Chapter 109: A Warm Array Pattern
He heard An Ran’s words, looked up, and said, “I’ve discovered what you’re missing, Miss An, but I don’t know how to solve it yet.”
“What… am I missing?” An Ran had seen many doctors before. A renowned female physician from the Eastern Continent had been invited by the Huang family to examine Huang Qingfei and had also examined An Ran. It was from her that the Huang family had learned An Ran was missing something from birth. However, she could only detect that something was missing, not what it was.
She had suspected a lack of Yang energy, but the fact that An Ran was alive seemed to disprove that theory. How could someone without Yang energy be alive?
“You’re missing… Yang energy.” Mingyan explained his findings in detail. An Ran’s face paled. “My… my Yang energy is fake?”
“Yes. That’s why you can’t break through to the Yang Tomb Realm and will be stuck here forever. And even at the Yin Tomb Realm, you’re much weaker than other cultivators at the same level.” Mingyan nodded. He himself found it hard to believe his discovery. It defied common sense. A person with a body full of fake Yang energy, yet still alive, was simply incredible.
“Then… do you have a way to solve it, Young Master Ming?” Yu Zhu asked eagerly.
“Yang energy…” Huang Feiyan glanced at Mingyan, a playful smile on her face. If there was one thing Mingyan didn’t lack, it was Yang energy.
Mingyan pondered. Although his blood contained incredibly strong Yang energy, he couldn’t just keep giving her transfusions. They needed to find a cure. She wasn’t like Huang Qingfei, who was poisoned. Once the poison was neutralized, the problem was solved. An Ran’s problem was that her Yang energy was fake. She needed a long-term supply of Yang energy, or rather, a way for her body to produce its own.
Hmm… Perhaps he could use his own Yang energy to help her construct the Yang Tomb?
But if it wasn’t her own Yang energy, would the constructed Yang Tomb be stable?
There was likely no precedent for this. Everyone had their own Yang energy. Who would use someone else’s to construct their Yang Tomb?
And without Taiyin power, Mingyan wouldn’t have even been able to discover that her Yang energy was fake…
Even if there had been someone with a similar constitution in history, they wouldn’t have necessarily encountered a Human King Physique who could use Taiyin and Taiyang to examine them.
There was no precedent. He didn’t know if it would work.
Mingyan pondered for a moment, then said, “Theoretically, there’s a solution.”
He explained his idea, and also the risks. Since there was no precedent, using his Yang energy to construct her Yang Tomb could have unforeseen consequences for her.
An Ran lowered her head and was silent for a moment, then looked up, her eyes filled with resolve. “Could it be any worse than it is now? I’m willing to try, Young Master Ming. I don’t care about the consequences.”
Either she lived as an ordinary person, protected by Yu Zhu, and spent her life in the mortal world, with no guarantee she would even live a full life, or she could take a chance. Perhaps this could reconnect her broken path. Who knew?
Mingyan nodded. He couldn’t directly transfer his Taiyang power through spiritual energy yet. He hadn’t reached the Yang Tomb Realm and couldn’t produce it. He could only give her his blood. He pricked his finger and let the blood drip into a container for An Ran to consume.
The Human King Physique’s blood was fragrant, rich in not only potent Yang energy but also Yin energy and life force. After drinking it, An Ran’s complexion improved significantly.
Mingyan examined her again and found that although his blood had indeed provided her with some Yang energy, it wasn’t enough… The Yin energy in her body was too strong. To achieve a balance, she would likely need Taiyang power. But he didn’t have any…
He frowned. “Miss An, to solve your problem, I’ll likely need to reach the Yang Tomb Realm. With the current concentration of Yang energy in my blood, it wouldn’t be enough to help you construct the Yang Tomb, even if I drained myself completely.”
“It’s alright. I can wait.” An Ran felt a warmth spread through her body, a comfortable sensation. Hearing his words, she opened her eyes and nodded slightly. “Thank you, Young Master Ming… I’m no longer considered a member of the An family. If you can truly help me cultivate, I’m willing to follow you.”
“Wait…” Yue Qingying immediately interjected. “If you can truly cultivate, why not go to Yaochi? They accept female disciples, don’t they? You can just remember Mingyan’s kindness and repay him someday. You don’t have to follow him.”
