The Demon Lord’s brow furrowed involuntarily upon hearing the voice. He turned and snapped, "Xie Jin, didn't I tell you to return to the Demon Sect discreetly? Why are you shouting!"
From the south window of the study, a dark figure sat on the windowsill. Clad in black, with a conical hat, he appeared travel-worn. He had a round, doll-like face and large, rolling eyes, looking about seventeen or eighteen years old.
Jian Lin was surprised. So this was Xie Jin, the renowned divine physician. She had to admit, his appearance gave no hint of it whatsoever.
Xie Jin flipped through the window, removed his hat, his front hair a messy explosion. He casually swept it back, stiffened his neck, and defended himself, "I returned discreetly! This Demon Palace is heavily guarded. If I shouted, no one would hear me. This shout was just to alert you, my Demon Lord."
"Alert me to what?" The Demon Lord’s head began to ache.
Xie Jin swiftly appeared before Jian Lin, craning his neck to examine her closely. Then, he turned back to the Demon Lord and complained indignantly, "You're injured, aren't you? How can you keep someone here at night? Are you lying to me, my Demon Lord? I rushed back from a thousand miles away, you can't treat me like this!"
Jian Lin maintained her smile, understanding that the divine physician had misunderstood. She couldn't be bothered to explain and prepared to leave the mess to the Demon Lord. She curtsied and said softly, "This humble one shall take her leave."
Her frail demeanor only solidified Xie Jin's guess. The Demon Lord was simply finding a close companion to serve him; he didn't believe it was for any important business!
Xie Jin glared. The Demon Lord was truly getting a headache. He clutched his chest and sank back into his chair, "Alas, things are not as you think."
Jian Lin silently moved backward. Just as she was about to reach the door, the Demon Lord’s gaze shot towards her, and he gritted his teeth, "Jian Musheng, if you dare to leave, the divine physician is here. You can hear what he has to say. Aren't you always hoping my injuries will heal quickly!"
Jian Lin froze and smiled ingratiatingly, "I'm not in a hurry. I haven't urged you these past few days, by heaven and earth. My Demon Lord, please don't misunderstand me."
Xie Jin stood to the side, his gaze shifting back and forth in confusion. Suddenly, he seemed to understand, and knelt before the Demon Lord, saying with a pained expression, "My Demon Lord, you... you don't, by any chance, have a problem in that area?"
The air in the study froze. Jian Lin doubted she had heard correctly, then closed her eyes, wishing she could disappear into the ground.
Xie Jin looked on with a pained expression, believing he had guessed correctly.
What injury required him to return secretly?
What injury made a beautiful woman wish for the Demon Lord to recover quickly?
It could only be… that kind of injury.
The Demon Lord almost fainted from anger. He had always said he was fated to clash with Xie Jin. He tightly gripped the armrests of the chair, which creaked loudly. "No, shut up."
"My Demon Lord," Xie Jin said gravely, "There's no need to be ashamed to admit it. For a hundred years, your harem has been empty, and rumors have spread far and wide. I was actually prepared for this. I've gathered many elixirs. Just let me take a look, and I guarantee I'll have a solution!"
Jian Lin was dumbfounded. This legendary Xie Jin, Divine Physician Xie, was not to be underestimated in his ability to provoke. He was even better than her at it.
Seeing the Demon Lord about to erupt like a volcano, Jian Lin rushed forward and quickly covered Xie Jin's mouth, whispering, "No, my Demon Lord was injured in the Demon Realm. He has a long wound on his abdomen that hasn't scabbed or healed for days. That's why he called you back."
The Demon Lord's breathing was heavy, his face turning green with anger. Hearing Jian Lin's words, he finally felt a little better.
Xie Jin was stunned. He pushed Jian Lin's hand away and looked up at the Demon Lord, "Is it true? Then why didn't you say so earlier?"
The Demon Lord clenched his fist again and gritted his teeth, "Did you give me a chance to speak?"
Xie Jin scratched his head sheepishly and smiled, "I was just too worried about you, my Demon Lord. Besides, when I returned and saw you in the embrace of a beauty, lost in affection, you didn't look injured at all."
"My Demon Lord is teaching me swordplay," Jian Lin offered an explanation for the Demon Lord.
"Oh, oh, oh," Xie Jin became animated, "My Demon Lord is teaching a young lady swordplay? May I ask what your relationship is with my Demon Lord?"
"Servant, subordinate, his dancer," Jian Lin explained one by one, afraid Xie Jin would misunderstand.
Xie Jin gave a long "Oh," his eyes darting around. "Dancer, I understand."
Jian Lin's mouth twitched. She wanted to say, no, you don't.
"Enough!" The Demon Lord interrupted Xie Jin sternly, sighed, and said, "Let's examine the wound first. The wound is the priority."
He didn't want to explain anymore. Let Xie Jin think whatever he wanted. After the wound was examined, he would send him away immediately, as far as possible!
The ensuing chaos finally subsided.
The Demon Lord sat on a small couch and unbuttoned his robes, revealing the wound. As soon as Xie Jin saw the wound, he became focused and serious. He leaned forward to examine it, pressing around the wound and taking his pulse, pondering in silence for a moment.
Jian Lin stood not far away. Seeing the bloody wound, her heart leaped into her throat. She noticed that after so many days, the wound showed no signs of improvement. Instead, the surrounding area was red and swollen, showing signs of festering.
"My Demon Lord, please lie down."
Xie Jin brought over a soft pillow, placed it behind the Demon Lord, and examined the wound again with great seriousness. After a while, he suddenly sighed and remained silent.
