Chapter 407: Elder Shun Inquires About an Illness
Jiang Chen was quite surprised to hear the old man describe the current trajectory of his life.
He’d never thought that there was a mysterious person hiding in the shadows, knowing all about what he’d done like the back of his hand.
“Elder, have you been following me?” Jiang Chen’s tone lowered.
“Nono…” Elder Shun waved his hands. He too was deathly afraid of Jiang Chen misunderstanding. “I just happened to notice you and felt that you were extraordinary, so I decided to continue to follow and pay attention to you. I mean no harm, and have actually saved you twice already.”
“Hmm? You’re the mysterious person who made Chu Xinghan back off at the Second Crossing?” Jiang Chen suddenly thought of something as he exclaimed hoa.r.s.ely.
Jiang Chen immediately understood what the elder meant by two times. The first was the Second Crossing, the second was beating back Sunchaser when he’d killed Long Juxue.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly when his thoughts travelled here. This mysterious elder’s strength was likely above Sunchaser’s. It was pointless for him to be on his guard.
If this elder truly did bear ill will, then there was no way that Jiang Chen could resist anyways.
He immediately bowed slightly and made courteous gestures. “Jiang Chen is deeply grateful for the elder’s aid. Might I be so bold as to inquire your honorable name?”
Jiang Chen still well remembered when this mysterious elder had beaten back Chu Xinghan without revealing himself.
He’d asked who this mysterious elder was then, and said that if there was a chance, he wanted to repay the debt of saving his life.
But at that time, the mysterious elder hadn’t given Jiang Chen his name.
Elder Shun nodded slightly. “You can call me Elder Shun.”
“Elder Shun?” Jiang Chen looked at the slightly hunched over, ugly girl.
“Jiang Chen, the reason I’ve been paying attention to you is because of her. This is a granddaughter from my tribe, you can call her Huang’er.”
“h.e.l.lo Miss Huang’er.” Jiang Chen nodded kindly at Huang’er, not disdaining her for her less than pleasing appearance.
Huang’er nodded slightly and smiled, “h.e.l.lo.”
“Jiang Chen, you must have many questions in your heart about the situation and why I’m here.”
Jiang Chen was noncommittal and laughed softly.
“Mm, I boldly tampered with the formation because I didn’t wish to meet with those of the four great sects, and wanted to speak privately with you. There was a reason for my actions, I hope this little brother doesn’t take it amiss. When it comes down to it, I’ve acted a bit discourteously.”
Elder Shun’s manner was urbane and he didn’t put on any airs in front of Jiang Chen just because he was stronger.
This point was rather up Jiang Chen’s alley.
“Elder, you’ve done all this just to see me alone?” Jiang Chen started.
“Yes.” Elder Shun looked at the girl next to him when his words travelled here, a look of tender protectiveness appearing in his eyes.
Huang’er also felt a bit sad at this moment. Elder Shun was such a respected person, yet he had to be so polite and humble in front of a junior because of her ailment.
It wasn’t that Huang’er had fixed notions of precedence, but that she understood Elder Shun quite well.
Knowing Elder Shun’s pride, he’d never shown such an affable face to even the extremely strong beings on high.
He was being so courteous to Jiang Chen solely because of her. How would this not make her feel touched and guilty?
When Jiang Chen saw Elder Shun glance repeatedly at the young girl, his eyes also moved and looked again at her.
Elder Shun sighed softly, “Little brother Jiang, you diagnosed that the princess of the Eastern Kingdom had a yin const.i.tution, is that right?”
Jiang Chen was immensely startled. This was a secret of the Eastern Kingdom royals, and this elder knew even that?
Since the other had mentioned it, Jiang Chen naturally would put up a front and deny it.
He nodded. “Yes, this was indeed the case.”
“Then can little brother Jiang discern what stubborn illness ails my granddaughter?” Elder Shun cut straight to the chase.
Jiang Chen subtly understood something when he heard this. Elder Shun had paid attention to him for so long likely because of his granddaughter’s sickness.
However, he was still quite puzzled. If Elder Shun has such strength and methods, why can’t he cure his granddaughter’s affliction?
If even Elder Shun was helpless in front of this sickness, then Jiang Chen didn’t have much guarantee as well.
Jiang Chen remained silent as he focused his gaze on Huang’er. Apart from somewhat ugly features, there seemed nothing untoward about this young girl.
Huang’er grew a bit embarra.s.sed by Jiang Chen’s scrutiny. Although she was bright and intelligent, pure without a single speck of dust about her, she was still a young girl after all. Even though she’d changed her features and had made herself look ugly on purpose, she still became a bit shy when Jiang Chen stared at her like this.
However, she was a cultured daughter of a respectful family. She could see from Jiang Chen’s eyes that he had no malicious thoughts in mind. His eyes were pure and clear with no desire of violating her.
He thought for a moment before saying, “Elder Shun, I was able to diagnose Eastern Zhiruo’s yin const.i.tution that day because I once read about it in an ancient text. I haven’t full confidence in healing ailments, but if you would like me to proclaim a diagnosis, I will surely try my best to repay your kindness in aiding me.”
