Chapter 80: On the Scales

Chapter 80: On the Scales

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Liu Jin stares at the ceiling with a blank look on his face. His muscles do not so much as twitch. Even his chest rises and falls so slightly one could be forgiven for thinking he is not breathing. He just lies on the bed, unmoving. Some would say this is not the most productive use of his time, but it is all Liu Jin feels like doing right now.

Ruan Goutin has decided against killing him. For now, at least. The awed looks the disciples gave him when he walked out of the throne room said everything about how unlikely that outcome had been. However, that doesnt mean Liu Jin is out of danger. Far from it, really.

Branch Master Ruan has allowed Liu Jin to return to his cell. However, he only did it so that he may deliberate in silence. Ruan Goutin has yet to decide on the most crucial matter.

Will he allow Liu Jin to treat him?

A reasonable person would see there are no other options. The only doctor able to identify Branch Master Ruans condition so far has been Liu Jin. The best doctors in Five Bats City tried and were found wanting. Ruan Goutin can scour the city all he wants. He wont find a better doctor than Liu Jin. That is something he should already know. For Branch Master Ruan, there is only one path forward. It is in his best interests to allow Liu Jin to treat him.

Unfortunately, Ruan Goutin is not stable enough to be reasonable.

How long has it been since that wound was first made?

At least two months. Liu Jin is sure of that.

Ruan Goutin has been spending his every waking moment since then trying to keep his dantian from shattering. However, no matter how hard he tries, he cannot stop the damage. He can only delay the inevitable. He can only watch as a lifetime of effort crumbles.

The one who made that wound must be a very cruel person.

Cruel and without any regard for others.

By leaving Branch Master Ruan in such a state, he had turned him into a danger to everyone around him. Paranoia and desperation are the ones guiding Branch Master Ruan. That is why Liu Jins life could end at any moment. The idea of someone else knowing his condition and having to trust that person is simply too scary for a man like Branch Master Ruan.

Well, for a certain definition of trust, at least.

Liu Jin frowns as he rubs his neck, well aware of the black symbols now imprinted on it like some sort of collar.

You will not speak of what youve learned here, Branch Master Ruan had told him. Since this is a sensitive matter, I have deemed you worthy of having your tongue bound by me.

It had happened in an instant. Ruan Goutin waved his arm and glowing symbols appeared around Liu Jin, burning themselves into his skin. Had Liu Jin been capable of it, hed have screamed. Alas, such a simple thing is now beyond him. Branch Master Ruans words had not been said carelessly.

Liu Jins tongue is now bound. His mouth has become a decoration. No sounds will leave it no matter how hard he tries.

Should you try to circumvent this measure, you may find your head becoming a stranger to your body.

That was the last thing Branch Master Ruan had said to Liu Jin before sending him away. He cannot even say Ruan Goutin is being overly cautious, because, well

If Liu Jin could talk, he would.

What he had learned changed everything about the situation in Five Bats City. Branch Master Ruan has gotten away with much for two reasons. People fear the Eternal Raging Valley, and they fear angering someone in the Emperor Realm.

However, only one of those fears is valid.

How long has it been since Branch Master Ruan left the Emperor Realm?

It probably happened early on. It is natural that having to continually repair his dantian negatively affected his cultivation. Over time, Ruan Goutin fell to the Renegade Realm. That is why things have become such a disaster.

To overcome the Heaven Realm, one must endure Heavens fury. However, the Renegade Realm is dangerous in a different way. It magnifies the cultivators feelings and desires, leading him towards madness. Many had fallen to it, and Ruan Goutin has proven himself no different. Desperate and struggling to stay in control of himself, he had summoned the best doctors in the city. Upon finding out they could not help him, he had been overcome by rage and killed them. That is most likely what happened.

That was when he started forcefully bringing in other doctors, hoping the outcome would change. It hadnt. He just kept falling and falling.

