Lin Qian's spirit energy entered Bai Xunli's meridians and searched for Xuan Tian's spirit energy. Once she found it, she began directing it toward Bai Xunli's Immortal Core.
"General, you will feel my spirit energy steering yours toward the Immortal Core. Please don't fight it. Just follow my lead."
"Go ahead, doctor. My spirit energy is yours to use."
Once both spirit energies reached the Immortal Core, they encountered a complicated-looking seal wrapped tightly around it.
"What kind of seal is this? I've never seen anything like it," Xuan Tian said, scanning it, trying to find the formation's eye.
"Can you break it, doctor? Using my spirit energy?"
"No, we can't," Lin Qian replied.
She continued, "Look at these threads. These fine strands are wrapped so tightly, if we destroy the seal directly, the core will shatter with it. We need to untangle them—one by one—without damaging the core."
"Alright. Just tell me what to do."
Xuan Tian had never seen a seal like this—or a procedure like this. This was beyond anything he knew. He was trained in simple spirit energy healing, but nothing this delicate.
Being a doctor to cultivators wasn't just about healing meridians, concocting medicine, or performing acupuncture. Surgeries like this—layered spirit energy manipulation—were the true frontier of medical cultivation.
Controlling someone else's spirit energy like this—as if the doctor were a driver guiding a carriage—was unheard of.
This method had once been a dream of Celestial doctors. Lei Wen was the first to make it real. Later, with Zhao Zhi, Lin Qian, and Xu Yun, the technique was refined. That's why their bond ran so deep. They weren't just colleagues—they were partners. They were family.
Lin Qian exhaled slowly. Now is where it is dangerous. Fujun (Husband), help me. Let's do this!
Lin Qian used her spirit energy as gently as possible, trailing the thousands of threads wrapped around the core, trying to find the first strand. When she found it, she cut it using Xuan Tian's spirit energy. Clean. Precise.
She had proposed borrowing Xuan Tian's spirit energy not just because he had more—but because the seal was placed by someone far stronger than her. During her preliminary examination, she realized her own spirit energy wasn't abundant—or refined enough—to cut through threads woven by such a powerful hand.
Lin Qian's movements grew faster. Search. Trace. Cut. Search. Trace. Cut.
The scene opened Xuan Tian's eyes to a whole new world. He watched Lin Qian work with growing fascination, maintaining his spirit energy's steady flow.
As they went deeper, the threads were thicker and more spirit energy was required to cut them.
Lin Qian was worried about Xuan Tian, but she also knew she needed to finish quickly. They still had to do the Heart Core.
She slowed down, "General, are you alright? The threads are no longer just numerous—they're thicker now, denser. It's almost like the core is wrapped in cloth, not thread. We can stop here and move to the Heart Core instead. It'll give us a short break."
Xuan Tian exhaled. Truthfully, he was starting to feel the strain. The level of concentration required was no joke. And the Purple Qi was thinning—he could literally feel his spirit energy draining from his Immortal Core at a rapid rate.
But he also knew Lin Qian wouldn't be moving this fast if they weren't racing against time. Thank the heavens she was so proficient.
He nodded slightly. "I think that's a good idea, doctor. I underestimated how straining this procedure would be."
Lin Qian exhaled in relief. She was relieved that Xuan Tian was honest. Procedures like this needed precision and steady flow of spirit energy. If he had lied and crumbled in the middle of the procedure, it would bring danger to all three of them.
"You've done well, General. Considering it's your first time—and you're not even a doctor—you've done an amazing job."
She was praising Xuan Tian while slowly moving to the Heart Core.
The seal in the Heart Core was similar and slightly different.
Xuan Tian noticed it and asked, "Doctor, this seal… is not the same. I can't really point it out, but it feels different."
Lin Qian nodded, "Excellent observation, General. You're right. It is different."
She took a breath, "The seal in Immortal Core was to seal the spirit energy so it can't be used. The seal here… not only it blocks spirit energy from going in and out, it also dismantle the core's ability to purify spirit energy."
Xuan Tian clenched his teeth. "Such a cruel way of sealing a cultivator!"
Lin Qian nodded grimly, "Yes. And it is also painful. It's like a hand occasionally crushes your heart. Very cruel."
"But why they hadn't touched the Mind Core? Why only Heart and Immortal Cores?" Xuan Tian had been wondering about this. Seeing the cruel methods Lingxu had been using, it was only logical that they would seal the Mind Core as well.
Lin Qian shood her head, "Mind Cores are completely different beast. They are multiple times much more complex than the other two. Even us, Celestial doctors hadn't finished exploring and understanding Mind Core."
"The danger in messing with Mind Core is very much higher, General. It is unknown territory."
"Besides, Captain Bai's Mind Core is still underdeveloped since her cultivation is in the Mid Immortal Stage."
"Alright, General. You're ready to continue?"
"Yes."
Lin Qian did the same with the Heart Core. Her spirit energy danced around the threads, wielding Xuan Tian's spirit energy like a swordswoman wielding her sword.
Until the threads were visibly thicker and denser.
She exhaled.
"Here we are again. I think we should rest a bit –"
Suddenly the threads moved, crushing the Heart Core. Bai Xunli writhed and groaned in pain.
Both Lin Qian and Xuan Tian moved with Bai Xunli. Their spirit energies are still in her, they hadn't had the time to pull out.
Lin Qian kept her vision at the Heart Core. She noticed something moving underneath those moving threads.
"What… is… that?"
The threads move slightly, revealing the Heart Core. Lin Qian saw something in between the threads.
Bai Xunli finally stopped moving.
The threads also stopped moving. Everything settled down.
Lin Qian was trying to see. And when she saw it –
"Oh my Heavenly Lord!"