Jiang Chen cultivated the Heavenly Eye Divine Pupil, granting him astonishing powers of perception.
Seeing Ling Bi'er like this, he had already guessed seven or eight tenths of the truth in his heart. Ling Bi'er must have a close family member who had been afflicted with the Bewildering Miasma.
As for who it was, Jiang Chen naturally wouldn't ask. But for something to shake the ice-cold beauty Ling Bi'er into such a state, it could only be someone dear to her heart.
Jiang Chen was a clever man and chose not to press the matter. He thought for a moment and nodded. "The Bewildering Miasma is very difficult to cure. To be precise, it's not the cure that's difficult — it's the diagnosis. If one can accurately determine which type of Bewildering Miasma has been contracted, then the actual detoxification is not hard at all."
Ling Bi'er's bright eyes flickered, and a tidal wave of emotion surged within her heart.
Yes — vaguely, she recalled that Elder Yunnie had once said something similar. But Elder Yunnie hadn't been as clear or as definitive.
Elder Yunnie had only said that the Bewildering Miasma was impossible to diagnose definitively, but if a diagnosis could be made, or if treatment could be administered to target the specific cause…
Though it wasn't as certain as Jiang Chen's words, the meaning was the same: it was hard to diagnose. Conversely, if the diagnosis could be established, the chances of recovery were actually quite promising.
For a moment, Ling Bi'er stood there in a daze. Now that the moment had actually arrived, she found herself at a loss for how to broach the subject.
Should she beg Jiang Chen to treat her father? Should she proactively offer herself in marriage?
Such things — Ling Bi'er could swear her resolve a thousand times over — but actually saying those mortifying words face to face with a young man was something she could never bring herself to do.
Moreover, the more outstanding a young talent like Jiang Chen proved to be, the harder the words were to choke out.
Ling Hui'er, on the other hand, was far less inhibited. Her round, bright eyes rolled over Jiang Chen with an appraising gleam.
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen, be honest — do you know about that poison oath my sister once took?"
Jiang Chen was completely bewildered. "What poison oath?"
Ling Hui'er's mouth fell open. She couldn't tell whether Jiang Chen was feigning ignorance or genuinely had no idea.
But after a quick shake of her little head, she came up with another trick.
With a mischievous smile that revealed an impossibly cute grin, she asked, "Senior Brother Jiang Chen, do you think Hui'er is cute or not?"
Jiang Chen touched his nose, utterly unable to keep up with Ling Hui'er's tactics. How had the conversation suddenly veered into whether she was cute or not?
But he knew perfectly well what happened to any man who dared call a girl anything less than adorable.
He could only nod. "Junior Sister Hui'er is innocent and adorable, her childlike charm fully intact. Naturally, you're cute."
"Well then, if this adorable Hui'er were to serve as your little maid-servant, would you be giggling in your dreams?" Ling Hui'er giggled, though her big eyes remained locked on Jiang Chen. "No changing the subject — this question is very serious and you must answer."
Jiang Chen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Junior Sister Hui'er has such wonderful talent. Why would you serve as my maid-servant? If I were to use you as a servant, how many young geniuses in the Dan Qian Palace would come looking for my head?"
Hearing this, Ling Hui'er puffed up with pride, thrusting her chest out. "What does that have to do with them? As long as I, this young lady, am happy, what business is it of theirs?"
Immediately, a self-satisfied, mischievous grin spread across Ling Hui'er's face, and she added, "Senior Brother Jiang Chen, if you can do me a favor, Hui'er will serve as your personal maid from now on. If you want the bed warmed, I'll warm it. If you want me to attend to you at night, I'll attend to you. You can have me do whatever you want."
Upon hearing this, Ling Bi'er's beautiful face drained of color. "Hui'er, whatonsense are you spouting?"
Ling Hui'er refused to back down. "Sister, are you the only one who cares about Father? Can't Hui'er do something for him too? Being a maid to Senior Brother Jiang Chen is still better than waiting on those old, decrepit fogeys."
Jiang Chen could barely stand to listen anymore. He laughed ruefully. "Stop right there, Junior Sister Hui'er. As for this favor, tell me what it is first. If it's something I can do, I certainly won't refuse. But a personal maid? I don't want to shave years off my life."
He was not about to joke around — having the most popular pair of sisters in the Dan Qian Palace serving as his maids would make him the enemy of every young cultivator under the heavens.
Ling Hui'er flashed a dazzling smile and made a smug face at Ling Bi'er. "Sister, see that? You went around in circles saying a whole lot of nothing, and it wasn't half as useful as my little beauty-trap. I told you, Senior Brother Jiang Chen is a good man — he'll definitely help. You should have just come right out and said it."
Ling Bi'er let out a soft sigh. Under normal circumstances, she would never have let Ling Hui'er talk about her that way.
But right now, the facts spoke for themselves — her own roundabout approach really had been less effective than her sister's blunt, shameless tongue.
Ling Bi'er was not unwilling to get straight to the point. It was simply her nature; she could never be as reckless and unfiltered as her younger sister Ling Hui'er.
"Young Brother Jiang Chen, you've no doubt already guessed some of it. When I was young, my father stumbled into a forbidden zone and was afflicted with the Miasma of Lost Mind poison. After returning, he fell into a drowsy stupor, and within days his consciousness was lost entirely. Now, over a dozen years have passed, and my sister and I have exhausted every possible remedy to no avail. If Young Brother Jiang Chen has any way to help, Ling Bi'er will serve as a beast of burden for the rest of her life to repay you."
As she spoke these words, a deep crimson blush flooded Ling Bi'er's face, spreading all the way to the tips of her ears and even down her long, graceful neck.
Jiang Chen looked at the two sisters — one sincere and earnest, the other bold and forthright — and could tell they were not putting on an act. It was written plainly in their eyes: over all these years, they had truly exhausted every option they could think of.
Jiang Chen was not the kind of person to stand by and watch someone suffer, let alone a fellow disciple.
"Senior Sister Ling, the Miasma of Lost Mind is difficult to diagnose with certainty, and I can't make any guarantees. Once this period of secluded cultivation is over, I will visit the manor to examine your father's condition and take it from there. I promise you this: as long as it is within my ability, I will give it everything I have."