Chapter 2: The Young Master
In Wang Ling's Courtyard.
"Physician Mo, Alchemist Yu, what do you think?"
Butler Sun anxiously asked as his body trembled from agitation.
This old man who looked like his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets was named Sun Wu. He was the butler of the Wang family and the one who oversees Wang Ling's daily activities.
Although Wang Ling was waited by Wang Yue, she was still instructed by Sun Wu.
With two experts examining the thin and fragile-looking body of Wang Ling, Sun Wu prayed for the best.
Waiting for the results of the examination, he felt someone tugging on the side of his robe. Looking down, he saw Wang Yue who was also waiting for the result of Wang Ling's examinations.
"Is Young Master Wang Ling going to be alright?"
She asked with her soft voice slightly quivering. Fearing that she might trouble the two doctors, Wang Yue chose to whisper her words.
Seeing this young lady quiver, Sun Wu showed a smile full of warmth as he answered.
"It's going to be alright, Young Miss Yue. If what you said is true, then the Young Master should be getting better."
Wang Yue showed a pure smile to Sun Wu.
"Then, Foster Father will be greatly pleased when he receives this news."
Her voice was made to be as soft as possible, but the joy behind it cannot be denied.
This young girl who happened to be Wang Ling's current little maid was her little sister. Although she was only adopted by the Wang family, Wang Yue was treated as an actual child of the family.
Her background was unknown for she was found in the South, alone. At the tender age of three, when Wang Yue didn't even have the capability of surviving. She was left in the Southern Army Garrison.
As for how she was adopted by the Wang family, that's a completely different story altogether because it was the General's wife who decided to adopt her.
Either way, If not for Wang Shu Qing, there was a good chance that she'd be dead by now. So it was only normal for her to feel gratitude for her benefactor and parents.
It took some time before Physician Mo and Alchemist Yu could finish their examination on Wang Ling. Both their faces held apprehensive looks as if they had been presented by something incomprehensible making Sun Wu feel even more anxious.
"Are there any problems? What's the condition of the Young Master?"
Sun Wu asked the two.
The two old great doctors shook their heads. The two of them were high ranking people on their own rights, but they were left unprepared when presented to Wang Ling.
Beads of perspiration could be seen on Physician Mo's forehead as for Alchemist Yu, his hands were slightly trembling.
Sun Wu saw their odd reactions and could not help but think on the darker side of things.
"Is the Young Master's condition… worsening?"
Hearing Sun Wu's questions, the two doctors quickly denied what Sun Wu said.
"No, no, Butler Sun no such thing happened. In fact, there doesn't seem to have any change in his body."
Physician Mo quickly interjected. Hearing him Sun Wu cursed inside his mind.
[Then, why the hell do you have such a look on your faces?
If there's no problem then the best you can do was to keep your usual indifference.
From your previous looks, I thought the Young Master was already dying.]
Sun Wu said a lot of things in his mind, but he did not dare say them out loud. These two old farts were the greatest men on their crafts in the entire Kingdom, they're even regarded highly by the emperor so he did not dare offend them.
"Then how is the Young Master, Physician Mo? Can you please check up on him once more?"
The sudden question came from Wang Yue. Oblivious to the fact about the duo's position in the Kingdom, Wang Yue made a request. Sun Wu who was beside her was unable to stop her from speaking so he chose to keep silent and showed that he was siding with the little miss.
Either way, this was what he was also wanted to happen.
Worried for her brother's condition, Wang Yue could not help but blurt out the request.
"This…"
Physician Mo's face darkened and took in a deep breath first before directing his gaze to Wang Ling then getting closer to him. The instant he did, the invisible pressure assailed him once more.
[Just what the hell is this indescribable pressure? This crippled brat in front of me shouldn't any cultivation, yet, I am feeling intimidated?
This is the second time this happened!!
Did you have to ask me, little girl?]
He cursed out in his heart.
This was the actual reason why he had perspiration all over his body and was unable to get a better look at Wang Ling's current condition. Every time he wanted to get closer to Wang Ling, an unknown pressure always bores down upon his body and scares the shit out of him.
Alchemist Yu saw him acting like so and thought to himself.
[So it wasn't just me.
Thankfully, Young Miss Yue didn't ask me for me.]
Heaving a sigh of relief, Alchemist Yu silently thanked Wang Yue in his old heart.
Wang Ling had his pulse checked.
Even with the pressure boring upon as heavy as it was, Physician Mo moved fluidly and struck the Neiguan acupoint with a silver needle. The silver needle was filled with spirit qi, which he used to survey Wang Ling's body.
(Neiguan Acupoint – located in your inner arm near your wrist)
After double-checking Wang Ling's body to be fine and truly did not have any kind of complications. Right then, as if by some magic, the unknown pressure magically disappeared.
[The pressure's gone!]
With the pressure gone, Physician Mo's every movement became less stiff. He became more efficient and before long, he was able to finish the examination of Wan Ling's inner and outer bodies.
Physician Mo then proceeded to explain what was happening.
…
Wang Ling, who sat on the chair had his eyes open wide. He looked at Butler Sun and company talking to one another. They were talking about his condition but he couldn't care less.
He was the greatest Celestial to ever exist in his era, it will be impossible for him to not ascertain his conditions.
Besides, Physician Mo and Alchemist Yu will never be able to take any solid information about his current body.
His soul had just awakened causing him to clumsily let out pressure to those he was warry of. Wang Ling was currently weak, anyone with a certain amount of strength could easily kill him, so his instincts were taking over from time to time.
