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You Were Born a Nobleman, Chapter Seventy-Three: I Can Last Long! (Subscription Requested)
The heavy rain poured down, mercilessly whipping at the wounds on Kong Xuan's back like countless whips. The blood from Shu Que Wu Pan had already diluted in the forceful rain, resembling the delicate pink petals of cherry blossoms falling from branches.
He stormed out in anger, yet he did not know who he was angry with. Three hundred years had passed, and the Peacock King still could not learn to sever emotions and love, nor could he become cold-hearted.
Perhaps the Phoenix Clan was simply born to be emotional beings; whether it was his father, the Phoenix, or his younger brother Dapeng, they were either indifferent or deeply passionate without regret.
Looking up, he had arrived at the dilapidated house where Lang Ye was hiding. Gathering his scattered thoughts, Kong Xuan called out for the wolf.
“Lang Ye, where are you? Are you okay?”
The room was pitch black. With the lightning illuminating the sky, Kong Xuan saw that it was even more chaotic than when he had arrived earlier, and there was a faint smell of blood in the air.
Kong Xuan clenched his fists tightly and drew out a Peacock Feather, breaking through the window.
Tang Zisu, wrapped in a raincoat and wearing a conical hat, waded through the water in the heavy rain. Each step was difficult. She wiped her face with her hand and shouted hoarsely, “Kong Xuan, where are you? Come home with me; I can forgive you.”
The sound of the rain completely drowned out Tang Zisu's voice, perhaps just a lingering echo in this downpour.
It was Tang Zisu's first time experiencing her monthly cycle; she already felt unwell. Now, after being soaked in cold water for a long time, the chill seeped from her feet to her lower abdomen as if a large block of ice were placed inside her. However, Tang Zisu could no longer feel it; the temperature difference inside and outside her body had become negligible, and only her consciousness still held onto her numbed nerves.
Standing under a large tree with a pained expression, Tang Zisu muttered, “Kong Xuan, I was wrong; isn’t that enough? I called you my ancestor; please stop tormenting me. I was once a happy handsome guy hoping to graduate and stay on as a teacher before finding a compatible girl to settle down with and live my life like that. But without even a thunderclap, I ended up here—turning from male to female—and now I've got my period. How can all the most painful and absurd things in life happen to me? If I really became a woman and married some wealthy general or minister, that would be one thing. But encountering this real-life version of Journey to the West with Inuyasha is just too much! Am I even human anymore? Given how miserable I am, can’t you—a millennia-old demon king—just let it go? Hurry up and come out! If you don’t come out soon, I’m going to die!”
A golden lightning bolt tore through the pitch-black rain curtain, and just before the rumbling thunder arrived, Tang Zisu dashed out from under the tree. Her teacher had always warned her not to stand under a tree during a thunderstorm.
As soon as Tang Zisu emerged, she noticed a shadow standing not far from where she had just been.
"Hey, come out! Don't stand under the tree."
The shadow completely ignored her, slowly lifting its head. A pair of eyes stared at Tang Zisu through the heavy rain, filled with resentment and coldness, seemingly carrying a curse from hell.
Tang Zisu felt her scalp tingle, and it seemed as if all the blood in her body had stopped flowing. She felt paralyzed, unable to move in the rain.
"Little darling, be good and come be my snack, ribbit." The shadow spoke, but the froggy croak at the end shattered its eerie image.
"What... what are you?"
"I'm not anything; I'm the Candle Dragon, ribbit." The Candle Dragon stretched its neck, its body growing longer inch by inch. Only then did Tang Zisu realize that it was coiled around the tree, meaning that when she had been standing under it, it had been right above her.
Why on earth were you climbing so high? Did you think we were filming a disaster movie? And that croaking sound is definitely not cool if you want to be the leading man!
The Candle Dragon seemed quite pleased with its appearance, its body covered in sharp scales wrapped around the tree. Its long, bright red tongue flicked out to coil around Tang Zisu.
Tang Zisu screamed in fright and threw her hat away. The Candle Dragon caught it with its tongue and proudly swayed it back and forth.
The lightning in the sky grew more frequent, and the booming thunder echoed above them. Tang Zisu widened her eyes, covering her mouth in terror as she looked up at the Candle Dragon.
This Candle Dragon was just a clown; it spun the hat like a performer, feeling quite proud of itself.
Since ancient times, those who show off have been struck by lightning. As the Instigator of Thunder, it finally succeeded in lifting a stone to smash its own foot. A massive fireball descended from above, and an overwhelming tingling sensation swept through its heart. Tang Zisu even caught a whiff of the delicious smell of roasted meat.
The taste of roasted snake meat is quite exquisite, but would this snake, which has lived for thousands of years, be too tough?
