85: Chapter 85 Healing and the Way Home

Lin Muchen lay prone on the ground, coughing up another mouthful of blood-streaked saliva.

His internal organs felt as if they had been spun in a washing machine, twisting with pain.

Trembling, he fished out another rejuvenation pill, popped it into his mouth, and sat down against a large boulder nearby.

"System, scan my injuries."

[Scanning...]

[Internal organs concussed, Meridians slightly torn, spiritual power circulation sluggish.]

[Multiple abrasions and lacerations on the body surface, blood loss approximately 5%.]

[Comprehensive assessment: Moderate internal injuries. Requires at least three days of rest to regain basic mobility.]

[Recommendation: Immediately find a safe location for deep healing.]

"Three days? I can't wait that long."

Lin Muchen gritted his teeth and looked at the nearly transparent five-colored light cocoon in his hand.

The cocoon was covered in cracks, with the green stone fragment lying quietly inside, but the oppressive feeling of the countdown was even more unbearable than the tearing of the spatial turbulence just now.

[Current mark isolation time remaining: Four days and twenty-one double-hours.]

[Warning: If the Host forces a journey, injuries may worsen and the overall recovery time will be extended.]

"First, I need to get out of this godforsaken place."

Lin Muchen pushed himself up against the rock. His legs were still weak, but he could walk.

He identified the direction.

The route planned by the System lit up in his mind—a winding line that bypassed several high-Rank Yao Beast territories marked in red.

"Let's go."

He didn't waste words and started walking.

With every step, it felt as if a needle was stabbing into his stomach.

But he walked very fast.

He had to be fast.

The first day was relatively smooth.

The route planned by the System was very clever, specifically choosing desolate and remote corners.

Lin Muchen kept his Five Elements Body Protection Aura active the entire time. Although it consumed spiritual power, it masked most of his aura, preventing him from being targeted by Yao Beasts with a keen sense of smell.

By evening, he found a small leeward mound and slumped down behind it.

"I can't go on; I need to rest for a bit."

He took out some dry rations, took a few bites, and swallowed another rejuvenation pill.

His injuries were recovering slower than the System's estimate, and the dull pain in his internal organs hadn't subsided.

[Recommendation: Host should sink consciousness into the Origin Star to observe the development of the Chen Tribe. This can distract from the sensation of pain and aid in mental recovery.]

"It has this function too?"

Lin Muchen closed his eyes, and his consciousness sank.

The scene before him changed.

He "saw" the Origin Star.

Three newly dug canals wound across the plain, the water flowing with a splash.

The settlement of the Chen Tribe had expanded, with over a dozen more wooden houses.

In the open space at the center of the tribe, Elder Yan was leading several young people, using charcoal to draw something on a flat stone slab.

The lines were crooked, but Lin Muchen recognized them at a glance.

It was a Water Gathering Rune.

Although it looked like gibberish, the structure was correct.

"They actually figured it out?"

Lin Muchen was a bit surprised.

Previously, he had only vaguely transmitted the most basic Water Gathering Rune structure from the Water Cloud Art in the form of an "oracle."

He hadn't expected this group of primitive people to actually manage to replicate it.

Elder Yan finished the last stroke, stepped back two paces, and knelt before the stone slab, chanting something under his breath.

The other tribesmen followed suit and knelt down.

Then, a miraculous scene occurred.

The charcoal lines on the stone slab began to glow faintly with a light blue light.

Although it was very weak and flickered out instantly.

But a hint of moist water vapor clearly appeared in the air.

"It worked?"

Lin Muchen was stunned for a moment.

[Detected that the Chen Tribe of the Origin Star has initially mastered the 'Basic Water Gathering Rune (Incomplete Version)'.]

[Tribe survival stability increased.]

[water element node feedback enhanced.]

[Feedback Efficiency updated: 10.8% → 10.9%.]

A surge of energy, slightly purer than usual, fed back from the Origin Star and flowed into Lin Muchen's Meridians.

Although it wasn't much, it was like a clear spring, slightly soothing the burning pain in his internal organs.

"It really is somewhat useful."

