41: Unlocking the Secrets of Physicians: Effective Prescriptions Developed Internally by the Imperial Medical Academy (Part 2)

Inside the treatment room of the Imperial Hospital, the atmosphere was heavy to the extreme.

Bronzebeard lay on a sickbed made of Tranquil Wood, his aura so weak it was almost imperceptible; only the faintest rise and fall of his chest proved he was still struggling on the line between life and death. The black Death Qi entwined around his wound seemed to sense the approach of the World Tree's life Origin, becoming increasingly active and writhing as if alive, attempting to completely consume his remaining vitality.

On the jade platform, the refining of the [Plague Clearing Soul Stabilization Powder] had reached its final stage. Various medicinal essences, under the tempering of Divine Power flames, gradually fused into a puddle of liquid emitting a strange luster. One half showed an interwoven color of icy blue and blood red (mainly from Blood Jade Ice Mushrooms), while the other half was a clear emerald green with white specks of Order light floating within (mainly from Literati Heart Tea Essence). Under the exquisite control of the intent of the medical sages, the two medicinal liquids slowly drew closer for the final harmony of medicinal properties, emitting a cool aura that could both purify filth and stabilize the Soul.

In Lin Zhou's hand floated that strand of [World Tree Life Origin], thin as a hair yet heavy as a mountain. The emerald green light was soft yet firm, as if it contained the secret to creating a world.

All preparations were complete. Success or failure depended on this one move!

Lin Zhou took a deep breath, his Godhead operating at full capacity to calculate every detail. He first wrapped that strand of World Tree Life Origin with Divine Power, carefully guiding it toward the location of Bronzebeard's heart. This was the source of life's power and the best core for constructing a Balance Field.

The moment the emerald green light touched Bronzebeard's body—

"Sizzle!"

Like cold water dripping into boiling oil, Bronzebeard's body jolted violently! The black Death Qi at his wound seemed to receive the strongest provocation, suddenly boiling up and transforming into countless black venomous snakes that lunged frantically at that strand of life Origin! Simultaneously, the plague laws deep within his organs and marrow were triggered, erupting with even greater erosive power.

Bronzebeard's health, already on the verge of collapse, began to plummet faster! 19... 18... 17... "Steady!" Lin Zhou shouted inwardly, exerting all his effort to maintain the input of the life Origin and firmly anchoring it at the heart. The life level of the World Tree was extremely high; though its Origin was small in quantity, its quality was incredibly pure. Facing the frantic counterattack of the death laws, it stood firm like a reef in a torrent, steadily taking root.

"Using the life Origin as the Yang Eye, construct the foundation of the Balance Field!"

Following Lin Zhou's will, that strand of emerald light began to spread outward from the heart, forming an extremely complex prototype of a three-dimensional energy field composed of countless minute Life Runes. This energy field emitted gentle yet powerful life fluctuations, forcibly carving out a small "Pure Land of Life" within Bronzebeard's death-shrouded body.

However, the power of the death laws exceeded imagination. Although they couldn't instantly annihilate the World Tree's Origin, they squeezed inward from all directions, constantly battering and consuming the energy of the Balance Field. The range of the Balance Field was suppressed to a tiny area, barely able to protect the heart vessels and some major organs, and its light was dimming at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Inject energy! Maintain the Balance Field!" Lin Zhou did not hesitate and began to continuously consume Divine Power, converting it into the purest energy to inject into the Balance Field. Divine Power acted like fuel, sustaining the confrontation between the light of life and the darkness of death.

[Divine Power Consumption: 10 points/second...]

[Bronzebeard's health decline rate slowing... stabilizing...]

It was temporarily stable! But Lin Zhou knew this was only a temporary measure. Divine Power was not inexhaustible, and the death laws were deeply rooted in Bronzebeard's body. If this consumption continued, he would definitely be the first to collapse.

"The antidote!" Lin Zhou looked toward the jade platform.

Just then, the light in the Pill Refining Room converged, and a medicinal fragrance that was cool yet sharp and contained a stabilizing power diffused through the air. The [Plague Clearing Soul Stabilization Powder] was successfully refined!

The puddle of medicinal liquid finally solidified into a small amount of shimmering blue-and-green powder, which was placed into a jade bottle.

"Administer the antidote! Target: neutralize toxins, stabilize the Soul!"

