Chapter 1374: Wang Mu
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
Although the elder seemed to treat the matter lightly, Yi Yun could sense his sadness. His breathing was even shaking slightly.
His son was originally treated by the Martial Numinous clan, but they eventually deemed his condition untreatable and sent him home. Clearly, they had given up on him.
Upon coming to this realization, Yi Yun could not help but scan Xiaoxiao's father again. He sensed a tinge of helplessness and pangs of reality.
The Martial Numinous clan had once favored him because of his talent. When he lost his worth, they naturally abandoned him. When that happened, his family could only carry his motionless body back home and take care of him silently. However, what could an old man and a child do? All they could do was tend to him fruitlessly and wait in despair for his death.
"Old Sir, let me see if I can help."
Yi Yun stood up. His alchemical skills weren't entirely suited to treating medical illnesses but it was better than nothing. He was bound to come up with some sort of solution.
The elder shook his head and said, "Sir, thank you for your good intentions. But if he truly was treatable, the Martial Numinous clan would have healed him long ago. However, the Martial Numinous clan's doctors were helpless."
The elder did not believe that Yi Yun had such abilities. But having spent the last couple of years suffering, he still had hope. It was the reason why he brought Yi Yun to his house.
"This is my son. His name is Wang Mu."
The elder wiped Wang Mu's face. The young man on the bed was frail and did not appear like he could last even a few more months.
Yi Yun noticed that Wang Mu's veins slightly protruded along his arteries and the corners of his eyes. It seemed like he was experiencing excruciating pain even in his unconsciousness.
Yi Yun observed Wang Mu's dantian and examined his body for a long while with his perception. Wang Mu's meridians had eroded, and there were certain areas along his meridians that had tiny blue spots. They were hardly detectable without close scrutiny.
"Oh?"
Upon seeing the blue spots, Yi Yun's brows knitted together.
This is…
Yi Yun thought of something. He carefully compared the spots on Wang Mu's meridians to the records in the divine alchemist's notes.
"Blue Shadow Grass…" muttered Yi Yun.
"What?"
"A rare herb that can be used in medicine. As it is hard to find, it is extremely expensive. Blue Shadow Grass can be ground into a liquid and mixed with Deathroot Gravel, forming a lethal poison. After consuming it, a person will be tormented for several years, slowly causing their death…"
"This kind of poison is very unpopular. Very few people would use it. Also it's difficult to diagnose in the beginning. Only when the victim is about to die do the obvious symptoms appear. These symptoms include blue spots on the withered meridians, which is what your son is presently showing…" said Yi Yun with a heavy expression. The records of the Blue Shadow Grass in the divine alchemist's manual mainly described the dosage and effects. It lacked a long or detailed description of its poisonous properties as it was very rarely used.
He never expected that the young man he encountered here would be inflicted with the Blue Shadow Grass and Deathroot Gravel poison.
"Poisoned… you are telling me he was poisoned…"
Upon hearing Yi Yun's words, the elder was instantly stunned. His son had encountered a mishap while out on experiential training, that was what he was told. Although it was possible that he had been stabbed by a weapon infused with poison, that did not appear to be the case according to Yi Yun's description.
Yi Yun said, "This sort of poison is extremely expensive. It has two unique features. One of them is its undetectability. It's very difficult to notice it in the early stages. The second feature is the torment… The victim will experience an unimaginable torture. Most people would not use such a poison unless it were to settle a deep vendetta. And even if it's used, the actual act of poisoning requires time, such as using it as a perfume that is very subtle…"
Yi Yun sighed. Actually, when he discovered that the poison was a mix between Blue Shadow Grass and Deathroot Gravel, he knew immediately that the old man's son had not been injured because of some training accident. Instead, he had succumbed to underhanded means by someone close to him.
"Subtle…"
When the old man heard that word, his heart palpitated. His son had been harmed while in the sect. Why? Why did this happen!?
He recalled the period when Wang Mu practiced martial arts arduously in his youth, striking a column until his fists were bloodied. Wang Mu would risk his life for a mere herb. As he staggered down his path, he eventually made a name for himself and entered the Martial Numinous clan. No one could have guessed that, just as his martial dream was fulfilled, he would be harmed by his fellow disciples.
Upon realizing this, the elder felt his heart wince in pain. Tears streamed down his face.
