THE LEGEND OF SHENLI

CHAPTER 22

Three days later . . .

Xíng Zhǐ undid Shěn Lí’s sling and dismantled her splint. Then he applied pressure above an acupuncture point and concentrated on treating her injury. Shěn Lí suddenly smiled and asked, “Earlier you said you left behind four items in the area around the two seals in the Ruins. But none of the soldiers on patrol have ever encountered them. Do you still remember where they are?”

“Mm. One is on a hill top, another is in a lake, another . . .hm,” Xíng Zhǐ replied as he released her hand. “Move your arm now.”

Shěn Lí sat up as she obediently moved her arm first bending it a bit before stretching and turning it several times in a circular motion. Her body was unexpectedly loose and pain-free. This kind of recovery speed was astonishing. An injury like this would normally take at least two weeks of rest.

Yet it only took Xíng Zhǐ three days to heal her.

“It seems like the issue is resolved,” he grabbed her hand and held it in his own, palm to palm.

Shěn Lí automatically pulled her hand back without thinking. Xíng Zhǐ looked at her confused. It was an awkward moment and Shěn Lí coughed before saying, “Yes? What is it?”

Xíng Zhǐ gave an easy chuckle. “The formidable the Azure Sky king is unexpectedly shy?” He grabbed her hand and entwined his fingers through hers. “Simply examining your joints. Try to grip my hand as hard as you can.”

This earned him a fierce stare from Shěn Lí but he didn’t notice, so she quickly glanced downwards. No pressure came. They were like that for some time until Xíng Zhǐ asked in confusion, “Are you hurting somewhere?”

“No . . .” Shěn Lí pulled her hand back and rubbed the space between her brows. “I was just worried I’d break your hand if I put pressure into my grip.”

Xíng Zhǐ gave her a blank stare. He laughed out loud after a second. “Your Highness can be at ease. Please feel free to grip my hand as hard as you want. I promise I won’t break.”

The words reminded her that the man in front of her was the Celestial realm's, Immortal High God Xíng Zhǐ, a person with an immortal body. It wouldn’t be like gripping that mortal man’s hand. Despite knowing that the one in front of her wasn’t Xíng Yún she still hesitated, her heart remained uncertain. Their attitudes were so different but their faces were so similar. That laugh and that smile . . . Shěn Lí found it hard to control her emotions. She angrily grabbed Xíng Zhǐ’s hand, laced her fingers through his, and gripped hard.

The moment she did Xíng Zhǐ said, “Mm. Good. You’ve recovered well.” He pulled his hand back after saying so. “Your Highness is healed enough and should be able to guide me around the area later this afternoon.”

“This afternoon?”

“This evening would be fine as well.”

“No, this afternoon works.” He completely suppressed her. This Immortal High God Xíng Zhǐ was seriously hard to deal with.

. . .
“The only thing around here are the destroyed barracks and camp for the soldiers, but farther south is a high mountain. No matter what we do, we can’t get anything to grow near the base. Before, hundreds of years ago, miasma would flow around the borders, but the mountains blocked it from entering the land. We left a little late, so it’s too late for us to go to the lake. We’ll investigate the mountain first.” Shěn Lí took out a map one of the soldiers drew and seriously gave directions to Xíng Zhǐ.

Shěn Lí turned to find him slowly fidgeting with his robe. She was really annoyed and had to restrain her temper before speaking to him, “Immortal High God, we should go to the mountains now.”