Free Web NovelChapter 82: Chapter 82: The Risk of Spiritual Connection
The next day, Shi Lan felt her spiritual power had recovered nicely, so she planned to continue the treatments.
She decided to act on her idea from the previous night: to try and lower the collapse value below 50%.
She explained her plan, and He Hanshi was very supportive, but he still reminded her with concern, "No matter what, Lanlan, you must put your own safety first."
Shi Lan nodded. "I know."
With that, she turned to Mu Tangfeng. "Lord Mu, let’s try your treatment today."
"Your collapse value is currently at 52%, the closest to the 50% threshold. I want to test how much I can lower it."
Naturally, Mu Tangfeng had no objections. Not daring to let Shi Lan see his beast form, he had already shifted back to his human form and was waiting for her.
Without her needing to say another word, he placed his hand on the food slot, his eyes fixed on her, looking ready to obey her every command.
Honestly, this version of Mu Tangfeng had shed his usual arrogance and hostility. He looked like a tamed beast, gazing expectantly at his master, with only a trace of a young man’s proud, noble air remaining in his features.
There was an inexplicable, gentle obedience about him.
’Still,’ Shi Lan knew perfectly well, ’when he gets angry, he’s the type to fly up and start pecking.’
She walked over, but just as she was about to place her hand on his to begin the treatment, Yan Huoshui suddenly spoke up. "From what I understand, to truly bring down a collapse of High-level Spiritual Power, a Spiritual Connection is required."
Shi Lan had seen the term "Spiritual Connection" in a post before. It was akin to a soul-bond, requiring an incredibly high degree of mutual trust. Typically, only romantic partners would dare attempt it.
She hesitated for a moment. Yan Huoshui continued, "The risks of a Spiritual Connection are too great. In the past, some females have died during treatment, mainly due to attempting one."
"A basic soothing treatment can be stopped at any time, but during a Spiritual Connection, the male’s spiritual power can flow uncontrollably back into the female’s body. If their mutual trust is insufficient, the female can be harmed by the male’s spiritual power, resulting in damage to her own."
"In a mild case, it would mean one or two months of recovery. In a severe case, it could lead to shock and death."
Hearing this, Mu Tangfeng quickly snatched his hand back.
Even though he felt he trusted Shi Lan completely, he didn’t dare accept the risks involved with this treatment.
He didn’t want to be the one to harm her.
Shi Lan had been hesitant and anxious herself, but seeing how worried Mu Tangfeng was about hurting her, her resolve firmed.
"Let’s give it a try. I’ll be careful."
’My spirit body is different, after all,’ she thought. ’Perhaps it doesn’t have to be so complicated.’
"No."
Mu Tangfeng’s reaction was even stronger than hers. His expression grew uncharacteristically solemn, a sharp glint appearing in his fine, deep-set eyes. His lips pressed into a thin line. "It’s too dangerous."
Shi Lan looked straight at him. "Do you want to stay in this prison forever?"
Mu Tangfeng remained stubborn. "If the price of healing me is your safety, then I’d rather not be healed."
As he spoke, he retreated deeper into his cell, as if afraid she might touch him.
Shi Lan felt a pang of helplessness. She knew Mu Tangfeng meant well, but now that the possibility of a cure was right in front of her, she couldn’t let the opportunity pass.
She looked at him earnestly. "Don’t worry. I cherish my life too. I wouldn’t risk it needlessly. If anything feels wrong, I’ll stop immediately."
The others grew worried as they listened in.
Ye Ming said, "Lanlan, Mu Tangfeng’s collapse value is already very low. Based on what you said yesterday, treating them according to the severity of their collapse value is also an option."
Jiang Xia nodded. "He’s right, Lanlan. The risk is just too great."
He Hanshi was thoughtful for a moment. "It’s true, Lanlan. Perhaps you should give it more time. Wait until you’ve established sufficient trust before you consider this again."
They were all worried, their primary concern being her safety.
A Spiritual Connection could be fatal, after all—the very thing they feared most and least wanted to witness.
Shi Lan glanced at Mu Tangfeng, who had retreated into the corner of his cell, then looked back at the worried faces of the others.
’What He Hanshi said does make sense,’ she thought.
