Chapter Forty: Three Lives

Many thanks to classmate Su Wei for the reward, mwah!

Chapter Forty

“Ye, I never said it couldn’t be done!” Seeing the look in Ye Jingxuan’s eyes, she realized he’d misunderstood her, and hurriedly explained, “It depends on how much death energy the person has absorbed, how long it’s lingered, and the extent of the impact on their body.”

Ye Jingxuan’s eyes lit up once more at her words, and he pleaded, “Mei’er, could you help me save someone?”

Perhaps he’d never asked anyone for a favor before, for both his tone and expression were stiff, making it seem more like a command than a request.

Mei found his demeanor amusing, so she deliberately made things difficult, saying, “Saving someone is quite a troublesome matter, you know!”

It was absolutely more troublesome than taking a life, so she wasn’t exactly lying.

“I know I’m putting you in a difficult position, but I simply can’t stand by and watch that person die before my eyes. So I hope you can help me this one time. I swear, no matter the outcome, no one in the Ye family will ever reveal your abilities. Otherwise—”

“Stop! What’s wrong with you people, always swearing oaths at the drop of a hat?” Mei interrupted Ye Jingxuan irritably.

In her original world, an oath, once uttered, had to be upheld, or else its consequences would surely manifest. So unless the matter was grave, no one would take such vows lightly. Mei herself had never considered her abilities a secret that needed such protection, so this casual swearing annoyed her. To her, it was as reckless as gambling with one’s own life—far too careless!

Her irritation killed any desire for further banter. She glared at Ye Jingxuan and said, “Alright, it’s just saving a life, isn’t it? Who is it? Bring him here and let me take a look. If he can be saved, I’ll save him. Honestly, is it such a big deal that it warrants an oath?”

Ye Jingxuan didn’t understand why she seemed so angry after his oath. She appeared to take such things very seriously—was she worried he wouldn’t keep his word? He couldn’t figure it out, so he set the matter aside for now. The most pressing issue was Uncle Yu’s health.

He went out and asked someone to bring Uncle Yu over. Soon, the two of them entered Mei’s room together.

“I wonder, miss, is there something you require? Are you dissatisfied with the room’s arrangement?” Uncle Yu followed his young master in, puzzled, for the young master did not look well, and so he ventured a guess.

“It’s not about me,” Mei shook her head, explaining, “Ye here said that you might have some health issues and asked me to take a look. Please, have a seat, uncle.”

Uncle Yu was bewildered—he had health problems? Why hadn’t he noticed? And how had the young master known? Though confused, he still obediently sat down as instructed.

Mei stepped in front of him, placed her palm on his forehead, and a gentle white light instantly enveloped his body. The light quickly seeped into him—while Uncle Yu couldn’t see it, Ye Jingxuan, standing nearby, saw it clearly. As the white light faded, a layer of ashen blue crept over Uncle Yu’s skin, making him look almost corpse-like.

“How is it?” Ye Jingxuan hurriedly asked as Mei withdrew her hand.

“It’s alright. Although the death energy has spread throughout his body, it’s still only on the surface. His organs haven’t necrotized. He can be saved!” Noticing how worried Ye Jingxuan was, Mei gave a clear answer.

He can be saved! That was all Ye Jingxuan needed to hear to finally be at ease.

Turning to Mei with gratitude, he was about to ask if she needed anything when she produced a delicate crystal vial and set it on the table. The bottle was small, just the size of her palm, and filled with a clear liquid.

Then Mei’s fingertip gathered a point of white light, and she swiftly drew a series of incomprehensible symbols in the air, intoning a strange melody. The runes, once formed, lingered in the air rather than fading away. Only when her chanting and gestures ceased did the symbols all rush into the crystal vial at once, turning the liquid inside white with a golden sheen.

“Uncle, take this and drink one mouthful a day for ten days, and you’ll be fine,” Mei sealed the bottle and handed it to Uncle Yu with instructions.

Uncle Yu still didn’t quite understand what was happening, but he at least realized that something was indeed wrong with his health, and that whatever was in this vial was meant to cure him.

He wanted to say something, but seeing Mei’s pale face, he swallowed his words, bowed respectfully, and quietly withdrew.

“Mei’er, are you alright?” Seeing how pale she looked, Ye Jingxuan felt a pang of guilt, bending down to gather her into his arms and carry her to the bed.

She was so light!

This was not the first time he’d carried her, but Ye Jingxuan thought she felt even lighter than before, which made him worry all the more.

“I’m fine—just, um, used up a bit too much power. A little rest will do,” Mei leaned back on the bed, closing her eyes in exhaustion.

