Damned Healer-Chapter 719: Beloved And Talented

"Is he... is he really... that powerful?" Pyreu stammered, stunned. "But he's obviously only in the Celestial Nascent Realm, how could he..."

"With cultivation like that..." the Palace Supervisor murmured in disbelief. "This... is he actually... a legendary anomaly?"

With those words, everyone in the hall went catatonic.

Of course, everyone had heard of the anomalies that were born in the universe from time to time. The last one had appeared two generations ago, and their legends were told across the entire universe.

Limdiss was panting. The strange looks directed at her felt like sharp blades piercing through her. Not even in her dreams had she imagined Darian would be this powerful. Even though he was clearly one realm below her, he had been able to face her power head-on and come out victorious.

By now, even in the middle of the shock, she had already realized that Darian hadn't cheated in the previous tests.

At first, she had been certain the Fire Soul Pill would already be in her pocket, but there was no way to claim Darian was cheating now. That also meant that... the Stargazer Stone would probably end up in his hands.

For the sect's test, she had been instructed to draw as much attention as possible, so she could quickly accumulate a considerable amount of fame through her exceptional talent and status.

For an alchemist like her, fame was just as important as cultivation, since it would allow her to obtain more resources and buyers for her pills. Her uncle, who had taken her in as soon as she showed talent in alchemy, had taught her how to 'act properly,' and she thought she had been doing well.

But not only had she failed to display her power, but she had also been completely humiliated in front of thousands of curious eyes. In fact, she had ended up becoming nothing more than a stepping stone for Darian.

Limdiss clenched her teeth hard and trembled all over. It felt like her lungs were going to explode from the shame.

She no longer had the patience to wonder how Darian had managed to unleash such unbelievable strength. She only wanted to step over Darian's body and reclaim the pride and fame she had lost, with all her strength.

"Heh..." Limdiss let out a low groan. "You've definitely surprised me, Darian, and I admit I underestimated you. But you still don't have the right to act arrogantly in front of me!!"

As she spoke, a golden glow suddenly appeared around her body.

"!" The people in the hall widened their eyes.

The golden light gradually became dense and somewhat blinding. Then, a large number of fire runes rose from the ground, as if summoned by her, rapidly dancing around her.

The temperature inside the Hall was rising at a tremendous rate. All the younger ones began to feel suffocated.

Suddenly, that golden flame and the fire runes condensed, forming a large lotus of fire around her.

"This... this is..."

"Gold Purgatory Lotus! Limdiss actually learned the Golden Crow Canon!!"

The person in charge of the test exclaimed in shock. Limdiss was the Palace Master's niece, so her inheriting some of the Golden Crow bloodline wasn't that absurd, but to use the supreme techniques, a minimum cultivation level was required.

He had never heard of anyone who could use the Gold Purgatory Lotus while still in the Celestial Origin Realm, despite having spent many years inside the sect.

All the young cultivators unconsciously stepped back. Just from the overwhelming aura, it was already possible to imagine how powerful this technique was.

Limdiss's increasingly intense aura even surprised Pyreus. He hurriedly shouted, "Get out of the way, Darian! Have you lost your mind, Limdiss?!"

"Heh... Darian!" Limdiss extended her hand with a twisted smile on her face. "If you're a man, then try this!!"

Darian snorted. This brat really was an idiot and was burning her life force just to use that. What idiot taught something this suicidal to such a young girl?

Limdiss roared and crossed her arms, trying to release the power of that lotus. However...

The space in front of her eyes blurred as Darian's face suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Darian used his movement technique and crossed dozens of meters in an instant, like a ghost. He appeared right in front of her and thrust his finger forward.

*Pierce!*

That finger moved like the tip of a spear, striking Limdiss's right shoulder dead-on.

For some reason, the impact resulted in a boom that sounded very much like thunder. Everyone in the hall jumped in fright.

His strike, impossibly fast, seemed to literally appear out of nowhere from Limdiss's point of view, and she couldn't defend herself at all. Her previously upright posture was instantly knocked backward. The golden lotus she had formed around herself dissipated the moment she was blasted away like a cannonball.