A charred snake hissed and smoked as it flew in front of Tang Zisu, extending its long tongue to wrap her up.
With no weapons in hand, Tang Zisu screamed and raised her hands to shield her face.
After waiting for a long time without feeling that disgusting tongue, Tang Zisu cautiously peeked through her fingers and quickly lowered her hands, laughing triumphantly like a character from a comedy.
It turned out that the Candle Dragon's tongue had snapped into several pieces during its vigorous stretching, and somehow they had gotten caught on a branch. What authentic barbecue! It just needed a sprinkle of cumin!
"Now you know my power, right? Hurry up and leave, or I'll roast you from head to toe and use your gallbladder to brew wine," Tang Zisu teased while striking a signature pose reminiscent of Bruce Lee, though she was more like Kung Fu Panda.
The Candle Dragon was furious.
Its serpent-like eyes glinted with cold light, its fangs dripped with venom, and its thick, long body coiled around Tang Zisu, bringing its face close to hers.
"Ugh..." Tang Zisu felt like her insides were being crushed, but that wasn't the most important thing; what mattered was that its face—neither human nor snake and covered in soot—was utterly disgusting!
"Little darling, the snake's tongue is meant to lick your delicate skin. Even if it's broken, I can still eat you," it croaked.
Tang Zisu leaned back as far as she could to keep her distance from its face. "You... you're a snake. Why do you talk like a frog?"
Tang Zisu, you really have guts. Shouldn't you be worried that your tender little body is about to be swallowed into its bloody belly?
"I am Candle Dragon, woof, not a snake, but a dragon, woof woof woof!"
"What’s up, Wuwu, back to being a dog again?"
"That's because I just swallowed a dog and a toad. Every time I finish eating, I feel like I'm possessed by them. I can feel their flesh and blood melting into mine. Hiss, that feeling of merging is like walking on clouds! Now, it's your turn."
Wuwu whined! Damn you, don’t make eating people sound so terrifyingly casual!
"You, you, you think if you eat me I'll feel like a woman? Can you put on makeup and wear pretty clothes? Do you want to get married and have kids?..."
"Shut up, woof woof, ribbit ribbit!!" Candle Dragon was really angry; this woman was incredibly annoying. No wonder brother never allowed him to marry!
Candle Dragon opened its blood-red mouth full of lumps of flesh and was about to swallow Tang Zisu.
"Ah!" A scream pierced through the rain, soaring into the sky.
It wasn't Tang Zisu who screamed; it was Candle Dragon. A peacock feather with emerald green and golden eyes pierced into its left eye, causing it pain and making it throw Tang Zisu away, convulsing and thrashing in the mud.
Tang Zisu landed in a warm embrace. Although the other person was just as soaked as she was, the strong heartbeat conveyed a sense of warmth.
"Xuan Xuan, I finally found you." Tang Zisu exclaimed joyfully as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Get off." Kong Xuan replied coldly and dominantly.
"No, no! I'm in so much pain—my head hurts, my chest hurts, my stomach hurts, my lungs hurt, my uterus hurts."
Kong Xuan was speechless. What kind of little monster is this? Can girls casually talk about something like being hurt?
"Let go."
"No."
"You’re squeezing me so tight I can’t breathe."
Tang Zisu quickly loosened her grip but then wrapped her arms around again. Under the nose of the King of Hell, she rolled over, startled and scared. Now, what could be more important than tightly holding the person she had been longing for?
However, looking at Kong Xuan's cold face, Tang Zisu considered whether to say, "Once, there was a sincere love placed before me, but I did not cherish it. When I lost it, I regretted it too late. The most painful thing in the world is nothing compared to this...
If heaven could give me another chance, I would say three words to that person:
'I love you.'
If I had to put a time limit on this love, I hope it would be... ten thousand years!"
However, Tang Zisu was not as thick-skinned as Supreme Treasure, and she couldn't guarantee that Kong Xuan wouldn't be disgusted enough to snap her neck after hearing this. So she could only say, "Xuan Xuan, I came out to find you. Come back with me!"
"Back? Back where?"
"Home, Shrine."
"That's not my home."
"That's not my home either, but it's the place we lived together."
Cough, this sentence sounded suspiciously like a confession!
"Hmph, weren't you trying to drive me away? Didn't you say you hated being deceived and used by me?"
"Stop being so stubborn." Tang Zisu shouted back but suddenly felt Kong Xuan's expression darken, so she quickly softened her tone: "It's my fault, a thousand faults are mine. No matter if you're male or female, human or demon, good or bad, you will always be the lifesaver of me, Jumping Dad, and many others. You've saved me countless times. Xuan Xuan, please forgive me."
