Chapter 11: Feeling the Pulse — The Sense of Heartbeat
"Wow, Ye Chen, you're trained in medicine too?" Ning Tian asked, pleasantly surprised. She hadn't expected that Ye Chen came from a family of physicians.
With the rise of healing-type soul masters, traditional medicine had all but vanished. Most lineages had long since gone extinct.
So if a family still possessed a true medical heritage, that meant they really had skills.
No wonder she was amazed.
"I just know a little~"
Ye Chen replied modestly.
In truth, the Ye family's legacy of medical arts was formidable, especially in acupuncture.
And with the "Hundred Solutions of Acupuncture" he had received through his system, Ye Chen's mastery had already reached the pinnacle—capable of treating the most complex ailments.
Though, to be fair, soul masters rarely got sick. Most physicians served nobles or ordinary people who lacked soul power.
"Then you can feel the pulse, right? Check mine!" Ning Tian giggled.
Before Ye Chen could respond, she scooted closer, placing her slender white hand on his thigh and rolling up her sleeve to reveal a delicate wrist glowing with smooth, pale skin.
Clearly, Ning Tian was quite interested in this.
"Uh… sure, let's see."
Ye Chen didn't refuse. He gently took her wrist between his fingers—soft, warm, silky to the touch.
As expected of the heiress of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect—her skin was flawless. He couldn't help but let his hand linger for a few moments longer.
Ning Tian, of course, noticed.
She peeked up at him shyly, then quickly looked away, her cheeks tinged with pink.
She suspected Ye Chen was doing it on purpose—but with no proof and too embarrassed to stop him, she stayed still.
Besides, even if he was taking advantage… she didn't really mind.
For a boy as handsome as Ye Chen, maybe it wasn't such a big deal after all.
Ye Chen, indeed, was doing it on purpose.
Partly to test her reaction.
His 999 Charm seemed to drastically reduce women's resistance toward him, but he still wanted to know how far it went.
If he confessed outright, would he end up sharing a bed that very night?
Unlikely—he wasn't a charm demon, just irresistibly good-looking. Still, worth testing.
While these thoughts ran through his mind, his hands stayed still, feeling carefully.
After all, he truly was from a medical family, and reading pulses was second nature.
As he suspected, Ning Tian was perfectly healthy.
With soul power-enhanced constitutions—especially someone raised amid treasures and elixirs—her vitality was far beyond that of ordinary people.
Not a single issue whatsoever.
"Clack—"
The sound of a door opening interrupted them as Wu Feng stepped out of the infirmary.
Her eyes widened the instant she saw the scene—Ye Chen and Ning Tian sitting close together, hands entwined, as if sharing an intimate moment.
"Wha—You two…!"
Wu Feng froze in place, mind blank.
What happened here?!
When did Ning Tian and Ye Chen hold hands?!
That's way too fast!!
"Ah, Wu Feng—you're out."
Startled by her tone, Ning Tian quickly retracted her hand, clutching her sleeve in panic.
Flustered, she stammered, "Ye Chen's from a family of doctors! I just asked him to feel my pulse—to see if I had any issues."
"Really?" Wu Feng narrowed her eyes, relaxing only slightly, though suspicion lingered.
Something felt off between them... but she couldn't quite figure out what.
Had those two secretly kissed while she was inside?
"Yeah. Everything's fine—she's perfectly healthy," Ye Chen added calmly, smiling.
Soul masters were rarely ill; their bodies were naturally fortified by spirit power.
Unless they suffered from deeper issues—well, specific male or female imbalances caused by martial soul defects or injuries.
Those were rare enough that only real physicians could treat them, not even healing-type soul masters could help.
And Ye Chen had seen a few cases like that before.
"In that case, Ye Chen, check me too~" Wu Feng said playfully, stepping closer and extending her arm. "Make sure I'm fine as well."
If Ning Tian got a pulse reading, then she deserved one too—it only felt fair.
"There's really no need," Ye Chen said with a small laugh. "Soul masters are almost always healthy."
"No way. Maybe I do have a problem! You checked Ning Tian—I want mine too!" Wu Feng insisted, grabbing him by the sleeve.
Ye Chen sighed helplessly but eventually gave in.
Wu Feng sat beside him, sleeves rolled back. Her smooth wrist rested lightly in his hand.
Ye Chen's fingers pressed down gently.
She peeked at him from the side, stealing a glance at his focused expression, and her heart fluttered uncontrollably.
Her face heated up, and her pulse quickened—faster and faster.
Ye Chen frowned slightly as he sensed her heartbeat.
Ah. So this was the pulse of "a heart that's moved"—just as his great-grandfather had once described.
Of course, other than that, Wu Feng was perfectly fine—her blood and vitality far stronger than Ning Tian's.
That was only natural. As an assault-type soul master, her physique was built for power.
"You're completely healthy, Wu Feng," Ye Chen said lightly, pulling his hand back, pretending not to notice anything amiss.
"Hehe, that's good~" Wu Feng grinned, visibly pleased.
For some reason, being told she was "healthy" by Ye Chen felt strangely honorable.
…
A little later, the three of them left the infirmary together, heading back toward the dorm area.
"Ye Chen, come hang out in our dorm for a bit," Wu Feng suggested with a bright smile. "Have a snack and rest a little."
"Uh… isn't that against school rules?" Ye Chen asked awkwardly, rubbing his nose. He certainly hadn't expected such an invitation.
"The rule says 'sneaking into the girls' dorm' will get you expelled—it doesn't say invited guests can't come in," Wu Feng retorted slyly.
"She's right. You just fought—come to our room, eat something, and rest before heading back," Ning Tian added quickly, supporting the idea.
Part of her genuinely wanted to grow closer to Ye Chen, but there was another reason too.
She knew how the freshman tournament worked—teams of three.
And if she and Wu Feng could team up with Ye Chen…
then victory—and the championship—would be guaranteed.
Who in their right mind would refuse that?
(END CHAPTER)
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