28 Sleep
◎Dr. Ying always goes back on his word. ◎
"But that senior has been wandering for many years and her whereabouts are unknown. Finding her will probably take some effort," Du Zhijin said. "Aside from occasionally hearing some strange things, is there anything else that bothers you?"
Ying Jianhua shook her head, her lips turning pale, a hint of vulnerability showing in her eyes: "No... Perhaps I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. Finding someone is not easy; your business is more important."
She disagreed, saying, "What are you talking about? Judging from your description, this demon might have become attached to you because of me, so I can't just abandon it."
The candlelight in the room wasn't very bright, just enough to illuminate the two of them. By the candlelight, Ying Jianhua observed her expression inch by inch.
He tried to see even the slightest hint of hesitation, annoyance, or impatience on her face. But Du Zhijin didn't. Her eyes were like the most natural, unpolished jade, crystal clear and unadorned. Any attempt to conceal one's true feelings would pale in comparison to those eyes.
His original intention was to find evidence of her wavering, because he didn't believe anyone would willingly go to such lengths to please another person. He hadn't saved Du Zhijin out of any benevolent medical conscience; he simply wanted to use her power to eliminate the demon. If she hadn't been wearing the robes of Dengxian Mountain, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to save her.
Besides, she had already repaid this debt of gratitude when she saved him from the fire, or even earlier, when she showed him the entire palace. Did she really not know that he had intentionally caused all this trouble along the way?
Or perhaps, it doesn't matter if you know.
"...Du Zhijin, do you treat other people like this too?" As if burned by her gaze, he looked away and said softly.
She asked, puzzled, "What do you mean by 'like this'?"
Ying Jianhua seemed to want to say something, but hesitated to speak.
Are you being so attentive and demanding of others as well?
For some reason, he found it difficult to say those words.
"If there's nothing else, I'll go back to my room. You should also get some rest; we have to travel tomorrow."
Seeing that he remained silent, Du Zhijin said. She had already reached the door, but then remembered something and turned back: "Xingyue can stay here with you."
"Why?" he asked.
She said, "This must be your first time encountering a monster. Most people would have trouble sleeping the first time they experience something like this. With Xingyue by your side, you might feel more at ease."
After she finished speaking, she received another glare from Ying.
Great, we exceeded our target for today.
Ying Jianhua unconsciously raised her voice: "Do you think I'd be so scared I couldn't sleep?"
She immediately changed her tune: "How could that be? Doctor Ying is incredibly brave, fearless, and whatever he fears comes to pass... uh, I mean, Xingyue is afraid, she can't sleep without you."
After he finished speaking, both of them fell silent.
Ying Jianhua lowered his head, as if he could see a hint of speechlessness in the deep black scabbard of Xingyue's sword.
So Du Zhijin received a third glare.
With a shout of "Xingyue and I can both sleep!", Du Zhijin and Zuilan were kicked out of the house.
After sighing, she sadly stroked Zuilan: "From now on, we'll only have each other to rely on."
Zui Lan trembled, seemingly in protest, but was ignored.
It was late at night. Du Zhijin tidied up briefly and was about to enter meditation when he suddenly heard a rustling sound.
It came from next door. Could it be that the Illusion Demon has accomplices?
She quickly got up, picked up Zuilan, and walked out. As soon as she opened the door, she bumped into Ying Jianhua, who was pacing back and forth outside.
Du Zhijin: "? Why aren't you asleep so late?"
He pursed his lips and remained silent.
Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating his snow-white face and the slight dark circles under his eyes.
She suddenly realized: "Hmm, can't sleep?"
Ying Jianhua turned her face away: "Xingyue can't sleep."
This time, Xingyue was the one who trembled violently. He pressed his sword down firmly, insisting, "Look, it's terrified."
"Oh... Huan Yao is indeed quite cunning." She wanted to laugh, but fearing a fourth glare, she forced back her smile. "Ahem, so what do you... no, what does Xing Yue want to do? Have Zui Lan accompany her?"
He didn't answer immediately. After a long while, he stammered, "The Illusion Demon used a trick to deceive us, and Xingyue became its accomplice."
Du Zhijin expressed his understanding, but couldn't think of any other solution for the moment: "Then what should we do? How about... I take your night watch?"
After speaking, she remembered the misunderstanding from before and suddenly felt a little uneasy, worried that he might not agree. Looking up, she saw Ying Jianhua staring at the moonlight on the floor with his eyelashes lowered, and gently nodding.
She moved bedding from her room and spread it on the floor, preparing to meditate for the night. Ying Jianhua lay on the bed properly, as upright as ever.
Looking at his perfect sleeping posture, Du Zhijin sighed, "Sometimes I really think that you, Amo, are more suited to spiritual cultivation."
Why?
She gestured: "Your posture is perfect! There are very few people in the entire Dengxian Mountain who can do it like you."
He asked curiously, "What's the meaning behind this? Why are you doing this?"
She replied, "It is said that this is the correct posture for dissolving."
Deconstruction?
A few seconds later, Ying Jianhua came to her senses, the blank look on her face faded, and she gritted her teeth and called out her name: "Du, Zhi, Jin, are you cursing me to die?"
With a "bang," a square object flew off the bed. Du Zhijin reacted quickly and caught it steadily with one hand.