Tang Zisu curled up into a small ball tightly leaning against Kong Xuan, completely trusting and relying on him. No one and no emotion had ever been able to get this close in such a way—not even Light Eye.
This inexplicable yet clear feeling formed a warm current slowly overflowing from her chest, causing a tingling sensation along her spine and limbs. Kong Xuan felt annoyed at this change in his body and mind and coldly said, "You're not wrong; I'm just a bad person!"
Tang Zisu rolled her eyes helplessly. Could he stop being so proud at a time like this?
Tang Zisu sighed in resignation and grabbed Kong Xuan's hand: "Kong Xuan, I'm in pain. I feel like I'm dying. I need to tell you that there's a pack of Osmanthus cake in the small basket on top of my wardrobe, half a pack of white sugar cake, and some rose candy. In the kitchen basket hanging up, there's half a wind chicken, a duck leg, and some Beef Jerky. If I die, remember to put them on my grave."
Kong Xuan was both angry and amused; he had never seen such a fool who still thought about food at a time like this. He lowered his head to press against her watery cold face and gently said, "If you die, I'll eat all those things."
Tang Zisu pouted and said, "You won't. You don't like sweet or sour food."
"I do. If you die, I'll throw you to the Candle Dragon as a snack. Would you still dare to die?"
Tang Zisu clenched her small fist and punched Kong Xuan, saying, "You're so mean. Then I won't die."
Kong Xuan grabbed Tang Zisu's hand and kissed it near his lips. "Alright, let's go home."
"Kong Xuan, I'm cold. So cold." Tang Zisu's breath grew weaker and more feminine.
The two of them were like the wind and sand, completely ignoring the one-eyed Candle Dragon.
Its tail was tightly wrapped around the tree trunk to alleviate the intense pain from its eye. Legend has it that when the Candle Dragon closes its eyes, it's nighttime; when it opens them, it's daytime. Although this legend is exaggerated, its eyes are indeed very important to the Candle Dragon. Losing its eyes is equivalent to losing half of its life.
Seeing Tang Zisu about to leave, the Candle Dragon shook the big tree violently, making a loud noise. "Stop! Are you just going to leave like this?"
"Where else would we stay? Celebrate New Year here?" Kong Xuan didn't even look back; treating enemies must be as ruthless as a harsh winter.
"You little brat! Dare to hurt my eye and leave with your lives!"
"Just afraid you don't have that capability." In the midst of heavy rain and strong winds, Kong Xuan held his beauty in his arms, looking disheveled yet carefree, not at all losing face for the boss level—definitely worthy of 32 likes!
The Candle Dragon wanted to show its power, but right now it was like a sick earthworm, only able to rub its tail against the tree. Watching the couple getting closer together and about to walk away made it wish it could bite off the remaining half of its tongue in frustration.
Suddenly, a fierce wind howled with thunder and lightning, and a bright red giant snake appeared in the pitch-black sky. Although its size was similar to that of the one on the tree, it clearly exuded a demonic aura.
It opened its mouth and spewed out a blast of white cold air, instantly turning the rain into icy daggers that fell down. Kong Xuan flew to dodge and sneered, "So there’s still one left."
"Want to leave? It's not that easy. You hurt my brother, and you must pay with your eyes."
"Is that so? Zhu Jiu Yin?"
Zhu Jiu Yin did not respond but swooped down from the sky, using its tail to yank Candle Dragon down. It cursed, calling it a fool, and wrapped its tail around it. The two snakes intertwined tighter and tighter until they finally merged into one, transforming into two-headed serpents.
Damn it, do you have no shame? Performing a fusion in public?!!!
Candle Dragon finally caught its breath and bared its teeth at Zhu Jiu Yin, saying, "It's all your fault for coming here; I lost an eye because of you. Hmph."
Zhu Jiu Yin looked at it disdainfully: "Fool."
In Kong Xuan's arms, Tang Zisu had already fainted, her breath growing weaker. Seeing that the fiery red Candle Dragon was difficult to deal with, Kong Xuan had no desire to continue fighting.
Zhu Jiu Yin opened its mouth again and unleashed a torrent of icy daggers surrounding Kong Xuan. Kong Xuan protected Tang Zisu, channeling his inner energy into his outer garment, which immediately began to emit wisps of heat; the icy daggers melted upon contact, turning into water.
Zhu Jiu Yin tugged at Candle Dragon's tilted head and took off into the air, spinning around to create a tornado that enveloped Kong Xuan and Tang Zisu.
The powerful winds tore apart the cloak and hat on Tang Zisu's body, shredding her clothes into strips. Her long black hair seemed ready to be swept away by the gale. Kong Xuan used his inner energy to shield Tang Zisu from the wind's damage; blood flowed from the wound on his back due to the strain. Although peacock blood was not as potent as Dapeng's or Precious's, it was extremely toxic—wherever it touched the ground, nothing would grow. It was only because Tang Zisu had already fused with him in their past lives that she was not afraid of his poisonous blood.
