Day: June 23, 2024

Chapter 33

 

Si Lan, seeing the situation, immediately closed his eyes and reminded, “Your veil is torn.”

 

Haowei paused, freed a hand, and hastily tied the torn veil together.

 

After ensuring that Haowei had secured his hat, Si Lan opened his eyes and looked at the insect master wrapped up nearby. The insect master was still trying to escape, but clumsily darted around like a headless fly, trapped within the fabric.

 

“Are you okay?” Si Lan asked Haowei.

 

Haowei’s aura turned cold. Si Lan made sure the insect master was fine before asking him. So, he was less important than an insect.

 

“I’m fine,” Haowei muttered sullenly.

 

“Good. If you’re fine, let’s hurry back to the village.” Si Lan dusted off his clothes and started walking down the mountain.

 

Haowei looked at the back of Si Lan’s neck, his expression complicated. He was indeed kind-hearted. Unlike other demon lords who sought to destroy and slaughter, Si Lan tried every possible way to save the common people, as if he were the ruler of the Six Realms. Moreover, why wasn’t he curious about his appearance at all? Thinking of this, Haowei’s face tensed. Perhaps Si Lan didn’t care about him, which is why he paid no mind to what he looked like.

 

For some reason, Haowei felt even worse. Clearly, Si Lan hadn’t seen his face, and he should have been happy about it.

 

Sensing the insect master was in danger, the parasitic insect eggs within several villagers’ bodies began to stir, causing the villagers to convulse and foam at the mouth.

 

Haowei slowly squeezed the insect master, eliciting a heart-wrenching scream, sounding childlike but with a sharper edge.

 

Soon, the parasitic insect egg hosts rushed towards the insect master. Not only them, but also the insects on the mountain swarmed over.

 

Several sharp-eyed villagers, seeing this scene, were terrified.

 

“Oh my… what’s that on the mountain? A bunch of mushrooms?”

 

“No, it’s not mushrooms. It’s petals… no, wait, it’s monsters…”

 

Haowei asked Si Lan, “Have the mother insects inside them come out?”

 

“They have!” Si Lan saw more and more insects gathering, “Give me the insect master, and I’ll lead them away.” They couldn’t let these insects get close to the villagers, or they would parasitize them again.

 

Haowei glanced at Si Lan. “No need. Just stay here and guard.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, Haowei took the insect master and walked towards the valley. The insects, sensing the change in position, crawled towards the valley.

 

Haowei stood on a high ground and threw the insect master into the valley. The insects swarmed towards the insect master, crowding around it.

 

A dense mass of white spread across the valley, like flowers covering the area—beautiful yet sinister.

 

Haowei found flint and set a fire. Soon, the insects in the valley were engulfed in flames, the air filled with a burnt smell.

 

When Si Lan arrived, he saw the valley ablaze and heard the heart-wrenching screams from within the fire. It reminded him of the great fire in the Holy Realm’s Insect Valley, making him close his eyes.

 

Haowei approached Si Lan. “If we don’t eliminate them completely, they’ll parasitize the villagers again.”

 

“Yes.” Si Lan seemed to imply something deeper, “The human world, the demon world, are all managed by the celestial realm. Who lives and who dies is already predestined.”

 

Haowei felt there was more to his words, but before he could scrutinize him, Si Lan turned and casually said, “We’ve resolved the insect problem. We are now benefactors of Tao Yuan. This gives us an excuse to stay close to Tao Yuan, understand his concerns, and conveniently head to Li Du. Isn’t that perfect?”

 

Haowei merely hummed in response.

 

Back in the village, the villagers parasitized by the insects had woken up, no longer in danger, but they still couldn’t move or speak. Their sores needed medicine to heal.

 

Si Lan went to gather herbs and ground them with a wooden pestle, planning to give each patient a jar to apply. Watching the herbs, Haowei remarked, “So, you really know about medicine.”

 

“Yes, when I finished reading novels, I had nothing else to do but study medicine.” Si Lan said while pounding the herbs, “That’s why in the demon world… cough, cough, in our village, many patients came to me for treatment.”

 

Haowei lowered his veil, seemingly stifling a laugh.

 

At this moment, the red barrier in front of them flickered. The barrier had been nearly invisible for a while, but now it suddenly reappeared!

 

Si Lan was both surprised and delighted, looking at Haowei, “Is the formation about to be repaired?”

 

“It seems so.”

 

Once the barrier was fully restored, they would be isolated from this world. Thinking of this, Si Lan wanted to say goodbye to Tao Yuan in person. But just as he reached the door, he saw the barrier closing from top to bottom.

 

Si Lan hurriedly picked up the pestle, dipping it in the medicinal juice, and wrote on the wall: Urgent matter, we must leave first.

 

Before he could finish writing “leave,” the barrier fully restored. In that instant, a surge of energy flowed into their spiritual void, healing all their wounds and making them feel rejuvenated.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but take a deep breath, thinking that he must treat the Song brothers to some chicken legs when they returned.

 

In the Pei Mansion, a quarter of an hour earlier.

 

After the dense swarm of red insects broke through the barrier, “Pei Jia” directly slashed at the red gear-shaped formation on the ground. The ground instantly cracked open, and the formation wavered.

 

“Pei Jia” raised the sword again to strike the formation, but Song Cheng swung his sword from behind, attacking “Pei Jia.” “Pei Jia” didn’t move, the black aura around him automatically forming a shield to block Song Cheng’s attack.

 

“Pei Jia” twirled the sword swiftly, producing a flurry of black demonic energy from the sword’s arc, which crawled over the formation like mice, trying to erase it.

 

In the next moment, Song Ye dispersed the “mice” with a single strike. With all his strength, he moved so quickly that “Pei Jia” almost couldn’t react before he was behind “Pei Jia,” directly placing a demon-breaking charm on the back of his head.

 

The demonic energy within “Pei Jia” went berserk, like a trapped beast, causing Pei Jia’s limbs to contort violently.

