Flames of Ambition

36: The Cultivation Soaring Disease

Chapter 36: The Cultivation Soaring Disease

Zexel stepped outside and used her power to build a new facility beside the area where the patients had been laying. She ensured that the place was clean and sanitized all the tools she would need. Many of the instruments came from her Pagoda—modern tools far beyond the current era's standards.

After preparing everything, she used her telepathy to summon her subordinates who were stationed nearby. Within seconds, dozens of them responded to her call.

In less than a minute, all the patients had been transferred from the dirty, crowded lot into the newly constructed building that Zexel had created.

"Sis, their illness couldn't be diagnosed with Chinese Medicine, but I used Western methods and listed all the abnormalities in my report," Fan Yaoli said as she handed over a medical file.

Zexel carefully read through it and narrowed her eyes.

“They’re suffering from Cultivation Soaring Disease. I didn’t expect to ever see this mythical illness,” she muttered.

Fan Yaoli looked at her strangely, sensing something was unusual.

“Cultivation Soaring Disease?” she repeated curiously.

“Cultivation Soaring Disease—commonly known as CSD—is a type of affliction that siphons a cultivator’s Qi. It might appear to be an ordinary illness, but it’s far from it. It’s especially fatal to those with high cultivation levels. The disease spreads easily through dirty water or unsanitary environments. It’s similar to a parasite, though it doesn’t have a physical body. Instead, it invades through any opening in the body and uses the host’s energy to grow,” Zexel explained in a serious tone.

“I read about it long ago in ancient medical texts, but back then, it was considered more of a myth. Unfortunately, I don’t know the complete cure yet. I only have a method to slow down the progression,” she added.

Fan Yaoli was amazed by the depth of her sister's knowledge. Zexel then shared the Western method she had in mind to suppress the disease, even if temporarily.

Thanks to their combined efforts, they managed to control the spread of the illness within that district. However, by the following week, reports surfaced of the disease reaching noble households. Because nobles had higher cultivation levels, the symptoms accelerated—and the deaths increased. Panic spread quickly.

Only then did the Emperor take the matter seriously.

Regret consumed him as he recalled how he had ignored earlier warnings. He had assumed it could be contained without imperial intervention, but now the capital was on the verge of collapse.

He immediately ordered all imperial physicians to investigate and treat the patients. But even the most elite doctors failed to produce a diagnosis.

Hospitals around the capital filled to capacity. And when they began prioritizing nobles over commoners, the ordinary people were pushed aside and turned away.

Desperation grew.

But then, whispers began to circulate. Someone mentioned a hidden place where two mysterious doctors were successfully treating the disease. That person was one of Zexel's subordinates—sent to spread the information carefully and in secrecy.

“Don’t tell anyone where you heard this,” they warned, “or you won’t receive treatment.”

Clinging to that sliver of hope, many of the commoners followed the stranger to the facility.

Within a week, Fan Yaoli focused on treating the patients using the method Zexel had taught her, while Zexel secluded herself to research the cure.

Soon, she succeeded in formulating an antidote.

She began mass-producing the pill inside her Pagoda. After confirming its effects with five test patients, she knew she had found a solution.

Fan Yaoli helped with distribution, using her own Pagoda to support the production.

Once they had enough, Zexel gave an order: allow all ordinary people to receive treatment. But they were to keep the location a secret, especially from the nobility.

Although the surface of the treatment center looked modest, the real space was hidden underground. There were dozens of rooms and halls—enough to accommodate thousands of patients. They distributed the pill and informed everyone they still had to remain under observation.

Zexel and Fan Yaoli deliberately withheld the cure from the noble families, letting them continue to struggle as punishment for their apathy.

Meanwhile, chaos erupted in the capital.

It felt like a war zone.

Hospitals were overwhelmed. Riots broke out. People fought over medicine, food, and space. The Emperor grew more irritable by the day, and the Imperial Guards were no longer enough to maintain order.

Shops closed down. Streets became battlegrounds. And fear—of the disease and of starvation—swept through the city, especially among the lower classes.

That was when Zexel took decisive action.

Using her abilities, she began secretly relocating ordinary citizens to safety. She had previously acquired a vast plot of land outside the city, and now, she put it to use.

She instructed people to pack whatever valuables they could from their homes. Then, she demolished the old, dilapidated houses and replaced them with modern three-story homes—spacious enough for large families.

She used contemporary architecture, blending durability with comfort. Slowly, gratitude began to bloom in the hearts of the ordinary people.

While Zexel focused on construction, Fan Yaoli managed the treatment of the sick, ensuring no resurgence of the disease. Zexel’s subordinates worked day and night, mobilizing families who had no homes or jobs and assigning them to the new settlement.

Eventually, Zexel added enough housing to accommodate over a hundred thousand families. She also built a massive wall around the territory and installed three gates on each side to control entry.

It became a self-contained city—safe, clean, and well-organized.

Zexel had turned a disaster into an opportunity.

While the Emperor scrambled to contain the outbreak among nobles, she was quietly winning the hearts of the common people—who vastly outnumbered the elite.

And just like that, she became a silent hero.

Someone the people would never forget.

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