Kong Xuan's clothes were also in tatters, and the muscles on his face trembled uncontrollably. However, Zhu Jiu Yin spun faster and faster, the wind growing stronger. Kong Xuan began to feel his palms grow cold and gradually lost strength.
"Kong Xuan, Kong Xuan," Tang Zisu weakly called out to him.
"Don't speak."
"What a strong wind, Kong Xuan, you should leave quickly and not worry about me."
"Shut up, foolish woman. You underestimate the abilities of the Peacock King. I don't even regard the Nine Heavens Mysterious Buddha, let alone a little Loach."
"Cough, you're really something, but I'm dragging you down."
"Don't talk. Nothing will happen. Be good; I haven't punished you yet. Just go back and wait for your punishment!"
Tang Zisu gasped for breath, "Are you going to spank me again? You old demon."
"It's Ancient Demon God. This time, I will definitely give you a good beating."
"Kong Xuan, it's so cold!"
"Tang Zisu, hold on. If you dare to close your eyes, I will kill everyone in Peacock Valley: Mi Ruanruan, Zhu Tiao Tiao, Anfei Fish..."
Zhu Jiu Yin's maniacal laughter echoed eerily in the hurricane: "What a pair of doomed lovebirds; you shall die!"
At such a moment, a miracle had to occur. Indeed, a shining sword pierced through the whirlwind, slicing it apart like cutting through cloth.
The incomplete hurricane could no longer show its might; after spinning a few times, it turned into a gentle breeze and light rain.
Kong Xuan held Tang Zisu tightly, feeling surprised yet remaining calm as he observed the situation.
The sword drew a circle in the air after completing its task, and the heavy rain above Kong Xuan's head suddenly stopped.
"The Zhu Xian Sword?" Kong Xuan's heart skipped a beat as he carefully examined the sword's owner.
The one holding the Zhu Xian Sword was a young swordsman, with bright eyes and a refined demeanor. Kong Xuan felt even more suspicious; this person was neither immortal nor demon yet could wield the Zhu Xian Sword, which could slay both demons and immortals. It was truly perplexing!
The man pointed the divine sword at the Candle Dragon and said, "You vile creature, you dare to disrupt the mortal realm. I, Dongfang Muze, will uphold justice today."
Kong Xuan let out a low click of his tongue; so he was Mr. Dongfang after all—indeed quite capable!
The one-eyed Candle Dragon replied, "Another one here to seek death, quack!"
Zhu Jiu Yin shot it a fierce glare. "Shut your mouth and stop embarrassing yourself here."
"You've only learned a few human phrases; what embarrassment? You're clearly just making a fool of your own kind, quack quack."
Dongfang Muze watched the two-headed serpent argue with great interest, even using the Zhu Xian Sword to pick at his nails. "You two take your time arguing; I'm not in a hurry."
Zhu Jiu Yin said ominously, "Hmph, are you trying to sow discord so we end up fighting each other?"
The Candle Dragon looked up at his brother with admiration. "You're really cultured; you've even learned to respond with four-character phrases, quack quack!"
"Shut up." Zhu Jiu Yin and Dongfang shouted simultaneously.
"Brother, how can you be so in sync with the enemy? Hmph, who do you think is actually your brother hatched from the same egg?"
Dongfang looked at Zhu Jiu Yin with a sympathetic gaze that was all too familiar, almost as if he was saying, "What the hell?!"
A massive body emitted a fierce red light, turning the sky into an eerie crimson. Zhu Jiu Yin soared into the air, spewing white toxic mist towards Dongfang.
Dongfang's Zhu Xian Sword flashed through the air, its silver blade shimmering as it formed a barrier. He said to Kong Xuan, "You all go ahead; I'll handle this."
Kong Xuan glanced down at the small figure in his arms with a flushed face and nodded, "Be careful." He then took off towards the Shrine with Tang Zisu in his embrace.
Behind him, Zhu Xian Sword broke through the barrier, its silver brilliance intertwining with the red Candle Dragon.
---
Lang Ye knew that forcibly transforming into a human without sufficient power would be painful, but he never expected it to hurt this much. It was excruciating beyond belief!
After swallowing the pill Kong Xuan had given him, Lang Ye found an abandoned house to lie down in. At first, he felt nothing; just as he was about to curse Kong Xuan for giving him fake medicine, a burning pain erupted throughout his body.
This kind of pain was something Lang Ye had never experienced before. From his heart to his skin, every inch felt like it was being scorched by raging flames. He could even hear the sizzling of his flesh being roasted and the cracking sound of bones breaking. The pain made his scalp tingle, caused his limbs to tremble, and forced him to let out a desperate howl.
