CH 9

Fang Shilan’s gaze darted between Yan Xuan and Yi Ning, and it took her a while to digest this new piece of information. She inhaled deeply before slowly speaking. “This poison does not originate from me. The method for dispelling the hex poison differs depending on the caster, however, I can attempt to dispel it, but I cannot promise that it will be successful.”

Yi Ning nodded and said, “That’s fine. I will have to trouble you to do this for me. Can we first take a look at those 18 new brides?” Right now, he was more concerned about how those 18 people were doing, otherwise, he would constantly be bothered by the uncertainty. 

She stood up from the prayer mat, answering frankly, “Of course, please follow me.”

Following the staircase in the Glazed Tower, they arrived at the largest room at the top of the tower.

A gentle fragrance suffused the room that calmed one’s heart. Yi Ning sniffed lightly. It was rosemary. Gong Xiuxian walked not too far ahead of Yi Ning, as if he were purposely flaunting himself in front of him.

“Oi, my hand hurts.” Yan Xuan suddenly lifted a hand in front of Yi Ning’s eyes, his tone extremely natural. 

Yi Ning knew he was doing it on purpose, so he pinched his wrist and pushed it to the side, saying, “Serves you right.” Who told you to grab my sword?

The wound on his hand was still gaping; demonic cultivators had incredibly strong regenerative abilities, so Yi Ning didn’t even need to think about it to know that Yan Xuan had reopened it on purpose.

Causing trouble.

Yan Xuan scoffed coldly before grabbing Gan’er, rubbing her fluffy hair, saying in a voice just loud enough for Yi Ning to hear, “See that? How ungrateful, the only person in his eyes is his good disciple.”

A mighty Demon Venerable, and yet he still gossiped about people behind their back. Yi Ning’s lips curved upward slightly, and he suddenly felt that a Yan Xuan like this wasn’t so annoying after all. At the very least, he was less troublesome than some other people.

Gan’er blinked, uncomprehending. “Does the Immortal Master like his disciple?”

When her words fell, Yi Ning froze in the middle of climbing the stairs.

Behind him, Yan Xuan’s voice suddenly vanished, and it was so silent there was only the sound of footsteps on the wooden staircase. Yi Ning’s breathing halted, and his footsteps slowed unconsciously. 

Did Yan Xuan also believe he still liked Gong Xiuxian?

However, Yan Xuan still didn’t say a word, and Yi Ning suddenly felt the urge to say something to explain his relationship to Gong Xiuxian, even though he himself didn’t know what to say. The moment he turned his head, he bumped into Yan Xuan’s chest.

The distance between them was suddenly shortened, and the steady thumping of his heart travelled through their chests plastered together and into Yi Ning’s body. He froze, frowned slightly, and reached up to push Yan Xuan away.

“Hm?” Yan Xuan lazily lowered his gaze and said in a low voice, “Since the Immortal Master voluntarily delivered himself into my embrace, why are you pushing me away now?” 

Yi Ning pursed his lips tightly, then gripped onto the railing behind him and retreated two steps. He wasn’t used to being so close to someone else, especially if that person was Yan Xuan.

That demon youngster of yesteryear who was shorter than him by a head is now able to look down at him.

Gan’er squeezed between the two of them and bounded up the stairs, like an ignorant child who couldn’t read the room. The slightly awkward air that had gathered between them was dispelled.

“Say something.” Yan Xuan prompted, but he wasn’t anxious in the slightest. Rather, he was waiting patiently for his response. 

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Was he greedy for that little bit of good he showed him?

Just like how someone trapped in a desert would unhesitantly gulp down even a pot of muddy water filled with sand, yet he didn’t want to become someone like that. 

Yi Ning’s lips trembled, and under Yan Xuan’s gaze, he finally said, “Nothing, I’m telling you to walk faster.”

After speaking, Yi Ning turned to walk away, but his shoulder was caught by Yan Xuan and he was dragged back.

