Yunxi smiled. "Ye Yirui, have you ever considered leaving Medicine King Valley and becoming a true successor of Yixian Gate?"
The proposal stunned Ye Yirui. She had never thought about leaving Medicine King Valley. It was her birthplace, full of memories. For a moment, she did not know how to answer.
"No need to rush. You can take your time," Yunxi said. "If you do not wish to leave Medicine King Valley, then become its true Valley Master. One day, you will have the chance to repay this favor to me."
Yunxi truly meant to poach her. Although Yunxi bore Yixian Gate's inheritance and had promised never to let that legacy die, her own advancement had been too swift. The constant clashes with evil cultivators left her no time or energy to train a disciple. So her thoughts had turned to the siblings, Ye Yirui and Ye Yuchen.
Yunxi had once planned to cooperate with Dan Peak's Master, handing half of Yixian Gate's inheritance to the sect. But that peak master excelled at pill refining and had less talent for medicinal craft. Yunxi still wanted to cultivate a successor personally.
Plans could not keep up with change. She was forever locked in a struggle with evil cultivators. After witnessing the elders' factional strife in Medicine King Valley, the idea of "poaching" surfaced again.
Ye Yirui was a rightful heir of Medicine King Valley with no small gift for alchemy, or she would never have refined the long-lost Soul Restoration Pill. Yet Ye Chengbi's self-destruction had dragged her down, costing her support and giving the ambitious a pretext to attack. Life in the valley would only grow harder for her.
As for Ye Yuchen, once his dantian was repaired, his talent would let him soar. If Yunxi could draw him to Haoran Sect, that would be stockpiling genius in advance. The siblings would not want to be separated. If one left Medicine King Valley, the other would likely follow. The premise, however, was that Yunxi had to fix Ye Yuchen's dantian.
Realizing Yunxi was not forcing her to leave, Ye Yirui felt relieved. She decided to repay this kindness after her younger brother could cultivate again.
Back at the guest courtyard, Ye Yirui set the ice coffin in the cultivation room and took her leave with a respectful bow. She was worried, but they had come this far. All she could do was pray Ye Yuchen's dantian would be restored smoothly.
For caution's sake, Yunxi brought out the Hong Energy Shield. Once it enveloped the cultivation room, she waved her sleeve and took out the high-grade medical pod from her space, placing it beside the ice coffin. With another gesture, she transferred Ye Yuchen into the pod, poured in the prepared regenerative fluid, closed the lid, and pressed the start rune to initiate the treatment.
When everything was ready, Yunxi sat cross-legged on a cushion, monitoring the pod while taking out a blank jade slip to record the therapy's progress.
Three days later, the pod completed its cycle and opened with a soft hiss. Yunxi flashed forward, moved Ye Yuchen back into the ice coffin, and stored the pod away.
She sent a strand of spiritual power into Ye Yuchen's body to inspect the repaired dantian. The corners of her lips lifted. The high-grade pod had worked well. She sent a transmission talisman to Ye Yirui, then withdrew the Hong Energy Shield.
Before Ye Yirui arrived, Ye Yuchen's eyes slowly opened. Rage and unwillingness still lingered in his gaze, and the spiritual power around him fluctuated chaotically. Yunxi arched a brow and flicked a calming seal, soothing his rampaging energy for the time being.
Ye Yuchen saw her and frowned. "Who are you? Where am I?"
Because he had not spoken for a long time, his voice was low and hoarse, his words halting.
Yunxi's tone was even. "I am Haoran Sect's Ran Xi. Ye Yirui invited me to repair your dantian. See for yourself if it is intact."
Ye Yuchen stared at Yunxi for a beat, then closed his eyes to inspect within. A moment later, his eyes flew open. His dantian was truly restored.
"My sister…"
Before he could finish, Ye Yirui stepped into the cultivation room. Seeing her brother awake, her eyes shone brilliantly. She held back tears and asked, "Xiao Chen, are you all right?"
Regaining control over his body, Ye Yuchen slowly sat up from the ice coffin. "Sis, I am fine. I have troubled you."
Once Ye Yirui confirmed he was truly awake, she hurried to the coffin and gripped his hand tightly.
Yunxi left the space to the siblings. Exiting the cultivation room, she went to find Xun Kun. It was time for them to depart. They were a few days late, but they could still catch Jihan Gate's flying boat.
When Ye Yirui rushed into the courtyard earlier, Xun Kun had noticed Yunxi retract the barrier. Before Yunxi could tap the restriction, he stepped out.
"Ran Xi, you are finished here. Shall we set out?"
"Yes. Let's go."
The two vanished from the guest courtyard of Medicine King Valley.
By the time Ye Yirui received Ran Xi's parting transmission, the two Zūnzhě were nowhere to be found.
Ye Yuchen walked out of the cultivation room. "Sis, there is a long road ahead. We will have our chance to repay Ran Xi Zūnzhě."
Ye Yirui nodded and turned to support her brother.
Ye Yuchen said quietly, "Sis, do not spread news of my repaired dantian. Take me to Ye Ancestor first."
"Good. That was my plan as well. Medicine King Valley is in turmoil. Ye Chengbi is dead. I am cleaning up the mess he left behind."
"Ye Chengbi is dead?" Ye Yuchen was surprised.
"Yes. He colluded with evil cultivators, went to Huaxian Gate to test Ran Xi Zūnzhě, and even poisoned Kunmo Sect disciples. Xun Kun Zūnzhě investigated and came to demand justice.
In the end, he was soul-searched in front of Ancestor. Only then did I learn that Father also died to his schemes. Your dantian injury had his hand in it as well. He wanted to seize your innate Dao Body. Because your wounds were too severe, he failed."
Light flickered in Ye Yuchen's eyes. He murmured, "It is different now. Everything has changed."
"What has changed?"
Ye Yuchen quickly returned to himself. "I mean Medicine King Valley has changed. It is not the same as when Father was here. It is frighteningly unfamiliar."
"All of it was that turncoat Ye Chengbi's doing," Ye Yirui said through clenched teeth. "He bargained with tigers, letting evil cultivators infiltrate the valley. Death was too cheap for him."
She had personally carried out the purge and knew exactly what Ye Chengbi had done, which made her hate him all the more. The only so-called relative had stabbed them in the back, his ambition used to the fullest by evil cultivators.
Ye Yuchen said in a low voice, "Sis, I have slept too long. Tell me everything that happened in the last fifty years. I want to know."
"All right."
Ye Yirui swept her sleeve and carried her brother out of the courtyard.
Elsewhere, Yunxi and Xun Kun tore through space and, in the shortest time, appeared above Jihan Gate's flying boat.