Airan dropped to his knees, ignoring the agonizing shards of bone grinding in his broken shoulder and leg.
He pulled Lux’s heavy, blood-matted head into his lap, sobbing uncontrollably.
Not again.
Not again.
The vivid, suffocating trauma of his past life tore open, threatening to drown him in helplessness.
Max hobbled over, his own ribs screaming in protest, and placed a heavy hand on Airan’s left shoulder.
“Control yourself, Airan. Sobbing won’t help him. Lux needs immediate treatment.”
“Where?” Airan choked out, his voice raw as he looked around at the burning wasteland of Zone D.
“The clinics here are destroyed!”
“Zone C wasn’t hit,” Max said grimly, looking down at the massive beast.
“But even in peak condition, you couldn’t carry him. Lux weighs six hundred kilograms and stands seven feet tall. With your injuries, it’s impossible.”
Every single healing pill they possessed had been consumed during the fight against the demonic cultivators, and Max’s shop—along with all his hidden stashes—was reduced to smoldering rubble.
Before despair could fully swallow him, Lana stepped through the ruined threshold, her blue sword sheathed.
Seeing the critical state of the white beast, the 8th-level Qi outer disciple didn’t hesitate.
Without a word, she channeled her Qi, effortlessly lifting the massive, bleeding form of Lux into her arms.
“Follow me to Zone C,” Lana instructed crisply, turning on her heel.
Airan dragged his shattered body forward, gritting his teeth against the white-hot pain shooting up his leg with every agonizing step, pushing himself to the limit just to keep pace.
By the time they reached the medical clinic in Zone C and Airan watched the local physicians stabilize Lux, his vision blurred at the edges.
When he finally opened his eyes, five full days had passed.
The sterile smell of medicinal herbs filled his nose, and his body thrummed with the dull ache of mending bones.
His first thought was immediate panic.
He scrambled upright, ignoring the protest of his muscles.
“Lux?”
“He’s resting,” a familiar voice said.
Airan turned to see Lana standing near the door.
She offered a rare, reassuring nod.
“He’s still unconscious, but he’s stabilized. The doctors got to him just in time. Given his strong constitution and the timely treatment, he’s going to make it.”
Author’s Note: Thanks for reading Chapter 25!
Airan’s journey from a penniless herb collector to a spirit distiller starts here.