Chapter 36 Part 2

Just then, Cui Yu suddenly stepped forward hesitantly and tugged Li Jiangying’s sleeve. “If I’m not mistaken, this is the renowned Green Hand Devil Doctor, Lady Gu Qinglin?” The Green Hand Devil Doctor—the very one who concocts the Yin Wood Water Essence Pill!

Green Hand Devil Doctor Gu Qinglin? Who was that? Li Jiangying still wore an expression of clueless confusion.

At this, Jiang Sujin picked herself up off the ground, dusted herself off, and said cheerfully to Li Jiangying and Gu Qinglin: “Sister Ying Suanli, Green Hand Devil Doctor is my master’s title. It’s normal you don’t know since you’ve reclused yourself for so many years. Master! Sister Ying Suanli and A Yue are my life-saviors! I was super smart this time; I didn’t reveal your identity at all. They’re different from the people before!”

Gu Qinglin said coldly, “You say that every time.”

Jiang Sujin scratched her head, confused. “I do?”

Li Jiangying continued trying to insert herself into the conversation. “Senior Gu, Sujin says you are a very skilled Medical Cultivator. A Yue is severely injured and we wish to ask you to examine her.”

Gu Qinglin turned to look at her. “Reclused for many years? Why do I see you as no different from a mortal?”

Li Jiangying: “That… is a long story.”

Gu Qinglin: “Won’t even show your true face, yet you claim you have no schemes?”

Li Jiangying: “That… is also hard to explain.”

Jiang Sujin pulled on her master’s sleeve. “Master, don’t be like that. They’re good people! Oh, right! Master, you don’t know yet—Sister Ying Suanli has fate with you!”

Gu Qinglin and Li Jiangying simultaneously looked at each other in astonishment: “What fate?”

Then Jiang Sujin happily said, “Sister Ying Suanli’s master’s sect is also called Spirit Vulture Palace! She’s cultivated the Eight Directions Six Harmonies I Alone Am Supreme Art, which is why she looks like a mortal. But actually, she’s super powerful—even a match for a Moon-Chasing Devil Venerable!”

Li Jiangying: “Wait! Is this why you were so happy when I was spouting nonsense?!”

Gu Qinglin’s mouth twitched. She looked at Li Jiangying with eyes full of disdain and pickiness. “You fool, you’ve been tricked again! How could there be a second Spirit Vulture Palace in this world? What’s more, I, your master here, have already been expelled from Spirit Vulture Palace. If they were truly fellow sect members, we’d be avoiding each other until death!”

Li Jiangying: “I don’t even know what to explain anymore.”

Gu Qinglin sneered: “Can even beat a Moon-Chasing Devil Venerable? Heh.”

Li Xiangshui: “…”

“Master!” Jiang Sujin pleaded helplessly. “They really aren’t bad people. Just please take a look!”

“What kind of people they are has nothing to do with me.” Gu Qinglin immediately shook off Jiang Sujin’s sleeve, impatiently trying to shoo them away. “I haven’t treated patients in a long time. Any random stray dares bother me? Since you say you can beat a Moon-Chasing Devil Venerable—fine. Have the Moon-Chasing Devil Venerable come tell me personally. Then I’ll agree to treat them!”

Li Jiangying’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Gu Qinglin crossed her arms and sniffed lightly. “Don’t mistake me for a liar, full of empty words like you lot.”

So Li Jiangying pulled over Li Xiangshui, who had been hiding at the very back, and flipped back the hood covering her head. “Here. The Moon-Chasing Devil Venerable has arrived!”

Li Xiangshui: “Now you’ve done it!”

The hood was lifted, revealing the woman’s face beneath. Gu Qinglin stared at her in shock, unable to confirm for a long while. “The Moon-Chasing Devil Venerable?”

Yet this person in the black hooded cloak gave her the feeling of a mortal with no cultivation base. That was why Gu Qinglin hadn’t paid her any attention from the start.

Li Xiangshui cleared her throat lightly. “Tis I, This Venerable One.”

But the moment the words left her mouth, Gu Qinglin’s hand shot back and a streak of cyan light launched towards Li Xiangshui. “Did you think I wouldn’t know? The story of petty thieves impersonating the Moon-Chasing Devil Venerable to steal a snake demon Devil Pet has already been exposed!”

Li Jiangying, with quick hands and sharp eyes, yanked Li Xiangshui and rolled aside to dodge. Seeing Yingying might be in danger, Li Yueying could no longer hold back. With a roar, she shielded herself in front of them.

“Master!” Jiang Sujin cried out in alarm, quickly intercepting them as well.

“Don’t you dare hurt Yingying!” The snake demon bared her teeth fiercely from beneath her veiled hat. The demon who had been calm for so long under Li Jiangying’s soothing suddenly erupted, a terrifying pressure crashing towards Gu Qinglin, causing her to flinch.

