Refining the Heavens (炼天)

B2, Chapter 11: Dissecting the enemy

When Jim heard her, he gave a deep, shattering sigh.

"Mother and I had been living in the corner of the servant's quarters. It's a damp and terrible place without much food and always too cold. Mother never liked it there, and her health just kept getting worse. And..."

"And?" Helena asked with concern and anger in her eyes

"And... even the servants look down on us. They will always call us names when they see us, and sometimes also forget to give bring food to us.

Mother always ask me not to say anything in the mansion, but I'm different now. This time, I will protect her no matter the cost."

When Kairos heard that, he nodded with pride. When Jim is together with the rest of their friends, he is always seen as the youngest brother in the group.

But today, he has become a dependable young man that is willing to be responsible for another human being.

"Jim, my brother, have you set your mind on this?"

"Yes," a swift reply.

"Then I will begin our counterattack on your father's house," Kairos said with a powerful sense of confidence on his voice. He is determined to back Jim up no matter how things turn out later.

Helena also looked at Jim with approval in her eyes, then the physician continued, "Your mother's body is rather yin, even for a woman, so living for years in a damp and cold environment did not sit well with her.

With her condition this weakened, it wouldn't be possible to feed her any medicines at all. Even the mildest strengthening herbs would be too much for her to take in right now."

It is general knowledge that women tend to be closer to the yin attribute. While men are born closer to the yang attribute. When the two attributes strike a balance, there is harmony. But if one side gets too abundant, problems can arise.

Just like what happened to Lyla. With her body being even more yin than most women are, she could not withstand dark, damp or cold living conditions.

The over-abundance of yin in her living area had caused extensive damage that could not be easily remedied. The irony of all this is that because of how destructive it can be to a person, many martial artists practice pure yin or pure yang cultivation techniques as an offensive art.

"Then what should we do?" Jim almost wailed. The meaning of having excessive levels of yin in an average person couldn't be clearer to any practitioner.

"Calm down Jim, at least now we know why the life force infusion didn't work."

After struggling with himself for quite a while, the boy finally calmed down a little.

"Don't worry. Your mother will be alright now. We will need to remove the mist of yin that had settled within her body. I will prepare a medicated bath for her, and she will need to soak in it for the next twenty-eight days. Four cycles of seven. After which, she will be robust enough to take strengthening herbs and speed up her recovery."

Hearing that, Jim finally relaxed.

While they are talking, one of the staff of the shop knocked on the door.

"Young master Kairos, young master Jim. The Grand Elder Feng has arrived to see the young master. What are your instructions?"

"Hmm? The Grand Elder is here?"

Jim: "Captain, I'm fine here. You don't have to worry."

Kairos looked concernedly at his friend one last time, then stood up, "Alright. I'll be right back. Where is the Grand Elder at right now?"