Hua Chunning frowned slightly upon hearing this.
This was precisely the Mortal Turbid Qi the sect master had spoken of, which was most capable of obstructing one's cultivation and fouling the Dao Heart.
Unless one possessed a naturally extraordinary destiny like the sect master, operating under Uncalculated Fate, it was impossible to evade.
Her accumulation of the spring imagery had been progressing quite smoothly, and success was nearly within reach, yet complications had unexpectedly arisen.
After pondering for a moment, Hua Chunning asked, "How many patients are there in total?"
"There are probably around a million nationwide," Duanmu Ren replied, knowing the approximate statistics. "Just in the surrounding counties and cities alone, there are likely a hundred thousand."
Hua Chunning was deeply astonished. "There are so many?!"
If it were only a few hundred or a thousand, she might have been able to spare the time to treat them.
However, with such a massive number, not only would it delay her accumulation of imagery, but her pills would also be far from enough. She was simply powerless to help even if she wanted to.
After pondering for a short moment, Hua Chunning reached a decision. "I am currently at a critical juncture in my cultivation and cannot afford to attend to other matters."
"Dispatch more personnel to the villa. Do not let mundane affairs disturb my cultivation."
Duanmu Ren looked troubled.
One had to understand that many of those patients could be considered individuals with nothing left to lose.
Forget about himself—even the provincial leadership could only coax and yield to them, before holding local officials accountable and demanding they bring the people back for proper placement as soon as possible.
"Fairy, please rest assured," Duanmu Ren gritted his teeth and said at last. "I will do my utmost."
...
Taixuan Villa was already famous far and wide.
Not only did it feature meticulously cultivated oceans of various flowers, but it also boasted scenic spot NPCs who seemed like fairies descending to the mortal realm.
Some even produced aerial drone photographs, asserting with absolute conviction that the design and layout of Taixuan Villa secretly aligned with a miraculous formation, possessing wondrous effects of prolonging life, curing illnesses, and dispelling misfortunes.
Such claims were naturally scoffed at by many.
After all, for a major coal-producing county that had been shrouded in smog with off-the-charts PM2.5 levels just a few years ago to now dare use air quality as a promotional gimmick for a tourist resort was simply beyond absurd.
However, the internet was a mixed bag of opinions.
And the layout of Taixuan Villa did indeed have some mystical details to back up those claims.
This led quite a few people to believe it was true. After visiting in person, they even posted videos claiming their breathing really became smoother there and so forth, drawing further mockery from the crowd.
It was not until someone filmed numerous miners with pneumoconiosis heading to the provincial capital to petition that a huge sensation was ignited.
The most bombshell evidence came from internal documents of the provincial hospital: several elderly miners with pneumoconiosis from Shiling County had indeed fully recovered after undergoing an unverified treatment method!
This so-called unverified treatment method was precisely the rural medical visit conducted a year ago by that famous internet beauty NPC of Taixuan Villa, with video footage serving as proof!
What was even more explosive was that when these patients came seeking medical help, not only did that beauty NPC refuse them, but Shiling County even dispatched personnel to intercept and drive them away.
By this point, no one remembered the risks of practicing medicine without a license.
Many posted videos mockingly asking, "What happened to being as kind as she is gorgeous? Why is she leaving people to die now?!"
The previous sky-high popularity of Taixuan Villa and Hua Chunning had long sparked resentment and dissatisfaction in many.
Building up gods and tearing them down was an eternal theme of the internet.
Overnight, the public reputation of Taixuan Villa and Hua Chunning suffered a complete reversal.
...
Taixuan Villa.
Hua Chunning had already begun condensing the imagery of 【Awakening of Insects】.
Awakening of Insects signified spring thunder rumbling and all insects emerging.
This thunder was 【Zhen Thunder】.
At this time, Yang Qi began to rise while Yin Qi had not fully receded, making Yang weak and Yin strong.
Therefore, the purpose of this thunder lay in 【Initiation】; it was the first sound of heaven and earth, commanding all living things to awaken.
