The Demon Venerable Is Delicate and Charming (GL) Chapter 72

The candles were lit again.
Yin Wu wiped her hands clean. The Spirit Matron had already ordered hot water prepared, though no one knew what method she had used to keep it warm. Yin Wu wrung out a towel, took Li Lingjiang’s hand, and carefully wiped it clean.
She called softly, “My Lord.”
Li Lingjiang lay half on her side on the bed, eyes closed as she recovered. The damp bedding was still pressed under her legs, wrinkled into a ball. Her robe hem covered what should be covered. Her fingertips were numb, and for some reason her mouth felt dry.
“Yin Wu, I can do it myself. Go find me a set of clothes.”
Li Lingjiang sat up. She did not pull back her hand. Instead, she tugged at her collar with the other. Her close-fitting clothes had already been pulled loose. She shifted her legs uneasily. “It feels a little sticky. Not very comfortable.”
Yin Wu lowered her eyes to look at her and lightly squeezed her finger bones. “It will feel a little like that. Are you uncomfortable, My Lord?”
“No.”
Li Lingjiang’s ability to accept things was far beyond Yin Wu’s expectations. The first time, she had not been able to accept it at all and had even cursed her as a “bastard.” Later, she seemed to find some pleasure in it. She leaned against Yin Wu’s shoulder, and when Yin Wu touched the right place a few times, she even gave the faintest response. That made Yin Wu’s movements grow fiercer, until finally her hand slipped inside…
The person before her had buried her face in Yin Wu’s neck and made a small request. “Yin Wu, I want to bite you a little. It feels… awful.”
Yin Wu knew Li Lingjiang had been affected by the drug. Later on, her mind had grown much foggier. Yin Wu had just wanted to refuse when the woman in her arms hugged her tighter. Warm breaths fell beside her ear. When Yin Wu turned her head, she met a pair of eyes carrying a trace of low spirits. With that one moment of hesitation, she gave in.
At some point, many of the thoughts she had once held had slowly settled down.
Even now, her shoulder still hurt.
She had bitten hard.
“Yin Wu.”
Li Lingjiang suddenly held her hand in return. Her brows drew together, clearly displeased. “How is your injury?”
Yin Wu did not understand at first. “On my shoulder…”
“The blow you blocked for me,” Li Lingjiang interrupted. “You should not have. I could have avoided it.”
Yin Wu smiled. The dim light shifted over half her face. “I was afraid you would be hurt.”
At the time, she had acted by instinct and held Li Lingjiang. Only after taking the blow did she remember to show some reaction.
There was not much in her tone. It was like water moving under a thick sheet of ice, hidden by mist. No one could see it clearly, yet both of them knew what lay below.
Li Lingjiang’s lashes trembled almost invisibly. She withdrew her hand and said in a low voice, “I need to wash my hands.”
“All right.” Yin Wu rose and turned to look for clothes. “The hot water behind the screen is ready.”
“Mm.” Li Lingjiang answered. Just as she was about to get down, Yin Wu stopped her. Li Lingjiang looked up in confusion. “Mm?”
Yin Wu sounded helpless. “My Lord, you are not wearing shoes. I checked your body just now. Only your outer injuries have healed. Your inner injuries are still there.”
After saying that, she became puzzled herself. “But I can feel signs that your body seems to be improving.”
How could Li Lingjiang not know that? She did not answer. Instead, she lowered her head and searched. “But I cannot find them.”
A pair of hands suddenly held her ankle. “Here.”
From Li Lingjiang’s angle, she could only see the top of Yin Wu’s head. She could not see her face, nor could she read her mood. There was a red mole below Li Lingjiang’s right ankle. She did not know if it was her imagination, but she felt the young immortal rub it once, neither lightly nor heavily.
What a strange feeling.
The instant Li Lingjiang stepped down, she paused for a few barely noticeable seconds. She pressed her lips together, glanced down, then quickly walked behind the screen. The slightly hot water slowly swallowed her body. As she sank in and adjusted her posture, the water made a fair bit of noise.
She lifted her wet arm and stared at it for several seconds. She had almost forgotten what it felt like not to be wrapped in bandages. She bent one leg, closed her eyes, and rested her head against the edge of the tub. Her black hair spilled down like a waterfall.
This should be the woman Li Jiushi had spoken of. In the end, she had actually died from a ghost marriage. Li Lingjiang’s breathing slowed for a few beats. What she needed to do should be to resolve the knot formed by resentment. Had Wen Si’s scheme really spread this far? The Immortal-Entering Sect…
What role did it play?
