Chapter 53: Wait for Death

Not to mention Cheng Xi's surprise, Li Zhi'an in mid-air and Yan Yu, who had heard the sound, were both stunned; the two landed from mid-air almost simultaneously.

Just then, the Demon Wolf closed in immediately. Li Zhi'an tapped his toes to dodge a claw from the Demon Wolf, but Yan Yu was a step too slow and was bitten on half of his shoulder by the Demon Wolf; his bones emitted a crisp crack, and fresh blood instantly soaked his lapels.

"Big Brother!" Yan Shengyu shouted, tears rolling down, and after settling her mother, she was about to rush over to save him.

At this moment, the Long Blade in Li Zhi'an's hand was raised high and hacked onto the Demon Wolf's head, sparks flying instantly. The Demon Wolf felt the pain, dropped Yan Yu, opened its mouth wide, and bit toward Li Zhi'an.

Li Zhi'an gripped the blade with both hands, advancing instead of retreating; the blade edge plunged straight into the Demon Wolf's mouth, piercing through its lower jaw. With a twist of the blade, it was split open from the lower jaw to the abdomen. The Demon Wolf's blood spilled everywhere, its wails were incessant, and after twitching a few times, it collapsed to the ground.

Yan Shengyu and the Duchess of Dingguo rushed to Yan Yu's side. Yan Yu's body was half-dyed in blood, yet he still struggled to stand up, turning his head to look at Li Zhi'an.

Li Zhi'an did not look at him, but instead lowered his head to look at the Demon Wolf's corpse, waving a large hand, "Drag the corpse back to the Tongtian Division and order Ji Muzhi to perform an autopsy!"

Yan Shengyu helped her brother to the viewing stand to sit down. The Empress Dowager had already ordered someone to summon an Imperial Physician. The Demon Wolf's sharp teeth had pierced through Yan Yu's shoulder, and blood was flowing continuously; though his face was pale, he still sat there with his spine held straight.

However, the wound could not stop bleeding, and the Imperial Physician's medicine was of no use at all. The Duchess of Dingguo turned to beg the Empress Dowager, hoping the Empress Dowager could let the Tongtian Division's Alchemist, Ji Muzhi, come to save his life.

The Empress Dowager, however, looked at Cheng Xi.

As soon as the Empress Dowager looked at Cheng Xi, everyone's gaze fell upon Cheng Xi.

Yan Yu leaned against the stone stool, his eyeballs moving slightly, and he also looked at Cheng Xi.

Cheng Xi only hesitated for a brief moment before rising and walking over.

Although Yan Yu's temperament was overly overbearing, there was no enmity between them, so how could she stand by and watch him die?

Not to mention there was still Yan Shengyu.

She carefully examined Yan Yu's wound; the area of the laceration was not small, and the Demon Wolf's teeth had even bitten through his bone. With such a large wound, it was indeed very difficult to stop the bleeding.

Her brows were tightly furrowed; she untied the pouch at her waist, took out a pill from inside, and handed it to Yan Yu, "Eat it."

Yan Yu reached out to take it and swallowed it without hesitation.

Cheng Xi reached out and tore open the clothing on his shoulder. Golden light flowed from her fingertips; using blood as ink and her finger as a brush, everyone only felt as if Cheng Xi's fingertips flashed like flowing light, and then Yan Yu's bleeding stopped.

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

Cheng Xi's face was deathly pale as she looked at Yan Yu and said, "Your injuries are too severe; the Hemostasis Talisman only has an effect for half an hour."

The Duchess of Dingguo had just had a hint of a smile, but upon hearing this, her expression changed instantly. She looked at Cheng Xi and said, "Eldest Miss Cheng, how can it only be half an hour? Aren't you very capable..."

Before the rest of her words could be uttered, Yan Shengyu grabbed her mother and said to Cheng Xi, "I'm sorry, my mother didn't mean anything else, she was just too worried about Big Brother."

Cheng Xi didn't even move an eyebrow, nor did she look at the Duchess of Dingguo; she only looked at Yan Yu and said, "I need a piece of mid-grade Demon Bone. Do you have one?"

A mid-grade Demon Bone?

The crowd was in an uproar; low-grade Demon Bones were not easy to obtain in Tianshuo, let alone mid-grade ones.