*Bang!*

Limdiss was instantly sent flying back dozens of meters before violently crashing into the pillar at the back of the hall. Then she bounced off the pillar and slammed heavily onto the ground, producing a dull thud.

Since her chin hit the floor first, the fall ended up being the perfect representation of the saying "face-plant."

The entire Hall fell silent, except for the sound of people gaping and stammering.

"Ah... aaah... ah..."

Limdiss writhed and struggled. In truth, Darian had held back a lot, but he still sent a large amount of Celestial power directly into her body, causing chaos. It couldn't even be considered an internal injury; it simply left the person's mind and soul in disarray, and their body unable to stabilize for a long time.

She remained unable to stand for a very, very long time. Blood continuously flowed from the corner of her mouth, and even her groans sounded exceptionally weak and painful.

Countless vacant stares were fixed on Limdiss's fallen figure. No one, especially Limdiss herself, could believe she had ended up in such a state after receiving just one strike, one finger strike from Darian!

The only possible explanation was that Darian's strength didn't just surpass Limdiss's... they were completely incomparable.

If anyone else had been in Darian's place, they wouldn't have dared deliver such a brutal blow to Limdiss, the Palace Master's own niece, and leave her in such a miserable state.

Unfortunately for her, the person she dared provoke was none other than the bearer of misfortune himself.

The mind of the person in charge of the test went blank for a few moments before he finally pulled himself together and walked toward that fallen figure. He carefully lifted the upper half of her body. "Are you okay?"

Although Limdiss was suffering intense pain, her breathing wasn't that weak. He immediately realized she had no internal injuries. What level of precision and control was needed to do that to her without truly injuring her?

Still, he let out a heavy sigh of relief. She was the Palace Master's niece, and he had always supported her unconditionally. Even he would have to bear the consequences if something really happened to Limdiss.

The sound of calm footsteps echoed.

Darian stopped lightly in front of Limdiss and that man. Then he said, expressionless, "We're already past the fifth round. Are you still going to accuse me of cheating now?"

"You... Ngh!" A trace of bloody foam suddenly appeared at the corner of Limdiss's lips the moment she tried to speak. Her torso bent downward in pain once again.

But no matter how much pain her body was in at that moment, how could it even compare to a thousandth of this humiliation?

She had waited and worked hard for a long time for this day. She memorized and learned everything from her Uncle. She believed today would be the day she would be reborn and rise to glory.

Darian snorted and looked away from her.

He didn't even bother to glance at the person in charge of the test before turning to the Palace Supervisor. "Senior, this should be enough to prove I didn't cheat, right?"

"Hahahaha!" The Palace Supervisor burst into loud laughter.

Darian looked at her coldly; that was some high-level acting. Internally, she was struggling to hold herself back from attacking him on the spot.

"To be honest, although I never believed anyone could cheat in the test, I still find it hard to believe someone with your cultivation could stay there that long. It seems the great knowledge and experience I pride myself on are, in the end, just products of my imagination." She spoke in a calm tone with a lively expression, but the light in her eyes was completely different.

"During your duel with Limdiss, you didn't lose in five moves. In fact, you defeated her in five moves. And furthermore..." Her eyes gleamed. "This still doesn't represent your full strength. It seems Palace Master Chrysos brought back a genius to our Sect. Although we've only met today, this is the first time I've felt so eager to see how far someone will go on the path of cultivation."

Pyreus's mouth, which was already hanging open in shock, dropped even further when he heard the Palace Supervisor's incredibly enthusiastic praise. He, and almost everyone in the hall, failed to notice her true intent.

"...Thank you for the praise, Senior." A faint ironic smile appeared on Darian's lips.

All the mocking and disdainful looks Darian had received earlier vanished. They could only blush in shame when they remembered their previous laughter.

