Misty Rain of the Old Times

Sun Qingzhu left with Qin Ruyu in less than half an hour.

The reason for leaving in such a hurry was twofold: firstly, Qin Ruyu said she felt dizzy and needed to go back to rest; secondly, it was hard to accept that Chen Xuan diagnosed her as not being sick. Over the years, so many doctors had examined her, including Qin Ruyu's grandfather Qin Yan, who was also a Grandmaster, and the Grand Princess Song Yuzhi, who personally diagnosed her multiple times. Qin Ruyu's body did indeed have a problem, but the cause could not be found. Therefore, it was impossible for her to believe the diagnosis of Chen Xuan, whom she had only met once.

As for Sun Qingzhu, she was more inclined to believe that Chen Xuan was also helpless. Fortunately, she hadn't had high hopes from the beginning, and Chen Xuan had already said so beforehand, so she couldn't say she was disappointed. She was just a little regretful that even Chen Xuan couldn't find out the cause of the illness, thus losing an opportunity to save Qin Ruyu.

Given her relationship with Qin Ruyu, she wouldn't even consider whether Qin Ruyu was faking it; she would simply think that no one could see the cause of her illness.

Watching them leave, Chen Xuan slowly withdrew his gaze, his mind racing, thinking to himself that this was somewhat interesting.

He believed in his diagnosis; Qin Ruyu had no health problems whatsoever. This confidence was based on his own cultivation level. Whether others believed him or not was their business. However, no matter what kind of person Qin Ruyu was, it was none of his concern. He hoped it would end here. But was it really over?
"Husband, is Miss Qin really not sick?" The little princess, who had remained silent and did not disturb them, finally spoke up to ask after they left.

At this moment, Du Juan and Xia Mei were also looking at Chen Xuan with curiosity, waiting for him to say something.

Nodding, Chen Xuan said confidently, "I'm really not sick. I've already made it very clear that I'm perfectly healthy."

The little princesses naturally believed Chen Xuan, but they were still puzzled and asked, "Husband, it's not that we don't believe you, but Miss Qin really doesn't look like she's alright. Anyone who isn't blind can see that. Why is that?"

After a moment's thought, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Who knows? There are many reasons that could cause her to be in that state. It could be an act, some kind of strange martial arts technique, a special physique, or some strange drugs. Countless people don't understand the reasons, so how could I possibly figure it out all at once?"

They exchanged glances, not dwelling on the matter too much. The little princess then asked with great interest, "Husband, isn't 'ice-skin and jade-bones' usually more than just a descriptive term? From what you just said, could it be that Miss Qin really has such a constitution?"

This is also what the girls wanted to ask; they were all very curious, as girls' focus is different from that of ordinary people.

Nodding and then shaking his head, Chen Xuan said, "There are indeed many strange and special constitutions in the world, and 'ice-skin and jade-bones' is really just a descriptive phrase, but it suits Miss Qin quite well. Through my previous contact and observation, her body temperature is much lower than that of ordinary people; it's chilling to the touch, like a block of ice. This is very unreasonable. An ordinary person with such a body temperature would have died countless times long ago, yet she is still alive and well. Given her family background, it's understandable that she has countless extraordinary people, rare treasures, and precious materials to sustain her life. In addition, her bones are also somewhat abnormal, faintly containing the characteristics of jade. If you were to cut open her flesh, you might be able to see what is called true jade bones. But who would dare to do anything to harm her? I don't know if others can discover this, but that's what I've discovered. I just don't know if her constitution is congenital or acquired later in life."

There are too many strange things in this world, so Chen Xuan wasn't surprised at all. He just tried his best to describe his discovery. As he said before, Sun Qingzhu had come to him with sincere pleas, so he did his best to take a look. It wasn't his business.

He explained it very clearly, and the little princess and the others understood, but they were still somewhat surprised because they had never encountered such a thing before.

Surrounded by his own people, there was nothing he couldn't say. Chen Xuan then added with interest, "Furthermore, I made an additional discovery earlier. How should I put it? Miss Qin's mental fluctuations are somewhat abnormal, weaker than usual. Perhaps that's why she often feels dizzy. But beneath that unusually weak mental fluctuation, I also sensed a profound and chaotic feeling, as if some evil thing was lurking, ready to devour her. I didn't delve deeper because there's an extremely strong mental barrier protecting her mind, most likely placed there by her grandfather or the Grand Princess. Given her status, to prevent anyone from tampering with her mentally, further investigation might trigger the protective mechanism and lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. So I quickly withdrew."

