Hong Yanzhi left the dungeon and went straight to the infirmary.
Lin Xue lay on the bed, her eyes tightly shut, still unconscious, her beautiful face drained of all color, like a sleeping beauty.
Elder Huai was sitting by the ground stove. On the stove sat a clay pot, bubbling as it brewed a medicinal decoction.
Seeing Hong Yanzhi arrive, Elder Huai stood up, cupped his hands, and said, “Demon Princess, please accept my condolences.”
Hong Yanzhi’s face was expressionless, showing not a trace of pain.
She glanced at Lin Xue and asked, “How is this Snake Spirit?”
Elder Huai looked at Lin Xue and reported,
“Her injuries are severe, the impact was violent, her internal organs have been badly damaged. Her body has already begun to use up the Serpent Core’s cultivation to heal itself. If nothing is done, she’ll inevitably drop in Cultivation Realm, and revert to her Beast Body.”
“Seeing her condition worsen, I fed her a few spoonfuls of Bauhinia Grape Juice to temporarily stabilize her Serpent Core and prevent her Cultivation Realm from falling further.”
“However, judging by her injuries, I’m afraid it’ll take over ten days for her to wake up.”
Hong Yanzhi stood at Lin Xue’s bedside, carefully examining her perfect transformation, and instructed Elder Huai,
“This demoness is of great use, nothing can happen to her. You must keep her Cultivation Realm stable at all costs. Elder Huai, I’ll have to trouble you to take good care of her these days. If you’re short on any medicinal herbs, feel free to take them from my Inner Treasury.”
Elder Huai cupped his hands and said, “Please rest assured, Demon Princess. This old man will take good care of the young lady.”
Hong Yanzhi then asked, “How is my father?”
Elder Huai replied,
“The Master of the Cave merely suffered a bout of grief and agitation, causing his qi and blood to surge. He fainted for a moment. I gave him a Heart-saving Pill, and an Incense Stick ago he already woke up. He’s now resting in his chamber.”
Hong Yanzhi nodded, turned, and left.
She went up to the Upper Cavern and entered Hong Lao San’s chamber.
Hong Lao San was lying on the bed, his face shattered with grief, tears flowing down, clutching a piece of Hong Huzhi’s clothing in his arms.
Staring at the ceiling, his eyes were dull, and he kept murmuring, “My child, my precious…”
When he saw Hong Yanzhi come in, his eyes moved, as if he had come back to life.
He gritted his teeth and asked bitterly, “Did you get it out of them, who harmed your younger brother?”
His voice seemed squeezed out through clenched teeth, filled with boundless hatred.
Seeing him like this, Hong Yanzhi sighed and answered,
“I got it. It was the Xichuan Yang Clan who hired the Beast Taming Sect’s Spiritual Bird to catch that little Snake Spirit in the mountains. It just so happened Tigerzi was taking her out of the cave and wanted to abduct her, but they ran into that Spiritual Bird, and that’s what killed him.”
“That loud explosion outside was the Spiritual Bird suddenly self-destructing. The Snake Spirit was also injured by the blast. I have Elder Huai treating her now. In about ten days or half a month, she should wake up, so we won’t delay things before Zong Biao Yao Jiang arrives.”
Hong Lao San’s face was full of hatred. He slammed his fist hard against the Purple Sandalwood Cabinet beside the bed.
“Bang!”
The expensive cabinet was smashed to pieces by his punch.
“Good! Xichuan Yang Clan, Beast Taming Sect! This Master of the Cave will never share the same sky with you!”
A murderous light flashed in his eyes as he gave his orders,
“Yanzhi, immediately contact Niu’er Mountain and Yellow Wind Mountain! Our three peaks have always advanced and retreated together as one. Now those Human Cultivators have sent their lackeys into our Xixia Mountain, killed my son Hong Lao San’s son—this is wanton trespass upon our Demonic Beast territory!”
“This Master of the Cave will join forces with your Bear Uncle and Huang Uncle to form the United Army. The three mountains will march together into Xichuan County City, wipe out the Yang Family, flatten the Beast Taming Sect, and take Revenge for My Son!”
……
Zhang Zongnian, in a daze, felt something moving near his ear, making a rustling sound.
He opened his eyes and saw a pair of tiny eyes.
Four eyes met.
“Squeak!” The little eyes, startled, turned and darted into a small hole by the wall.
Zhang Zongnian finally saw that it was a Mouse.
His vision was still blurry, and pain racked his whole body—there wasn’t a single uninjured spot.
Where have I been thrown this time?
He struggled for a long time before barely managing to sit up.
The pain throughout his body made just this one movement take an enormous effort.
