Liang Xiong looked at Liang Fei with relief, then turned back to Ye Qingchen and asked, "May I ask, Mr. Chen, what exactly do the Gu worms in my wifeâs body do once they have entered?"
Ye Qingchen pondered for a moment before replying, "Leader Liang, these worms are extremely vicious. Once they enter a personâs body, they take root in the meridians and continuously sap the hostâs Essence Blood and Yang energy. Eventually, the host will be tortured to death."
Hearing this, Liang Xiong was outraged. Thinking of the torment Xiao Ruoli must have endured, his heart ached for her.
Ye Qingchen continued, "Leader Liang, the person who placed the Gu in your esteemed wife must be someone extremely close to her. Forgive my frankness, but it would be best for you to investigate those around you."
Liang Xiong nodded thoughtfully, already suspecting who might have committed such an act. At that moment, the other Pill Kings in the room approached Ye Qingchen, bowing to apologize.
Ye Qingchen shook his head with a smile and said casually, "Esteemed Masters, let us not dwell on the past. Though Iâm not particularly talented, I have opened a Pill Pavilion in Illusory Moon City. If you have the time, feel free to visit me there, and we can discuss the Alchemy Dao together." In fact, before leaving Illusory Moon City, Ye Qingchen had already discussed opening a separate Pill Pavilion with Qin Yue. After all, he was about to engage in a life-or-death struggle with the Three-Star Sect and didnât want to implicate the Rising Sun Pavilion. After some persuasion, Qin Yue agreed and arranged for her subordinates to begin preparations. Although Ye Qingchen was starting a new venture, he still intended for Qin Yue to manage the operations. By inviting these Pill Kings now, he hoped their comings and goings would attract attention. When outsiders saw so many Pill Kings frequenting his establishment, its reputation would naturally soar.
The Pill Kings were overjoyed upon hearing Ye Qingchenâs words. The medical skill he had displayed earlier had already proven his strength in the Alchemy Dao. Being able to discuss medical arts with Ye Qingchen would be of great benefit to their own cultivation of the Alchemy Dao. Thus, the Pill Kings gladly accepted his invitation, some even willing to head over with him right then and there.
At this moment, Liang Xiong interrupted. Cupping his fists toward the crowd, he said, "Esteemed Pill Kings, Mr. Chen is my wifeâs savior. I, Liang, made a promise that whoever cured my wifeâs illness would be granted an opportunity to gain enlightenment before the Wordless Jade Bi. I cannot go back on my word."
The Pill Kings laughed heartily at Liang Xiongâs words. They then told Ye Qingchen they would certainly visit him in Illusory Moon City once he emerged from his seclusion. Subsequently, the Pill Kings took their leave from Liang Xiong.
At this point, Liang Fei ran up to Ye Qingchen excitedly. "I didnât expect your medical skills to be so amazing," he exclaimed. "No wonder you have such great luck with women."
Ye Qingchen was speechless.
Was Liang Fei complimenting me or trying to get me in trouble by saying that in front of Qin Yue?
However, Qin Yue trusted Ye Qingchenâs character, so she didnât think much of it.
Ye Qingchen seemed to remember something. He took several Spirit Pills from his storage ring and handed them to Liang Fei, saying, "Your mother is still very weak. These Spirit Pills can help her recover quickly."
Liang Xiong and Liang Fei both expressed their thanks, after which Liang Xiong led Ye Qingchen to the Wordless Jade Bi.
The Wordless Jade Bi was located in the mountains behind Thunder Valley. The path from the foot of the mountain to the summit was less than two thousand meters long, yet it was protected by a staggering seven guard posts. These were just the visible sentries; it was impossible to know how many hidden lookouts were also stationed there. This alone revealed just how much importance Thunder Valley placed on the Wordless Jade Bi. Ye Qingchen followed Liang Xiong toward the summit and encountered no obstructions, but he had no doubt that if he had tried to force his way through, he would have been immediately surrounded and captured by Thunder Valleyâs experts.
Eventually, Liang Xiong brought Ye Qingchen to the entrance of a cave. From the outside, the cave didnât seem particularly special, but its entrance was guarded by two of Thunder Valleyâs Elders, both at the Martial King Realm.
With a profound gaze, Liang Xiong looked into the cave and began his explanation. "Mr. Chen, although the Wordless Jade Bi is exceptional, the time each person has to comprehend it is quite limited. If, while facing the Wordless Jade Bi, you feel your Soul Power being suppressed and repelled, you must not force it. Be sure to leave the Wordless Jade Biâs presence immediately to avoid injury."
Ye Qingchen nodded. Liang Xiongâs solemn tone made it clear he wasnât just fearmongering. Besides, Ye Qingchen wasnât a greedy person. He knew that if he couldnât withstand the pressure from the Wordless Jade Bi, he would naturally retreat.
After giving a few more instructions, Liang Xiong took a Token from his robes and handed it to the two guarding Elders. After verifying the Token, each of them used a Secret Technique to undo the seal on the cave entrance.
Ye Qingchen bowed to Liang Xiong in farewell, then stepped directly into the cave.
The moment he entered, he felt the cave entrance seal shut behind him. Although he could still see outside, his Spiritual Energy and Soul Power could no longer sense the world beyond the entrance.
This must be an isolation Formation set up by Thunder Valley to prevent any secrets of the Wordless Jade Bi from getting out,
he thought with a frown.
Without hesitation, he continued deeper into the cave. The path inside was winding and twisting. Some passages were so narrow that he had to turn sideways to squeeze through.
With Liang Feiâs portly figure, heâd probably have a hard time reaching the deepest part of this cave,
he thought mischievously.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, Ye Qingchen finally stopped before a jade bi. It emitted a gentle green glow that illuminated the cave as if it were daylight. He stared at the smooth jade bi and noticed that, aside from its luminescence, it looked no different from an ordinary piece of jade.
Knowing this was the legendary Wordless Jade Bi, Ye Qingchen sat down cross-legged and, following Liang Xiongâs instructions, began to attune himself to it. He extended his Soul Power into the jade bi. The green light on its surface began to coalesce around him, slowly entering his body.
As the green light flowed into him, various images began to appear in his sea of consciousness. As he carefully perceived them, he was thrilled to discover they were scenes of himself practicing various Martial Techniques. He was observing these scenes from a godâs-eye view! Even more miraculously, he could change the distance and angle of these images with a mere thought.