~~~

It is the third time Liu Jin enters Ruan Goutin’s throne room. It is the second time he is left alone with him.

He does not feel any safer.

Ruan Goutin is not in the Emperor Realm. However, it would be the height of foolishness to assume Ruan Goutin is somehow not a threat because of it. After all, Liu Jin is merely a cultivator in the Nascent Realm. The only person he can count on right now is Lei Kong, who is in the True Realm.

Ruan Goutin is in the Heaven Realm and has an army of cultivators at his beck and call.

To kill them, he wouldn’t even need to lift a finger.

Liu Jin approaches Ruan Goutin well aware of those things. His steps are measured, his back straight. The tray in his hands feels heavy even though there is not much on it, just a small cup and a flask. The flask is see-through and made of glass, allowing all who look at it to see the orange concoction steaming inside.

As Liu Jin kneels and places the tray on the floor, Ruan Goutin’s powerful aura presses down on him. The might behind it is fake, yet the menacing intent lacing it is all too real. Ruan Goutin’s presence fills every corner of the room. It is, Liu Jin now realizes, a defense mechanism. Ruan Goutin needs to impress his superiority upon others. He cannot allow it to be questioned. Should his power ever be put in doubt, all he has built could crumble in the blink of an eye.

That is how fragile Ruan Goutin’s position is.

That is why he is so dangerous.

Liu Jin is alive because he is useful. However, that does not guarantee his long-term safety. The moment Ruan Goutin’s fears overcome his common sense, Liu Jin’s life will end. That is how precarious his situation is.

No matter how hard Liu Jin tries, he cannot prepare himself against irrationality.

“You have had three days to prepare. Have you fulfilled your purpose?”

Ruan Goutin snaps his fingers. Liu Jin feels his voice return to him. The sensation of suddenly being able to form words after a week of silence is disconcerting, yet he quickly composes himself.

“My lord, I have done as you asked,” Liu Jin replies, making sure to keep his head bowed. “My servant and I have toiled away for the past three days. The result is this Elixir of Soulful Blessing you see before you.”

“Elixir of Soulful Blessing?” Ruan Goutin echoes. The look he gives the orange potion is at once dismissive and doubtful. “I cannot say I have heard of it. Surely, you are not trying to deceive me, are you?”

He says those words lightly. However, the accusation is a heavy one. A lesser person would have immediately started stuttering out denials. Liu Jin remains calm.

“My lord, to try to deceive you would be to court death. This Liu Jin is not that foolish. Please, consider that I have done all that has been asked of me. Why should this be any different?”

Ruan Goutin does not look convinced.

“And this elixir… you say it will heal me?”

Liu Jin nods. “That is so. Two of the main ingredients of the Elixir of Soulful Blessing are the root of an Eternal Tree and Phoenix Feathers. Because of that, it carries within the properties of vitality and renewal. Considering the characteristics of my lord’s ailment, I believe this is the best treatment possible.”

Ruan Goutin hums and strokes his chin. The ring on his finger catches Liu Jin’s eye. “The characteristics, you say?”

“As my lord knows, the real problem lies in his soul. For a normal person, the soul is an untouchable domain. However, my lord is not among the uninitiated. The days in which my lord was in the Nascent Realm were doubtlessly centuries ago. Others must content themselves with mastery over their bodies. My lord has reached loftier heights and has mastery over both his body and his soul. For him to mend his own soul is not impossible, yet that has not happened. The reason for it, well, I am sure my lord understands it better than anyone.”

Ruan Goutin’s face does not change. His muscles do not tense.

Even so, the weight of his presence doubles. Liu Jin grits his teeth as he feels as if his face is about to be slammed into the floor.

“The reason why my lord’s soul will not heal is because the aura of the one who made that wound still lingers.” Liu Jin quickly forces out. “It is a stain on my lord’s soul, preventing it from healing itself. In that sense, it is much like an infection, and much like an infection, it must be removed before my lord’s soul can be healed.”

Liu Jin is not lying. He might have seen Ruan Goutin’s soul for a fleeting instant, yet that glimpse was enough for him to see it. The wound on Ruan Goutin’s soul, the stain in it, it reeked of the aura of another. It lingered over the injury, giving it permanence and causing it to fester. That person’s power is, without a doubt, greater than Ruan Goutin’s. That is why he cannot force it out.

The level of control required for such a feat… Truly, it boggles the mind.

How sad it is that such a brilliant person is so obviously cruel.

“And you think,” Ruan Goutin begins slowly, making it clear Liu Jin must choose his next words very carefully. “That this elixir will remove the stain?”

It does not take Liu Jin even a second to reply.

Even so, it almost feels like an eternity.