As the saying goes, one is not afraid of the doctor explaining the condition, but of the doctor sighing and saying nothing. This was a sign of a terminal illness.
Jian Lin couldn't help herself. She stepped forward a couple of paces and asked softly, "Divine Physician Xie, how is it?"
"It's not just a simple external wound," Xie Jin said with a serious frown. "The sharp blade was poisoned, and it was twisted once after being inserted. The internal injuries are more severe than the external ones. I need to open the wound, first stitch the internal injuries, then stitch the external ones. And I cannot use simple mulberry bark thread; dragon sinew would be best."
Jian Lin's heart sank. She couldn't bear to hear about dragons right now.
The Demon Lord glanced at her and said to Xie Jin, "If you don't have dragon sinew, find something else to substitute. Stitching the wound is not a problem. If you are confident, start tonight."
"You don't have it, but I do," Xie Jin untied his Qiankun bag and rummaged through it. "And other things cannot be substituted, otherwise, the poison cannot be detoxified, and my stitching will be in vain."
"Since you have it, use it!" Jian Lin quickly interjected. She looked at the Demon Lord and said firmly, "For healing, of course, we use the best things."
Xie Jin's dragon sinew wasn't extracted from Xiao Li, so Jian Lin felt uneasy, but the Demon Lord didn't need to avoid suspicion for her sake.
The Demon Lord's eyes flickered, and he said softly, "Alright, then use it."
"This is the crucial part," Xie Jin finally found the dragon sinew. He took out an exquisite black box and placed it on the Demon Lord's side with both hands. "Dragons belong to the Divine Realm. Although you, my Demon Lord, are a cultivator with powerful demonic energy, you are ultimately mortal flesh and blood. The pain of stitching the wound with dragon sinew is beyond ordinary imagination and cannot be easily endured."
"Can't we use anesthesia?" Jian Lin asked urgently, feeling a twinge in her abdomen.
"This is of great importance. My Demon Lord must remain conscious. It is best to keep circulating his demonic energy to ensure absolute safety," Xie Jin said with a solemn expression, showing no hint of joking.
The Demon Lord trusted Xie Jin. Despite their clashing personalities, Xie Jin's medical skills and loyalty were beyond question.
"No problem, I can do it. Let's begin." The Demon Lord was not afraid of such things.
"No rush, no rush," Xie Jin took a fine cloth and bandaged the Demon Lord. "Some preparations need to be made, such as setting up a formation, taking tonics, and most importantly, letting me rest properly. I am physically and mentally exhausted right now. If I perform delicate stitching work, my hands will surely tremble."
The Demon Lord took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, "Alright, I'll listen to you."
"Of course, you should listen to me," Xie Jin began to nag again. "How many times have I told you, don't be afraid of seeking medical treatment. You should have called me back long ago. Relying on your profound cultivation, were you waiting for the wound to heal on its own? Let me tell you the truth, it's impossible. If left unattended, it will only fester. Although your life won't be in danger for a while, and it won't hinder your cultivation and advancement, it will scare the young ladies! Once they take off your clothes and see a bloody hole in your abdomen, anyone who sees it will be terrified. How could they have any interest in... you know? What do you say?"
I really want to sew his mouth shut, the Demon Lord thought expressionlessly. If only there was a poison that could make him mute.
Jian Lin looked at the Demon Lord expressionlessly, as if understanding his thoughts, and nodded silently. Yes, he was too annoying.
After bandaging the wound, Jian Lin and Xie Jin came out together. Jian Lin curtsied, preparing to bid farewell to Xie Jin and return to her side hall to rest.
Unexpectedly, Xie Jin familiarly hooked her arm and pulled her to a corner of the corridor, asking gossipingly, "Young lady, I have something to ask you. Seeing how close you are to my Demon Lord, I wonder if you've encountered any difficulties in your interactions?"
Jian Lin understood. Xie Jin was still worried about the Demon Lord's supposed ailment.
She didn't understand and asked softly, "Divine Physician Xie, you've already taken my Demon Lord's pulse, don't you have any judgment?"
"No, young lady, you don't know," Xie Jin said disappointedly. "My Demon Lord gave me a death order: do not investigate, or I'll lose my life."
"If that's the case, Divine Physician Xie, then you shouldn't concern yourself with it," Jian Lin advised him. Ultimately, it was the Demon Lord's privacy. If he didn't want it investigated, then don't!
"I don't want to concern myself with it, but the late Demon Lord entrusted me with one matter before his death: to help my Demon Lord resolve his inner turmoil, to see him marry and have children, and enjoy the happiness of family," Xie Jin said with difficulty. "You must be more aware of the situation in the harem than I am. There's no one, and it's been nearly a hundred years. I really suspect if it's him... but I'm embarrassed to say it."
Jian Lin was stunned. This intertwined with her攻略 mission. She had actually suspected it. The Demon Lord treated her very well, but why were there no signs of him falling in love?
Could it really be... a problem?
But soon, she made excuses for the Demon Lord, "Divine Physician Xie, you know there are some powerful individuals who love nothing but themselves and don't need ordinary desires. Perhaps my Demon Lord is such a person."
"Perhaps, but it doesn't apply to our Demon Lord," Xie Jin whispered. "Our Demon Lord, a hundred years ago, was madly in love with a mortal woman. He said he would abandon all his cultivation and go back with her to farm and weave, to live a mortal life. Unfortunately... it was broken up by our late Demon Lord."
Heavens, what had she heard!
Before, it was all hearsay and speculation. Today, an insider had finally come to talk about that past event!