"Mi Ruanruan, wait for me; you are mine!"
His flesh turned to grease, bones turned to ash, and every hair on the massive black wolf stood on end. His limbs seemed to stretch painfully, and every muscle and bone felt like it was falling apart. Lang Ye was already too weak to howl; he lay on the ground convulsing in agony. Was he going to die?
"Lang Ye! Lang Ye! Wake up, please wake up!"
Feeling a warm current flowing into his body, Lang Ye slowly regained consciousness. Weakly, he murmured, "What happened? Birdman, did you really give me the Nirvana Pill?"
"What you eat doesn't matter; what matters is whether you can still perform."
"Hmph... Of course I can! Why don't you give it a try? Since you're so good-looking, I'll humor you and treat you like a mother for once."
Hearing that Lang Ye still had the strength to tease Kong Xuan put him at ease. He checked on Lang Ye and said, "Congratulations, the hardest part is over. By dawn, you'll be reborn from the flames and transform into a new self."
"Damn, do you really think I'm your father? Reborn from the flames? Damn your ancestors!"
"Go ahead and curse; the premise is that you can find my ancestors! Alright, you stay here for now. I'm heading to the Shrine to see if your Softy little darling has returned from Mr. Dongfang."
"Hurry up! If Softy gets taken away, I'll curse you to never perform again!"
Kong Xuan felt a bit exasperated. Why should it matter to him if your wife ran off with someone else? Can we still reason here?
Lang Ye actually felt a bit reluctant to see Kong Xuan go. Enduring this torment alone as a wolf was somewhat frightening, but he couldn't say that out loud. So he could only watch Kong Xuan leave until his figure disappeared into the rain.
Time crawled like a snail climbing a tree; although slow, it was still moving.
The rain outside grew heavier, and the wind became more ferocious. As midnight approached, Lang Ye felt increasingly restless.
Finally, his wolf form began to change. His tail and ears slowly vanished, followed by the crisp sound of bones stretching. Soon after, a muscular man appeared on all fours in the dilapidated house.
Lang Ye slowly straightened up, touching his long-lost human face after three hundred years. It was still the same: thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes, high nose, and thin lips—truly handsome!
The Wolf King gazed at his reflection, completely oblivious to some practical issues—like the fact that he was completely naked!
When wolves can run without clothes, are you sure you want to run naked as a human? Although you have long legs, a perky butt, and eight-pack abs, with plenty of body hair and a well-endowed feature, the women of ancient times were quite conservative. They would scream at you, but not out of excitement or cuteness; it was out of fear. Don't doubt it, the moment to verify this miracle is about to begin-----
Mi Ruanruan pushed open the door of the dilapidated house. Using the torch stuck in the wall for light, she saw a tall man with wild black hair. Of course, that wasn't the main point; the main point was that he! was! not! wearing! clothes!
"Ah!" Softy screamed and took two steps back before fleeing through the door.
"Softy!" Lang Ye was confused. Did I look so handsome that you ran away? It's pouring rain, and you're not coming back.
With long strides, Lang Ye quickly caught up to Softy, grabbing her waist and pulling her back.
"Let go of me, you scoundrel! Let go!" Softy struggled violently like a chick being lifted into the air by Lang Ye. However, due to the vast difference in strength, she couldn't budge him at all.
"What are you making such a fuss about? It's me."
The way Wolf King flirted was indeed sophisticated. If Tang Zisu from the 21st century saw this, she would definitely be impressed!
Softy couldn't understand what he was saying. The man in front of her looked fierce and wild; he might be a wanted criminal by the authorities, and if she fell into his hands today, it would end badly for her. Almost risking her life, Softy slapped his handsome face with both hands, but his bronze skin showed no signs of redness. Her small hands, used to rough work, stung painfully from his coarse stubble.
"Stop! Don't you recognize me?"
"I do. You're the notorious thief who has kidnapped thirty-six young girls."
Lang Ye gasped in shock. Who is this person? How can they be so bold? No, no, this is too fast; something must be wrong with my kidneys. So he cheekily assured her: "It's definitely not me; I can last long—just once! Just once!"
After hearing this, Softy completely lost it and screamed while grabbing Lang Ye's face.
"Can you not be so barbaric? If a woman wants to grab someone, she should grab a man's back. How can you face people with a hurt face?"
Lang Ye held Softy's slender waist in his hand, like a flower bud trembling in the wind, but this flower had thorns. With all her strength, she finally kicked at the already half-hard mass, causing Lang Ye to grimace in pain as he bent down, covering that area with both hands. "Mi Ruanruan, are you really willing to give up your happiness for the rest of your life?"