"Person in charge of the test, hand the Fire Soul Pill to Darian and take Limdiss for treatment," the Palace Supervisor said calmly, extending her hand. "I haven't forgotten my earlier promise. Now that you've proven you didn't cheat, the Stargazer Stone also belongs to you. They certainly won't be wasted on you."

"..." Limdiss might have been suffering terrible pain from Darian's attack, but she could still hear the voices around her.

She clearly heard Darian's praise and rewards. She was supposed to be the protagonist today, but now no one paid her the slightest attention. As she lay on the ground like a dying dog with a broken paw, she felt as if everyone was laughing at her and pitying her.

At that moment...

A voice sounded in her mind. It was her Uncle.

Her eyes widened at what she heard, unable to believe it. But... it was her Uncle who spoke; she would never dare doubt or go against his words, because without him, she would be nothing.

Without hesitation, she discreetly began moving something from her spatial ring. It was very small... a pill that should never be used unless it was a matter of life and death.

The moment the person in charge of the test was forced to move and deliver the treasure to Darian, with everyone's attention on them, she swallowed the pill.

In mere seconds.

"Darian..." Limdiss's teeth chattered, and her mind fell into a complete frenzy; her rationality practically vanished.

Suddenly, she let out a beast-like groan and abruptly got to her feet.

"!" Everyone in the hall turned in shock.

Limdiss lunged toward Darian's back in a twisted posture. In her hands was already a long scarlet sword. It radiated an abnormal and sinister aura of power.

Gathering all her strength fueled by madness... and her life... she thrust toward Darian's heart as she roared.

No one had foreseen this twist. Not only was Darian facing away from Limdiss, but they were less than sixteen meters apart.

The Palace Supervisor's expression changed slightly, but it was already 'too late' to stop her, considering how close they were.

Pyreus could only let out a cry of horror.

But...

Even before Limdiss acted, Darian had already sensed Baynod's nearly uncontrollable hatred locked onto him. He knew from the start they were going to try something.

The instant Limdiss moved, Darian had already turned like lightning, causing her rage-driven strike to hit nothing but air.

Then Darian delivered a violent elbow strike to her back, hitting her square in the heart.

He secretly sent a bit of white power through the contact. It penetrated her body and purified the pill's suicidal essence. Without that, she probably wouldn't have survived much longer.

"UUAAAAGH..."

A chilling scream echoed through the hall as Limdiss spat a trail of blood at least three meters long into the air.

She flew horizontally across the floor like a punctured blood bag, while a deafening roar exploded beside Darian: "Stop!!"

The person in charge of the test, in his charge, attacked Darian almost at the same time he struck that girl. A terrifying, flaming energy slammed mercilessly into Darian's back.

No one had imagined Limdiss would suddenly lose her mind and ambush Darian. And the fact that the person in charge of the test suddenly attacked Darian shocked them even more.

He was at the ninth level of the Celestial Origin Realm, very close to breaking into the third realm, and was also an official disciple of the Golden Crow Hall. His power was on a completely different level from the current Limdiss. His attack was something not even Pyreus, who was in the same realm, could withstand at all.

But...

He hit empty air.

Darian appeared five meters behind him, his expression cold.

Pyreus, shocked, quickly rushed to Darian's side. He was about to ask about his injuries when he realized Darian seemed completely unharmed. His mind went blank for a second before he finally asked somewhat weakly, "You... you're okay?"

Darian's entire body boiled with fury as his hands clenched into tight fists. He abruptly turned to look at Baynod, and a savage atmosphere appeared on his face.

That bastard really intended to sacrifice his beloved and talented niece just so Darian wouldn't rise.

She was worth no more to him than the Palace Supervisor's son, who was going to become the next Palace Master. Eliminating Darian would guarantee Chrysos would end up with nothing again and, in a few years, lose his position.

He hadn't even thought about his Sect possibly losing a talent of this level. Nothing mattered to him except himself.

Calling this cruel was far, far too mild.

"It looks like I'll have to stain my hands with blood pretty early. Great..." Darian spat slowly, and everyone in the hall felt their bodies turn cold.