Chapter 6: A Melodramatic Immortal Tale

Chapter 6: A Melodramatic Immortal Tale

After tending to the wound on her arm, Nanyan remembered another matter: the old injury on Chu Liyue's shoulder, inflicted by He Nanwan, had yet to heal.

It was a wound caused by a cultivator's magical weapon, ironically the very sword Chu Liyue had gifted He Nanwan for protection.

No wonder he, even in his unconscious state, kept asking if she liked Ye Qingsang. With his personality, the more unattainable something was, the less likely he was to let go.

That explained why he gripped her wrist so tightly even while unconscious, a sign of deep affection indeed.

……

Meanwhile, in another palace hall.

Chu Liyue's calm demeanor darkened instantly after hearing the cautious report from his demonic guard, "Find her. No matter where she hides, dig three feet into the ground if you must, but bring her to me."

The demonic guard, trembling with fear, hurried out to execute the order.

Nanyan arrived just in time to hear the voice echoing from within the hall.

To her knowledge, Ye Qingsang had already taken He Nanwan to the mortal realm, making it impossible for them to be found in the cultivation world.

However, this delay wouldn't last long. In a few days, these people would follow the clues to the lower realm, so she needed to hasten her actions.

Without announcing her arrival, Nanyan entered the Demon Lord's main hall, but her timing was poor, as Chu Liyue was currently troubled by He Nanwan's whereabouts.

As he turned around, he saw Nanyan, who shouldn't have been there, "What are you doing here again?"

Chu Liyue's gaze fixed on her face.

The more he observed, the more he felt something was off about this woman. He now suspected whether she was colluding with He Nanwan. Was her marriage into Youdou a ploy to buy time while He Nanwan escaped, all of them playing him like a pawn in their scheme?

Nanyan paused momentarily upon hearing his words but remained unfazed by his cold tone. She calmly walked over and carefully placed the bandages and medicine bottle on the table.

"The wound on the Demon Lord's shoulder has not healed. I've brought these medicines from the demonic healer and wish to assist in treating it," she explained her purpose concisely.

Chu Liyue's brows slightly furrowed, showing no interest in engaging with her, "Leave. I don't need these pointless things."

Nanyan hesitated for a moment but didn’t comply with his wish. Instead, she stepped forward and asked a seemingly irrelevant question, "Is the Demon Lord upset?"

He didn't respond to her.

Unperturbed, Nanyan smiled at him, her clear black pupils reflecting Chu Liyue's growing impatience as she continued, "Even if the Demon Lord is upset, you shouldn't joke with your health."

This time, Chu Liyue deigned to glance at her, but still remained silent.

An idea struck her, and she suddenly turned to him with a smile, "How about this?"

"I'll tell you a secret in exchange for you letting me treat your wound."

...A secret?

Upon hearing this, Chu Liyue's gaze instantly turned dangerous, "Are you threatening me, He Nanyan? Do you think I am that patient?"

When this man gets angry, he tends to refer to himself, but there seemed to be no sign of rage at the moment.

Quickly shaking her head, Nanyan hurriedly clarified, "Don't misunderstand, Demon Lord. How could I dare threaten you? Let's just call it a small agreement between us."

Chu Liyue's attention was now entirely focused on the secret she mentioned. He wondered if the secret had something to do with He Nanwan. Did she know He Nanwan's whereabouts?

With this thought, Chu Liyue abruptly grabbed Nanyan's wrist, asking threateningly, "What secret do you know?"

Nanyan, unlike Chu Liyue, wasn’t in a hurry. Anticipating his reaction, she looked at him with a resigned yet gentle gaze, "As I said, it’s a trade. You must let me treat the wound first, and then I will tell you."

Chu Liyue pursed his lips, suppressing the irritation within, his gaze fixed intently on her familiar face, "You better not play any tricks, or I won't let you off."

Nanyan couldn't help but chuckle, then seriously said to him, "I just want to help you, I won't hurt you."

Chu Liyue scoffed.