"Young Master, can… can you save my son…" the old man asked with a trembling voice. He knew that his request was overly demanding. All he could give Yi Yun was an Entry Pass.
"It's very difficult." Yi Yun pondered. "Although I can concoct the medicine, I'm not certain I can find the needed herbs. Besides, he has been poisoned for too long. Even if he was cured of his poison, it would be difficult for him to return to his former self."
Wang Mu's meridians had eroded and he had been bedridden for a long time. Restoring him would require large amounts of treasured herbs and a long recuperative period. Yi Yun did not believe that Wang Mu was able to afford that.
"I know. I was just asking on the off chance. I'm sorry I troubled you, Young Master."
The elder sighed. That was probably fate. His son was suddenly reduced to this state after entering a large sect. But what else could he do? It was not even possible to seek redress. This was the plight of weaklings.
Yi Yun did not know what to say. But at that moment, the young girl beside the old man plopped to the ground on her knees.
"Young Master, please save my father. We just need him to wake up. There's no need to restore him to his former self. All I want is for him to wake up and be able to take care of me. All I have is my grandfather and father. Besides, we can't live like this any longer. This house and the tea shop are about to be repossessed. We… We…"
As the girl spoke, her eyes were filled with tears. Her voice also changed from her sniffling. "Young Master, as long as you are willing to save my dad, I'm willing to do anything to repay you."
"Your house is going to be repossessed?" Yi Yun frowned. "Isn't this house your father's private property?"
The girl weeped and said, "It was… But ever since my father fell ill, they claimed that it wasn't. They said that the Martial Numinous clan had only leased it out to Father. Besides, when my father was cultivating in the past, he had spent a lot of the clan's resources. He had also used a sizable amount of medicine while he was ill. They said that even the house is completely insufficient to make up for what we owe them."
"This is truly the superficiality of human relationships…"
Yi Yun shook his head. He refused to believe that the upper echelons of the Martial Numinous clan would be eyeing this house. It was impossible they would concern themselves with Wang Mu's properties.
However, there were many thieves in the Martial Numinous clan. To them, bullying an orphan and elder was extremely easy. And without Wang Mu, the upper echelons of the Martial Numinous clan would definitely ignore their outcome.
Yi Yun sighed and helped the girl up. He asked, "I'll attempt to awaken your father. However, I cannot guarantee anything. By the way, what happened to your mother?"
According to what the elder had said, the girl's mother was also a disciple of the Martial Numinous clan. Why wasn't she taking care of the two of them?
"My mother… She… seems to have… abandoned me."
When the girl said that, she could no longer stop the flood of tears. Her body trembled as she cried silently.
"She has abandoned you?"
Yi Yun was alarmed. Could there be such a heartless mother? She didn't even want her own daughter and even allowed her to be bullied?
"Young Master Lian, my daughter-in-law, has not appeared ever since my son fell ill. If I had to say, she's a fine lady and still rather young. It's only right for her to marry again. I can't criticize her choices there. But for her to not even come and shown any concern… She has even ignored Xiaoxiao. I was originally worried that she had matters that she could not extricate herself from so I asked around. But a few months ago, people from the Martial Numinous clan came to me and demanded we give up the house. I asked them about her and was mocked. Only then did I discover that my daughter-in-law is about to have a grand wedding. Her wedding will be in about two weeks. Now that I think of it, calling her my daughter-in-law at this point is quite laughable…"
The elder's words made one's heart wince in pain.
"Wedding…"
Yi Yun frowned when he heard that word. She was having her wedding before Wang Mu was even dead?
From the instant the Martial Numinous clan abandoned Wang Mu, allowing the elder to bring him home, she had not visited him at all. She didn't even care for her daughter. She allowed the duo to be bullied. It was not something even a person with a steel heart would do.
On further thought, Yi Yun thought of something that appalled him. Wang Mu's wife slept beside him. If she had been the one who poisoned him…
However, why would Wang Mu's wife kill her husband? If she did not like him, why did she marry him in the first place? Also, why did she bear his child after their marriage? When it came to warriors, they could seal their meridians if they did not wish to become pregnant.
Yi Yun found many aspects of the matter puzzling. Yi Yun even felt that Wang Mu's predicament likely had something to do with the woman.
If he could awaken Wang Mu, perhaps he could obtain some explanations…
Yi Yun looked at Wang Mu and found his situation extremely challenging. It was not easy to awaken him considering the lack of herbs.
All he could do was give it a try…