 

Taking advantage of this, Song Cheng and Song Ye pulled out demon-binding ropes, tying “Pei Jia” to a pillar.

 

Perhaps the demon-breaking charm had taken effect, as the demonic energy within Pei Jia gradually subsided. Pei Jia stopped struggling, lowered his head, and quietly leaned against the pillar.

 

Song Ye let out a small sigh of relief, turning around to see Song Cheng already sitting cross-legged on the ground, casting a spell to repair the formation.

 

“Brother, how is the formation?”

 

“One section is disrupted. We need to work together to restore it.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Just as Song Ye sat down, he suddenly felt a surge of intense demonic energy sweeping towards Song Cheng, who was still focused on his spell!

 

Song Ye quickly swung his sword at the demonic energy, but it split into two, bypassing his sword energy and heading towards his brother.

 

He couldn’t think of anything else, his mind consumed by one thought: his brother mustn’t be harmed.

 

In an instant, he flashed to Song Cheng’s side, rapidly weaving a barrier and directing the two streams of demonic energy into the air.

 

Somehow, the demon-breaking charm on “Pei Jia” had torn, and his body once again emitted a continuous stream of demonic energy. Fortunately, the demon-binding rope still held, limiting his attacks.

 

The two streams of demonic energy attacked Song Ye simultaneously. He dodged and was about to strike at Pei Jia but held back.

 

His master had taught him not to harm mortals.

 

This battle could only be defensive, not offensive.

 

Song Ye flashed behind “Pei Jia,” intending to place another demon-breaking charm on him. However, “Pei Jia” suddenly twisted around, extending his hand, with fingers transforming into sharp blades, stabbing directly into Song Ye’s abdomen and gripping his demon core.

 

Song Ye’s eyes turned red with pain. He gritted his teeth, enduring the agony in silence, and swung his sword to cut off the demonic energy.

 

From a distance, Song Cheng’s voice called out, “Song Ye, are you alright?” He couldn’t see clearly, only that Song Ye was engulfed in demonic energy.

 

“I’m fine!”

 

Song Cheng wanted to get up and help, but Song Ye quickly said, “Brother, fix the formation first. I’ll handle this.”

 

Enduring the excruciating pain, Song Ye pulled out a demon-breaking charm and slapped it onto “Pei Jia,” finally subduing him.

 

He glanced at his abdominal wound, lifted his shirt to cover it, and sat cross-legged next to Song Cheng.

 

“Brother, let me help you.”

 

“Alright.” Song Cheng closed his eyes, not thinking too much about it.

 

—

 

Inside the barrier, Si Lan mused, “So, it turns out that last time at the Pei mansion, we didn’t impersonate the Tuoshan Twin Heroes; we actually are the Tuoshan Twin Heroes.”

 

Chongwei responded blandly with a “Hmm.”

 

All these events seemed to connect like jade beads in the palm of fate, appearing chaotic but in fact meticulously arranged.

 

The only painful thing was that, despite knowing the outcome, they still had to relive the tragic process.

 

In the illusion, Tao Yuan, knowing that Si Lan and Chongwei were busy preparing medicine, made some pastries for them. When he went to find them, he saw that they had left without saying goodbye.

 

On the wall was a line of elegant characters: Urgent matter, we must leave first.

 

Tao Yuan couldn’t help but frown and asked Pei Jia, who was beside him, “Did the divine doctors leave so hastily because of some urgent matter?”

 

Pei Jia, expressionless, asked, “You seem very concerned about them.”

 

“Of course, they are Xiao Qi’s saviors and also the village’s benefactors.” Tao Yuan, not realizing Pei Jia’s jealousy, continued talking, “That divine doctor with the veil, it’s hard to see anything. But the one in green, Doctor Si, he is truly a paragon of beauty, so refined and elegant. I’ve never seen anyone so good-looking.”

 

Pei Jia’s face fell. “No wonder you insisted on working with him earlier…”

 

“Huh?” Tao Yuan looked at Pei Jia in confusion, “That’s not the reason. I just wanted to save Xiao Qi quickly.”

 

Pei Jia sulked silently, picking up the pestle to continue grinding the unfinished herbs.

 

Watching Pei Jia’s profile, Tao Yuan vaguely felt he might be upset. He cautiously said, “I have no other thoughts about Doctor Si. You know I already have someone I like.”

 

Lowering his head, Tao Yuan shyly tugged at a corner of Pei Jia’s sleeve, hinting at something.

 

Pei Jia paused, looking at Tao Yuan’s fair forehead, and slowly said, “I understand.”

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected that Pei Jia would get jealous of him and Tao Yuan. No wonder when he treated Tao Yuan in the general’s residence, Pei Jia insisted on remote diagnosis.

 

Back then, he thought it was due to propriety between men. Now he realized Pei Jia’s jealousy hadn’t dissipated.

 

The two chatted a bit more. When some medicine splashed on Tao Yuan’s face, Pei Jia gently wiped it off. Their eyes met, and they couldn’t look away.

 

Pei Jia kissed Tao Yuan’s soft, vibrant lips, whispering his name.

 

“Tao Yuan.”

 

For some reason, this name felt deeply ingrained in his heart. Every time he said it, his heart raced.

 

Si Lan, out of habit, wanted to cover the eyes of the person next to him when he saw such a scene. But seeing that the man beside him was taller, he awkwardly rubbed his hands.

 

This time, it wasn’t the little white dragon following him but Chongwei.

 

“General…”

 

A deputy, finding the pharmacy, accidentally saw Pei Jia and Tao Yuan kissing and fled in shock.

 

Pei Jia and Tao Yuan quickly pulled apart, both breathing heavily and avoiding each other’s eyes.

 

Pei Jia lightly coughed, “They are soldiers, often reckless. Don’t mind them.”

 

“Mm.” Tao Yuan lightly bit his lower lip, a gentle smile on his face.

 

With the insect problem resolved, the Pei family army continued north, camping at the foot of a mountain after three days.

 

That night, Tao Yuan helped Pei Jia change clothes for bed.