The only reason why Physician Mo finished his examination was that Wang Ling managed to pull back his aura for some time.
[It would seem that I will be needing some time before getting used to a new body.
My soul is mostly undamaged, but I cannot fight with my soul, so I'll have to be careful for the time being.]
His soul was abnormally strong, but no one can fight with their souls. The soul was everyone's life core, if it gets damaged in the process of fighting, then he or she will be dammed for eternity.
While in a daze, Wang Yue had unknowingly walked to his side. Gazing at his deep dark eyes, Wang Yue asked him with her eyes turning red.
"Y—young Master, you can understand me right?"
She was the first to know that his big brother was "sane", wanting to confirm it for herself, Wang Yue walked up to Wang Ling.
She believed that her big brother will respond to her, although her confidence was baseless, Wang Yue wanted to believe. She wanted to have hope that even as minute as this, she will be able to make her Foster Parents happy.
So, she asked.
Seeing the almost teary looking eyes of Wang Yue, Wang Ling showed a warm smile before uttering forced words out of his mouth.
"Y—yes..."
Hearing Wang Ling speaks, Wang Yue's teary eyes started to sparkle like the starry nights. With a voice that's as beautiful as an Oriole, Wang Yue rejoice.
"Wah! Big brother can speak! Butler Sun, come over here, big brother Ling answered my question with his words."
Wang Yue was so happy that she unknowingly used the words 'big brother' to address Wang Ling. She had always kept a certain distance from the main family, but she had been caring for Wang Ling for some time and all those times, she became close to him.
Although the previous Wang Ling was a retarded man who never speaks, Wang Yue occasionally calls him big brother as if practicing for something.
"Is it true Young Miss!? Did Young Master Wang Ling really answered you with his words?"
Hearing Wang Yue, Butler Sun immediately came rushing to Wang Ling's side.
Furiously nodding her head, Wang Yue confirmed.
"Watch, watch, big brother you can answer me correct!?"
Hearing Wang Yue's question, Wang Ling's face twitch but he still answered them nevertheless.
"I—I c… ca… can…"
His voice sounded force. Like a child trying to learn how to speak words, Wang Ling was speaking as slowly as he could. He didn't want to suddenly freak them out.
"Oh!! This is incredible!! The Young Master can talk… sob*, I need to inform the Family Head about this! Although the Mistress is back in the main house, she will be glad to receive news such as this!"
Sun Wu skipped the teary-eyed event and went straight to tears. He was the one who watched over the whole family while the two masters were away, having no family of his own, he treated Wang Ling like an actual grandchild.
Physician Mo and Alchemist Yu were just as surprised as Sun Wu. Wang Ling's situation was without compare. No records of his disability were recorded in any book, so like Sun Wu, they too surprised to their cores.
"This is amazing!! Butler Sun, it would seem that the Young Master is truly getting better. I do not know what causes it but after nineteen years, Young Master Wang Ling finally uttered his first words."
The three old men celebrated as they saw Wang Ling speaking to them. This could very well be the start of his recovery, and who knows, the Young Master might just be able to live a normal life after a while.
The two doctors started getting excited as they started doing another set of examinations to Wang Ling who just spoke. They made him do a couple of things to see if there was an action he could and couldn't do.
As they did so, Wang Ling carefully acted like an obedient child. He did as they said and did his best to limit his movements and action.
Time passed and Wang Ling felt hunger coming to him. With a motion, and tried acting like he was some tired and famished child.
Sun Wu saw Wang Ling and immediately said to Physician Mo and Alchemist Yu.
"Physician Mo Alchemist Yu, I think the Young Master is getting hungry. It is still early morning and he had yet to eat, so can we have him eat some food before continuing with the examination?"
Physician Mo and Alchemist Yu stopped on what they were doing and intently gazed at Wang Ling. They stared at him for a while before turning to Butler Sun to speak.
"I think that would be for the best." Alchemist Yu nodded his head.
"Mmm, Butler Sun, I wish to talk to you about the Young Master's diet. He's in a state where his situation is very unstable so I wish to give him a special menu." Physician Mo spoke what was in his mind.
Physician Mo and Alchemist Yu were both professionals at their crafts. They saw Wang Ling as a patient so it was only natural for them to care about his well-being. After all, if something bad happens to Wang Ling while he's on their watch it would also affect their image as a whole.
After confirming some things, the two old men were seen to the gates of the Wang family manor. Wang Ling was then given some nutritious dishes to eat, all of which were prescribed by Physician Mo to help Wang Ling slowly recover his current conditions.
Taking a spoonful of the turtle soup, Wang Ling praised it for the thick spirit qi it possessed.
He did not know what kind of beast was used to make it, but in terms of the quality, he evaluated that it should be quite rare. Although he could be wrong, Wang Ling based his judgment on the standards of the old era.
He acted normally and disregarded the odd looks he was getting from the people around him.
After Wang Ling finished the soup and tending to his needs, Sun Wu left Wang Ling's room and went somewhere to write a letter for Wang Ling's parents and brother.
Wang Yue was left to accompany Wang Ling. Wang Yue wanted to talk to her older brother, but she didn't know any kind of topic he might take interest in so she kept her silence.
When she was just about to speak, she heard Wang Ling's voice instead.
"Books…"
Wang Yue was silent for a good minute before speaking with a surprised tone.
"Young Master know what's a book?"