happened all at the same time.

The first would be sighting a particular celestial movement after a year of silence.

A Blood Moon appeared after Midnight and caused all sorts of disasters across the lands.

The discovery of the root of the Blood Kings had been noted by an old man.

Lastly, the first artificial meridian was completed in a no-named town.

Unbeknownst to anyone, this same night would be the exact moment one of the greatest Divine Doctors would awaken his true potential.

These events would remain unknown throughout history and become nothing more than the night that marked the first appearance of the irregular Blood Moon.

As early as five in the morning like clockwork, Kiel awakened on a bed he did not recognize.

'I feel asleep after the operation?' he thought with a sigh, 'Ack…I lost around a decade from the operation… better than I expected.'

Losing a few years did not matter still. There was not even a sign of regret or disappointment in his heart. Rather, Kiel found himself full of energy despite the pain.

Having a surprising amount of energy, he got up from the bed and readied himself for the day. When he stepped out of his room, there was Luca who was just as surprised to see him already up in just a few hours.

"Good morning." it was Kiel who offered the first greetings. When she still could not believe it, Kiel bid her farewell as he had things to do.

Luca was woken up from her stupor and immediately ran after him, "Young Master, wait!"

"What is it?" he asked, not stopping his steps, "I am sure that Irys' situation is now solved. Her Spirit Veins are healing. But she is no longer poisoned. I pushed her to the peak of Martial Body so that erases the years of not moving for years. Light walks are allowed, but any strenuous activity should be halted for at least a month. Her diet has been given to Jiang, and if you are worried about me embedding the Heart Gem on her chest, then don't. As her body is not as adaptive, the Heart Gem will take it before she can take it. She now has a Phoenix's meridian, she'll be like a Phoenix in a few mont—-oh no."

"Young Master!"

Kiel stumbled and fell to one knee.

Luca was quick to come to his support, "Please, rest for tonight. Physician Jiang explained what you did for the Family Head. Your veins were ruptured and before we cleaned your body, you were covered in your own blood. Young Master, you were hemorrhaging from all orifices. You can't possibly be alright after such a short amount of time. Please, rest."

Luca's genuine concern caught Kiel off guard. She had been hostile towards him for a time. Even at the end, she was against him. But he is associating with Irys. She was wary of his identity and intentions. Yet in one night, she was treating him with true concern.

'Is it because I helped Irys?' he was unsure.

Nevertheless, he was not against her. After all, she was just doing her job and having her change was good for him.

"I am alright. Do not worry. The early morning dew will be the best thing for me. And… I don't want to mess up my schedule for such an insignificant injury."

Luca wanted to say something, but held her tongue, '...he knows what he is doing.' she just decided to trust Kiel as her Master did.

Doubting him would do no good.

Stepping out of the manor. Kiel was about to head home when Luca got on her knees and touched the ground with her forehead, "Thank you for everything you have done for the Family Head, Young Master. If there is anything you wish, just speak of it and as long as it is in the Jura Family's capabilities, we will do it."

He gave her a glance and resumed his steps while saying,, "Have no one speak of this event. That is enough for me."

Kiel left without asking for much. He wished for this day to be buried in the memories of others, but his unselfish actions would only sow the feeling of appreciation.