“I do,” he says. “The elixir will gradually increase the strength of my lord’s soul until the foreign Qi is naturally expelled. Once that happens, my lord will be able to restore his soul. This is the best way to return my lord’s strength. In fact, I dare say it might be the only way to do so. If there is a doctor who can do more for my lord, then this one does not know of him.”

Ruan Goutin contemplates Liu Jin’s words in silence. Liu Jin takes it as a good sign that the threatening aura hanging over his head fades away as he does so

“Gradually?”

This time there is no subtle menace in Ruan Goutin’s voice. He sounds genuinely intrigued.

“For the best results, one dose of elixir a day is needed. After ten days, the results will become obvious, though my lord may start feeling his improvement even before then.”

Ruan Goutin drums his fingers against the throne.

“Ten days?”

“That is so, my lord.”

“Have you made enough elixir for ten days, then?”

“My lord, for the elixir to exhibit the best possible results, it must be freshly made.”

“It has taken you three days to bring this much before me.” Ruan Goutin gestures to the flask Liu Jin has brought. “Am I supposed to believe you can make more tomorrow? It seems to me you just keep making excuses to keep yourself useful.”

“My lord, my life is in your hands. I would not dare deceive you. I have indeed been working with my servant for three days. The process through which the Elixir of Soulful Bliss is made is quite complicated. To make one from beginning to end in a day is impossible. That is why my servant and I have already started preparing the doses for the following days. My lord would just need to visit the accommodations he has graciously allowed us to use to verify this.”

“It is always curious to me how talkative people become when their life is on the line. You justify yourself well, yet that does not change the fundamental problem. You expect me to drink something you have made.”

Liu Jin says nothing. In the end, that is the core problem.

Trust.

One goes to a doctor because one expects to be healed. No one would visit them if they expected to be poisoned instead. There is a certain amount of trust associated with the profession. However, even though Liu Jin has proven his skill numerous times, Ruan Goutin still does not trust him.

“I will not do something as foolish as making you drink your own medicine. You prepared it. Doubtlessly, you have prepared your body against it. I assume the same can be said of your servant. To test it for poison using the two of you would be pointless.”

“My lord, I would not da—”

“Silence.”

Ruan Goutin waves his hand. The symbols around Liu Jin’s throat glow and burn, taking his voice once more. The barrier around the room is dropped.

“Enter.”

The doors open on their own with an awkward creaking noise. Ren He and Yan Chao are the ones who walk in. Even though Liu Jin does not dare look back at them, their Qi and hesitant steps give them away.

The two of them are in the True Realm. In a place like New Moon Town, they’d be considered prodigies beyond compare. Even in Five Bats City, they could probably open their own schools and have moderate success. However, they are of the Eternal Raging Valley, and Ruan Goutin is their lord. Even though there is a huge disparity between them and Liu Jin, they kneel beside him all the same.

In front of Ruan Goutin, they are all equal.

“Our guest has assured me this elixir will do what I have asked of him, yet I have my doubts. I would be pleased to know what its effects are.”

He is not ordering them to drink it, but there is no mistaking that he expects them to do so. The two freeze. Yan Chao recovers first.

“My lord, I would be honored to volunteer for this task.”

“I am pleased by your devotion.” To Liu Jin, he says. “Pour him a cup.”.

Liu Jin does not waste time following the command. Yan Chao receives the cup and looks at it apprehensively, his eyes flickering to Liu Jin.

Liu Jin gives him a slight nod.

Yan Chao swallows loudly. His lips press into a thin line before bringing the cup to his mouth, emptying it in one go.

Nothing happens.

Yan Chao stays still, his eyes closed as if expecting to be hit. The moment stretches until Yan Chao dares to open one eye then the other one. He looks at himself, surprised to find his body unchanged and in good condition.

“Interesting. There are no outward effects. Do you feel any changes?”

“I—No, my lord. I feel fine.” Yan Chao blinks, his back suddenly straighter. “Actually, I feel... quite well, my lord. Energized.”

“Interesting.”

Ruan Goutin stands up.

The disciples do not dare move, yet Liu Jin can feel the desire to flee oozing from them as Ruan Goutin advances. The Eternal Raging Valley's Branch Master takes the bottle from Liu Jin's hands and drinks it.

From the beginning, that had been the only possible outcome.

As much as Ruan Goutin may not trust Liu Jin, this might be his only opportunity to be restored. He cannot afford to pass it up.

"I cannot say I feel any changes." The bottle is carelessly dropped on the tray as Ruan Goutin turns his back to them. "For your sake, let us hope that changes in a few days. Take him away."

