Some dead white insects had been poured out of all eight bamboo cups.
These insects were tiny, looking even smaller than ants.
Ye Qingyun reached out and touched them. Each felt extremely cold, like shards of ice.
"These should have come out of your body."
Ye Qingyun said this to Bai Suyi.
Bai Suyi was somewhat horrified.
There had actually been so many insects inside her body?
No wonder her hidden injury had never healed.
"Then does this mean Susu's injury is healed?"
Chu Yanyu asked with concern.
Ye Qingyun shook his head. "Probably not completely. Come back for another cupping session in half a month, and that should more or less do it."
This was Ye Qingyun's own deduction.
If no poisonous insects were drawn out during another cupping session, that would prove she was completely healed.
If more poisonous insects came out, she would need further treatment.
"Thank you, young master. My whole body feels so comfortable. I've never felt this comfortable before!"
Bai Suyi finished putting on her clothes, her face filled with excitement.
She could clearly feel that her body was different from before.
Previously, she had always felt that her Qi and blood did not circulate particularly smoothly.
Moreover, her hands and feet had been cold year-round, rarely feeling warm.
But now, the Qi and blood throughout Bai Suyi's body flowed with incomparable ease.
Her hands and feet were also beginning to warm up.
This showed that her body was improving.
And all of this was thanks to the cupping Ye Qingyun had performed for her.
"No need to thank me. Taking joy in helping others is an honor for people like us."
Ye Qingyun thought nothing of it.
Bai Susu and the other two, however, all committed the words "taking joy in helping others" to memory.
Taking joy in helping others?
Was this the breadth of a master's heart?
In such a cruel cultivation world, perhaps only a reclusive master like Ye Qingyun, who had long since transcended the mundane, could truly take joy in helping others.
For a moment, the two women's admiration for Ye Qingyun deepened.
"Young Master Ye, there is something I would like to ask your advice about as well."
Chu Yanyu looked at Ye Qingyun pleadingly.
"Go ahead. Do you want cupping too?"
Chu Yanyu shook her head. "Prince Pingxi's Manor has run into trouble."
"What sort of trouble?"
Ye Qingyun asked curiously.
"The Song Clan of Lingshan wants to seize my father's fief, and they also want to take the Chu Clan's family heirloom."
"The last time Xiaoqing and I fled up the mountain, it was because people from the Song Clan were hunting us down."
Chu Yanyu spoke with lingering fear.
Beside her, Bai Suyi continued, "The Song Clan has the ambitions of wolves. Relying on their close ties with the current chancellor, Cao Yuanhua, and their collusion with the grand elder of the Supreme Hao Gate, they've made life extremely difficult for Prince Pingxi's Manor."
"The Song Clan of Xiling. I think I've heard of them too."
Xu Jing'er frowned and murmured to herself.
"My father and I truly have no way out. Please guide us, great master, and save our manor!"
As Chu Yanyu spoke, she moved to kneel before Ye Qingyun.
Ye Qingyun hurriedly stopped her.
"Ah, he's a prince, at least. How has your family ended up being bullied so badly?"
Ye Qingyun was somewhat speechless.
Chu Yanyu's face filled with shame.
Although their Chu Clan had been granted the title of Prince Pingxi, they were, after all, princes outside the imperial bloodline.
In the Heavenly Martial Dynasty, princes outside the imperial bloodline did not wield much power.
The Song Clan of Xiling, however, was different.
The Song Clan was a martial aristocratic clan. Not only were their experts as numerous as clouds, they also had ties with the current chancellor and the Supreme Hao Gate.
How could Prince Pingxi's Manor be a match for the Song Clan?
Even protecting themselves was barely possible.
Let alone contending with the Song Clan.
If not for the Song Clan's lingering wariness of the title of Prince Pingxi, which kept them from acting too openly...
Otherwise, with the Song Clan's strength, they could have razed the manor long ago.
"Young Master Ye, please save Yanyu."
Bai Suyi pleaded as well.
Ye Qingyun sighed.
"Actually, this isn't difficult to resolve."
Bai Suyi and Chu Yanyu both froze.
The Song Clan's threat had left all of Prince Pingxi's Manor feeling as though thorns were digging into their backs.