Li Lingjiang slowly opened her eyes. But none of that had anything to do with her now.
“My Lord.” Yin Wu’s voice came from outside, not very loud.
Li Lingjiang shifted and only then realized the water had already cooled. “Mm…”
Yin Wu sounded a little anxious. “The water is getting cold. You should come out.”
“All right.”
Li Lingjiang hooked the clothes draped behind the screen with her fingertip. They were red. The style was not complicated, only gathered simply at the waist.
Water dripped from her clothes and soon wet her back. Just as she walked out, a towel appeared before her eyes. Li Lingjiang took it and wiped the ends of her hair. With the makeup washed away, her original face was revealed. Every movement seemed distant and untouchable.
“My Lord, all the clothes are this color. They may think I am a ghost returning home. I have cleaned the bed. Go sleep in a while.” Yin Wu stood not far from her, her gaze measuring her inch by inch.
Li Lingjiang nodded. She looked around, then walked slowly to the edge of the bed and sat down. “After dawn, we will find a way out. It is not good to drag this on too long.”
She took off her shoes, her toes not touching the floor. “Come up.”
Yin Wu raised a brow. “What?”
Li Lingjiang had already lain down. She moved inward, her back facing Yin Wu. Her fingertip traced over the empty space beside her, outlining a faint line. “Sleep.”
“I can…”
Li Lingjiang turned around and said nothing, yet her silence seemed to say everything.
Yin Wu lowered her head and laughed. “I am coming.”
Weight settled clearly beside her. Li Lingjiang pressed her fingertip against her lips, eyes half narrowed, her thoughts unknown. Her breathing was light and slow. Because the posture was uncomfortable, she rubbed her legs together. Just as the candle went out, a hand pressed down on her leg.
Yin Wu’s breath soon covered her. “My Lord, why are you moving around?”
Li Lingjiang denied it. “I am not.”
“Liar. Are you uncomfortable?”
Li Lingjiang said nothing for a long while. She only brushed Yin Wu’s hand away.
“My Lord.”
Li Lingjiang turned over. She was almost eye to eye with Yin Wu, but her eyes were closed. In a small voice, she said, “So sleepy.”
Yin Wu’s hand brushed Li Lingjiang’s hair. She did not move, only shifted down a little. “Sweet dreams.”
“Run.”
Li Lingjiang heard her own voice. She opened her eyes sharply. The first thing she saw was several lines hung with talismans, still dripping blood. She frowned and looked toward the source of the voice. Yin Wu was trapped within them, while Li Lingjiang herself was being held down by a group of people.
She could not hear what the others were saying. She only saw several lines suddenly tighten. The bells hanging from them rang without wind. Yin Wu could not use magic power, and it was extremely hard for her to break free. At that moment, Li Lingjiang broke out of her restraints and rushed toward the young immortal without care, only for a line to pierce through her shoulder.
The Spirit Matron seemed to laugh. She ordered people to drag Li Lingjiang by the hair toward the ancestral hall. Li Lingjiang could only see a red robe hem suddenly caught by a pair of hands. That person was Yin Wu.
“My Lord! Wake up.”
Li Lingjiang’s awareness was yanked back. She slowly lifted her eyelids, then closed them again. She licked her upper lip. The dream scene was still clear.
Yin Wu held her hand. “Were you trapped in a nightmare? You felt very uneasy.”
“What time is it?”
Yin Wu looked out the window. “It is dawn.”
Li Lingjiang propped herself up. Her eyes held emotions Yin Wu could not understand. “Let us go. We will settle this.”
The door opened with a creak. Dawn itself seemed to have become a rare sight. Li Lingjiang’s hair was lightly gathered. She raised a hand to shield her eyes, and as usual, Yin Wu held her sleeve.
The two had only just stepped outside when the Spirit Matron’s voice came over. “Young Master is awake?”
When she saw Li Lingjiang still safe and sound, her eyes widened at once. “Why are you still alive?”
Li Lingjiang stepped out from behind Yin Wu. She lightly shook out her sleeves and casually fixed her gaze on the woman. “You look very disappointed. But how do you know whether I am human or ghost?”
She curved her lips in a smile, but her eyes were cold. “After all, you eat people without spitting out the bones.”
The Spirit Matron was frightened back two steps by her gaze. She hurriedly signaled to one side. Li Lingjiang and Yin Wu caught the movement at once.
