C3 Opening the Acupoint
"I feel as though I've finally come to my senses."
Yu Yuan narrowed his eyes, massaging his forehead with one hand as he mused, "It seems as though the past few years were a prolonged nightmare. It's only now that I've truly awakened from that dream. Tell me, what was I like before?"
The three souls of heaven, earth, and man are the very essence of humanity and are crucial to the future pursuit of the Way of Heaven. The earthly soul, which holds memories, undergoes rigorous cultivation and eventually transforms into the Lunar Spirit upon reaching Subtlety. The heaven soul, upon awakening intelligence and following the earthly soul's evolution, undergoes its own metamorphosis to become the Solar Spirit. The mortal soul, also known as the lifesoul or dominant soul, can only coalesce into the primordial spirit at the zenith of the Way of Heaven, after the Lunar and Solar Spirits have been realized.
The Lunar Spirit represents the ethereal, the Solar Spirit the tangible, and the primordial spirit is eternal and indestructible. With the recent return of his earthly and heaven souls, Yu Yuan lacked a clear recollection of his previous life's experiences. He needed the assistance of the purple-clad maid before him to unravel the mysteries of his past.
He was also eager to understand his current identity and circumstances.
"Young Master, you are the scion of the Yu family. You were once naive, but you had a good heart. Sadly, there are many who wish you harm..."
Ann Ziqing, having just introduced herself, eagerly shared with Yu Yuan everything she knew. Throughout their conversation, Yu Yuan would occasionally interject, seeking clarity on certain peculiar events. It took them the better part of the morning, but eventually, Yu Yuan gained a general understanding of who he was in this life, the situation he found himself in, the amount of slander he had endured, and the contempt he had faced from others.
"Aetherius, the Silvermoon Empire, the Yu family, Young Master, a betrothed who wishes for my demise, a malevolent servant plotting against me..."
New memories flowed like unseen streams of light into the earthly soul within his mind, blending seamlessly with the experiences of his past life, becoming indistinguishable from one another.
The Yu family was but a modest clan within the Silvermoon Empire, cultivating medicinal herbs and primarily supplying them to the Su family of the Empire.
The Su family holds the distinction of being the second most powerful clan within the Empire, boasting true herbalists among their ranks. The Empire's soldiers and cultivators rely heavily on the spiritual herbs and pills crafted by the Su family.
Several families within the Silvermoon Empire, much like the Yu family, supply the Su family with spiritual and medicinal herbs. Moreover, the Su family procures vast quantities of medicinal herbs from other empires across the Aetherius Continent, all for the purpose of refining pills.
In his past life, Yu Yuan, who led the Order of Healing in the Land of Quiescence, was well aware of the esteemed status of a herbalist and the extensive nature of the alchemical arts.
The Yu family merely occupied the lowest rung in the expansive alchemical industry.
"My parents?"
"Young Master, shortly after your birth, it was believed that your seven apertures had not opened, as you were unable to speak. Your parents embarked on a quest to find a Spirit Elixir to awaken your senses, but it is rumored they perished in the Frozen Hellscape. The patriarch was deeply struck by this tragedy. In Asvetaesi City, the Huang family, long-time adversaries of the Yu family, seized the opportunity to oppress us and even brought in a master to shatter the patriarch's knees."
"Since then, the Yu family has struggled to regain its footing, and the patriarch has lost all hope."
"Your betrothed arrived three months ago and managed to keep the Huang family at bay, preventing them from acting recklessly. We had hoped that this misfortune might turn into a blessing for the Yu family, but it turned out she harbored ill intentions as well. Her malevolent servant, Yin Jue, soon showed his true colors, revealing his plot to seize the Celestial Ice Crystal."
"Alas, Young Master, your life has been fraught with hardship..."
Ann Ziqing's voice trembled with emotion, and tears welled up in her eyes as she discreetly dabbed at them.
Yu Yuan's eyes narrowed, his expression stoic, but a chill crept into his gaze.
He had not anticipated facing such a multitude of injustices and calamities in this lifetime. His very existence had led to the demise of his parents and brought shame upon his family.
In his previous life, he was an orphan, taken in by the Order of Healing and dedicating his life to the Way of Alchemy. The bonds of family, those so-called kinships, were something he had never truly known.
With the heaven soul and earthly soul back in place and my meridians flowing freely, it means that in this life, I have endless possibilities! Beyond the art of alchemy, I still harbor hopes of reaching the pinnacle of the Way of Heaven!
I will make sure to fulfill all the regrets from my past life in this one!
Yu Yuan, despite facing numerous challenges, was far from disheartened; instead, he was brimming with vigor and ready to take action.
The door creaked open, and Ning Ji, looking utterly defeated, barged in to verify Yu Yuan's fate one last time, hoping to resolve the lingering concern of an old friend.
"Mr. Yu!"
After a moment of stunned silence, Ning Ji couldn't help but exclaim in a high-pitched voice, "You, how are you still alive? This is impossible! When I left, your mortal soul was nearly dissipated!"
"Thank you for deploying the Invocation Circle and reviving my other two souls, allowing me to truly awaken," Yu Yuan said as he rose and bowed deeply, his words filled with sincere gratitude.
"Ah!" Ning Ji yelped again, pointing at Yu Yuan and stammering, "Your earthly soul and heaven soul are intact?"
Yu Yuan nodded, his smile conveying affirmation.
Ning Ji was struck dumb.
He was well aware that the rune circle he had set up with the four Wraithbanners was nothing more than a desperate measure, one that hadn't even managed to prevent the dissipation of Yu Yuan's mortal soul, let alone the possibility of awakening the earthly soul and heaven soul.