 

Although their relationship had become closer in recent days, they maintained a respectful distance.

 

Tao Yuan slept on the bed while Pei Jia laid out a mat on the floor.

 

That night, Tao Yuan couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning. Pei Jia, also awake, heard him and asked, “Tao Yuan?”

 

“General, you’re still not asleep?”

 

“Hmm, thinking about returning to the capital. What about you?”

 

Tao Yuan murmured softly, “Just thinking randomly.”

 

Not hearing a response from Pei Jia, Tao Yuan thought he had fallen asleep. Just as he was about to turn over, he suddenly felt hands gently wrap around his waist.

 

He froze instantly, lying still, feeling the person behind him rest their chin on his shoulder.

 

“Tao Yuan…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“This pair of Double Moon Jade Pendants is a treasured heirloom of the Pei family, meant for the future Lady Pei. I’m giving it to you now.”

 

In the darkness, Pei Jia placed the jade pendant into Tao Yuan’s hand.

 

Tao Yuan buried his head under the blanket. “General, are you sure about this?”

 

“Don’t call me ‘General’. Call me Jinyu.” Jinyu was his courtesy name.

 

“Alright, Jinyu.”

 

Tao Yuan spoke softly, his voice faint yet clear to Pei Jia’s ears.

 

Pei Jia smiled and hugged him tighter.

 

Si Lan calculated the time; there were only ten days left until the anniversary of Tao Yuan’s death.

 

In other words, they had only ten days of peaceful time together before an eternal separation.

 

“Pei Jia and Tao Yuan seem very sweet. I wonder what Tao Yuan can’t let go of.”

 

“Let’s observe further.” Chongwei narrowed his eyes, a vague thought stirring in his mind, yet uncertain.

 

Si Lan gently gestured, and the scene in the illusion shifted to early morning.

 

Tao Yuan, half asleep, helped Pei Jia dress. When his hand touched Pei Jia’s leg, he was startled to find several prominent scars around Pei Jia’s knee joints.

 

Tao Yuan froze, and Pei Jia smiled as he explained, “My legs were not good when I was young. Doctors tried various methods to heal them, resulting in many scars.”

 

Tao Yuan looked up at Pei Jia, his eyes welling with tears.

 

Seeing this, Pei Jia quickly embraced Tao Yuan, comforting him, “It’s alright, I’m not in pain anymore, it’s all in the past.”

 

Tao Yuan said nothing, only clutching Pei Jia’s clothes tightly, his gaze fixed on the scars on Pei Jia’s legs.

 

Another night passed. Tao Yuan was stitching knee pads for Pei Jia. Although he hadn’t finished, his face was already weary. He resisted sleep, waiting for Pei Jia to return.

 

At this moment, Pei Jia was still discussing military matters with his subordinates.

 

Through the illusion, Si Lan saw several cloaked figures sneaking toward the camp. Remembering overhearing the officers’ conversation earlier, he realized Tao Yuan was in danger.

 

“Tao Yuan… Tao Yuan…” Si Lan’s voice couldn’t penetrate the barrier, his face filled with anxiety. “Tao Yuan is in trouble!”

 

“All of this has already happened.” Chongwei replied calmly. They couldn’t change the past; if they could, they wouldn’t be here now.

 

Meanwhile, Tao Yuan had already been drugged and stuffed into a sack, quietly carried out of the camp.

 

Halfway there, Tao Yuan seemed to awaken, struggling inside the sack. One of the cloaked figures hit the sack with a large fist, threatening harshly.

 

“You worthless thing. How dare you stay by the general’s side? If anyone finds out that the general marches with an entertainer, his reputation will be ruined forever!”

 

“Ugh… Ugh…”

 

Whether from pain or tears, Tao Yuan’s voice intermittently came from the sack.

 

The carriage stopped at the edge of a cliff. Several cloaked figures lifted the sack and threw Tao Yuan down.

 

Si Lan couldn’t bear to watch any longer and turned away.

 

Though Tao Yuan’s death was due to torture and suffocation, unrelated to the cliff fall, the height was such that even if he survived, Tao Yuan would likely suffer greatly.

 

In the illusion, when Pei Jia returned to the tent and didn’t find Tao Yuan, he assumed Tao Yuan had gone out. He sat down, picked up the knee pad Tao Yuan had made for him, and smiled involuntarily.

 

After waiting for a while without Tao Yuan’s return, Pei Jia realized something was wrong. He took a lantern and went out to look for Tao Yuan.

 

He searched near the camp for a long time, but didn’t find Tao Yuan. He instructed two lieutenants to lead soldiers to search the nearby hills.

 

Tao Yuan was usually obedient; if he felt bored inside the tent, he would at most stroll nearby and had never left the camp. Where could he have gone now?

 

The more Pei Jia thought, the more anxious he became, his fingers turning white as he tightly gripped the reins. He seemed unable to feel tiredness, calling Tao Yuan’s name repeatedly along the hillside until his throat was hoarse and his lips cracked.

 

The lieutenants felt for him, pulling him back to the camp, comforting him that Tao Yuan might return soon.

 

Until the first rays of sunlight rose from the east, and Tao Yuan still hadn’t returned.

 

Pei Jia felt immense regret. If he had known, he wouldn’t have stayed to drink with the lieutenants. Perhaps Tao Yuan wouldn’t have inexplicably disappeared…

 

After resting briefly in the tent, Pei Jia was about to go out to search for Tao Yuan again. The two lieutenants stopped him, urging him to prioritize the overall situation and wait in the camp to report to the capital soon.

 

The emperor already had grievances against the Pei family’s army; any further delay might anger him and bring disaster upon the Pei family’s army.

 

Throughout history, those who excelled often struggled to end well.

 

Just as Pei Jia and the lieutenants argued, a soldier rushed over in haste. “Lieutenant Xu… that person actually came back!”

 

As the soldier finished speaking, he noticed Pei Jia was there too and awkwardly closed his mouth, his expression odd.

 

Lieutenant Xu quickly winked at the soldier, but Pei Jia didn’t notice their exchange, rushing hurriedly toward the camp gate.