Softy, like a startled little bird, nimbly but unsteadily escaped from him, scattering her hair and losing a shoe as she ran out.
Lang Ye covered himself with one hand and reached out with the other, but he couldn't catch Softy. At that moment, he realized where the problem lay. After sleeping for three hundred years, he had become so clumsy that he forgot people needed to wear clothes. However, his Softy was not at a disadvantage; he no longer had to worry about her being bullied outside.
Lang Ye instinctively sniffed the air; something was wrong. The smell of blood suddenly thickened—Softy was in danger!
Without caring about being picky, Lang Ye grabbed a piece of ragged cloth to wrap around himself. Despite the pain making him gasp, he leaped out of the window.
Softy ran desperately, the splashing sound of water behind her made it seem like someone was chasing her. She couldn't afford to be afraid or lost in thought; she just wanted to reach a safe place and didn't even notice the Candle Dragon above her, covered in red scales, drooling down at her.
Lang Ye chased after her and gasped sharply as claws sprouted from his fingers, ready to pounce at any moment.
"Softy, what are you doing here?"
A man held a clear oil umbrella over Softy's head, his eyes looking deep and affectionate through the rain.
Strangely enough, when the Candle Dragon saw the man, it flicked its tail and disappeared.
"Mr. Dongfang, both the High Priestess and Divine Lady are missing. I need to find them."
Dongfang took off his cloak smeared with clear oil and draped it over Softy before handing her the umbrella. "You should go back quickly; it's not safe outside. I'll go look for them."
"But..."
"No buts. Do you not trust me at all?"
Softy nodded vigorously, "Of course I believe you. I'll go back right away and bring you the umbrella."
"No need, just hurry and go."
Dongfang gently pushed Softy and turned to chase after the direction where Candle Dragon had disappeared.
If it weren't for his disheveled appearance, Lang Ye really wanted to rush out and wrestle with Dongfang. Softy, you silly girl, who allowed you to look at other men with that kind of admiration in your eyes!
Angry as he was, Lang Ye still silently followed Softy until she safely returned to the Shrine.
The Shrine was still dimly lit and quiet. Softy went back to her room to change into clean clothes and put on shoes. Then she headed to the kitchen to start a fire, boiling a pot full of hot water and simmering Red Date Black Chicken Soup, anxiously waiting for Tang Zisu.
After an unknown amount of time, the back door of the Shrine was kicked open with a bang. Kong Xuan stood at the door holding Tang Zisu, both looking as if they had been pulled out of water.
As Kong Xuan stepped over the threshold, his legs gave way and he knelt on the ground. He quickly extended his arm to cushion Tang Zisu's head to prevent her from getting hurt. Softy hurriedly helped Kong Xuan up, only to realize that his back was already soaked with blood, washed out by the rain, leaving spots that looked like scattered petals.
"Divine Lady, you're injured?"
Kong Xuan's lips were pale as he weakly shook his head and said, "Quickly get some hot water to give Tang Zisu a bath and warm her up; she's running a fever."
"Okay, I'll go right away. What about you? Your wound?"
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine." Kong Xuan shouted, but his voice was already hoarse, filled with urgency yet lacking in strength.
Softy didn't dare to delay, rushing to the kitchen to fetch water. Kong Xuan removed Tang Zisu's clothes and placed her in the bath. Amidst the rising steam, Tang Zisu continued to tremble, unconsciously letting out painful whimpers, her face flushed abnormally.
Kong Xuan pressed on her pulse point, continuously channeling his internal energy into her body, while his own complexion grew increasingly pale, resembling a flower battered by wind and frost.
Softy stood to the side holding clean clothes, hesitant to speak, but turmoil surged within her. In truth, she had never liked Kong Xuan; his pride and aloofness made him seem distant and unapproachable. However, today his efforts to save Tang Zisu revealed a tender side of him that Softy had never seen before.
After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Kong Xuan finally released Tang Zisu's hand. He let out a long breath and leaned against the edge of the tub to stand up, but suddenly saw stars flashing before his eyes. He swayed a bit before steadying himself; indeed, the frail human body was truly useless!
Softy reached out to support Kong Xuan, but he waved her off. After standing for a moment, he reached into the water to lift Tang Zisu out.
Strands of red intertwined around Tang Zisu's legs and chest in the water, stinging Kong Xuan's eyes. He turned her over repeatedly as if inspecting pork at a market, yet he found no wounds.
Kong Xuan's brows furrowed deeply; where could she be injured?
Softy noticed what was happening and quickly said, "You don't need to worry; it's just Aunt Flo visiting the High Priestess."
