78: Chapter 78 Military Camp Medical Treatment

The waves gradually subsided, and the setting sun was like blood, dyeing the sea area that had just experienced a life-and-death struggle with a tragic layer of golden red.

Jiang Hanzhou stood on the broken deck of the tower ship, looking at the fleet slowly sailing back to Donghai Prefecture, yet there was no joy of victory in his heart.

Of the eight naval warships, only six were still capable of sailing independently upon the return journey; two of them had tilted hulls and were being towed by other vessels.

The three tower ships of the aristocratic families were in even more miserable condition: one had completely sunk, one was half-destroyed, and only one remained relatively intact, though it was still riddled with holes.

The debris and corpses floating on the sea had been largely cleared, but the interweaving of dark green and crimson seawater, along with the lingering smell of blood and scorched stench in the air, silently told the price of this victory.

Four Dragon Elephant Realm experts had joined forces, among whom Xu Zhaoyang and Li Chongshan were even stronger individuals who had stepped into the second realm, the "Dragon Fetus Realm." Coupled with eight well-equipped naval warships fitted with Demon-Breaking Divine Mechanism Crossbows, three hundred ballistae fired simultaneously...

Yet such heavy casualties were still paid to barely take down that demon.

Jiang Hanzhou took a deep breath. The filthy blood-light that erupted during the demon's death throes, the madness of its six compound eyes self-destructing simultaneously, and the terrifying power that instantly eroded Dragon Elephant Realm experts and pierced through the warships' defenses still flashed repeatedly in his mind.

"So this is a demon..." he whispered to himself, his knuckles turning slightly white.

He once thought that since he possessed a dao bone, practiced the Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Skill, and condensed Heavenly Dipper Precious Qi, it would be difficult to find a match among those of the same rank.

Even when facing the Dragon Elephant Realm, he had the confidence to either fight or flee.

But what he saw today completely shattered that faint arrogance.

The level of power displayed by that demon completely exceeded his understanding of "individual combat power."

In front of it, even Dragon Elephant Realm experts needed to join forces, use Formations, and military equipment, paying a heavy price just to win.

If he were to face it alone...

Jiang Hanzhou shook his head, tossing this unrealistic thought out of his mind.

That was not a battlefield he could reach now, nor was it even one he should imagine.

"The path of martial arts is truly vast and boundless, with endless dangers."

His gaze calmed down, and he deeply etched what he had seen and felt today into the depths of his heart, turning it into a clearer reverence for power and a more determined pursuit.

By the time the fleet slowly entered the Donghai Prefecture docks, night had already fallen.

The docks were brightly lit. Officials from the Prefectural Governors Mansion, personnel left behind by various aristocratic families, and a large number of laborers and physicians had been waiting for a long time after receiving the news.

The wounded were prioritized for removal from the ships and sent to various medical clinics in the city, as well as temporarily requisitioned military camp areas.

Jiang Hanzhou and the other accompanying physicians were also summoned by Steward.

"You have all worked hard." Steward could not hide his exhaustion, but his tone remained steady. "This demon suppression has resulted in heavy casualties, and the treatment of the wounded is urgent. The medical clinics in the city are short-staffed, so I must ask you all to continue your assistance and head to the West City Military Camp to help with diagnosis and treatment. The Li Family will surely show great gratitude."

No one objected.

Having experienced that purgatory-like scene at sea, being able to return alive was already a stroke of luck.

Moreover, with a healer's heart, no one could turn away while watching those soldiers who had lost limbs or were groaning in pain from Devilish Qi erosion.

Jiang Hanzhou followed the crowd, boarded a carriage arranged by the Li Family, and drove toward the West City Military Camp.

The military camp covered a vast area, and a large section had now been set aside as a temporary field hospital for the wounded.

It was brightly lit and bustling with people. The air was thick with the smell of medicine, blood, and suppressed groans and wails.

Jiang Hanzhou was assigned to a tent area in the northeast corner, where most of the soldiers treated had severe injuries accompanied by Devilish Qi erosion.

He didn't say much. After washing his hands, he threw himself into the treatment.

Debridement, suturing, applying medicine, and using acupuncture to dissipate superficial Devilish Qi...

His technique was skilled and precise, and his efficiency was extremely high.

When encountering wounded soldiers with deep Devilish Qi erosion and beginning to lose consciousness, he would use the pure Yang blood and Qi of the Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Skill along with silver needles to forcibly expel part of the Devilish Qi, then supplement it with Medicinal Pills for conditioning.