Thank goodness. She thought, thankfully they were staying in the top-tier room, which had soft pillows. If they had solid pillows, they would have been quite powerful.
She didn't think much of it, assuming that Ying Jianhua was being considerate and giving her a pillow to sleep on. But soon after she lay down, she heard the sound of footsteps again.
Turning my head, I met a pair of eyes full of annoyance.
"?" She looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Ying Jianhua squeezed out two words through gritted teeth: "pillow".
She silently handed him the pillow, silently watched his stiff back, silently watched him pull down the bed curtains, and then looked away.
She thought, recalling everything he had done tonight.
Dr. Ying always goes back on his word.
————
Since the whereabouts of the senior healer were uncertain, Du Zhijin decided to continue along the previously planned route and seek out the senior if he could find out any news about him along the way.
According to the original plan, the next city was Huzhou. She took out a map and pointed out Huzhou to him.
Ying Jianhua asked curiously, "This map can actually sense the location of demons? Is it using some kind of magical technique?"
Du Zhijin nodded and then shook his head: "I can't sense all the demons. This is something my master left me. She said that once I eliminate all the demons on this map, I will be able to meet her again."
"See you again? You and your master have been separated for a long time?" he asked.
Upon hearing his words, a fleeting look of disappointment crossed her face, and she said sullenly, "Yes. My master... broke through her cultivation realm two years ago and ascended to immortality."
To become an immortal.
Ying Jianhua was stunned: "There really are mortals who have attained enlightenment and ascended to heaven... I thought it was just a legend."
“What you said is also true. Very few humans or demons in this world have been able to overcome the ninefold tribulation of lightning and ascend to heaven. My master is the first person to do so in five hundred years.” As she said this, she was not without pride, her face shining with arrogance.
She clenched her fist and said, "As my master's only disciple, I cannot let her down. I must eliminate all the demons on the map and reunite with my master as soon as possible."
Ying Jianhua nodded: "Then I wish you all your dreams come true."
"Thank you." Du Zhijin smiled at him, but suddenly her gaze turned serious when it fell on a shop nearby. "Wait, there's a demonic aura there."
As soon as she finished speaking, she frowned, her voice hesitant: "That demon... is in a lot of pain?"
"You can still sense the emotions of monsters?" Ying Jianhua asked.
She shook her head: "Normally, no. The more powerful a demon is, the more it will hide its existence. Even the lowest-ranking demons know how to conceal their whereabouts. I can sense this demon's emotions because it is in so much pain."
Pain? This was the first time he'd ever heard of a demon feeling pain. Ying Jianhua looked around, her gaze settling on the teahouse: "You want to exorcise a demon? Then I'll wait for you here."
Du Zhijin's face showed a rare look of hesitation: "Not all demons are evil; some demons can live peacefully with humans. It would be inappropriate to act rashly."
"Besides, it's not on the map."
You should understand the painting.
Even demons can be good or evil; she only kills evil demons.
He suggested, "It's not an evil demon. If you're interested, we can go and take a look together."
Du Zhijin's eyes lit up, clearly having been tempted by the suggestion for a long time. The two walked towards the source of the demonic aura, which was a food shop with a long queue in front. They divided the tasks: Ying Jianhua would queue, while Du Zhijin would sneak into the backyard to investigate.
Du Zhijin was agile and disappeared from the rooftop in the blink of an eye. Ying Jianhua withdrew her gaze and asked the person in front of her, "May I ask, brother, why is this shop so popular?"
The man was very enthusiastic: "You're from out of town, right? Then you've come to the right place! The steamed buns at this shop are the best in town! They're delicious!"
Steamed buns? Just steamed buns? Why are they so popular? Maybe they're cheap and delicious, but how do they relate to monsters?
Ying Jianhua hurriedly asked, "I am new here and do you know how much a steamed bun costs?"
The man held up a number, and Ying Jianhua frowned: "Five coins? That's a bit too expensive."
A bowl of wontons with meat costs only seven coins, but a single steamed bun costs five coins.
To everyone's surprise, the man denied it: "Where can you buy that for five coins! Fifty coins!"
Fifty coins? These are steamed buns made of gold! He was about to retort when the man continued, "Don't think it's expensive. Even if you bought them for a hundred or a thousand coins, let me tell you, these steamed buns from this place are incredible! You could call them a miracle cure; they can cure all diseases and even prolong life!"
Upon hearing this, Ying Jianhua couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
What a coincidence, he's a doctor. He'll see what kind of steamed bun can cure diseases.
The line was so long that it took him a full half hour to get a turn. Ying Jianhua watched as the man in front of him took out a copper coin, bought a steamed bun, carefully tucked it into his pocket, and walked away overjoyed.
Unlike the shills hired by the merchants to create hype... His curiosity grew, and he spent 100 coins to buy two steamed buns.
From the outside, it looks no different from a regular steamed bun.
Just as he was about to smell the steamed bun, a sword light suddenly descended from the sky, and the snow-white steamed bun rolled to the ground, covered in dust.
"Don't eat it." Du Zhijin's expression was cold as he grabbed the hand that was about to pick it up. "There's something wrong with this steamed bun."
"It's made with demon blood."
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