Chapter 761: Want to Live

“Please come in, sir!”

Li Ping repeated his invitation, and only then did Ji Yuan move, walking with Li Ping toward the main gate of the Li Residence. The others, except for some guards who needed to manage the carriages, followed closely behind.

Even though Li Ping was no longer a high official, he was still considered a dignitary. His residence was a grand estate with high walls. However, Li Ping was naturally not in the mood to give Ji Yuan a tour. After entering the main gate, he tentatively asked about Ji Yuan's preference.

“Sir, shall we wait for the kitchen to prepare a meal first?”

Ji Yuan looked at Li Ping. He had just eaten lunch not long ago, so he knew the offer was not truly about food.

“No, let’s go see your wife; that’s important. I didn’t come here to eat.”

“Yes, yes, please follow me, sir. You all, go quickly and make preparations for my wife.”

Li Ping instructed the servants accompanying him and then led Ji Yuan directly towards the back courtyard.

As they passed the garden connecting the front and back courtyards, the Li family concubines, who had received news, came out to greet them. An old madam, supported by servants, also emerged with them.

“Master, you’re back!” “Master!”

The concubines bowed, while the old madam, supported by servants, walked a few steps closer. Li Ping also hurried forward and took one of the old madam’s arms.

“My son, the capital is far away. How did you return so quickly?”

Li Ping nodded to the concubines, then looked at his mother.

“Mother, I returned this time because I met a great master on the way. I was going to the capital to ask the Emperor to invite the Imperial Preceptor for help. But now that I’ve met a true master, why bother with that?”

The old madam nodded upon hearing this and looked at Ji Yuan, who was a little further away. This gentleman’s demeanor was indeed extraordinary, and since the others were all their own servants, her son must have been referring to him. So, she bowed slightly, and Ji Yuan returned the gesture with a slight cupped-hand salute.

However, as the old madam politely bowed to Ji Yuan, she also quietly asked her son.

“My son, are you sure this is a true master?”

“Mother, guess how we got back?”

Seeing his mother’s questioning look, Li Ping didn’t keep her in suspense and pointed to the sky.

“We flew back here with Sir Ji, riding the clouds. It took us over half a month to go, but we returned in an instant; a vast distance covered in moments!”

The old madam paused, looked at her son, and seeing his very serious face, felt a sense of certainty. She gently pushed her son away and bowed again towards Ji Yuan, this time with a deeper bow.

“My Li family has had only one heir for generations. The child in Lingniang’s womb is the only continuation of our family’s bloodline now. We hope, sir, you will use your wondrous methods. As long as you can ensure the safe birth of the child, the entire Li family will do everything in its power to repay you!”

The old madam was very old, and bowing deeply made her tremble slightly. However, this time Ji Yuan did not return the bow. Instead, with a thought, a current of energy gently lifted the old woman. At this moment, Ji Yuan’s calm and somewhat detached voice echoed in everyone’s ears.

“Only save the fetus?”

Ji Yuan’s voice was very soft, with no further words or apparent emotion, but Li Ping and his mother were momentarily stunned. When they came to their senses, Ji Yuan had already resumed walking towards the back courtyard.

Li Ping and the old madam reacted and quickly followed.

“Sir, please slow down; I’ll lead the way!”

Li Ping’s voice came from behind. Ji Yuan simply replied faintly.

“I know where it is.”

Although the Li Residence was large, its layout was regular, and the location of the main wife’s quarters could generally be inferred. Moreover, in the current situation, Ji Yuan didn’t need to deduce anything; the aura of the fetus appeared as strong as a bright fire in the dark to his spiritual sight, making it impossible to miss.

After passing several courtyards and walking through a corridor, in the inner courtyard beyond an archway in the distance, many servants were attending. This was likely where Li Ping’s main wife resided.

“Sir, it’s there.”

Li Ping quickly quickened his pace. The servants there bowed to him one after another.

“Master!”

“Hmm, all unnecessary personnel, step back.”

Ji Yuan had been walking quite fast for a while, so only Li Ping and a few guards could keep up. The old madam and the three concubines had been left behind.

Some guards and male servants obediently stepped back, leaving a few maids and a physician-like person carrying a wooden box by the door. Two maids gently pushed open the inner door of the room. Ji Yuan waited patiently outside the door, his eyes widening slightly as the door opened.

The flickering candlelight inside the room, stirred by the draft from the opening door, danced slightly. The windows were all closed, and a maid was by the bedside. The fetal aura was even stronger now, but Ji Yuan’s attention wasn’t solely on the aura; he also focused on the woman in the bed.

Because of the fetal aura, Ji Yuan’s eyes could see the woman very clearly, even though she was a mortal. Her face was dull and yellow, gaunt and emaciated, beyond merely looking unpleasant; it was almost frightening. She lay on her side in bed, covered by a slightly bulging quilt, resting on a pillow and looking towards the door.

“Hoh... hoh... M-Master...”

Ji Yuan turned to look at Li Ping, then at the old madam who had just reached the courtyard archway in the distance. Li Ping’s expression was somewhat ashamed, while the old madam was a little breathless from hurrying to keep up.

No wonder the old madam kept asking Ji Yuan to save the child. Seeing the mother’s condition, most people would assume she wouldn’t survive childbirth.

