The Demon Venerable Is Delicate and Charming (GL) Chapter 14

The pain kept spreading. Li Lingjiang leaned in Yin Wu’s arms, gripping her collar tightly. It was as if her whole body was being cut open by knives, the pain widening little by little. Her waist felt as if someone were constantly tightening a belt around it, and a feeling of suffocation came one wave after another. She curled up. Sweat soaked her eyes until she could not open them. In the blur, she heard Yin Wu say that she needed to change her medicine, and only then did a faint bit of awareness return.
Then she felt someone gently arrange her sweat-damp hair. Li Lingjiang could not make a sound at all. Her awareness gradually vanished, and under those uneven, gentle strokes, she unexpectedly fell asleep.
When she woke again, Yin Wu was sitting beside her bed, dozing. Seeing the dark circles under Yin Wu’s eyes, Li Lingjiang’s heart softened a little. She wanted to try calling her, but unexpectedly, her voice was so hoarse it was nearly ruined, and the rough sound carried stabbing pain. She lowered her eyes and looked at this body that likely had to count its remaining days. She could not help sighing. These past days had tormented her again and again.
She reached out and touched her waist. She feared she had pulled the wound when using the Jade-Bone Fan, and once it started, her whole body had been affected. Li Lingjiang lay on her side, damp hair sticking to her earlobe. Only then did she realize her whole body was soaked with sweat. Only her inner robe remained, clinging tightly to the gauze. She propped herself up with her hand and sat with difficulty. But before she could steady herself, she began coughing in a muffled voice. She covered her mouth and tried to keep quiet, but she still woke Yin Wu at once.
Yin Wu immediately blew the candle flame bright, and Li Lingjiang could see the whole scene. The side of her bed was tightly blocked by a screen, so the others could not see her movements at all. The young immortal nervously sat beside her, wanting to check her condition.
Li Lingjiang’s coughing grew worse and worse, as if she were about to cough out all her organs. She gripped the edge of the bed tightly, her fingertips turning white.
Yin Wu crouched anxiously and tried to send immortal power into her. In a low voice, she asked, “Demon Lord, how are you?”
A warm current slowly flowed through Li Lingjiang’s broken meridians. Li Lingjiang recognized that it was Yin Wu’s immortal power. It was not too strong and could even be called soothing. Her body was comforted quite a bit, and she could feel the uncontrollable urge to cough gradually fade.
She grabbed Yin Wu’s hand and stopped her from continuing. In a hoarse voice, she said, “Much better. Why are you sleeping here?”
Li Lingjiang wanted to pull her hand back, but Yin Wu instead held her wrist tightly. She pulled back a little and could not withdraw.
She looked over. Yin Wu was watching her with knitted brows, fingertips resting on her pulse to check her body.
Yin Wu said, “Demon Lord, I am taking your pulse. Earlier, your fever was very bad.”
Li Lingjiang stopped speaking and quietly waited. Even after Yin Wu’s brows relaxed, Yin Wu did not let go of her hand. Instead, she held it tighter and tighter. Even through the gauze, Li Lingjiang could feel the dampness of her palm.
Weak candlelight stood beside her. Wherever her gaze reached, shadows trembled faintly. Li Lingjiang let Yin Wu hook her fingers and did not refuse. The young immortal did not look straight at her. With her head lowered, she seemed much more downcast.
Yin Wu said, “Lord Ling Xin examined your body. He said that after your magic power withdrew, your meridians shattered again. Though it was remedied in time, it still damaged your foundation. The injuries you suffered before had not healed, and too many things have happened recently, so your body could not keep up at all. Lord Qi San’s ghost energy may have struck your body then, which caused your wounds to tear open and your internal injuries to flare again.”
She sighed again. “It is also my fault. I did not take good care of you. If I had been more careful, I would not have let you use the Jade-Bone Fan.”
Yin Wu’s tears fell silently, deepening the color of the gauze. Li Lingjiang’s fingers bent. The young immortal held back her voice, barely making a sound as she choked on little breaths. She held Li Lingjiang’s fingertips, not daring to use too much force. Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she sobbed, “Demon Lord.”
Li Lingjiang bent to look for her eyes. With Yin Wu’s hand in hers, she lightly wiped away the tears that were about to fall. Softly, she said, “Do not always take the blame onto yourself. You have already done very well. Between us, there is only a past debt. For you to do this much, I should be the one thanking you.”
“No.” Yin Wu immediately raised her head and shook it, full of grievance. “Do not say it like that. It always feels as if you want to draw a clear line between us. Do not worry. From now on, I will work even harder to care for you and protect you.”
She said the last sentence with utmost seriousness. Li Lingjiang met the emotion in her eyes and, for a time, stared blankly, unable to speak. She gathered her hand. The candlelight grew weaker and swayed even more fiercely. In the end, she nodded and still said the same words. “You have worked hard.”
Yin Wu shook her head. She sat by the bed, lowering her head and twisting her fingers together. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she timidly made no sound, only looking at Li Lingjiang with hesitation.
Half of Li Lingjiang’s face was covered in shadow. Her face had become a circle smaller than before. Under the light, her fine features stood out even more. The white in her hair had nearly spread to the ends, making her face unnaturally pale, without half a trace of blood. She seemed to have little energy, but she still held herself up and waited for Yin Wu’s next words.
Yin Wu’s heart suddenly moved. Li Lingjiang like this was especially attractive.
After waiting for a long time without hearing what came next, Li Lingjiang panted softly and asked, “What is it?”
Yin Wu slowly lowered her head and said nothing. She only silently twisted the corner of her robe. After a long while, she said as if speaking to herself, “May I hug you?”
