205: Gifts

The final mental fluctuation from the Lizard King, though still deep and imposing, had lost some of its murderous ferocity, gaining instead an air of scrutiny and deliberation. It did not agree immediately, but it also did not launch another attack. The two Martial King giant lizards and the surrounding horde of over a thousand lizards maintained their ready-to-strike posture, awaiting their king's decision.

Qin Feng knew the most critical step now rested with Xiao Chun. He looked at her, his eyes filled with encouragement and trust.

Xiao Chun took a deep breath, handed the Little White fox in her arms to Xia Ya beside her, then slowly took a few steps forward. She tried to appear composed, but her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed her inner tension. She once again showed the Lizard King the Medicine King Valley token and the grey fur in her hand, while simultaneously pushing the vitality of her Myriad Medicine Body to the absolute limit of her current control.

"Respected Lizard King," Xiao Chun's voice was clear, striving to suppress the tremor, "my power might be able to help you. Please allow me... to come closer and carefully sense your injury."

The Lava Giant Lizard King lowered its massive head slightly, its platinum-flame pupils nearly touching Xiao Chun's face. The scorching breath made her gasp. After a long moment, it let out a muffled snort, a tacit approval. Simultaneously, a mental pulse swept towards the two Martial King giant lizards. They growled lowly and slowly retreated a distance, but their gazes remained fixed intently on Xiao Chun.

Xiao Chun steadied herself and cautiously walked to the area near the Lizard King's injured left hind leg. Up close, the wound was even more horrifying: large swathes of dark-gold crystalline scales were completely shattered, charred and curled back. Deep fissures extended into the flesh, not oozing bright red blood, but rather something like slowly flowing dark-red magma, constantly seeping out and emitting terrifying heat and destructive energy. This was clearly a Dao Injury caused by a clash of extremely high-level forces; ordinary medicines would struggle to reach it. Moreover, it was imbued with the unique, violent golden murderous aura of the Stone Lion King, continuously eroding the Lizard King's vitality.

Xiao Chun extended her hands, hovering about a foot above the wound, not daring to touch it directly. She closed her eyes, operating her Myriad Medicine Body at full capacity, her mind sinking into a state of ethereal clarity. A purer, gentler emerald radiance flowed from her palms, like the finest gauze of light, softly covering the dreadful wound.

Initially, when the emerald vitality made contact with the dark-red, scorching 'magma-blood' at the wound's edge, it immediately produced a sizzling sound, like cold water dripping into hot oil. The Lizard King's colossal body shuddered violently, letting out a suppressed roar. The flames in its platinum pupils danced—an instinctive reaction to intense pain and the stimulation of foreign energy. The surrounding lizard horde immediately grew restless.

"Xiao Chun!" Xia Ya called out anxiously in a low voice.

Qin Feng and Ji Ruxue also tightened their grips on their weapons, their hearts in their throats.

Beads of sweat appeared on Xiao Chun's forehead, but she did not retreat. She adjusted the frequency and intensity of her vitality output, no longer trying to forcefully neutralize or disperse the scorching injury energy. Instead, like the most patient weaver, she transformed the power of vitality into countless imperceptibly fine threads, gently infiltrating, entwining, and soothing. She guided the vitality, first nourishing the edges of the burned and necrotic tissue surrounding the wound, stimulating their remaining inherent vitality. Then, thread by thread, she attempted to envelop and isolate the violent golden murderous aura that had invaded the flesh, slowing its corrosive speed.

This was an extremely delicate and mentally draining process, akin to embroidering in a pot of boiling oil. Xiao Chun was utterly focused, forgetting time, forgetting fear, her eyes seeing only the intricate web of the injury and the flow of vitality.

Time passed bit by bit. Within the lava corridor, there was no day or night, only the eternal glow of the magma. Qin Feng and the other two remained highly vigilant, taking turns to meditate and regulate their breathing, acting as Xiao Chun's Protectors. The Lizard King's initial discomfort and agitation gradually subsided. It seemed to truly begin feeling the benefits brought by that emerald vitality—though the pain did not vanish immediately, the searing, burning, bone-gnawing sting was indeed being drawn out and alleviated, thread by thread. The flames in its platinum pupils gradually stabilized. The gaze it directed at Xiao Chun lost much of its savagery, gaining more focus and... a faint, almost imperceptible trace of hope.

Xiao Chun's treatment was not accomplished in one go. She constantly needed to adjust, addressing different layers of the injury's problems: some deep-seated hidden injuries required longer, more sustained infiltration of vitality; some entangled foreign energies needed clever guidance and separation. Her face gradually paled, her True Qi and mental energy depleted massively. She had to stop several times, taking Medicinal Pills to meditate and recover. Each time, the Lizard King would patiently wait, even signaling one of the Martial King giant lizards to bring over a few pieces of pure flame marrow and place them near Xiao Chun, for her to absorb their gentle fire-attribute spiritual power as a supplement during her recovery—this subtle gesture revealed its high intelligence and shifting mindset.

