Chapter 3. A Hard Day to Laugh (2)

"I will briefly touch your wrist. Please forgive my rudeness."

"Ah..."

"Do you have something to say?"

"Uh..."

"I humbly listen to your words, Sir."

"So, what you're saying is..."

"..."

"..."

"Go on with what you were doing."

"Yes, then."

The man, like a well-behaved child, gently took Tian Xiazhen's wrist.

Startled!

'Cold.'

It was as if he had sold his body heat; his fingers were as cold as ice. The chill pierced through the calluses on his hand, making goosebumps rise.

Damn, even a corpse would be warmer than this.

The man closed his eyes.

Hummm.

A faint, strange resonance and a weak flow of qi rose.

Tian Xiazhen's pupils trembled as if hit by an earthquake.

The ominous aura pouring in through his wrist.

'Really demonic qi!'

Demonic qi.

Not the kind that results from a corrupted martial art, but the genuine demonic qi that can only be cultivated from a well-established martial art, known as orthodox demon arts.

His mind became clear.

'F*ck! Then this place is really... Ugh!'

Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit him. He wanted to vomit, even though he hadn't eaten anything.

I've always wondered, don't you guys get depressed or feel like throwing up with this disgusting aura?

The man, still with his eyes closed, said:

"Your meridians are damaged, but the twisted eight extraordinary meridians have stabilized to some extent. Fortunately, you've passed the critical stage."

I know that.

"Your muscles have degenerated, but your vital energy is strong and well-established. That's why you don't have any difficulty moving."

I know, damn it.

"It's puzzling that your dantian has disappeared, but it might be for the better. A dantian that only produces turbid qi is as good as non-existent."

I get it, so please get rid of this disgusting demonic qi!

The man removed his hand from Tian Xiazhen's wrist. Tian Xiazhen finally let out a long sigh, as if he could breathe again.

After that, the man and the doctor had a quiet conversation about the subsequent treatment.

Tian Xiazhen rolled his eyes.

'F*ck! Damn!'

Recovering is a given. He had a deep understanding of medicine, and the Wugong's Youshangjue was incredibly powerful.

The real problem is that this place is a demon sect.

'Ah! I'm going to go insane, really!!'

The Heavenly Demon Sect (天魔神敎), known as the Thousand-Year Demon Sect, was the most ancient and most evil demonic force in the martial world, spanning thousands of years.

It was the strongest single martial force and a symbol of chaos that kept the entire martial world on edge just by its existence.

Even though the combined forces of the Yi Tian Alliance and the Iron Blood City were numerically superior, the martial world still referred to the Yi Tian, Iron Blood, and Heavenly Demon as the Three Powers of the Martial World.

The fact that a single martial force could stand shoulder to shoulder with the alliances already explained the Heavenly Demon Sect's danger.

There were also the Seven Noble Families of the demonic path, but they were essentially branches of the new sect.

The demon sect and the Seven Families.

The worst group of demons, treated like a plague by those living in the martial world.

In short...

'I need to escape!'

A fish needs water to live. Once it's on land, it will die, regardless of the species.

Just being a descendant of the Seven Families would have caused a commotion, let alone being the son of the demon sect. He thought he was in trouble, but now he was really in deep.

No matter what, fleeing was the only answer. There was no time to consider his identity or status.

If he doesn't escape, he will die!

"The recovery is progressing very quickly.

However, I believe you still need to rest.

We will continue with the decoctions and acupuncture morning and evening, so it's best to stay in bed for now."

The man's voice was blunt and abrupt, like a pile of rocks being dumped. It was a very irritating tone and voice.

For the patient's sake, you should keep your mouth shut.

"Doctor Zhang."

"Yes, Sect Master."

"From now on, use the Quangang Decoction. For acupuncture, use the Jinjing Needles. Change the diet to regular meals."

"Is that really okay?"

"..."

"I understand."

The man called Sect Master bowed to Tian Xiazhen.

"I will visit you every two days. Take care of yourself until then."

With that, the man left the room.