Even though he was somewhat intimidated by Ji Yuan’s gaze, Li Ping steeled himself and approached, explaining.

“Sir, Lingniang’s condition is absolutely not due to our negligence. Our residence has always provided precious herbs and nourishing foods, and we’ve even sought miraculous elixirs from enlightened masters, all of which Lingniang has taken. But after three years of pregnancy, she has still gradually become like this...”

Ji Yuan’s expression remained unchanged. He simply turned his gaze back to the room and stepped inside, which appeared somewhat dim, without a word.

“Why aren’t the doors and windows open?”

Li Ping looked at the physician beside him, who quickly replied.

“Madam Li is weak and susceptible to cold winds, so we keep the doors closed. However, on clear, windless days, we do try to let her get some sun. But in the past six months, Madam Li’s health has deteriorated significantly, and her movements have become increasingly difficult.”

Ji Yuan made no response, walking directly to the woman’s side. The maid attending her was waved away by Li Ping, who was behind Ji Yuan. The woman now understood that Ji Yuan must have been invited by her husband, either a famous physician or a master of arcane arts.

“Sir...”

“Madam Li, you don’t need to speak.”

Ji Yuan looked the woman up and down, focusing on the areas covered by the quilt. It was early summer now, not yet hot, but certainly not cold. Yet, the woman was wrapped in a thick quilt, with strands of hair clinging to her face, clearly indicating she was hot.

Many ornaments hung by the bedside: talismans and red strings. Some of them emitted a faint spiritual glow, invisible to ordinary people, clearly sought by the Li family for protection.

“If it’s convenient, I’d like to see Madam Li’s belly.”

“Yes, sir!”

Li Ping responded, personally stepped to the woman’s bedside, and gently lifted the quilt towards the inner side of the bed, revealing the woman’s somewhat exaggeratedly bulging belly.

Judging by the size of her belly, an ordinary person might believe she was carrying triplets, but Ji Yuan knew it was only one child.

As Ji Yuan’s gaze fell upon the woman’s belly, he could even see the fetus moving within her, causing Madam Li’s belly to subtly shift. The fetal aura also became particularly intense.

At such close proximity, Ji Yuan could even feel the ominous sensation within the fetal aura almost materializing, like a constantly shifting aurora, deep, strange, and unfathomable, yet it made Ji Yuan, even in his current state, feel a shiver of dread.

For a moment, Ji Yuan almost wanted to strike out with his sword, but the essence of the fetus itself held no good or evil intent. The ominous and unsettling feeling seemed to stem more from something beyond Ji Yuan’s comprehension, rather than any malice.

“Xiezhi, do you feel it?”

Ji Yuan whispered the question, and Xiezhi’s low voice reached Ji Yuan’s ears from within his sleeve.

“How could I not feel it, being here? I wondered why you were so concerned about this Li person. So you already saw the problem.”

“Do you know the child’s condition?”

When Ji Yuan asked this, Xiezhi was silent for a moment before replying.

“I can’t see through it, I can’t discern it clearly.”

Ji Yuan remained silent upon hearing this, and the Li family members nearby dared not disturb him. It was the woman in the bed who spoke, her voice low due to her weakness.

“Sir... am I... am I still salvageable?”

Ji Yuan looked at the woman; tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, clearly indicating her suffering. She also seemed to understand that, in the old madam’s eyes, her own life as a daughter-in-law was less important than the strange fetus in her womb.

Ji Yuan could sense the woman’s fear of the fetus in her womb. Perhaps she could feel her life force being slowly drained day by day.

“Don’t worry, there’s hope!”

Ji Yuan’s voice was calm and steady, carrying a soothing power that inexplicably brought comfort to the woman in bed, and her breathing became much calmer.

“Sir, is that true? But, can both mother and child be safe?”

Li Ping also heard Ji Yuan’s words and asked, slightly agitated. Ji Yuan glanced at him.

“I will naturally...”

Before Ji Yuan could finish his sentence, a resonant Buddhist chant echoed throughout the entire Li Residence, reaching the back courtyard.

“Praise be to the Great King of Light Buddha. This old monk, Moyun, has come to pay respects to Lord Li!”

“Venerable Monk Moyun? The Imperial Preceptor!”

Li Ping froze, then exclaimed, and quickly said to Ji Yuan.

“Sir, the Imperial Preceptor is here. I must go greet him! You...”

Ji Yuan waved his hand, but without even turning his head, he continued to look at the woman’s bulging belly. The Buddhist chant was resonant, but its level of spiritual attainment could be discerned by its sound. Although there was some Zen meaning in the chant, it hadn't reached a significant height, and the Buddhist teachings were naturally the same; at least, they weren't enough to make Ji Yuan take notice.

Li Ping said nothing more and quickly left the room. The concubines and the old madam of the Li family naturally had to go greet him as well. Inside the room, only Ji Yuan, the woman, and her personal maid remained. Outside, of course, there were still many guards and the physician.

At this moment, tears streamed down the woman’s cheeks again, and her lips trembled slightly.

“Sir, please save me... They will surely ask you to save the child, but I want to live too, I want to live!”

“Don’t worry, you won’t die!”

Ji Yuan sighed. Although he said that, if the fetus were born, the woman would almost certainly die during childbirth. However, Ji Yuan, in both his lives, had never had a habit of breaking promises.