Supreme Sword Exalt

Ah Sha was vast asleep on the soft couch. However, the constant trembling of her eyelashes made it obvious that her condition was anything but alright.

Upon seeing Gu Han return, Murong Chuan sighed. “Little Brother, this little girl seems off... Her soul power seems to be—”

As Gu Han helped Ah Sha sit up, he took out the last pill, carefully placing it into her mouth. Only when he saw the pain on her face lessen did he sighed weakly in relief.

“It’s Soul Deficiency. She needs constant replenishment of soul power.”

When Murong Chuan caught sight of the golden pill, his eyes widened. It was a rare moment where he looked like he lost his composure.

“This pill...”

Gu Han saw no reason to hide it. “It was personally refined by the Ghost Physician. Senior Xue gave it to me back then.”

“Murong Chuan was stunned. “Xue Mao? You know him?”

“Is that Senior Xue’s name? Yes, I’ve met him a few times.”

Murong Chuan’s expression turned peculiar. “This pill... I think I know where it came from.”

“You do?”

Murong Chuan sighed. “Years ago, our ancestor ventured out and accidentally fell into a dangerous place. He barely escaped with his life and happened to bring back a rare spirit herb from there. The herb’s greatest effect was nourishing a cultivator’s soul. The ancestor treasured it dearly, and secretly stored it in the clan vault, never allowing anyone so much as glance at it. But...”

Gu Han’s heart stirred. “The Ghost Physician? He got his hands on that herb?”

Murong Chuan gave a bitter smile. “Exactly. The pill in your hand must have been refined by the Ghost Physician using that very herb.”

Gu Han was puzzled. “But didn’t you say Senior Murong treasured it dearly? Why would he willingly give it to the Ghost Physician?”

Murong Chuan said helplessly, “Of course he was unwilling, but the Ghost Physician used a token to pressure him. No matter how much it pained him, the ancestor couldn’t break his promise, so he had no choice but to hand over the herb.”

Gu Han was stunned. “What?! A token?”

“Yes, the Ghost Physician held the eighth token. After that incident, the ancestor suffered a great loss and never gave out another token. The one you have was purely an exception.”

Gu Han fell silent.

Murong Chuan glanced at him. “According to the ancestor, that herb was exceptionally rare, and the pills refined from it were even more extraordinary. If someone at the Divine Connection realm took one, they could likely break through several minor realms, saving who knows how many years of arduous cultivation.

“The value of this pill can’t simply be measured in essence crystals. To think he was willing to give you such a precious pill... it speaks volume of your relationship with Xue Mao.”

Only now did Gu Han truly understand just how heavy Xue Mao’s kindness was.

Burying this debt of gratitude deep in his heart, he changed the subject. “Senior, does the Murong family still have any of this kind of spirit herb?”

Murong Chuan shook his head. “No. Spirit herbs that can nourish the soul are already scarce and hard to find. Without a stroke of luck, ordinary people would never come across them.”

Gu Han still refused to give up. “Then, Senior, do you know of any method to temporarily seal a person’s soul and prevent the loss of soul power?”

Murong Chuan was taken aback. “Seal? Can souls even be sealed? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Not just me, but even our ancestors might not know.”

Although Gu Han had vaguely guessed the outcome, he still felt a pang of disappointment. He had roughly deduced that while the Ghost Physician’s pills could stabilize Ah Sha’s soul, their effects would last, at most, three months.

And now, the last pill was gone. Her life would be in grave danger three months later.

He stared at Ah Sha, sleeping soundly, his heart aching. “Is there really no other way?”

Murong Chuan seemed to recall something, hesitating for a moment. “There might be one more method worth trying.”

“What method?” Gu Han clung to this lifeline.

Murong Chuan said slowly, “A few days ago, the demonic beasts in the Wild Forest went berserk, and the Treasure Pavilion’s pavilion master took advantage of the chaos to retrieve a Fallen Nether Fruit from the nest of a Tier 7 demonic beast!”

Gu Han immediately understood that Murong Chuan wouldn’t bring this up for no reason. “Fallen Nether Fruit? Could it be...”

Murong Chuan nodded. “Exactly! The Fallen Nether Fruit has benefits for the soul. Although it’s far inferior to our ancestor’s herb, it’s still a rare and precious spirit herb. Using it on this little girl would certainly have some effect. That fellow really stumbled upon an incredible stroke of luck!”

Gu Han sensed the deeper meaning in his words. “Senior, you and he...”

Murong Chuan sneered. “Him? We don’t have any major grievances, just a mutual dislike. Hmph, that pavilion master is hardly a decent man!”

Gu Han paused for a moment. “Even so, I still have to go.”

“Would you need a hand?”

Gu Han shook his head. “No need to trouble yourself, Senior. I’ll handle this myself.”

He knew all too well that Murong Chuan and the pavilion master had their differences. Asking Murong Chuan to step in wouldn’t only put him in an awkward position, but could also lead to further complications.

Murong Chuan raised an eyebrow. “By yourself? The Fallen Nether Fruit’s value is extraordinarily high!”

“I understand.”

Seeing that Gu Han seemed prepared, Murong Chuan said no more, offering one last piece of advice. “Very well. Be mentally prepared. If you want to get the Fallen Nether Fruit from him, the price you’ll pay might far exceed your expectations.”

Gu Han stared at Ah Sha, his expression softening. “I’m willing to pay any price!”