They had never found a way to deal with it.
Yet, to their surprise, Ye Qingyun made it sound as though it were nothing difficult.
"Please show us the way, Young Master Ye!"
Ye Qingyun pointed outside.
"Didn't you see them yourselves? The important figures who can help you are all standing outside."
"You shouldn't be asking me. You should be asking them."
Chu Yanyu and Bai Suyi were utterly stunned.
They exchanged a glance.
That did seem to make sense.
Of those standing outside, one was the sect master of the Mystic Sword Sect, and another was the reigning Martial Emperor.
As long as they could get these two to help, what could a mere Song Clan do? Overturn the heavens?
"Why didn't I think of that before?"
Chu Yanyu smacked her forehead, inwardly cursing herself for being so slow to react.
She had even eaten hotpot with Xu Changfeng and Dongfang Su, yet it had never occurred to her to ask them for help.
How foolish!
And so, Ye Qingyun led the three women out of the courtyard.
"Sect Master Xu, Your Majesty, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Ye Qingyun took the initiative to speak.
After all, Chu Yanyu had come to him first.
Besides, these groups had met one another at his place.
Whatever the case, he ought to help put Chu Yanyu in touch with them.
Xu Changfeng and Dongfang Su both looked at Ye Qingyun.
"What are your instructions, great master?"
Ye Qingyun could not be bothered to quibble over the title. He was already used to it.
He then told the two of them about Chu Yanyu's situation.
"That's what happened. I'm merely an idle cloud and a wild crane, without much ability to help her, so I can only ask you two to lend a hand."
Upon hearing this, neither Xu Changfeng nor Dongfang Su knew what to say.
If even you count as having little ability, then what does that make us?
Useless trash?
"Rest assured, great master. Since the Song Clan is on good terms with the Supreme Hao Gate, I'll personally visit the Supreme Hao Gate and have a proper word with Chen Gongwang."
Xu Changfeng was the first to state his position.
He could be considered the one who had benefited most from Ye Qingyun.
First, he had relied on the heavenly materials and earthly treasures Ye Qingyun had given him to achieve a cultivation breakthrough and win the Three-Sect Martial Meet.
His three disciples had also greatly improved their cultivation at Ye Qingyun's place.
Even he himself had gained an epiphany.
After receiving such kindness, how could Xu Changfeng refuse this small favor?
"Thank you, Sect Master Xu! Thank you, Sect Master Xu!"
Chu Yanyu thanked him repeatedly, immensely grateful.
Dongfang Su lightly stroked his beard.
"To think such brazen acts have been taking place right under my nose."
Dongfang Su was angry.
He could be said to have known nothing about this matter.
"I will certainly not stand idly by. Since the Song Clan has ties with Chancellor Cao Huayuan, I'll have to ask Cao Huayuan whether he's backing the Song Clan behind the scenes, allowing them to behave so outrageously!"
Chu Yanyu was overjoyed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
With Xu Changfeng and Dongfang Su stepping in, Prince Pingxi's Manor would no longer face any trouble.
However powerful and brazen the Song Clan might be, in Xu Changfeng's and Dongfang Su's eyes, they were nothing but ants.
At this moment, the Song Clan still had no idea that their lineage's fate had already been thoroughly settled.
Everyone had eaten hotpot and gained something from the visit. Now fully satisfied, they bade Ye Qingyun farewell and left.
Ye Qingyun watched them leave.
"Ah, it's quiet again."
Looking at the empty courtyard, Ye Qingyun felt rather dispirited.
He still much preferred a lively atmosphere.
"It's too stifling up here on the mountain. I'd better go down and have a look around tomorrow."
The next day, Ye Qingyun locked the courtyard gate.
Taking Damao and the rabbit with him, he went to a market at the foot of the mountain.
It was quite lively here, with a great many travelers coming from north and south.
Ye Qingyun entered a teahouse, found a good spot, and sat down.
At that moment, a storyteller in the teahouse was telling a story, spittle flying.
The teahouse's patrons were all listening with rapt attention.
Ye Qingyun, however, laughed aloud as he listened.
"What an ancient, stale old story."
At his laugh, the old storyteller immediately looked toward Ye Qingyun.
The other patrons present also glared at Ye Qingyun.