Volume 1, Chapter 19: What Is This Girl’s Relationship with Their Chief?

"Get out of the way!" Jiang Boyu never expected to see Cheng Xi here, and he shouted a warning immediately.

Even without Jiang Boyu’s warning, Cheng Xi had already caught the scent of the Four-Eyed Demon Fox. Her current physical condition was far too weak to engage the creature in a direct confrontation.

In that very instant, a figure flashed by like lightning. The Four-Eyed Demon Fox, as large as a pig, vaulted over the rooftops, sending roof tiles scattering in every direction as screams and cries of alarm erupted.

"Cheng Xi, run!" Yan Shengyu grabbed Cheng Xi and turned to flee.

They had only just discovered their latent talents and had not yet entered the academy to learn the arts of cultivation. It was like holding a precious sword without knowing any swordsmanship; they were no match for a single swipe of the demon fox’s claws.

The aura of danger made her entire body tense. Yan Shengyu gripped Cheng Xi’s hand tightly. Whether it was bad luck or something else, the Four-Eyed Demon Fox was charging straight toward them.

Yan Shengyu’s face was deathly pale. She was gasping for air, yet she refused to let go of Cheng Xi.

Cheng Xi was forced to keep pace with Yan Shengyu. Her current body was truly pathetic; she couldn't run far before she was panting, her throat feeling as if it were on fire.

How could human legs outrun the speed of a demon beast? There was no escaping this!

Cheng Xi yanked back on Yan Shengyu’s hand. "Hide!"

She shoved her into a flowerbed, then held her breath and stilled her mind, channeling the meager spiritual energy left in her body to her right fingertips. Drawing talismans in the air was immensely draining; she could only manage the simplest of them: the Boulder Talisman.

The Four-Eyed Demon Fox arrived in a flash. Cheng Xi gritted her teeth and commanded, "Activate!"

A flash of golden light erupted, and the Four-Eyed Demon Fox’s head slammed violently into the Boulder Talisman. Cheng Xi spat out a mouthful of blood and stumbled back several steps. The demon fox fell to the ground from mid-air, dazed for only a second before locking its gaze onto Cheng Xi and pouncing!

Cheng Xi cursed internally. Could her luck get any worse? To have the techniques but no spiritual power was like a eunuch marrying a stunning beauty—willing, but utterly unable.

The Four-Eyed Demon Fox clawed at Cheng Xi’s chest, letting out a sharp, snarling cry. It was a display of intimidation; it knew she was the one who had bruised its head!

It wanted to tear her to pieces!

Cheng Xi’s pupils narrowed, a golden rim gradually appearing around her dark irises. She whispered under her breath, preparing to use her own heart-blood to fuel a talisman for survival, when a golden light suddenly streaked past her. In a flash, one of the Four-Eyed Demon Fox’s front claws was severed.

Blood sprayed everywhere, splattering onto Cheng Xi.

Immediately, she felt a tightening around her waist, and she was yanked backward. A dark figure stepped forward, a silver flash cut through the air, and the Four-Eyed Demon Fox was trapped in a net.

"Chief!"

"Go back and accept your punishment!"

***

Cheng Xi’s body was completely spent, and her vision blurred, but she knew she was safe. Everything went black, and she lost consciousness.

"Cheng Xi!" Yan Shengyu crawled out of the flowerbed and hoisted the unconscious girl up. "Wake up!"

"Hand her to me."

"Chief Li?" Yan Shengyu shivered at the sight of Li Zhi’an’s dark, brooding eyes, but she didn’t let go of Cheng Xi. "Chief, Cheng Xi is my friend. She hasn't done anything wrong; in fact, she helped the Tongtian Bureau intercept the Four-Eyed Demon Fox. You can’t take her!"

Li Zhi’an looked at Cheng Xi’s pale, bloodless face, recalling her reckless actions moments ago. His expression grew colder and more severe. "She has suffered internal injuries. The Tongtian Bureau can treat her."

Yan Shengyu was stunned. In that brief moment, Li Zhi’an lifted Cheng Xi and strode away.

The murderous aura radiating from Li Zhi’an kept Yan Shengyu from daring to follow. Besides, the entire Tianwei Teahouse was in shambles, and many had been injured. Since those who frequented such places were either wealthy or noble, the teahouse manager was already looking to her for guidance on how to handle the aftermath.