The maid was trembling on the side, and Doctor Zhang cleared his throat and took Tian Xiazhen's pulse.

Tian Xiazhen turned his head away from them. He had more pressing matters to worry about.

'Dangerous. Really dangerous.'

Now that he knew this was the demon sect, he had to abandon any thoughts of recovering and leaving.

He needed to get out as soon as possible, even if it meant making the impossible possible.

His eyes, burning with a clear goal, looked...

very unsettling.

'Let's just get out of here first!'

* * *

Honestly, it was a practically impossible dream.

He knew this was the demon sect and that his body's status was very significant.

So what? Whether he sneaks out or goes openly, he needs the strength and justification to do so.

His strength was undoubtedly at the top of the martial world, but that was in the past. Justification? He had none.

Would they let a weakened patient out of the sect, calling him crazy?

In short, there was no way for Tian Xiazhen to escape from here.

How can I get out of here? Is there a way to escape without drawing attention?

After much deliberation, Tian Xiazhen decided to at least check the surroundings.

And he despaired.

"Compared to two days ago, your vital energy is much stronger. This is a very encouraging sign.

The reason is that vital energy is similar to the accumulation of internal energy, so the faster it builds up, the faster it accumulates."

"..."

"Although it will take time for your internal injuries to heal, I believe your body will stabilize in about five days. So..."

"..."

"I humbly request that you focus on recuperating in your quarters."

"..."

"Thank you for the advice."

"You are welcome."

You're the one who should apologize, the one who threw me onto the bed.

Tian Xiazhen gritted his teeth.

He expected to be caught. Still, he had to try to get at least some information about the surroundings.

He needed to know where the weak points were and where this path led before he could take the first step.

He was confident in his ability to assess the terrain.

If he could just see one path, one corner, he could draw a map in his head. He was the King of Assassins, after all.

But he couldn't.

Just as he was about to slip out of the room and into the courtyard while the maid was away, the man appeared at the most opportune moment.

The result was... as you can see.

"May I take your pulse again?"

If I say no, he won't, ... Ah, cold!

Tian Xiazhen grumbled inwardly.

'Why even ask?'

A cold, rude bastard.

A moment later, the man opened his eyes.

His expression was still stiff, but his eyes showed unmistakable surprise.

"Your damaged meridians have recovered even more in this short time."

"..."

"It's not just the meridians. Your internal injuries are improving rapidly overall.

Even with the help of the herbs and acupuncture, this is truly remarkable recovery."

The man stopped speaking and looked at Tian Xiazhen with a strange gaze.

What, what's that look?

When Tian Xiazhen frowned openly, the man seemed to realize his mistake and bowed his head.

"Please forgive my rudeness. I was surprised by your outstanding recovery. Please understand."

"..."

"Further acupuncture is unnecessary. Instead, we will focus on nutritious meals and the Quangang Decoction to aid your recovery."

"Understood. Ah! But I have a question."

"Please ask."

"What is the Quangang Decoction? I've never heard of it."

He had to learn medicine to survive.

He wasn't a renowned doctor, and he was more skilled in poison techniques, but he was still capable of outperforming most doctors.

He had no memory of the Quangang Decoction. Sure, herbs can have various names, but...

The man immediately bowed his head.

'Hmm?'

Tian Xiazhen's eyes flickered.

Was it because he had only seen the man's stiff demeanor until now? The man seemed a bit flustered.

"The Quangang Decoction is a restorative decoction that revitalizes vital energy. It is a proprietary medicine of our sect, only served to the highest-ranking members."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Tian Xiazhen involuntarily tilted his head.

'Revitalizes vital energy?'

Herbs are herbs, whether for restorative purposes or not. If he had felt the medicinal power, he would have used it to speed up his recovery.

'Maybe it's just my senses.'

His senses, including his qi perception, were severely diminished. It was something he might have missed if he wasn't paying attention.

Yes, that could be it.

"I will visit you again in two days. I wish you a speedy recovery."

The man left in quick steps.

