Chapter 19.1

Xiao Xihe suddenly announced her intention to go to the Sword Mastery Sect. Liu Jiang was taken aback for a moment before glancing at Xin Yue and Liu An’an beside him. Frowning, he sent her a private message: “Do you know Xie Zhaixing is still looking for you?”

“I know,” Xiao Xihe declared solemnly, “but for the sake of Master being able to save the world with peace of mind, I’m willing to take the risk.”

Seeing her suddenly spout such words out of nowhere, Xin Yue realized Liu Jiang must have whispered something to her. Gradually, she recalled that Liu Jiang had once mentioned Xiao Xihe had chosen the seclusion of Medicine God Valley because she was in trouble.

“If it’s truly dangerous, you shouldn’t go. At most, we can have your master discuss it with the Sword Mastery Sect—resolve the plague first before heading over. The sect leader is reasonable and will surely understand priorities,” Xin Yue said slowly.

Liu An’an looked utterly confused: “It’s just a medical visit. What’s so dangerous about it?”

“Exactly, it’s just a medical visit,” Xiao Xihe continued along her line of thought. “I’ll keep a low profile and start with dietary therapy for the young sect leader for a few days, buying some time. Once Master resolves the plague, he can come directly. This way, we neither break our promise to the Sword Mastery Sect nor neglect saving the world—a perfect solution.”

Liu Jiang hesitated upon hearing this.

Liu An’an quickly added, “I’ll go with Junior Sister! We can look out for each other!”

“That works too. Let them go together—they can discuss things if anything comes up,” Xin Yue relented, turning to her husband.

Liu Jiang pondered for a moment before sighing. “I suppose that’s the only way.”

Once the decision was made, the atmosphere in the courtyard lightened considerably. Xin Yue smiled and pulled Xiao Xihe into the main hall. “Today marks one year since you joined us. I personally cooked a few dishes—they might not be as good as yours, but you’re not allowed to complain.”

Xiao Xihe glanced at the dishes on the table, her eyes curving into crescents. “I won’t complain. Shiniang’s cooking is definitely the best.”

“Here’s your gift!” Liu An’an followed them in, cheerfully presenting a small tiger-shaped sachet. “I made it myself—it repels mosquitoes.”

“Thank you!” Xiao Xihe accepted it happily.

Beside them, Xin Yue nudged Liu Jiang. “What?” he grumbled.

“What do you think? The gift!” Xin Yue urged.

Xiao Xihe immediately looked at her master expectantly.

Liu Jiang snorted and tossed something at her with feigned displeasure. Xiao Xihe caught it hastily.

It was a brand-new Cosmos Sack.

“That old Cosmos Sack of yours is practically falling apart. Carrying it around all day is an embarrassment to Medicine God Valley. Use this one from now on,” Liu Jiang said sternly.

“Thank you, Master!” Xiao Xihe was thrilled.

Liu Jiang’s lips twitched upward despite himself, though he still feigned disdain. “It’s just a Cosmos Sack. No need to be so excited.”

Having spent so much time with him, Xiao Xihe was well aware of his habit of being gruff on the outside but soft-hearted. She grinned and immediately fastened the Cosmos Sack to her belt, asking Xin Yue, “Does it look good?”

“Very good! Now sit down and eat,” Xin Yue urged.

Xiao Xihe complied but still looked at Liu Jiang. “Master should eat first.”

“I don’t want to steal your spotlight. Just eat already,” Liu Jiang muttered.

Only then did Xiao Xihe pick up her chopsticks with a smile.

Xin Yue watched her eagerly before finally asking, “How is it?”

“Delicious! Shiniang’s cooking is absolutely amazing.” Xiao Xihe gave a thumbs-up.

Xin Yue immediately beamed with joy but still feigned modesty: “Oh, it’s nothing, just something I threw together. It’s nowhere near as good as yours.”

“Your idea of ‘throwing something together’ is getting up before dawn to cook?” Liu Jiang directly called her out.

“You must be over the moon getting praised by the Culinary God, huh?” Liu An’an joined in teasing.

Xin Yue’s willow-leaf eyebrows shot up as she prepared to throw hands, but Xiao Xihe quickly intervened.

The family’s lively banter continued until lunch was nearly over and things gradually quieted down. Xiao Xihe absentmindedly pushed around the few remaining grains of rice in her bowl before finally gathering the courage to ask: “Master, how old is the young master of Sword Mastery Sect now?”

