Jackpot! This had to be Prince Baiyu.
The moment I laid eyes on his face, I was entranced. I had never known that someone could be this beautiful.
He had long, fluffy white hair and very pale skin. His eyes were closed, so I couldn’t see their color, but I would bet money that they were blue. In the middle of his forehead was a purple lotus flower mark. I watched quite a few historical dramas, therefore I was quite familiar with the Chinese forehead makeup called “huadian,” but this looked like a natural marking or birthmark rather than something that was painted on.
Prince Baiyu, if that was who he was, had a perfectly symmetrical face that looked as though it had been sculpted by the gods. It was a cold kind of beauty, and I guessed that when he was awake, he was the elegant and aloof type of cultivator.
Like Shuye, he looked human except for his pointed ears.
I checked the Quest Guide to see what I should do.
[The Prince is suffering from a Qi Overload. Apply the Blight Magic Potion to his body.]
What? I was supposed to apply it to his body? Wouldn’t it be sufficient to pour it down his throat?
[Qi Overload:
A serious condition in which a person's body is overloaded with qi. The excessive amount of energy damages the meridians and results in personality changes. The person becomes easily agitated and may lash out at the smallest provocation. If left untreated, the person will often fall unconscious.
Unless their qi is drained, it will continue to build until it reaches a critical level, at which point they will likely fall into a coma until they die. There have also been cases where people spontaneously combusted from qi overload.
The condition is mostly found in young clan members and is incurable, except for those with only mild cases of qi overload, who can sometimes grow out of it when they reach maturity. Otherwise, it can be managed by daily monitoring, certain qi draining techniques, and using up the excess qi through vigorous physical exercises and qi skills.]
I climbed up onto the bed beside him. It was quite huge, so there was plenty of space for me. Thick pelts of various animals were draped across the mattress and pillows, giving it a decadent feel, but this was strange since it wasn’t a very cold day. The furs were soft to the touch, and my fingers automatically started stroking them before I remembered I had a quest to do.
“Excuse me,” I said as I tried to pry open his mouth, which remained stubbornly closed. I peeled back his lips to reveal his teeth and debated whether I should try pouring the potion on his closed mouth. I mean, some of it was bound to be absorbed by his gums, right?
I couldn’t help but notice that his incisors were quite sharp and pronounced, though they weren’t quite big enough to look like vampire fangs.
Twisting the cork from the vial, I put on my Herblaw gloves and poured the pink liquid over his teeth, but it just dribbled down the corners of his mouth. I winced when I saw that the potion was leaving a horrible stain on his white pillow.
Even though I didn’t like it, it really seemed like I would have to apply the potion on his body, just as the System told me to. I poured the liquid on his neck and spread it with my gloved fingers.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
[The Prince is suffering from a Qi Overload. Apply the Blight Magic Potion to his body.
Completion: 5/100]
His neck was only worth 5%? Oh no! I had a terrible feeling about this.
I poured a bit over his cheeks and forehead, making sure to avoid his eyes, but this only gave me another 2%.
Thankfully, the potion didn’t stain his skin. It seemed to disappear when I applied it, so I tried applying it on his neck again, but the quest completion percentage did not increase.
Since there was no helping it, I peeled the furs away from his prone body and saw that he was wearing an exquisite white robe decorated with peach blossom embroidery. I rolled up his sleeves, revealing nicely muscled arms. I tried not to gawk at his biceps. Applying the Blight Magic Potion to his hands and arms only boosted the percentage up to 35%.
The next step was obvious, but I really didn’t feel good about it.
This world wasn’t like Earth. The people who lived here were quite conservative, so I wasn’t sure if Prince Baiyu would be unhappy about what I was going to do.
“Ahem. Please don’t worry, I am an expert. I’m here to heal you,” I said. I knew that the patient was unconscious, but it made me feel better to say something, since I was about to undress an unconscious man.
The prince’s belt was tied in front with a complicated knot. I had such a difficult time with it that I was almost tempted to just cut it off, but that wouldn’t do, since his clothes looked extremely expensive. I could tell from the appearance and feel that it was made of the highest quality silk. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally managed to remove his belt. I quickly peeled open his robe, revealing an expanse of fair skin and a perfect six-pack. His pectoral muscles were also superb.
“Nice abs,” I said before I could stop myself. Fortunately, there was no one else around, or they might think I was some sort of pervert.
I prepared more potions and worked as quickly as I could to spread it over his exposed skin, while crossing my fingers that I wouldn’t have to remove his pants as well.
“I want you to know that I’m only doing this to cure your condition,” I said to the sleeping prince.
After spreading it all over his upper body, I was dismayed to see that it still wasn’t enough.
[The Prince is suffering from a Qi Overload. Apply the Blight Magic Potion to his body.
Completion: 75/100]
Are you kidding me?!
Throughout all of this, the prince remained unconscious and unresponsive, with not even a twitch of his eyelids or a change in his breathing to show a change in his condition.
Nonetheless, I really, really didn’t want to take off his pants.
My eyes were still virgin!
The prince was basically wearing this world’s equivalent of pajamas. When I had taken off his robe, he hadn’t been wearing anything under it, and it stood to reason that the same was true of his pants.
There was still 25% left. Wasn’t there any other way?
I racked my brain for answers, but couldn’t think of a solution until my feet started cramping because of my awkward position crouched over the patient’s body.
Feet? That was the answer! I scooted to the other end of the bed and applied the liquid to his feet. When that proved inadequate, I rolled up his pant legs and did the same to his calves.
[The Prince is suffering from a Qi Overload. Apply the Blight Magic Potion to his body.
Completion: 100/100]
“Yes! I did it!” I jumped down from the bed and did a little victory dance.
[Rescue Prince Baiyu: Quest Complete
Reward: A Royal Favor from Prince Baiyu]
A royal favor? I wasn’t sure what that was, and Adventure Incarnate sometimes had some really lame quest rewards, but I was just happy that I had finished this task.
I put Prince Baiyu’s clothes back on and piled the furs back over his body. Of course, the potion horribly stained his robe, pants, sheets, and pillows, but it’s not like I could take them, launder them, and put them back again.
“I’m sorry about ruining your clothes,” I whispered to the prince. I jerked back and almost screamed when his eyelids twitched. That was the first time he showed any reaction. The potion must be working its magic.
Perhaps it would’ve been better if I stayed and waited for him to regain consciousness, but I totally chickened out. I wrote a brief note saying, “These can help with Qi Overload,” and placed it on top of a chest full of Blight Magic Potion that I left beside the bed.
Then I made a quick getaway with Mr. Bear.