A Medical Apprentices immediately stepped forward, carefully pouring a small amount of the medicinal powder into Bronzebeard's mouth and washing it down with spirit spring water.

Upon entering the body, the medicinal powder took effect immediately.

The medicinal power of interwoven icy blue and blood red, like the most elite of surprise troops, headed straight for the [Breath of Decay]. Wherever the extreme cold purification power passed, those mixed toxins were rapidly frozen, decomposed, and neutralized as if meeting their natural enemy. The writhing black blood vessels under Bronzebeard's skin faded at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Simultaneously, the emerald green medicinal power of the Literati Heart Tea Essence transformed into a cool stream, surging toward his mind and Soul. The hateful whispers and chaotic fluctuations brought by the [Soul Residue] rapidly melted away like ice and snow under the sun before this power containing Order and tranquility. Bronzebeard's brow, which had been tightly furrowed due to pain and erosion, relaxed slightly, and the speed of Soul Erosion significantly slowed.

[Negative Status 'Deep Plague Infection' intensity reduced, transformed into 'Moderate Plague Infection'!]

[Negative Status 'Soul Erosion' intensity reduced, transformed into 'Mild Soul Contamination'!]

[Bronzebeard's health has stopped declining! Current: 16/1500!]

It worked! The antidote played a crucial role!

The two greatest threats—toxins and mental contamination—were significantly weakened, causing the pressure on the Balance Field constructed by Bronzebeard's own heart of the earth and the World Tree's Origin to plummet!

"Now is the time!" A sharp light flashed in Lin Zhou's eyes as he seized this fleeting opportunity. "Guide the earth power to resonate with the life Origin, stimulate his own vitality, and counterattack the death laws!"

He split off a strand of Divine Thought, communicating with the weak yet stubborn heart of the earth power within Bronzebeard's body and guiding it toward the World Tree Life Origin. Both belonged to the categories of life and Order, and they instantly produced a marvelous resonance!

Hum!

The earthy yellow light and the emerald green life light intertwined, and the range of the Balance Field suddenly expanded outward by a small circle, becoming even more stable. At the same time, under the stimulation of this fused power, Bronzebeard's dormant life potential was triggered!

His powerful Dwarven Physique and his tempered vitality, which had been suppressed by the death laws to the point of immobility, were now as if injected with a stimulant, beginning to recover slowly but firmly. Wisps of weak new blood Qi sprouted from the depths of his marrow and from his internal organs, merging into the Balance Field.

The Balance Field no longer relied solely on Lin Zhou's Divine Power to be maintained; it began to show signs of self-circulation and growth!

"Yin and Yang reversal, transforming death into life, begin!"

Under the precise guidance of Lin Zhou and the intent of the medical sages, the Balance Field—which fused the life Origin, earth power, and Bronzebeard's own vitality—began to switch from defense to offense. It no longer merely resisted the erosion of the death laws but acted like a millstone, slowly grinding away and converting the death laws that had invaded Bronzebeard's body, bit by bit!

This was an extremely slow and delicate process. After the death laws were ground away, they did not completely disappear; instead, the pure concept of "death" within them was neutralized and converted by the Balance Field's power, turning into a strange, neutral energy that replenished Bronzebeard's withered body, slowly repairing his horrific physical trauma.

[Bronzebeard's health begins a very slow recovery: 17/1500... 18/1500...]

[Negative Status 'Fatal Trauma' severity slightly reduced.]

[Negative Status 'Moderate Plague Infection' intensity continues to decrease...]

Success! The plan was a success!

Although the speed was as slow as a snail's crawl, the trend had been reversed! Bronzebeard was being pulled back, bit by bit, from the edge of the abyss of death!

Lin Zhou let out a long sigh of relief. The continuous high-intensity Divine Power output and mental control had made even him feel a trace of fatigue. But he did not dare to relax in the slightest, still maintaining the guidance and energy supply for the Balance Field.

Time passed in the silent and tense treatment.

A full day passed in Divine Realm time.

When Bronzebeard's health had laboriously recovered to 50 points, and the Death Qi at the wound was mostly purified—with only a strand of the most stubborn death laws still putting up a last-ditch resistance at the core—his eyelids flickered, and he slowly opened his eyes.

What came into view was the ancient dome of the Imperial Hospital and Lin Zhou's Divine Thought, which was filled with majesty and concern.

