Chapter : 3
Li Lingjiang came to her senses and stepped down from the bed. The sky over BĂčguÄ« Mountain was deeply dark. She cast a casual glance around; Yin Wu hadnât disturbed most of her things, merely tidying some packages to the side. On the wooden table lay a bowl of cold medicine.
She withdrew her hand without touching it and instead fetched a set of clothes, going behind the screen to change. Her movements werenât slow, but her thoughts drifted far away. Lately, she had been sinking more deeply into these dreamsârepeated visions of the sea and fire, and that figure she couldnât clearly see.
Li Lingjiang frowned slightly as she thought about it. The sense of familiarity was strong, yet she could never recall who it was. She remembered a senior of the demon clan casually mentioning that some people could foresee the future: first, they would repeatedly dream, and later, the dreams would replay in reality. But after much reflection, she didnât think she had precognition. It felt more like forgotten memories resurfacing.
She loosened her inner garments. Her body was wrapped in bandages. Pressing her fingertips against them, she felt no pain, but she could tell her wounds were not healing; if anything, they were worsening.
Her eyelashes trembled. She draped her dirty clothes over the screen and went to fetch replacement garments. Taking a step forward, a sudden wave of dizziness hit her; her surroundings blurred. She quickly braced herself against the screen to stay upright.
Ever since her punishment, she had noticed how badly her body was deteriorating, but she hadnât expected that after only a few days, she could barely walk a few steps.
Li Lingjiang pressed her lips together and sighed silently. She lifted her inner garment over her shoulders slowly, lowering her head to tie the cords. She felt dizzy, her head heavy and her feet light. Even exhaling felt hot. Her fingers were clumsy, and after a long while, she hadnât managed to tie the garment properly, leaving it loose on her body.
Suddenly, she felt thirsty.
Weighing her options, Li Lingjiang decided to sit down and rest. She realized that now even dressing herself was a challenge. Was it because she was still running a fever?
She pressed her lower abdomen and turned to fetch water. Unintentionally, she exerted too much force, and the screen toppled over. Li Lingjiangâs pupils contracted. She reached to catch it but missed. The heavy thud echoed.
Outside, Yin Wu had already rushed in anxiously upon hearing the noise, frantically looking for her.
âMaster, what happened?â
Li Lingjiang crouched slightly, meeting her gaze while pale, and then looked away. She carefully adjusted her collar, thinking: if she were alone, she could have tidied it calmly; being slow wouldnât matter. That would be better than the current situation.
At over two thousand years old, she had encountered countless situations. She wasnât embarrassed; she was afraid Yin Wu might be.
The little immortal reacted just as expectedâfirst standing stunned for a moment, then shyly tugging at her hair, her face reddened as she bowed awkwardly. Her words stumbled out: âMaâŠMaster, I was justâŠso worried about youâŠâ
âNo matter.â Li Lingjiang picked up her clothes and straightened her posture, showing no sign of being affected. âPlease pour me a glass of water.â
Yin Wu nodded, efficiently pouring the water and obediently following behind her. Li Lingjiang walked step by step to the bed, gasping slightly. She wiped her forehead, now wet with perspiration, and only then realized how uncomfortable she felt. Her chest throbbed painfully, and breathing was difficult.
âMaster, your injuriesââ Yin Wu handed her the water, seeing her body thickly wrapped and couldnât imagine the extent of her wounds. Heart aching, she looked away. âWhy endure such punishment?â
Li Lingjiang sipped, moistening her lips. Holding the cup, she thought over Yin Wuâs words. She didnât see this as punishment and didnât feel like explaining much: âBecause the Demon Lord needs me alive.â
The Demon Lord referred to the Gemini Star.
Demons were naturally combative and suspicious. This made peaceful transitions of power impossible. Every succession sparked bloodshed. Defeated demons often didnât survive. New rulers, fearing retaliation, had to eliminate the threat at its root.
Few demons were exiled to BĂčguÄ« Mountain. They had a certain trust with the new rulerâthey wouldnât die but would undergo cruel torture. This torture wouldnât take their lives but would weaken them. The demon realm was ruled by strength, and the exiled had no chance at power. With fewer threats, the new ruler could relax vigilance. The last demon ruler sent to BĂčguÄ« Mountain had been millennia ago, and legend said he had even traveled the human and celestial realms before dying, personally farewelled by the Demon Lord.
But these were rare cases.
Li Lingjiang knew that her identity and position were threats to anyone. That Gemini Star left her alive was unsurprising. In just two thousand years, she had reached heights difficult to rival, leaving pressure for subsequent rulers. She had planned to nurture the Gemini Star, guiding him to a new peak, but fate had collapsed all plans.
She couldnât die yet. Gemini Star needed her guidance, needed her to pacify the demon clans to prevent rebellion, and needed her to prove the new rulerâs strength. The new ruler had no achievements; a single Gemini status wasnât enough to command respect. She had to live a while longer until everything settled.
Yin Wu understood. Her face showed both anger and helplessness. She sniffed and suppressed her tears: âMaster, finish dressing. Iâll bring your medicine.â
She rose: âItâs too late to prepare it again. Youâll have to manage and suppress the fever for now.â
Li Lingjiang said nothing, seemingly lost in thought. She draped the garment over her shoulders, covering her body, her gaze fixed on the small bowl of medicine.
She wasnât eager to drink it.
Yin Wu warmed the medicine with her spiritual power and placed it before Li Lingjiang, switching the water cup. Her eyes glimmered with expectation as she softly called, âMaster.â
Li Lingjiang took it without hesitation, holding the bowl in one hand. She stirred it with a spoon in the white porcelain, pausing before drinking. Her expression remained calm, with no sign of resistance.
Unsure, Yin Wu asked: âIs something wrong? Afraid it wonât work? OrâŠafraid I put something in it? Master, I can drink it firstââ
Li Lingjiang interrupted silently, staring at Yin Wu before downing the medicine in one gulp. She remained expressionless. After a few seconds, she showed any emotion, first frowning, then speaking calmly:
âI hate taking medicine.â
Yin Wu exclaimed: âBut if you donât, the injuries wonât heal!â
Li Lingjiang let out a tired sigh. âI know. Thatâs why I drank it all.â
She twisted her fingers and noticed how late it had become. Her tone was normal: âItâs too late. If I make noise, donât worry about me. You should rest.â
Her words were advisory but carried authority that made resistance impossible. Yin Wu hesitated, standing frozen for a long moment. Seeing Li Lingjiang lie down, she quietly said: âIâll look for dragon whisker herbs first thing in the morning.â
Li Lingjiang paused slightly and waved her sleeve to extinguish the candle: âPerhaps I can find a demon beast that nourishes the meridians.â
No reply came. Li Lingjiang had already fallen asleep, leaving Yin Wu standing silently beside her bed all night.
Li Lingjiang woke to daylight. Her fever had subsided, and her discomfort had eased. Little Black, who had wandered off last night, now stood by her bed, holding a note in its mouth. Seeing her awake, it eagerly popped its head up.
She opened the note. It was left by Yin Wu, saying she had gone to collect herbs. Li Lingjiang vaguely remembered this and didnât pay much attention. After dressing, she opened the door and sensed something amiss.
Her sharp gaze settled on a figure. Her expression darkened briefly, but without surprise, she bent slightly, speaking calmly: âYour Excellency, the Qingyun Immortal, I failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive me.â
She raised her eyes indifferently, unperturbed. Her posture and movement were precise, voice polite yet carried the weight of a thousand miles, untouchably dignified.
