Chapter 36 The Physical Appearance "It's time to go back today."
The candlesticks in the side room were bright.
Hua Xun sat at the wooden table, holding a bronze mirror, carefully examining the person in the mirror.
Its body was covered in scales, its eyes were like caverns, it had horns on its forehead, and even its tongue had become a long, thin, black forked tongue.
He acted like a snake demon.
Hua Xun listlessly placed the bronze mirror upside down on the table and let out a long sigh.
"You were originally a demon, but you changed from a black demon to a snake demon. What's so lamentable about that?" Xiao Yunxi said casually from the side.
"What do you know?" Hua Xun said dejectedly. "It was very difficult for me to transform back then. Besides, the Crow Clan and the Snake Clan are natural enemies. How could I transform into the appearance of my natural enemies?"
Most importantly, her demon core and sea of consciousness, which she had cultivated for so long, were gone. She didn't know whether the Spirit Rhinoceros Gu in her sea of consciousness had disappeared with her sea of consciousness or was still in her body.
"So you plan to hide forever?" Xiao Yunxi asked, watching her from the side. "Not even to see the Divine Lord?"
Hua Xun lowered her eyes dejectedly: "And then let the God see me like this?"
Who wouldn't want to maintain a beautiful appearance and elegant demeanor in front of someone they like?
Xiao Yunxi paused slightly: "So you brazenly let this immortal lord see you? To taint this immortal lord's eyes?"
Hua Xun nodded: "Anyway, you hate me. I'm just as bad as you hate me. The worst that can happen is that you'll hate me even more."
“I…” Xiao Yunxi subconsciously wanted to say something, but swallowed the words back and let out a soft hum, “…You know it.”
Hua Xun was not surprised and couldn't help but pick up the bronze mirror again.
"You know that my barrier is not very effective against a Divine Lord, right?" Xiao Yunxi suddenly asked.
"Know."
"Then why..."
Hua Xun turned her head and said seriously, "Because I believe that the Divine Lord would not eavesdrop without permission."
Therefore, the barrier was not meant to prevent the god from hearing, but rather to tell him that she did not want him to hear.
Xiao Yunxi fell silent.
The little demon, who had clearly been transformed and no longer resembled her original form, still showed a sense of dependence and trust in her expression when she said those words.
Xiao Yunxi lowered her eyes, suppressing the heaviness in her heart, and said softly, "If you had known it would turn out like this, would you still have rushed out of the cave?"
"Hmm?" Hua Xun was puzzled at first, but after thinking about it carefully, she said, "I should still do it."
Xiao Yunxi's gaze sharpened slightly: "...Why?"
"If we hadn't rushed out, we would have lost our lives there. At least now it's just a different place."
Xiao Yunxi fell silent again, and after a long while, he said, "Tomorrow I will take you to Miaoshouju to capture the demon and cure your poison." As he spoke, he walked towards the door. When he reached the door, he added, "Because you saved this immortal lord, that's all."
The last sentence was spoken very softly, as if it were a warning or a way of comforting oneself.
Xiao Yunxi opened the door, his body enveloped in light and flames. Before using his light-escape technique, he glanced at the plum tree in the courtyard.
The place was deserted; the deity had vanished without a trace.
*
Inside the room.
Perhaps because she had lost her magic power and demon core, Hua Xun soon felt more tired and exhausted than ever before.
Setting the bronze mirror aside, Hua Xun dragged her weary body onto the bed and fell asleep within moments.
In her dazed state, Hua Xun seemed to sense that her demon core and sea of consciousness were in complete darkness.
Along with this came countless images that did not belong to his own memories.
It was like a fragmented nightmare, flashing back and forth.
“I established this school not to make money, but to care for the sick and help the poor, and to fulfill my duty as a doctor.”
“My disciple, by following me in practicing medicine and helping people, you are accumulating good karma.”
“My disciple, I have no choice but to do this, as I cannot bear to see the suffering of all living beings.”
"..."
The words, which sounded extremely compassionate, lingered in the darkness, accompanied by the dripping sound of water.
However, when the darkness dissipated, the scene in the dream was not the sound of dripping water, but the sound of blood dripping onto the stone wall.
The newborn baby has scales like a serpent and tiny horns, yet it has complete limbs and a torso like a human.
He was being held by the neck in a narrow cave like livestock, his tender arms were slashed open, the flesh torn open, and blood gushing out.
Hua Xun struggled in her dream, wanting to wake up, but was powerless, and could only let her consciousness sink into deeper, more eerie scenes—
The infant, trapped in a dark cave, gazes longingly at the light filtering through the cracks.
The consequence, however, was that those beautiful golden vertical pupils were gouged out and turned into dark caves.
The middle-aged man in the blue robe kept saying, "A doctor knows how to be a good doctor after breaking his arm three times," while feeding him food to keep him alive. He also repeatedly plucked his scales, cut off his horns, pierced his body, released bowls of blood, and cut off pieces of flesh.
