Chapter 64: Demon Tendons – A False Cry for Help

The woman who appeared out of nowhere had a familiar face. The moment Ye Xi saw her clearly, her smile vanished, and her eyes narrowed slightly. “Xiong Xin.”

It all started with this bear demon who refused to use the door properly. She was also the first demon to lay hands on Ye Xi, and her daughter had been Ye Xi’s very first patient. Ye Xi could hardly forget the mother and daughter.

The last time they met, Xiong Xin had squeezed through the door crack. This time, she didn’t even bother conserving her demon power and simply burst through the door.

Ye Xi stared at the severely damaged door, her expression darkening.

You Nian covered her little rabbit mouth and let out a sharp cry. “Hey, don’t you have any manners, you demon? Don’t you know to ring the doorbell? You broke the door—you have to pay for it!”

“I’ll pay. I will pay,” Xiong Xin promised hastily from her knees on the floor. She continued pleading with Shen Mingjin. “Miss Mingjin, please. We’ve used up this month’s treatment slots at home. I had no choice but to come beg Physician Ye.”

Shen Mingjin glanced at the broken door, then at Xiong Xin, before her gaze finally settled on the child. “Xiao Xi.”

She wasn’t trying to excuse Xiong Xin; it was just that the child in Xiong Xin’s arms looked utterly pitiful.

Xiong Xiao’s condition seemed even worse than last time. Her skin was flushed with an eerie redness, and the veins on her fragile neck bulged tightly against her skin, almost bursting through. Her lips were pale and limp, her arms shriveled like they’d been baked dry—wrinkles and desiccation evident on such a small body.

And she was a bear demon, not some plant.

Xiong Xin’s anxiety matched her daughter’s dire state; sweat beaded across her face, hot droplets tracing down her cheek and landing on the child’s arm. As the sweat rolled across Xiong Xiao’s skin, it turned faintly blood-red.

Bloody sweat.

Ye Xi had initially wanted to snap at Xiong Xin, but seeing how critical Xiong Xiao’s condition was, she prioritized checking the child first.

She took Xiong Xiao from Xiong Xin’s arms and laid her on the sofa, examining her repeatedly. The conclusion remained the same: an ordinary cold. Ye Xi’s brows furrowed deeper with each pass.

Last time she treated Xiong Xiao, Ye Xi had been a novice demon bone physician, relying entirely on the pink fur rabbit doll to guide her rather than true skill. She’d only given hasty treatment without paying close attention to the child’s overall condition.

After treating so many patients since, Ye Xi’s medical expertise had leaped forward.

Seeing Xiong Xiao again, Ye Xi realized the symptoms weren’t superficial.

Xiong Xiao was too frail.

Not just in appearance—her body had severe defects.

While half-demons were generally weaker than full demons, they were still far stronger than humans. But something was off with Xiong Xiao.

No half-demon body was so weak that a minor cold could kill them.

Unless… unless there was a hereditary illness in the family, and the portion of bloodline she inherited was flawed. But Xiong Xin appeared perfectly healthy—not particularly weak for a half-demon.

Moreover, Xiong Xin hailed from the Black Bear Clan, one of the top powerful families even among the Embracing Snow Clan. Her bloodline might not be fully potent, but her physique was flawless. As her daughter, Xiong Xiao shouldn’t be such a sickly child even with diluted heritage.

That was the strange part.

Xiong Xiao lacked the sturdy vitality typical of bear clan blood, and her skeletal frame was even more fragile and petite than an ordinary human child’s. From Ye Xi’s examination, Xiong Xiao’s bones couldn’t properly support her body—they were overburdened.

Due to their fragility, her physical structure was prone to collapse; even a minor injury could be fatal.

The ribs near her heart had grown abnormally, pressing against it. She was at constant risk of death, which explained why even simple ailments wreaked havoc on her.

Xiong Xiao’s current symptoms looked like a regular cold with a slight fever, but her vital signs were slowly deteriorating—not from the cold, but from her underdeveloped body failing to sustain life. This wasn’t something cold medicine could fix; it was a complication.