“He just turned twenty-seven last month,” Liu Jiang answered.

Good, good—at least he wasn’t some seventy- or eighty-year-old geezer. Xiao Xihe secretly sighed in relief before asking another question: “What’s his current condition?”

Liu Jiang paused, then countered: “Do you know what a Full Yin constitution is?”

“Yes, it’s someone born in a Yin year, Yin month, Yin day, and Yin hour,” Xiao Xihe replied.

Liu Jiang continued: “Then do you know why, although there are quite a few people with Full Yin constitutions in this world, almost all of them are women?”

“I know!” Liu An’an raised her hand eagerly. “All things in this world are divided into Yin and Yang—men are Yang, women are Yin. If a man is born with a Full Yin constitution… it’s a fate of early death. Few live past their first birthday.”

Xiao Xihe nodded in agreement, thinking that if not for Xie Zhaixing’s capable parents, he too would have died at three months old.

Liu Jiang nodded. “That’s exactly the case with the young master. Born male yet with a Full Yin constitution, he shouldn’t have lived long. Although he miraculously survived, he’s destined to suffer from weak Yang energy and a frail body. Even if I treat him, it would only address the symptoms, not the root cause—merely buying time.”

Xiao Xihe blinked. “What if he finds a Full Yang constitution partner? Couldn’t they transfer some Yang energy to him?” After all, hadn’t Xie Zhaixing’s Cold Yin Disease improved significantly after meeting her?

Liu Jiang gave her a sidelong glance. “What, do you think finding a partner can cure all ailments?”

“…It doesn’t work?”

“Maybe for some, but not for others. You can’t generalize—the young master is one of those it doesn’t work for,” Liu Jiang said before returning to his meal.

…Ah, one less favorable condition. The difficulty of persuasion just increased. Xiao Xihe felt a momentary disappointment before a new question arose: “Master, if a man with a Full Yin constitution is congenitally deficient, what about a woman with a Full Yang constitution?”

Forgive her for only focusing on others’ Full Yin constitutions—it was only now that she remembered to ask about her own situation.

Liu Jiang gave her a strange look. “Why so many questions today?”

“Just curious,” Xiao Xihe blinked innocently. “Besides, I’m about to start practicing medicine. The more I know, the better.”

Liu Jiang considered this reasonable. “A woman with a Full Yang constitution is also considered congenitally deficient.”

“How so?” Xiao Xihe tensed immediately.

Liu Jiang shrugged. “Being Yin in nature but Yang in fate—difficulty conceiving, destined to have no descendants.”

Xin Yue froze for a moment before relaxing… Thank goodness, nothing like early death or serious illness—just infertility. Compared to Xie Zhaixing or that unseen young master, it was hardly worth mentioning.

Besides, she was cultivating immortality now—what did she need children for?

After some thought, Xiao Xihe asked one final question: “Is there any way in this world to identify someone else’s constitution?”

“Do you think it’s as simple as checking cultivation levels?” Liu Jiang shot her a sidelong glance. “When it comes to things like birth charts and destiny, how can we possibly discern them unless the person in question reveals it themselves?”

Xiao Xihe felt relieved. “I see.” As long as she wouldn’t be exposed, it was fine.

After lunch, she and Liu An’an followed Liu Jiang into the medicine room.

“I’ve known Zhao Wuchen, the sect leader of the Sword Mastery Sect, for a long time. Since the young master was three years old, I’ve visited every year or two—it’s been decades now,” Liu Jiang said as he pulled a thick stack of prescriptions from the medicine shelf. “These are all the prescriptions I’ve written for him. Study them carefully. Though the young master’s condition changes yearly, they still hold some reference value.”

Xiao Xihe and Liu An’an took the prescriptions and began reviewing them earnestly.

When Xiao Xihe saw the dozen or so rare spiritual medicines listed, she couldn’t help but exclaim, “The Sword Mastery Sect is truly wealthy.”

“It’s just a father’s desperation for his child,” Liu Jiang sighed.

Zhao Wuchen had three sons. The first two died young, leaving only this last one. Even though cultivators often had weak familial ties, the pain of losing three sons was unbearable, so his obsession with preserving this last heir had reached an extreme.

Yet, by all indications, the third son was fated for an early death.