Seeing him motionless, Nanyan knew he was listening and slowly raised her hand to carefully hold the palm that was gripping her wrist.

His palm also had a wound, not severe but neglected for so long that the blood had crusted over.

She dampened a cloth and gently cleaned around the wound, her touch light like a feather, occasionally causing a faint tickling sensation.

This sensation made Chu Liyue frown, feeling not just the physical touch but a strange feeling spreading within. It was like something soft had brushed against his heart, beyond his control.

Chu Liyue, unaccustomed to this sensation, instinctively tried to withdraw his hand, but was gently held in place.

Nanyan looked up at him, "Don't move, it'll be done soon, okay?"

Chu Liyue faced her with a cold expression, trying to appear less affected, "Hurry up, I don't have much time to waste on you."

Nanyan nodded, "Understood."

She quickly began bandaging him, her hands delicate and soft, her pale fingertips meticulously wiping with the cloth.

Chu Liyue's gaze shifted from her fingers to her face and noticed, for the first time, that her features differed from He Nanwan’s. This woman had a tiny crimson mole at the end of her eyebrow, and her gaze seemed gentler.

After applying the medicine, Nanyan advised carefully, "Fortunately, the wound isn't deep. It might itch a bit after applying the medicine. Remember not to get it wet, and it should heal by tomorrow."

Chu Liyue scoffed. This woman was bold, now even daring to instruct him. Did she really think that by helping him a few times, she could overstep her boundaries?

Chu Liyue didn’t bother to respond. The air was quiet but not awkward, mainly because he was naturally a cold and reserved person.

Nanyan thought to herself that his uninteresting nature was no wonder the heroine wanted to escape the marriage. Being with him must be unbearably dull.

After treating the wounds on his palm and shoulder, Nanyan finally breathed a sigh of relief, smiled gently at him, and said, "Demon Lord, it's all taken care of now."

Having said that, she tidied up the scattered medicine bottles and bandages on the table.

Chu Liyue looked at the bandaged wound, his brows lifting as he focused on her, "What is this secret you mentioned?" That was his only concern.

Nanyan sighed lightly, seeming a bit disheartened, but soon recovered, her eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement as she beckoned him closer, "Come here, I'll whisper it to you."

Chu Liyue's expression immediately turned cold, "What are you trying to pull now?"

Nanyan looked at him innocently, waving her empty hands in front of him, "Are you afraid of me, a weak woman with no strength? I've told you I'm not deceiving you. Just come a bit closer, and I'll tell you."

Chu Liyue, not sure what drove him, felt an inner repulsion but eventually leaned in to listen.

Nanyan chuckled softly as she leaned close to his ear, her warm breath undulating, "I'll tell you a secret... it's about the kitchen auntie's sow. She gave birth to seven piglets, none of which resemble the boar she keeps. Now, the boar is angry, suspecting the sow of infidelity..."

Chu Liyue's face darkened before she even finished.

Never known for his patience, and certainly not for tolerating mockery, his anger surged, "Get away from me!"

Nanyan, anticipating this reaction, deftly dodged his outburst.

She dared to dodge!

Chu Liyue, even angrier now, grabbed a book from the table and hurled it at her, "You've got some nerve, mocking me."

Nanyan nimbly ducked behind the desk, but was unexpectedly hit on the head by the book. She yelped in pain and pleaded, "Don't be angry, stop throwing things, I was just trying to cheer you up..."

Chu Liyue, still furious, was not in a mood to listen, "Cheer me up? Ha, I'd be delighted to figure out how to kill you right now."

"No, please..."

Nanyan tried to dodge again, but as she stood up, she hit her forehead against a protruding shelf, causing a loud "thump."

"Ouch..."

She felt dizzy instantly, her vision blurring.

In a bad turn of events, she stumbled a few steps, losing control of her body, and collapsed. Right before passing out, she saw him approaching.

"I've tolerated you for far too long..."