"Alright then," she relented. "I’ll continue treating Lord He."
"If Lord He’s collapse value can be lowered to 50%, we can reconsider then."
"Is that okay?"
Shi Lan had taken a step back. It was true she had been too hasty.
He Hanshi considered this, calculating her approximate healing speed. Figuring it would take about half a month, he nodded in agreement.
’In truth, there is a way to perform a Spiritual Connection without harming the female,’ He Hanshi thought. ’The male simply has to sense his own spiritual power beginning to rage and then focus on containing it.’
’It wouldn’t harm the female, but the drawback is that his own spiritual power would be crippled.’
’But compared to Shi Lan’s safety,’ He Hanshi thought, ’it was a worthy sacrifice.’
His eyes flickered, but he kept this to himself.
’No matter what, I will be Lanlan’s safety net.’
’Even if it costs me my life!’
In this world, "Spiritual Connection" was a rather niche term.
It was a term applicable during the onset of a High-level Spiritual Power collapse, making it slightly different from the spiritual bond formed through "deep soothing."
A Spiritual Connection was a unilateral act where a female "marked" a male, akin to taming his spiritual power in order to suppress the collapse and administer treatment.
Deep soothing, by contrast, was a process where the spiritual powers of the male and female would blend and adapt to one another, achieving a unity of mind and body that amplified the healing effect and posed no danger.
However, both methods required a foundation of mutual trust.
Shi Lan, however, did not have a deep understanding of any of this. Not only that, but within the prison, it was likely that only Yan Huoshui knew of the other, self-destructive method for managing a Spiritual Connection.
For the time being, Shi Lan gave up on her plan to attempt a Spiritual Connection with Mu Tangfeng. She walked over to He Hanshi and began treating him, following the same procedure as the day before.
This time, as she sent in her spiritual power threads, she discovered that the small green dots inside He Hanshi’s arm were much sparser; they no longer looked so densely packed.
She focused and began the treatment. It took less time than the day before, but the results were even better. She had managed to lower the collapse value by another 3%, and that was while consciously holding back to avoid being too drained to walk again.
’At this rate,’ she thought, ’it won’t be long before He Hanshi can regain his human form.’
Shi Lan opened her eyes, her fingers lingering for a moment before reluctantly leaving He Hanshi’s large, soft, and comfortable furry paw. Recalling the photos of He Hanshi she’d seen on the Star Network, she couldn’t help but feel a little expectant.
Despite having already experienced the speed of Shi Lan’s healing the day before, He Hanshi was still surprised when he saw the new collapse value detected on the chip.
’I originally guessed Lanlan’s Spiritual Power Level was S,’ he thought, ’but now, it seems it might be SS or even higher.’
’That was a Spiritual Power Level that had never before appeared in the history of the Star Calendar.’
He Hanshi’s gaze grew heavy. ’It looks like we’ll have to be more cautious not to reveal my current spiritual power status.’
’At least, until we’re safely out of prison, we have to guard this secret with our lives.’
The other four in the prison had already gotten over their initial shock, but Mu Tangfeng, still trying to grasp the situation, asked in disbelief several times, "Did it really drop by 3%?"
"But it’s only been a little over ten minutes."
He Hanshi nodded.
Standing to the side, Shi Lan felt Mu Tangfeng’s admiring, almost worshipful gaze, and she nearly floated off the ground with pride.
Even she hadn’t expected to be so capable. If Mu Tangfeng’s spiritual power hadn’t collapsed, leaving her no other choice, she would never have confirmed that what Xiao Du called "absorbing Spiritual Poison" and "nutrients" was, in fact, the key to lowering the collapse value.
Otherwise, she would never have dared to make such a bold promise.
Mu Tangfeng’s gaze rested on her for a moment before he, too, thought of the risks involved.
He spoke decisively. "We have to guard this secret. We absolutely cannot let Lanlan’s ability be revealed."
"You think we don’t know that? Of course we do," Jiang Xia retorted, not to be outdone. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
The others all nodded in agreement.
At their words, the corners of Shi Lan’s lips curled up unconsciously, and a warm feeling spread through her chest.
’I wasn’t wrong about them.’
