Chapter 24: Treatment

In the Lord's room at the top of the Earth Tower of the Tooth Tower, Ruya was treating the rigidly seated Lord Granden.

The World Tree Leaf was placed on top of Lord Granden's head. As Ruya continuously chanted incantations, a green, life-filled magical aura flowed like water from the leaf, slowly spreading over Lord Granden's body and gradually seeping into it. The two massive wounds inflicted by the "Elven Assassination" on Lord Granden's body were healing at a visibly astonishing rate.

To avoid disturbances, only Elder Ruya, Master Edwina, and Asa were in the room. Ruya's incantation had already been ongoing for quite some time.

"Why don't you come a bit closer?" Perhaps feeling anxious from waiting and wanting to make conversation, Edwina, who had been frowning while watching Ruya's treatment, suddenly turned to Asa and spoke.

"This distance is already enough to admire your beauty and grace." Asa smiled. Ever since he arrived at the Tooth Tower with Ruya and met Master Edwina, he had seemingly, whether intentionally or not, maintained a distance of three to five steps from her.

"Wouldn't you see more clearly if you were closer?" The female mage also smiled, the slight crow's feet at the corners of her eyes wrinkling. On a woman like her, these lines didn't seem out of place but rather added to her charm.

"I'm afraid I might be dazzled and lose sight of other things," Asa shrugged with a bitter smile. Within five steps, he was confident he could subdue any mage—though monsters like Sandru were exceptions. Even if he were to grab hold of such a person, it would be meaningless.

It wasn't that he was overly paranoid, but rather that he had developed a subtle sense of vigilance, almost like a habit, from countless battles, betrayals, and schemes.

Finally, Ruya let out a long sigh of relief and removed the World Tree Leaf from Lord Granden's head. However, her brows were still furrowed. Although the two wounds on his chest had healed without a trace, Lord Granden remained rigid and unchanged.

"It's no use. I've done my best," Ruya said, wiping the fine beads of sweat from her forehead. The several minutes of spellcasting had left her exhausted.

"How could this be?" Master Edwina was first surprised, then shook her head in disappointment. "I thought natural magic would surely be able to dispel these curses and toxins."

Ruya shook her head apologetically. "The toxins in his body are just too strange. What's even stranger are the curses—they seem to have a life of their own. The curses and toxins are intertwined and fused with Lord Granden's life force. I managed to heal one area, but as soon as I shifted my focus elsewhere, the curses and toxins in the other areas would surge back."

"It's not that it's ineffective, but rather that it's impossible to completely remove them," Master Edwina pondered for a moment before speaking. "Perhaps Elder Ruya's control over the magic isn't sufficient..."

"I'm sorry, I've done my best," Ruya said, her face filled with regret.

Master Edwina lowered her head, remaining silent for a while before looking up and sighing softly. "It's fine. Since you've done your best, there's nothing more needed."

"I'm really sorry," Ruya said, her face full of embarrassment.

"It's alright. Perhaps Lord Granden has already received the call of the Elemental Gods. This might not necessarily be a bad thing," Master Edwina smiled faintly. Her face, usually full of vitality and expression, suddenly became unusually calm, as if she had truly accepted the situation. "How about I arrange for the two of you to rest and leave tomorrow?"

"Shall I give it a try?" Asa suddenly spoke up.

"But you don't know natural magic. You can't use the World Tree Leaf," Ruya said.

"Let's give it a try. Otherwise, we'll have to give this World Tree Leaf to Master Edwina," Asa suddenly stepped forward and took the World Tree Leaf from Ruya's hands, glancing at Master Edwina.

Master Edwina didn't say anything, instead giving Asa a strange look.

Before Ruya could ask any questions, Asa had already placed the World Tree Leaf back on Lord Granden's head. He then pressed his hands against Lord Granden's head, and a surge of powerful magical energy erupted.

Unlike Ruya's slow chanting and gentle spellcasting, this magical energy didn't slowly emanate—it burst forth explosively. Ruya and Edwina could almost hear the sound of the sudden surge of magical energy. Like a flash flood, the magical energy instantly engulfed Lord Granden's body.

It wasn't just the green life force emanating from the World Tree Leaf; black energy also seeped out from Asa's body, mingling with it. Occasionally, flashes of white magic could also be seen. These chaotic magical energies intertwined, entering, crisscrossing, and colliding within Lord Granden's body in an almost violent manner.

