Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Miraculous Pearl—Saving Lives from Fire and Water

“This is truly fascinating. I always thought your magical barrier was invincible, that nothing could subdue it. But today we’ve unexpectedly discovered its weakness. It seems we’re one step closer to breaking through it entirely!” Xiao Yin exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.

“If we can really find the weak point of the barrier from this pearl, then my old benefactor will have done me a great favor yet again!” Yu Shang replied with a smile. He understood well that his relationship with the old benefactor was one of mutual cooperation, with no real debts owed on either side. Yet he always felt that whenever the old man appeared, good fortune would arrive in quick succession. It had always been that way, and now it was happening once more. Clearly, the old benefactor was his lucky star!

“He sounds quite formidable, this old benefactor of yours! Who is he, really?” Xiao Yin asked curiously. He had a strong suspicion that the old man was no ordinary cultivator, certain that some astonishing story must lie behind him.

“He’s never revealed anything about himself to me. I don’t even know his name, or where he resides,” Yu Shang admitted with a sense of loss. The old man’s whereabouts were shrouded in mystery. Yu Shang had asked him many times, but he would always refuse to divulge anything, vanishing like a dragon glimpsed only by its scales, impossible to pin down or pursue.

“Quite the enigma, isn’t he? If I ever get the chance, I certainly want to meet him myself. I want to see just what manner of man could earn such reverence from you!” Xiao Yin half-joked, though he genuinely longed to see the old master in person.

Suddenly, a hurried flurry of footsteps sounded from the distance, halting at Yu Shang’s door before the door burst open and someone rushed in. “Something’s wrong with Yuanyuan! She seems to be in great pain. Please, come quickly!” It was Lan Wu, who had dashed over in a panic to call for help. Yu Shang and Xiao Yin exchanged a glance, said nothing, and hastened towards Meng Youyuan’s room.

At the threshold, they saw Meng Youyuan collapsed on the floor in agony. It felt as though something was gnawing at her heart, the excruciating pain spreading swiftly throughout her body, seeping into her organs. It was as if invisible hands were throttling her throat, threatening to snap her neck, leaving her gasping for breath. Her delicate features were twisted and pale with pain, sweat streaming from her brow like a spring. Her eyes were filled with unspeakable panic and helplessness, her hands clutching desperately at her clothes as if to distract herself from the torment. She could do nothing but endure the pain, not even knowing its cause—her only hope was that the demon tormenting her would show mercy and let her suffer less, for this agony was truly worse than death.

“When did she start becoming like this?” Unlike the others, Yu Shang remained calm, merely asking the assembled crowd.

“We just came to chat with Yuanyuan. We’d barely spoken a few words before she suddenly became like this. We didn’t know what to do, so we came to get you all,” Yan Xue Su said, her heart aching for Meng Youyuan’s plight. She couldn’t understand why someone as kind as Yuanyuan should suffer such undeserved calamity—why did all misfortune fall upon her? Must she be driven to the brink?

“What happened to her? I just stepped out for a moment to deal with something. How did she end up like this in such a short time?” Lan Bingxian rushed in, seeing Meng Youyuan writhing in agony, and immediately gathered her into his arms, looking around desperately for answers.

“We don’t know exactly what happened either,” Lan Wu replied anxiously. “We were just chatting, and she was perfectly fine. Then, all of a sudden, she was in pain!” She felt like Meng Youyuan was her own younger sister, and it pained her to see her suffer so, while she herself could do nothing to help.

“Brother Yu and I have tried to infuse her with our vital energy, but the force inside her just scattered it every time—nothing we did made any difference,” Leng Huaiyi said helplessly, never having witnessed such a bizarre affliction.

“I think it’s that force inside her, running rampant and injuring her channels, that’s causing all this pain. We tried to use our energy to subdue it, but it’s just too strong for us,” Yu Xiaoran sighed. “Even working together, we couldn’t control it; this force is truly strange and powerful.”

Yu Shang suddenly shuddered, his brows knitting in pain. Only Xiao Yin, standing close by, noticed the subtle change and sent a worried message: “What’s wrong with you, brat?”

“It’s that pearl again,” Yu Shang replied in his mind. “Ever since I entered this room, it’s been restlessly surging inside me, as if it senses something and wants desperately to break free.” He struggled to suppress the pearl, forcing it to quieten down for now.

“Could it be that the pearl inside Meng Youyuan is causing this reaction? Don’t just stand there—take it out and try! If they’re connected, she might yet be saved!” Leng Huaiyi, who overheard their exchange, quickly reminded him.

“Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?” Without hesitation, Yu Shang focused his energy and extracted the pearl. No sooner had it left his body than it floated into the air from his palm, radiating an intense violet light that forced Lan Bingxian back a few steps before enveloping Meng Youyuan. Lan Bingxian instinctively tried to rush forward, but Xiao Yin intervened, holding him back.