“Zhao Wuchen has already sent three Sound Talismans in the past few days, urging us to hurry. It seems the young master’s condition has worsened again. When you arrive, avoid using too much medicine at once. It’s best to stabilize him gradually and wait for me before making further decisions,” Liu Jiang emphasized. “Remember, no reckless prescriptions!”

“Master, we’ve treated a few patients before. You can trust us,” Xiao Xihe said helplessly.

Liu Jiang sneered and was about to retort when Xiao Xihe and Liu An’an exchanged a glance and quickly fled.

“The prescriptions!” Liu Jiang shouted in frustration.

Xiao Xihe doubled back, snatched the prescriptions, and dashed off, leaving Liu Jiang cursing in anger.

Though this trip to the Sword Mastery Sect was motivated by the young master’s Full Yin constitution, Xiao Xihe still had some medical ethics. After returning, she diligently studied the prescriptions and prepared until dawn, stretching her stiff limbs while packing and pondering how to persuade him to engage in Dual Cultivation with her.

By the time Liu An’an woke up yawning, Xiao Xihe had already packed all the necessary supplies into a new Cosmos Sack.

“Let’s go,” she said with a smile.

Liu An’an blinked. “I’ve never seen you this eager before.”

“All for the sake of the patient,” Xiao Xihe said solemnly, though inwardly she was thinking she didn’t have many months left—she had to act fast.

Unaware of her true thoughts, Liu An’an’s eyes filled with admiration. “Junior Sister, you’re really starting to embody the spirit of a Medical Cultivator!”

“All thanks to Senior Sister’s influence!” Xiao Xihe flattered.

Liu An’an was deeply moved. “Striving forward.”

“Staying true to our purpose,” Xiao Xihe chimed in.

Before Liu An’an could say more, an old man’s furious voice came from outside: “How much longer are you two going to dawdle?!”

The Medical Cultivator sisters: “…”

Under Liu Jiang’s impatient urging, the two were forced to cut short their oath-swearing session. By the time they hurried out, only Xin Yue remained in the courtyard.

Xin Yue sighed at the two flustered girls. “Your master was in such a rush that he left ahead of you. He asked me to pass on some instructions…”

“Don’t use medicine recklessly,” Liu An’an interjected.  

Xiao Xihe added, “And don’t be too impulsive.”  

Xin Yue chuckled. “Alright, seems you both know what you’re doing. I won’t waste my breath then. An’an, come here for a moment. I have something to tell you.”  

Liu An’an glanced at Xiao Xihe, who motioned for her to go ahead.  

Liu An’an followed Xin Yue to a corner, listened to a few instructions, and then returned.  

Xin Yue pulled out a disc-like object and tossed it onto the ground. In an instant, the disc transformed into something resembling a spaceship from TV—round, twice the size of a car tire, and spacious enough to fit two people inside.  

Xiao Xihe gasped in amazement, sounding utterly clueless. “What is this?!”  

“A flying artifact. Haven’t you seen one before?” Liu An’an asked, puzzled.  

Xiao Xihe blinked innocently.  

“…You must have had a tough life before,” Liu An’an said sympathetically. “You haven’t even seen a low-grade magical artifact like this.”  

Xiao Xihe: “…Mainly, I never had the chance.” After transmigrating, she had gone straight to Shady Valley, spent over two years there, then spent the rest of her time hiding, practically burrowing into the ground to avoid people. After that, she ended up in Medicine God Valley. All in all, she’d been in this world for about four years, yet her understanding of it was still limited to the original text’s square characters.  

“How do we use this? Just sit on it?” Xiao Xihe asked curiously.  

Liu An’an loved her naive reactions and immediately stepped inside. “I’ll teach you.”  

Xiao Xihe cautiously followed. The moment she steadied herself, Liu An’an was about to teach her the incantation when Xin Yue stopped her. “Don’t teach A Si with your half-baked skills. The priority now is to get to Sword Mastery Sect. Don’t keep Sect Leader Zhao waiting.”  

Xiao Xihe snapped back to reality. “Right, right. Sword Mastery Sect first.” Time was running out for her.  

Liu An’an sighed regretfully. “Fine. I’ll teach you when we get back.”  

With that, she activated the artifact, and it soared into the sky, heading straight for Sword Mastery Sect.  

Though she knew the mission was urgent, Xiao Xihe couldn’t help but cheer as they flew through the air in their “spaceship.”  