Yan Yu had lost too much blood and his face was as white as a ghost, but his consciousness was still clear. He nodded slightly, "Last time the Seal loosened and we slaughtered a Demon, I luckily killed a mid-grade Demon Beast. One of its leg bones was bestowed upon me by the Empress Dowager. I will have someone go fetch it."

Yan Yu glanced at an attendant, and the attendant took off running toward outside the palace.

Cheng Xi looked at Yan Shengyu, "Bring me paper and a brush."

Yan Shengyu hurriedly nodded and ran to get paper and a brush herself. Cheng Xi half-squatted on the ground, spread the paper on the stone stool, and bent her knees to hold the brush and write the prescription.

The medicines written on it were mostly for stopping bleeding and sterilization. She filled a whole page and handed it to Yan Shengyu, "These are all common medicinal herbs; the Imperial Hospital should have them all, but they must be processed. Have the Imperial Hospital grind them into powder, stir them evenly, and bring them in a Jade Box."

"Alright." Yan Shengyu dared not delay; she lifted her skirt and ran all the way to the Imperial Hospital. In her urgency, she forgot she could have sent someone else to do it, thinking only of saving her brother.

Just then, Li Zhi'an came over carrying a cup of tea and reached out to hand it to Cheng Xi, "Moisten your mouth."

"Thank you." Cheng Xi took the teacup and drank the tea.

Li Zhi'an serving someone tea?

This scene was too bizarre; for a moment, everyone's expressions were colorful and varied.

Li Zhi'an seemed not to notice the others' gazes and looked at Cheng Xi, asking, "Ji Muzhi is already on his way."

Cheng Xi breathed a slight sigh of relief; it would be much easier to handle with Ji Muzhi here.

She turned her head and looked at Yan Yu again, "Lord Yan, why didn't you dodge just now? With your skills, it shouldn't have been impossible for you to dodge that strike from the Demon Wolf."

There was such a thing?

"Eldest Miss Cheng, what do you mean by that? Could it be that my son got injured on purpose?" the Duchess of Dingguo said with some displeasure.

Only then did Cheng Xi raise her eyes to look at the Duchess of Dingguo, "Since the Duchess is so dissatisfied with me, please find someone more brilliant to treat your son's injury."

Cheng Xi was not one to be indulged; she lifted her foot and walked away.

The sudden turn of events stunned the Duchess of Dingguo. She truly hadn't expected that with the Empress Dowager still here, Cheng Xi would just walk away like that; it was simply audacious!

"Cheng Xi!"

"Eldest Miss Cheng, please stay."

The Empress Dowager and Yan Yu spoke almost simultaneously.

Cheng Xi didn't even look back, only throwing down one sentence, "This commoner's skills are not refined. If there is any slight mistake with Pavilion Master Yan, I fear my head would be chopped off by the Duchess of Dingguo. Please, Duchess, find someone more brilliant."

The Empress Dowager glared fiercely at the Duchess of Dingguo—this idiot!

Li Zhi'an glanced at Yan Yu and sneered, saying mockingly, "Treating a life-saving benefactor as an enemy—it really is an eye-opener."

After throwing down these words, he caught up to Cheng Xi in two or three steps and left side-by-side with her.

The Empress Dowager glanced at Li Zhi'an's back, forcibly suppressing the urge to call Cheng Xi back, and looked at the Duchess of Dingguo in anger, "Since you are so capable, handle your son's injury yourself."

The Empress Dowager left in a rage, taking her people with her. The Duchess of Dingguo was terrified; she didn't know how to treat injuries at all and immediately lunged forward to hug the Empress Dowager's legs, "Your Majesty, you cannot just ignore this! Yu'er's life depends entirely on you."

The Duchess of Dingguo, her face covered in tears, hugged the Empress Dowager's legs and would not let go.

The Little Emperor glanced over, a trace of mockery at the corners of his mouth, and not bothering to care, he left with his people as well.

Yan Shengyu returned with the medicinal powder, only to find out what her mother had done, and her vision went black; she almost fainted.

Fortunately, Ji Muzhi arrived in time, but facing the mid-grade Demon Bone sent by the Yan Family, he spread his hands with a look of helplessness and said to the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty, this is a mid-grade Demon Bone; this humble official is unable to refine it."

The Empress Dowager was furious, scolding the Duchess of Dingguo, "No matter what method you use, invite Cheng Xi back, otherwise let your son wait for death."

Ji Muzhi was already the best Alchemist in the imperial court; if even he had no way, others would have even less ability!