Then, astonishingly, a woman’s spectral form emerged from within the pearl. Though her features were indistinct, it was clear from her silhouette that she was female. She cast a spell, lifting the barely conscious Meng Youyuan into the air, and then struck her with a wave of violet light. Strangely, this light did not vanish inside her body but instead illuminated all her meridians and even revealed the location of the enigmatic force within her. The onlookers stared in wide-eyed amazement at this miraculous sight.

The violet light coursed through Meng Youyuan, purifying her blood, then converged upon the mysterious force, surrounding it completely. They struggled against each other, neither prevailing; each force merely constrained the other, preventing it from growing stronger. Gradually, Meng Youyuan’s pain lessened, and the cool flow of violet light alleviated her torment. The mysterious force, now tightly bound by the light, could no longer wreak havoc, though it could not be eradicated entirely. It was clear that this force was no ordinary foe, and the violet light alone was insufficient to destroy it.

After some time, the spectral woman faded away, the pearl returning to Yu Shang’s palm, while the violet glow continued to battle the mysterious force within Meng Youyuan. Exhausted, she slowly floated down from the air, but fortunately, Lan Bingxian caught her in time and laid her gently on the bed to rest.

“Brother Yu, what exactly is that pearl you carry? It possesses such wondrous powers!” Yu Xiaoran exclaimed in awe. He had seen many divine artifacts in his time, but nothing as rare and astonishing as this pearl.

“To be honest, I don’t really know its origin. If it hadn’t sensed Meng Youyuan’s distress and forced its way out, I wouldn’t have discovered this ability at all!” Yu Shang was just as astonished by what had happened. He had only thought of the pearl as the bane of the barrier, never imagining it could perform such miracles.

“You may not know all its mysteries, but as long as you have it, you needn’t fear injury. Whatever ails you, it will heal!” Lan Wu said, a little envious.

“Such a treasure could never truly belong to me,” Yu Shang replied. “A great master entrusted it to me, asking only that I deliver it to its rightful place. I’d love to keep it and discover what other surprises it holds, but it was never mine to claim.”

“That’s a real pity,” Yan Xue Su sighed wistfully. It seemed that women, by nature, were drawn to such jewels; as soon as the pearl appeared, every woman in the room—even the suffering Meng Youyuan—was transfixed by it, longing to possess it.

“There’s nothing to regret. To witness such a rare artifact is already a once-in-a-lifetime chance—let’s not hope for more,” Leng Huaiyi remarked, bringing the women back to their senses and dispelling their dreams of owning the pearl.

“Brother Yu, if you hadn’t used the pearl in time to save Yuanyuan, she’d be utterly unrecognizable now from the torment. I, Lan Bingxian, am a man who repays his debts. For the life you saved today, I swear I will repay you in full someday!” As he spoke, Lan Bingxian bowed deeply to Yu Shang in gratitude.

“Brother Lan, why are you still so formal and distant? Have you forgotten the promise you made me? If you’re willing to risk life and limb for me, why can’t I give you my all in return? We’ve been through thick and thin together; let’s not keep up these polite formalities!” Yu Shang said, lifting Lan Bingxian up with brotherly affection.

“No matter what, you’ve helped me once again, and I’ll never forget it! If you ever find yourself in trouble, I will repay you, even if it costs me my life!” Meng Youyuan said, dragging her weak body to address Yu Shang, her voice full of gratitude and resolve.

“You talk as if I’m doomed to face some mortal catastrophe in the future. Can’t any of you wish me a little good luck for once?” Yu Shang joked, lightening the somber mood. Everyone laughed, the tension quickly dissipating.

“I never imagined the icy Yu Shang could crack a joke. What sort of man are you, really? I find myself more and more intrigued!” Yu Xiaoran said in a teasing, ambiguous tone, eyeing Yu Shang up and down.

“If you’re interested in him, where does that leave me? Don’t think I won’t get jealous just because he’s a man!” Yan Xue Su quipped, feigning indignation.

“So Brother Yu has such a taste? You men had better keep your distance from him!” Lan Wu joined in the banter.

“That explains the way you look at me! But don’t waste your efforts—I’m afraid nothing will come of it!” Yu Shang replied, pretending to be serious.

“Have you all conspired to make a fool of me? Careful, or I’ll really lose my temper, and then you’ll regret it!” Yu Xiaoran played along, completely unfazed.

“You all have your pairs—it’s me, the lone wolf, who should be careful! I’d better keep my distance from you, lest I end up in danger!” Leng Huaiyi joked as well, and laughter rang throughout the room, filling every corner with cheer.