 

There, he saw Tao Yuan with disheveled hair, vacant eyes, clothes torn by branches, revealing bloody wounds.

 

His shoes were missing, barefoot as if a puppet, numbly walking toward the camp, leaving faint bloodstains along the way.

 

Seeing him like this, Pei Jia’s eyes instantly reddened. He rushed forward and hugged him, feeling the slight tremble in Tao Yuan’s arms, holding him even tighter.

 

“What’s going on?” Pei Jia asked each word deliberately, his voice holding restrained anger.

 

Behind him, the vice generals and soldiers paled at his words.

 

Tao Yuan’s eyes flickered, glancing past Pei Jia. The soldiers’ faces turned even paler.

 

“What happened exactly? Tell me, I’ll stand up for you,” Pei Jia said, lifting Tao Yuan and calling for a military doctor to tend to his wounds.

 

Tao Yuan remained silent for a while before shaking his head. “I… I accidentally fell off a cliff.”

 

“How could you be so careless?” Pei Jia carried Tao Yuan horizontally, summoning the doctor to treat his injuries.

 

Clearly shaken by the scare, Tao Yuan stayed in bed, refusing to come out.

 

The doctor examined him and prescribed medicine. Pei Jia personally brewed the medicine for Tao Yuan. However, instead of improving, Tao Yuan’s condition worsened. He became fearful, constantly scanning his surroundings. The slightest noise made him think someone was out to harm him.

 

Seeing Tao Yuan like this tore at Pei Jia’s heart. He stayed by Tao Yuan’s side all night, soothing him until he could finally drift off to sleep.

 

The Pei family’s army had planned to return to the capital within half a month for their report. But now, they had exceeded the deadline, and the Emperor had issued eight decrees urging Pei Jia to return promptly.

 

The Pei family had accumulated great merit over three generations, surpassing even the Emperor’s prestige among the people. Hence, the Emperor harbored some dissatisfaction towards Pei Jia, the sole male descendant of the Pei family.

 

These eight decrees were a test for Pei Jia. If he delayed further, he would face severe consequences.

 

Yet, Tao Yuan was now ill and couldn’t endure the strenuous journey back to the capital.

 

Pei Jia couldn’t bear to see Tao Yuan suffer like this. He decided to lead a select group of elite soldiers back to the capital to submit his report while Tao Yuan and the rest of the soldiers followed slowly behind.

 

On the day of departure, Tao Yuan still had a high fever. His cheeks were flushed red, and his eyes, misted with tears, evoked immense pity.

 

Pei Jia leaned close to Tao Yuan’s ear and whispered, “Tao Yuan, I will plead guilty to His Majesty when we reach the capital. After retiring from military service, let’s get married.”

 

Tao Yuan gripped the Double Moon Jade Pendant in his hand and nodded weakly.

 

Unbeknownst to Pei Jia, after his departure, two vice generals conspired with their subordinates to eliminate Tao Yuan.

 

“How could he survive such a deep cliff fall?”

 

“The military doctor said his pulse was almost nonexistent. Any normal person would have died.”

 

“He must be some kind of demon! I suspect he used sorcery to enchant the general.”

 

“We can’t let the general be misled by such a demon any longer!”

 

After their discussion, their eyes met with mutual determination.

 

In his semi-conscious state, Tao Yuan was grabbed and tied to a high platform under the scorching sun. He was like a withered flower, slowly being drained of life.

 

“Where did you come from, demon? Why did you fixate on our general?”

 

“I didn’t…”

 

“You won’t talk, huh? I have ways to make you talk!”

 

“I want… I want to see him…”

 

“The general has already left. You won’t see him! You better start talking!”

 

Tao Yuan couldn’t speak. Just as he closed his eyes, a sudden splash of cold water jolted him awake.

 

“Are you going to talk or not?”

 

“Talk or not?”

 

The voices of interrogation echoed relentlessly in Tao Yuan’s mind, pounding like a curse. His head throbbed with pain, nearly unbearable.

 

They hated him. He could always feel their hatred. But he wasn’t a demon, nor did he intend harm to Pei Jia.

 

He tried to explain, but they refused to believe him.

 

“The Emperor bestowed so many beautiful women upon the general in the past. Yet he never cared for any of them. Now, suddenly, the general loves you. You must have cast some enchantment on him!”

 

They kept Tao Yuan bound for two days, denying him food and sleep. Tao Yuan’s body quickly wasted away. His eyes sunken, his face devoid of its former radiance.

 

Unable to bear watching any longer, Sì Lán gently touched the Moonlight Grass. The scene shifted to several days later.

 

He overheard the vice generals and some soldiers talking. Though they didn’t outright state it, their intentions were clear. Whether Tao Yuan was truly a demon or not, he had to die now.

 

Because if Tao Yuan reported them to Pei Jia, they would be the ones facing death.

 

They had expected Tao Yuan to collapse sooner, but the frail Tao Yuan surprisingly held on for five days. Meanwhile, Pei Jia, who had been in the capital for his report, suddenly appeared back at the camp.

 

After meeting with the Emperor, Pei Jia wasted no time and rushed back for two days and nights, desperate to see Tao Yuan.

 

But what he saw when he burst into the camp was the small figure of Tao Yuan, tied up under the scorching sun, barely clinging to life.

 

Pei Jia dismounted, his legs weak, stumbling towards Tao Yuan. He reached out with trembling arms and gently caressed Tao Yuan’s face.

 

Tao Yuan was barely hanging on, waiting for Pei Jia’s return.

 

Tao Yuan slowly raised his head and smiled at Pei Jia. “General, I finally… waited for you…”

 

“Tao Yuan, what… what happened…”

 

“General, I composed a song… and haven’t had a chance to sing it for you.”

 

“Tao Yuan, don’t talk now. I’ll get you down from here.”