The first pentad of Awakening of Insects was called 【Peach Trees Begin to Blossom】, meaning peach blossoms first burst into bloom.
Here, "hua" meant flower.
Hua Chunning vaguely felt that this pentad aligned extraordinarily well with her.
The second pentad of Awakening of Insects was 【Orioles Begin to Sing】.
"Canggeng" was an ancient name for the golden oriole.
Orioles warbled melodiously on tree branches, their crisp and pleasant songs giving voice on behalf of spring.
The third pentad of Awakening of Insects was 【Hawks Transform into Doves】.
During this period, hawks grew fewer while turtledoves increased, symbolizing the shift of seasonal times and the transformation of species.
Standing beneath the peach blossoms, Hua Chunning truly exemplified the phrase "her face and the peach blossoms reflected each other in brilliant pink."
A few golden orioles landed on Hua Chunning's shoulders, warbling softly.
This scene was truly one where the person outshone the blossoms in grace, blending in natural harmony.
Had it been half a month ago, the video comment section would surely have been filled with overflowing praise and adulation.
Now, however, it was flooded with comments like "Heart as wicked as a snake or scorpion, leaving people to die!"
Even Hua Chunning's hardcore fan whose handle had been "Young Master Zhao (Fell into Lake Staring at Fairy Version)" had changed his display name and hidden his past videos, terrified of getting caught in the crossfire.
Duanmu Ren understood the terrifying power of public opinion and treated it as a formidable enemy.
Hua Chunning, on the other hand, paid it no mind.
As for Li Jiabao, he felt like the sky was falling.
He had only experienced a month of living as a top-dog, and was he already going to be knocked back to his original form?!
In the end, Li Jiabao was merely a puppet front-man without the slightest power to persuade Duanmu Ren or Hua Chunning to change their minds. All he could do was repeatedly urge his good friend Hu Shihao, who moved in both legitimate and underworld circles, to dispatch more security guards to ensure the safety and order of Taixuan Villa.
Left with no choice, Hu Shihao transferred underlings from his other businesses, secretly praying that nothing went wrong—otherwise, he would undoubtedly be the first thrown out as a scapegoat.
Hua Chunning continued condensing her imagery as usual, believing that the public opinion of mortals in this grotto-heaven would not affect her state of mind.
"Why won't you save them?!"
A middle-aged woman taking photos of the peach blossoms suddenly spoke up upon seeing Hua Chunning teasing the orioles. "Since you can cure one person, why don't you save the others as well?!"
"They are so pitiful!"
"They suffered and slaved away all their lives, only to be tortured by illness in their old age!"
"I asked Doubao about the symptoms of pneumoconiosis, and reading them brought tears I couldn't stop!"
The more she spoke, the more excited the middle-aged woman became. With eyes brimming with tears, she accused, "You still have the heart to play with birds and admire flowers! You're so beautiful, but who knew your heart was pitch black!"
Hua Chunning turned around in surprise.
Frightened, the few golden orioles flew up into the branches of the peach trees, chirping in alarm.
"Don't run!"
In the distance, several of Hu Shihao's underlings were chasing an elderly man.
The old man was emaciated and pale, coughing repeatedly. Seeing Hua Chunning from afar, his eyes lit up and he shouted loudly, "Help! Cure my illness!"
Hu Shihao's underlings were no fools; they only dared to tail him closely and wouldn't dare lay a hand on him to stop him.
If someone died, things would become completely impossible to explain.
The middle-aged woman who had been accusing Hua Chunning stopped crying and hurriedly ran over to support the old man, not forgetting to turn back and urge, "What are you standing there for? Come over and treat the elderly man!"
However, in her distraction, not only did she fail to support the old man, but they collided, knocking him to the ground.
Unable to catch his breath, the old man shockingly appeared to breathe his last right before their eyes.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
The middle-aged woman was even more stunned. Scrambling up from the ground to check, she was unwilling to take the blame for knocking an old man to death under any circumstances. Her eyes rolled, and she pulled out her phone to record a video, wailing loudly, "They're beating people to death! Taixuan Villa beat a patient who came seeking medical help to death!"
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