Unable to leave, Yan Shengyu sent a message home while worrying for Cheng Xi, determined to demand her back from the Tongtian Bureau as soon as her family arrived to handle the situation.

Li Zhi’an galloped back to the Tongtian Bureau on his Yulin horse. He placed Cheng Xi in the back courtyard and immediately ordered someone to fetch Ji Muzhi.

Ji Muzhi, carrying his medical kit, was dragged along by Jiang Boyu at a breakneck pace. Gasping for air, he demanded, "Who is so urgent that you need me to see them?"

"It’s not an illness; she was wounded by a Four-Eyed Demon Fox," Jiang Boyu said urgently.

"My bureau guards are tough as leather; even a scratch from a demon fox wouldn't warrant this much panic," grumbled Ji Muzhi, who was merely a physically frail alchemist and couldn't handle such rough treatment.

"It’s a young lady, not a guard! Hurry up, don't let her die!" Jiang Boyu felt a deep sense of guilt. If not for his negligence, the fox wouldn't have escaped, and it wouldn't have crashed into the teahouse to wound Cheng Xi. She had helped them catch the beast, only to end up hurt.

Seeing that Ji Muzhi could no longer keep up, he simply hoisted the man onto his back and sprinted the rest of the way.

Ji Muzhi thought: *What kind of young lady could make Jiang Boyu care this much? Has this kid finally had his heart stirred? I must take a good look.*

When Ji Muzhi saw that the Chief was also present, he immediately dropped his curiosity. Seeing the young lady lying on the bed with a deathly pale complexion, barely breathing, he didn't dare delay and immediately began to check her pulse.

The room was silent, save for the sound of shallow breathing. Jiang Boyu dared not look at the Chief, hanging his head in the corner, filled with regret.

***

After checking her pulse, Ji Muzhi furrowed his brows and turned to Li Zhi’an. "Chief, this young lady has sustained injuries to her heart meridians and has exhausted a massive amount of life force. Furthermore, her body was already weaker than an ordinary person’s, yet she dared to use cultivation arts. She truly doesn't value her own life."

Li Zhi’an looked at Cheng Xi. "Can she be saved?"

"She can, but it will be quite troublesome." Ji Muzhi scratched his head, noting the Chief’s intense concern for the girl. No wonder Jiang Boyu had carried him like a dog chasing a scent. He wondered what relationship this girl had with the Chief.

"Start with the medicine," Li Zhi’an commanded.

Ji Muzhi quickly wrote out a prescription and handed it to Jiang Boyu. "Three bowls of water boiled down to one..."

"How would I know how to boil medicine? I’ll go get the herbs, you boil them!" Jiang Boyu snatched the paper and ran off. If it were a guard, a simple brew would suffice, but Cheng Xi’s condition was terrifying; Jiang Boyu didn't dare mess this up.

Ji Muzhi watched as Jiang Boyu vanished in an instant, his face darkening in frustration. He turned to open his medical kit, took out a mutton-fat jade bottle, and poured out a dark red pill.

"Chief, we must first have her take this Spirit-Nourishing Pill to protect her heart meridians."

"Bring the water." Li Zhi’an took the pill and sat by the bedside, staring at Cheng Xi’s face.

Cheng Xi was usually sharp-tongued, and seeing her so frail now, he paused for a moment before gently lifting her into his arms.

Cheng Xi’s soft body rested against him, and Li Zhi’an felt a strange sense of discomfort; no woman had ever been allowed within a yard of him. Her head rested on his shoulder, her black hair spilling over him, her eyes closed, showing no reaction.

Li Zhi’an pressed his lips together. He pinched her chin with one hand, placed the pill into her mouth with the other, and then held her half-upright, feeding her the water Ji Muzhi provided.

Ji Muzhi stared in silence. *What is this girl's background? To think the Chief would lower himself to feed her medicine personally!*

Watching the Chief gently lay her back down, adjust her position, and tuck the silk quilt around her, Ji Muzhi felt numb. His perspective on Cheng Xi had shifted entirely.

"You said earlier that her body is weaker than a normal person's. What does that mean?" Li Zhi’an asked, looking at Ji Muzhi.