“If the Immortal Master has a preference for his disciples, then why not take me in as one?” Yan Xuan’s tone was light, but the hand pressing on Yi Ning’s shoulder was unusually heavy. “I promise I’ll be more obedient than him.”

Yi Ning’s heartbeat suddenly slowed, he couldn’t tell whether Yan Xuan was intentionally mocking him or just joking around. Yi Ning twisted his head away to avoid Yan Xuan’s burning gaze, and said unemotionally in a quiet voice, “I have no such preference.” 

He didn’t like Gong Xiuxian, and he didn’t have a preference for his disciples.

“Fine.” Yan Xuan said softly, as if he had come to some sort of understanding with Yi Ning. He placed his hand in front of Yi Ning and said, “Then, can the Immortal Master apply medicine for his husband?” His words were spoken slowly, one at a time, and he purposely placed emphasis on the word ‘husband’.

Yi Ning’s heartbeat sped up. He was worried someone else would overhear what Yan Xuan said, but it was he who made that request in the first place.

“Hm?” Yan Xuan urged, “If you didn’t hear me clearly, then let me say it again.” His voice suddenly raised. 

Yi Ning gritted his teeth and could only take out the ointment from his storage ring, gently smearing some on Yan Xuan’s palm. He gave off the impression of a man standing under the eaves who had no choice but to lower his head.

The sight made Yan Xuan’s heart feel itchy.

He liked the way Yi Ning touched him lightly, liked to see his white fingers carefully rubbing ointment on his wounds. If it were in the past, Yi Ning would never have touched him like this, and wouldn’t even have given him a second glance.

The Immortal Master Yi Ning, whose illustrious name shook the world, was now applying medicine for a demonic cultivator like him. 

An Yi Ning like this made Yan Xuan feel even greedier, desire more, never satisfied.

“It’s done. If you reopen the wound again, do it yourself.” Yi Ning hardened his face and tossed the ointment bottle to Yan Xuan, turning around and walking up the stairs.

The white jade ointment bottle still seemed to contain a trace of warmth from Yi Ning’s hand. Yan Xuan’s lips drew upwards, and he played around with the bottle, as if he was holding onto Yi Ning’s fingers.

The people in front had already stopped walking. 

“We have reached. This is the place.” Fang Shilan stopped in front of a curtain of green jade beads. When she reached out a hand to push the beads aside, a gush of warmth flooded out.

The floor here was actually made of heated jade.

Over ten women sat comfortably on the prayer mats. Some copied scriptures, others played instruments, they looked entirely unlike women who had been stolen away by a rat demon and eaten.

Yi Ning glanced over them roughly and did not find anything strange. Fang Shilan indeed treated them very well. 

“Something’s not right. One’s missing.” Yan Xuan said coldly. The rumours said that 18 new brides had been kidnapped, but there were only 17 here. His gaze landed on Fang Shilan like knives. Fang Shilan’s fingers twitched, and she didn’t respond.

A girl hurriedly stood up. “Madam, Xu-jiejie felt unwell, so she went to see a doctor.”

“What illness is it? Tell her to come here, I have medicine.” Yan Xuan pulled Gan’er over, gaze fixed on the girl as he continued, “You’re not going to tell me that she’s so ill she can’t get up, right?”

The girl was so frightened by his gaze that her body trembled and tears immediately started rolling down her cheeks. 

She had actually been frightened to tears by Yan Xuan.

“Ahem…” Yi Ning’s arm hidden behind his back reached over to grab onto Yan Xuan’s sash as he addressed the crying girl, “It’s okay. Where is Maiden Xu being treated? We will go look for her.”

Yan Xuan’s eyebrow raised, but he didn’t avoid Yi Ning’s hand.

“At-at the Yan Clan Pharmacy…” The girl stuttered out. Yi Ning nodded, then suddenly discovered that Yan Xuan’s body had stiffened. 

