Luo Yi took a deep breath, his eyes gradually growing resolute. He knew he needed to recover from his injuries quickly, not just for himself, but to be able to assist the Lord as soon as possible.
With this determination, Luo Yi swallowed the eighth-grade elixir without hesitation.
Boom!
As soon as the elixir entered his stomach, a surge of vitality exploded within Luo Yi's body. He closed his eyes slightly as the spiritual energy in his Dantian mobilized wildly, combining with the elixir's energy and coursing through his meridians.
As the medicinal energy began to permeate his body, Luo Yi's injuries began to heal gradually.
"Xu Chu, protect Luo Yi!" Orion instructed softly.
"Understood!" Xu Chu replied, stepping forward to guard Luo Yi with seriousness.
Orion watched nervously from the side, unwilling to disturb the process.
After a while, Luo Yi exhaled deeply and opened his eyes, which now shone brightly, almost as if lit by lightning.
"Luo Yi, how do you feel? Did the elixir work?" Orion asked urgently.
"Thank you, Lord!" Luo Yi said with a smile. "My injuries have recovered by about 30%. With all our strength, we should be able to exert about 50% of our previous power."
Orion sighed, slightly disappointed. "Only 30%? An eighth-grade elixir restoring just 30% of your injuries is less than expected. But, considering your high cultivation level, it makes sense. The elixir's effects can't fully match your needs."
"Still, it's better than nothing. This elixir has saved about a month of recovery time," Orion acknowledged.
He handed all the remaining elixirs to Luo Yi. "Distribute these pills to the Eighteen Cavaliers. Although they are low-level, they should still be beneficial. Have them take them like jelly beans—it's better than nothing!"
If high quality was lacking, quantity could compensate. Even a slight improvement would be valuable for the Eighteen Cavaliers' swift recovery.
The Eighteen Cavaliers were deeply grateful. "Thank you, Lord, for the medicine!" Shiba Qi said, kneeling with excitement.
Orion waved his hand with a smile. "It's just some low-level pills. There's no need for such formality. I hope you all recover quickly and help complete our tasks."
Despite Orion's casual words, the Eighteen Cavaliers felt his deep concern. They were determined to repay this favor once their strength was fully restored.
...
At that moment, Luo Yi's gaze shifted upward, and he said urgently, "Lord! There's something happening!"
Orion looked up, puzzled, seeing only a clear sky with floating white clouds. "What's wrong with the scenery?"
"It seems... an uninvited guest has arrived!" Luo Yi's eyes sharpened as he spoke.
Just then, a dark void appeared in the sky above Shuofang City. An awkward figure emerged from it.
"Damn it! I encountered space turbulence!" Zhou Qianfu cursed angrily. "If I had known, I wouldn't have torn through space recklessly!"
Space turbulence was a terrifying phenomenon. Even an emperor could be swallowed by it. Despite Zhou Qianfu being a half-emperor, he had barely escaped with difficulty.
After regaining his composure, Zhou Qianfu surveyed the situation below.
"This should be Shuofang City," he noted. "But... it seems to have recently been in a battle."
The broken walls and lingering smoke suggested recent conflict. Zhou Qianfu had been delayed by the space turbulence, but otherwise, he would have arrived much earlier.
His gaze fell on the ground, and he was stunned to see countless corpses. The dead were all wearing standard armor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
"Why are all these corpses from my soldiers?" Zhou Qianfu was shocked. Such a disproportionate loss was unprecedented.
However, he quickly regained his composure. After all, to him, even soldiers from the Great Zhou Dynasty were insignificant compared to his greater goals.
"Orion's army should be in the north of the city," Zhou Qianfu's spiritual consciousness detected the presence of around 100,000 troops in that direction.
Just as he was about to proceed, he sensed a powerful aura approaching rapidly.
"Huh? A formidable opponent is here!" Zhou Qianfu's lips curled into a slight smile. He recognized that another half-emperor was arriving, and he hoped to win over this powerful figure.
As Luo Yi sensed the presence of another half-emperor, he was slightly taken aback. Reaching the half-emperor realm bestowed a hint of imperial power, and this aura was unmistakably that of another powerful half-emperor.
Regardless, Luo Yi had no fear. He confronted Zhou Qianfu directly. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
Without the title "Emperor Zhou" marked on his forehead, Luo Yi couldn't determine if this half-emperor was friend or foe