Jiang Chen was one who clearly delineated his grudges and debts of grat.i.tude. The other had helped him numerous times, and no matter what the reason was, Jiang Chen was still indebted to him.
Repaying debts of grat.i.tude was the way of a true man.
“Mm, what I seek is you giving it your all. Being able to cure Huang’er or not is up to fate and cannot be your fault.”
Elder Shun was quite sincere, and now that his purpose had been fully laid out, he wouldn’t make any hard and fast requests that Jiang Chen had to cure Huang’er.
If old man Qian Ji’s divination did indeed come true on Jiang Chen’s body, then there would indeed be a change in fortunes if this young man tried his best.
Elder Shun had been more worried that Jiang Chen wouldn’t try his best. Now that Jiang Chen had expressed his stance, the former was naturally satisfied.
It was rather Huang’er, who’d been sick since young, who didn’t display any obvious joy on her face despite facing a change in her fate. Due to being fraught with illness for all her life, her personality had actually turned out quite optimistic.
“Elder Shun, it doesn’t seem from Huang’er’s appearance that she possesses a weak body.”
Elder Shun sighed lightly, “All the famous doctors have said that as well. It’s precisely because of this that this ailment has dragged on for twenty years, and there is still no progress even unto today. However, a doctor once said that if her sickness flares up three times in a month, then even a golden immortal from the highest of the 36 heavens will be hard pressed to save her.”
“Oh?” Jiang Chen asked upon hearing these words. “What happens when her sickness flares up?”
“When the sickness flares,” Elder Shun heaved a long sigh again. “She becomes as if a wooden puppet, unable to control her words and actions at all. She has at times comes depressed, and sometimes she would explode with a hot temper. She sometimes faints, but if she doesn’t, she would drift off into s.p.a.ce. She might sit alone and laugh, or weep in a corner. Her eyes are empty as if a walking corpse, completely distracted. She will fall into a dead faint in the end and wakes up the next day, or the longest after three or five days.”
Elder Shun described all of the details he could think of.
Jiang Chen furrowed his brow. Many ailments exhibited such symptoms.
Shock from being frightened out of one’s wits for instance, or entering a cultivation deviation. Developing split personalities, or having an incomplete soul from birth.
However, most of these ailments were formed at birth and was always such. They didn’t express themselves at irregular periods.
This was different from Huang’er’s ailment.
Jiang Chen thought for a moment and asked, “May I take Miss Huang’er’s pulse?”
Taking one’s pulse was an ancient method of diagnosis, but quite practical. Doing so could enable one to understand their patient’s ailment and their body condition.
Jiang Chen’s facial expression grew more and more solemn as time went on. He finally released his hand and said, “My apologies for intruding.”
“Thank you for your efforts, Sir Jiang.” Huang’er responded forthrightly.
“What do you sense?” Elder Shun’s heart hung high in the air.
“It’s odd.” Jiang Chen sighed and shook his head lightly. “Miss Huang’er’s pulse is solid and steady. The life force within her body is very strong. If I guess correctly, Miss Huang’er’s level of cultivation is actually quite strong. This is at noticeable odds with the ailments that I’m familiar with. Logically speaking, someone who is sick shouldn’t have such strong life force.”
“Is there any hope for her?”
Jiang Chen spread out her hands. “Allow me a moment to contemplate. These symptoms are quite strange. It doesn’t look like something that she was born with, or an ailment that developed later. Odd, how odd.”
Although Elder Shun was deeply anxious, he knew that this wasn’t the time to disrupt Jiang Chen’s thoughts.
Jiang Chen’s eyes suddenly moved as he thought of something.
“Elder Shun, did Huang’er’s parents have any enemies?”
Elder Shun started, why was he suddenly asking this question?
He thought for a moment and didn’t deny things. “Those on the path of martial dao will always have a few enemies.”
“I mean, did Huang’er’s mother have any conflict with someone or offended anyone when she was pregnant? Particularly a woman.”
Elder Shun thought for a bit and nodded. “There was indeed another woman who loved Huang’er’s father when her parents were in love, but that happened ages ago.”
“Is this woman no longer on this earth? And did she die before Huang’er was born, and died for unknown reasons?” Jiang Chen continued to ask.
Elder Shun’s body trembled. He naturally knew these age old matters, but they were all great secrets. How did Jiang Chen come to know of them?
Could Jiang Chen deduce the past?
A look of surprise suddenly shot out of Elder Shun’s eyes. Jiang Chen wasn’t just asking random questions, could it be that old man Qian Ji’s divination about this boy was going to be validated?
The light of astonishment s.h.i.+ning out of his eyes, Elder Shun hastened to ask, “Little brother Jiang, all that you’ve said is correct. However, how did you know all this? Does all this have something to do with Huang’er’s illness?”
When Huang’er heard Jiang Chen’s questions, she too thought of her parents. This threw her emotions in disarray, and some mist welled up in her eyes in that moment.