He was focused and silent, forming a sharp contrast with the busy and noisy environment around him, gradually attracting the attention of other physicians.

"Young brother, your technique is quite seasoned. Which famous doctor did you study under?" an old physician with graying hair couldn't help but ask during a break.

Jiang Hanzhou looked up, saw the other's sincere gaze, and simply replied, "Family medical skills, I only know a smattering. I've made a fool of myself in front of a Senior."

"You're too modest." The old physician shook his head and sighed. "This Devilish Qi erosion is the most troublesome. Ordinary wound medicine is completely ineffective and might even worsen the condition. I see that your needle technique seems to be able to mobilize your own blood and Qi to expel the poison. Could it be that you have cultivated a pure Yang Cultivation Technique?"

"Precisely." Jiang Hanzhou did not deny it. In a world where martial arts flourished, it was not unusual for physicians to also practice Cultivation Techniques.

"No wonder..." The old physician realized, then lowered his voice. "But young brother, you must also be careful not to over-consume your own blood and Qi to expel the poison. I heard that Daoist Master Guo Yanlin, invited by the Li Family, has already begun refining the 'filth-guiding talisman.' If successful, it might resolve the crisis of the Eldest Young Master Li and also eradicate the root cause for these soldiers injured by Devilish Qi."

"Oh? Daoist Master Guo has already started?" Jiang Hanzhou's movements paused slightly as he looked up and asked.

"Yes, deep within the military camp. The Li Family has set aside a separate area and set up a Formation; idle people are not allowed near." The old physician nodded. "The Head of the Li Family has high hopes for that 'filth-guiding talisman.' It is said that the required Materials, especially the demon's heart-blood and some flesh and bone, were delivered to Daoist Master Guo immediately after the suppression ended. Sigh, I hope it succeeds, otherwise Eldest Young Master Li might..."

He didn't continue, but the meaning was clear.

Jiang Hanzhou lowered his head and continued to treat a deep wound on a soldier's arm, the edges of which were tinged with black Qi.

His eyes grew deep in the shadows of the lamplight.

Guo Yanlin... has started refining the filth-guiding talisman?

In his mind, he couldn't help but recall a fleeting glimpse he caught on the tower ship behind them when the demon made its final counterattack and the filthy blood-light erupted today at sea.

The scene was extremely chaotic at the time, a matter of life and death. Everyone's attention was drawn to the demon's death struggle and the miserable state of the warships.

But Jiang Hanzhou's perception, in that instant, keenly captured an extremely subtle fluctuation.

That fluctuation came from the direction where Guo Yanlin was.

Although it lasted only for a breath and was covered by the overwhelming demonic aura and chaotic energy, Jiang Hanzhou would never mistake it—

It was the scent of "Gu."

It was similar in nature to the latent Gu inside Li Jingming's body, but even more obscure, as if it had undergone some special sacrificial refining and nurturing.

A traveling daoist happened to appear when the Li Family was widely inviting talented people, pointed out in one word that Li Jingming was poisoned by Gu, and that it was related to demon blood.

And he just happened to know how to refine that "filth-guiding talisman" using demon flesh, bone, and heart-blood as a catalyst.

And just as the demon was slain and the Materials were ready, he couldn't wait to start refining...

Too many coincidences meant it was intentional.

Jiang Hanzhou sneered in his heart.

This Guo Yanlin was definitely not simple.

He, the Gu inside Li Jingming, the abruptly appearing demon, and even the entire incident likely had countless connections.

"Ten Thousand Gu Sect..." a name quietly surfaced in his mind.

The Dao of Gu is treacherous, and its Legacy is secretive.

And within the borders of Great Qi, the most likely candidate to have cultivated the Dao of Gu to such a high level, acted so mysteriously, and dared to plot against a powerful family or even provoke demons, was that major evil Sect entrenched on the southwestern border, which troubled both the imperial court and Righteous Path Sects—the Ten Thousand Gu Sect.

He did not tell anyone of his suspicions.

For one, there was no evidence; relying solely on a faint perception would be hard to believe and more likely to alert the enemy.

Secondly, this matter had no direct interest or relationship to him.

The Li Family, the navy, and even the court had their own power and channels to uncover the truth.

As a small physician from the outer city, rashly getting involved in such a whirlpool would bring more harm than good.

Thirdly... he had a vague premonition that this matter was far from over.