The current Ruan Goutin is not one out of the hundred Emperor Realm cultivators in the Empire.

He is merely one of over a thousand Heaven Realm cultivators.

There are people in the city who could defeat him if they could just find the courage to challenge him. Ruan Goutin is not unaware of that. In fact, knowing his powerbase is so unstable has definitely been feeding his paranoia.

Liu Jin shrugs his shoulders and waves at the room. Lei Kong is left blinking.

My lord, why are you not Liu Jin points to his neck. Ah, I see.

Huh, that was much faster than Liu Jin expected.

Is this type of punishment common then?

My lord, you may not have your voice, but this Lei Kong will do his best to understand your orders.

Good. Liu Jin drags Lei Kong over to one of the tables and puts a chopping knife in his hands. He then goes to one of the cabinets and takes out a 200-year-old root, which he tosses at Lei Kong.

Lei Kong barely manages to catch the expensive ingredient in time

My lord! What are you doing?

Liu Jin points to the knife, then to the root, and makes chopping motions with his hand.

You want me to chop this? But my lord, Im not sure how

Chop. Chop. Chop. Liu Jin keeps on repeating the motion even as he shoots a significant glance at the door. Lei Kongs mouth opens slightly as he gets the idea. Chopping sounds soon fill the quiet room. Liu Jin sighs as he takes a seat. The noise should be enough to convince the guards outside that something is being done. That should give him enough time to think.

Can he heal Ruan Goutin?

Liu Jin would never call himself a bad doctor. While not as great as the ones who taught him, Liu Jin considers himself to be at least competent. Branch Master Ruans injury, however, presents a problem he has never dealt with before.

Liu Jin does not know how to heal a soul.

Old Jiang had mentioned the subject a few times, but the focus of his lessons had always been on the physical aspect of medicine. Right now, that seems like an odd oversight on his part. There is no way his master didnt know how to deal with that sort of wound.

After all, the only way for his father to cripple himself so effectively would require him to mutilate his soul.

It is not something Liu Jin has thought much about, but now that he has seen Branch Master Ruan, it all makes sense. Cultivators in the higher realms can easily mend and rebuild their bodies. Considering who his father was and what he had done, there is no way he had failed to reach those heights. Had he merely struck his physical body, hed have easily been capable of acquiring his cultivation back.

In other words, his father had to have struck his soul in order to cripple himself.

Liu Jin never learned to do something like that. Is it because, as Lei Kong said, people usually wait to broach that subject? It would make sense. Even if Old Jiang had tried to teach him about the soul, he wouldnt have been in a position to fully appreciate those lessons. Maybe he still isnt. However, Old Jiang knew his time was limited. Did he willingly leave Liu jin half-trained or perhaps?

Liu Jins hand drifts to the spatial pouch tied to his waist.

Inside of it is a small wooden box with his masters last lessons to him.

Is it finally time for him to look at them? Is it time for him to learn all that his master has to teach him? To see the memories he left behind for him?

Liu Jin frowns. His hand moves away.

No.

Today is not that day. If he uses his masters last teachings for the benefit of someone like Branch Master Ruan doing something like that feels like dirtying them. However, if he doesnt do it, hell die. Branch Master Ruan will only be content to wait for so long. Liu Jin needs to come up with something quickly.

If he doesnt heal Branch Master Ruan, hell keep hurting the people of Five Bats City in his search for a cure. However, would healing him truly change that? Branch Master Ruan will no longer be desperate, but will his sanity return to him? Liu Jin doesnt think that is likely. The current Ruan Goutin has already left the Renegade Realm, yet he is still cruel and callous. It may be that the damage is already done. By healing him, Liu Jin might just be giving a horrible person more opportunities to be horrible.

Liu Jin takes a deep breath and ponders. His eyes close. His arms cross. His fingers tap against his elbow.

What is right? What is proper?

What is just?

Liu Jin thinks about it for a long time.

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