Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Dual Souls, The Apothecary Bows Down
When Ye Xuan and Zhao Yulong arrived at the Mystic Ice Cave Mansion, sobs from Zhou Bingyi could be heard inside.
"Auntie, how is Youwei?"
Zhao Yulong was the first to step into the Mystic Ice Cave Mansion, his expression tense as he looked at the stunningly beautiful woman lying on the bed.
Jiang Jing stood beside the bed, her expression extremely solemn, shaking her head without speaking.
And Zhou Bingyi was sitting to one side, her face stained with tears, occasionally looking towards the woman on the bed.
This immediately darkened Zhao Yulong's face.
Next to the bed, a group of white-robed elders had furrowed brows, and their expressions were equally grave.
"Junior Sister Jiang, things don't look good..."
After a moment, one of the white-robed elders looked at Jiang Jing with a worried face, sighing, "Youwei belongs to the Mystic Ice Body, but now there is the Power of Intense Sun within her, creating fire poison. It is clashing with the Mystic Ice Power, an ice-and-fire conflict making preservation of her life uncertain even if we succeed, all her cultivation will be completely dissipated."
"What?!"
At these words, the expressions of the few people in the cave changed dramatically, filled with disbelief.
Ye Xuan moved closer, his eyebrows slightly raised, as he quietly reached out with his soul thought.
At this moment, Jiang Jing's face turned deathly pale, her mind in complete turmoil.
Cultivation completely gone, she knew better than anyone what that meant.
In this world where power is respected, without cultivation, one is no better than trash!
Why was Ye Xuan looked down upon? Not only because he had been a fool in the past but also because he had no cultivation.
But now, his own daughter, the renowned Goddess Zhou Youwei of the Lie Tian Upper Country, was also about to fall into worthlessness, and how could Jiang Jing accept this?
"Elder Wu, you are a Six-Star Alchemist, you must be able to preserve Youwei's cultivation, right?" Jiang Jing looked at the elder, pleading.
The white-robed elder's face showed difficulty and he sighed, "Junior Sister Jiang, if there was any way to preserve Youwei's cultivation, I would risk my very life to do so, but there really is no other way."
Zhao Yulong's expression grew uglier; although he had feelings for Zhou Youwei, if her cultivation were lost, she would become worthless...
"What fire poison..." At this time, Ye Xuan spoke slowly, scrutinizing, "Ridiculous."
It had to be admitted, his newly wedded wife did possess an otherworldly beauty, a countenance so stunning it was unmatched.
The only flaw was that her exquisite face, which could cause the downfall of cities and nations, was devoid of any color, pale as paper, stirring pity in one's heart.
He had just extended his soul thought and already discovered the main reason for Zhou Youwei's mishap during her secluded cultivation -- she had not been afflicted by any fire poison, but rather it was because of... Dual Souls!
Ye Xuan's words made everyone present stunned for a moment.
Zhao Yulong narrowed his eyes slightly, immediately snorting coldly, "Ye Xuan, are you suggesting that Elder Wu's diagnosis is wrong?"
Zhou Bingyi also suddenly looked up, her eyes red and cheeks still marked with tears, she looked hatefully at Ye Xuan, "My sister is like this now, and you, a fool, still spout such nonsense, why don't you go die?"
"Do you not know, the reason my sister has been in secluded cultivation trying to break through is that only by reaching the Prince Realm could she help restore your sanity!"
"Now look what happened, you've regained your senses, but my sister has fallen!"
As she spoke, Zhou Bingyi's tears flowed continuously, feeling the injustice on behalf of her sister.
Jiang Jing felt agitated and distressed, looking at Ye Xuan with a frustrated tone, "Ye Xuan, stop talking nonsense here!"
Her own daughter was in such a state, and yet Ye Xuan had the audacity to spout such bold claims; she regretted so much, regretted not having stopped Zhou Bingyi from marrying Ye Xuan back then. If she had, perhaps this situation would not have occurred!
"Young man, you can be reckless with your eating, but not your words," the white-robed elder looked at Ye Xuan, his tone unfriendly.
As Wu Jingshan, a Six-Star Alchemist from the East Desolation Medicine Pavilion, one of the rare few in the Lie Tian Upper Country who could match him, he wondered how could a mere young pup dare to be so arrogant in his presence?
Ye Xuan glanced at Wu Jingshan, and said indifferently, "How did someone who doesn't even understand Dual Souls become a Six-Star Alchemist?"
"Ridiculous, what is Dual Souls? Since when must one know of such things to become a Six-Star Alchemist?" Zhao Yulong immediately mocked Ye Xuan.
Hearing Ye Xuan's words, Wu Jingshan clearly froze for a moment: 'Dual Souls, how does this kid know about that?'
'Could he have seen that ancient text too?'
Wu Jingshan felt some doubts, he had once seen a record of Dual Souls in an ancient text, but there were only a few words and no detailed description.
After sizing up Ye Xuan, Wu Jingshan grew more suspicious. This kid is bluffing people, isn't he?
Ye Xuan, noticing the skeptical look in Wu Jingshan's eyes, didn't offer any explanation but said indifferently, "If you're ignorant that's one thing, but you can't even cure your own hidden illness and you still have the face to treat my wife?"
