Chapter 9 - Soul Deficiency, An Incurable Condition!

Gu Han tensed up as he saw Chief Steward Li in the distance. He instinctively tightened his grip around the sword in his hand.

He seems strong. Extremely strong.

This frail-looking old man who called himself “grandpa” gave Gu Han an extreme sense of danger—one that felt he had no way to resist.

He took a step forward and blocked the entrance to the cave behind him.

Inside, Ah Sha was still asleep. It had been two days since Gu Han’s battle with Commander Gu, yet Ah Sha remained in deep slumber. Gu Han had initially thought she was simply exhausted, so he had dug out this cave to let her rest properly. There were still traces of the tiny snake’s aura that lingered. Only a few people or demonic beasts dared to approach this place, making it temporarily safe.

As for that fruit, he had already plucked and eaten it. However, despite the Scorching Sun Fruit’s mystical properties helping him break through Qi Condensation, it barely pushed him into the second stage of Meridian Opening. It was still inferior to the snake’s venom.

He pondered over it without reaching a conclusion. In the end, he could only think it was because of the liquid-like nature of his spirit power and his abnormally wide meridians.

Seeing Gu Han remain silent, Chief Steward Li grew impatient. “Brat! I am asking you a question! Where is the Scorching Sun Fruit?”

Scorching Sun Fruit? So that was its name?

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen this Scorching Sun Fruit you speak of.”

Of course, Gu Han would never admit to it.

“Cunning brat! You dare lie to me? If you’ve never seen it, why do you reek of its scent? Speak the truth now!”

Gu Han was speechless.

Does this guy have a dog’s nose? How can he even smell that?

“Now, kindly hand over the fruit while I’m still in a good mood. I might even reward you for it! But if you insist on spouting nonsense,

hehe,

I’ll let you experience my wrath!”

As he spoke, a chilling aura bore down on Gu Han.

Seeing how aggressive Chief Steward Li was, Gu Han knew this matter wouldn’t end peacefully. He decided there was no point in hiding the truth anymore.

“You’re too late. The fruit is gone.”

“What do you mean?”

“I ate it.”

“What did you say?!” Chief Steward Li shrieked. “Ate it? You brat, arrogance has its limits! The Scorching Sun Fruit’s medicinal power is extremely strong. Even an Essence Gathering cultivator must refine it carefully. With your measly Meridian Opening cultivation, you think you can withstand its fiery force?”

“Believe it or not, I ate it.”

“Well, well, well! We could’ve done this the easy way, but you didn’t take the offer; so don’t blame me for bullying the weak! I’ll teach you a lesson.” Chief Steward Li sneered.

With that, the chilling aura intensified even more. Gu Han braced himself, gritting his teeth as he roused his qi to its limits. The Great Evolution Sword Qi was ready to strike!

Suddenly, a furious shout echoed from the distance, prompting Chief Steward Li to pause. “Stop!”

It was Divine Physician Xue, who was striding over with a dark expression on his face.

“Chief Steward Li! What do you think you’re doing?”

Chief Steward Li shot Gu Han a glare before explaining the situation. “Elder Xue, you don’t know what happened. This brat has a foul temper. I had no choice...”

Opposite him, Gu Han stared back coldly.

I have a foul temper? You should take a good look at yourself first!

Divine Physician Xue frowned deeply. “Enough! You acted recklessly! He was here first. The Scorching Sun Fruit rightfully belonged to him. If he refuses to hand it over, you have no right to take it by force. That is utterly inappropriate!”

“Yes!”

Chief Steward Li immediately put on a smile. “You are right, Elder Xue I was merely worried about the Seventh Prince’s safety and acted rashly.”

Yet deep down, he disagreed. Divine Physician Xue was admirable in many ways, but he was too soft-hearted. He was a hopeless do-gooder.

Divine Physician Xue hesitated for a moment before turning to Gu Han. “Young friend, the Scorching Sun Fruit is indeed precious, but its importance lies in its fiery nature. Its medicinal power is not as great for cultivation as you might imagine. Moreover, given your cultivation, the fruit is nothing more than the meat on a chicken rib for you.”

Fiery nature?

Gu Han suddenly understood.

No wonder the fruit’s effects were far below his expectations. That explained everything.

“That Scorching Sun Fruit is of great use to me. Would you be willing to let me have it? Rest assured, I will compensate you with equivalent cultivation resources.”

Gu Han started to regret it a little.

Why did I rush to eat it?! If I had kept the fruit, I could’ve exchanged it for resources and reached the third or even fourth stage of Meridian Opening!

