Is My Patron About to Die?

Ye Renxin did not get angry at Cheng Xiao's neither-light-nor-heavy provocation. After all, the person before him was merely a teenager. Young people were naturally a little impetuous.

So, when Cheng Xiao offered to take his pulse, Ye Renxin merely found it amusing. After a brief thought, he nodded in agreement. "All right. What do you need me to do?"

"Sit here, old sir. Rest for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, then just give me your hand." Cheng Xiao raised a hand and led him into a nearby teahouse. After tossing the waiter several Copper Soul Coins, he sent him away.

Then, Cheng Xiao explained to Ye Renxin, "There are certain rules for taking a pulse. Beforehand, you must not engage in strenuous activity. You need to be seated or lying flat..."

Ye Renxin listened quietly. When enough time had passed, he extended his hand. Cheng Xiao used his middle finger to press the guan position, his index finger to feel the cun pulse, and his ring finger to probe the chi pulse. As his three fingers pressed down, his breathing gradually slowed.

Ye Lingling held her teacup in both hands. Her slightly upturned lashes fluttered as she stared intently at Cheng Xiao's movements, utterly absorbed.

At first, Cheng Xiao still wore a smile as he teased Ye Renxin. "Lingling's talent is pretty good. She isn't going to secretly learn my ultimate technique, is she?"

A blush rose to Ye Lingling's pretty face. She pouted and muttered in a soft, coquettish voice, "I wouldn't. Who wants to learn your stuff?"

Cheng Xiao's expression stiffened.

It was not because of Ye Lingling's adorably sulky retort, but because of Ye Renxin's pulse. It was wrong!

The smiling eyes that had curved slightly while teasing Ye Lingling gradually lost their mirth. They slowly opened wider and wider. At some point, Cheng Xiao's brows had furrowed, and an inescapable gravity lingered between them.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Ye Lingling seemed to sense that something was off. Tilting her head, she asked in confusion.

"N-Nothing." Cheng Xiao's smile was forced.

The time stretched on a little longer. Cheng Xiao deliberately delayed, hoping for even the slightest miracle, but no matter how long he dragged it out, he could not overturn the ominous premonition in his heart.

Only after a long while did Cheng Xiao withdraw his fingers.

"Well?" Ye Renxin asked with a smile.

Cheng Xiao pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands with an apologetic expression. "This junior was too rash and presumptuous. I failed to determine your pulse condition, old sir. I hope you will not hold it against me."

"Hahaha, it's nothing, it's nothing." Ye Renxin waved a hand. "I was only curious."

"You are right, old sir," Cheng Xiao echoed.

"I thought I'd get to see something interesting." Ye Lingling was somewhat disappointed.

"Haha, if you want to see something interesting, how about I take you..." Cheng Xiao promptly changed the subject.

They then began discussing where they should go for fun later, as though they had completely forgotten what had just happened. Yet Ye Renxin, old and shrewd as he was, could tell that Cheng Xiao had become somewhat distracted.

"Lingling, go ask the shopkeeper to sell us some tea leaves. This tea is rather good, so buy a little of each kind." Ye Renxin stroked Ye Lingling's head and spoke kindly.

"Huh? Oh, all right." Ye Lingling readily agreed and left the tea table.

"Go on, boy." Once his granddaughter had left, the smile vanished from Ye Renxin's face, and his gaze settled on Cheng Xiao.

"Hm? Say what?" Cheng Xiao pretended not to understand.

Ye Renxin's somewhat cloudy eyes gradually sharpened, as if they could see through one's heart. "I've lived for over ninety years. I've probably met more people than you've eaten meals. You can't hide those little thoughts of yours from me."

Cheng Xiao fell silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. "To be honest with you, old sir, I truly cannot make sense of your pulse."

"Oh? Then tell me what you do know!" Ye Renxin caught the implication in Cheng Xiao's words. He had said he could not make sense of it, not that he had failed to feel it!

"Please hear me out, old sir. If I say anything wrong, forgive this junior for his shallow learning and youthful arrogance." Cheng Xiao considered his wording. "Your pulse is somewhat strange. Your left cun pulse is weak, and your heart qi has already declined..."

After saying that, Cheng Xiao paused and glanced at Ye Renxin. Ye Renxin remained impassive. "Continue."