At night, his body healed itself again and again amidst painful cries, growing new flesh and blood.
But when it gets light, the man will reappear and repeat the bloody torture.
As children grow up amidst the daily and yearly suffering, they gradually become numb.
On the night he last tried to escape, the middle-aged man held him tightly, and the cold chains were pierced into his limbs one by one.
The man held a hammer and hammered the thick, long copper nails into the stone wall, one after another.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
The sound was crisp and clear.
With each strike, the chain strung with long nails pierced the child's body, embedding itself into the cold stone wall.
In the dark and sunless cave, the child "sewn" into the stone wall grows into an adult day by day. The chains in his body tighten and tighten, creating bloody holes that are constantly healed.
Never-ending.
One day, two days, three days...
Hua Xun seemed to feel the same intense pain as her, her throat tightened, her fingers trembled uncontrollably, and her limbs curled up involuntarily.
"It hurts so much..." She heard herself let out a wail like a serpent, but what came out was not "Master", but "God, it hurts so much".
Her consciousness, however, was trapped in a dream from which she could not awaken, and she could only relive the serpent's pain over and over again...
Until a glimmer of clarity entered her brow, like a gentle breeze emerging from the murky, bloody stench, dispelling all the filth.
Hua Xun suddenly opened her eyes, looked at the light pink curtains above her head, and gasped for breath.
As her breathing gradually calmed, Hua Xun looked to the side, and then she felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
The deity stood quietly beside her bed, his white robes shrouded in ethereal mist, his eyes lowered as he gazed at her peacefully.
Deep in her eyes, there seemed to be a hint of melancholy, a sadness that stemmed from her own misinterpretation.
It felt like an illusion.
Seeing that she had woken up, the deity smiled slightly and said, "Just now, I heard you call me."
As always, the deity's voice was as gentle as a clear spring.
Hua Xun listened intently, and the frustration of being forced to stay away from the God-King these past few days, the grievances of being pushed away by the God-King, suddenly burst forth in the thick darkness of the night.
Hua Xun couldn't help but sit up and hug the God-King's waist: "God-King."
Jiuqing felt the girl clinging to him dependently, just like before, and his expression faltered slightly.
The place where the girl was embracing him was warm with an unfamiliar warmth.
He took a long time to come to his senses.
The strangeness of the past few days seemed to have quietly dissipated at this moment.
In reality, it's nothing more than dependence.
"Did you have a nightmare?" A gentle voice sounded above Hua Xun's head.
Hua Xun subconsciously wanted to nod in the God's arms, but the long horn on her forehead stopped her.
Hua Xun suddenly remembered something, opened her eyes wide, as if waking from a dream.
The next instant, she quickly released the god's waist, grabbed the blanket next to her, and covered her head with her back to the god.
The smile on the god's lips faded slightly as he looked at the girl buried in the quilt, lowering his eyes and asking, "What is it?"
Hidden under the covers, Hua Xun's voice was muffled: "Please don't stay here, I don't look good right now."
Even... she had just hugged the God-King while looking like this.
Thinking of this, Hua Xun felt even more embarrassed.
The deity seemed surprised by this answer, paused for a moment, and then chuckled softly.
Hearing the laughter, as gentle as the moon and the breeze, Hua Xun felt as if ancient ice and snow were quietly melting, and her heart stirred.
She wanted to peek out from under the covers to catch a glimpse of the god who was laughing out loud, but she didn't want him to see her ugly appearance at that moment.
"Appearance is nothing more than a shell." The deity's calm voice slowly rang out.
Hua Xun said sullenly, "Even physical appearance can be divided into good-looking and bad-looking."
The deity sighed softly: "To me, there is no distinction between beauty and ugliness."
Hua Xun's body stiffened, and she secretly peeked out from under the covers, her eyes meeting the smiling eyes of the God.
He's still so handsome.
It seems to be a blend of spring breeze, moonlight, and timeless gentleness.
His expression showed no sign of impatience or anything unusual.
Under such a kind gaze, Hua Xun gradually lowered her guard, threw back the covers, sat up, and asked to confirm, "You really don't find it... scary, Divine Lord?"
The deity smiled and said, "No."
Hua Xun pursed her lips: "Is it ugly?"
The deity said, "No."
Hua Xun pressed her advantage: "Is it pretty?"
The deity remained silent, only gazing at her quietly after a few moments of contemplation.
Hua Xun was delighted by this subtle difference.
She knew she was certainly not pretty at that moment, but the deity did not say it outright.
"Divine Lord." The frustration and grievances of the past few days gradually dissipated. Hua Xun raised her head, and the long horn on her forehead tilted back as well. Her eyes, which had turned into black holes, still seemed to shine.