 

“That song is called ‘Play with General Pei’. Now I finally have the chance to sing it to you. Behind the vermilion gates and jade screens, General Pei leans and sips the wine. As for the pair of mandarin ducks in the play, their love and anger are cherished…”

 

Tao Yuan intermittently sang the song, his voice no longer as clear as before, but he kept singing until the end. “Cherishing happiness and worrying, only hoping to be with the gentleman soon.”

 

After finishing the song, Tao Yuan slumped in Pei Jia’s arms and slowly closed his eyes.

 

Pei Jia, however, seemed shocked. His eyes were bloodshot, tears welled up but didn’t fall. He choked out, “Tao Yuan… I didn’t know… you were waiting for… him…”

 

“Tao Yuan…” Suddenly, Pei Jia hugged Tao Yuan and laughed, tears more than smiles. “Tao Yuan, you fool. Do you know you’ve got the wrong person? The real Pei Jia died long ago, five years ago on the battlefield. I am Pei Jia’s elder brother. After his death, I led the Pei family army in his name.”

 

“So you’re the little singer Pei Jia always talked about, who loved making radish chicken soup. You’re the one he regretted not taking to the capital…”

 

“Tao Yuan, wake up… you fool…”

 

Pei Jia repeated Tao Yuan’s name over and over, but Tao Yuan seemed asleep, peacefully closing his eyes, without a trace of breath, quietly leaning against him.

 

Pei Jia keenly felt Tao Yuan’s warmth fading away, little by little.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 32

 

Haowei did not turn around and said in a calm voice, “Please, officer, show some leniency.”

 

“Sure, sure, but you two better be careful not to offend our general’s eyes. Otherwise, you lovebirds will have to face the consequences.”

 

“Thank you, officer.” Haowei remained composed and showed no sign of panic.

 

Si Lan, however, felt his heart pounding like a drum, and at some point, his hands had quietly grabbed Haowei’s robe.

 

After Haowei put on his veil hat, he withdrew his hand, and Si Lan’s vision returned to normal. He propped himself up and looked at Haowei.

 

The moonlight was dim, and the shadows of the red hemp leaves fell on Haowei. Under the black veil hat, his face was unclear.

 

A cold voice came from beneath the veil hat.

 

“The situation came suddenly, and I had no choice. Please, don’t overthink it.”

 

After speaking, Haowei stood up and walked forward.

 

Si Lan was stunned for a moment, then also got up and left. Looking at Haowei’s somewhat stiff back, he couldn’t help but feel speechless.

 

Clearly, he was the one at a disadvantage, so why was Haowei acting as if he had taken advantage?

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but touch the corner of his mouth. Just then, Haowei turned around, seemingly wanting to say something, but when he saw Si Lan wiping his mouth, his expression instantly darkened.

 

This demon lord, was he savoring the memory?!

 

With a cold face, Haowei flicked his sleeve and strode away.

 

Si Lan felt Haowei’s aura inexplicably grow colder and followed behind him, puzzled.

 

Back at the old couple’s house, Haowei seemed to be deep in thought, his fingers tapping the armrest of the chair intermittently, looking like he didn’t want to be disturbed.

 

Si Lan broke the silence, “Do you want to wash up?”

 

The brim of Haowei’s veil hat moved slightly, and Si Lan instinctively added, “Don’t worry, I won’t look.” He knew Haowei was particular and wouldn’t remove his veil hat even to sleep, for fear of being seen.

 

He wasn’t the type to pry either.

 

A thousand years of being a demon lord had taught him many things: if someone wanted to tell him something, he would listen; if they didn’t, he wouldn’t ask.

 

After all, from a certain perspective, the more you knew, the more dangerous it was.

 

“No need,” Haowei said, then calmed his mind and remained motionless.

 

Si Lan, feeling awkward, said, “Then I’ll wash up.”

 

Si Lan carried a wooden basin and looked around. There was nowhere in the room to hide, and he was too embarrassed to ask Haowei not to look. So he awkwardly went to a corner, wet a towel with water, and began wiping his neck.

 

Haowei smelled that familiar sweet scent again and couldn’t help but look at Si Lan. The room was dimly lit, with only a kerosene lamp swaying gently in the wind.

 

Even in the faint light, Si Lan’s skin appeared fair and clean. As he wiped himself, that sweet scent became even more enticing.

 

Haowei’s eyes flickered, and he stiffly turned his head away.

 

This demon lord probably didn’t know that his blood was sweet and nourishing. If the six realms knew, he would likely become a coveted “human tonic pill.”

 

After Si Lan finished wiping his body, he took off his coat and lay down to rest.

 

He had intended to offer the bed to Haowei, but remembering Haowei’s reluctance to remove his veil hat, he decided not to bother.

 

Moreover, last night, he had fallen asleep leaning against the doorframe, only to wake up in bed, likely carried there by Haowei.

 

This person, though mysterious and sneaky, had a good heart.

 

Thinking about this, Si Lan drifted off to sleep.

 

The next morning, Si Lan was awakened by the sound of crying in the village. Haowei was also woken up.

 

Outside the window, the sky was still dusky, and they could vaguely hear the villagers talking.

 

“How did this illness suddenly strike?”

 

“I don’t know. I woke up to find my old man like this.”

 

“Village chief, please think of a way to save my old man!”

 

“The pustules are getting bigger! They look like they’re going to burst!”

 

As soon as these words were spoken, painful screams echoed as if someone had been injured.

 

Si Lan and Haowei immediately opened the door and followed the sound.

 

They saw several people clutching their faces, writhing on the ground in pain. Soon, red pustules began to appear on their hands, like tumors hanging from their skin.

 

“These pustules are contagious!”

 

They had accidentally broken the old man’s pustules, getting splattered with pus, and their faces quickly changed, sprouting pustules. The pain and itchiness made them roll on the ground in agony.

 

The initially afflicted old man lay motionless on the ground, his eyes cloudy. He struggled to breathe, his face turning blue from the effort.

 

“What do we do now? Village chief, please save my old man!” An old woman clung to the village chief’s clothes, kneeling and begging.

 

The village chief, both terrified and bewildered, didn’t know what to do.

