After lunch, Si Shen and Xue RenJie went to visit Master Ye to seek permission to enter Madame Ye's courtyard. Though Master Ye had little choice but to allow them, it was still basic courtesy. Si Shen, after all, was not the type to wander about in someone else's home without the explicit consent of its owner. He had better manners than that.
Xue RenJie cast a long, scrutinizing gaze upon Master Ye, who stood before them, drenched in sweat, his smile tight with an unmistakable air of discomfort.
"My wife is not feeling very well recently," his tone tinged with reluctance. "She would not be able to entertain the two masters."
Xue RenJie frowned at the mention of Madame Ye's illness. "The Madame is ill?"
If Si Shen wasn't the one sharing that information with Xue RenJie just an hour ago during lunch, he would have been fooled by his natural acting as well. Since when can this kid lie so well?
Master Ye sighed as he wiped his sweat with an embroidered handkerchief. He wanted to avoid trouble from the Xue Clan but there was no way for him to hide this matter in front of Xue RenJie. Since he is insisting on visiting the Madame's courtyard, it would be rude for the Madame to not greet and entertain such distinguished guests without a valid excuse. Master Ye could only tell the truth and hope that Xue RenJie would allow the sick to rest and not intrude into their courtyard.
"To tell the truth, my wife was never a strong cultivator and her health was never the best. It was only her headstrong personality that made her persist in her duties as the mistress of the household." Master Ye shook his head as he stroked his beard. "I have attempted to advise her to let our daughter share some of the burden but she refused, saying Wan-er is too young. The recent haunting gave her quite a scare. It gave her such a fright that she collapsed. We bought many doctors and even had the honor of the Xia family doctor coming in personally to take a look but it was all in vain. If not for my wife being unable to wake up, I wouldn't have troubled the Xia family to investigate this haunting."
Master Ye looked up at Xue RenJie with a solemn gaze. "Young Miss Xue had resolved the haunting and my wife's courtyard had been cleansed. I personally verified this and I assure you that I do not blame your daughter for my wife's illness. My wife's body has endured much hardship throughout the years. Maybe- maybe this is the limit-" Master Ye's voice choked with emotion as he struggled to utter the words that he wished deep in his heart that were not true.
Xue RenJie stood silent for a moment, appearing to consider Master Ye's words. He stroked his chin, his gaze distant, as if in deep contemplation. Then, like a light had flickered in his mind, his eyes sharpened with sudden clarity.
"Although I appreciate Master Ye's kind words for Ziqi, Madame's illness is a worrying matter. Perhaps my friend here might be of assistance and maybe we can tie up any loose ends that the younger generation has left behind."
Si Shen, who had been quietly following the conversation, was nodding along his words without processing before he looked at him with a flicker of incredulity.
Master Ye looked at Si Shen with interest, "I didn't know Master Si Shen had medical skills."
Si Shen composed his expression in time, flashing a slight, enigmatic smile. "Second Master Xue is too kind, my humble skills are nothing noteworthy."
"Well, since Second Master Xue has so graciously offered, please follow me." Master Ye's tone shifted with a newfound respect, and he wasted no time in guiding them to Madame Ye's courtyard. Though the Xia family's physician had shown promise, Master Ye now held a deep sense of anticipation. If the Second Master of the Xue family had recognized Si Shen's talents, his medical abilities must be extraordinary and yet, he was humble. Master Ye's perception of Si Shen immediately improved and he couldn't wait to bring this man to his wife. Maybe this time, his wife could be saved.
Si Shen eyed Xue RenJie from the corner of his eyes as they walked behind the excited Master Ye. Since when did Si Shen have medical skills? How come he, as the person involved, is not aware?
Sure, they did not discuss how they would get Master Ye's permission to enter the courtyard, Si Shen had thought Xue RenJie would brute force his way in. It wasn't as if Master Ye would refuse them since he was afraid of offending the Xue Family. Why did they have to do things in such a roundabout way? Why the need for theatrics?
