Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 470: Treating Elder Gideon

Elder Gideon’s breathing gradually settled into a more stable rhythm, the strain that had gripped his body easing just enough for sleep to finally take him, not the restless, painful kind he had been trapped in before, but a deeper, calmer rest that allowed his body to begin recovering, even if only slightly. Lucas remained beside him for a brief moment, watching carefully, making sure the mixture had taken effect properly, his eyes tracing every subtle rise and fall of his father’s chest until he was certain that, at the very least, his life was no longer slipping away so quickly.

Only then did he stand, turning his attention back to the table where the remaining herbs and supplies had been laid out, his expression shifting from that of a son to that of a cultivator and strategist once more, focused, composed, and precise. "We’re not done," he said calmly, already reaching for the remaining ingredients. "His internal condition is stabilized for now, but his external wounds still need proper care."

Jennifer and the other healers instinctively moved closer, their curiosity piqued, their earlier doubt replaced with cautious anticipation as they watched him begin again, his hands moving with the same level of control and confidence as before. Lucas selected a different combination of herbs this time, separating those meant for circulation, tissue repair, and infection resistance, explaining as he worked, his voice steady and clear so that they could follow. "These ones reduce inflammation and prevent decay in damaged flesh," he said, crushing a set of leaves with measured force, "while these help stimulate recovery in the surrounding tissue, but the ratio is important. Too much of either and it will either numb the area completely or over-stimulate it and cause further damage."

Jennifer leaned in slightly, watching every movement, her eyes narrowing in concentration as she tried to memorize the process. "And the base?" she asked.

Lucas nodded, already adding a small amount of liquid from one of the remaining vials. "This acts as the carrier," he explained. "It helps the properties spread evenly when applied, but it has to be diluted. In his condition, anything too concentrated will overwhelm his system."

The healers exchanged glances, clearly impressed, because what Lucas was doing was not guesswork, it was calculated, refined, something that required both knowledge and instinct, and the fact that he could do this so smoothly, even in such conditions, spoke volumes.

Within minutes, the mixture began to take form, thicker than the one before, its scent earthy but sharp, infused subtly with Lucas’s Qi as he refined it further, ensuring that it would not only treat the wounds but also accelerate the natural healing process without causing imbalance. He stepped back slightly once it was complete, gesturing toward it. "Apply it directly to the wounds," he instructed. "Not too much, just enough to cover them evenly. Reapply every few hours, but only after cleaning the area properly. If you follow the measurements I used, it should keep the wounds from worsening and gradually begin to close them."

Jennifer looked at him, a hint of disbelief mixed with admiration in her expression. "You didn’t just fight on the battlefield," she said slowly. "You can do this too?"

Lucas gave a small shrug, his tone calm. "You learn what you need to survive," he replied simply.

The healers nodded, still processing what they had just witnessed, their respect for him deepening further, because it was one thing to be strong in battle, but it was another entirely to possess the knowledge and precision to preserve life in such a critical moment. As they carefully began applying the mixture to Elder Gideon’s wounds under Lucas’s guidance, there was a quiet understanding among them all that Lucas was far more than just a powerful cultivator, he was someone who could adapt, create, and lead in ways they had not expected, and that realization alone shifted the way they looked at him from that moment onward.

What they did not know, what none of them could even begin to imagine, was that the knowledge Lucas displayed so effortlessly was not something he had learned in this era alone, nor was it the result of ordinary study or experience, but a fusion of understanding carried from a far more advanced era, refined and adapted to the resources of this age, allowing him to see possibilities where others saw limitations, to combine simple herbs into something far more effective, and to make precise decisions that would normally take years of mastery to achieve. To the healers, it looked like talent, perhaps even genius, but in truth, it was something far deeper, something born from a mind that had lived, learned, and died once before, now applying that accumulated knowledge in a world rich with Qi and natural resources that amplified every outcome.

Lucas watched as they carefully followed his instructions, applying the mixture to his father’s wounds with steady hands, their earlier uncertainty replaced by focus and discipline, and once he was satisfied that they understood both the process and the reasoning behind it, he stepped back, his expression returning to its usual calm, though there was still a quiet tension beneath it that had not fully faded. He turned to Jennifer, his gaze steady. "I need constant updates on his condition," he said. "Any change, no matter how small, I want to know immediately."

Jennifer hesitated briefly before shaking her head, her tone apologetic but firm. "I won’t be able to stay here," she said. "The squad needs me. With everything going on, I have to be with them."

Lucas held her gaze for a moment, then nodded slightly, understanding without needing further explanation, because he knew the weight of responsibility she carried, just as he carried his own. "Alright," he said quietly. "Then stay with them."

He turned his attention to the chief healer, an elderly woman who had been observing everything with sharp, experienced eyes, her posture slightly bent with age but her presence steady and composed, the kind of person who had seen countless battles and the aftermath they left behind. Lucas stepped closer to her, his tone respectful but firm. "Then I’ll leave him in your care," he said. "Send word to me regularly. I don’t want delays."

The old woman met his gaze without hesitation, a faint nod following as she accepted the responsibility. "You have my word," she replied calmly. "I will personally ensure you are informed of every change. Your father will not be neglected."

Lucas studied her for a brief moment, then gave a small nod of acknowledgment, satisfied with her response. He glanced once more at his father, who now lay resting more peacefully than before, the tension in his body eased, his breathing steadier, and though the danger was far from over, there was at least a fragile sense of stability that had not been there when Lucas first arrived.

Without another word, he turned and stepped out of the tent, the weight of everything still resting on his shoulders, but his mind already shifting back toward the larger battle ahead, because even as he fought to keep his father alive, the war outside had not paused, and there were still enemies waiting, still plans to be made, and still a future to secure.

The idea of asking the Empress to intervene had crossed his mind almost immediately when he first saw Elder Gideon’s condition, because with her power, with her mastery over celestial energy, she could heal far more efficiently than any mixture or mortal method ever could, yet the reality of it was far more complicated than that.

His father would not survive it.

Lucas understood this clearly, not as a guess, but as a certainty rooted in experience and knowledge, because celestial energy was not something a normal cultivator’s body could withstand, especially not one already weakened and on the verge of collapse. Even a small infusion, something that might seem harmless from the perspective of a celestial, could overwhelm Gideon’s meridians instantly, tearing through his internal pathways, burning through what little stability he had left, and turning what could have been a chance at recovery into immediate death. It was not a matter of control or intention, but of compatibility and capacity, and his father simply did not have the foundation to endure it.

Lucas exhaled slowly, his gaze lowering slightly as he considered it further, because even he himself would not have been able to handle such power not long ago. If not for everything he had gone through, if not for the dual cultivation, the refinement of his body, the expansion of his meridians, and the stabilization of his core through both Yin and celestial energy, he too would have been destroyed by even a fraction of what the Empress possessed. It was only because his body had adapted, only because he had been tempered repeatedly through extreme conditions, that he could now harbor such energy without collapsing under its weight.

He clenched his fist slightly, a quiet resolve settling within him, because this only reinforced one thing in his mind, the gap between realms was not something that could be bridged carelessly, and power, no matter how beneficial, could become a weapon if used without understanding its consequences. For now, what his father needed was not overwhelming strength, but careful preservation, gradual healing, and time, something Lucas had managed to secure, even if only temporarily.