Aunt Flo? Kong Xuan stared blankly at Softy for a moment before finally realizing what she meant. Still saying nothing, he reached down to lift Tang Zisu out of the water, wrapping her tightly in a large cloak and placing her on a warm couch.
"Softy, help her get dressed and prepare some hot soup."
"Okay, Divine Lady, you should change your clothes too; your back wound..."
Before Softy could finish speaking, Kong Xuan had already walked out.
"What's wrong? You were fine just a moment ago. Who upset you? You're not acting at all like the High Priestess," Softy muttered while helping Tang Zisu get dressed.
Kong Xuan changed into a comfortable outfit and swallowed a hemostatic pill that Mei Xiao had given him, estimating that Softy was almost done before he entered the room.
Softy brought over two bowls of steaming soup, ready to feed Tang Zisu.
"Divine Lady, I made this soup for you. Drink a bowl quickly to ward off the chill."
Kong Xuan walked straight to the bedside, reached out to touch Tang Zisu's forehead, which was still quite warm, but her breathing had stabilized. He propped her up against himself and then roughly tilted her chin to pop a healing pill into her mouth, whispering to Softy, "Make sure she drinks it down."
With some splashing, only half a bowl of soup was consumed before Kong Xuan signaled that it was enough and slowly laid Tang Zisu back down.
"Divine Lady, hurry and drink the soup before it cools."
Kong Xuan was also feeling thirsty and hungry, so he picked up a bowl and took a small sip.
"Why is it sweet?"
"Red Date Black Chicken Soup. I made it for the High Priestess when she first came to Aunt Flo. It's good for replenishing blood and warming the womb, just like for you."
Kong Xuan felt a wave of dizziness. Replenishing blood and warming the womb? This was ridiculous!
"What? Is it not good? You've lost so much blood; you need to replenish it. There's plenty more in the pot; I'll serve you another bowl after this one."
Under Softy's eager gaze, Kong Xuan reluctantly finished the bowl. Fine, he would consider it blood replenishment. As for warming the womb? Where did that warmth come from!
Kong Xuan refused Softy's second bowl and climbed onto the warm couch, embracing Tang Zisu and falling into a deep sleep.
Tang Zisu woke up three days later to a clear sky, warm and sunny with no wind or rain. The gentle autumn breeze felt almost like spring, stirring emotions within her.
She shielded her eyes from the sunlight, and Softy's figure gradually became clearer in her vision. The first person she saw was not the one from her dreams, which left Tang Zisu feeling somewhat disappointed.
Softy was very happy to see Tang Zisu awake. She touched Tang Zisu's forehead and said, "High Priestess, do you feel better? Is your body still in pain?"
"Mm," Tang Zisu pushed the blanket aside and sat up, looking confused. "Softy, have I been asleep for a long time?"
"Yes, three days and three nights! Everyone was so worried, but thankfully Mr. Dongfang helped."
"Dongfang? What about Kong Xuan? Where is he? He was injured, there was a snake, a huge snake! Where is Kong Xuan?" Memories flooded back to Tang Zisu before she fainted, and she struggled to get out of bed.
As she moved, an uncomfortable sensation arose in her lower body; a stiff piece of cloth rubbed against her thighs, causing a sharp pain.
She awkwardly raised her head. "Softy, what is that?"
Softy grabbed Tang Zisu's hand that was pointing at her legs. "Don't move." Softy turned around and opened the cabinet, taking out a clean, soft cloth strip and handing it to Tang Zisu.
"What is this?" Tang Zisu asked in shock as she pinched it, feeling puzzled.
"This is what you used as padding. I used the softest white cloth, filled with plant ash. When it gets dirty, don't throw it away carelessly; just tear off the bag containing the plant material and wash the white cloth for next time."
Oh my, an ancient-style sanitary pad? They have long super absorbent ones that can be moved however you want; why use plant ash? Your sanitary conditions are really poor!
Tang Zisu was seriously fiddling with the items in her hands, speaking to Softy with a very serious and academic tone, "Softy, these things should be thrown away after one use. What about using some cotton instead of this wood ash?"
"Cotton is fine, but it's not cotton-picking season yet. Besides, wood ash is more economical than cotton."
Tang Zisu helplessly rubbed her forehead. Did it really have to be this difficult? She wanted to go home, where at least there were various brands of Sophie Comforts to choose from. Wait a minute, what was she doing? Had she really accepted the bloody fact that she was a woman, accepting that every month she would have a visit from relatives? This was not scientific!
The door creaked open, and a tall, handsome man walked in. Tang Zisu hurriedly shoved the items under her bottom, reacting like a typical woman.
Softy quickly greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Dongfang, thank you for coming to deliver the medicine again. The High Priestess is feeling much better."
Tang Zisu was not familiar with Dongfang Muze and politely said, "I’m really sorry for troubling you."
