Chapter 261: Less than Two Years of Lifespan

Ye Changqing looked at the young Alchemist before him and felt an inexplicable wave of kinship, as if he had seen him somewhere before, but he couldn’t be certain. However, this feeling of closeness also made him develop a fondness for the young man.

Ye Changqing sat down opposite Ye Qingchen, a wide smile on his dark, weathered face. "Young man," he said, "please take a look at me. Lately, I’ve been feeling a persistent ache all over my body, but I don’t know why."

Ye Qingchen fought back the tears that threatened to spill. He didn’t dare say a word to the father he had longed to see, even in his dreams.

If I speak, my tears will fall uncontrollably, and someone will realize something is wrong.

Ye Qingchen took his father’s arm and began to take his pulse.

Based on his aura alone, it was clear that Ye Changqing was heavily tainted by mine poison, which made his aura unstable. But after taking his pulse, Ye Qingchen realized his father’s condition was far worse than he had ever imagined.

He discovered that due to prolonged torment and the erosion of his meridians by the mine poison, his father’s lifespan was almost completely exhausted. According to his estimations, if his father’s condition was not treated promptly, he had at most two more years to live.

Ye Qingchen’s nose stung. Only his formidable willpower kept him from collapsing to his knees before his father.

His father would never have ended up in this state if he hadn’t risked going to the Qingyun Mountains to find an Ironwood Soul Flower for his son’s Martial Soul. Ye Qingchen had a strong feeling that the only reason his father had persisted until now was because he couldn’t bear to leave him behind, struggling desperately to stay alive just to be reunited with his son.

But now, though father and son had finally met, they could not acknowledge each other. Such agony was beyond the comprehension of anyone else.

Ye Qingchen released his Spiritual Energy, cautiously nourishing Ye Changqing’s meridians. Given his father’s dire condition, Ye Qingchen didn’t dare to remove the mine poison directly. He decided to first use his Spiritual Energy to heal his father’s meridians and bones before attempting to expel the poison.

Although this method is time-consuming and a great risk to myself, for Father, it’s all worth it.

After an hour of nurturing the meridians, Ye Qingchen finally began to try and eliminate the mine poison.

Mine poison differed from Fire Poison. Fire Poison was a result of compressed Fire Attribute Spirit Qi, whereas mine poison was caused by long-term exposure to mutated Spiritual Energy in a damp, dark environment. The two were fundamentally different.

That was why Ye Qingchen was so cautious. He chose not to use the Fen Tian Earth Fire, employing the gentler Ancient Jade Spiritual Fire to slowly refine the mine poison in his father’s body instead. The Ancient Jade Spiritual Fire was milder than the Fen Tian Earth Fire, making it the best choice for Ye Changqing, who was so grievously ill.

After four hours of treatment, Ye Qingchen realized his father’s body had reached its limit, so he quickly stopped the refinement of the mine poison.

Ye Changqing slowly awoke, feeling an incredible lightness in his body. He was overjoyed.

As long as I can live a few more days, I’ll eventually have a chance to escape Dragon Tiger Mountain and reunite with my son!

Just as Ye Changqing was getting up to leave, Ye Qingchen stood and grabbed his sleeve.

Ye Changqing looked at Ye Qingchen in confusion.

What is this Alchemist, the one I feel such an affinity for, doing?

Ye Qingchen felt his actions were a bit forward, but since he had already grabbed his father’s sleeve, he had no choice but to speak. "Um... I noticed you still have some surface wounds. Why don’t I heal those for you as well?"

Ye Changqing was surprised. In all his years on Dragon Tiger Mountain, he had met many Alchemists who came to dispel the miners’ poison, but every single one of them was impatient and disdainful. Some even looked at the miners with contempt. He had never before seen an Alchemist like Ye Qingchen, who would proactively stop a miner and offer to heal his wounds.

Ye Changqing was about to refuse, but he was moved by the sincerity in Ye Qingchen’s eyes. As if guided by some unseen force, he sat back down.

What Ye Qingchen didn’t know was that while Dragon Tiger Mountain provided treatment for the miners, it was strictly timed. The daily work quota was not reduced for those who sought healing. The longer he was delayed here, the more work he would miss. Upon returning, Ye Changqing would have to work through the night to catch up. Otherwise, he would face a beating from the Mine Guards.

Time was therefore incredibly precious to the miners. This was why, in all his years here, Ye Changqing had never allowed an Alchemist to treat his surface wounds. If he returned late, not only would his quota be docked, but he would also suffer a brutal beating from the Mine Guards, causing his freshly healed injuries to reopen.

But even so, Ye Changqing sat back down.

Whatever punishment I face when I return, this is worth it!

At Ye Qingchen’s gesture, Ye Changqing slowly took off his outer garment. When Ye Qingchen saw the horrifying scars covering his father’s body, his heart ached with an unspeakable sorrow.

What kind of torture and abuse must he have endured to end up like this?

In his memories, Ye Changqing was tall and straight-backed, a man of immense strength. To his younger self, his father had been a perfect hero.

But now, his father was a hunchbacked, dark-skinned miner covered in scars, his very life force on the verge of fading away.

An impulse washed over Ye Qingchen—to rescue his father immediately, take him home, and let him live out his remaining years in peace. In the end, however, he suppressed the urge, forcing the thought from his mind.

Ye Qingchen took a Spirit Pill from his robes. When his Dual Pupil Martial Soul confirmed no one was watching, he quietly handed the pill to his father and gave him a slight wink.

Ye Changqing understood and quickly swallowed the Spirit Pill. Ye Qingchen then resumed channeling Spiritual Energy into his body.

Another hour passed. The miners waiting in line behind Ye Changqing grew impatient, muttering under their breath.

Ye Changqing felt a little embarrassed. It wasn’t often that an Alchemist came to dispel poison, and he had taken up so much time. Another miner might not get their turn now, missing their chance for treatment. They would not only go unhealed but also fall behind on their work—a loss too great to bear.

"Young man, my injuries are almost healed. Thank you so much. I have to get back to work now!"

Ye Changqing stood up and gave Ye Qingchen a grateful smile.