The Legendary Son-in-law of the Emperor Chapter 3 - 3 3 Dual Souls, The Apothecary Bows Down

When Ye Xuan and Zhao Yulong reached the Mystic Ice Cave Mansion, the sorrowful weeping of Zhou Bingyi echoed from within the walls.

“Auntie, how is Youwei doing?” Zhao Yulong entered the mansion first, his expression tight as he turned his gaze toward the breathtakingly beautiful woman resting on the bed.

Jiang Jing stood guard beside the bed, her features masked in utter solemnity, simply shaking her head without saying a word. Nearby, Zhou Bingyi sat quietly, her face streaked with tears as she peered anxiously at the figure on the bed. This sight instantly caused Zhao Yulong’s expression to darken.

A cluster of white-robed elders stood gathered by the bedside, their brows knit tightly in deep concern and gravity. “Junior Sister Jiang, the outlook is grim…” One of the elders finally spoke to Jiang Jing, his voice heavy with worry. “Youwei was born with the Mystic Ice Body, but now the Power of Intense Sun has surged within her, triggering a fatal fire poison. It is violently clashing against her Mystic Ice Power; this ice-and-fire discord makes her survival uncertain, and even if we manage to save her life, her entire cultivation will be utterly annihilated.”

“What?!” The collective expressions of everyone present twisted in shock and disbelief.

Ye Xuan stepped closer, his eyebrows arching slightly as he discreetly extended his soul thought to investigate. Beside him, Jiang Jing’s face turned corpse-pale, her inner peace shattered. She understood all too well what the loss of cultivation implied. In a world defined by raw power, one without such abilities is viewed as nothing more than refuse. Why had Ye Xuan been so despised in the past? It wasn't just because he had been considered a fool, but because he lacked any foundation of cultivation. Now that her own daughter, the esteemed Goddess Zhou Youwei of the Lie Tian Upper Country, was facing such a descent into uselessness, Jiang Jing found the reality impossible to stomach.

“Elder Wu, you are a Six-Star Alchemist; surely you must have a way to preserve Youwei’s cultivation?” Jiang Jing pleaded with the elder. The man in white looked pained and sighed, “Junior Sister Jiang, if there were any means to preserve her cultivation, I would willingly risk my own life to save her, but there is simply no alternative.”

Zhao Yulong’s face grew increasingly unpleasant; despite his supposed devotion to Zhou Youwei, the thought of her losing her cultivation turned her into an asset of no value in his eyes.

“What fire poison…” Ye Xuan spoke up, his tone measured as he examined the patient. “That is nonsensical.” It couldn't be denied that his new wife possessed a celestial beauty, a face so perfect it could topple empires. Her only current flaw was the paper-thin pallor stripping the color from those exquisite features, a sight that tugged at the heartstrings. His soul thought had already revealed the truth behind her collapse during meditation: she was not suffering from any fire poison, but rather from... Dual Souls.

The declaration left the entire room stunned. Zhao Yulong narrowed his eyes and sneered, “Ye Xuan, are you implying that Elder Wu’s diagnosis is flawed?”

Zhou Bingyi looked up, her eyes raw and wet with tears, glaring at Ye Xuan with open hostility. “My sister lies in this state because of her dedication, and you—a mere fool—dare to spout such idiocy? Why don’t you just drop dead? Don’t you realize she only entered seclusion to reach the Prince Realm so she could restore your broken mind? Now look at the result; you have your senses back, but my sister is on the verge of ruin!”

Jiang Jing felt a surge of distress and frustration. “Ye Xuan, stop your rambling!” she commanded, her regret over the marriage deepening. “Young man, you may eat whatever you like, but you must be careful with your words,” Elder Wu warned, his tone reeking of hostility. As a Six-Star Alchemist of the East Desolation Medicine Pavilion, he was one of the legendary few in the region; he could not fathom how this young pup dared to be so insolent in his presence.

Ye Xuan cast a cold glance at Wu Jingshan and replied, “How did someone so ignorant of the concept of Dual Souls even manage to become a Six-Star Alchemist?”

“Absurd! What even is Dual Souls? Since when is such nonsense a requirement for a Six-Star Alchemist?” Zhao Yulong mocked. Yet, upon hearing the term, Wu Jingshan went rigid. ‘Dual Souls… how could this brat know that?’ he wondered. ‘Did he encounter that same ancient text?’ Wu Jingshan grew increasingly suspicious, trying to determine if the boy was merely bluffing.

Noticing the uncertainty in the elder's eyes, Ye Xuan offered no further explanation. He simply stated with indifference, “Being ignorant is one thing, but you cannot even resolve your own hidden ailments, yet you still have the audacity to treat my wife?”

The room went deathly silent. “How dare you insult Elder Wu, Ye Xuan?!” Zhao Yulong feigned immense outrage, secretly thrilled that Ye Xuan was digging his own grave. Jiang Jing, trembling with fury, hissed, “Ye Xuan, get out!”

Unlike the others, Wu Jingshan’s pupils constricted violently as he looked at Ye Xuan in sheer disbelief—the boy had pinpointed his internal injury with terrifying accuracy. His demeanor shifted instantly. Trembling with newfound respect, he bowed low toward Ye Xuan. “It was I who was blind. My knowledge is shallow, and I failed to recognize the master before me. I offer my deepest apologies and beg you to intervene. I will accept any condition you set!”

This display left the onlookers aghast. “Elder Wu, don’t fall for his trick, he is just the village fool!” Zhao Yulong stammered. “Shut your mouth! Is a lowly scoundrel like you fit to insult a master?!” Wu Jingshan thundered with the potency of a dragon. Zhao Yulong shrank back, utterly humiliated and bewildered.

“Brother Wu, surely you are mistaken? He is just my son-in-law, Ye Xuan!” Jiang Jing interjected, hoping to clarify the situation. Wu Jingshan ignored her, his eyes fixed on Ye Xuan with total reverence. “Master, what are your thoughts?”

Ye Xuan shrugged dismissively. “Let’s stabilize Youwei first.” “Of course, of course,” Wu Jingshan said, stepping aside with a fawning smile.

Seeing this, Zhao Yulong tried one last time. “Aunt, I cannot trust this man with Youwei. Let me take her to the Luotian Sacred Land; our top alchemists will surely save her!”

“The East Desolation Medicine Pavilion possesses countless ancient texts, and even I, the Pavilion Master, have yet to master the secret of Dual Souls,” Wu Jingshan interjected coolly, looking at Zhao Yulong. “Do you honestly believe your people are superior to the Pavilion Master of the Medicine Pavilion?”

The implications hit them hard. Even the Pavilion Master of the Medicine Pavilion was stuck? The weight of reality dawned on Jiang Jing. Her gaze lingered on Ye Xuan, filled with a complex mix of emotions. She finally swallowed her pride. “Ye Xuan, I was wrong. I beg you—please, for the sake of my daughter, use your skills to heal her. Ask for anything, and it shall be yours…”

Before she could finish, Ye Xuan impatiently snapped, “Shut up.” He looked down at his wife, thinking to himself that this woman was truly an exceptional find.