Dongfang was quite familiar and casually touched Tang Zisu's forehead while holding her hand—taking her pulse. Tang Zisu felt somewhat uncomfortable; sir, could you please have some self-awareness? After all, this was ancient times where a woman would want to chop off the hand of a strange man who held hers. Wasn't this blatant harassment?
Dongfang smiled and said, "You're fine now; you look good. However, now that you're better, avoid greasy food."
Softy quickly added, "I've already prepared plain porridge."
Plain porridge? Seriously? After being hungry for several days, all I get is a bowl of porridge? This is so inhumane; I want to complain! And you, man—why are you still holding on after the examination? Do you want to end up with missing teeth?
Before Tang Zisu could explode in anger, a white figure dashed into the room. Tang Zisu felt a blur before being embraced by Kong Xuan.
"Xuan Xuan, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Upon seeing Kong Xuan, Tang Zisu's only concern was for him; she completely forgot about their previous grievances.
"Look at me; I'm perfectly fine! We should thank Mr. Dongfang; he drove away the Candle Dragon." Although she expressed gratitude, her tone lacked sincerity.
Dongfang Muze had a graceful demeanor and showed no signs of being picky about Kong Xuan's small nose and eyes. "Not at all, I came here to exorcise demons, so it's just a small effort on my part."
"How can it be a small matter? You saved both my life and Xuan Xuan's! Such a great favor deserves gratitude; both Xuan Xuan and I must repay you."
Dongfang Muze looked at Kong Xuan with deep meaning in his eyes. "Divine Lady, the East asks for nothing in return, but if there comes a time when I have a request of you, I hope you will remember this old favor."
Kong Xuan maintained her composure on the surface, but internally she was calculating. Her phoenix eyes slightly lifted, the golden hue in her pupils radiated brightly, making it hard for others to look directly at her. "Well said, well said. Mr. Dongfang, rest assured, I will repay the life-saving grace in the future."
The two appeared to be on good terms, but beneath the surface, there were already waves of tension brewing. Tang Zisu, not understanding these subtleties, let out an ungraceful yawn and clung to Kong Xuan's arm. "I'm hungry; Softy only gives me plain porridge."
"What do you want to eat?" Kong Xuan asked Tang Zisu, her sharpness softened into gentleness.
"I want sweet and sour pork knuckle."
"No way." Both Softy and Kong Xuan replied in unison.
Tang Zisu pouted, feeling that a life without meat was unhappy.
"High Priestess, you're up! I've brought you some delicious food!" Jumping rushed in energetically, the wind from her entrance causing the teacups to tremble.
"Jumping, what did you bring?" Tang Zisu caught a whiff of the aroma wafting from Jumping's food box.
"Boiled pig's head; my stepmother says you should eat what you want to supplement."
Tang Zisu: ..........
Kong Xuan: Silly Goose is really a brain booster; anyone would want to touch it.
Jumping placed the food box on the table and turned to see Dongfang Muze. She trembled nervously, "Mr. Dongfang, you're here too?"
Dongfang smiled and nodded, "Jumping, how's your practice with that knife technique going?"
Jumping was momentarily stunned by Dongfang's smile, her big eyes sparkling with pink bubbles: How can he be so handsome? Mr. Dongfang is just so charming!
"Jumping, Jumping, are you okay?" Dongfang waved his hand in front of Jumping's eyes, wondering if she had lost her mind.
"What's wrong with her? She's just having a moment." Today was lively; Little Fish had also arrived.
Little Fish first greeted Tang Zisu and handed the fruit in her hand to Softy, then looked at Jumping with a challenging expression.
"You’re the one who’s sick; did you take your medicine before coming out?" With Mr. Dongfang present, Jumping pulled Little Fish's clothes and led her outside while lowering her voice.
"Your infatuation needs treatment; otherwise, you'll really be foolish. That pig head might as well eat itself."
Jumping gritted her teeth and twisted the flesh on Little Fish's arm in every direction: "Do you want to die?"
"Let go, Piggy Jump! You just bully me because you see Mr. Dongfang; you're as obedient as a cat around him. I’m telling you, he won't look at you at all; just give up, shrew."
"Little Rascal!" Jumping could no longer hold back and shouted angrily as she knocked Little Fish down.
Outside, cries of distress echoed continuously. Tang Zisu couldn't help but exchange amused glances with Kong Xuan: "Days like this are certainly not lonely."
Dongfang said, "Then I'll take my leave first. Softy, let's go gather some herbs and eat for another couple of days."
Softy looked helplessly at the two engaged in a brawl and turned to leave with Dongfang. At that moment, the door opened on its own, and a tall man in black stood at the entrance, asking loudly, "Excuse me, does Kong Xuan live here?"
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