Chapter 56: The Human Apothecary

Be Red Rouge’s personal maid?

Lin Xue instantly recalled Pingping, who had met a tragic end as told by the Lesser Beasts.

To become her personal maid was likely a death sentence!

Besides, this Hong Yanzhi didn’t look like someone easy to serve.

That day, a Rat Demon had gone a whole day without arranging to clean her chamber pot, and ended up getting doused in urine by her.

To be her maid was like an old immortal hanging himself—tired of living too long.

Lin Xue instinctively resisted.

But then she suddenly thought of that notorious Young Master Huzi.

She was just a newly arrived, rootless Little Snake Spirit, completely unfamiliar with her surroundings.

If she encountered that wicked Young Master Huzi, she would hardly escape his clutches.

Falling into the hands of that Demon King, she would have nowhere to turn for help.

But if she became Hong Yanzhi’s maid and stayed close to her, if her brother ever tried to do something to her, perhaps Hong Yanzhi could still protect her.

The Demon Troops at the cave entrance had also said that the maid named Pingping was taken away by Young Master Huzi while Hong Yanzhi was away.

That meant Young Master Huzi was at least somewhat wary of his elder sister, not daring to snatch people in front of her.

Perhaps she could use Hong Yanzhi as her shield.

Lin Xue made up her mind then and there—she would stick close to Hong Yanzhi and not leave her side, just survive this month peacefully.

She took a deep breath and said, “Alright, I’m willing to be your personal maid, Demon Princess. But I need to see my brother first, to tell him what’s happened here so he won’t worry.”

She had to check on Zhang Zongnian first.

Zhang Zongnian was still locked in that so-called Human Elixir Chamber, completely in the dark, waiting to be bled. Who knew how much agony he was enduring?

She needed to let him know the situation, so he could be at ease and hold on for another month.

Hong Yanzhi jerked her chin toward the door and said, “I’ll allow it. Go.”

She called out, “Yuan Ding!”

A Cat Demon responded, “At your service!”

Hong Yanzhi crossed her arms and commanded, “Take this Little Snake Spirit to the Human Elixir Chamber to see her brother.”

The Cat Demon replied, “Yes, Miss!”

He bared his teeth at Lin Xue and said, “Let’s go, Snake Sister, follow me.”

Lin Xue turned to follow Yuan Ding outside.

But Hong Yanzhi’s cold voice sounded behind her, “Come back!”

Lin Xue froze, turned around to face her, unsure of what she wanted now.

Hong Yanzhi snorted, “You’re a maid now, and you just leave like that? Don’t you know any manners?”

Lin Xue rolled her eyes inwardly, bowed, lowered her head, and said, “Yes, Miss, Lin Xue takes her leave.”

Hong Yanzhi nodded in satisfaction. “Go.”

Lin Xue grumbled internally: A demon, and still so many useless rules. Really thinks she’s some noble princess.

She backed up a few steps before straightening up and following Yuan Ding out of the room.

The two demons left the passage, passed through a cave, walked along a long spiral staircase, and arrived at the main hall’s crossroad before heading into the left corridor.

The left corridor was also a spiral, but unlike the right side, its stairs led downward.

Lin Xue followed Yuan Ding for nearly a kilometer and descended into a large cavern.

This huge cavern was over half the size of a soccer field, branching into several more passages.

Each passage had a crooked sign above it, marked “Ku Fang,” “Huo Fang,” “Yi Fang,” “She Fang,” “Di Lao,” and so on.

It seemed this cavern was the busiest place in Luoyun Cave, with Lesser Beasts constantly coming and going in and out of every passage.

Lin Xue’s arrival caused quite a stir.

Almost all the Lesser Beasts here were male—Lin Xue hadn’t seen a single female demon.

When these Lesser Beasts saw Lin Xue, nearly all of them gave her a passionate look of admiration.

Some brazenly looked her up and down, their gazes intrusive, as if trying to see through her clothes and into her very body.

Some stood rooted to the spot, mouths agape, eyes fixed on her until she had walked far away.

Some, even while walking, kept turning to stare at her—then promptly crashed into a wall, stumbled, or stepped on another demon, causing an argument.

There were even bolder ones who tried to approach, only to be chased off by Yuan Ding: “Go, go, scram! This Snake Sister is the Demon Princess’s maid—how could filth like you hope to get close?”

Lin Xue could only feel helpless about this.

There were far more males than females among the demons in Luoyun Cave—the gender ratio was seriously unbalanced.

And procreation was a fundamental desire of all creatures.

These demons came from beasts, who tended to be straightforward and open with their emotions.

With so few outlets for their desires, it was no wonder the Lesser Beasts couldn’t take their eyes off a female demon.

She could understand this.

But being surrounded and scrutinized by dozens of hot, hungry gazes was still deeply uncomfortable.

Under Yuan Ding’s lead, she entered the “Di Lao” passage.

The passage sloped downward, with rows of prison-like cells carved into the cave walls on both sides.

Some cells were empty; some held demons.

In the lowest dozen or so cells, humans were kept.

These were all young or middle-aged men, gaunt and pale, eyes dull, faces full of despair. Who knew how long they’d been imprisoned.

So this “Human Elixir Chamber” was actually in the dungeon.

Lin Xue felt deep sympathy for them, but was powerless to help and could only lower her head and pass by quietly.

She had already cured Third Elder Hong’s poison—there was no need to draw blood from humans anymore.

She wondered what would happen to these “Human Elixirs” next.

At the end of the passage, in the lowest solitary cell, Lin Xue saw Zhang Zongnian.

Zhang Zongnian was sitting cross-legged on the ground, his face full of anxiety and worry, his eyes unfocused.

There was a bowl of rice by his side, but he hadn’t touched it.

The moment Lin Xue appeared at the doorway, Zhang Zongnian sprang to his feet.

Light returned to his eyes in an instant.

“Miss Lin!”

Lin Xue raised her finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. “Brother, your little sister has come to see you.”

Earlier, to deal with Xiong Ba and Lang Buping in the forest, she had claimed she and Zhang Zongnian were sworn siblings.

Now, with Yuan Ding present, if Zhang Zongnian blurted out “Miss Lin,” their cover would be blown.

Zhang Zongnian realized his slip and quickly corrected himself, “Lit—little sister, you’re here. How are things on your end? That Furen Yao didn’t give you trouble, did she?”

Yuan Ding slammed his Chang Qiang on the ground and shouted, “How dare you! Show some respect to our Demon Princess!”

Zhang Zongnian glanced at the Cat Demon, ignored him, and looked only at Lin Xue.

Lin Xue turned and flashed Yuan Ding a sweet smile.

“Yuan Ding-ge, my brother and I have a few things to discuss. Could you stand a bit farther off and help block out anyone else who might come by? So we won’t be disturbed?”

Seeing her charming smile and hearing her call him “Yuan Ding-ge,” Yuan Ding practically melted.

His cat face creased into a grinning chrysanthemum. “No problem! Your big brother here will keep everyone away—no one will disturb you.”

With that, he shouldered his Chang Qiang, marched a dozen steps away, and stood at attention like a sentry, barring the passage with his spear as if one man could hold off an entire army.