Chu Liyue approached her with a cold laugh, "Still pretending to be dead? Do you really think I'm a fool, unable to see through your little tricks?"

Nanyan on the ground remained unresponsive.

Unable to restrain himself, Chu Liyue, known for his bad temper, grabbed her wrist, yanked her up forcefully, and commanded, "Get up."

Only after pulling her up did he notice the blood flowing from her forehead. Chu Liyue paused, his expression deepening. Had she actually fainted?

What was happening?

His grip on her loosened, his anger receding back into his chest, leaving him feeling frustrated and trapped in indecision.

He tossed her back to the ground, intending to leave her to her fate, but then noticed her closed eyes and bloodless, pitiful face.

For some reason, a fleeting moment of compassion emerged, and in that brief moment of softness, he picked her up again.

"Someone, call the physician."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Liyue realized he had shown leniency towards this woman, which was highly unusual for him.

He fell into deep contemplation.

After the physician finished examining her and retreated to the side, he bowed to the Demon Lord, "Rest assured, my lord, the lady is not in grave danger. She's just weak and has fainted due to overexertion and a slight infection in her arm wound. Some rest will suffice for recovery..."

Chu Liyue grunted in acknowledgment, then dismissively waved his hand, "Fine, get her some medicine. As long as she doesn't die, that's enough."

His words were indeed harsh.

The elderly physician wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, not daring to look around, and promptly exited the room.

The hall returned to silence once more.

Incense burned on the table, wafting thin wisps of white smoke.

Chu Liyue glanced at the unconscious Nanyan, now understanding the cause of her ailment, yet feeling more unsettled inside.

Ever since this woman woke up, things had taken an unusual turn. Her actions, her words, and the way she looked at him during their interactions all pointed to one fact—she admired him...

This realization made an unusual emotion well up in Chu Liyue's chest.

It was as if something was gradually consuming him.

But even so, what did it matter?

He didn't need anyone's affection, especially not from a mere substitute. She was worlds apart from He Nanwan; there was no comparison.

After much thought, he attributed his moment of softness to misplaced affection, merely a result of her resemblance to He Nanwan, sparking a trace of sympathy in him.

Having understood this.

Chu Liyue turned to leave, but as he stood up, he felt something tugging at his sleeve.

Looking down, he saw a delicate white finger, its tip unconsciously curled, gripping his robe tightly in her hand.

Chu Liyue immediately tried to pull away, but surprisingly couldn't free himself.

How was this woman, even unconscious, still holding on so tightly?

He reached to pry her fingers open, but as he leaned in, he heard her faint murmur, "Ah Yue, don't be upset... I won't leave you..."

Her voice made Chu Liyue halt his movements and furrow his brows tightly; she was calling him Ah Yue... just like she had comforted him that night.

Chu Liyue pressed his lips together, feeling something soft gently bumping against his calm heart, an inexplicably strange sensation.

Everyone despised and loathed him, even his beloved didn't accept him. Yet this woman was unusually affectionate, even loving towards someone as wicked as him.

Truly... uncommon.

His gaze fell back on her sleeping face.

She didn't seem to be sleeping peacefully, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. Maybe it was the pain from her wound, her complexion pallid, giving her a pitiful and frail appearance.

After all, she was just a substitute.

Thinking this, he gradually lessened the force in his hand.

……

It was not until evening that Nanyan slowly regained consciousness, waking up to unfamiliar, deep purple draperies, seemingly not her own chamber.

Turning her head, she saw Chu Liyue sitting beside the bed, meditating with closed eyes, and her smile widened.

Nanyan touched her forehead, feeling only a small patch of bandaged gauze. She winced at the still distinct pain.

Originally intending to feign fainting as an escape, she actually fell asleep, exhausted from caring for him all night—a fact she couldn't deny.

Supporting herself up, she slowly sat up, her view perfectly capturing his cold visage, adorned with a row of long, dense lashes, his eyelids slightly closed.

Watching him, she couldn't resist poking his cheek with her finger, softly calling out, "Demon Lord..."