Under Bai Xin's gaze, Liou Yuan opened the letter and read it with the help of the oil lamp Bai Xin had brought into the room.
Actually, even without light, Liou Yuan could now read the words clearly at night.
But since Bai Xin had brought the lamp, Liou Yuan didn't need to exert extra effort.
As the paper spread out, the beginning was Liou Zhen sincerely asking about Bai Xin's health and whether the family had any difficulties.
Taking up a large portion of the letter, Liou Zhen briefly mentioned his situation with four words, "All is well."
The remaining small portion was about Liou Yuan.
He wrote about the existence of the "Five Mansions Star Gazing Breathing Skill" he left behind in the letter, seemingly explaining something.
Clearly, although Bai Xin outwardly showed no interest in Liou Yuan's cultivation, she had secretly written to Liou Zhen to inquire.
"My mother is truly cold outside but warm inside," Liou Yuan couldn't help but smile and shake his head as he saw this, glancing secretly at Bai Xin beside him.
She turned away, avoiding Liou Yuan's gaze, appearing guilty.
Liou Yuan didn't expose her and continued reading.
"Since the Breathing Skill can be attained by him and he has entered the path of cultivation, it proves he truly has a celestial connection.
Mother should not worry too much; as Mother said, he is not far from the First Mansion Perfection.
Here is a bottle of Qi Condensing Pill; I pray Mother gives it to him.
If after half a year he still hasn't reached First Mansion Perfection, he can take it, perhaps breaking through with the pill.
If he has succeeded, then do not take it. Forceful assistance ultimately diverges from the proper path."
At this point, the letter's text had concluded.
"Didn't it say for me to rely on my efforts to cultivate to the First Mansion Perfection?"
"Seeing the time nearly up, my elder brother couldn't hold back and even gave me a bottle of Qi Condensing Pill."
Liou Yuan finished reading the letter and shook his head, smiling bitterly.
He didn't ask Bai Xin about the Qi Condensing Pill.
He gently folded the letter, put it back into the envelope, and handed it to Bai Xin.
Bai Xin took the family letter and pulled out a white jade medicine bottle from her sleeve, placing it on the small round table, and softly said to Liou Yuan, "This is the elixir your elder brother sent back along with the letter."
"Whether to use it or not is up to you."
After speaking, Bai Xin took the oil lamp and walked out.
Liou Yuan saw Bai Xin out and turned to be drawn to the Qi Condensing Pill left on the table.
He picked it up, opened the bottle, and saw five blue-gray pills lying inside.
There was a scent similar to orchids, but upon inhaling it into the lungs, it didn't have as evident a reaction as the Micro-Star Elixir.
Clearly, the medicinal properties were far weaker than the Micro-Star Elixir.
"Liou Zhen's intent in the letter was not to recommend taking this Qi Condensing Pill."
"Unless it's close to the three-year period, and I'm still not at First Mansion Perfection, then I should take it, clearly indicating there are side effects."
Liou Yuan sniffed it a few more times and quickly sealed the bottle again.
He held the pill bottle with amusement.
Though he didn't plan on taking the Qi Condensing Pill, it was still a genuine Spirit Pill, not comparable to mundane medicines.
Since Liou Zhen provided it, it proves the usage of the pill is at Liou Yuan's discretion.
"If taken to those cultivators at Qinghe Division, they'd surely be willing to pay a high price for it."
"Sell it and leave half the money to my mother for household expenses, keeping the other half for myself."
Liou Yuan already had an idea of how to handle the Qi Condensing Pill.
But before that, Liou Yuan had something else to do.
"Let me first evaluate the quality of this Qi Condensing Pill."
Once understanding its effects, estimating its value ensures better conversion.
The Fixed Star Compass was brought out by Liou Yuan, and with its activation, he used its ability to discern objects to thoroughly view the information of the Qi Condensing Pill.
[Name] Qi Condensing Pill
[Category] Elixir
[Quality] First-Class Inferior Grade
[Effect] For early-stage Qi Cultivators, offers slight enhancement to cultivation power.
[Side Effects] Contains pill toxins, prolonged use may obstruct meridians, affecting future cultivation.
Liou Yuan's gaze fixed on the last line, highlighting the side effects of the Qi Condensing Pill.
Immediately, he gave the Qi Condensing Pill a disdainful look: "Indeed, it has side effects."
He didn't know what level this Qi Condensing Pill occupied in the Cultivation Realm.
However, since Liou Zhen took it out, it certainly wasn't trash.
