Doubt, Tears, and the Truth of Vital Essence

“The incense box is the same.”

Wen Xiaoran remained skeptical.

Yan Yi reacted quickly, her voice rising unconsciously.

“All the incense boxes I use are the same style.

Your Excellency may not remember.

The incense I prepared for you was used up long ago.

I have not yet made a new batch.”

Wen Xiaoran studied her with suspicion.

“Such a coincidence.

The same box, and the incense serves a similar purpose?”

Under his piercing gaze, Yan Yi felt like prey cornered by a hawk.

It was as though his eyes could burn holes straight through her.

Her hands clenched into fists within her sleeves.

Her nails dug into her palms.

She forced herself to remain calm and did not look away.

At this point, only steadfast denial might preserve her life.

“You know I have not been sleeping well recently.”

As she spoke, tears rolled down the corners of her eyes, as though she had suffered grave injustice.

Wen Xiaoran frowned impatiently.

“Why are you crying?”

She began to sob.

“You suspect me.

I feel… hurt.

I cannot help but cry.”

“In this situation, suspicion is natural.

Why are you aggrieved?”

She cried even harder.

Her breathing grew ragged.

“If I truly wished to harm you, why would I wait until now?

What could a mere box of incense possibly do to you?”

His displeasure deepened.

“What do you mean by that?”

Inwardly, she cursed him for lacking a conscience.

He never cherished others’ goodwill.

“If I meant to harm you, why would I have risked my life to go to the Frost Continent to retrieve the Frost Lotus for you?”

Her voice trembled with accusation.

As she spoke, vivid tragic images filled her mind.

Soon she was crying so hard her vision blurred.

She could barely see his expression.

She had poured her heart into helping him.

In return, she gained nothing but suspicion.

Wen Xiaoran had not forgotten that incident.

On the contrary, he was deeply grateful for her courage.

Yet in these turbulent times, reminded by Bu Shu, he had instinctively grown wary.

“Enough.”

His voice sounded dry.

“I only suspected.

I did not intend to interrogate you as a spy.”

But she continued crying, resentment filling the storehouse.

“You have no heart.

You only suspect others of harming you.

You never consider how it wounds them.”

Her red eyes stared at him.

Tears shimmered within them.

He met her gaze and fell silent.

“Send me away then.

If I remain, I will only suffer unjust suspicion.

One day I may become a scapegoat and lose my life.

Perhaps even die without a body left.”

She wiped her tears with her sleeve.

“Keeping someone you do not trust by your side cannot ease your mind either.”

Her endless sobbing made his temples throb.

“Enough.”

His voice grew hoarse with restraint.

“I have no intention of sending you away.

Stay here properly.

Whatever your purpose, the demon race will not allow a mortal to cause chaos.

If you wish to live, behave yourself.

Of course—”

He softened slightly.

“If you harbor no ulterior motives, all the better.”

She did not reply, only wiped her tears.

She wondered if she had already shed a lifetime’s worth of tears since entering this book.

Her fear was real.

She was timid by nature.

To survive, she had no choice but to act.

Her sobbing was genuine.

Now she felt dizzy and weak.

She leaned against the long table, barely able to stand.

Seeing her state, Wen Xiaoran felt a twinge of guilt.

He had indeed been overly suspicious.

Bu Shu, who had been silent, finally spoke.

“Why would Your Excellency need calming incense?”

Yan Yi stiffened.

Cold sweat soaked her back.

She quickly answered, “Master, His Excellency’s headaches were frequent recently.

I dared to prepare some incense to ease his discomfort.”

She paused, then added nervously, “It was from an old medical text.

Perhaps ineffective.

I will not prepare any more without permission.

Please forgive me.”

Her voice dwindled to a whisper.

Bu Shu still seemed uneasy.

“What medical text?

May I see it?”

Her heart sank.

Fear tightened her chest.

She forced herself to think quickly.

“When I was still at home, I read it in an old book.

I no longer recall the title.

The pages were worn and missing in places.”

Bu Shu was about to press further when he noticed Wen Xiaoran rubbing his temples.

He immediately stepped forward.

“Your Excellency, is your vital essence affected?”

He helped him sit.

Wen Xiaoran’s eyes turned a frightening shade of red, though his face was pale.

“You were right.

The demonic energy in Xiangyun Town is indeed connected to the former Demon Lord.”

Yan Yi swallowed nervously.

She seized the chance to ask, “Your Excellency… are you injured?”

He ignored her and addressed Bu Shu instead.

“When clearing the demonic energy, my power became unstable.

It is likely due to my weakened vital essence.

Is there a way to stabilize it?”

Bu Shu sighed heavily.

“I warned you before.

The Frost Lotus can repair but not fully restore your vital essence.

You must reduce your use of demonic power.

Otherwise—”

He hesitated.

Wen Xiaoran tapped the table impatiently.

“Speak plainly.”

“The damaged vital essence is difficult to restore.

Unless—”

Bu Shu steeled himself.

“Unless another vital essence is absorbed into the body to nourish and protect the damaged one.

Given time, it may recover.”

Yan Yi could not help interrupting.

“Master, do ordinary mortals have vital essence?”

Wen Xiaoran scoffed.

“Mere mortals—”

He stopped mid-sentence and looked at her thoughtfully.

Bu Shu answered patiently.

“All living beings possess vital essence.

For mortals, it sustains their own life force and is of little use to others.”

Disappointment flickered across her face.

“If one gives their vital essence to another, will they die?”

Before Bu Shu could answer, a bright female voice rang out.

“Of course they would die.

Mortals already struggle to live.

Without vital essence, their souls wither and their bodies fade.”

Yan Yi turned toward the doorway.

A stunning young woman stood there, smiling brightly.

Behind her was a young man of similar appearance, quiet and gentle like a loyal puppy.

They were pleasing to the eye.

Bu Shu hurried over.

“Yingyue, why are you here?”

“Mother sent us.

You have not returned home for days.”

They greeted Wen Xiaoran respectfully.

Bu Yingyue then turned to Yan Yi.

“Mortal, what is your name?

Why are you in the Demon Realm?”

Yan Yi smiled.

“I am Yan Yi.

I am—”

She stopped herself.

She could hardly say she had been gifted here.

She glanced at Wen Xiaoran.

He watched her with a faint smile.

Her scalp tingled.

“I am a traveling physician who wandered here by chance.”

Bu Yingyue raised an eyebrow.

“This is my brother, Bu Yingxue.

Since you call my father ‘Master,’ we are family.

If you face any trouble, seek us.”

Yan Yi nodded, surprised by their warmth.

Not all demons were like the suspicious great villain.

“We shall take our leave.”

As they turned to go, Bu Yingxue tugged at his sister’s sleeve.

“You have not mentioned the important matter.”

“Oh right.”

He stepped forward.

“Your Excellency, yesterday we saw demonic energy appear at the center of Tai Lake.

It vanished quickly.”

Yan Yi’s ears perked up.

It matched what she had seen.

“Your Excellency, I was not lying!”

She looked at him expectantly, like a child awaiting praise.