Lin Muchen opened his eyes, feeling his spirits lift slightly.

He glanced at the light cocoon in his hand.

[Remaining isolation time: Four days and eighteen double-hours.]

Another three double-hours gone.

"I'll sleep and continue the journey tomorrow."

He leaned against the mound and closed his eyes.

At noon on the second day, something happened.

As Lin Muchen was walking along a dried-up riverbed, the System suddenly issued a warning.

[Detected a cluster of life reactions three hundred meters ahead.]

[Quantity: Seven.]

[Species: Gray-back Wolf (First-Order Demonic Beast).]

[Status: Hungry, aggressive.]

"Can I bypass them?"

[Bypassing would require backtracking five li and passing through a poisonous miasma zone, which carries higher risk.]

[Recommendation: Pass through quickly.]

[The wolf pack may be wary of the Host's aura and might not attack proactively.]

"Pass through quickly?"

Lin Muchen looked at his tattered clothes and felt the churning pain in his stomach.

Speed up my foot.

But he had no choice.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his injuries, and quickened his pace.

He had barely run a hundred meters.

Awoooo—

A wolf's howl rang out from behind a pile of rocks to the side.

Immediately after, six or seven gray shadows darted out, blocking the riverbed ahead.

The leader was a burly male wolf, baring its teeth with saliva dripping down.

Its eyes were fixed intensely on Lin Muchen.

That gaze was like someone who hadn't eaten for three days suddenly seeing a food delivery.

"System, is this what you meant by 'might not attack proactively'?"

[Data miscalculation.]

[The hunger level of this wolf pack exceeds expectations.]

"I'm truly speechless."

Lin Muchen stopped in his tracks, and his Five Elements Body Protection Aura instantly expanded.

A five-colored light shield lit up, enveloping him within.

The wolf pack clearly hesitated for a moment, but did not retreat.

The leading male wolf let out a low growl and lunged forward first.

Bang!

The wolf's claws struck the light shield. The shield shook but did not break.

But Lin Muchen's chest felt tight, and he nearly coughed up blood again.

The Protective Aura was connected to his Dantian, so the vibration was transmitted directly to his internal organs.

"I can't take them head-on."

Ideas about "deflecting force" and "neutralizing energy" from the Water Cloud Art flashed through his mind.

Although he hadn't formally practiced them, he understood the concepts.

When the next wolf lunged, Lin Muchen didn't block it forcefully.

He manipulated Water Element spiritual power, and at the moment the light shield contacted the wolf's claws, he made that part of the shield "soften."

It was like a punch landing on cotton.

Most of the force from the wolf's claws was deflected, and Lin Muchen barely managed to withstand the remaining vibration.

"It works!"

His spirits lifted.

The wolf pack surrounded him, lunging and biting, but every attack was neutralized by his "soft deflection" method.

Although it still made his internal organs ache from the vibration, it was much better than taking the hits directly.

But as time went on, it wouldn't last.

His spiritual power was being consumed too quickly.

His injuries were also worsening.

The leading male wolf was cunning; seeing that the front could not be breached, it began to direct the pack to circle behind and attack the weak points of the light shield.

Attacked from both front and back, more and more cracks appeared on Lin Muchen's light shield.

"Damn it, I'm going all in!"

He spotted an opportunity. At the moment two wolves lunged simultaneously, he suddenly withdrew the Protective Aura from the front.

Then, with Metal Element Sharpness Qi attached to his right hand, he smashed a fist into the waist of the wolf on the left.

Crack!

The wolf's spine snapped, and it went flying with a miserable cry.

The claws of the wolf on the right also firmly clawed into Lin Muchen's shoulder.

Rip—

His clothes were completely ruined, leaving four bloodstains on his shoulder so deep that the bone was visible.

"Hiss—"

Lin Muchen hissed in pain, but his movements didn't stop.

He threw another punch with a backhand, smashing it into this wolf's nose.

A wolf's nose is its most vulnerable spot.

The wolf let out a yelp and turned to flee.

Seeing this, the leading male wolf let out a low growl and surprisingly led the remaining wolves in a slow retreat before turning to disappear into the rock pile.

They ran away.