Gu Qinglin slowly, tremblingly, lowered her hand. Her right hand was a shade of green, the source of her title. “What… are you?”

She had assumed this semi-humanoid snake demon wasn’t anything particularly formidable. But she never expected the aura emanating from her to be so terrifying—truly enough to make one’s heart tremble with fear, not daring to underestimate her.

Fortunately, Gu Qinglin had encountered grand figures and domain experts plenty of times before, so she didn’t lose her composure, though she became much more polite. “If you said you were the Moon-Chasing Devil Venerable in disguise, even that I might believe.”

Li Xiangshui angrily yanked her hood back on. She couldn’t be bothered to explain anymore!

Li Yueying stared at her malevolently, not speaking.

Just as the two sides were in a stalemate, someone else entered from outside. She was carrying a porcelain jar. Seeing her master’s alchemy room crowded with so many people, and spotting her junior sister, she habitually frowned in displeasure. “Sujin, how can you bring random people back again!”

Jiang Sujin felt utterly wronged. “Senior Sister, why are you saying that too?”

The woman set the jar on the ground, walked forward for a closer look. “You all… Huh? Why do I feel like… this seems familiar?” She knitted her brows tightly.

Li Jiangying had never imagined such a coincidence. The person who came was none other than Doctor Liu. A wave of sorrow rose from the depths of her heart; she felt her bad luck was getting worse and worse…

Doctor Liu looked at her, then suddenly grew excited. She turned to Gu Qinglin. “Master, do you remember the Pure Fire Body I told you about, someone who couldn’t cultivate? That’s her! Ying Suanli, come quickly, let my master take a look at you!”

Now it was Jiang Sujin’s turn to be confused. “Senior Sister, you know Sister Ying Suanli?”

“She came to me for consultation before.” Doctor Liu reached out to grab Li Jiangying’s wrist, but a snake wearing a veiled hat blocked her.

She couldn’t help but frown, thinking. “Could it be… you’re that lecherous snake from back then?”

Li Yueying said loudly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about! I’m not lecherous at all!”

Li Jiangying covered her face in shame, feeling she had completely lost all face.

But no matter what, it was a case of “a new village out of the blue.” Perhaps it was Li Yueying’s strength that made Gu Qinglin wary, or perhaps the rare case her eldest disciple had mentioned piqued her interest. Either way, she finally agreed to see them.

But the main purpose of Li Jiangying’s visit this time wasn’t to get herself treated. She quickly pushed Li Yueying forward towards the other woman. “Doctor Gu, I’m not important. A Yue’s injury is what’s urgent.”

With the movement, the veiled hat hanging on the snake demon’s head swayed, revealing a sliver of a stunningly beautiful profile. Gu Qinglin’s pupils suddenly constricted. She yanked her two apprentices back several rapid steps. “The Moon Shadow Devil Venerable?!”

Li Jiangying: “Ahem. You recognize her?”

Gu Qinglin said warily, “The infamous Moon Shadow Devil Venerable—not causing madness in her own territory, what is she doing here? But… since you are the Moon Shadow Devil Venerable… a Pure Fire Body… then could you be the legendary Descendant of the Divine Phoenix?!”

Li Jiangying: A surge of tragedy welled up within her. Suddenly, her mask had been stripped completely away.

Jiang Sujin said in shock: “Descendant of the Divine Phoenix? Sister Ying Suanli, weren’t you a bitter cultivator who reclused from the world for three thousand years?”

Li Jiangying said with great difficulty, “That… I can explain.”

Since their true identities had already been seen through by the other party, Li Jiangying could only gamble that they weren’t bad people. Sighing softly, she explained her difficulties, but didn’t elaborate much on the two’s medical conditions.

If Gu Qinglin refused to treat them, telling more would be pointless.

“But Sister Ying Suanli really is very strong,” Jiang Sujin said, confused. “If she’s not, then what about Senior Li?”

“A Yue is the strong one, mostly.” Li Jiangying paused, then added, “As for Xiangshui, her situation is more complex. I’m sorry I lied to you.”

Hearing this, Jiang Sujin looked a little disappointed. She forced a small smile and said, “Master often says one must be guarded in the outside world. What Sister Ying Suanli and A Yue—the Moon Shadow Devil Venerable—did was correct. You saved my life and never harmed me. I… I’m fine.”

For reasons unknown, Gu Qinglin agreed to treat them both. But she had one condition. “I want the Moon Shadow Devil Venerable’s blood.”

Li Jiangying looked at her warily. “What do you want it for?”

“It’s said the Moon Shadow Devil Venerable has the Azure Dragon Bloodline within her, capable of neutralizing exotic poisons, and also crafting them. Asking for a little isn’t too much, is it?” Gu Qinglin said. “As for the Descendant of the Divine Phoenix? Forget it. Just a mere mortal—one knows a rumor when one hears it.”