She was still too weak. She’d only cast a mid-level spell once, and it had drained all her energy. She’d been too lax with her training lately and needed to redouble her efforts.

“Thank you for your hard work, Mei’er. And thank you,” Ye Jingxuan said softly, holding her hand.

At his words, Mei opened her eyes and looked at him. This seemed to be the first time he’d actually thanked her. Evidently, Uncle Yu was very important to him.

She said nothing. Ye Jingxuan lowered his head, gazing at the small hand in his palm, so much paler than his own and only half its size. The contrast between his rough skin and her soft, delicate fingers was striking; he couldn’t help but caress them gently.

So this is what a girl’s hand feels like. Her skin was so smooth, not a single callus—no wonder she’d been hurt so seriously before.

His eyes fell on the faint pink scar on her finger, and he recalled the scene in the valley when she’d faced down the giant python, bow drawn. She must have endured so much pain in that moment.

To think someone who seemed so delicate could force herself to fight through a wound that exposed bone, driving back a monstrous snake—it was hard to believe.

How could a person be such a contradiction?

His fingertips grazed the scar lightly, and Ye Jingxuan suddenly blurted out something rather silly: “Does it still hurt?”

Mei found him rather odd. He hadn’t asked about her pain when she was actually injured—why ask now? Was his reaction time just that slow?

She remembered reading in some memories that certain people, due to dull senses, only felt pain long after being hurt. Maybe he was one of those people?

But those cases all involved people who’d been modified. Had he been altered, too?

Despite her confusion, Mei still answered, “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“But it still looks painful,” Ye Jingxuan said, his focus still on the scar, oblivious to her odd look.

“Does it? It’s fine. In a little while, there won’t be a trace left,” Mei replied nonchalantly.

Elves were like that; their bodies seldom bore scars. She’d been hurt countless times growing up, but never carried any marks. If this body’s integration with her soul were stronger, the scar would have disappeared already.

No scars, no roughness, no calluses—a person with such skin wasn’t suited to battle, was she?

No matter how much training, her skin remained so soft and sensitive. Wouldn’t that just make her feel pain more easily?

“Truly delicate skin,” he remarked.

Whether that was praise or criticism was hard to say, but Mei didn’t mind. She replied with some helplessness, “It’s not as though I want it that way—it’s just how I was born, and I can’t change it.”

She remembered how hard Cyril had worked to brew a potion that would actually leave a mark on her skin! All those rare ingredients wasted on a single vial that was useless to anyone else—no wonder Cyril had sulked for ages.

The memory of his dark expression brought a fond smile to Mei’s lips.

He didn’t know what she was reminiscing about, but it soured Ye Jingxuan’s mood nonetheless. Her mysterious past was a closed book to him—he knew nothing of what she’d experienced. All the more, he wanted to fill her future with himself, to claim all her memories from now on.

But this girl was too pure, too naïve. She didn’t even know how to bargain for her own help, leaving him with no chance to take advantage.

With this in mind, Ye Jingxuan couldn’t help but ask, “Counting today, I owe you three lives now—how am I ever supposed to repay you?”

Three lives?

Were there really that many? Mei blinked, unsure how he’d come to that number. Did he count the time she healed him as well? But if he was willing to, why not? Only a fool would decline a free favor. She’d never ask for repayment outright, but if someone wanted to repay her, she would never refuse.

So she said, “Whatever you can offer, that’s how you can repay me.”

“And if I have nothing to give right now?” Ye Jingxuan said with some embarrassment. Thinking it over, he really didn’t have anything worthwhile to offer.

“That’s fine—give it to me when you have it,” Mei replied generously.

She wasn’t in any rush to leave anyway; she could wait.

“Then it’s a deal. When I have something, I’ll repay you,” Ye Jingxuan replied, his expression earnest, though his eyes glinted with rare cunning.

“Alright, alright!” Mei waved her hand dismissively. She was more concerned about something else. “Will the Ye family be serving dinner tonight?”

They’d set out early for the base and missed lunch. By the time they arrived at the Ye residence, it was already afternoon. After some conversation and rest, it was now evening.

She was starving! Why hadn’t anyone mentioned dinner yet?

Ye Jingxuan was momentarily speechless, finally recalling that, in her eyes, eating was more important than anything else. It was his oversight, but her question was so exasperating it was impossible to be angry.

“Don’t worry—even if I have to go hungry, I won’t let you starve! The Ye family hasn’t fallen so low as to let guests go without dinner,” Ye Jingxuan replied, face impassive, but Mei thought she heard him grinding his teeth.

She really shouldn’t have asked—how rude! But she was just so hungry!