At his words, everyone present suddenly changed their expressions.
"How dare you, Ye Xuan, to insult Elder Wu?!" Zhao Yulong was secretly overjoyed, but on the surface, he displayed extreme anger.
Even if the Saint Master of Luotian Sacred Land were to come, he wouldn't dare to easily provoke Wu Jingshan. Ye Xuan's utter lack of self-preservation astonished Zhao Yulong, but it provided him the perfect opportunity to make trouble and get rid of Ye Xuan!
Jiang Jing, infuriated by Ye Xuan's 'nonsense', shook all over and seethed with a pale face as she said word for word, "Ye Xuan, get out!"
Unlike everyone else's reaction, Wu Jingshan's pupils contracted sharply, and he looked at Ye Xuan in disbelief. 'This person, he can actually see my internal injury!'
Wu Jingshan's expression underwent several changes. Staring at Ye Xuan, he started to breathe more rapidly, trying to lower his stance as much as possible. Bowing to Ye Xuan, he then respectfully said, "Earlier, it was I... I have shallow learning and did not recognize that the gentleman is truly wise. I apologize first, and earnestly request the gentleman to take action. I am willing to agree to any conditions the gentleman has!"
His century-old hidden illness he had never spoken of to anyone, yet Ye Xuan recognized it at a glance. Wu Jingshan knew he had encountered a true expert!
Wu Jingshan's sudden apology stunned Jiang Jing, Zhao Yulong, and Zhou Bingyi.
"Elder Wu, don't believe his nonsense, he is the well-known fool, Ye Xuan!" Zhao Yulong hastened to remind.
"Shut up! Is a scoundrel like you in any position to insult the master?!" Wu Jingshan suddenly yelled like an angry old dragon, with a terrifyingly tumultous aura.
The outburst startled Zhao Yulong, who then was utterly flabbergasted. He was speaking up for Wu Jingshan, so why did he get reprimanded instead of Ye Xuan?
Feeling Wu Jingshan's murderous glare, Zhao Yulong shrank back, a hint of grievance crossing his face.
Jiang Jing furrowed her brows and said to Wu Jingshan, "Brother Wu, are you mistaken? He's my son-in-law Ye Xuan, not some master!"
She was afraid Wu Jingshan didn't know who Ye Xuan was and specifically emphasized the words 'my son-in-law.'
Wu Jingshan ignored Jiang Jing and looked at Ye Xuan with a face full of respect, his eyes beseeching, "Master, your thoughts..."
Ye Xuan glanced sideways at Wu Jingshan and slowly said, "Let's save Youwei first."
"Of course, of course, the master should first attend to Youwei. We'll discuss my matter afterwards," said Wu Jingshan with a smile, proactively making way for Ye Xuan.
Seeing this, Zhao Yulong's eyes flickered and he suddenly spoke up, "Aunt, I can't trust leaving Youwei in the care of this person. Give Youwei to me; I will take her back to Luotian Sacred Land and ask our Luotian Sacred Land's top alchemist to take action. They will definitely be able to cure Youwei!"
The power of Luotian Sacred Land was indeed stronger than that of Emperor Immortal Sect, and within Luotian Sacred Land, there were indeed several top alchemists with great reputations.
"Mother, let's have Zhao Yulong take sister to Luotian Sacred Land for treatment," Zhou Bingyi also chimed in to persuade. Despite her dislike for Zhao Yulong, she was even less at ease letting Ye Xuan, this unreliable guy, treat her sister.
This put Jiang Jing in a state of indecision.
As Jiang Jing hesitated, Wu Jingshan scoffed, "The East Desolation Medicine Pavilion has a long heritage, containing thousands of ancient texts. Yet even I, the Pavilion Master, cannot solve the mystery of Dual Souls."
Wu Jingshan looked at Zhao Yulong calmly and said slowly, "The alchemists of Luotian Sacred Land are not bad, but are you sure they are better than the Pavilion Master of Medicine Pavilion?"
At these words, the expressions of Jiang Jing, Zhao Yulong, and Zhou Bingyi all changed.
The Pavilion Master of the East Desolation Medicine Pavilion!
What kind of presence was that? That was absolutely the top alchemist in East Desolation!
But Wu Jingshan's words suggested that not even the Pavilion Master of the East Desolation Medicine Pavilion could break the mystery of Dual Souls, which meant even less hope for Luotian Sacred Land, didn't it?
At that moment, the way everyone looked at Ye Xuan completely changed.
"Junior Sister Jiang, I have always seen you as someone who understands the bigger picture. Why then do you fail to see clearly today?" Wu Jingshan looked at Jiang Jing, his eyes filled with profound disappointment.
Jiang Jing's face turned pale, and the realization dawned on her. Her gaze complicatedly shifted to Ye Xuan; recalling everything that had happened, she found it difficult to speak. But now she knew that only Ye Xuan could save Youwei. In a low voice, she pleaded, "Ye Xuan, I was wrong before, I hope you can act for Youwei's sake. I ask you as a mother-in-law, please heal Youwei. Say any condition you want..."
Jiang Jing hadn't finished speaking when Ye Xuan interrupted her impatiently, "Shut up."
He thought to himself, this impractical daughter-in-law of his seemed to be quite extraordinary...