Ruya stared at Asa in shock, her mouth agape. The chaotic magical energy filling the room had nothing to do with the concept of healing; it seemed more like harming or even killing. The magical energy rampaged unchecked through Lord Granden's body. To an outsider, it would seem less like a critically ill patient and more like a prisoner undergoing torture.

Master Edwina's eyes were also filled with surprise, but she didn't intervene, merely watching with astonishment.

Though the magical energy had no physical form, both Ruya and Edwina felt as if they were caught in a stormy sea. The magical waves in the room collided and surged, yet there was no sound.

It didn't take long before Asa let out a long sigh and removed the World Tree Leaf from Lord Granden's head. The magical energy in the room abruptly ceased. Aside from Asa's sigh, there was another faint moan. Lord Granden's body twitched slightly.

Both Ruya and Edwina's faces lit up with joy. However, Asa seemed unfazed. He crouched down and carefully examined Lord Granden's fingers. On one of the previously uninjured fingers, a drop of red blood oozed, emitting a strange odor.

"The toxin from the tail of a Tatalian dragonfly, the leaves of the black mist grass from the Lizard Swamp, the sunset flower from the Dehya Valley, the toxin from the tail of an underground scorpion lion from Nigen, all mixed together with a curse cast using dark magic, and topped off with the corpse poison from necromancy... Even the strongest behemoth wouldn't be able to withstand this," Asa looked at Lord Granden's finger and smiled bitterly. He could roughly guess what had happened. "So it was him..."

"I once used water magic to inspect him. If I hadn't been paying close attention, even I wouldn't have noticed such potent toxins lurking in Lord Granden's body. In theory, my water-based purification should be able to handle any toxin, but the curse within the toxin not only concealed its effects but also rendered my magic completely ineffective. Although necromancy itself is already profound and intricate, this kind of curse, so seamlessly integrated with the toxin, is truly formidable."

On the table was a dish containing the drop of blood taken from Lord Granden's finger. Under the light, it looked like a flowing red gem. Although Lord Granden had been saved from the toxins and curses, his body was still extremely weak, and he couldn't even speak. He was now resting and recovering. Only Master Edwina remained with Asa and Ruya.

"The curse isn't the most formidable part; what's most impressive is the method used by the perpetrator. Lord Granden was ambushed when he was completely off guard—likely just from a handshake." As he spoke, Asa couldn't help but clench his own hand, as he had nearly been caught in a similar situation before.

Master Edwina nodded. "Indeed. In a direct confrontation, no one could easily subdue Lord Granden. I heard that Aiden's accomplice was a very handsome middle-aged man..."

"Marquis Ingham Ernie," Asa said calmly. "I was wondering how that old man knew that the Whispering Forest had just migrated and that the Sunwell's anti-magic barrier had just failed. Judging from the words of that backstabbing knight, the Marquis might have gone to Celeste. Unfortunately, that old man died without realizing he was someone else's tool."

"He's dead, perfect. The Tooth Tower can now be completely at peace, saving me the trouble of finding an opportunity to act. With Lord Granden awake and the two of us in charge, neither the Dehya Valley nor Celeste will be able to touch this place," Master Edwina sneered, then looked at Asa, her smile returning to its ambiguously gentle and charming state. "This time, it's all thanks to you. Is there anything I can do to express my gratitude?"

Asa smiled faintly. "No need for thanks. I just didn't want you to resort to taking the World Tree Leaf by force to save him. I don't particularly enjoy fighting women, especially ones like you."

Ruya, standing to the side, frowned at Asa. "What are you talking about?"

The female mage chuckled softly. Her voice wasn't particularly clear, but it carried the magnetic charm of a mature woman. "Elder Ruya, if you don't mind, I'd like to give you a piece of advice. From now on, no matter who it is or for what reason, you must never bring the World Tree Leaf out of the forest. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Ruya nodded, though her expression suggested she didn't fully grasp the implications.

Edwina smiled lightly, then turned back to Asa and asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to thank you? You know, there are many ways to express gratitude... In fact, Elder Ruya could return first, and the two of us could discuss this slowly."

"Well, since you insist on thanking me, I suppose I can't refuse. Actually, there are some things I find hard to say..." Asa sighed, furrowed his brows, and seemed to hesitate before continuing, "But my appetite is quite large."