"Hurry and get this medicine into him! Make sure he lies down quietly, no fuss!"
Bailu's sharp voice cut through the chaos as she handed the gourd strapped to her waist over to Felicity. Since Felicity called herself a doctor, she ought to know the basics—at least enough to save a life.
Her gaze flickered toward the Mara-Struck Soldiers sprawled across the ground, felled by the flick of her tail. A frown tugged at Bailu's lips. Even though she had hoped for a calm, uneventful day within the Exalting Sanctum, her heart as a healer would not let her turn away from the suffering before her.
She waved her hand impatiently, urging Felicity to act. Yet, the gourd stayed stubbornly in Felicity's grasp for a long moment. Just as Bailu was about to turn and demand why, a sudden force lifted her off the ground.
Shick—
The sharp rasp of a blade slicing through flesh rang out, followed by a disorienting whirl of dizziness, then a scream, sharp and shattering in the air.
"Ah!"
Startled, Bailu clung instinctively to whoever had lifted her. Her eyes snapped upward—and her pupils widened in alarm.
There stood Felicity, one hand bracing Bailu protectively against her side, her body turned sideways to shield her. The other hand pressed fiercely against the wooden blade stabbing toward them.
Though made of wood, the blade was far from harmless. It was sharpened to deadly precision—able to slice through iron like it was paper, certainly capable of cutting human flesh. Yet Felicity held firm, using her own arm to block the fatal strike.
"Sister Felicity..." Bailu's voice broke as tears welled in her eyes. She clung tightly to Felicity's waist, voice trembling with a mix of worry and relief. "Does it hurt? Are you... okay?"
Felicity blinked, a faint smile touching her lips despite the pain.
"Hmm... a little, maybe?"
She had stripped away all the protective blessings the Abundance had given her body, making her more vulnerable—but even so, the wooden blade had only grazed her skin, leaving a shallow scratch. Whether it was the residual magic or simply her own tolerance, Felicity seemed to bear the pain lightly. She even stifled a yawn.
Turning her gaze toward the Mara-Struck Soldiers nearby, curiosity sparked in her green eyes. Without the full blessing, her strength was diminished, but against these weak foes, her diminished power still sufficed.
With a fluid motion, she twisted the wooden blade, seizing the attacker's wrist, yanked him close—and then drove her long leg into his abdomen with a harsh stomp.
The soldier was sent flying backward, crashing into another Mara-Struck Soldier with a heavy thud.
Gently setting Bailu down, Felicity rubbed her hands together with a quiet sense of anticipation.
Though combat was not her forte, she was prepared to use a fraction of the power she normally reserved to deal swiftly with these minions.
Before she could strike again, urgent voices called out nearby.
"Make way! Step aside! The Realm-Keeping Commission is here!"
A group clad in dark brown and black uniforms surged forward, forming a barrier between them and the advancing demonic soldiers. Several officers quickly subdued the Mara-Struck attackers. The leader stepped forward with a respectful bow to Felicity.
"Excuse me, young lady. Please remain here."
Bailu clutched at the edge of Felicity's sleeve, rising on her tiptoes to glance anxiously at Felicity's injured arm.
"Who are you?" Felicity asked calmly, patting Bailu's head to soothe her.
"I am Dahao, an Official of the Realm-Keeping Commission," the middle-aged man replied with a warm smile. "We've heard word that the general invited some guests, and one was brought to Exalting Sanctum. It must be you."
He raised his hands politely. "If you have a moment, I would like to invite you to the Realm-Keeping Commission Chancery for a discussion. There are matters concerning the troubles currently plaguing the Sanctum…"
"I appreciate the invitation, but I will not be going," Felicity said firmly.
Dahao blinked, clearly taken aback by her decisive refusal.
Just as he opened his mouth to protest, Felicity reached into her pocket and pulled out a small cloth bag—gifted by Fu Xuan—and held it before him.
"I am on a mission from Master Diviner Fu Xuan. Do you understand?"
Dahao's expression softened as realization dawned. Though he had never seen the bag before, he recognized the authority it represented.
"Ah, of course. I understand the Master Diviner's mission," he said quickly. Not wanting to cause further delay, he gave a few brief instructions before retreating with his team.
Bailu exhaled deeply, relief flooding her chest as the tension eased. Her eyes darted back to Felicity, curiosity burning. What kind of power did this adopted sister of Fu Xuan's possess that even the Realm-Keeping Commission dared not summon her?
With Felicity watching quietly, Bailu pondered the next step.
"What do we do now?" Felicity murmured softly, her voice low enough that only Bailu heard.
Bailu met Felicity's steady green gaze but responded with a pout of determination as she turned toward the injured Mara-Struck Soldiers still under control.
"Saving lives is what matters most."
Her voice carried the weight of her burden, both sorrowful and resolute.
She gently tugged Felicity's arm, the one still bearing the wooden blade's mark, but to her surprise, the flesh where the blade had cut was unblemished—no scar, no redness.
"?"
A confused frown crept over Bailu's face. Had she imagined the injury?
Her cheeks puffed out in frustration, and without a word, she shook off Felicity's hand and sprinted toward the wounded.
Felicity, unbothered, followed at an easy pace.
Among the Cloud Knights returned to the Sanctum, only a few bore the Mara's corruption. Most were young men, barely two centuries old—practically just adults in Xianzhou Luofu. It was unheard of for the Mara to strike so soon after adulthood.
Bailu's brow furrowed deeply. To heal was her duty, but understanding the illness was just as vital. The old adage echoed in her mind: "Don't just cure the disease, but treat its cause to prevent it from returning."
These Cloud Knight soldiers should not have been possessed. They were ordinary young men, standing on the threshold of life, not doomed to be claimed by death. One isolated case might be understandable, as rare as it was. But now, three, four—perhaps more—had fallen victim to the Mara's grasp.
Her anxiety mounting, Bailu rubbed her hands together, pulled open the gourd at her waist, and summoned forth the medicine infused with the sacred Vidyadhara Technique.
The title "Healer Lady" was no empty honor. Bailu was one of the few in Luofu who possessed the rare medical knowledge and the dragon veins to hold the Mara at bay.
After carefully administering the magical medicine to the patients, she wiped the sweat from her brow and exhaled with relief. But her gaze soon shot upward, anxiety flaring again.
"—We need to find Banxia."
"Banxia?"
"There's no time to explain. Come with me!"
Without hesitation, Bailu grabbed Felicity's hand and dashed toward the Synwood Pavilion, urgency driving her forward.
--+--
T/N: Bro I had to look up Banxia NPC spawn location like god damn