“Which Yan Clan Pharmacy?” Yan Xuan’s expression was as dark as the clouds before a thunderstorm, his voice so cold it pierced straight to the bone.

The pressure from a Demon Venerable was not something an ordinary girl could withstand. The girl’s legs gave out and she collapsed onto the floor, crying so hard she could even speak a complete sentence.

Yi Ning perceptively noticed something was wrong.

Yan Clan… Yan Xuan. Could it have something to do with Yan Xuan? 

Fang Shilan’s expression was calm, but the handkerchief in her hand had already become soaked in sweat. She said lightly, “Please be at ease, Venerable Lord. I will bring Maiden Xu back.”

“No need.” Yan Xuan met her gaze, an unreadable look in his eyes as he declared, “This Lord will personally go.”

When he brushed past Fang Shilan, Yan Xuan said to her in a low voice, “Fang Shilan, I’ve underestimated you.”

In that instant, Fang Shilan’s pupils constricted. Without waiting for her response, Yan Xuan had already walked far away. 

Gan’er anxiously followed behind Yan Xuan, fearful of getting left behind by him. She walked a few steps before turning back and grabbing onto Yi Ning’s sleeve. “Immortal Master, let’s go, let’s go.” Otherwise we won’t be able to catch up to the Venerable Lord.

“Shizun!” Behind him, Gong Xiuxian suddenly yelled, but Yi Ning didn’t pay him any mind.

He looked at Fang Shilan who was in a daze, but ultimately didn’t say anything, turning to follow Yan Xuan back down the stairs.

Yan Xuan’s expression didn’t improve, and he didn’t say a single word. Since he wasn’t talking, Yi Ning wouldn’t ask him either. 

After a while, it was Yan Xuan who stopped, turning to address Yi Ning, “Walk faster.”

Walking so slowly, are you waiting for Gong Xiuxian to catch up?

Thinking of this, Yan Xuan’s gaze landed on Yi Ning’s hand. His fingers twitched, and after a brief hesitation, he walked over and grabbed hold of Yi Ning’s sword tassel, pulling him along.

“Yan Xuan,” Yi Ning said through gritted teeth, gripping onto his wrist, “Let go. If you have something to say, then spit it out.” 

Don’t pull on sword tassels anymore, he had just swapped the other one out for this one.

Yan Xuan looked towards the street packed with a bustling crowd, showing no indication of whether he heard Yi Ning’s words, and said casually, “There’s nothing much to say. Walk faster.”

His mouth said one thing, but the ruthlessness in his eyes said another. Yan Xuan’s eyes were usually indifferent and unemotional, languid and dispirited, with the occasional flash of unbridled viciousness, like a wild, untamed wolf.

But Yi Ning rarely saw him like this. 

He didn’t know how to describe it. It would probably be most accurate to call it an expression of deep suffering.

Seeing him turn his head away, Yi Ning retracted his gaze, yet Yan Xuan’s eyes constantly flickered in his mind.

Golden pupils, in actuality they were quite beautiful.

“We’re here!” Gan’er stood in front of a large copper door and declared excitedly. Above the door was written prominently in gleaming gold: 

Yan Clan Pharmacy.

Yi Ning had initially anticipated it to be a small pharmacy, he had never thought that this pharmacy would be so large. It was probably a pharmacy under a large clan.

Gan’er hopped and skipped in front of Yi Ning, saying to him in a small voice, “Immortal Master, there’s a good show coming.”

A good show? Yi Ning was looking at her uncomprehendingly when ahead of them, Yan Xuan kicked down the pharmacy’s door with a single kick. 

Dust billowed into the air, and the copper door was mangled like it had been made of soft clay. Yi Ning covered his nose with his sleeve, frowning as he asked, “Don’t you know how to knock?”

Yan Xuan glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “They aren’t worthy.”

He didn’t just want to kick down this door, he wanted to kill every person of the Yan Clan inside this place.