But the Devil Domain was full of insidious methods. Li Jiangying didn’t dare casually hand over A Yue’s blood. She looked at Li Yueying. Li Yueying hugged her arm, looking at her with eyes full of trust, and said, “Yingying decides.”

She thought for a moment and said, “If Doctor Gu is willing to swear on the Heavenly Dao that she will not use A Yue’s blood for other purposes, nor leak information about A Yue and me to outsiders, then I will agree.”

Gu Qinglin sneered. “How cautious. As a medical practitioner, all my eyes see are patients. Don’t lump me in with those kinds of people.”

“Then what do you call your earlier refusal…” Li Jiangying smiled.

Gu Qinglin rolled her eyes and swore on her Heart Devil. She first led them to a spacious room and dismissed Jiang Sujin, Cui Yu, Li Xiangshui, and other unrelated parties. Only Li Yueying, who clung stubbornly and refused to let go, and Doctor Liu, observing to learn, remained.

Gu Qinglin’s diagnostic methods were similar to Doctor Liu’s. She also asked Li Jiangying many questions about her sensations during cultivation. A moment later, she said, “Your physique… it’s not simply a Pure Fire Body. Tsk… the ‘Descendant of the Divine Phoenix’ theory, I’m starting to half-believe it.”

Li Jiangying raised her eyebrows in surprise. Just as she let out a questioning “Ah?”, the snake demon leaning against her suddenly darkened her face and viciously pulled back her arm. “Yingying, we’re not seeing the doctor anymore. No more cultivating, okay?” She turned her head to look at her, her expression that of a plea. “I’m very strong. I can protect you. Yingying, let’s go home!”

Li Jiangying looked at her calmly, then raised her hand and placed it over her claw, gently pushing it away.

Li Yueying looked at her pitifully. Seeing her so resolute, she turned her head and bared her fangs at Gu Qinglin.

Gu Qinglin withdrew her hand and gave a cold snort. “I am merely a doctor. I have no reason to get dragged into your conflict for nothing. Whether you want treatment or not, decide amongst yourselves. It’ll save the Moon Shadow Devil Venerable from venting her anger on a junior.”

“Yueying.” Li Jiangying raised her hand and gently stroked her hair. “Do you not trust me?”

“I trust you.” she answered softly.

“No. You still don’t trust me.” Li Jiangying said. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t stop me.”

The snake demon stared at her stubbornly.

Li Jiangying, however, withdrew her hand and turned to Gu Qinglin politely. “Please speak. Yueying won’t hurt you. If she truly means to, I will die before you.”

At that, a faint plink plink sound came from beside her ear. The snake demon lowered her head, secretly shedding golden tears.

Gu Qinglin stretched out two fingers and tapped them on the tabletop. She said, “The disappearance of the Devil Qi you cultivate is indeed related to the thing inside your Dantian. But the key point I want to make is about this physique of yours. It’s exceptionally unique. It looks human, yet isn’t entirely human.”

Li Jiangying was stunned. “What does that mean?”

Gu Qinglin said: “If you were a Demon, you would definitely be the Descendant of the Divine Phoenix. Yet you are, against all odds, a human…” As she spoke, she became somewhat confused herself. “By my observation, you should have been affected by something, causing a gradual transformation towards Demon. This influence should originate from the object in your Dantian, but it’s also not solely that.”

Li Jiangying asked, trembling, “You mean… I might become a monster in the future?” One transmigration, and even her species was changing?

“The situation is complex. I dare not assert it lightly.” Gu Qinglin said. “Although demons generally prefer to take human form to seek the wisdom of Heaven and Earth’s creation, cases of humans transforming into demons are not unheard of. Often, it’s from consuming a lesser demon’s core by mistake, or being refined by a wicked array… situations vary. So I suspect what’s inside your Dantian is also a Demon Core.”

At this point, Gu Qinglin was also puzzled. “But a minor demon’s core wouldn’t swallow so much Devil Qi without allowing its user any control. Containing a greater demon’s core in a mortal shell should result in instant death from the body exploding. What exactly is going on… I don’t know. Hey, do you not know how your demon core came to be?”

Li Jiangying shook her head honestly. “I’ve lost my memories. I know nothing about it.”

“That makes it difficult. Perhaps once your demonization is more complete, you’ll be able to control the demon core within you.” Gu Qinglin shook her head, also helpless. “Until then, you can only continue supplying the demon core with Devil Qi.”

Li Jiangying’s understanding of her own body deepened, yet so did her helplessness. “So what you’re saying is, I can only wait until I’m influenced into becoming a monster… In that case, am I human or demon now?”

Gu Qinglin crossed her arms and gave a cold laugh. “Half-human, half-demon.”