Qin Feng also had Xia Ya take out some of their best reserve fire-attribute Spirit Medicines at appropriate times. They were ground into powder for Xiao Chun to carefully incorporate into the treatment, combining internal and external methods to accelerate the stabilization of the injury.

A full day passed slowly in this focused treatment and the delicate building of trust.

When Xiao Chun finally withdrew her vitality power for the last time and slowly retreated a few steps, her body was swaying unsteadily. Ji Ruxue, quick-eyed, supported her. Her face was as pale as paper, her aura weak. The mental exertion of this single day far exceeded any previous session of Alchemy or battle.

But the results were remarkable.

The terrifying wound on the Lava Giant Lizard King's left hind leg, while not completely healed to its original state on the surface, had smoothed over. The charred, curled flesh had settled, and the dark-red 'magma-blood' no longer seeped out. The wound's surface was now covered with a newly formed, healthy-lustered dark-gold film. Most importantly, the lingering, agonizing violent golden murderous aura that had plagued the Lizard King had been mostly purged. What remained was stabilized under the envelopment of the vitality power, no longer continuing its destruction. Its aura, though still weak, was no longer chaotic and irritable. Instead, it exuded a long-lost sense of steadiness and depth.

The Lizard King slowly lifted its injured hind leg, tentatively stepping on the ground. The movement was still somewhat stiff, but unimpeded. It lowered its head, carefully examining the wound, then looked up at the weak but expectant Xiao Chun. For the first time, the flames in its platinum pupils clearly displayed an emotion that could be named 'joy' and 'gratitude'.

"Human..." A deep mental fluctuation sounded, this time filled with gentleness and affirmation. "Your power... is special... good."

It raised its head and let out a long roar, no longer pained, the sound wave conveying the relief of a burden lifted. The entire lizard horde responded with low rumbles, their hostility completely gone.

The Lizard King turned, its thick tail nimbly probing into the most dazzling crystal ore deposit behind it, giving a gentle pry. Several fist-sized, dark-red crystals, shaped like solidified flames with what seemed like liquid crimson light slowly flowing inside, were dislodged—the earth core flame marrow! It used its tail to hold them out, presenting them to Qin Feng.

Qin Feng carefully sensed and weighed them, finding that these pieces of flame marrow added up to over six catties, far exceeding the three catties required for the mission!

"Lizard King, this..." Qin Feng was somewhat surprised.

"Deal... complete." The Lizard King's mental pulse carried the indisputable bearing of a king. "You... all... keep word. I... am not stingy. These... are payment."

Not only that, the Lizard King's gaze once again fell upon Xiao Chun, who was being supported by Ji Ruxue. It hesitated for a moment, then opened its mouth and spat out. A stream of condensed, almost solid, crimson-gold light flew out, landing precisely in Xiao Chun's hand.

It was actually a pigeon-egg-sized, perfectly spherical, crimson-gold crystal that resembled a miniature sun! Inside the crystal, it seemed as if a wisp of eternally burning, pure earth core fire was sealed, emitting an indescribably pure, vast, yet gentle fire-attribute energy and essence of heaven and earth!

"Earth Flame Essence..." the Lizard King explained. "A hundred years... condense... a wisp. For fire-attribute... cultivation... greatly beneficial. Can also... nourish... your... special Physique." It could see Xiao Chun was weakened from overexertion. This Earth Flame Essence, containing the fiery spiritual vitality of heaven and earth, was the best tonic. Moreover, its attribute was gentle, not conflicting with the Myriad Medicine Body, but rather able to promote its recovery and even evolution.

Xiao Chun held the warm yet immensely energetic crimson-gold crystal, feeling the faintly resonating fluctuations within it that harmonized with her own vitality power. Both astonished and delighted, she quickly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Lizard King!"

Qin Feng also solemnly cupped his fists in salute: "We thank the Lizard King for your generosity! We will remember this kindness."

The Lizard King gave a slight nod, saying no more. It turned and slowly paced back to its crystal ore throne, lying down again and closing its eyes to meditate, thoroughly digesting the benefits of this treatment. The two Martial King giant lizards also leaped back onto the high rocks, like two loyal statues.

The deal was complete, the harvest exceeding expectations. Qin Feng and his three companions dared not linger or disturb further. They collected the six catties of earth core flame marrow and Xiao Chun's Earth Flame Essence, once again bowed towards the Lizard King's direction, then quietly retreated along their original path, swiftly leaving the depths of this fiery vein corridor.

Only after they had completely distanced themselves from the Lizard King's territory and felt the relatively 'cooler' air of the outer layer (though still scorching) did the four truly relax. They looked at each other and smiled, their eyes filled with the joy of having survived a calamity and returning fully laden.