What Ye Xi couldn’t figure out was that this condition couldn’t have arisen overnight—bone growth issues developed over time. Yet Xiong Xin hadn’t mentioned any bone problems during her previous two visits. Was she unaware, or hiding it deliberately?

If the former, then the doctors at the General Hospital who treated them had major issues.

If the latter… Ye Xi doubted it. She’d only met Xiong Xin a few times, but she seemed like a loving mother. It made no sense for someone who worried about her child to conceal such a condition from a doctor.

Ye Xi’s scrutinizing gaze landed on Xiong Xin, filled with deep probing.

“Physician Ye, how is Xiaoxiao?” Xiong Xin seized the chance to ask.

“The child’s bones have a problem.”

“A problem with her bones?” Xiong Xin crouched disbelievingly by the sofa, staring at her weakly moaning daughter on it. Tears welled in her eyes. “Physician Ye, are you sure? Xiaoxiao’s symptoms are exactly the same as before—just a cold and low fever every time. How could it suddenly be a bone issue?”

“Every time?” Ye Xi fixed her gaze on Xiong Xin. “Has this happened many times?”

“Xiaoxiao has a weak constitution and gets fevers often.”

Often.

Ye Xi’s eyes grew dangerous. She keenly sensed that the mother-daughter relationship between Xiong Xin and Xiong Xiao might not be as straightforward as she’d assumed. “You haven’t taken her to the hospital, have you?”

If it were once or twice, Ye Xi might blame the doctors, but “often” pointed elsewhere. Demon bone physicians were rare, but they sufficed for basic care among the Eleven Clans.

Xiong Xin’s level would go to a town hospital, which had at least three physicians.

One incompetent doctor was possible—not three.

The General Bureau’s certifications weren’t for show, and General Hospital doctors periodically assisted smaller clinics with tough cases, recommending transfers when needed.

It was impossible no physician had noticed Xiong Xin’s situation. The only explanation: Xiong Xiao had never received proper hospital treatment.

Under Ye Xi’s piercing gaze, Xiong Xin guiltily lowered her head. “I did take Xiaoxiao… but she gets sick so frequently. We have another child who’s even sicker. Each family has limited monthly treatment slots. Every time Xiaoxiao went, the doctors just prescribed cold medicine. So we prioritized the more severe case. After Xiaoxiao turned two, she hasn’t gone much. Her fevers used to break after half a day, but lately they’ve worsened. I…”

“Another one that’s more severe? How severe? Is your other child dying too?”

“Dying?” Xiong Xin looked up in disbelief, staring intently at Ye Xi. “Physician Ye, what do you mean by that?”

Ye Xi’s cold gaze bore into Xiong Xin, her voice laced with frost. “Her bones are growing abnormally. Without treatment soon, she’ll die.”

Ye Xi held no grudge against Xiong Xiao, but she strongly disliked Xiong Xin—especially after hearing that Xiong Xiao’s slots had gone to another child. That resentment intensified.

Xiong Xin’s words were incomplete, but Ye Xi understood perfectly.

They had more than one child. Xiong Xiao fell ill often as a toddler, but her bone issues weren’t obvious then, so doctors missed them.

It was always just a common cold, fevers self-resolving in half a day. Xiong Xin stopped wasting slots on her.

By the time the bone problems surfaced, Xiong Xiao had lost her chance. No timely intervention led to the current severe deviation.

Xiong Xin grew accustomed to the occasional fevers and didn’t worry—until recently, when Xiong Xiao’s body couldn’t recover, prompting her to seek a doctor.

Or perhaps not seek one for Xiong Xiao specifically, but because Half-Mountain Spirit Garden now had a physician who didn’t use slots.

You Nian’s reaction was more direct. She sneakily kicked Xiong Xin with her little foot. “Hey, they’re both your kids—how can you play favorites like that?”