As they moved through the halls, Master Ye leading them with uncontained enthusiasm, Si Shen's frustration grew. Having the man there now would make it nearly impossible for them to carry out any sort of investigation. How could they investigate with Master Ye hovering right behind them, watching their every move?
Si Shen was so frustrated and wanted to say many things but he could not since Master Ye was walking just in front of them but he glared at Xue RenJie as they walked, throwing him angry glances. Now he has to play the role of a doctor and he didn't even know the first thing about medicine. How are they going to fool Master Ye with his mediocre acting? Si Shen's stomach twisted with nerves. This was bound to end in disaster. He could feel the anxiety rising as his brows furrowed and his lips tightened.
Xue RenJie did not return any of his gazes as he walked steadily behind Master Ye, making Si Shen even more irritated. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became but as they approached the Madame's courtyard, Si Shen could only resign to his fate. It was not in his nature to overthink. As the old saying goes, cross the bridge when it comes. He will think of a way to handle it when it happens if it happens.
After walking past the main hall, Si Shen could finally see the entrance of the courtyard. Stepping over the threshold of the gate, Si Shen widened his eyes at the interior. As the mistress of the Ye Family, her courtyard was luxuriously decorated, with a little garden full of blooming flowers, and a pond with koi fish and turtles. The stairs lead up to the main building with corridors stretching out both ways to side buildings.
Indeed, it was a grand courtyard befitting of the Madame of the Ye Family. Si Shen's eyes swept the entire courtyard of Madame Ye and he could not detect any resentment from the courtyard. As he walked deeper in, the personal servants belonging to the Madame's courtyard greeted them and carried on with their respective tasks. Sweeping the floor, feeding the koi fish, trimming the gardens. Everyone looked busy taking care of the appearance of the courtyard.
Si Shen's gaze flicked sideways, meeting Xue RenJie's eyes, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. Something was off. They both sensed it, but Si Shen had a clearer picture of what was going on. As cultivators, they were in tune with the flow of spiritual energy. Xue RenJie could detect spiritual energy within a certain radius around him, while Si Shen—being the Death God—was far more attuned to the presence of resentment energy. The energies were different, yes, but they had similarities, and Si Shen had grown intimately familiar with the presence of resentment. It was second nature to him.
But now, here in the Madame's courtyard, both of them were stumped. There was nothing. The courtyard was unnervingly void of any energy. It felt as though they had stepped into a barren wasteland, devoid of life, spirits, or even a trace of lingering emotions. Si Shen had expected to detect at least the faint spiritual energy of Madame Ye herself—after all, no matter how sick she was, she was still alive and was a cultivator herself, spiritual energy should flow within her, even if just faintly, they should be able to detect it. He had also expected the usual residue of human resentment, the minor frustrations and lingering energies of the servants who worked here. But there was nothing. It was an anomaly, a clear sign that something was terribly wrong.
Si Shen's eyes narrowed, focusing on the direction of the bed chambers. A faint, almost imperceptible chill ran down his spine. He wrinkled his nose, the taste of death—familiar, bitter, and unmistakable—hung in the air, a stifling presence that seemed to freeze the very air around them. The courtyard might look lively at first glance, but beneath the surface, there was an overwhelming stillness, as though life itself had been drained from the place.
Master Ye led them into the Madame's bed chambers where she was resting in her bed chambers. The curtains hung low, blocking most of the sunlight, and the windows were closed tightly, making the room humid. The strong smell of medicine invaded Si Shen's nose the moment he entered the doors, making it hard to breathe, though he quickly masked the discomfort.
