Yun Duan could actually see the scene in Shang Can’s room no matter where she was.
She couldn’t even count how many layers of protective spells she had placed over Shang Can’s room, safeguarding that little space as if it were an impenetrable fortress. If Yun Duan wanted to, she could even know if Shang Can sighed.
Yun Duan did not intend to tell Shang Can about this, at least not yet.
“Yun Zhong Jun?”
A voice called out from in front of her, stirring Yun Duan’s thoughts. She withdrew her awareness from the person sitting at the table, who wore a serious expression, and looked at the little pharmacist in Qing Yu Gate attire. She extended her hand to accept the medicine pouch that was offered and politely nodded, “Thank you.”
“There’s no need for formalities, Yun Zhong Jun.” The little pharmacist, who had met Yun Duan many times, had become somewhat less formal, smiling as she added, “You’ve been taking this medicine for blood deficiency for some time now. It seems it’s having some effect. You might not notice it yourself, but your complexion today looks much better than before.”
When the pharmacist’s gaze fell on her, Yun Duan instinctively adjusted her tightly fastened collar, somewhat awkwardly averted her gaze, and murmured, “…It must be thanks to your medicine.”
Even though she had applied a cream to hide the marks and had checked herself in the mirror numerous times, Yun Duan still felt an unfamiliar shyness lingering in her heart. She didn’t want to discuss it further; after exchanging a few pleasantries with the pharmacist, she bid her farewell and left. Her steps started off a bit hurried but soon slowed down, revealing her heavy thoughts.
How could she say my complexion looks better? Yun Duan thought.
Last night, she had spent most of the night convincing that person, who never easily let her go, that her medicine truly worked. After that, she had only managed to sleep for a few hours, feeling completely drained as if soaked in water. She had fallen asleep quickly.
Even after waking up in the morning, her body seemed to still be unable to fully process what had happened last night, and even now, there was a lingering soreness with every step. As a cultivator, she should have been in good health, especially as the Yun Zhong Jun. If they were to be honest, it was probably due to her weakened body.
Yet, under these circumstances, the little pharmacist still thought her complexion looked good.
How could that be?
Yun Duan slowly strolled back to her dwelling. For the past few days, she had not been staying in her original room, instead choosing a secluded and quiet disciple’s quarters. After all, her original room was right next to Shang Can’s. If she were too close, it would be hard to control the desire to approach her.
Yun Duan skillfully prepared the medicine she had brought back. The brewing process took some time, so she quietly stood in front of the cauldron. As her mind stirred, the image of that person reappeared before her.
There was no difference from when she had seen Shang Can at the pharmacy; Shang Can still sat upright at the table, her brows furrowed in deep thought, as if pondering something intensely. Her usually smiling peach blossom eyes were now anxious, partially hidden by the stray hair that fell over her face. She showed no intention of pushing it aside and simply sat quietly.
Even though it was a seemingly still scene, Yun Duan watched for a long time without growing tired of it. No matter how many times she had seen Shang Can, her heart would always race uncontrollably. Yun Duan sighed silently and reached out her hand, tracing the outline of that person.
“Why do you always keep so many worries to yourself and never say anything to me? Why are you always like this?” Although she knew that her words couldn’t reach Shang Can’s ears at this moment, Yun Duan spoke softly, her tone complex, “…You always are.”
Shang Can hadn’t directly answered her question that morning.
Even though her question had been somewhat unclear, Yun Duan could tell that Shang Can had understood her implied meaning. Otherwise, those eyes that once burned with golden flames wouldn’t have looked so hesitant, ultimately blinking softly, revealing a hint of gentle laughter.
“If we’re talking about my flaws, that could take a while.” Shang Can had a clear gaze, her words circling but leaving a line of hope, “Perhaps it’s better to check your health first at the pharmacy. Let’s talk when you return.”
Yun Duan couldn’t understand why she had followed Shang Can’s suggestion so readily. Maybe it was because she knew that Shang Can genuinely cared about her health and the effects of the medicine, or perhaps she was touched by the seriousness in Shang Can’s tone. Regardless, she couldn’t bring herself to make any more excuses. After tidying her clothes as best she could, she set out for the pharmacy.
Fortunately, the medicine she had taken the day before didn’t leave any side effects, and she returned with the usual medicine for her blood deficiency. Although she had made the decision on her own, Yun Duan felt that her actions were indeed bold. Even the ruler of the demon clan was shocked by her reckless determination, hesitating several times to advise her. Finally, when it became clear that no advice would sway her, she reluctantly pulled out a vial of medicine and handed it to her, gritting her teeth as if committing a crime, “…Just take this; it’s better than those questionable medicines.”
