Chapter 96: The Sparrow Devours the Dragon, Let Me Help You Undress...

"Xiao Ru, I told you, I won't seek treatment for this illness anymore, and it cannot be cured anyway..."

"You two, I am truly sorry. My younger brother is immature, and I failed to explain things clearly to him. I have troubled you to make this trip for nothing..."

Seeming to realize that she was overly emotional, Xiao Fanling took a few deep breaths before speaking to Ling Tian and his companion.

"Sister, they really are different from the others before. They didn't ask me for anything. I beg you, let them try to treat you just this once, all right?"

Before his sister could answer, Xiao Ru turned to Ling Tian and Xiao Yanying with an apologetic gaze. "Fellow Daoist Tian Ling, Sister Ying, please do not take this to heart. Before you came, I had sought many people to treat my sister. But all of them opened their mouths wide to demand exorbitant prices, taking many of my precious belongings. Once, someone even tried to take advantage of my sister, which left a deep shadow in her heart. That is why she is so resistant."

Xiao Ru explained the reason for his sister's reaction.

It had to be said that Xiao Fanling was indeed beautiful, enough to tempt people to act with such malice.

Ling Tian was not a petty man and did not take offense. His gaze fell upon her. "I know you are also considering your brother's well-being. After all, if you refuse treatment, you save him from giving away his precious treasures. But do you not realize that acting this way is what hurts him the most? Do you know that for your sake, he knelt and begged me to come and examine you? That is the only reason I agreed. Are you sure you want to waste this opportunity?"

As Ling Tian finished speaking, he took Xiao Yanying's hand, making a show of preparing to leave.

With matters brought to this point, Xiao Fanling's choice was obvious.

"Fellow Daoist Tian Ling... please wait," Xiao Fanling sighed, her eyes turning slightly red. She had only thought of saving resources for Xiao Ru by refusing treatment, but she had overlooked the sheer effort he had put into trying to cure her. This was indeed her oversight.

"I will agree to it this time. However, you must also promise me that regardless of whether it succeeds, you will not trouble yourself with my condition again. You must focus on your cultivation." Seeing that Ling Tian had stopped, Xiao Fanling turned to look at Xiao Ru.

"I understand, Sister," Xiao Ru smiled faintly and nodded in response.

Yet, from his expression, it was clear that if this attempt failed, he would do it all over again next time. After all, Xiao Fanling was his only remaining family. If she were gone, what would be the point of his living?

It was a strange contrast. On this continent, some pursued power while discarding familial ties, while others cherished their family above all else, turning a blind eye to authority and power.

"Push me into the room and let Fellow Daoist Tian Ling take a look." Xiao Fanling did not act overly coy. Her legs were crippled, so she had to let her brother push her inside. The injured area was not something she could comfortably show in public.

As Xiao Ru pushed her in, Xiao Yanying nudged Ling Tian before entering, asking curiously, "What kind of illness do you think she has?"

"You couldn't tell?" Ling Tian asked, feigning surprise.

Xiao Yanying shook her head, indicating she really had no idea.

"True. If you could tell, wouldn't that mean your vision is as profound as mine?" A smirk played on Ling Tian's lips as he teased her.

Xiao Yanying was furious. If not for the presence of others, she would have yelled at him, or perhaps even lunged forward to bite him. This was simply too insulting! What a decent man he could be, if only he didn't have a mouth. She also blamed herself for asking such a stupid question in the first place!

"Both of you, go outside. What comes next is not for children to see," Ling Tian instructed when he saw that Xiao Yanying and Xiao Ru had no intention of leaving the room.

Xiao Yanying was displeased. *Children? You're probably the youngest one here!*

"Xiao Ru, go outside. Fellow Daoist Tian Ling seems to be a gentleman of honor," Xiao Fanling said, sizing Ling Tian up and speaking with a hint of uncertainty.

Xiao Yanying could barely hold back her laughter. She winked at Ling Tian, as if to say: *See? Even she doubts your status as a good person.*

Ling Tian's lips twitched. Was it really that hard for him to be seen as a decent guy? But he truly was a good person!

"Sister, I will be right outside. If anything happens, just call me." Xiao Ru fell silent for a moment before deciding to step out, though he made sure to emphasize that he would be waiting just outside the door. It was unclear whom that warning was directed at.

Once the two of them left, Ling Tian did not immediately examine Xiao Fanling's condition. Instead, he looked around the room. She was indeed a refined person; the room was filled with poetry and paintings.

"Oh? This poem has quite a profound artistic conception." Ling Tian walked to the desk and saw a poem that Xiao Fanling had recently written.

*Plum Blossoms*
*In a corner of the wall, a few plum branches brave the cold to blossom alone.*
*From afar, I know they are not snow, for a faint fragrance drifts my way.*

An idea suddenly struck Ling Tian. If Xiao Fanling gave this poem to him, and he showed it to Xiao Ru, would that count as a reward for him?