Her voice was not loud, but Li Lingjiang heard it clearly. At first, Li Lingjiang did not quite understand this request. Only after looking carefully did she notice that Yin Wu might be afraid. When Shuang Zixing was young and was first sent by the clan to the trial arena, he had also been this uneasy. In the end, several elders told her to hold him and coax him. At that time, Shuang Zixing had been only about twenty years old, still a young child. She thought Yin Wu was probably around that age too, and would also be afraid.
She did not understand it, but in this one way, the two should be similar.
So Li Lingjiang very frankly opened her arms and smiled gently. She asked, “Are you afraid?”
Yin Wu raised her head in stunned surprise, unable to hide the joy on her face. Her movements were very slow and extremely careful as she hugged Li Lingjiang, then gradually tightened her arms. She buried her head beside Li Lingjiang’s neck and gave a muffled “Mm.”
Li Lingjiang recalled what she had done back then and patted Yin Wu’s back with little skill. Against the side of her neck were hair strands that made her itch, and breath she could not avoid. She felt a little hot, but also found it funny. As expected, cubs were all the same. They were equally easy to coax.
“Demon Lord, is this time very dangerous? I saw that all four lords looked worried.” Yin Wu leisurely observed the bones of Li Lingjiang’s face. As if afraid, she moved her arm and touched the protruding shoulder blade.
Not something of the mortal world.
Yin Wu’s fingertips kept falling on Li Lingjiang’s back, almost there and almost not. Li Lingjiang drew in a breath but did not move. She soothed her. “No-Return Mountain is, after all, an important land of the demon clan. For so many years, no one has entered its depths. Even if someone has, no trace of them was seen again. Add to that the fact that these things happened right after the new king took the throne, and the demon clan has always been criticized through history. The Six Realms finally settled down with difficulty, so naturally this must be taken seriously. You do not need to panic too much. If you are truly afraid, then do not follow-”
“I am going!” Yin Wu suddenly interrupted. Then her voice sank. “I am going.”
Li Lingjiang paused slightly, then laughed. “Mm. Go, then.”
Yin Wu kept holding her, but there was not the slightest emotion from her words in her eyes. Her fingertips traced Li Lingjiang’s neck from a small distance. She said, “Demon Lord, do not worry. I will protect you.”
A faint layer of light slowly appeared at her fingertips. Her eyes were as serious as before as she wrote something on the back of Li Lingjiang’s neck, stroke by stroke. Her gaze was deep. Just like before, she carved a spell that belonged to her.
Li Lingjiang was exhausted and did not notice Yin Wu’s movements at all. She only let Yin Wu hold her.
Before long, Yin Wu stopped moving her hand. Satisfied with her work, she hooked her lips in a smile, then slowly left Li Lingjiang’s embrace. She lowered her head in embarrassment. “I have offended you, Demon Lord.”
The warmth in Li Lingjiang’s arms cooled. She tidied her sleeves, her expression unruffled. “You have not.”
She leaned back and tried to make herself more comfortable. “Now answer my earlier question.”
Only then did Yin Wu remember. She bit her lip and smiled, clearly in a much better state. “Because I can care for you personally. It is not convenient for the four lords, after all. They also set up this barrier and screen for convenience.”
“I only could not endure it and dozed off.” Yin Wu pressed her lips together. Suddenly remembering something, she stood and lowered her voice. “Lord Ling Xin gave me new medicine and told me to apply it to your wounds. I saw you were not awake and did not dare act without permission. Will there be too little time tomorrow? Why do I not apply the medicine for you now?”
Li Lingjiang frowned. “There is still no need. I know my own injuries.”
Yin Wu looked at her in disapproval. Her face was anxious, yet helpless. She could only advise, “Tomorrow we will be traveling, and you cannot use magic. Little Black and Little White cannot show their true forms, and your feet should still be given some medicine. If they do not improve, we can discuss something else. Otherwise, walking will hurt you, Demon Lord.”
“I-”
Yin Wu directly crouched down. She lay at the bedside, and her eyes reddened again. “Demon Lord, take it as me begging you. If I had known it would be like this, I would have gone all the way from the start.”
Seeing this, Li Lingjiang did not want to waste more words. She reached out. “I will do it myself.”
“I should do it.” Yin Wu took a medicine bottle from her clothes. “Your wounds have not healed. It is better not to make any large movements.”
Before Li Lingjiang could refuse, Yin Wu simply and quickly grabbed Li Lingjiang’s ankle. She used some strength. “Demon Lord, I am very worried about you. You drank medicine, but you did not get better. You have only become more serious. I know what you are thinking, but can you hold on a little longer?”
Li Lingjiang heard this and did not answer. Her eyes darkened, and she stopped moving.
Yin Wu carefully unwrapped the gauze on Li Lingjiang’s foot. The moment she saw it clearly, her heart ached. There was almost no skin or flesh to be seen, only a bloody mess. In some places, white bone was visible. As soon as the gauze was removed, blood flowed out as if it could not be stopped. Her hands trembled nervously as she quickly sprinkled on medicine and wrapped it again. After this, her fingertips were covered in blood.
Li Lingjiang’s ankle was very slender, thin enough to hold in one hand. Yin Wu’s fingers rubbed it several times. In her heart, she understood. It was no different from what she had thought. Aside from that face, Li Lingjiang was likely injured everywhere else. Her deliberate check had not been in vain.
Yin Wu seemed at a loss as she turned to look at her. In the dim yellow light, Li Lingjiang leaned weakly to the side. Her hands were folded over her body, and her expression was faint.
She said, “I told you I could do it myself. It would scare you.”