The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 464: Another Healing 2

Aldrian was then brought to another room by the butler and the physician. The emperor accompanied them as well, wanting to see his first son’s condition for himself. Ever since he had been cursed by the second prince, he had been unable to leave his bed.

The curse had bound him and drained his strength, leaving him powerless. Wilmar had also restricted who could visit him, which made everything even more difficult.

He could only receive reports from his butler and physician, the few people permitted by Wilmar to see him. One of his sources of information about what was happening outside came through them.

That was how he knew the empire had fallen into turmoil, and that a mysterious swordsman had appeared to save the day. It was also how he learned about his son’s condition, which was said to be even worse than his own.

The physician then summarized what the first prince had experienced, and it was nearly identical to what had happened to Emperor Raymond. He too had been cursed by the same artifact used by Wilmar.

Once they arrived at the first prince’s bedroom, they saw that his guardian knight was standing outside the door. The knight was visibly shocked by their sudden visit and quickly stepped aside to let them through.

Inside the room, the first prince lay unconscious on his bed, prompting Aldrian to frown slightly.

His body was in the same condition as the emperor’s. Due to the lack of flow from the energy of heaven and earth, his complexion had turned pale, and his body was slowly "consuming" itself as a substitute for energy, causing him to grow thin.

"This is his current state," the physician explained. "He and His Majesty fell into that bastard’s trap at the same time, but their conditions are quite different. His Highness appears to be in much worse shape. I haven’t examined him yet today, but from my last observation, there seems to be an issue with his soul. However, because of the curse, I can’t accurately assess the extent of the damage."

Aldrian nodded at the physician’s explanation and approached the first prince. As he drew closer, he read the information of the man lying unconscious—a man whose face appeared more mature than Wilmar’s. He was also at the Low Emperor stage, just like Wilmar.

"Ferdinand Losaris," Aldrian thought as he read the name of the first prince.

Once he stood beside the bed, he immediately checked the prince’s condition by placing his fingers on Ferdinand’s wrist. What he sensed inside was the same as when he had examined the emperor—the energy within the prince’s body had begun to flow again now that the blockage had been cleared. With time, his body would recover on its own.

However, there was a difference between Prince Ferdinand’s soul condition and that of Emperor Raymond.

There were remnants of darkness lingering on his soul, a sign that the curse had only recently been lifted. However, Aldrian noticed that the prince’s soul was damaged. The soul, which to take the shape of the prince’s body, appeared cracked in several places, with darkness seeping out from the fractures.

Aldrian guess that this might be the reason why the first prince hadn’t woken up, despite the curse being lifted. The soul was the most fragile part of a living being, an intangible aspect that directly affected consciousness and the subconscious.

How a person lived influenced their soul, and for cultivators, the soul was even more important. It was intimately tied to their cultivation technique, making its crucial part of their entire being.

If something happened to the soul, there could be unknown effects on the cultivator. What happened to Prince Ferdinand was a clear example of this—despite his body being relatively in good condition, something was wrong with his soul, which had left him in a comatose state.

From Aldrian’s understanding, the strong curse that had bound the first prince had caused him to be consumed by negative emotions and illusions, which in turn had cracked his soul in several places.

The first prince had been under the weight of this powerful curse for over a year, and each person reacted differently to negative feelings and illusions. Aldrian wasn’t surprised that the prince’s condition was far worse than the emperor’s. It only meant that his mental fortitude was weaker than Emperor Raymond’s.

First, he needed to heal the prince’s soul.

Next, he had to help the prince destroy the lingering nightmares caused by the curse. The mental state condition was something only the prince could face on his own, but Aldrian could assist by using his golden energy to soothe him. It was similar to when he had helped Baek Jimin, who nearly succumbed to her inner demons atop the cliff in the Thorny Flower Garden.

Using his golden energy, Aldrian began the difficult process of healing the prince’s soul. This was no easy task, as even among physicians, those capable of healing something as intangible as a soul were rare. It required a special technique and a unique healing pill, such pills were far rarer and more expensive than normal healing pill.