"My... Lord..."

"Say no more; rest with a quiet mind. The plague in your body has not been completely cleared yet; it will still take time." Lin Zhou's divine oracle carried a soothing power.

Bronzebeard turned his eyes with difficulty, seeing the remaining [Plague Clearing Soul Stabilization Powder] in the jade bottle beside him and feeling the marvelous Balance Field and the converting death laws within his body. He understood everything that had happened. This tenacious Dwarf Hero's eyes welled with murky tears.

"Thank you... My Lord... for the grace of rebirth! Bronzebeard's... life is yours!"

"It was your own will and conviction that won this chance at life," Lin Zhou said gently. "Rest well; the Blackstone Territory and your clansmen still need you."

After comforting Bronzebeard and leaving a Medical Apprentices to continue observing and maintaining the Balance Field, Lin Zhou's consciousness returned to the high skies of the Divine Realm.

He looked at the remaining [Plague Clearing Soul Stabilization Powder] in the Imperial Hospital and the mature treatment plan he had worked out, and he came to a decision.

The epidemic in the Blackstone Territory must be controlled as soon as possible! Otherwise, once it went completely out of control, not only would the previous investments be a total loss, but it might even allow the plague to spread through the faith channels!

"Elwin."

"My Lord! Bronzebeard, he..."

"He is out of danger and is recovering." Lin Zhou's words caused Elwin and all the followers who perceived the divine oracle to breathe a sigh of relief, and a dense amount of grateful faith gathered.

"I now pass the prescription and treatment method for [Plague Clearing Soul Stabilization Powder] to you. Immediately source materials locally within the Furnace Fortress to mass-produce the antidote! Prioritize treating the severely infected and our people! At the same time, organize forces to conduct comprehensive disinfection and isolation according to the plague characteristics analyzed by the Imperial Hospital!"

"I follow your divine oracle!" Elwin's spirits were greatly lifted, and a complete prescription and treatment process were instantly injected into her mind.

The Furnace Fortress immediately began to operate efficiently. The Blackrock Mountain Range was rich in Ore and also had no shortage of some peculiar medicinal materials. Under Elwin's command and with the assistance of the Deep Moss Tribe Gnomes, substitutes for the Blood Jade Ice Mushroom (a type of ice moss with slightly lesser effect but in large quantities) and other auxiliary medicines were quickly found. A temporary potion workshop was established within the Furnace Fortress, beginning mass production of the [Plague Clearing Soul Stabilization Powder (Simplified Version)], which had slightly inferior effects but was sufficient to handle mild to moderate infections.

The rescue work unfolded rapidly. Bags of medicinal powder were administered to the infected, and combined with Elwin's simplified "Righteous Qi Protection" guided by Vast Righteous Qi, the conditions of the infected were quickly brought under control. New infection cases also began to decrease.

However, whether it was the treatment of Bronzebeard within the Divine Realm or the large-scale rescue in the Blackstone Territory, they were only treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

Lin Zhou's gaze once again turned toward the Temple of Civilization. Unlocking the School of Medicine, building the Imperial Hospital, deducing the prescription, and saving Bronzebeard... this series of operations, while consuming a large amount of Divine Power and resources, also greatly promoted the spread and practice of School of Medicine thought.

[Notification: Comprehension of School of Medicine thought has increased to 10%!]

[Notification: For successfully researching an Advanced potion and successfully treating a Law-grade plague-infected individual, you have gained 1000 civilization points!]

[Current civilization points: 7350]

Looking at the once-again abundant civilization points and the deeper comprehension of School of Medicine thought, Lin Zhou knew it was time to find a true leader for the Imperial Hospital who could shoulder the burden. Apprentices and the intent of sages, after all, had their limits.

His consciousness sank into the Temple of Civilization, looking at the [Random Sage Hero Summon (Rare)] that required 2000 points.

Should he gamble on luck and summon a Sage Hero who might be proficient in the Dao of medicine? Or continue to accumulate points to unlock other thoughts or exchange for a more secure Legacy?

Deep within the Valley of the Dead, that hidden source of the plague and the possible mastermind behind the scenes would never sit idly by while he cracked the plague. The next wave of crisis might arrive very soon.

He had to make a choice as soon as possible to further enhance his side's strength.