Liu An’an grinned. “Aren’t you curious about what Mother told me?”  

“If Master’s wife called you aside privately, she must have had her reasons. I won’t pry.” Xiao Xihe took a deep breath—only to choke on the biting wind.  

Liu An’an laughed but didn’t press further. Instead, she channeled more spiritual power into the artifact, making it fly even faster.  

“Ah! This is so fun!” Xiao Xihe’s hair whipped wildly in the wind, but she was still grinning ear to ear.  

Encouraged, Liu An’an poured even more spiritual power into the artifact.  

Despite being a low-grade artifact, it flew as fast as the wind, soaring over Medicine God Valley, crossing rivers and farmlands, speeding forward relentlessly. The faster it went, the more exhilarated the two became—until their excitement backfired. The artifact couldn’t handle the excess spiritual power and broke down mid-flight.  

Staring at the shattered, smoking remains on the ground, the two fell silent.  

After a long pause, Xiao Xihe spoke with difficulty. “What do we do now?”  

“Walk,” Liu An’an sighed.  

Xiao Xihe’s lips twitched. “No other options?”  

“There is one,” Liu An’an mused. “But it requires one of us to reach Golden Core stage so we can ride the wind.”  

Xiao Xihe considered it seriously. “Let’s walk.”  

“…Agreed.”

The two discarded the now-broken magical artifacts and began their long journey.

Along the way, Xiao Xihe, bored out of her mind, decided to pry for information from Liu An’an: “That young sect master… have you met him before?”

“I have, but that was ten years ago,” Liu An’an replied.

Xiao Xihe perked up immediately: “What does he look like?” Though she wasn’t in a position to be picky these days, if he turned out to be truly hideous, she might prefer to just wait for death.

Liu An’an thought carefully: “Can’t remember clearly. Probably decent-looking?”

…She’d once described Min’er as ‘decent-looking’ too. Xiao Xihe instantly grew apprehensive. After a moment of silence, she decided not to be too pessimistic—maybe he looked… optimistically pleasant?

“He’s in his twenties now—has he ever had a girl he liked?” Xiao Xihe asked curiously.

Liu An’an chuckled: “Who knows? Probably not. He’s been frail and sickly all his life, rarely even stepping outside. When would he have had the chance to meet any girls?”

So he was a man who’d seen little of the world. If she crafted a dazzlingly beautiful fake face, she might just succeed in one attempt. Xiao Xihe pondered for a moment, gradually forming a plan.

Though they were still some distance from the Sword Mastery Sect, fortunately, both were at the Foundation Establishment level, so their stamina held up just fine. After walking nonstop for three days and nights, they finally caught sight of the sect’s silhouette.

“Finally…” Liu An’an wanted to let out a long sigh, but she was too exhausted to even speak.

Xiao Xihe was equally disheveled and covered in dust. After a long silence, she turned to Liu An’an: “Second Senior Sister.”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s not tell Master about breaking the magical artifacts, okay?”

“…Fine.”

Each swallowed a restorative pill, waiting until their spirits recovered somewhat before trudging upward.

Like most Immortal Sects, the Sword Mastery Sect was nestled in the mountains. The two had to follow a long mountain path upward, reaching the summit before they could see the main gate.

They’d assumed the ascent would be quiet, but the higher they climbed, the more people they encountered—all heading upward, and none seeming to be disciples of the Sword Mastery Sect.

Curious, Xiao Xihe approached a friendly-looking passerby: “Fellow Cultivator, why are there so many visitors to the Sword Mastery Sect today? Has something happened?”

“You don’t know?” the person asked, puzzled.

Xiao Xihe smiled: “I’m new here, so I truly don’t.”

“Then why are you here?” the person pressed.

Xiao Xihe choked momentarily, unsure how to explain, but Liu An’an interjected: “We’re Medical Cultivators from Medicine God Valley, here to examine the young sect master.”

The person nodded in understanding: “Ah, Medical Cultivators… Then we’re here for different purposes, though both related to the young sect master.”

“How so?” Xiao Xihe asked curiously.

The person smiled: “Since you’re here to treat him, you must know he has a Full Yin constitution, right?”

Xiao Xihe’s eyelids twitched: “You know about that too?”

