Chapter 51 – Astray Demon Lord’s Son (9)
Perhaps it was because this person’s smile was too deceptive that Qi Ming’s mind couldn’t keep up. After seeing him nod, Qi Ming also followed suit and nodded. It wasn’t until he came to his senses that he realized what he had just agreed to.
Unconsciously touching the slightly hot tip of his ear, his gaze shifted to the doorway of the room. He stood up and said, “You should rest well first. Today, an elder from the Medicine Valley is coming; I’ll go and see if they’ve arrived.”
He added, “There are people outside the door. If you need anything, just call.”
After saying that, he left the room. He seemed to be in a hurry, as if he was very eager to see that elder.
Upon leaving the room, he instructed the people outside to inform the kitchen to prepare some light food to be delivered inside. After his somewhat feverish mind had cooled down a bit, Qi Ming walked through the courtyard and encountered the steward coming towards him.
The steward informed him that the elder from the Medicine Valley had not yet arrived, but the thank-you gifts from the prince—his father—were ready and were currently being checked in the warehouse.
Qi Ming went to take a look at the warehouse.
Although the warehouse was called a “house,” it was essentially a large courtyard, with several houses surrounding it, and the yard itself was surprisingly large. Previously, the courtyard should have been empty, but now it was filled with redwood boxes, with people responsible for the inventory scattered among them, presenting a rather grand spectacle.
The old steward also looked over and laughed, saying, “This scene looks a bit like a wedding.”
To save a life, one must be generously rewarded, especially when it is one’s own son who was saved. This time, the prince was quite generous. He had originally planned to visit as soon as the person woke up, but today he had been summoned to the palace to see the emperor, so the timing was off.
He had spoken without much thought, but Qi Ming glanced twice more at the scene. His mind, which had not completely cooled down, began to heat up again. He patted his inexplicably stuffy chest and said, “When the elder from Medicine Valley arrives, I’ll ask him to take a look.”
The elder from Medicine Valley, who was coming, had received a favor from his grandfather many years ago and had a close relationship with the Prince Duan’s Mansion. Qi Ming had met him a few times before and was fairly familiar with him.
“Hmm?”
The old steward turned his head and asked if Qi Ming was feeling unwell. He couldn’t say exactly what was wrong and just said nothing was the matter. As he shifted his gaze, he saw a disciple dressed in white standing on a nearby high platform.
Since the last incident, people from the Immortal Sect had been guarding around the mansion every day, likely the reason nothing had happened since.
Following his gaze, the old steward remembered something and said, “The demonic cultivators who attacked that night have been found.”
Qi Ming looked at him.
The old steward said that people from the Immortal Sect had been searching tirelessly day and night and found them in a deserted village a hundred miles away.
The demonic cultivators had been found, but not a single one was alive, and it wasn’t the Immortal Sect who had killed them. The entire deserted village had been razed to the ground, the dilapidated buildings gone. Among the corpses, the only one vaguely recognizable was a person with half an arm missing; the rest had turned into unidentifiable things, brutally and directly.
According to the people from the Immortal Sect, they hadn’t figured out who had done it or why. The only thing clear was that whoever had killed those demonic cultivators could easily do so, indicating they were not ordinary.
Qi Ming looked down at the wound on his hand.
The wound on his hand was caused by a piece of gravel on the ground that night. Compared to the other person’s injuries, this minor wound was nothing.
Compared to the guards that night, it was also insignificant. His hand hanging by his side curled slightly as he asked, “What about those guards?”
The old steward glanced at him and said, “They have all been brought back. The silver for their families has been sent along with them, and they will be buried on a chosen day.”
Qi Ming raised his hand and slowly covered his eyes.
…
The elder from Medicine Valley arrived shortly after. Without much need for pleasantries, he went straight to the house in the secluded courtyard.
He had been specifically summoned for a medical consultation, so he did not delay for a moment.
He had heard about the patient on his way here. It was said the patient was severely injured—not only from jumping out of the carriage but also from wounds inflicted by the blades of demonic cultivators. Additionally, the patient’s body was extremely weak, more aptly described as frail and emaciated. According to the previous physician’s diagnosis, the patient had been taking conflicting medications for years, which weakened his body further. However, every medication was indispensable, so he had to continue taking them despite knowing the harm they caused.
The elder had roughly imagined the appearance of this patient and anticipated finding him bedridden and immobile.
But upon entering the room, he saw, at first glance, a person sitting up in bed, leaning over a desk, writing. The patient had already sat up, draped in a light blue robe, with a calm gaze. If not for the bandaged hand and pale face, it would have been hard to tell that this person was gravely ill.
So, this was the rumored frail patient, completely different from what he had imagined.
Qi Ming followed beside the elder from Medicine Valley, and was momentarily stunned when he saw the pen in the other’s hand. He stepped forward and said, “Your hand hasn’t healed yet…”
Chen Luosong finished writing the last word, put down the pen, and looked up slightly, saying, “It doesn’t affect me.”
Unlike a steel pen, a brush could be used even in this condition. Although the wound caused some slight pain, it was not a big deal.