She gazed at the god before her, and in that instant, she suddenly cleared her mind of the chaotic thoughts that had been swirling in her mind for some time.
Because she didn't want to be far from the God, she did something like distancing herself from him, which only plunged her into endless entanglement and depression.
It's better to face it calmly.
If one day the god discovers her feelings and banishes her, at least she will have more days of happiness.
The deity was still watching her, as if waiting for her to continue.
Hua Xun laughed: "Immortal Lord Yunxi and I went to investigate Miaoshouju today."
The deity said, "I know."
“I was poisoned by the demon there,” Hua Xun said, slightly agitated as she recalled something. “The serpent originally wanted to devour Immortal Lord Yunxi, but I saved him in a moment of crisis…”
The deity's smile faded slightly: "I know."
"You know that too?" Hua Xun asked in surprise.
Recalling the ins and outs of the Mystic Healer's Abode he had just witnessed, the deity remained silent for a moment before asking, "Why did you save him?"
"Who?" Hua Xun asked, puzzled.
The deity remained silent for a moment, then uttered two words: "Yunxi".
Hua Xun told the truth: "Because I couldn't defeat the serpent, while Immortal Lord Yunxi had profound magical power and was able to protect me and help me escape at that time."
The deity observed her expression for a long time before finally saying, "Hmm."
Perhaps she had finally come to terms with it and restored her previous intimacy with the God, Hua Xun felt that her mood at this moment was as bright and clear as the moonlight tonight.
But before she could be happy for long, waves of uncontrollable hunger surged through her body and mind.
Hua Xun habitually brushed his hand over the purse, and when he realized that the purse was still motionless, he suddenly realized that he was now just a mortal and had long since lost his magic power.
Before she could look up, a flash of gold appeared, and the purse slowly opened, from which several pieces of osmanthus cake flew out.
Hua Xun looked up at the deity with surprise, took out the osmanthus cake and was about to swallow it, but then she remembered something and handed the cake to the deity: "Would you like some?"
The deity glanced at her, reached out and took it, put it in his mouth, and the sweet taste slowly spread between his lips and teeth.
God's innate nobility makes every movement of his exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
Hua Xun looked for a while, then suddenly remembered something: "My Lord, if my sea of consciousness is gone, will the Spirit Rhinoceros Gu also disappear?"
The deity swallowed the pastry and calmly said, "The Spirit Rhinoceros Gu has taken root in your flesh and is now attached to your brain marrow."
Hua Xun was taken aback. The brain marrow of mortals is not as vast as the sea of consciousness. The brain marrow is extremely fragile. The slightest stimulation may cause them to become mentally impaired or even die.
After eating a few pastries to relieve my hunger, I felt tired.
But the nightmare she had just experienced still left her feeling uneasy.
"Go to sleep." The deity finally spoke, his voice as warm as jade.
Hua Xun felt relieved and lay back down on the bed. As soon as she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep sleep again and had no dreams all night.
The deity gazed at the girl's face, and after a moment, his gaze fell on a corner of the quilt hanging by the bedside.
With a slight movement of his fingers, the quilt was gently lifted by an invisible force and placed squarely on the girl's body.
After finishing all this, the deity walked out of the room and stared intently at his fingertips until dawn broke.
*
When Hua Xun woke up again, the sun was already high in the sky.
The deity was no longer in the room.
If it weren't for the two pieces of osmanthus cake left over from last night still sitting by the bedside, she would have thought that everything that happened last night was just a dream.
Thinking of what happened last night, Hua Xun couldn't help but chuckle while hugging her blanket.
After she had finished laughing, she got up from her bed, washed her face and teeth in a mortal way, and opened the door.
Before she could even step out, a beam of fiery red light appeared in her courtyard. Xiao Yunxi looked at her and raised an eyebrow: "You actually went out looking like this?"
Hua Xun replied to him with the words of the God: "Appearance is just a shell."
"A physical body?" Xiao Yunxi said lazily, "Last night, I don't know who it was, but for the sake of a physical body, they used their favor to threaten me, the Immortal Lord, to find you a robe, and then they stayed in their room and refused to see me, the Divine Lord."
Hua Xun's face flushed at his words: "Is this how Immortal Lord Yunxi treats your savior?"
Xiao Yunxi scoffed: "What do you intend to do? Do you expect this immortal lord to repay you with his body...?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Xiao Yunxi was stunned.
Hua Xun was also taken aback. Before he could respond, he saw specks of golden light gradually gather under the plum branches not far away, and the Divine Lord revealed his form.
"The Divine Lord?"
Xiao Yunxi's body stiffened slightly. After hesitating for a few moments, she turned around and looked at that elegant figure: "...Divine Lord."
"Yes," the deity replied calmly, glancing at Xiao Yunxi and then at Hua Xun, "It's time to go back today."
"Go back where?" Hua Xun asked, puzzled.
The Divine Lord: "White Mist Cliff."
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