Wang Shao then produced another vial and handed it over, anxiously advising, “This is the antidote. The medicine won’t harm your body too much, but the effects can be tough to endure. If that blockhead Shang Can can’t handle it, you need to have a backup plan—hey?!”
Ignoring the flower demon’s terrified expression, Yun Duan uncorked the vial with a flick of her wrist and let the antidote spill onto the ground, watching it mix silently with the dust.
“There’s no backup plan.” Yun Duan murmured to herself softly, “…I only need one antidote.”
There can’t be a backup plan. She couldn’t let Shang Can know she had a backup plan.
After all, that person appeared carefree and spontaneous but was surprisingly conservative and rule-bound in this regard. Yun Duan was simply gambling with herself, betting on Shang Can’s reluctance to let her go, betting on Shang Can’s love for her.
Fortunately, she won the gamble. Yun Duan finally obtained the only antidote in this world for her.
Although she had slept for only a few hours last night, it was the most peaceful night she had experienced in many years.
How could my complexion look better? Yun Duan mused, After all, it’s true that a heart ailment needs a heart remedy.
Even if it might not be the best approach to keep a loved one by relying on her body, and regardless of how it seemed completely out of character for the aloof and proud Yun Zhong Jun, Yun Duan did just that. She had long since run out of the luxury to ponder the rationality of her methods. In a long and hopeless wait, she gradually succumbed to the inner cowardice and panic. Perhaps when she finally saw that person appear before her again, she had already lost her reason.
As long as it works, that’s enough.
Yun Duan’s gaze quietly rested on the oblivious Shang Can, heavy as ink.
As long as I can keep her, anything will do.
Suddenly, Shang Can, who had been sitting quietly at the table, seemed to sense something and looked directly in Yun Duan’s direction. In an instant, their eyes met.
Even though Yun Duan knew that she was merely a projection of her divine consciousness, and Shang Can could not see her form, her heart still skipped a beat, and she instinctively averted her gaze from Shang Can’s. Luckily, that person quickly shifted her gaze away as well, looking somewhat confused as she placed a hand over her chest, lowering it after a moment.
Shang Can seemed to be listening intently to something, and after a while, she stood up hesitantly and walked toward Yun Duan’s direction. Only then did Yun Duan realize that she was positioned near the window. She had only set up many barriers around Shang Can’s room to prevent anyone from intruding, but she hadn’t blocked out the sounds from the outside world. In her current state of divine consciousness, Yun Duan couldn’t hear what sounds were coming from outside Shang Can’s window, and she furrowed her brow.
She saw Shang Can hesitatingly glance outside the window, her expression revealing a hint of confusion. Yun Duan silently followed her gaze but saw nothing, assuming Shang Can had merely heard some noise.
Yun Duan suddenly found herself unable to remain still, feeling an ominous premonition in her heart. She could see that Shang Can was hesitating, yet for some reason, her feet wouldn’t move.
The shackles. The shackles she had imposed to bind Shang Can to her side.
Yun Duan watched helplessly as Shang Can furrowed her brow and bent down, gently tugging at the connection point of the shackles, and a cracking sound echoed as the shackles were easily released by her beloved.
Yun Duan watched Shang Can walk out the door, her white robes floating lightly, finally disappearing from her view.
For some reason, her heart felt unsettled today.
Shang Can, bewildered, touched her chest once more, unable to understand why she felt this way when she hadn’t thought of anything at all.
She felt a bit anxious, fearing that something was wrong with her body, but even more so, she feared that something had happened to Yun Duan. Determined, she resolved to ask Yun Duan how to transform her soul into a physical body as soon as she returned from the pharmacy.
Aside from the unease, everything else about her body felt quite normal, and the flow of spiritual energy was smoother than ever. Shang Can could probably guess why; she quickly glanced at the bed she had intentionally avoided looking at since morning. Now, thinking back on last night made her feel somewhat fearful.
After all, she was still a half-demon, and Yun Duan had been too unguarded last night.