He was writing a letter, using the desk set up on the bed during his porridge meal. The ink, brush, paper, and inkstone were provided by the people outside.
As Chen Luosong placed the dried letter into an envelope, Qi Ming saw the recipient’s name written on the side of the envelope.
“Zhou Xiaoji”
A very strange name. Moreover, these characters, like those in the letter just now, were unexpectedly neat and clear, easily recognizable.
So, this person could write neatly if he wanted to.
But that was not the main point. Qi Ming looked at the hand wrapped in bandages and said, “If you want to write a letter, you just need to tell someone. Someone else can write it for you. You don’t need to strain yourself like this.”
Chen Luosong smiled and shook his head, saying, “This letter can only be written by me.”
Zhou Xiaoji could recognize his handwriting.
Now, injured, he couldn’t go back directly and let the other person see him like this, but he also couldn’t go long without sending any news. So, he had to write a letter for now. The town wasn’t too far from here, and with a dedicated messenger, the letter could be delivered in a few hours.
The letter could only be written by him; no one else could do it. Some people might seem rough on the surface, but they were surprisingly sensitive about certain things. If Zhou Xiaoji saw that the handwriting wasn’t his, he would quickly realize something was wrong.
Realizing he had nothing else to say, Qi Ming took the envelope and volunteered to deliver the letter, promising to have someone send it.
After securing the letter, he turned to the elder and introduced him, saying this was the elder from Medicine Valley who happened to be passing by and decided to take a look.
Whether it was really a coincidence, only they knew.
Chen Luosong looked at the elder standing not far away and nodded with a smile. His demeanor remained calm and gentle throughout.
While the elder was taking Chen Luosong’s pulse, Qi Ming stood by watching. Someone entered the room, whispered something to him, and he responded with a slight nod.
…
In the quiet room, Qi Ming, who had been standing not far from the bed, left the room.
Leaving the courtyard, Qi Ming walked towards the main gate of the manor.
The person who had just entered told him that someone was at the gate asking for Chen Luosong. Given the heightened security, entry to the manor was even more restricted than usual, especially for a stranger with an unsettling gaze. Unsure what to do, the staff sought Qi Ming’s decision.
Reaching the gate, Qi Ming signaled for it to be opened slowly.
Guards quickly formed a protective barrier around him.
Through the guards and the steps, Qi Ming looked at the person standing outside.
The person wore a simple robe, and his dark eyes, devoid of any discernible emotion, stared straight at Qi Ming.
For a moment, Qi Ming felt a chilling clarity: the person was looking at him with the cold gaze one would reserve for a corpse.
—Just as the informant had said, this person’s gaze was indeed terrifying.
Terrifying as it was, Qi Ming’s composure, cultivated from a young age, kept him from showing any fear. He did not step back but instead nodded and asked who the person was and why he had come.
The man spoke, his voice hoarse as if he hadn’t used it in a long time.
This person was Zhou Ji, and he had come to take Chen Luosong home.
Qi Ming touched the spot where the envelope was kept, hesitating as he asked, “…Zhou Xiaoji?”
The moment the name was spoken, the lifeless eyes of the person at the door finally showed some change.
Having made up his mind, Qi Ming allowed him to enter the manor.
The courtyard of the manor was meticulously maintained daily, with rock gardens, flowing water, wooden bridges connecting pavilions, and corridors adorned with calligraphy and paintings. However, the man carrying a medicinal pouch didn’t glance at any of it and walked straight ahead.
As they reached the secluded courtyard, they encountered the white-bearded elder coming out of the room.
The elder descended the steps, stroking his beard as he walked into the courtyard. He said, “The situation is not good.”
This was already a euphemistic way of putting it; in truth, the situation could be described as dire.
In agreement with the previous physician’s diagnosis, the elder noted that the patient had been taking conflicting medications for years, weakening his body progressively. The recent injuries had only worsened his condition.
Zhou Ji stopped in his tracks.
The elder did not notice the unfamiliar face walking behind him, or if he did, he paid it no mind, continuing, “This time, the demon cultivator’s blade was poisoned.”
Ordinary physicians without spiritual energy could not detect this poison, hence it had not been discovered earlier. This poison was specifically used to punish the subordinates of the demon clan royal family, causing excruciating pain in the affected areas, unbearable for most people. From the time of poisoning until now, the poison must have spread throughout his entire body.
This poison would gradually merge into a person’s flesh and blood, becoming a part of them. Once fully integrated, even the elder wouldn’t be able to detect it. During the pulse diagnosis, the poison had already weakened and was close to complete fusion.
“……”
Qi Ming’s pupils gradually widened as he unconsciously rebutted, “But he… smiled…”
Though he only uttered a few words, the elder understood his meaning and gave a barely perceptible nod.
During their conversation, and even while writing the letter, the poison had spread throughout the other person’s body, causing constant, excruciating pain. Yet, in such a state, he showed no signs of discomfort and could even smile and talk with them.
To be able to endure this much, he was indeed no ordinary person.
