Chen Xiaobei took out silver needles and began working quickly, inserting them into various points on the holy emperor's body.
The emperor's physical form was very much like Da w.a.n.gye's and Ao Liancheng's – a human body covered in fish scales, which would prove extremely difficult for Chen Xiaobei to perform the acupuncture procedure.
Luckily, the merpeople were similar to the people of Greenhill in that they were all half-beasts, and not the pure creature's during the primordial era.
For that reason, the meridian and acupuncture points on the holy emperor's body were almost identical to that of humans.
While it was a difficult task, it did not hinder the effectiveness of Chen Xiaobei's treatment.
He paired the Nine Dragons Acupuncture Technique with his Ethereal Force and, little by little, released the suppressed Qi and blood in the emperor's body.
After that, Chen Xiaobei took his Seven Treasuries Fragrant Pouch that hung on his chest and placed it above the emperor's heart.
The pouch carried the Cleansing Bodhi that Duobao Rulai gave to Chen Xiaobei. Not only could it be used to do magical stuff, but it could also neutralize poison, black magic, and even curses.
Thus, as the emperor's Qi and blood began to circulate while pa.s.sing through the heart, the cleansing bodhi would eliminate any toxin from his qi and blood.
Once the emperor's Qi and blood has completed one cycle of circulation, the toxin in his body would be reduced by one percent.
After 36 cycles, Chen Xiaobei removed the Seven Treasuries Fragrant Pouch and the silver needles.
"Childe Chen! How is my grandfather?" Ao Chun'er asked, her eyes still raw from the crying.
Both Da w.a.n.gye and Ao Liancheng were just as on edge, asking, "Childe Chen? How is his majesty? Can he be cured? Please be frank with us! We are mentally prepared…"
"What are… you mentally prepared for…" The emperor suddenly spoke. His eyes fluttered open; his voice was weak but his complexion had visibly improved.
"My goodness… Grandfather, you're awake… You've been unconscious for nearly half a month… You're finally awake…" Ao Chun'er's eyes glistened with tears again.
But this time it was tears of joy.
Da w.a.n.gye and Ao Liancheng stared at their emperor, "Your majesty! You… You're awake! We thought you were…"
"What? That I was going to die…" The emperor gave them a tired smile. "To be honest, I thought that I was going to bite the dust too… I didn't expect to be able to cheat death and regain my life!"
"Grandfather! It was Childe Chen who had saved you! If it were not for his superior medical skills, you would have never awakened from your slumber…" Ao Liancheng conveyed.
The holy emperor of Neptune looked at Chen Xiaobei, and said earnestly, "Childe Chen! Thank you for saving my life… I can't get up and bow to you right now… but I will remember what you've done forever and I will repay you generously!"
"It's really nothing. It didn't take a lot of effort." Chen Xiaobei shrugged.
"Childe Chen! You're too humble!" Da w.a.n.gye exclaimed. "All of us thought that there was barely any hope left and we had prepared for the worst… We never expected this. You gave us the best outcome! This means a lot to us Neptunes!"
"That's right! Childe Chen is our benefactor!" Ao Lianchen nodded. Her endearing little face was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with adulation.
"Oh yes… I still don't know Childe Chen's name." The holy emperor noted.
Ao Liancheng took upon himself to make the official introduction. "Childe Chen's name is Zhufeng! He's only in his early twenties but soon all of the nine zones will know the name of Childe Zhufeng!"
"Known all over nine zones? Is Childe Chen on the Nine-Zones Earth Leaderboard?" The emperor asked.
"That's very perceptive of you, grandfather!" Ao Liancheng said. "Childe Chen is equal in strength to Childe Qingfeng. They share the same rank on the leaderboard!"
"If I remember correctly, the dragon girl is about twenty-six, right?" The emperor said. "Childe Chen is five years younger than her but already possesses the same strength she does. Heroes really are made young!"
Da w.a.n.gye shared the emperor's enthusiasm. "Enough about Ling Qinfeng! Even in Apocalypse Starfield, no one around the age of twenty-one could compare to Childe Chen in terms of his brilliance!"
"Childe Chen! You're really incredible!" Ao Chun'er said in veneration, almost to the point of wors.h.i.+p. Her eyes sparkled with adoration. "By the time you're thirty, you might even come first on the leaderboard!"
"Placed first when I'm thirty?" Chen Xiaobei was unmoved but he smiled anyway. "Okay. Let's hope it comes true then."
Suddenly, loud cheering noises came from outside the bedchamber.
The people outside had been standing by the door, listening in on the conversation in the room. They were already informed of the happenings inside the bedchamber.
One could only imagine how excited the royal family members had become, and the amount of awe the doctors were in!
"Chun'er… Go out and invite the other w.a.n.gyes in. Dismiss everyone else…" The emperor directed.
"Grandfather! You've only just recovered! Please rest! You don't have to rush into getting back to work…" Ao Chun'er frowned.
"This matter has to do with the life and death of our race… This is urgent…" The emperor, still weak, sighed softly. "Hurry up! After this, I want you to return to the princess's residence. Don't go running around!"
"Yes… Chun'er will follow your orders…" Ao Chun'er nodded. This was a serious matter. She had to be obedient whether she wanted to or not.
"I will go too." Chen Xiaobei said.
But the emperor stopped him. "Please stay, Childe Chen… We still need your medical skills for this matter…"
Chen Xiaobei raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I will have to disappoint you, your majesty… My medical skills may not be able to save the entire Neptune race!"
"Childe Chen… You know our enemy?" The emperor asked, surprised.
"I don't know yet. But I have a theory!" Chen Xiaobei said.
"Can you tell me what it is? Why would your medical skills disappoint us?" The emperor asked.
Da w.a.n.gye, Ao Liancheng and the other w.a.n.gyes who had just entered the room started to pay full attention to what Chen Xiaobei had to say.
Chen Xiaobei explained, "Earlier on when I was in the Ambergris Corner, I heard that that the 'thing's' appearance had caused problems with the supply of Ambergris! The injuries and the poison in your majesty's body is also probably the work of that thing! Your majesty wants to keep me here so that I can use my medical skills to cure the poison and eventually, help you conquer it! But, I guess that the thing's toxic has already reached the peak of a G.o.d-Ascension cultivation level! Your majesty's body is extraordinary and that is why you were able to hold out for a few months! But when an ordinary person even makes the slightest contact with that toxin, he will die immediately! I can't possibly save millions of people… There just won't be enough time… That's why you'll all be disappointed…"
Faces fell at Chen Xiaobei's answer and the initial excitement was replaced with groans of despair and disappointment.
"Childe Chen, you've guessed correctly…" The emperor exclaimed. "If the poison can be neutralized, I might have a chance at winning… but if it cannot be neutralized, and that thing cannot be subdued… our race will be doomed…"
"That may not be the case!" Chen Xiaobei said. "Medical skills are one of the many tricks up my sleeve. I would first need you to tell me what that thing is before I'll see if I can think of any other way!"