The next moment, several lines hung with talismans surrounded them from every side. Small bells rang without wind. Li Lingjiang first froze, then frowned hard. She looked at the young servant following behind the Spirit Matron. He matched the dream perfectly.
Then next, Yin Wu would be trapped.
Before Li Lingjiang could sort it out, she and Yin Wu both dodged aside, avoiding a fierce blood line. It nailed into the wall with a sharp ring.
Yin Wu pulled Li Lingjiang closer and asked quietly, “My Lord, what is wrong?”
Li Lingjiang had only lost focus for a few seconds, yet Yin Wu had caught it precisely.
“Nothing. Follow me.”
Li Lingjiang held Yin Wu’s wrist in return. The two moved almost as one. The talismans began to burn. Strange, heart-shaking sounds rose from every direction. The lines kept tightening, but the two showed no fear. They even seemed to have calculated the timing. At the final instant, they borrowed the force and leaped straight out.
Li Lingjiang had just steadied herself when Yin Wu pulled her back and dragged her into her arms. The scent of the young immortal filled her nose, impossible to resist. She did not struggle, and once again Yin Wu held her by the waist and pushed her to the side.
The Spirit Matron looked as if her eyes would split. Her plan had been disrupted, and she was so nervous her face twisted. In a strange voice, she said, “Young Master, I am doing this for you. Humans and ghosts walk different roads. You must complete a ghost marriage to be together.”
Yin Wu sneered. “What ghost marriage? It is only something you imagined. How is it different from sacrificing a living person? Should women be treated like this?”
“This is her fate!” The Spirit Matron leaned forward and gritted her teeth. “A person bought with money is goods. Naturally, she can be handled however people wish. Young Master, do not be bewitched by her.”
Yin Wu was too lazy to waste words. “Too late for that.”
As she spoke, she fought with the servants. Even without magic power, her martial foundation was not weak.
She was not at a disadvantage at all.
Li Lingjiang met the Spirit Matron’s gaze through the chaos. The other woman spoke first. “Let me tell you, this is your destined end. If you do not marry this one, there will be another buyer. You had better behave.”
“Once a woman has been ruined, she is no longer worth money.”
“Is that so?” Li Lingjiang murmured. Every detail flashed through her mind. Resolving resentment was actually very simple. It was the feudal rites that bound this woman.
Then what exactly was the knot in her heart?
Li Lingjiang’s gaze sharpened and fell on the Spirit Matron with almost solid weight. She pressed her with a question. “How have I been ruined? Why should I listen to you?”
Her defiance made the Spirit Matron extremely displeased. The woman muttered something under her breath, and her eyes gradually grew cloudy. “Once you are nailed back in, it will be done.”
“Young Master, forgive the offense.”
Li Lingjiang heard her clearly and suddenly raised her eyes. She was certain now.
She turned her head and called in a low voice, “Yin Wu!”
Yin Wu had deliberately been stalling for time. Hearing the order, she showed no mercy. She took down one person with one kick, then pulled Li Lingjiang forward. “My Lord, where?”
Li Lingjiang said heavily, “The ancestral hall.”
The Spirit Matron was knocked so hard by them that she nearly lost her footing. Seeing them run toward the ancestral hall shocked her, but how could she refuse meat delivered to her door? She called to the people hidden in the dark. “Deal with them!”
Li Lingjiang stood in the ancestral hall, staring at the black coffin. She pulled free from Yin Wu’s palm and touched the edge with her fingertips. She seemed to hear a scream from the bottom of her heart. Unwillingness. No one should be forced into a square box and nailed to death alive. The process must have been agonizing. No wonder the resentment was so strong.
Her hand suddenly tightened. She flipped the coffin straight onto the ground. Yin Wu stood at the side, calmly waiting for her, not at all afraid of the priests chasing after them.
Li Lingjiang picked up a burning candle and threw it cleanly onto the coffin. In an instant, flames burst up and surrounded them. Yin Wu stepped back to Li Lingjiang’s side, pressed close to her, and said softly, “My Lord, I am the fire.”
They stood within the blaze. Behind them, several figures seemed to appear. Li Lingjiang looked as if she pitied them. Her red robe was striking, blending with the fire. “You were wrong. She belongs to no one. You have no right to decide life, death, or fate.”
“And women are the creators of this world.” Li Lingjiang raised her hand and lightly touched the side of her neck. “You should repent.”