THE LEGEND OF SHENLI

CHAPTER 29

    Later that evening Shěn Lí burned with a high fever. Ròu Yā fed her water and tried to cool her down with a damp towel but it was to no avail. Shěn Lí refused to wake up. This had never happened before; no matter how serious the injury, Shěn Lí was always conscious and clear-headed. This unconscious Shěn Lí left Ròu Yā worried beyond belief.

She didn’t know what to do. There were two immortals in the residence she could ask for help. It was inappropriate to disturb Immortal High God Xíng Zhǐ in the middle of the night, but Fú Róng was Shěn Lí’s fiancé. Ròu Yā reasoned it was appropriate to seek help from him considering their relationship.

She rushed over to his courtyard and banged on his door. It was no use though. Even after knocking for several minutes, no one came out. A now frantic Ròu Yā had no choice but to find Immortal High God.

. . .
Xíng Zhǐ touched Shěn Lí’s cheeks. They were red and hot to the touch. He immediately sat down by her bedside and felt the pulse on her hand. The strange reading made his brows furrow.

“Immortal High God . . .will my master be OK?”

“It is but a fever.” Xíng Zhǐ released Shěn Lí’s hand. “Are there any medicinal compounds in the residence?”

Ròu Yā shook her head. “Master never gets sick. Us demon people rarely get sick. Medicinal plants don’t grow well here because the miasma is so dense, so they're rarely available at market.”

Xíng Zhǐ muttered some words under his breath as he placed a hand on Shěn Lí’s forehead. Immediately white light flashed between his palm and her skin. Even though Shěn Lí was still in a daze she appeared more comfortable.

He left his palm resting on her forehead and absentmindedly moved his fingers in her hair, slightly grazing the hairline, making a mess of it in one direction, then smoothing it back down in the other.

Ròu Yā stared closely for a moment. She only relaxed once she saw Shěn Lí breathing more evenly and her complexion improved. It was only then that the worry in Ròu Yā’s heart lightened.

Now that she felt better, she was in a mood to complain. “What kind of husband is my master getting? Almost married and he stays out all night. Not around when needed either. If Immortal High God hadn’t been here, who knows how bad master’s condition could have gotten?”

Xíng Zhǐ didn’t say anything but his hand fell from Shěn Lí’s forehead to her cheeks. He rubbed the slightly hot skin with his fingers.

“Yesterday he started so much trouble, ruining master’s good name. Then this morning he was trying to find General Mò Fāng about a jade pendant. Who knows if he’s looking for General Mò Fāng right now!”

Ròu Yā was really dissatisfied with Fú Róng, but afraid of overstepping her bounds, she didn’t dare voice it in front of Shěn Lí. In front of Xíng Zhǐ however, she felt free to complain to her heart’s content.

“Her Highness will have to go to the Immortal realm after marrying. She won’t have anyone to rely on up there. Who will defend her if she is wronged? Her Highness is so stubborn, she won’t complain to the Demon emperor. If something happens . . .”

The more Ròu Yā thought about it the sadder she became. Her eyes turned red and she began tearing up. “Who will be there to sympathize with her?”

“Hm.” Xíng Zhǐ whispered unconsciously. “Who would?” These words made him consider his actions and he couldn’t help but lower his eyes. Gazing at her sleeping face, he ran his fingertips over the bridge of her nose and the hollows of her cheeks, before pulling his hand back.