[The wolf pack has retreated.]

[Host's injuries have worsened: New shoulder lacerations, and increased internal organ concussion.]

[Recommendation: Treat the wounds immediately.]

Lin Muchen sat down on the ground with a thud, panting heavily.

Blood gushed from his shoulder. He quickly pulled out some golden sore ointment to sprinkle on it and tore a relatively clean strip of cloth to bind it tightly.

His internal organs hurt even more now.

He felt that the effects of the rejuvenation pills had been wasted by those few moves just now.

"System, re-plan the route. Find the nearest, absolutely safe place. I need to rest for a night."

[Re-planning...]

[Two li to the front-left, there is a natural cave. The entrance is hidden, the interior is dry, and no traces of large biological activity have been detected.]

"I'll go there."

Lin Muchen gritted his teeth and stood up, dragging his body toward that direction.

The cave was indeed hidden, its entrance covered by vines. It wasn't large inside, but enough for one person to lie flat.

After entering, he blocked most of the entrance with rocks, leaving only a slit for air.

Then, unable to hold on any longer, he collapsed directly onto the ground.

His consciousness sank into the Origin Star.

He took another look at the Chen Tribe to distract himself.

Elder Yan was leading the tribesmen, using that incomplete Water Gathering Rune to try and "water" the newly reclaimed fields.

Although the effect was weak, those withered seedlings did indeed look a bit more lively.

The children in the tribe jumped and shouted around the stone slab, as if celebrating the New Year.

Watching this, the corner of Lin Muchen's mouth twitched.

"Not bad, the teaching wasn't in vain."

That faint feedback energy flowed in again, slightly alleviating the pain.

In this semi-conscious state, he huddled in the cave for the night.

On the third day, he continued his journey.

His injuries had recovered somewhat; at least he didn't wobble while walking.

The route planned by the System drew closer and closer to the outskirts of the Qinglan Sect, and the Ranks of the Yao Beasts he encountered were much lower.

Occasionally, one or two blind First-Order Demonic Beasts would run into him, and Lin Muchen dealt with them casually.

On the evening of the fourth day.

He climbed a small hill and saw the familiar silhouette of the Qinglan Sect's outskirts in the distance.

The faint glow emitted by the Sect's grand array flickered on the horizon.

"Finally... I'm here."

Lin Muchen let out a long breath.

But he didn't rush directly into the Sect.

Instead, he turned and ducked into a dense forest at the foot of the mountain.

He found a tree hollow, crawled inside, and sat cross-legged.

"System, I'm going to fully recover from my injuries here before going back."

[A wise choice.]

[Returning to the Sect in the Host's current state could easily expose your weakened condition if you encounter an accident or inspection, causing unnecessary trouble.]

[Estimated time for full recovery: One day and night.]

"One day, I can afford to wait."

Lin Muchen took out his last two rejuvenation pills and swallowed them together.

Then he closed his eyes and operated his Cultivation Technique with all his might.

This time, there were no distractions and no danger.

Only pure medicinal power and the continuous feedback energy from the Origin Star remained, bit by bit repairing his damaged Meridians and internal organs.

After a day and a night.

Lin Muchen opened his eyes.

A sharp light flashed and vanished.

He moved his limbs, and his bones cracked and popped.

The wound on his shoulder had scabbed over, the dull pain in his internal organs had vanished, and spiritual power surged smoothly through his Meridians.

"I've recovered."

He stood up, feeling his condition was even better than before he entered the Vast Mountain Range.

Then, he took out that five-colored light cocoon.

The cocoon was now as thin as a soap bubble, and the green stone fragment inside was clearly visible.

[Current mark isolation time remaining: Two full days.]

[Warning: Time is tight.]

Lin Muchen stared at the fragment, his gaze turning cold.

Back to the Sect.

Then, within these two days, he had to figure out a way to deal with this thing.

Should he ask Zhao Tieshan if there were any treasures that could strengthen the isolation?

Or... just find a deserted place and throw this hot potato away?

He put away the fragment and stepped out of the tree hollow.

He looked up at the mountain gate of the Qinglan Sect.

It was time to go back.