“I… I didn’t.” Xiong Xin’s lips trembled. Suddenly, she grabbed Ye Xi’s pant leg. “Physician Ye, last month… you said it was just a low fever too. How could it be a bone problem now?”

Ye Xi’s chest tightened. Her novice treatment had indeed left a hidden risk—superficial judgment guided by the doll, missing the deeper crisis.

In a sense, she’d delayed Xiong Xiao’s condition.

A flicker of guilt hit Ye Xi.

Before she could speak, You Nian charged in.

You Nian spat at Xiong Xin. “Hey, you bear—do you have any sense? Physician Ye was new back then, just starting out. It’s normal she couldn’t spot complex issues right away. You knew that too, or why bring only this one and not your ‘more serious’ kid? Because you figured Physician Ye was green, and her skills were unproven!”

“I didn’t… I wasn’t…”

You Nian’s words drowned Xiong Xin’s protests, hitting the crucial point.

If the other child was worse, and she trusted Ye Xi, she’d have brought them first.

Yet she hadn’t—and she’d exhausted this month’s slots on the other child again.

Last month, Xiong Xiao had severe pain, yet instead of a hospital follow-up (distrusting Ye Xi), she gave all slots to the other.

She neither fully trusted Ye Xi nor cared enough about Xiong Xiao—seeking free treatment here instead.

She loved Xiong Xiao, but apparently not that much.

Shen Mingjin knew Xiong Xin better than Ye Xi or You Nian, which was why she’d stayed silent.

Once the living room fell quiet, she voiced her deepest doubt. “Xiong Xin, don’t you only have Xiaoxiao? Where did this other child come from?”

“Sister?”

Seeing Ye Xi’s confusion, Shen Mingjin nodded firmly. “Xiao Xi, Xiong Xin only ever gave birth to Xiong Xiao. She has no second child. But…”

Shen Mingjin thought of something, confusion in her eyes. “Xiong Xin, the ‘other child’ you mentioned… it isn’t Ye Li from the Dawn Eclipse Clan, is it?”

Xiong Xin’s face paled. She didn’t answer, burying her head low.

You Nian reacted instantly to “Ye Li” and “Dawn Eclipse Clan.” “Oh, you’re that monster the building manager mentioned—the one who values her foster daughter over her own!”

Ye Xi had no idea what You Nian meant, and Shen Mingjin—despite living in Half-Mountain Spirit Garden—only knew mediation reports, not You Nian’s gossip intel. Both turned to her.

You Nian puffed out her chest proudly. “Physician Ye, Snake Sister—building manager told me. Ye Yao from Dawn Eclipse Clan is super cunning. After injury left her abandoned by family and husband, she got sent here. With crippled legs, survival was tough, but she always lured suckers willing to support her and her kid at the perfect time.”

“She never targeted singles—only single moms with kids. Once hooked, they’d prioritize her and her child, neglecting their own. Those ignored kids eventually suicided. After, they’d break up with her, but soon after, couldn’t handle losing their child and lover, so they suicided too.”

“Ye Yao’s killed five kids that way.” You Nian pointed at Xiong Xin disdainfully. “Looks like you’re the sixth sucker.”

Xiong Xin covered her ears, scooting back. “Sister Yaoyao is a good woman. She hasn’t harmed anyone—those kids suicided on their own. It has nothing to do with her. I haven’t played favorites. I’m good to Xiaoxiao, I…”

She propped up Xiong Xiao’s frail body, forcing her to sit. “Xiaoxiao, tell them Mommy loves you.”

Xiong Xiao’s arms, thin as tree bark, wrapped around Xiong Xin’s neck. She greedily pressed her little head into her mother’s embrace. “Mommy loves me.”

Her low murmur carried attachment to her mother, defense of her, and self-deception.

Ye Xi finally saw through the true nature of this mother-daughter relationship. Xiong Xin might truly love Xiong Xiao, but she loved someone else’s child more. Xiong Xiao definitely loved her, though. She lived in a world of self-deception, convincing herself over and over that her mother’s love was profound, weaving lies to create hope for enduring her suffering.