Zhang Zongnian panted for breath, looking around, and found himself inside a cell.
Glancing about, he felt the cell looked familiar. It seemed to be the same cell he had stayed in the first day he arrived at this demon’s lair.
The ground still held that musty-smelling Beast Skin.
The Mouse hole by the wall was in the exact same spot as the one where the Mouse stole his food before.
He confirmed it—it was the same cell.
And the Mouse from just now was the same one that had stolen his food that day.
He’d been thrown back into this dungeon again.
Zhang Zongnian gave a bitter laugh.
It was what he deserved, after all!
Who told him to be so greedy!
He let out a long sigh.
He didn’t want to recall that nightmare hour in the Torture Chamber.
The hideous grin of Hua Ban Tongling, the endless array of torture tools in his hands, were not something he ever wanted to experience a second time.
And the way that Tigeress watched him suffer, enjoying it like some plaything, sent chills down his spine.
After an hour of torture today, Tigeress had still failed to pry his mouth open, getting nothing more out of him.
But what about tomorrow? And the day after?
If tortured like this every day, he feared one day he wouldn’t be able to bear it and would let slip Snake Secret.
And who knows how Lin Xue is doing now?
With such heavy injuries, would she drop in Cultivation Realm again?
Leaning against the wall, Zhang Zongnian saw Lin Xue’s smile in his mind and felt endless regret.
A Dog Demon came to the cell door and pushed a plate of food in through the bars.
“You, Human Cultivator, time to eat.”
The Dog Demon barked, then took out a bottle from his bosom and tossed it to Zhang Zongnian.
Zhang Zongnian caught the bottle and looked up at the Dog Demon.
He recognized him as the jailer, Laifu.
Dog Demon Laifu said, “This is Healing Medicine for you. Make sure you take it soon!”
Zhang Zongnian was a little surprised.
The jailer was bringing him medicine?
He pulled out the stopper and sniffed.
He’d studied medicine for a few years. At a whiff, he could tell it really was a healing remedy.
He figured the jailer was afraid he’d die in the cell, and he’d end up getting scolded by Hong Yanzhi, so he brought him medicine.
He put away the medicine and thanked the Dog Demon, “Thank you.”
But Dog Demon Laifu didn’t leave. He looked around, then leaned close to the cell door, beckoning Zhang Zongnian over, and said, “Come here.”
Zhang Zongnian was puzzled, not knowing what the Dog Demon wanted.
He struggled to his feet and walked to the cell door.
Laifu came closer, his Dog Chain full of curiosity and concern, and asked,
“Hey, let me ask you, your little sister—the Demon Princess’s Servant Girl, that Lin Xue the Snake Spirit—did Tigerzi manage to get his hands on her today?”
Zhang Zongnian couldn’t help but smile wryly.
What is this guy even worried about?
He shook his head. “No.”
Dog Demon Laifu looked extremely happy and relieved, clenching his fist into his palm, exclaiming,
“That’s good! That dog of a Tigerzi is no good. Your sister is like a fairy from heaven. If that dog had defiled her, I’d be so mad I wouldn’t even be able to eat meat!”
He glared at Zhang Zongnian with doggy eyes, full of anticipation, and asked, “So tell me, was Tigerzi killed by you two? If you tell me, I, Laifu, absolutely won’t tell anyone.”
Zhang Zongnian instantly became alert.
Could it be that this Dog Demon was sent by someone to get information?
He answered, “Tigerzi and his followers are at the late stage of Body Tempering. How could we two siblings possibly have such ability? They were killed by the Xichuan Yang Clan’s Spiritual Beast. The culprit is the Xichuan Yang Clan!”
Dog Demon Laifu was baffled. “Xichuan Yang Clan? Why would they come kill Tigerzi?”
Before Zhang Zongnian could answer, Laifu shook his head, “Whatever! Let them kill whoever they want, anyway. I only care that Tigerzi, that damned dog, is dead—what a great thing!”
He grinned, showing his fangs at Zhang Zongnian.
“Although it wasn’t you two who killed him, it’s thanks to you he died, so we’re all quite pleased. Even though you’re a Human Cultivator, I think you’re a decent sort. Would you be willing to be friends with me, Laifu?”
Zhang Zongnian was moved.
Locked up here and cut off from the outside, if he could befriend Laifu, maybe he’d hear news from outside now and then, and learn how Lin Xue was doing. Not bad.
He immediately cupped his hands, “Zhang Zongnian would be honored.”
Dog Demon Laifu was overjoyed, stretched his paw through the bars and patted his shoulder.
“You cultivator, from now on, in the dungeon, I, Laifu, will look after you. You’ll never lack for food or drink.”