“Of course I do. Sect Master Zhao announced it to the world three days ago,” the person shrugged. “The young sect master recently suffered intestinal damage from Yin energy. Though he recovered immediately with spiritual medicine, it left him with a loss of appetite. Sect Master Zhao is offering a mid-grade Spirit Sword to hire Cultivators skilled in cooking, hoping to restore his appetite. We’re all here to apply for the position.”

……But even if the anorexia was caused by the harm of Yin energy to the body, was it really necessary to disclose his Full Yin constitution? Xiao Xihe vaguely felt something was off and was about to ponder further when Liu An’an anxiously said, “Who knew his condition would worsen after just a few days of delay? Let’s hurry up the mountain.”

Xiao Xihe snapped out of her thoughts and was about to respond when Liu An’an pulled her along, rushing up the mountain.

It was unclear just how valuable the mid-grade Spirit Sword offered by the Sword Mastery Sect as a prize was, but it had attracted a crowd of cultivators vying for the position of chef. By the time the two reached the mountaintop, the entrance to the Sword Mastery Sect was already packed with a dense throng of people.

“Excuse us, please make way.”

Liu An’an pushed forward toward the gate, drawing displeasure from many cultivators. Fortunately, the gates soon opened, and several Sword Mastery Sect disciples emerged to organize the crowd. Seizing the opportunity, the two squeezed to the front.

“Please line up over there,” a disciple reminded them.

Liu An’an quickly explained, “We are disciples of the Medicine God Valley’s master, sent here by our teacher to examine the young sect leader.”

The disciple was taken aback, then delighted. “You’ve finally arrived!”

Liu An’an and Xiao Xihe exchanged a guilty smile.

“You two must be exhausted from the journey. Please, come in,” the disciple said, ushering them inside.

Once they entered the Sword Mastery Sect, the gates closed behind them, and the noise instantly faded. Xiao Xihe looked ahead and saw a vast estate shrouded in mist, adorned with magnificent pavilions and jade towers. Cranes strolled leisurely, and divine tortoises crawled across the grounds—every inch exuding an ethereal, coldly elegant aura.

…Compared to this, the Medicine God Valley did seem a bit shabby. No wonder cultivators rarely visited.

The disciple led them toward the back mountain, explaining along the way, “Our sect master is currently entertaining distinguished guests and cannot personally greet you. Please forgive the oversight.”

“No problem. Are you taking us to see the young sect leader?” Xiao Xihe asked.

The disciple nodded. “Indeed.”

“How is he doing now?” Liu An’an chimed in.

The disciple sighed. “Not well. He fainted for most of yesterday, and the sect master had to expend three years’ worth of Spiritual Power to forcibly wake him. He’s been bedridden ever since.”

Xiao Xihe frowned and quickened her pace.

The three walked in silence, passing through misty gardens and grand halls as they continued toward the back mountain. Along the way, they encountered a shifty-eyed man.

“Daozhang Li,” the disciple promptly greeted with a bow.

The man looked down his nose and ignored them as he walked past.

The disciple, slightly embarrassed, explained, “He is the sect master’s wife’s nephew, so…”

Liu An’an clicked her tongue. “Got it. Nepotism—thinks he’s superior.”

Xiao Xihe, however, fixated on something else. “Does he resemble your sect master’s wife?”

The disciple didn’t understand why she asked but answered honestly, “Yes.”

Xiao Xihe: “…” Earlier, while ascending the mountain, she had overheard someone mention that the young sect leader bore a striking resemblance to his mother. Since this nephew also resembled the sect master’s wife, that meant the nephew and the young sect leader…

Xiao Xihe suddenly felt deeply troubled.

“Why did you ask if he looks like the sect master’s wife?” Liu An’an asked curiously.

Xiao Xihe gave her a sorrowful look. “Just idle curiosity.”

Liu An’an nodded in understanding.

After walking a while longer, they finally arrived at a secluded courtyard.

Upon entering, Xiao Xihe and Liu An’an paused while the disciple approached a chamber and knocked. “Young Sect Leader, the Medical Cultivators from Medicine God Valley are here.”

There was a moment of silence behind the door before a weak voice responded, “Come in.”

“Yes.”

The disciple answered and opened the door, allowing Xiao Xihe and Liu An’an to enter directly.

As soon as they stepped inside, they were hit by an overwhelming medicinal odor so thick it was nearly suffocating. Even Xiao Xihe and Liu An’an, who were accustomed to such smells, found it extremely unpleasant.