"Fellow Daoist Tian Ling, you flatter me. It was just a casual piece written on a whim, not worth mentioning," Xiao Fanling said, shaking her head. She pursed her lips, wanting to remind him of the task at hand, but saw that Ling Tian had already turned his gaze back to her and approached.

Xiao Fanling gently removed her outer garments, though her movements were somewhat clumsy due to her condition.

"Do you need some help?" Ling Tian asked politely at the right moment.

Xiao Fanling looked into Ling Tian's eyes; they were clear and devoid of impure thoughts, as if he truly had no indecent intentions. Thus, she agreed.

Stripped down to her undergarments, Xiao Fanling turned her back to Ling Tian, revealing a hideous, terrifying pattern etched upon her skin.

"Tsk. Have you ever heard of the Python-Sparrow Swallowing the Dragon?" Ling Tian reached out, his fingertips tracing the hideous pattern on her back, confirming his suspicion.

Earlier, he had used his Double Pupils to examine her condition and noticed that her innate talent and aptitude seemed to have been forcibly drained. Seeing this pattern now fully validated his hypothesis.

The Python-Sparrow Swallowing the Dragon was actually a metaphor. The python-sparrow was naturally inferior to a dragon. To put it simply, the dragon represented a person of immense talent, while the python-sparrow represented someone of poor aptitude. To elevate one's own aptitude, this method was used to slowly devour the talent of a specific individual, using it to strengthen their own natural potential. It was an exceptionally insidious method.

He had not expected to encounter such a situation here.

"How long has your condition been like this?" Ling Tian asked.

Logically speaking, under such a curse, the victim should either be dead or crippled, and there shouldn't be a cluster of seemingly newborn spiritual essence within her body. Could it be that the duration was too short?

"It has been about six years," Xiao Fanling replied. Hearing Ling Tian speak with such authority, she no longer had any doubts and revealed the duration of her affliction.

"Strange. Truly strange." Ling Tian was somewhat puzzled. After six long years, for Xiao Fanling to still retain a sliver of life meant...

Thinking of this, Ling Tian did not hesitate. He had found a solution.

"Fortunately, it's me. Anyone else would find this nearly impossible to resolve," Ling Tian remarked. And it was the truth.

To purge this kind of curse, a Heavenly Flame was an absolute prerequisite. As a natural flame born of heaven and earth, a Heavenly Flame could purify impurities and incinerate evil with its fierce and unyielding nature, making it perfect for this situation.

However, this Python-Sparrow Swallowing the Dragon curse was slightly different. To purge it, one had to trace and cleanse it inch by inch with their hand. During this process, cursed light would leak out. This sort of substance was difficult to pin down, and even a Heavenly Flame might fail to detect and incinerate it completely. A single slip-up could cause the healer to fall victim to the curse themselves. An ordinary alchemist possessing a Heavenly Flame would find it difficult to withstand.

But Ling Tian was different. He possessed the Ultimate Supreme Bone! Bolstered by its immortal light, he would face no issues whatsoever.

To allow Ling Tian to perform the treatment more easily, Xiao Fanling obediently lay face down on the bed, revealing her perfect curves.

Ling Tian did not pay much attention to this, perhaps because he was too focused. A green flame ignited at his fingertips. Supported by the power of the Ultimate Supreme Bone, he began to purge the curse.

"Mnh..." Feeling the firm pressure of Ling Tian's fingertips, Xiao Fanling felt a wave of relief. She could feel the evil entity trapped within her body being gradually eradicated. For someone who had been tormented for so long, this filled her with hope.

Ling Tian's fingertips danced across her back. After an unknown amount of time, she regained a sense of touch—not a faint, phantom sensation, but the actual warmth of Ling Tian's fingertips! This meant that the hideous pattern on her back was disappearing.

"Sister, are you alright? How are you? I'm coming in!"

Xiao Ru's voice echoed from outside. He had already called out several times without receiving any response from his sister. Although Xiao Yanying kept insisting that Ling Tian was not that kind of person, his past experiences made it impossible for him to suppress his worry. Could his sister have been knocked unconscious, which was why she wasn't responding? At this thought, ignoring Xiao Yanying's attempts to stop him, he prepared to kick the door open.

Just as Xiao Fanling was about to answer, she felt a sudden weight on her back. Ling Tian had collapsed directly onto her.

He had underestimated the task. Dammit, this curse was the work of at least a Venerable or a Saint. Although he had broken it at the very last moment, the mental exhaustion was too severe, causing him to lose consciousness and pass out.

*Bang!*

The next second, the door was kicked open. When Xiao Ru saw Ling Tian lying on top of his sister while she was in a state of undress, his eyes instantly turned bloodshot. He thought he had allowed his sister to suffer such defilement once again, and that it was all his fault.

He prepared to strike Ling Tian immediately. However, before his fist could land, Xiao Fanling pushed Ling Tian aside, sat up, and said with a touch of anger, "Xiao Ru! Don't be reckless. Fellow Daoist Tian Ling exhausted too much of his mental energy and passed out. What kind of person do you take him for?"