Now that she thought about it, her tendency to bite others was probably some sort of unconscious action. After all, wherever she went, she found Yun Duan incredibly sweet; the originally faint cold fragrance transformed into a rich sweetness in her movements. She couldn’t tell if it was due to Yun Duan’s flawless celestial body or—
As Shang Can blushed while pondering these trivial thoughts, the door suddenly creaked open. Startled, she quickly composed her expression, sitting up straight and looking toward the entrance, feeling a guilty conscience as if afraid Yun Duan would discover her chaotic thoughts.
However, she quickly set this concern aside. Shang Can saw Yun Duan slowly walk into the room, her ink-black eyes locking onto her directly. Without looking back, she closed the door with a swift motion and locked it securely.
Even though she couldn’t decipher any clues from Yun Duan’s impassive face, Shang Can could clearly sense the tension radiating from her. Ignoring the heavy atmosphere surrounding Yun Duan, she quickly stood up to meet her, asking gently, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“…”
Yun Duan’s gaze followed her mechanically, as if it were glued to her face. It wasn’t until she heard Shang Can’s voice that she seemed to awaken from a dream, blinking slowly before meeting Shang Can’s concerned eyes.
Without warning, Shang Can suddenly grabbed her wrist, and the next second, she was forcefully pushed against the door. The thick wooden door thudded loudly, and before Shang Can could react, she instinctively relaxed her body, which had tensed up from the unexpected assault. She lowered her gaze to meet Yun Duan’s deep-set eyes, feeling the icy hand gripping her wrist.
“…Why is your hand so cold? Did you get chilled?” Shang Can wanted to ask many things, but for some reason, she chose this to start with. “Let me warm it up for you, okay?”
Uncertain what had triggered this response in Yun Duan, the person in front of her suddenly lifted her gaze, the icy expression gradually melting away to reveal the anxiety and panic hidden beneath.
“…Weren’t you leaving?” The words came from Yun Duan’s lips as if they carried a frigid breath, trembling as she spoke. “I saw you…”
In that instant, Shang Can understood the cause of Yun Duan’s unusual behavior. She became flustered and hurriedly explained, “No, I reattached it right after I came back. Look!”
Yun Duan lowered her head in response, and to her surprise, she saw the very chain that had been torn apart by Shang Can not long ago was still intact, connected to the iron ring at her ankle. However, the joint looked different from before, as if it had been melted down and reforged.
A light thud echoed in her previously hollow heart as Yun Duan stared blankly at the rough connection. She heard Shang Can babbling explanations, “I heard the night crow’s call; it seemed to have been caught by the cultivators of Qing Yu and then escaped. I thought, if I didn’t help it, it might not make it, so…”
Shang Can recalled the time she had snuck out to save the night crow. The young demon had seen her after years apart and immediately burst into tears, but when she asked why it had come to Qing Yu Mountain, it became vague and refused to elaborate, only saying it was sent by the Demon Lord to deliver a message. It seemed it had been spotted by the Qing Yu cultivators on the way, hence its panic.
Shang Can was filled with doubts but also anxious to return before Yun Duan came back, so she didn’t delve deeper into it. After using several concealment techniques to ensure the night crow could leave Qing Yu safely, she let it go. The night crow, which was supposed to deliver a message, left quickly, seemingly having forgotten its mission, but not before forcibly shoving a vial of medicine into Shang Can’s hands, saying it was a health tonic for women and a reward for saving its life.
She hurried back to her room with the medicine, but ultimately, Yun Duan had seen it. Shang Can didn’t intend to ask how Yun Duan found out; she simply kept softly explaining, “I truly didn’t plan to leave.”
However, the person in front of her remained unresponsive after seeing the reforged chain, leaving Shang Can worried if Yun Duan had even heard her. Filled with regret and guilt, she took a bold step to wrap her unbound hand around Yun Duan’s waist, softly calling, “…Duan’er?”
Her voice seemed to trigger something within Yun Duan. Just as Shang Can’s hand grazed Yun Duan’s lower back, the other person abruptly collapsed into her embrace, holding her tightly. Shang Can, taken aback, instinctively patted Yun Duan’s slender back, hearing her voice echoing in a muffled tone, filled with suppressed emotion: “…You promised to tell me everything when I returned from the pharmacy.”
Shang Can thought to herself that her original words might not have been exactly like that, but she didn’t have the heart to argue now. Hearing the strong insistence in Yun Duan’s voice, she emphasized, “I’m back now.”
Alright, alright.
Shang Can soothingly ran her fingers through Yun Duan’s smooth dark hair, saying softly, “Mm, then I’ll tell you everything.”
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