Even the usually mild-tempered Shen Mingjin was uncharacteristically angry. “Xiong Xin, what exactly are you thinking?”

Every family had its own troubles. Shen Mingjin, who disliked prying into gossip, learned the specifics of Xiong Xin’s family situation for the first time.

Disappointment she couldn’t hide flickered in her eyes. Xiong Xin didn’t dare meet Shen Mingjin’s gaze. “Miss Mingjin, I really didn’t. I love Xiaoxiao very much. It’s just that Xiao Li’s health is worse. She… she was bullied in her clan and suffered severe injuries. She still hasn’t fully recovered.”

“Shut up.” Ye Xi rubbed her ears. The way she looked at Xiong Xin had completely changed.

Ye Xi didn’t waste words on Xiong Xin. She turned her gaze to You Nian. “With so many deaths, no one came down to investigate?”

“Of course they did!” You Nian’s eyes fixed on Xiong Xiao as her mouth answered Ye Xi. “But the Investigation Department found nothing. Their conclusions were all suicides, so the building managers said Ye Yao was capable—killed other people’s kids, yet made it seem like they were so devastated by losing her that they jumped to their deaths.”

Absurd.

Ye Xi thought of that word again. Things were definitely not that simple. But right now, she needed to focus on Xiong Xiao.

Xiong Xiao’s bones could no longer support her life. She was like a house of dominoes now—one slight misalignment would cause her entire body to shatter, turning into a corpse of flesh, blood, and broken bones.

Shattered bones.

Something occurred to Ye Xi. “You Nian, how did those children die?”

“They jumped off buildings.”

Things were indeed not that simple.

If Xiong Xiao’s condition worsened further, her body would probably look much like a suicide by jumping.

Ye Xi’s heart sank. She glanced at Shen Mingjin, then yanked Xiong Xin away.

Xiong Xin struggled unwillingly. “Xiaoxiao, tell Doctor Ye that Mommy treats you well. Auntie Ye treats you well too. Sister Xiao Li…”

“Enough!” Shen Mingjin gripped Xiong Xin’s wrist and pulled her away completely.

She rarely lost her temper like this. Xiong Xin’s voice grew quieter. “Miss Mingjin, I really didn’t. I…”

Shen Mingjin shot Xiong Xin a sharp look, her gaze full of disappointment. “Xiong Xin, be quiet. Don’t disturb Xiao Xi while she treats your daughter.”

Xiong Xin didn’t quiet down. “Miss Mingjin, could Doctor Ye have made a mistake in her diagnosis? How could Xiaoxiao’s bones have a problem?”

Ye Xi grew even more annoyed with Xiong Xin.

She hated how Xiong Xin did things but wouldn’t admit them, how she committed disgusting acts yet still craved a good reputation.

“Mommy…” A feeble call spilled from Xiong Xiao’s throat. Her outstretched little hand reached for a shred of her mother’s warmth.

Xiong Xin didn’t notice that hand. Ever since Shen Mingjin grabbed her, she’d been making excuses and hadn’t stopped.

She wasn’t admitting to favoritism; she was just saying Ye Yao wasn’t a bad person, that Ye Li’s injuries were truly severe and needed the hospital slots more than Xiong Xiao did.

You Nian couldn’t stand listening anymore. “Hey! Isn’t Ye Li no longer a child? I heard her demon bones were broken when her clan expelled her, so she couldn’t grow anymore. If you count her actual age, she’s over three hundred this year—older than you by a good margin.”

Xiong Xin fell silent, but she still didn’t notice Xiong Xiao’s outstretched hand.

She kept her head low, shrinking like a quail beside Shen Mingjin.

Guilty, but unwilling to admit her mistake.

You Nian thought for a moment and extended her own hand. She was a child who had been loved by her mother, though she didn’t remember that love. From the age she could remember, she’d felt only malice and her father’s favoritism. She hated her father and sympathized with children like her who were neglected in their families.

