Chapter 84: Bringing Forth a Pill Alchemist
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
Among the refugees, a significant number hailed from the Central Prefecture, including many children. Some were brought by their parents fleeing calamity, while others were orphans banded together after losing their families.
For those with parents, their plight was marginally better, but the orphans often succumbed to hunger or illness along the way. Of the surviving children, twelve were currently afflicted with sickness. Their faces were ashen, beads of cold sweat dripped from their foreheads, and they exhibited sporadic convulsions, bouts of vomiting, and even episodes of mania where they bit others.
One of these children, named Qing Wa, was the oldest, around thirteen or fourteen, and also the sickest. His forehead burned like a furnace, and his eyes had turned a jaundiced yellow.
Those accompanying these children mentioned that Qing Wa had been in poor health since their escape to Shengjing. The attending physician admitted he had never encountered such symptoms, noting that even the child’s pulse was erratic and fleeting.
“Where did they flee from?” Ji You asked.
“The village of Baihe, on the southern slope of the Qiling Mountain Range.”
“Qiling again…” Ji You muttered, deep in thought.
He still retained much of his modern understanding and instinctively considered the possibility of viruses or bacteria. In the modern world, there were stories of ancient pathogens trapped in arctic ice that, once released, could decimate humanity. Could this disease be an ancient virus from the Ruins of Qiling?
But that theory didn’t quite add up. The ruins contained no living beings; even plants couldn’t survive there. While Malignant Beings could move, they were driven solely by their bloodlust and lacked the vitality of living organisms.
Staring at the ailing children, Ji You declared, “I’ll make a trip back to the Heavenly Script Academy and find someone who might be able to help.”
Kuang Cheng, who had been fixated on the pendant around Qing Wa’s neck, snapped out of his thoughts. “Huh? Oh, alright.”
The physician interjected, “This old man is regarded as a master in this city. If even I cannot treat this illness, it’s unlikely anyone else can. Spare yourself the effort.”
Ji You stood resolutely. “I recently met two Pill Alchemists. Let’s see if they can be of any use.”
“Ah, well…”
…
Meanwhile, the Yuan siblings, Yuan Chen and Yuan Cai Wei, had left the Hall of Purity and were now in the open space before the Field of Enlightenment, surrounded by many noble scions from both the inner and outer courts.
Because Pill Alchemists of the Pill Sect lacked combat prowess and were relatively poor at avoiding danger, they rarely ventured out, making them more enigmatic than even the sect’s ordinary disciples. Opportunities to interact with Pill Alchemists were scarce, let alone with someone like He Ling Xiu, a Direct Disciple of the Hall of Tranquility, or You Bu Yu, a Direct Disciple of the Hall of Auspiciousness.
Recognizing this rare chance, these scions seized the opportunity to curry favor. Such gatherings were exactly what the Pill Sect’s elders and the Heavenly Script Academy’s leaders encouraged, as it fostered connections.
He Ling Xiu, a slender woman with a wasp waist and alluring curves, turned to Yuan Chen with a smile. “Little Brother Yuan Chen, your elder sister mentioned that this is your first visit to Shengjing. Why don’t you let me take you around to sample some local delicacies?”
Yuan Chen shook his head slightly. “I wouldn’t dare trouble you. Please, spare me.”
Yuan Cai Wei frowned. “She is extending a kind invitation. How could you be so discourteous, Brother?”
Yuan Chen’s expression hardened. “She bullied Fairy Zheng Xin but now acts like a benevolent elder sister here. It’s nauseating.”
Yuan Cai Wei was taken aback. She knew “Fairy Zheng Xin” referred to Wen Zheng Xin, who had returned with them from the ruins, but she didn’t understand what connection she had to He Ling Xiu.
However, Yuan Chen remembered a conversation he overheard deep within the ruins, between Wen Zheng Xin and Pei Ru Yi:
“I competed for the position of Direct Disciple of the Hall of Tranquility and lost.”
“You couldn’t defeat her?”
“Her clan dwarfs mine in power.”
“What a wretched world this is.”
Yuan Chen’s refusal made the atmosphere awkward for the noble scions present. Yet He Ling Xiu’s expression remained composed. “If food doesn’t interest you, I can take you to the outskirts tomorrow. I heard you enjoy watching duels between sect disciples. I could arrange for two to spar for your entertainment.”
Yuan Chen considered briefly before clasping his hands in a polite gesture. “Having just returned from the ruins and gone without proper rest for days, I doubt I’ll wake early enough.”
“No matter,” He Ling Xiu replied. “When you’re rested, we can make arrangements then.”
Yuan Cai Wei looked at her younger brother in bewilderment. She knew he was obsessed with cultivation tales and often spied on visiting cultivators seeking pills. Yet now, when someone offered to arrange a duel, he declined. Even as his elder sister, she couldn’t understand his actions.
Yuan Chen said nothing. He merely gazed at the setting sun, his expression tinged with melancholy. In his stories, cultivators were gallant figures clad in white, swords at their sides, journeying a thousand miles across the Immortal Path.
Then he met Ji You, who fit that ideal perfectly. It made him believe the Heavenly Script Academy would be full of such people. But upon arriving, he found his fantasy shattered. These so-called immortals, whether in the inner or outer courts, were no different from ordinary people. They fawned over Pill Alchemists with fervent gazes and lowered demeanors, lacking any semblance of the aloof grace he imagined.
As these thoughts consumed him, a voice called from a distance:
“Yuan Chen, I need your help. Come with me.”
Ji You descended from the mountain, his white robes fluttering in the wind like snowflakes. As he walked, his gaze lingered briefly on a slender female cultivator, but only for a moment before he gestured for her to approach.