With that, he bowed to Murong Chuan and left in a hurry, not daring to delay for even a moment. If he arrived too late and the spirit fruit fell into someone else’s hands, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

After watching Gu Han leave, Murong Chuan’s eyes flickered as he issued an order. “Investigate! Find out what exactly happened at the Martial Academy today.”

A voice responded from the shadows. “Yes!”

Gu Han’s disheveled state hadn’t escaped Murong Chuan’s notice.

He gazed into the distance, a hint of emotion in his voice. “It seems that the day I take action isn’t far off. Old Monster, it’s been decades. I wonder how much of your strength remains?”

***

At the seventh prince’s residence...

Chief Steward Li nearly jumped out of his skin, startling the few maids in the residence. “What?! Your Highness... you’re not joking, are you?”

Jiang Feng gave a bitter smile. “Chief Steward Li, When have I ever joked with you?”

Chief Steward Li’s face turned pale as he slumped into a chair. Tears streamed down his aged face as he said, “We’re doomed! Doomed, doomed, doomed! I couldn’t even protect you. How useless I am...”

Beside Jiang Feng, the fatty looked bewildered. “Hey... isn’t His Highness perfectly fine, not a single hair out of place? Why are you mourning him like he’s dead?”

Chief Steward Li glared at him fiercely. “You don’t understand a damn thing! You have no idea just how terrifying that Jinx Mei Yun is! If His Highness is under his care, we’re finished. Your Highness, I will go to the Martial Academy right now. I’ll get you a different instructor even if it costs me my life!”

Jiang Feng sighed. “It’s no use. With my eldest brother around, I’m destined to have no choice but Instructor Mei.”

A trace of despair flashed in Chief Steward Li’s eyes as he said sharply, “He’s already... must he really wipe us out completely?”

Jiang Feng was taken aback. “Chief Steward Li, what do you mean?”

Realizing he had misspoken, Chief Steward Li quickly corrected himself. “It’s... it’s nothing. I just meant that the eldest prince has gone too far.”

Jiang Feng shook his head. “Don’t you know him by now? If it weren’t for my terminal illness, I’d have long been exiled to the border like my other brothers. How could I have stayed in the capital?”

Chief Steward Li hesitated. “Your Highness, I’ve told you before to keep your distance from him... Ah, why won’t you listen?”

Jiang Feng’s expression darkened. “Chief Steward Li, don’t say such things again! Brother Gu has shown me immense kindness. If I were to cut ties with him now, wouldn’t I be worse than a beast? Besides, even without Brother Gu, my eldest brother might not have tolerated me anyway.”

The fatty sighed with emotion. “Seems that redhead really is a piece of work. Even plotting against his own brothers. If someone like that were in my family, they’d have been slapped to death long ago.”

Watching the fatty, who had tagged along with Jiang Feng like an old friend, Chief Steward Li couldn’t help but feel disdain. Ignorant fool! How could your insignificant family compare to the imperial family?

Perhaps realizing his tone had been too harsh, Jiang Feng softened his voice. “Chief Steward Li, I understand your concerns, but what’s done is done. We can only accept it. As for Instructor Mei, well, we’ll leave it to fate...”

The fatty scratched his head in confusion. “After all this talk, you all seem terrified of Mei Yun? He seems perfectly ordinary, timid and cowardly. Other than his unfortunate name, is there anything special about him?”

Jiang Feng sighed. “Brother He Zheng, you don’t understand.”

He recounted Mei Yun’s story once more. By the time he finished, the fatty had leaped to his feet.

“What?! We’re doomed!”

His face turned deathly pale, mirroring Chief Steward Li’s earlier expression.

“Doomed, doomed, doomed! This calamity is one I won’t be able to escape...”

***

The Treasure Pavilion was even more grandiose than the Murong family’s inn, standing a full five stories tall, as if in deliberate competition. The first-floor hall was bustling with activity, with cultivators of all kinds coming and going. It was a testament to the Treasure Pavilion’s thriving business.

Before coming, Gu Han had taken the time to change his clothes. Had he arrived in his previous disheveled state, he’d have encountered unnecessary trouble. Right now, aside from the Fallen Nether Fruit, he wanted no additional complications.

Noticing Gu Han’s entrance, a middle-aged man warmly approached. “Esteemed guest, I am Fan Qi, a steward of the Treasure Pavilion. If you have any needs, please don’t hesitate to ask. Whether it’s artifacts, pills, or even rare treasures hard to find elsewhere, the Treasure Pavilion has it all!”

Gu Han gave him a glance. Acupoint Unsealing realm.

Although the Treasure Pavilion also had ties to the Yuqing Sect, its influence seemed to pale in comparison to the Murong family’s.

Shaking his head, Gu Han ignored his enthusiasm. “I’m looking for Chen Ping. I heard he’s also a steward here.”

Seeing his potential business slip away, Fan Qi’s politeness vanished.

He lazily pointed toward a corner. “Chen Ping? Over there. Go find him yourself! Oh, and Chen Ping isn’t a steward anymore.”

Gu Han’s brow furrowed as he followed Fan Qi’s direction. Chen Ping appeared utterly dejected in the corner, surrounded by piles of oddly shaped stones. Some were as small as a fist, others as tall as a person. However, most visitors to the pavilion were there for pills or artifacts. Those strange stones went entirely unnoticed.