She’d gossiped about Xiong Xin and Ye Yao with a smile, in a mocking and sarcastic tone. But when her gaze touched Xiong Xiao, tears welled up in her eyes.

You Nian offered her hand like a lifeline, and Xiong Xiao gripped it tighter and tighter.

Blood marks appeared on the back of You Nian’s hand from the pinch, but she didn’t struggle. She silently sat down on the carpet, even scooting closer to the sofa so Xiong Xiao could hold on tighter. Her eyes stared unblinkingly at Xiong Xiao. “Doctor Ye, can she still be saved?”

“Yes.” Ye Xi rummaged through her medical kit and took out the Black Bear Doll and silver needles. “Our Ye Family Inherited Medicine has ways to regrow bones. As long as we keep her alive, crush all the bones completely, and reshape them, it should work. But I’m not sure if my skills are up to it. I… I’ll go find Grandma.”

Ye Tan’s medical skills were more likely to cure Xiong Xiao. It was a good option for them right now.

She was about to send a message to Ye Tan when her palm touched Xiong Xiao’s abdomen.

The silver needle near Xiong Xiao’s abdomen emitted a faint brown glow. Ye Xi’s pupils contracted sharply. She stabbed the needle into Xiong Xiao’s abdomen, and her expression changed slightly.

You Nian and Shen Mingjin both noticed something was wrong. You Nian’s free hand tugged at Ye Xi. “Doctor Ye, what’s wrong?”

“She’s missing a segment of her demon tendon.”

“Missing demon tendon!” You Nian jumped up excitedly from the floor, hopping in place as she questioned Xiong Xin. “Xiong Xin, where’s your daughter’s demon tendon?”

The demon tendon was something only young demons had, equivalent to an adult demon’s foundational bones.

Every demon capable of shapeshifting was born from the blessings of heaven and earth, even if their talent was weak. The demon tendon was one such blessing from the world to newborn demons. How much power from the demon tendon a young demon absorbed determined its talent as an adult.

Since they needed to sustain her life, they’d require demon power assistance.

A missing demon tendon meant incomplete foundations. If you likened a demon’s body to a long thread, now a section was cut out from the middle. Any demon power inputted would simply scatter.

Ye Xi couldn’t infuse demon power into Xiong Xiao to keep her alive, and even Ye Tan couldn’t do it if she were here.

Unlike other things, a demon tendon couldn’t be supplemented externally. They couldn’t just dig one out from someone else for Xiong Xiao.

Xiong Xin didn’t answer You Nian. She merely buried her head even lower.

Ye Xi realized she’d overestimated Xiong Xin. She should have noticed back after the first treatment of Xiong Xiao, when Xiong Xin tried to haggle over payment despite not lacking money or demon power. Xiong Xin wasn’t the good mother she’d assumed.

A mother who truly loved her child wouldn’t scheme and play mind games with the doctor to dodge payment after the treatment, when she clearly had the means.

The more Xiong Xin evaded, the more certain Ye Xi became that she knew where Xiong Xiao’s demon tendon was. She shot Shen Mingjin a look.

Shen Mingjin’s gaze grew colder. She released a wave of pressure from her body, forcing Xiong Xin to raise her head. “Xiong Xin, where’s your daughter’s demon tendon?”

Xiong Xin was still very afraid of Shen Mingjin.

She shrank back and answered hastily. “Miss Mingjin, Xiao… Xiao Li’s health isn’t good. Xiaoxiao’s demon tendon can help her.”

Ye Xi’s skeptical gaze fell on Xiong Xin. “Are you really her mother?”

You Nian didn’t waste more time on Xiong Xin. The moment Xiong Xin spoke, she hoisted Xiong Xiao onto her small back with her body and hurried toward the door.

Ye Xi blocked You Nian. “You Nian, where are you going?”

“Doctor Ye.” You Nian sidestepped Ye Xi and kept walking. “I’m going to get her demon tendon back. We can’t just watch her die, right?”