~~~

Routine has a way of setting in, even in the most unlikely of circumstances.

Throughout night and day, Liu Jin toils away, preparing the Elixir of Soulful Blessing. It is exhausting work. Liu Jin had not lied when he said the process through which the elixir is made is a hard one. Lei Kong offers to help him, but there is not really much he can do. At best, Lei Kong is good for keeping an eye on the door. Liu Jin only asked for him to make sure he is not being mistreated.

During the afternoon, Liu Jin brings the elixir to Branch Master Ruan. Just as it happened on the first day, Ruan Goutin has the disciples drink it first. Ren He volunteers to do it on the second day. A disciple whose name Liu Jin does not know does it on the third day. Yan Chao does it again on the fourth day.

That is when things start changing.

The bottle shatters in Ruan Goutin’s hands before he even finishes drinking. He looks almost dazed, startled. A moment of tense, almost palpable silence follows. No one moves. No one breathes.

Something amazing happens next.

Ruan Goutin smiles.

He does not comment on the effectiveness of the elixir. He does not offer any praise to Liu Jin. He just sends him away as usual. However, Ruan Goutin does not make anyone drink the elixir before him the next day. He takes the bottle from Liu Jin’s hands and brings it to his lips, laughing once he’s finished. For the first time since Liu Jin has met him, Ruan Goutin flares his Qi.

On the sixth day, Ruan Goutin makes no attempt to disguise his joy. He looks at his body with wonder, his Qi shimmering around him. He flexes his muscles, enjoying the strength he feels coursing through his body.

“Truly, I had misjudged you,” he tells Liu Jin. “You are, without a doubt, worthy of serving me.”

The seventh and eighth days follow a similar pattern, Ruan Goutin’s joy becoming more blatant each time. No longer does he doubt Liu Jin’s skills.

“My lord,” Lei Kong says on the ninth day, once Liu Jin has returned from his audience with Ruan Goutin. “May I be allowed to voice some concerns?”

Liu Jin looks at him and nods, yawning. He is tired. The stress from having to meet Ruan Goutin each day has only made things worse. As he is now, he barely has enough strength to stay on his feet. Sure enough, Liu Jin leans against the wall and soon finds his body sliding down until he crumbles into an undignified heap.

Throughout it all, his face remains completely blank.

Lei Kong stares.

“My lord... shall I fetch you a pillow?”

Liu Jin shakes his head in negative. He’d need to move his head to use a pillow. Right now, he has neither the body nor the spirit for such a thing. Instead, he motions Lei Kong to just say what is on his mind. He’ll recover eventually.

“Very well, my lord.” Lei Kong looks unsure, yet obeying is too ingrained in his nature. “First of all, I wish to praise my lord’s skill, for it is such that he can succeed where so many others have failed.”

Liu Jin does not roll his eyes, already far too used to Lei Kong for this to be surprising.

“Yet, I must ask this: Has my lord considered what will happen once his task is done?”

Liu Jin raises an eyebrow and drags a finger across his neck, hoping that gets his message across.

Is that what Lei Kong is worried about? That Ruan Goutin will kill them once he has no need of them? If so, Liu Jin can’t blame him. The concern is hardly unreasonable. Quite the opposite, really. Knowing Ruan Goutin, it might just be the most reasonable concern.

However, to Liu Jin’s surprise, Lei Kong shakes his head.

“No, not that, my lord. Though I must admit it is also a concern. I meant to say that even if my lord were allowed to live, I very much doubt he’d be allowed to leave this place.”

Ah.

That.

“My lord’s skills are not common. That is now evident to me. Even a Branch Master of the Eternal Raging Valley would be a fool to ignore them. People like that… they rarely allow talent to slip through their fingers. It might be that my lord is already in a situation where there is no choice for him but to join the Eternal Raging Valley. I am not sure if that is what my lord desires, but my lord may no longer have any choice in the matter.”

Lei Kong bows his head.

“I… I thought that I should make my lord aware of it. If this is something my lord had already considered, then I can only apologize.”

It isn’t. Not in so many words, at least.

But that’s fine. It doesn’t matter anyway.

One way or another, everything will be over tomorrow.

~~~