King of Ten Thousand Years

Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Strange Illness

"Do you remember the comment you made about me during the entrance trial, Senior Luo?"

Princess Yunxiu watched Luo Tian with a hint of expectation in her clear, bright eyes.

"A beauty’s tragic fate?"

Recalling his comment, Luo Tian felt a little awkward now that he was face-to-face with Princess Yunxiu herself.

"Based on my observations, Senior Luo, you don’t seem like someone who speaks recklessly. I hope you will tell me the reason for your comment that day."

Princess Yunxiu carried herself with dignity, and her tone was serious.

Hearing this, Luo Tian grew thoughtful. ’It seems Princess Yunxiu is aware of her own condition, or she wouldn’t be this concerned.’

"I’m somewhat versed in the Qi Observation Skill. That day, I caught a glimpse into Your Highness’s destiny."

Luo Tian confessed.

"You’re proficient in that skill too, Senior Luo?"

Princess Yunxiu said, surprised.

In the Azure Cloud Kingdom, there were very few masters who studied Destiny and Divination. Most were old, some even over a hundred.

’For a teenager like Luo Tian to be versed in this art was truly inconceivable.’

"I only know a thing or two."

Luo Tian said humbly.

In truth, the Celestial Destiny Creation Technique was a miraculous Divine Skill for cultivating the Divine Soul and one’s Destiny. It could ultimately allow one to transcend all worldly things and even control fate itself.

Many peerless Divine Skills were passed down through the world, enabling practitioners to fly through the heavens and burrow into the earth, move mountains and part seas, slaughter gods and exterminate demons.

But never had there been word of a miraculous skill that could transcend all things and control fate itself.

No matter if you were a prodigy of your generation or a world-conquering Emperor, you could not escape the shackles of destiny. Eventually, you would turn to dust and become a mere footnote in history.

When the Creation Technique was cultivated to a certain Realm, its user was no longer limited to ordinary Divination. They could control the Destiny of others and even reverse fate itself.

At Great Success, one could treat all of creation as their chessboard, controlling the Destiny of everything in heaven and earth.

Compared to that, ordinary Divination was nothing but an unorthodox side path.

...

"To be perfectly honest, I have suffered from a strange illness since childhood. Many famous masters and great physicians have been consulted, but all were at a loss."

Princess Yunxiu spoke softly, her tone bitter.

"Several years ago, the most renowned physician in the Azure Cloud Kingdom, Physician Can, diagnosed that I would live to be twenty at most!"

Princess Yunxiu’s eyes dimmed, revealing a delicate sorrow that would make anyone’s heart ache for her.

Twenty years old—an age of youthful beauty, the prime of one’s life—was to be the end of Princess Yunxiu’s.

Luo Tian looked at the elegant and noble young woman before him. She seemed to have a dazzling life, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

"Senior Luo, you’re the first person to see my condition at a single glance. Is there... is there a cure?"

Princess Yunxiu’s eyes shimmered as she looked at Luo Tian, a flicker of hope within them.

"Well..."

Luo Tian hesitated.

’It was true that he had the Creation Celestial Book, which was said to be omniscient and capable of solving anything.’

’But even the Royal Family of the Azure Cloud Kingdom couldn’t solve Princess Yunxiu’s illness. The difficulty had to be immense; his Celestial Book Power might not be sufficient.’

"I’ve been presumptuous. You’re not a physician, after all, Senior Luo."

Seeing Luo Tian’s conflicted expression, Princess Yunxiu gave a bitter smile. An unnatural pallor spread across her porcelain-like face, making her look tragically beautiful.

’She hadn’t placed much hope in Luo Tian to begin with. After all, even the most renowned physicians in the Azure Cloud Kingdom had been at a loss.’

At that moment, Luo Tian saw the disappointment and sorrow in Princess Yunxiu’s eyes, and his heart softened.

’Oh, well. Saving a life is a greater merit than building a seven-story pagoda.’

"Your Highness, I can try, but I can’t guarantee success," Luo Tian said.

As he spoke, he lowered his head slightly, his consciousness entering the Celestial Book.

’Celestial Book, deduce a cure for Princess Yunxiu’s illness. What will the cost be?’

Luo Tian’s consciousness entered the Celestial Book’s inner space.

A line of text appeared on the Celestial Book: *Based on current clues, the cost will be at least five pages.*

’That high a cost?’ Luo Tian was shocked. ’Looks like the princess’s strange illness is no simple matter. Even if I wanted to help, I can’t.’

A second line of text appeared on the Celestial Book: *Physical contact with the target will provide more information and significantly reduce the inference cost.*

Luo Tian understood at once. ’The more information it has, the lower the cost of the inference. If I can make physical contact with her, the Celestial Book can gather more data on her condition. It’s the same principle as when it perfects a Martial Skill.’

"Senior Luo, do you know medicine as well?"

Seeing Luo Tian wanted to try, Princess Yunxiu was somewhat skeptical.

