Yunxi sent a strand of divine sense into Ye Yuchen's meridians to examine the extent of his damaged dantian. What she found was that his dantian was riddled with countless cracks, varying in size, but there were no gaping holes. This was much better than the state she herself had once been in.
Right now, Ye Yuchen's dantian was like a teacup full of cracks. Pouring spiritual power into it would be like filling it with water, and the cup would likely shatter entirely. Every time a cultivator advanced to a higher realm, their dantian would expand under the pressure of spiritual energy to increase its storage capacity. If Ye Yuchen ever tried cultivating again, his dantian would collapse completely. That was why Ye Yirui had gone to such lengths to keep her younger brother sealed in ice.
Even though Ye Yirui constantly nourished him with her spiritual energy, Ye Yuchen's body had begun to decay. After all, he had only just formed his Foundation Establishment before sustaining this injury. A Foundation Establishment cultivator's lifespan was merely two hundred years. Ye Yirui must have been feeding him Vitality Pills to keep him alive this long, but three hundred years was already the limit. No wonder she was so desperate.
Yunxi's divine sense traveled through Ye Yuchen's meridians and body, preparing to withdraw. As she retracted her divine sense, her gaze landed on a blood-red gemstone ring worn on his right pinky finger. The next moment, fragments of images flashed rapidly before her eyes, as if dragging her back to the moment when she was undergoing her Divine Transformation Tribulation.
After three breaths, the visions vanished, but Yunxi's expression became complicated. She turned to look at Ye Yirui.
Ye Yirui's voice trembled as she asked, "Ran Xi Zūnzhě, is there any hope of repairing my brother's dantian?"
Yunxi waved her sleeve, sealing the ice coffin once more. Her tone was solemn. "Give me time to find a way."
Ye Yirui's eyes lit up instantly. In her mind, as long as Ran Xi Zūnzhě hadn't refused outright, there was hope of finding a solution other than the Genesis Azure Lotus. Tears welled in her eyes. This was her last straw to grasp; otherwise, she would have to watch her brother's body waste away until death.
When Yunxi left the secret chamber, she tossed Ye Yirui a storage pouch and instructed, "This is Rejuvenation Liquid I refined. It will restore your brother's body to youth. Soon, you must immerse him in the liquid and let him absorb its medicinal effects through his skin. Remember, it must be done gradually. Once his body stabilizes, he'll be able to handle the stronger medicine I will prepare."
"Yes. Thank you, Ran Xi Zūnzhě, for being willing to treat Yuchen," Ye Yirui said, her voice thick with emotion. She drew a deep breath to calm herself before continuing, "If Zūnzhě needs any spiritual plants for the medicine, please provide a list. I will do everything I can to find them."
Yunxi nodded. "Very well. There are a few ingredients I still need to consider. Once I've finalized the formula, I'll send you the list."
"No problem. Please send me a transmission talisman anytime," Ye Yirui said quickly.
She personally escorted Yunxi and Xun Kun to the guest courtyard, then hurried back to her own residence to attend to her brother's condition.
Inside the guest courtyard, Yunxi and Xun Kun sat at a jade table. Xun Kun finally asked, "Ran Xi Daoyou, are you confident in repairing Ye Yuchen's dantian?"
If she truly had such an ability, countless cultivators would seek her out in the future.
Yunxi took out a jug of spirit wine brewed with Snow Lily Blossoms from her storage ring, poured a cup for herself and Xun Kun, and said, "I'm not confident… but I must try."
Xun Kun didn't stand on ceremony. He lifted his cup, took a sip, and raised an eyebrow at her response. "You're not confident, yet you're willing to force yourself?"
At their current level, they were both Divine Transformation cultivators. No one would dare openly pressure them, so there was no reason to overextend themselves.
Yunxi drained her cup in one go, savoring the crisp taste and warmth spreading through her organs before speaking again. "When I underwent my tribulation, Heaven's Dao gave me a warning. If I don't help those siblings, they will become the sharpest blade in the hands of evil cultivators, and they will strike us down."
She was deeply exasperated. It felt like trouble never stopped coming, giving her no time to breathe. When she had been crossing her tribulation, those fleeting visions had been too quick for her to memorize. But earlier, when she saw the ruby ring on Ye Yuchen's finger, something clicked. The visions returned, clearer this time, and she had committed them to memory.
Among those visions was a man wearing that very ruby ring. He had destroyed Medicine King Valley, brutally killing Ye Chengbi. He slaughtered evil cultivators, but he didn't spare righteous cultivators either. He killed purely on a whim. Many elite disciples in Weiyu Realm perished at his hands.
That man cultivated evil techniques. Given Ye Yuchen's current state, Yunxi quickly deduced that evil cultivators had played a role in his condition.
Judging by today's events, Ye Yirui must have sought out evil cultivators out of desperation. With no other cure for her brother, she accepted their methods to allow him to cultivate again. But this choice inevitably tied the siblings to evil cultivators, making them targets of righteous cultivators in the future.
Ye Yuchen possessed an innate Dao Body. Whether he cultivated spiritual, demonic, or evil paths, his speed would be unmatched. That explained why he could one day dominate the battlefield.
His brutal killing of Ye Chengbi was likely driven by family grievances and Ye Chengbi's relentless schemes against them. Destroying Medicine King Valley might have been revenge against a sect that refused to aid them, pushing Ye Yirui to compromise with evil cultivators. In the end, they became outcasts hunted by all, and Ye Yuchen had no qualms about killing evil cultivators.
Later, when he turned on righteous cultivators, it was likely because Ye Yirui suffered under their hands—perhaps even perished by their blades. In all the fragmented visions, Yunxi never saw Ye Yirui again.
Consumed by rage, Ye Yuchen escalated the conflict between righteous and evil factions, switching sides at will, slaughtering indiscriminately, and plunging the Weiyu Realm into chaos.
Xun Kun set down his wine cup, his gaze sharp. "Ran Xi, we've already drawn enough attention after escaping that trapped Shanhe Scroll. If word spreads that you've created a medicine capable of repairing a shattered dantian, your troubles will multiply. Evil cultivators will certainly hunt you.
That giant hand that tried to seize Long Ya was conjured by an evil cultivator. They even temporarily blocked Heaven's Dao. That shows their power. You must proceed carefully."
Yunxi nodded gravely. No one in the cultivation world was truly foolish; everyone saw the truth, even if they didn't say it aloud.
"Xun Kun Daoyou, don't worry. I know how to handle this. But this means we'll need to adjust our plans. I may have to stay in Medicine King Valley for two more days. I can send you back to Huaxian Gate first."
Xun Kun grimaced but, after some thought, said, "Since we came together, I'll stay with you. Besides, I want to wait for news from Han Lian."