Aldrian’s golden energy, which encompassed all things, enveloped the prince’s soul. Slowly, the many cracks began to mend. Once the soul was fully restored, Aldrian allowed his golden energy to continue covering it, ensuring that the energy would have a greater effect within the prince’s subconscious.

His golden energy was a special case; if anyone else tried to replicate what Aldrian had done, their energy would have no effect on the recipient. Aldrian’s energy had the unique ability to influence even something as abstract as the subconscious, affecting what a living being felt inside their mindscape or illusions.

At that moment, inside the first prince’s mindscape , he sat motionless. His surroundings were so gloomy that anyone entering this space would immediately feel its weight. His expression was deadpan, as if he didn’t care whether he was alive or dead. He stared at the ceiling, questioning whether anything he had done in his life had been right, or if his life even had any meaning.

Suddenly, a golden light descended from above, bathing him in its warmth. He felt an overwhelming sense of comfort, and his expression began to soften. After a few moments, it was as if he had come back to himself. He blinked, his gaze fixed on the golden light.

He stood up, as if regaining his confidence, suddenly feeling that all the time spent in this place had been a waste. The gloomy environment around him began to shatter, piece by piece, and the golden light engulfed him completely. When his sight cleared, he found himself looking up at the ceiling of a different place.

At this moment, he found himself inside a room. After a few seconds of thought, he recognized the place—it was his own bedroom in the imperial palace.

He glanced to his side and saw an unfamiliar young man with his father, who seemed different, along with two other people he recognized. Suddenly, as if a memory had resurfaced, his eyes widened slightly, and he tried to lift his body from the bed.

He glanced to his side and saw an unfamiliar young man with his father, who seemed different, along with two other people he recognized. Suddenly, as if a memory had resurfaced, his eyes widened slightly, and he tried to lift his body from the bed.

However, a wave of weakness washed over him, making it difficult to move as he propped himself up. His upper body felt stiff, slowing his movements. He narrowed his eyes, and his expression hardened with anger.

"Easy, Your Highness. You’ve just woken up after more than a year lying unconscious in bed," the physician said, his voice laced with concern.

Prince Ferdinand turned his head to look at the physician and the others in the room.

"Where is that bastard? How dare he use such underhanded tricks to trap me and Father? He truly has no fear of the consequences of his actions in trying to usurp the throne!" he said, his tone fierce.

"Relax, Your Highness. Your brother is fleeing as we speak," Aldrian replied. "Your brother’s plan to take control of the entire empire has already failed." freeweɓnøvel.com

Finally, Prince Ferdinand looked at Aldrian more thoroughly and couldn’t help but ask,

"Who are you?"

"Your Highness, he is the one many people call the mysterious swordsman," the butler replied.

At first, Prince Ferdinand frowned, but then his eyes widened in realization. His expression changed to one of respect. Of course, he knew this title. Even before he had fallen unconscious, he had heard it many times. In fact, he had even visited the mysterious swordsman’s trace of sword will in Balin City a few years ago to deepen his understanding of swordsmanship.

The man had always been so mysterious that no one knew his face, his origins, or anything about him—only that he was renowned for his tremendous strength and achievements, which had left cultivators across the continent in awe.

He had battled devils and beasts far stronger than most cultivators, saving countless lives. He had unleashed powerful sword techniques that gave sword cultivators new insights and deeper comprehension. All of his achievements and strength were more than worthy of being recorded in the history of the continent.

Without hesitation, Prince Ferdinand extended his hand, showing his respect toward Aldrian.

"My apologies. It’s rude of me to speak to someone as esteemed as yourself. I hope you don’t mind my sudden outburst. I just remembered something that made me angry. I’m truly ashamed to show you this ugly side of myself."

Aldrian took the handshake.

"It’s okay, Your Highness. I understand your condition, and I’m not offended in the least," Aldrian replied.

"Anyway, now that you’ve woken up, I know you must have many questions." Aldrian then looked at the emperor. "The same goes for Your Majesty. Although you’ve just healed and His Highness has only just woken up, I believe we need to discuss certain matters right now."

As they looked at Aldrian, who seemed intent on discussing something right now, they thought it must be about the second prince.