This is why Chen Xuan's cultivation level is currently insufficient, and he needs to use contact to allow his spiritual will to enter Qin Ruyu's mind to sense things. If his cultivation level were to advance further and reach the Tribulation Transcending level, he could allow his spiritual power to directly enter the other party's sea of ​​consciousness, so that any abnormalities could be directly presented and seen, instead of relying solely on spiritual fluctuations to make judgments as he does now.

The little princess and the others heard clearly, but they didn't fully understand; their understanding of etiquette wasn't yet at a level they could grasp.

After hesitating for a moment, Du Juan asked curiously, "Then why didn't the master tell them about the unusual phenomenon you discovered?"

"I wanted to say something, but Qin Ruyu didn't give me a chance and just took Sun Qingzhu and the others away," Chen Xuan said, shaking his head.

Their eyes met, and Du Juan pondered, "That Miss Qin is deliberately avoiding us!"

"Probably," Chen Xuan said dismissively.

Xia Mei, being more skilled and knowledgeable, quickly realized something and asked in confusion, "Since Master has discovered that Miss Qin's mental state is abnormal, could it be that Prime Minister Qin and the Grand Princess, who are also Grandmasters, cannot notice?"

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "That's really hard to say."

Even within the same realm, there are differences. The difference between a Grandmaster and a Great Grandmaster is only one word; how can they be the same?

On the other side, in the carriage surrounded by people, Sun Qingzhu and Qin Ruyu, who had just left, huddled together. Looking at Qin Ruyu, who was pale and weak, Sun Qingzhu felt a pang of heartache and a deep sense of helplessness.

Leaning on Sun Qingzhu's shoulder, Qin Ruyu gently shook her head and calmly comforted her, "It's alright, Sister Qingzhu. I'm used to it now, and I've long since become indifferent to my health condition. Anyway, thank you again."

“Don’t worry, Yu’er, no matter what, I will find someone who can cure you. I will never give up. We promised to be sisters for life, and I can’t bear to lose either of us,” Sun Qingzhu said firmly. Qin Ruyu smiled weakly and said with difficulty, “Yes, we will be best sisters forever. There’s no need to worry so much. At least today’s trip wasn’t in vain. Didn’t you hear what Mr. Chen said? I’m very healthy. That’s the judgment of a Grandmaster.”

"Yes, in any case, this is good news," Sun Qingzhu opened her mouth and tried to smile, partly to comfort herself, and partly to understand that Qin Ruyu was also comforting herself when she said that, and that she was just deceiving herself.

They weren't far apart to begin with, and the atmosphere was a bit tense along the way. Soon after, they returned to the Qin residence, escorted Qin Ruyu to her boudoir to rest and sleep, and then Sun Qingzhu carefully closed the door and left.

After hesitating for a moment, Sun Qingzhu gritted her teeth and headed straight for the imperial palace in the secondary capital, Yucheng. She planned to ask her master, the Grand Princess, to examine Qin Ruyu again. Since even the Grandmaster Chen Xuan said that Qin Ruyu was healthy, what if it was true? Although it was impossible, it was a way to comfort herself, like a drowning person grasping at the last straw. However, after so many years of relationship, Sun Qingzhu had never doubted Qin Ruyu. She even hoped that the other party's illness was fake. If only that were true.

Perhaps at her disciple's request, or perhaps to give the powerful Prime Minister Qin Yan some face, in less than an hour, the Grand Princess Song Yuzhi, a Grandmaster-level cultivator, silently left the palace to give Qin Ruyu a follow-up examination. After the examination, as with previous diagnoses, Qin Ruyu was extremely weak and cold all over. No matter how you looked at it, she was terminally ill and could die at any moment. She expressed her helplessness and eventually left quietly.

Regarding Sun Qingzhu's account of Chen Xuan's diagnosis, Song Yuzhi simply shook her head, indicating that he must have misread it. She did not belittle Chen Xuan's judgment, nor did she say anything more; she trusted herself more.

Sun Qingzhu naturally trusted her master more. Thinking about it, it made sense. Chen Xuan was indeed a true grandmaster, but he was too young. How much experience could he possibly have? He was probably just pretending to be unable to do anything because he couldn't refuse her request.

But this left Sun Qingzhu at a loss again. Where could she find a miracle doctor to save her best friend?

As the sun sets, the light in Qin Ruyu's boudoir is dim. She has suffered from illness for many years, and her body is cold all over, so the temperature in her boudoir is also cold. There is always a heater in the corner.

After returning and resting for half a day, she slowly opened her eyes, still extremely weak and listless, seemingly unaware that the Grand Princess, a Grandmaster-level expert, had come to examine her again midway through.

