"Little Fairy Doctor, please help my fourth uncle!"
Next to the middle-aged man, there was a striking woman with a tall, athletic figure. Her skin, tanned from constant exposure to the elements, contrasted sharply with the delicate skin of noble ladies. She wore a tight black leather jacket that accentuated her prominent curves, and a short leather skirt that exposed her well-defined legs. A slender dagger was strapped to her thigh. The bloodstains on her attire suggested she had recently escaped from the Demon Beast Mountain Range.
The woman's intense appearance made many of the men around her eye her with a mixture of admiration and desire. Despite her commanding presence, her face was marked by deep worry as she looked at the middle-aged man lying on a stretcher, his breathing shallow and uneven.
"This man is my fourth uncle," she said, her voice trembling with desperation.
"Little Fairy Doctor, please, no matter what it takes, save Wang. We will grant you any request in gratitude. You will always be a benefactor to our Blood War Mercenary Group!"
Beside her and the Little Fairy Doctor, a heavily injured middle-aged man, Captain Zhang, pleaded with a mix of hope and urgency.
Xiao Yi Xian, the Little Fairy Doctor, gently pressed her slender hand against Wang's chest, then rose with a pained expression. She looked at the distressed Captain Zhang and the beautiful woman, Qingye, feeling a deep sense of guilt.
"I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do," Xiao Yi Xian admitted, her voice heavy with regret. " Senior Wang's condition is critical. The toxin from the sunflower wood beast has spread to his internal organs. His heart and lungs are beginning to lignify. All I can do now is alleviate his pain and delay his death."
The words struck Captain Zhang and the woman, Qingye, with devastating finality. Qingye, tears streaming down her face, knelt by Wang's side, clutching his hand tightly.
"Fourth uncle, no, you can't leave us! I will take you to the Alchemist Guild. They will save you!"
Qingye's tears flowed uncontrollably, her sobs wrenching the hearts of all present. The sight of her grief was unbearable for the mercenaries.
"Little Fairy Doctor, please help us," Captain Zhang pleaded, his voice breaking.
Xiao Yi Xian, determined to do everything in her power, called to her assistant, "Li Fei, bring the cold elixir and apply it to Wang's chest. Also, get the boiling blood powder. I need to help him stabilize his qi and blood flow."
Li Fei quickly complied, bringing two bottles of liquid. Xiao Yi Xian took the boiling blood powder and prepared to administer it to Wang. Li Fei began applying the cold elixir to Wang's chest.
"Feeding him this boiling blood powder along with the icy elixir will only worsen his condition," a clear voice interrupted from the back of the crowd.
Gu Changqing stepped forward with Nalan Yanran, drawing the attention of everyone present.
"Who are you to interfere with the Little Fairy Doctor's treatment of Uncle Wang?" Ling'er, the girl, demanded, her face flushed with anger.
The crowd murmured, speculating about the newcomers' origins and their incongruous presence in Qingshan Town.
Ignoring the buzz, Gu Changqing approached Xiao Yi Xian, who was now looking at him with a furrowed brow.
"Captain Zhang, Qingye," Gu Changqing said calmly, "The toxin from the sunflower wood beast is wood-attribute and causes lignification. While the boiling blood powder can boost his vitality temporarily, it will also accelerate the toxin's spread to his heart and lungs. This will make treatment nearly impossible once his internal organs start to freeze."
He turned to Xiao Yi Xian, continuing, "The lignification has only reached the outer regions of his heart and lungs. If you can remove the poison from these areas quickly, there is still a chance to save him. As for your icy potion—"