After a while, the maid spoke in an awkward voice.

"Sir, the wind is cold. Should I close the window..."

"Ah."

"Yes, yes?!"

"What's my name?"

"Wh-What do you mean...?"

"What's my name and status? Recite my background."

The maid tilted her head in confusion. Why was he asking this all of a sudden?

At that moment, Tian Xiazhen turned his head to the maid.

'...!'

The maid's face turned pale.

There was a serious expression on his face that she hadn't seen in the past ten days.

His unwavering eyes and mask-like expression exuded a cold, transparent chill.

An atmosphere that did not allow for any response.

"Sir, you are..."

"Yes, yes. Go on."

The maid, bowing deeply, began to recite the basic information about him.

Name: Xu Liang (徐亮). Age: 23. The third of the seven disciples of the demon sect leader.

A talented martial artist and outstanding in his senses, he was one of the strongest among the disciples before his body deteriorated to this state.

He was considered one of the closest to the position of the next sect leader.

However, he fell into madness and lost all his martial arts, remaining unconscious for half a year.

'So, the third son of the demon sect?'

Information about the Heavenly Demon Sect, one of the Three Powers of the Martial World, was not widely known.

Especially information about the candidates was kept secret.

Unlike the Yi Tian Alliance and the Iron Blood City, the new sect chose to keep the candidates hidden.

The fear of the unknown. It was an extension of the new sect's fear politics.

"Personality?"

"Excuse me?"

"What was his personality like?"

He had guessed that he was one of the leader's disciples. How many people in the demon sect could be called "Sir"?

But what he really wanted to know was the reputation of this Xu Liang.

He needed to know what kind of person this guy was and what he had done to naturally respond to any situation.

"Um..."

The maid hesitated.

Tian Xiazhen tried to reassure her.

"I know. I understand. It's hard to say these things in front of the person."

"..."

"Yes."

"But I want to hear it honestly, without any sugarcoating. I'm a bit confused after my body deteriorated.

I feel like I've lost a lot of my memories."

"Oh! That's right."

"Yes. So, tell me. In detail and clearly."

"Still..."

"If you really don't want to, there's nothing I can do. I'm not in a position to give orders..."

Suddenly, the maid stood still.

"I accept your command! You were known for your ruthless and merciless nature, feared within the sect!

Especially sensitive to handling matters, you did not overlook even minor mistakes! Many people were maimed or killed because of this!"

"Uh, what?"

"You were willing to commit any atrocity if necessary, and you did not hesitate to use any means to achieve your goals!

Butcher! Villain! Bastard! These are the terms used to describe you within the sect!"

The maid panted, out of breath.

Tian Xiazhen blinked.

Butcher? Villain? Bastard?

"Really?"

"Excuse me?"

"Really?"

"Ah!"

The maid's face turned pale.

She had recited it automatically in response to the word "command," but now she realized it was something she shouldn't have said in front of him.

Tian Xiazhen's face showed disappointment.

"Is this some kind of trash?"

"No, no! That's not what I meant..."

"Not at all."

"Please kill me!"

The maid prostrated herself.

Tian Xiazhen sighed. He didn't expect the third son of the demon sect to have a clean personality, but this was a bit much.

Maiming or killing people if things went wrong? Really a butcher, huh?

'No, I'm not staying here anyway.'

Still, he couldn't hide his discomfort.

Looking at the maid with a complicated expression, Tian Xiazhen spoke casually.

"Why are you like that?"

"Please kill me!"

"Why do you keep asking to be killed? Get up, damn it."

"..."

"Ah! Frustrating!"

When Tian Xiazhen forced her to stand, the maid jumped up in surprise.

"Ah."

"Yes!"

"Prepare for a walk."

"Excuse me?"

Tian Xiazhen's eyes sparkled.

The maid shivered at the deeper, more intense gaze.

'At least he wasn't timid, right?'

Then?

'Since he was already a ruthless guy, moving a bit more aggressively shouldn't raise suspicion.'

Would they really scold the third son for going out for a walk?