His gaze shifted to Madame Ye, who lay motionless on the large bed, her fragile body buried beneath a thick quilt. Her cheeks were hollowed, and her skin had taken on an unhealthy, yellowish hue. Her luxurious silk robes, though embroidered with intricate dragons and flowers, are now wrinkled and disheveled. Her hair lies in disarray, framing her frail frame, eaten away by an unknown illness. It was clear that the illness consuming her had taken a heavy toll. Recalling Xiao Yu's words, Si Shen could only frown. Where did the Young Master of the Ye Family find the confidence to say that his mother is recovering? Rather than recovering, Madame Ye seems to be on the edge of death.
Master Ye, standing anxiously behind them, saw the expressions on their faces and his helplessness was clear. "Many doctors have tried to cure my wife's illness, but none have succeeded. Please, do not feel pressured to take on this burden."
Si Shen grimaced. The man's words, though meant to reassure, had the opposite effect, heightening the tension in the room. He nodded politely and made his way to the bedside, murmuring a quiet "excuse me" as he gently lifted the heavy quilt, revealing Madame Ye's frail wrist. Taking a slow, steadying breath, Si Shen focused, preparing to channel spiritual energy into her.
Though Si Shen was the Death God and far more attuned to resentment energy than spiritual energy, he was not entirely unfamiliar with the latter. After all, he was a cultivator when he was alive and had trained with spiritual energy before. While his abilities in spiritual energy were not as refined as Xue RenJie's, he could still use it to do basic healing. He guided his energy toward Madame Ye's body, probing for any blockage or damage in her meridians.
However, to his shock, the spiritual energy was immediately rejected. Si Shen's eyes widened as he felt the strange resistance—her body's meridians almost seemed to reach for him, latching onto something far darker. His resentment energy. It was a feeling he knew all too well, but this was something entirely unexpected. Her body wasn't just resisting the healing energy; it was hungry for resentment, as though it was trying to feed on it.
Instinctively, Si Shen snapped the connection, severing the flow of both spiritual and resentment energy before the absorption could continue. He pulled back, a chill running through his body as he examined Madame Ye's wrist, trying to understand what had just happened.
Xue RenJie, sensing the strange shift in Si Shen's demeanor, leaned in closer, his voice tinged with concern. "Did you discover something?" he asked, his tone quiet but urgent.
Si Shen shook his head, though his mind was still reeling from what he had just experienced. He couldn't understand it. The sensation of having his resentment energy drawn out of him was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Humans instinctively recoiled from such energy, so the idea that Madame Ye would willingly absorb it—and reject healing spiritual energy—was both baffling and disturbing.
Humans are extremely adverse to resentment energy. The only reason as to why Madame Ye would reject spiritual energy and want resentment energy could only mean one thing, she is already dead and has turned into a vengeful spirit. But that does not make any sense either because her body is right in front of Si Shen, breathing, barely clinging to life.
Master Ye hovered anxiously behind them, waiting for Si Shen's response, but all the Death God could do was furrow his brow in thought. He had never encountered something like this before. The presence of life in Madame Ye's body was unmistakable—her breathing was shallow, and she was barely alive—but the way her body had tried to absorb resentment energy felt... wrong.
Before Si Shen could respond, a soft voice interrupted the tense silence.
"Father, have you come to visit Mother?"
Young Lady Ye appeared in the doorway, her presence almost ethereal in her pure white dress. She held a basin of water in one hand, a towel draped over the edge.
Master Ye frowned at the sight of her. "Why are you carrying the basin? Are there no servants around?"
The Young Lady's expression remained serene as she smiled gently, a soft curve of her lips that betrayed no sign of discomfort. "Father, the servants are all busy with their tasks. There is no need to trouble them," she replied, her voice calm and respectful.
Her gaze shifted as she noticed the two guests further into the room, and she offered them a polite bow. Xue RenJie, ever the gentleman, gave her a nod in acknowledgment, but Si Shen remained still, his eyes not on her face, but rather on the delicate hair accessories she wore. It was a subtle, almost imperceptible energy, but one that Si Shen recognized all too well: the same kind of resentment energy that lingered within the bracelet tucked safely in his sleeve pocket.