Invincible Soul Emperor-Chapter 198: Testing Qin Xi

Ye Qingchen frowned. He wanted to examine Zhang Long’s corpse, but the body had already begun to emit a foul odor before dissolving into a pool of blood in mere moments. He turned to look at Zhang Hu’s corpse and saw that it, too, had melted into a pool of blood just like Zhang Long’s.

Ye Qingchen sighed. It seemed both men were highly-trained deathsworn soldiers, conditioned to destroy their own bodies upon death to prevent their identities from being exposed. Ye Qingchen had even attempted to use his Dual Pupil Martial Soul to probe Zhang Long’s thoughts. However, the man was already committed to death, and his mind revealed no memories of his master.

Ye Qingchen furrowed his brow in thought.

Who exactly have I offended? Li Zongrui? Unlikely. It’s not that I underestimate him, but with his level of intelligence, there’s no way he could devise such a meticulous plan. Besides, from our recent interactions, his hostility has been limited to trying to embarrass me. It’s a huge leap from that to suddenly wanting me dead.

Then there’s Cheng Zhibin from the Heavenly Profound Sect. I don’t know him well, but I can definitely sense his animosity. It’s plausible he’d do something like this. Still, I find it hard to believe. Even as a rank-four Alchemist, he’s just a disciple of the Heavenly Profound Sect. It seems unlikely he’d have the authority to command two experts of the Great Martial Master Realm.

So, who could it be? Qin Xi. I remember she once used some unknown method to incite Elder Lu, one of Qin Yue’s protectors, to assassinate Qin Yue. Assassination is clearly a tool she’s comfortable using. By saving Qin Zhantian, I undoubtedly ruined her plans. It’s perfectly logical for her to target me in retaliation. Therefore, Qin Xi is my prime suspect. Of course, Cheng Zhibin and Li Zongrui are still suspects. I’ll have to find an opportunity to probe all three of them. But now isn’t the time for that.

Ye Qingchen sighed, turning his attention away from the two pools of blood on the ground and continuing toward his inn.

Back at the inn, Ye Qingchen shut himself in his room and refused all visitors. He spent his time consolidating his Cultivation and improving his Alchemy skills. In his spare moments, he would also take out the mysterious jade stone to study it, but he never made any headway.

「Three days passed in a flash.」

Ye Qingchen didn’t tell anyone about the assassination attempt, choosing instead to lie low. He didn’t leave his room again until Qin Yue came knocking on his door.

"Um, Ye Qingchen... My grandfather would like to see you," Qin Yue said, hesitating. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

In reality, Qin Zhantian had been feeling much better and wanted to ask Ye Qingchen to help him expel more of the Fire Poison. However, Qin Yue felt awkward troubling Ye Qingchen so frequently without offering him anything in return, which was why she found it difficult to ask.

But how could her subtle expressions escape Ye Qingchen’s notice?

Ye Qingchen simply smiled, choosing not to point it out. "That works out perfectly. I was just about to pay Elder Qin a visit myself," he said. "By my estimation, he should have recovered significantly. If all goes smoothly, I can probably help him expel another round of Fire Poison today."

Qin Yue was overjoyed that Ye Qingchen had brought it up himself. She understood that he was likely being considerate of her feelings, and the thought touched her heart.

The truth was, Ye Qingchen had his own reasons for agreeing. First, he had already finished the Refinement of the Fire Poison he collected last time. Helping Qin Zhantian again would not only improve the quality of his Fen Tian Earth Fire but also boost his own strength—a win-win situation he was more than happy to accept. His other reason was that he wanted to visit the Rising Sun Pavilion. His analysis over the past few days had made him eighty percent certain that Qin Xi was the one who had sent the assassins. He hoped he might run into her at the Rising Sun Pavilion so he could probe her in person.

Knowing his enemy would allow him to prepare. And if the opportunity arose, Ye Qingchen wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate anyone who wished him harm.

With that, Ye Qingchen followed Qin Yue back to the Rising Sun Pavilion. To his disappointment, however, he didn’t encounter Qin Xi along the way. He couldn’t just ask to see her, as that would be far too deliberate. It would not only arouse her suspicion but also worry Qin Yue, and he would have a hard time explaining himself.

Ye Qingchen followed Qin Yue into Qin Zhantian’s room. The old man’s spirits were much improved; aside from his inability to use his full strength, he seemed no different from a healthy person. Upon seeing Ye Qingchen arrive, Qin Zhantian stood with a smile and the two exchanged a few pleasantries.

Afterward, Ye Qingchen began the now-familiar process of expelling the Fire Poison from Qin Zhantian’s body. This session targeted the Fire Poison lodged within Qin Zhantian’s meridians, forcing Ye Qingchen to proceed with extreme care. A task that would normally take only an hour ended up consuming four full hours, and even then, he had only managed to clear half of the Fire Poison from the meridians.

By the end of it, Ye Qingchen felt dizzy and drained. Expelling the Fire Poison demanded his complete focus and consumed an immense amount of his spiritual power. He then stopped the process and began to collect the Fire Poison he hadn’t yet managed to gather.

Meanwhile, Qin Zhantian sat cross-legged on the bed, attempting to circulate his Cultivation Technique to clear his meridians. This was just as Ye Qingchen had instructed. While Qin Zhantian couldn’t truly begin cultivating with the Fire Poison still present, he could circulate his Cultivation Technique to condition his body. This form of self-nurturing was more effective than any Miraculous Elixir.

Seeing Ye Qingchen’s pale face, a concerned Qin Yue thoughtfully handed him a cup of tea. "Ye Qingchen, why hasn’t Grandfather woken up yet?" she asked.

Ye Qingchen accepted the tea, took a sip, and explained with a smile, "Don’t worry. Elder Qin is currently meditating to regulate his condition. He should be fine in about six hours."

Reassured, Qin Yue nodded.

Ye Qingchen didn’t stay much longer. Since he hadn’t seen Qin Xi, he would just have to wait for another opportunity to probe her. He said his goodbyes to Qin Yue and departed. Since Qin Yue had to look after Qin Zhantian, she didn’t walk him out.

Having been here several times before, Ye Qingchen was familiar with the layout and easily found his way to the entrance of the Rising Sun Pavilion.

But to his astonishment, he ran into Qin Xi right at the entrance.

It seems enemies are always destined to cross paths.