’After all, Luo Tian was so young. It was already incredible that he knew the Qi Observation Skill.’

"If Your Highness doesn’t mind, allow me to take your pulse."

Luo Tian didn’t deny it, maintaining a calm and carefree demeanor.

’If I deny it, I’ll have no excuse to make physical contact with this noble and beautiful princess.’

Princess Yunxiu had broken through to the Seventh Layer of Meridian Opening; her Cultivation was far higher than Luo Tian’s.

"Take my pulse?"

Princess Yunxiu hesitated for a moment, but seeing his confident and earnest expression, she offered a small smile and agreed.

"Then I’ll be in your care, Senior Luo."

She rose gracefully, rolled up her sleeve, and extended an arm as white and smooth as jade. A faint, sweet fragrance wafted to Luo Tian’s nose.

Luo Tian didn’t stand on ceremony. Pretending to take her pulse, he gently took hold of Princess Yunxiu’s delicate wrist.

Princess Yunxiu’s hand trembled slightly. She lowered her gaze, her earlobes flushing red. No boy her age had ever been in such close contact with her before.

To Luo Tian’s touch, her skin felt like warm, fragrant jade. Princess Yunxiu’s wrist was so white and delicate it seemed like an exquisite work of art one could admire for ages.

’Begin inference!’

Luo Tian’s consciousness entered the Celestial Book.

WHUM!

Of the two pages of power within the Celestial Book, one suddenly went dim, followed by half of the other.

In total, one and a half pages of power were consumed.

SWISH!

Immediately after, dense lines of text appeared on the Celestial Book, detailing the illness and its cure.

"Senior Luo?"

Princess Yunxiu felt something was wrong.

She saw Luo Tian staring blankly in the direction of her chest, which made her face flush an even deeper red.

She took a closer look.

Luo Tian’s hand was holding her wrist in a completely incorrect manner for taking a pulse; he couldn’t possibly be feeling her pulse.

Combined with his blank stare in her direction...

’Could it be? Is he using this as an excuse to take liberties with me?’

Princess Yunxiu’s face filled with shame and anger, and a wave of disappointment and sadness washed over her.

’Have I been so desperate for a cure that I’ve put my faith in the wrong person?’

Just then, Luo Tian’s consciousness returned from the Celestial Book. His eyes were clear and bright, free of any impurity, and the corners of his lips curved into a confident smile.

’He now had a complete understanding of Princess Yunxiu’s condition!’

"Your method of taking a pulse seems... different from the norm, Senior Luo."

Princess Yunxiu’s face was frosty, her tone sharp.

Luo Tian realized the atmosphere had turned sour and that he was still holding the princess’s snowy wrist.

’Thinking back, my consciousness was in the Celestial Book, leaving my body and gaze vacant. That must have caused a misunderstanding.’

"Er... My school of medicine is connected to the Qi Observation Skill, so it is indeed different from traditional methods."

Luo Tian rubbed his chin, looking somewhat resigned.

"Hmph!"

Princess Yunxiu snatched her arm back. Her pretty face was taut as she stared at Luo Tian, her expression a mixture of shame, anger, disappointment, and doubt.

’Her life was already so bleak, and now Luo Tian was taking advantage of her. What a shameless scoundrel!’

WHOOSH!

The seven Qi Veins within Princess Yunxiu’s body pulsed faintly. If Luo Tian truly was a lecher, she would not hold back.

Luo Tian cursed inwardly. ’This is bad. The more I try to explain, the deeper the misunderstanding will get. Looks like I’ll have to show her what I can do.’

"The root of Your Highness’s illness... it originates from your mother, from when she was carrying you in the womb."

Luo Tian sighed softly.

"You... How did you know?"

Still fuming, Princess Yunxiu’s delicate body trembled as she stared in disbelief.

In truth, while she was still a fetus, her mother had suffered a grievous injury. She passed away shortly after giving birth, and in the process, a sinister and terrifying power was transferred into the newborn Princess Yunxiu’s body.

This conclusion had been reached jointly by several of the Azure Cloud Kingdom’s greatest physicians, and very few people knew the truth of the matter.

Yet Luo Tian had deduced the answer from a single pulse reading. How could she not be astonished?

’Could it be that Luo Tian really does understand medicine? Was he using some special diagnostic technique that I’ve never heard of?’

"Senior Luo, I was presumptuous just now. Please forgive me."

Princess Yunxiu’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment, and she gave Luo Tian a slight bow.

"There’s no need for such formalities, Your Highness."

Luo Tian quickly helped her up.

"Senior Luo, your diagnosis was completely correct. Is there... Is there a cure for my illness?"

Princess Yunxiu’s beautiful eyes, now filled with joyous surprise, were fixed on Luo Tian.

’Over all these years, very few had ever been able to identify the root of her illness.’

’And those who could offer an effective treatment? Virtually none!’