Chapter : 5
Li Lingjiang wasn’t sure how long she had slept. By the time she regained consciousness, daylight had already broken. As she propped herself up against the bedframe, she realized her hands were so weak they trembled. She coughed lightly twice and turned her gaze toward Yin Wu, who was working hard while sitting on the floor.
“What… are you doing?” Li Lingjiang’s voice startled her—it was hoarse to the point of almost being inaudible.
Yin Wu turned her head with a look of surprise. Her right arm’s sleeve had been torn away, leaving a glaring wound, and her hands were covered in blood. She lifted them excitedly and said, “Master, you’ve been asleep for almost three days! You scared me to death.
The demonic dragon is under control—I was worried you wouldn’t be able to hear if I stayed in the courtyard, so I came inside on my own. Look, I’ve contained it with magic, so don’t worry about the blood splattering everywhere.”
She stood up and turned aside, showing Li Lingjiang the protective barrier she had formed.
Then, cautiously, she said, “Master, your internal injuries are severe. The Demon Lord came to see you and even brought medicine. Do you want to take it first?”
Li Lingjiang made a small “ah” sound, emotionless, and simply said, “The Twin Stars came by, huh.”
She slowly moved her body, attempting to channel her internal magic. But before she could even blink, an intense pain swept through her internal organs. Li Lingjiang rolled up her sleeve and hastily covered her mouth, expelling thick blood onto her robe.
She had become this weak…?
Li Lingjiang stated it as if reporting a fact, not caring much as she adjusted her disheveled collar. She glanced sideways at Yin Wu, her gaze softening considerably. “I’m fine, don’t worry. I know my own body. Did the Demon Lord say anything when he came?”
Yin Wu seemed both frustrated and helpless at Li Lingjiang’s lack of self-care. She washed her hands and carefully brought over a bowl of medicine, offering it gently. “Master, the Demon Lord said you need rest. He had the demon physician prepare new medicine and even brought plenty of replacement bandages.
He asked me what the Celestial Immortal Qingyun said when she came, and I told him everything, word for word.”
Li Lingjiang paused, her hands still. She shifted the bowl slightly away and lowered her gaze toward the little immortal squatting on the floor. She furrowed her brows. “What did you say?”
“It’s not—” Yin Wu came back to herself, realizing what she had just said. She waved her hands frantically, trying to explain. “I really did come back early. I knew you were discussing matters, so I didn’t want to disturb you. I was just worried about you… Anyway, Master, don’t blame me. It was my fault.”
Her voice grew smaller and smaller, her body bending lower and lower, nearly touching the floor.
Li Lingjiang, unsurprised, thought that if she didn’t stop her, two loud kowtows were about to happen.
“I’m not blaming you.”
She spoke, as if amused, lightly hooking her fingertips on Yin Wu’s collar and lifting her up. “Get up.”
Yin Wu nervously glanced at her. “Master, you’re not angry?”
Li Lingjiang blew on the medicine, smelling its bitter scent. Her expression became more serious, yet her tone remained gentle—so gentle it was even softer than before. “Why would I be angry? You helped me with this matter. If you hadn’t called me in time, it might have been a disastrous battle. You know my body—I wouldn’t have survived three moves.”
Yin Wu exhaled in relief, then, still frustrated, began to complain, “I really didn’t expect the Celestial Immortal Qingyun to act this way. A disaster occurred in the human realm, and the demon world already expressed its stance. How can she still use that as an excuse?”
Halfway through, she seemed to realize something, looking at Li Lingjiang with curiosity. “Master, from the way you look… you didn’t know about this?”
Yin Wu observed Li Lingjiang’s expression from the corner of her eye, satisfied by what she saw, a faint smile playing on her lips before quickly disappearing.
It seemed she really didn’t know. The real show was about to begin.
Li Lingjiang stopped in her tracks, puzzled. She fluttered her eyelids slightly and said, “Indeed… I didn’t know about this.”
Her breathing shivered, and the metallic taste in her throat made her head ache even more.
Over the years, she had deliberately let the Twin Stars handle matters—but always within her awareness. How could she have missed this one event? The Twin Stars must have already considered bypassing her authority, but the situation changed too quickly; even he wasn’t prepared. It seemed that the old demons of the demon clan had consented as well.
The Twin Stars’ fear of her leaving was real, and their respect genuine. Perhaps it was simply—
“He has his own plan now—and with my magic dissipated, I am destined to be abandoned.”
There was no sadness in Li Lingjiang’s eyes, only a weary relief. She stared at the medicine bowl, her gaze fixed, and without flinching, drank it all in one go.