Since Divine Physician Xue was polite and did not try to force him, Gu Han naturally did not respond with hostility. “Senior, it’s not that I’m unwilling. I really ate that fruit... It's gone.”

“Brat! You—”Chief Steward Li shrieked again.

“Enough!” Divine Physician Xue shot him a disapproving glance and shook his head. “If he refuses, I won’t force the matter. Chief Steward Li, let’s go.”

“What... fine!”

Chief Steward Li wasn’t satisfied. He glared at Gu Han one last time.

“Brat, don’t let me see you again!”

A threat?

Gu Han’s expression remained indifferent. He wasn’t afraid.

From Chief Steward Li’s tone and the way his companion addressed him, Gu Han understood his status. But he felt nothing toward the Great Qi’s royal family.

Since Gu Han was young, Gu Tian had taught him one thing. It was that a true man has nothing above him but heaven, and nothing below but the earth. A true man can respect others, but never fear them.

At that moment, a soft and weak voice came from behind.

“Young master...”

Ah Sha staggered out, still drowsy. Even after two days and nights of rest, she hadn’t regained her full strength.

“Ah Sha? You’re awake? Don’t move. Your foot is still injured!” Gu Han was surprised and quickly helped her.

“Young Master, I’m so hungry...”

Without cultivation to sustain her, she was just an ordinary person. Going so long without food or water had left her utterly drained.

“Hungry? Alright, I’ll—”

“Young friend.”

Divine Physician Xue’s voice rang out once more. He had returned and now stood before Gu Han.

“Senior, the fruit is really gone!” Gu Han tensed up and instinctively shielded Ah Sha behind him.

“It’s not about that.”

Divine Physician Xue smiled and took out a jade bottle from his storage ring.

“I noticed this young girl’s injuries. This is a medicinal powder I refined in my spare time. Consider it a gift.”

“Thank you, senior!”

Gu Han exhaled in relief and accepted the bottle without hesitation. Judging by the quality of the bottle, this medicinal powder had to be far superior to the ordinary pills he had taken from Commander Gu.

In the distance, Chief Steward Li’s face darkened. He wanted to lash out but didn’t dare.

Damn! This brat got lucky! Meeting a soft-hearted fool like Divine Physician Xue... What a stroke of luck!

Ah Sha peeked from behind Gu Han and whispered her thanks. “Thank you, Grandpa!”

When Divine Physician Xue heard her call him grandpa, he was momentarily dazed. Then, he snapped back and looked at her with a softer gaze. “You’re welcome, little girl. You have good manners. This medicine won’t be... hmm?”

Mid-sentence, his brow furrowed. “Something’s wrong!”

“Senior, what is it?” Gu Han’s heart clenched.

“This girl... Little one, come here. Let me take a closer look.”

Divine Physician Xue examined Ah Sha carefully, deep in thought.

“Huh?” Ah Sha glanced timidly at Gu Han. “Young master...”

“Go ahead. He means no harm.” Gu Han smiled reassuringly. He knew that if this Elder Xue or Chief Steward Li had ill intentions, they would’ve acted already.

Divine Physician Xue gently placed his hand on Ah Sha’s forehead. A streak of soft, white light flowed for a while. Then he withdrew his hand, and his gaze was now filled with pity. “

Aih...

Poor child.”

Gu Han’s heart sank. “Senior, what’s wrong with Ah Sha?”

“If my diagnosis is correct, she suffers from the legendary Soul Deficiency.”

“Soul Deficiency? What is that?”

“The soul is a person’s foundation. Whether one is a cultivator or an ordinary person, the soul remains locked within the spirit platform. It never leaks out. But for those with a soul deficiency, their soul continuously dissipates, leaving them sluggish and dull. In severe cases, they may even appear foolish...”

The more Gu Han listened, the colder his heart grew.

That’s... exactly what Ah Sha is like.

Ever since he’d found Ah Sha ten years ago, she had always had that clueless, dim-witted look on her face.

But after hearing Gu Han’s explanation, Divine Physician Xue’s frown deepened.

“You say she’s been like this for ten years? According to ancient texts, those with Soul Deficiency continuously lose soul power and typically don’t survive past three years. But this girl...”

Ah Sha looked at him weakly, as if she understood his words but not quite.

“Senior, can you cure Soul Deficiency?” Gu Han’s anxiety surged.

“My skills are lacking...”

Gu Han’s eyes dimmed and his heart plummeted into the abyss. But Divine Physician Xue’s following words reignited his hope.

“However...”