 

Si Lan approached the old man, glanced at the pustules, and was about to touch him when Haowei stopped him.

 

“Be careful.”

 

“It’s okay. I’ll avoid the pustules.” Si Lan carefully lifted the old man’s chin, noticing that the pustules were not only external but also internal.

 

The old man’s mouth and throat were full of pustules, causing his breathing difficulties.

 

Si Lan asked the old woman, “Has he eaten anything unusual recently?”

 

“No, no, he eats with me three times a day…” The old woman, her eyes red from crying, saw Si Lan checking the old man and threw herself at his feet, begging, “Young master, do you have any way to save him? I’ll do anything if you can save him!”

 

Si Lan quickly helped her up, trying to offer comfort, but feeling unsure himself. He said, “Don’t worry, I’ll help him breathe. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.”

 

The old woman nodded vigorously, sitting on a stone bench, crying uncontrollably.

 

The village chief looked between Si Lan and Haowei, then asked Si Lan, who seemed more approachable, “You two don’t seem to be from the south. May I ask who you are?”

 

Si Lan blurted out, “We are the Twin Stars of Mount Tuo.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

The village chief paused, trying to recall if there were such figures on Mount Tuo.

 

Si Lan, unfazed, said, “My senior brother and I know a bit about medicine, and somehow gained a bit of a reputation in the martial world.”

 

The village chief clicked his tongue, desperate enough to take any help, “Can you tell what this illness is?”

 

“We need more time to observe. Is this old man the first in the village to get these pustules?”

 

“I think so…”

 

Before the village chief could finish, a villager wearing a bamboo hat rushed over, “Village chief, something terrible has happened! The young man the general placed in my house has got the pustules…”

 

The villager had barely finished speaking when he covered his mouth in shock, pointing at the old man on the ground, “How did old man Xu get this too?”

 

“What? That young man has the same strange disease?” The village chief was shocked and hurried to see the young man.

 

Si Lan and Haowei followed, going down the hill to the villager’s house. There, they saw the young performer lying on the bed, eyes rolled back, chest heaving.

 

Si Lan examined the young man and found the same internal pustules as the old man. If not treated soon, he would suffocate to death.

 

Having read many medical texts in his idle time, Si Lan suspected this was not a disease but some kind of curse or poison.

 

Haowei also observed the young man, noting that the pustules were more severe than the old man’s and seemed to be moving under the skin.

 

Haowei had Si Lan step back and used a small twig to poke open the pustule. A snow-white worm emerged and wriggled on the ground for a moment before dying from lack of nourishment.

 

The villagers, witnessing this scene, were either paralyzed with fear or retching in disgust.

 

The village chief, mustering his courage, stepped forward and stammered, “What…what kind of illness is this? How can there be worms?”

 

Just as the village chief finished speaking, urgent footsteps were heard behind him.

 

Pei’s soldiers rushed in, forming lines on either side. Tao Yuan stumbled into the room, running to the bedside. Seeing the near-death state of Xiao Qi, his eyes instantly reddened.

 

“Xiao Qi…what happened to you?”

 

Xiao Qi’s eyelids fluttered at Tao Yuan’s call, but he couldn’t utter a word.

 

Tao Yuan wanted to touch Xiao Qi, but Si Lan immediately grabbed his hand, feeling the smoothness of Tao Yuan’s skin, as soft and tender as tofu.

 

“Don’t touch him, or you’ll get infected.”

 

Tao Yuan turned to Si Lan, murmuring, “You are…”

 

Before Si Lan could respond, the village chief interjected, “These two are the renowned healers of Tuoshan. With their expertise, this strange illness can surely be cured.”

 

Si Lan was taken aback. His casual lie was now exposed by the village chief.

 

Tao Yuan, recognizing the healers of Tuoshan, didn’t suspect a thing. Instead, with reddened eyes, he clasped Si Lan’s hand.

 

“Divine doctor, please save Xiao Qi.” He paused and took out some silver pieces from his pocket. “I have more money. As long as you can cure him, I’ll pay anything.”

 

Si Lan, called “divine doctor” repeatedly, couldn’t help but comfort Tao Yuan, “Alright, I’ll do my best to treat him.”

 

As they spoke, their hands intertwined unconsciously.

 

Nearby, Haowei and Pei Jia’s faces darkened.

 

Pei Jia subtly helped Tao Yuan away from the bedside. “Tao Yuan, let the divine doctors focus on their work. We shouldn’t disturb them.”

 

Tao Yuan shook his head. “I want to stay with Xiao Qi. He’s always clung to me. If he feels my presence, he won’t be so scared.”

 

Pei Jia relented at these words.

 

Only Si Lan, Haowei, Tao Yuan, and Pei Jia remained in the room.

 

Xiao Qi’s pustules were like nests for the worms, some already hatched, others still incubating.

 

The immediate task was to remove the worm eggs. If not, once all the worms hatched, they would devour Xiao Qi’s flesh.

 

While others were terrified of the worms, Tao Yuan showed no fear, watching Xiao Qi intently.

 

Whenever Xiao Qi struggled to breathe, Tao Yuan softly called his name, giving him strength.

 

Hearing this, Xiao Qi’s breathing steadied somewhat.

 

Currently, it was known that Xiao Qi had pustules in his throat and mouth, but it was unclear if his internal organs were affected.

 

“Have you noticed anything?” Si Lan pried open Xiao Qi’s mouth, unable to resist asking Haowei, who had been silent.

 

Haowei saw a filthy pustule about to drip onto Si Lan’s hand and discreetly wiped it away. “His internal organs don’t have worm eggs. If they did, he’d be dead already.”

 

Si Lan responded with an “Oh,” then extracted the worm eggs from Xiao Qi’s throat, listening to Haowei speak.

 

“The village probably has more infected people, not just these two.”

 

“Could this be some kind of curse?”

 

Haowei shook his head. “Unlikely. They must have come into contact with worm eggs, becoming hosts.”