"What a remarkable young master, Chen Xuan! He truly possesses some skill. Even countless renowned physicians and that princess were at a loss, yet he confidently diagnosed my condition as perfectly fine in just a few breaths. If Grandpa hadn't known my true condition, no one would have dared to make such a claim. Years of planning, and now at this crucial moment, if I hadn't acted quickly, he might have inadvertently ruined everything. I hope my foolish sister, who's practically brainwashed by martial arts, hasn't become suspicious because of his words. Dear sister, we promised to be together forever. Don't worry, how could I break my promise?"

Thoughts raced through Qin Ruyu's mind, and countless ideas popped into her head in an instant.

"If Chen Xuan weren't from Jing Kingdom, and if he hadn't married Zhou Qianning yet, he would be a good match. His looks and cultivation are truly captivating; it would be hard for any woman not to be moved. Unfortunately, there are no 'ifs' in life, and no accidents can be allowed now. My foolish sister is so good to me, actually going to you for help. Originally, you were just a passerby, but now you're a potential threat. I don't dare bet you're the type to meddle, and besides, those women around you are top-notch training material, offering themselves up. How can I miss this opportunity? Why not just give them to me? Afterwards, I'll probably be reluctant to kill you; keeping you as a male concubine wouldn't be bad. Didn't you say I have ice-cold skin and jade-like bones? Only a dragon among men like you is worthy of touching such a body."

Unbeknownst to them, a sickly smile appeared on Qin Ruyu's beautiful, frail face. It wasn't the kind of smile that evoked pity and sympathy, but rather one that carried an eerie, chilling quality.

With a soft cough, a figure seemed to appear out of thin air in the previously empty boudoir. Dressed in a black robe, with his face obscured by the backlight, he knelt on one knee and said in a completely calm voice, "My lord, please give your orders."

The man in black addressed Qin Ruyu as "Master" instead of "Young Miss." This simple form of address carries a great deal of meaning.

Without getting up, Qin Ruyu remained lying on the bed like a candle flickering in the wind, her voice weak as she asked, "On the first day that Mr. and Mrs. Chen Xuan came to the city, did they encounter a meddlesome fellow?"

As the granddaughter of Qin Yan, a powerful minister who almost controls the court, Chen Xuan and her group have a special status. They did not deliberately hide their whereabouts upon arrival, so it was not difficult to learn about their every move. At a certain level, they are naturally kept in close observation, just like how the Grand Princess Song Yuzhi sent them an invitation the next day.

Upon hearing this, the man in black immediately replied, "Your Majesty, it is indeed true. That man is quite capable; his name is Liu Yuyuan. I don't know where he got the clues, but he actually managed to find something, though it's insignificant and doesn't touch the root of the problem. Now, at this crucial time, he has a small reputation in the martial arts world, and to avoid any unforeseen complications, we've left him alone and let him run wild."

This is what a qualified subordinate should do: answer questions without taking it upon themselves to ask whether they should do something to the person mentioned. That's not how you behave in front of the leader; it's suicidal!
'Where did the clue come from? It's most likely provided by Chen Xuan. Grandmasters are incredibly perceptive; they can draw far too many conclusions from the slightest disturbance, especially with the recent spate of missing women. Besides, he even visited Yuexiang Residence. But how could someone of his level have contact with the lower rungs of the martial world? Regardless, even if it was just a chance encounter due to the difference in their status, there will probably be more to it. In that case…'

With a flicker of thought, Qin Ruyu weakly said, "Liu Yuyuan? He's investigating the missing woman case, but he probably hasn't made any progress yet. How about this, let him see what he wants to investigate, teach him a lesson, but don't kill him. If it's a clue given to him by Chen Xuan, they'll probably meet again. Once they meet, it might bring some unexpected good news. In any case, there's no harm in trying. If Liu Yuyuan has no use to us, we can deal with him afterwards."

"Yes, sir," the man in black robes replied, and then vanished from sight.

After giving her instructions, Qin Ruyu gently closed her eyes, thinking to herself, "Will you fall for this trap? If not, I'll have to put in some effort to get those beautiful women around you..."

Sun Qingzhu brought Qin Ruyu to seek medical treatment, but the little princess and the others didn't take it to heart. Chen Xuan also seemed to think the same way, but he was always on guard against the unfounded malice from the other party.

After spending another half-day bored at home, Chen Xuan thought the day would just pass like this. However, as night fell, the little girl came to the drowsy Chen Xuan to report that Liu Yuyuan, who had disappeared for several days, had arrived... (End of this chapter)