"Honestly, this junior truly cannot be sure." Cheng Xiao smiled bitterly as he explained, "I only know a little. Perhaps I read it wrong."

Logically speaking, if this pulse condition appeared according to his experiences from his previous life, Ye Renxin should have been lying on a sickbed, barely clinging to life. His pulse was like duckweed without roots, floating and weak. How could he be accompanying his granddaughter on a shopping trip with such vigor?

Yet it was precisely this strange.

Ye Renxin was lively and energetic, looking perfectly fine.

Before his father died, Cheng Xiao had taken his pulse as well. He had also tried on his mother, uncle, and other relatives, but he had found no differences from his previous life.

Yet Ye Renxin's pulse had completely baffled him, so he did not dare make a firm judgment.

After thinking it over, the only difference he could come up with was that Ye Renxin was a Soul Master—and a Healing Soul Master at that!

"Hm, I don't understand those terms of yours. Why don't you put it more plainly?" At some point, Ye Renxin's expression had become somewhat indifferent.

Helpless, Cheng Xiao could only steel himself and say, "Based on what I've learned, you're about to die."

The other side fell silent. Cheng Xiao looked up, only to see a complicated expression on Ye Renxin's face. There was no anger at all.

In an instant, inspiration flashed through Cheng Xiao's mind. Could it be... Ye Renxin knew about his own condition?

Damn!

He had already started questioning his entire life because of that pulse, only for things to suddenly take a turn.

But the problem was, he would rather have gotten it wrong!

He had finally found a way to attach himself to a big shot with some standing and connections in the Soul Master world, only to be told that this big shot was about to die!

His patron was about to fall!

All his previous plans had gone down the drain. Cheng Xiao felt worse than if someone had killed him.

"Don't tell Lingling!" Seeing Ye Lingling turn back, Ye Renxin gave an instruction.

Cheng Xiao nodded. "This junior understands."

"Grandpa, I bought them." Ye Lingling skipped playfully to Ye Renxin's side.

Ye Renxin took the tea leaves and rose to his feet. "Then let's continue looking around Heaven Dou City."

"Okay, okay!" Ye Lingling nodded repeatedly, her face full of smiles.

Cheng Xiao rose with heavy thoughts, his smile forced and stiff.

"Don't overthink it. Enjoy yourself," Ye Renxin advised upon seeing this.

Cheng Xiao helplessly nodded in agreement. The two of them kept Ye Lingling in the dark as they wandered about until dusk.

Glancing at the sky, Cheng Xiao cupped his hands in farewell. "Old sir, it is getting late. Let's call it a day. This junior will take his leave first."

Ye Renxin narrowed his eyes. After pondering for a moment, he said, "You must be tired from walking around too, little friend. Why not come with me to my old friend's home for a meal?"

Little friend?

Cheng Xiao keenly noticed the change in address. For someone like Ye Renxin, the word "friend" was not something he used casually.

If it had been earlier, Cheng Xiao would probably have been overjoyed. But after taking that pulse, how could he possibly be happy?

The good news was that he had connected with a big shot.

The bad news was that the big shot was about to die.

Cheng Xiao's feelings were a tangled mess.

"Is... that appropriate?" Cheng Xiao hesitated. A guest bringing another guest was hardly proper etiquette.

"It's appropriate. My old friend loves meeting new people." Ye Renxin casually made it up.

"Grandpa is talking nonsense again. Earlier, you said your friend didn't like being disturbed." Ye Lingling showed him no mercy and ruthlessly exposed the lie.

"Ahem. I'm going to see him, so it doesn't count as disturbing him. Bringing one person along is no big deal."

"Then... this junior will impose." Cheng Xiao agreed.

The three of them headed together to a secluded residence in Heaven Dou City. Though it was secluded, the estate was not small in the least. It covered a considerable area, and its decorations were even far more luxurious than those of ordinary nobles.

"Old man, aren't you going to open the door?" Ye Renxin's gaze passed over the estate. He looked up toward a window and called out with a laugh.

Creak—

The door gradually opened, and a green figure arrived before them as swiftly as the wind. Cheng Xiao's vision blurred. When that gust of wind dispersed, he finally managed to focus on the newcomer. The flash of green before his eyes immediately changed his expression.

Thanks to reader Hu Juyi for the donation.

One more chapter. It will probably be after midnight, between twelve and one.