 

Pei Jia, hearing their conversation, immediately ordered his men to investigate what Xiao Qi and the old man had come into contact with last night.

 

Tao Yuan also tried to recall the previous night’s events. He remembered taking Xiao Qi to a villager’s house, giving him a few instructions, then leaving.

 

Before that, Xiao Qi hadn’t been in contact with anyone outside.

 

Could it be that Xiao Qi had gone out after he left?

 

“If it’s a parasitic infection, shouldn’t we check the food and water?” Tao Yuan asked tentatively. He didn’t know much and feared saying the wrong thing, looking embarrassed after speaking.

 

“Yes, we need to check those.” Si Lan looked at Haowei. “Chongwei, could you investigate these things? I’ll extract the worms.”

 

“I’ll handle the worms. You do the investigation,” Haowei replied, leaving before Si Lan could protest.

 

Si Lan clicked his tongue, wondering why Haowei wanted the more dangerous task.

 

“Divine doctor, is there anything I can help with?” Tao Yuan asked.

 

Looking into Tao Yuan’s dark, round eyes, Si Lan thought for a moment. “Then follow me to investigate the village.”

 

“Alright!” Tao Yuan agreed eagerly.

 

Pei Jia, however, frowned slightly, unsure if he was worried or jealous. He reached out to grab Tao Yuan’s clothes to warn him to be careful, but Tao Yuan had already eagerly followed Si Lan.

 

As expected, the village situation was just as Haowei had guessed. Besides Xiao Qi and the old man, others were also afflicted, plunging the village into a state of fear and despair, with cries of anguish and alarm echoing throughout.

 

Pei Jia joined the effort to remove the worm eggs, following Haowei’s lead.

 

Although extracting the worm eggs improved the patients’ conditions, they remained unconscious, their lives slowly slipping away.

 

The urgent task was to find the source of the worms and treat the cause.

 

The village was located at the foot of a mountain, with a stream flowing down, winding through the village. Si Lan walked back and forth along the stream twice but found nothing suspicious. He then questioned the old woman about what the old man had eaten the previous night but found no clues.

 

The food and water were not the issue, so what could be the cause?

 

Si Lan decided to visit the homes of the other patients to see if anything unusual could be found.

 

Tao Yuan followed him cautiously, walking slowly. He had almost tripped while climbing the mountain earlier. Si Lan felt sorry for him and wanted him to go back, but Tao Yuan insisted on staying.

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected Tao Yuan, who seemed fragile, to be so resilient.

 

They reached the village chief’s house and saw the courtyard crowded with villagers, with the chief surrounded and looking worried.

 

“We’ve always been honest people, living here for generations without any problems. How could we suddenly get this strange disease?”

 

“Those young men arrived, and then this happened. Do you think they brought the disease?”

 

“That boy’s illness is worse than the old man’s. Maybe he infected the old man, who then spread it to the whole village!”

 

“Last night, I overheard two soldiers from Pei’s army talking. They said General Pei placed the boy in our village, and he’s not just a wandering child but a performer from an opera troupe.”

 

“No wonder! I was wondering why those boys look so delicate, not like laborers at all!”

 

“I heard these performers carry dirty diseases. When those diseases flare up, they get sores all over their bodies. Could it be that our village caught this dirty disease?”

 

At this, everyone started talking at once, exchanging their speculations. What began as wild guesses quickly turned into a consensus that the sores were caused by the boy’s disease.

 

Tao Yuan’s face turned pale, his eyes red, and he clenched his hands tightly.

 

It’s not like that.

 

They were just kids, playing minor roles in the opera, unnoticed by anyone. How could they have any dirty diseases?

 

Si Lan coughed loudly, and the courtyard fell silent. The villagers, seeing Si Lan and Tao Yuan, looked embarrassed as if caught gossiping.

 

Si Lan walked into the courtyard, ignoring the villagers, and spoke to the chief, asking him to accompany him to investigate the homes.

 

The chief, as if waking from a dream, nodded repeatedly, “Alright, alright…”

 

Si Lan turned and spoke to the chief in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “This disease is peculiar. If it were truly a dirty disease, it would require close contact to spread. Have the dozen men and women in the village all had close contact with that boy?”

 

“This…this isn’t true,” the chief stammered, feeling a sudden, inexplicable fear of the gentle-looking man before him. Despite Si Lan’s soft expression and slight smile, he felt a chill.

 

“He’s just a child. Spreading such rumors about him, what will he do when he grows up?”

 

The chief felt a lump in his throat and forced a smile, “It’s just some gossips talking nonsense. I’ll deal with them properly.”

 

Si Lan replied with a slow “Hmm” and then gave Tao Yuan a reassuring look. Tao Yuan smiled shyly and whispered, “Thank you, divine doctor.”

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

Their whispered conversation was noticed by Haowei and Pei Jia.

 

Haowei’s hat dipped slightly, while Pei Jia, with a hint of jealousy, asked Haowei, “Your friend seems to have a way with words.”

 

Tao Yuan rarely smiled, and Si Lan seemed to have made him laugh, a shy, lowered-head laugh.

 

The more Pei Jia thought about it, the more jealous he felt.

 

Haowei coldly replied, “He’s not my friend.”

 

Pei Jia looked at Haowei in surprise, “Aren’t you the renowned Tuoshan Healers?”

 

“We’re just partners.”

 

The chief opened the door to the old man’s house. Si Lan saw Haowei and Pei Jia in the courtyard, apparently having just removed worm eggs from the old man, with blood and filth on the ground.

 

Si Lan smiled at Haowei and went inside to investigate.

 

Pei Jia nudged Haowei, “Are you really just business partners? When he saw you, his eyes lit up.”

 

Haowei adjusted his hat and replied indifferently, “Did they?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Haowei said nothing more and walked into the house. Si Lan was squatting on the ground, carefully inspecting the corners. He found no worm eggs but did notice some dead rats and insects in a wall hole.

 

Standing up, Si Lan felt dizzy from crouching too long and wobbled. Someone steadied him by the elbow, a calm voice coming from behind.

