Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

"I am Ling Xiao. It is an honor to meet you, Marshal Qiu!" Ling Xiao’s expression grew solemn as he bowed to the old man. Any previous displeasure had vanished without a trace. Before a man who had rendered countless services to the Empire, showing proper respect was only natural. "My father, Ling Tianxiao, often speaks of you, Grand Marshal." Ling Xiao kept his words brief, certain the old man would understand his sentiment.

"Ling Tianxiao? Heh heh, that young fellow. Isn’t he a General now?" A nostalgic look flickered in the old man’s eyes before he smiled. "Yutong, this student of yours is quite impressive! To resist thirty percent of my pressure as a Celestial Vein Master... there can’t be another one like him in the entire Imperial Academy, can there?"

Shangguan Yutong nodded, looking at Ling Xiao with a gratified expression. ’If anyone knew that Ling Xiao had earned such high praise from the old man living in seclusion at the Imperial Academy, they’d die of jealousy.’

’If Ling Xiao wanted to join the military, that one comment from Marshal Qiu would save him at least ten years of struggle! Even His Majesty the King has to show Marshal Qiu some deference, to say nothing of the fact that the Marshal’s son, Qiu Jianhua, is the current dean of the Imperial Academy—a place known as the cradle of the Empire’s talent!’

"Alright, I’m old and prone to rambling." The old man, Qiu Chen, nodded at Ling Xiao. "Yutong says you know medicine. Why don’t you take a look at this old bag of bones?"

Ling Xiao stepped forward without ceremony and said to the old man, "Grand Marshal, may I see your wrist?"

"If you don’t mind, just call me Grandmaster Chen, like Tong Girl does. Don’t call me Grand Marshal. I haven’t been one for a long time!" Qiu Chen said casually, seemingly indifferent to the title of Grand Marshal.

Ling Xiao nodded and placed three fingers on the old man’s pulse. ’I already had a general idea,’ he thought. ’His legs are afflicted with some strange illness. It started with muscle atrophy and has now spread to his meridians. Once the meridians wither completely, even if he doesn’t die, he’ll be utterly powerless!’

’No matter how high one’s cultivation is, obstructed meridians will severely limit their abilities. Take Wang Chao—a single blockage in his arm greatly diminished his strength. For Grandmaster Chen to maintain his current power level with the meridians in both of his legs having withered away... it’s nothing short of a miracle.’

’What’s more, an illness like his is excruciating when it flares up. It’s the kind of pain that would make a person wish for death.’

This was one of the reasons Ling Xiao felt a deep, solemn respect for the old man. ’Often, death isn’t the hard part. It’s living on while enduring such immense pain that requires true, unyielding willpower.’

"Grandmaster Chen, you’ve had this illness for many years, haven’t you?" Ling Xiao asked softly, all while sensing the condition of the old man’s body.

Qiu Chen sighed, a complex, unreadable expression crossing his aged face. "Yes... it’s been almost ten years." At that moment, as if to give them some privacy, Shangguan Yutong chuckled lightly. "Grandmaster Chen, I’ll go make some of your favorite pastries. You two take your time." With that, she turned and excused herself. Soon, the voices of Shangguan Yutong and Uncle Fu could be heard from downstairs.

Qiu Chen then said, "To be honest, I’ve had many renowned physicians examine this illness, but none of them could get to the bottom of it. There was one Imperial Physician, a fifth-level Pharmacist, who was the only one to say it was a sign of poisoning. But even he couldn’t identify the poison. All the other doctors claimed I brought this on myself through improper cultivation." As he spoke, Qiu Chen cursed, "Those quacks. My family’s heirloom sword technique has been passed down for hundreds of years without a single issue. My own son and grandson are cultivating it with no problems. They don’t know a damn thing, so they just spout nonsense. Some even said it’s retribution for all the killing I’ve done. Goddamn sons of bitches."

"Er..." Ling Xiao looked up, stunned, at the old man’s deadpan face. He still carried himself with such a noble air. If he hadn’t heard him so clearly just now, Ling Xiao would have thought his ears were playing tricks on him. ’Now *that’s* a true aristocrat!’ Ling Xiao mused sardonically. ’Even his cursing has so much character!’

Qiu Chen’s condition had not been made public. In fact, he had only developed the illness after stepping down from his post as Grand Marshal of the Imperial Army.

It was rather baffling. It was perfectly normal for a powerful Demon Sword Master to live for over a hundred years; for one to fall ill at all was almost unthinkable. No wonder people were making wild guesses as to how he could have contracted such a mysterious affliction.

Just then, Ling Xiao stood up and said, "It’s a bit late in its progression, but it’s not without a cure."

"Hm?" Qiu Chen froze. The old man hadn’t held out any real hope for this young man. It wasn’t that he looked down on Ling Xiao; it was simply a matter of age. ’He’s a boy of fourteen or fifteen. Even if he’d been studying medicine since he was in the womb, that’s only fourteen or fifteen years of experience. Those old Pharmacists with their white hair and long beards were completely helpless. How could *he* possibly have a cure?’

’Besides, this is Ling Xiao, the son of the Ling Tianxiao family. A young noble who can withstand my immense pressure is already astonishing enough. But to now claim he can cure my illness...’ Qiu Chen shook his head and chuckled in disbelief.

"What, you don’t believe me?" Ling Xiao said with a smile, then proceeded to briefly describe the symptoms Qiu Chen experienced during a flare-up.

A look of shock finally broke through the old man’s impassive facade. He nodded again and again, because what this young man was saying... was perfectly, frighteningly accurate!

Just then, a deep voice suddenly came from outside. "Young man, if you can cure my father’s illness, I will grant you anything you desire within this Imperial Academy!" A middle-aged man in his forties walked in. He was powerfully built with a composed bearing, his face etched with authority, yet his eyes were now brimming with intense excitement.

Trailing behind him was Shangguan Yutong, who had evidently heard the commotion and rushed back. She greeted him respectfully, "Dean..."

"Tong Girl, we’re at home. Just call me Uncle Qiu," the middle-aged man said, giving Shangguan Yutong a warm smile. He then turned his intense gaze on Ling Xiao. "Do you really have a way to cure my father?"

Ling Xiao had long been acquainted with the legendary dean of the Imperial Academy. In fact, he knew him quite well. Dean Qiu Jianhua had a very good relationship with his father, Ling Tianxiao. It was thanks to Dean Qiu Jianhua’s assistance that Ling Xiao, a Celestial Vein Master, had been admitted to the Imperial Academy in the first place. Otherwise, the academy would have been unlikely to accept him, even as the son of a General.

"Dean, there is a way," Ling Xiao replied, his expression frank. "It’s just that the required medicinal ingredients are... quite rare."