After all, he had no real power to refine those Wraithbanners.
Yet there stood Yu Yuan, with eyes clear and spirited, his gaze shining with the brilliance of a complete trio of souls, a sign of burgeoning wisdom.
"Where is my grandfather? Why hasn't he come?" Yu Yuan asked, puzzled, "Could it be that he can't bear to face my death?"
"Yes, where is the old gentleman?" Ann Ziqing, having wiped her tears, forced a radiant smile and said, "It's wonderful news that the young master has truly 'awakened.' I must tell him right away!"
Ning Ji's gaze dimmed, "He may not be able to receive this news immediately."
"Why?" Yu Yuan's brow furrowed.
"This morning when I went to see him, I learned that he had fallen into a feverish coma after returning home last night. I checked his pulse, and it seemed to be just an ordinary fever," Ning Ji said, clearly perplexed, "The injuries he sustained yesterday were mostly healed. By all accounts, he shouldn't have succumbed to a coma from a mere chill."
"Leave the old home, take me back to the city!"
...
An hour later.
In Asvetaesi, to the north, within the Yu family estate.
In the ancestral home of the Yu family, several relatives gathered around Yu Cen's bedside, their faces etched with worry and their sighs filling the room.
"It must be because Yuan's soul has departed. The old master couldn't withstand such a blow, which is why he's fallen into a feverish coma."
"Ah, it's no surprise that our eldest uncle is struggling. Without Yuan leaving any offspring, does this not signify the end of our eldest uncle's lineage?"
"With Yuan gone, his engagement to the Lin family's daughter is nullified, right? Once he's disassociated from our family, we'll have no ties to her, and the Huang family will likely seize the opportunity to cause us trouble."
"With the old master unconscious, our family lacks a leader. What are we to do?"
The Yu family members were abuzz with concern, sensing that their family might soon face ruin.
"Fear not, my uncles. If Grandfather remains asleep, I shall be the pillar of the Yu family!"
A voice, strong and clear, suddenly rang out from outside the pavilion, and a poised young man strode in with confidence.
"You, who are you?"
Yu Wei looked on in astonishment, unable to immediately recognize Yu Yuan.
The man before them was the same, yet Yu Yuan now radiated vitality. His eyes sparkled with intelligence, and his demeanor had undergone a transformation so profound it was as if he had been reborn.
Not just Yu Wei, but the other Yu family members struggled to reconcile the figure before them with the "foolish child" they remembered.
"My uncles, it is I, Yu Yuan. I have returned, having narrowly escaped death," Yu Yuan declared.
"Ah!"
"You're Yu Yuan? You're alive?"
"You can speak so clearly now?"
"What has happened to you?"
The Yu family members exclaimed in disbelief.
Ning Ji and Ann Ziqing then came into view, and amidst the astonished stares of the Yu family, they explained that Yu Yuan had overcome great adversity. His earthly soul and heaven soul, long dormant, had been roused, allowing him to fully emerge as a normal person.
The pavilion erupted into a cacophony of heated debate.
Yu Yuan's uncles scrutinized him with suspicion. Some doubted Ning Ji's words, others questioned whether the Yu Yuan before them was an imposter, and a few even wondered if he had been brought back to life in another's body.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to have a moment alone with Grandfather," Yu Yuan interjected, coughing lightly to signal for quiet. "I understand this is a lot to take in. Believe me, waking up was just as disorienting for me, and I'm still adjusting."
"Let me speak with Grandfather first when he awakens. Meanwhile, I urge you all to think things over."
"Rest assured, Ning Ji can vouch for my identity as Yu Yuan. If there are still concerns, he can join me in investigating the cause of Grandfather's persistent fever."
With that, the Yu family members, their minds swirling with doubts, reluctantly left Yu Cen's pavilion.
Ann Ziqing, too, was asked to wait outside, ensuring no interruptions during this sensitive time.
Yu Cen lay on the bed, his body burning up, his breaths labored and his complexion a fiery red.
Chunks of ice jade, swathed in towels, were placed on his forehead and neck to help lower his temperature.
"Last night, it was you who lay there, your breath fading," Ning Ji said as he stepped forward to check Yu Cen's pulse and heart rate, his brow furrowed. "It seems like a typical fever, but why the prolonged unconsciousness?"
Yu Yuan watched his feverish grandfather, his heart heavy with the recollection of Ann Ziqing's words about the many hardships the old man had endured for his sake, and the deep affection and expectations he held. Since his parents had ventured to the Frozen Hellscape and vanished, the only person in the Yu family who continued to care for him and never considered abandoning him was his grandfather.
Out of his deep commitment, the old man had even dared to defy the Lin family to uphold the betrothal between Yu Yuan and Lin Zhuyun.
"Now that I am awake, you won't be in any danger," Yu Yuan reassured, drawing in a breath before turning to Ning Ji. "I was told by my maid that Yin Jue made a move against my grandfather last night?"
"Yes, but your fiancée intervened quite swiftly. Furthermore, she expended her spiritual energy to significantly heal most of your grandfather's injuries," Ning Ji explained.
"What was my grandfather's condition when Yin Jue made his move?"
"The slender bloodline on his brow was created then. But thanks to your fiancée's healing, it has faded considerably. Now, you'd hardly notice it unless you look very closely."
"Oh?"
Yu Yuan bent down to inspect his grandfather's forehead and indeed spotted a fine line like a strand of hair. At a glance, it looked like a stray red hair had adhered to the skin, almost as if it would vanish with a single wipe.
Yu Yuan squinted, his pupils contracting as he studied the mark intently. His expression turned icy as he uttered with a cold huff, "Ruby Parasite!"