 

“Did you find anything?”

 

Si Lan shook his head, “No, but it’s certain the parasites didn’t enter through food or water.”

 

Haowei paused, “The pustules continue to grow new worms even after removing the eggs. I suspect they weren’t just exposed to the eggs but were parasitized by the mother parasite, causing an endless cycle of worm growth.”

 

Si Lan’s face darkened. Parasitized by the mother parasite? Constantly producing worms?

 

What kind of creature was this? How could it be so terrifying?

 

Tao Yuan entered just then, tears welling up upon hearing this, unable to speak.

 

At five, Xiao Qi was sold to the opera troupe, being the youngest but the hardest working. He finally got to perform on stage, but then war broke out, the troupe leader died, and the troupe collapsed.

 

Tao Yuan led Xiao Qi and the others to escape, thinking finding refuge in Pei Jia’s village was the best outcome, only to encounter this crisis.

 

Tao Yuan gave a bitter smile to Pei Jia behind him. Pei Jia’s eyes softened as he reached out to hold him, gently pressing Tao Yuan’s head against his chest and comforting him in a low voice, “Tao Yuan, Xiao Qi’s illness can definitely be cured.”

 

Tao Yuan responded with a soft “mm.”

 

Si Lan found nothing unusual in the old man’s house and was about to leave. As he was about to step out, a small flower pot by the window caught his attention.

 

In the ceramic flower pot grew a small plant with four unusually large and white petals.

 

Si Lan asked the old woman, “What kind of flower is that?”

 

“I don’t know either. A while ago, the old man and the others dug it up from the mountain. They thought it looked nice, so they planted it at home.”

 

Hearing this, Si Lan walked towards the flower pot, with Haowei following closely behind.

 

The white petals seemed to sway gently in the breeze, the edges slightly curling and shimmering with a silver outline in the sunlight. This plant only had thin black stems and white petals but no leaves.

 

It was very peculiar.

 

Si Lan bent down and was about to get closer when, in the next moment, he saw the petals suddenly leap up towards his face. Although he had lost his cultivation, his reflexes were still quick, and he swiftly dodged the “petals.”

 

The four “petals” fell to the ground and started to scurry in different directions. Si Lan urgently called out, “Catch them!”

 

“Don’t touch them!” Haowei added.

 

Si Lan grabbed the flower pot and covered one of the “petals” with it, while Haowei used a twig like a dart to pin two of the “petals” to the ground.

 

Pei Jia quickly stepped on one of the petals but didn’t dare to exert much force. “What kind of flower is this? Why is it so strange?”

 

“It’s not a flower, it’s an insect.”

 

“Insect?” Pei Jia and Tao Yuan said in unison.

 

“Yes, I think we’ve found the source of the infestation.” Si Lan’s face showed undisguised joy as he used a twig to pick up one of the “petals.” The “petal” struggled vigorously, its body undulating like a cloud and emitting a ring of white light. The area where the twig pierced revealed brown filth, identical to the discharge from infected sores.

 

“So it’s this wicked thing causing trouble…” Pei Jia frowned.

 

“I suspect that all the families in the village who fell ill planted this ‘flower.’ The house where Xiao Qi stayed likely had it too. Xiao Qi must have been curious about the flower and got close to it, then was targeted by the insect’s mother body.”

 

Tao Yuan furrowed his brows, “Divine Doctor, how can we save Xiao Qi now?”

 

“We just need to lure the insect’s mother body out of Xiao Qi’s body…”

 

Typically, these mother bodies are afraid of fire and water, but this one seemed unaffected. Moreover, it was unclear where exactly it had parasitized within the human body.

 

Si Lan searched Xiao Qi’s body for a long time but couldn’t find it. As the second wave of insects was about to hatch, he grew increasingly anxious.

 

Suddenly, he seemed to think of something and headed up the mountain with Haowei following behind.

 

The insect mother bodies couldn’t be far from the male insect.

 

Some species have a male insect that acts as the leader, commanding all the mother bodies. If they could capture this male insect, they might be able to force the mother bodies out of the hosts.

 

Given that these insect mother bodies appeared in the village, the male insect must be nearby.

 

Si Lan and Haowei split up to search. After a while, Si Lan noticed Haowei had stopped moving, so he walked over. Following Haowei’s gaze, he saw clusters of white “flowers” growing in the crevices of a cliff. They were wriggling rhythmically, with one particularly robust “petal” stretching its white body and emitting waves of white light.

 

Just as Si Lan was about to ask something, Haowei quickly covered his mouth.

 

These insects would likely scatter if they heard any sound.

 

Haowei’s slender fingers, radiating a slight warmth, pressed against Si Lan’s lips. Instinctively, Si Lan looked up at Haowei, and despite the black veil between them, he felt as if he could see into Haowei’s eyes at that moment.

 

Uncomfortably, Haowei withdrew his hand, as if burned, curling his fingers slightly. Then he carefully climbed up the rock face to the top of the crevice.

 

With a silk cloth wrapped around his hand, he waited for the right moment and swiftly yanked out the male insect “by the roots.”

 

Immediately, the white insects scattered in fear, crawling away like a swarm of white ants along the cliff face.

 

The male insect wriggled incessantly in Haowei’s palm, trying to resist. Haowei clenched it tightly and prepared to return, but the cliff shook due to the movement of the insects, causing the rocks beneath him to give way, and he fell along with the rocks.

 

Seeing this, Si Lan didn’t hesitate and jumped down the slope, trying several times to grab Haowei, but he couldn’t even catch his clothes.

 

Si Lan, in a state of panic, feared for Haowei’s safety. In his distraction, he tripped over a branch and fell face-first, rolling down the slope like Haowei.

 

Fortunately, Haowei managed to brace himself against a tree trunk soon after falling, stabilizing himself and catching Si Lan as he slid down from above.

 

Si Lan’s forehead slammed into Haowei’s chest, causing him to gasp in shock. When he looked up, he saw that Haowei’s veil had torn, revealing a section of a smooth, pale chin.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!