Seeing this, He Lingxiu frowned slightly, her brows knitting together. [Who dares call out to a direct disciple of the Pill Sect in such a manner?] But what surprised her more was Yuan Chen’s sudden change of demeanor. His face lit up with joy, and he hurried down the path, robes lifted as he scampered eagerly.
“That man…”
“I know him. That’s Junior Brother Ji from the Outer Court.”
“Ah, so it’s him—the one who saved the siblings of the Pill Sect. That explains it.”
As the words fell, those standing beside Yuan Caiwei froze, their expressions betraying their disbelief. They watched as Ji You extended a hand and, without hesitation, grabbed Yuan Chen by the collar. With spiritual energy swirling at his feet, he hoisted the younger man as one would a chicken and carried him out of the Heavenly Script Academy.
This…
He Lingxiu frowned deeper. [Even if he had saved their lives, this behavior is far too rude!] She turned to Yuan Caiwei, preparing to offer an apology on behalf of the academy, but noticed her calm expression, as if this was a familiar sight. [Perhaps it is not unreasonable for a brother-in-law to treat his brother-in-law like this.]
“Miss Yuan, since your brother isn’t joining us, perhaps we should take a stroll as planned. After all, it was arranged by the sect,” said You Buyu, addressing Yuan Caiwei.
The Azure Cloud Continent was teeming with countless noble clans, their fates rising and falling like the tide. The You Clan had once been second or third tier but rose to prominence after You Yingqiu became the Hall Master of the Auspicious Hall. As her nephew, You Buyu had inherited her teachings, and despite his youth, he had already reached the Dao Fusion Stage.
Amid the chaos brewing across the land, it seemed the Pill Sect intended to forge stronger ties with the Heavenly Script Academy rather than continue courting smaller clans. Dan Qiongzi, the elder accompanying them, was You Buyu’s uncle and had clearly orchestrated this meeting.
Yuan Caiwei silently watched the direction where Ji You’s white robes had vanished, remaining still for a long time before finally following the group. Her brother’s safety was assured in Ji You’s presence.
…
“Brother-in-law, what’s going on?” Yuan Chen asked, his curiosity piqued.
“The great essence of immortals is to live for the people. Today, you are the protagonist,” Ji You replied knowingly. His words struck a chord deep within Yuan Chen, and the younger man’s chest puffed up with pride.
[He thought he had seen it all, but encountering a single mountain does not mean understanding the whole range. Only by seeing the range does one grasp the truth of the solitary peak.]
In mere breaths, Ji You had carried Yuan Chen outside the city, where he explained their task—tending to the sick children among the refugees. Yuan Chen crouched down, his sleeves rolled up, as a radiant mix of seven-colored light and milky-white pill energy emerged from his hands, illuminating the gaunt faces of the children.
“Is he truly an alchemist?”
“He must be. But why was he… dragged here?”
Yuan Chen examined one child’s condition carefully. Pill energy coursed continuously as he furrowed his brow. “The black qi is invasive, attacking the five internal organs without leaving a focal point, yet it’s devastatingly destructive. I’ve never encountered such an illness before.”
Ji You squatted beside him. “Can you cure it?”
“I need to stabilize the children’s breath first, extract a segment of the black qi to study its properties, and then refine pills tailored to their condition. These people must be quarantined—separated into groups of those exposed and unexposed. I suspect it’s contagious.”
Ji You nodded. “Do whatever you need.”
With Ji You’s support, Yuan Chen set to work, using his alchemical skills to dispel the black qi from twelve children. However, the qi seemed to replenish itself after dispersal, filling the gaps like water seeping into cracks. The process repeated for hours, sweat dripping from Yuan Chen’s brow before he finally finished. The children’s faces regained some color, and those with milder symptoms even opened their eyes, their gazes filled with confusion.
The gravely ill boy, Qing Wa, had stopped sweating profusely and was breathing evenly once more. Seeing this miraculous turn of events, the refugees—desperate and impoverished as they were—hailed Yuan Chen as a divine healer.
Stunned by their reaction, Yuan Chen said nothing.
Meanwhile, Wei Rui, who had been nervously watching, finally let out a breath of relief. Realizing she had been clutching something tightly, she quickly released it, her face flushing as she turned away.
Kuang Cheng, standing nearby, stared at his hand in silence for a long time. “I think… I won’t wash this hand for a while.”
“?”
Wei Rui’s face turned crimson, and she bit her lip to stifle her laughter. Ji You, observing the exchange, couldn’t help but marvel. [Even a gentleman can be unexpectedly charming; it’s quite the fatal allure. I should try this when we visit the Spirit Sword Mountain tonight.]
…
Yuan Chen returned to Ji You’s side. “Brother-in-law, I’ve stabilized them. Tonight, I’ll begin refining pills.”
“What about the extracted black qi?” Ji You asked.
“It’s within me.”
Ji You frowned. “Isn’t that dangerous?”
Yuan Chen hesitated before replying, “It shouldn’t be. My pill energy shields me. If even I were in danger, the world would be doomed.”
“That’s too reckless. You should store it in Chu He instead.”
“Chu He?”
“A kind soul who gifted me a sword. He wouldn’t mind helping.”
Recognizing Ji You’s habitual nonsense, Yuan Chen shifted the topic. “This was fulfilling. Did you see their expressions? They looked at me like I was a savior.”
Ji You chuckled. “Did it ever cross your mind that when the Heavenly Dao bestowed the Immortal Cauldron upon you, it was so you could eradicate ailments for the common folk? Yet, you’ve strayed, focusing solely on making pills for cultivators.”
“?”