This alone would be enough to make most cultivators covet.
But the elixir poison will block the meridians, taking it is like forcing growth, dragging down one's future cultivation.
Liou Yuan definitely won't take it.
No wonder Liou Zhen didn't recommend Liou Yuan to take it.
"Let's sell it!" Thinking of this, Liou Yuan put away the Qi Condensing Pill, further solidifying his idea to sell it.
After finishing all this, Liou Yuan glanced at the sky outside.
He jumped out of the window and began a new day's cultivation.
Because he was very concerned about the Qinghe Division's full mobilization, Liou Yuan stayed within the city to cultivate for the next few days.
He even seriously stopped Bai Xin's suggestion to go to Kuiyin Gully to gather herbs to prevent accidents.
Fortunately, the Haiyin Grass brought back that time could last a few more days. Seeing Liou Yuan so resolute, Bai Xin also had some guesses in her heart after witnessing the Qinghe Division leaving the city that day, so she didn't insist.
This made Liou Yuan breathe a sigh of relief.
In Yanhe City, the person he cared about most was Bai Xin, and feared the most was Bai Xin.
As long as Bai Xin doesn't have any mishaps, he wouldn't care even if the sky falls.
However, the epidemic in Yanhe City showed signs of spreading across the city as time went by.
Not only was Xuanhu Clinic overwhelmed, but both the front and back yards were filled with patients infected with the plague.
Other clinics in Yanhe City weren't in much better condition.
Bai Xin and Kong Yi were busy to the point of confusion.
Even Kong Yi's iron-clad body couldn't hold up, as he got infected and fell ill on the third day after they returned from Kuiyin Gully.
Liou Yuan, who had already left Xuanhu Clinic for a few months, was called back by Bai Xin to help due to the shortage of staff.
Every day was spent in a dizzying frenzy.
In the backyard of Xuanhu Clinic, Liou Yuan had placed over a dozen medicine pots in front of him, containing decoctions to alleviate the pain of the plague.
His handsome teenage face was blackened by carbon ash.
While tending to the medicine, his mind wandered: "Isn't Mr. Wei leading the Qinghe Division out of the city to resolve the source of the plague?"
"It's been three days, why hasn't the plague subsided at all, but instead gotten worse?"
Haiyin Grass was indeed effective, but couldn't uproot the cause, it could only alleviate the pain.
Liou Yuan himself didn't mind; his body was as strong as an ox, with spiritual power protecting him, the plague couldn't affect him.
What he was concerned about was Bai Xin.
"If things continue this way, my mother won't hold out much longer."
Liou Yuan glanced at the image of Bai Xin in a green pharmacist's robe moving between patients and sighed.
At times like this, suggesting Bai Xin go home is something she definitely wouldn't agree to.
Liou Yuan was helpless with her, he could only hope for Mr. Wei and his team.
Late night.
Liou Yuan finished a busy day, returned home with a face blackened by fire ash.
He fetched a basin of clean water from the well and washed his face thoroughly.
"This can't go on, those infected have already started to die one after another."
Liou Yuan dried the water on his face with a clean towel, his face full of worry.
"The fact proves the plague isn't non-lethal, it's just the death process is prolonged."
One month had passed since the outbreak, and no effective prescription had been issued by all the city's doctors.
Bai Xin stayed up late every night reading books to study the pathology.
He feared that Yanhe City, this ancient city over a thousand years old, might be shaken by this plague.
Most importantly, his family was still in this city.
During the interval when Liou Yuan stood by the well frowning,
Bang bang bang! Suddenly there was a violent and urgent knocking at the door.
Judging by the sound, the person outside was incredibly anxious.
"Knock lightly, I'm coming!" Liou Yuan shouted a complaint hoarsely, then casually threw down the towel and strode to the courtyard door.
With the help of the lantern hanging by the door, Liou Yuan saw the crooked silhouette of an elderly man, Ge Jinhong, Mr. Ge.
Liou Yuan saw terror and suppressed panic on the old man's face.
Liou Yuan squinted slightly, sensing a bad premonition, and quickly asked: "Mr. Ge, what's happened?"
"It's terrible!" Mr. Ge's face was pale, continuously wiping the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve. Upon seeing Liou Yuan, he quickly bent over, and in a trembling voice, whispered:
"Mr. Wei's Life Mirror shattered tonight, and Dai Yao's Life Mirror shattered too. None of the Qinghe Division colleagues who went out of the city survived."