Ning Feixuan glanced at Yue Qingying, puzzled. What was wrong with her following Mingyan? She could just go to the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sacred Land’s Moon Shadow Branch, couldn’t she?
But Yaochi did indeed take in such female disciples. They provided a home and work for homeless women, allowing them to be self-sufficient. If they had cultivation talent and were pure of heart, they would even accept them as disciples. So, she didn’t object.
Mingyan also didn’t need An Ran to follow him. She was too beautiful. He was afraid Ning Feixuan would misunderstand.
“By the way, I can inscribe an array pattern for you. It should alleviate the effects of the Yin energy in your body.” Mingyan had an idea. He couldn’t keep giving her his blood, but using it to inscribe an array pattern might provide a long-term solution.
“Please, Young Master Ming, help her!” Yu Zhu said immediately. She had been with An Ran since childhood and knew how much her lady suffered, often unable to sleep at night due to the pain. Hearing there was a way to alleviate her symptoms, she didn’t hesitate. She even sent a mental message to Mingyan. “If you’re skilled in formations, Young Master Ming… please… inscribe an enslavement mark on me. Let me atone for my sins!”
Mingyan’s eye twitched. She was speaking to him privately. He replied mentally, “There’s no need for that, is there?”
“Please, Young Master Ming! Otherwise, my conscience will never be at ease! I tried to use you, yet you’re helping my lady. As her servant, my crime is unforgivable. Only in this way can I find peace. Please don’t refuse, or I’ll have to take my own…”
“Don’t, don’t… I’ll do it, I’ll do it, alright?” Mingyan quickly interrupted her. Why was she talking about suicide?
He had indeed had a bad impression of Yu Zhu. After all, she had tried to harm him. But what could he do? Kill her? He couldn’t do that.
Leaving her with a “favor” to owe him was a compromise. But now, she was asking him to inscribe an enslavement mark on her, threatening to kill herself if he refused…
How did he become the one being threatened? Who threatens someone into enslaving them?
“I’m counting on you, Young Master,” An Ran said, unaware of their mental conversation, her eyes filled with gratitude.
“Um… about that…” Mingyan said softly. “For maximum effectiveness, I need to inscribe it on your abdomen… The array pattern can’t be obstructed, so it has to be on your skin. This might be… a bit intimate. If you’re not comfortable, we can forget it.”
“…” Ning Feixuan and Huang Feiyan both glanced at him. Ning Feixuan thought, I knew it. He seems so proper, but there’s something off about him!
Huang Feiyan’s expression was also strange. On a girl’s abdomen? This… this…
Yue Qingying, having also studied formations, didn’t find it strange. She knew he was telling the truth.
“Ah… this…” An Ran blushed, hesitated, then nodded. “Then… then please… begin, Young Master.”
“Alright.” Mingyan nodded. Seeing she didn’t mind, he led her to the side.
She turned her back to the others, unfastened her Ice Silk Gauze dress, revealing her abdomen and the gold-trimmed undergarment beneath. She lifted it slightly, her face flushing with embarrassment.
Mingyan’s hands were steady. He pricked his finger and used his blood to inscribe an array pattern on her abdomen. The crimson Human King blood was stark and alluring against her snow-white skin, like a butterfly with outstretched wings.
After he finished, An Ran immediately felt the coldness in her Qi Sea being replaced by a warmth, a comfortable sensation, just like when his spiritual energy had entered her body.
It was working. An Ran opened her eyes and saw that Mingyan had already stood up and turned away, not looking at her, clearly avoiding any impropriety. She pursed her lips. “Young Master Ming, your kindness… how can I ever repay it?”
Repay? Mingyan hadn’t thought about that. He smiled faintly. “Just consider it a favor for a friend.”
An Ran lowered her head and said softly, “With what you’ve done, how can I just see you as a friend…”
“Can’t we be friends?” Mingyan scratched his head, not understanding her meaning.
“Of course we can be friends.” An Ran looked up, her smile bright. “Then we’re friends… Don’t forget, you have a friend named An Ran, alright?”
“How could I forget?” Mingyan shook his head, then noticed she still hadn’t fastened her dress. His gaze was drawn to her, and he quickly turned away.
An Ran, noticing his gaze, realized her dress was still open. Her face flushed, and she quickly fastened it, then touched her abdomen, a warm, pleasant sensation spreading through her…
Friends? What if… it was more than just friends?
