AUOF - 123

Snakes are inherently lustful.

After being with Ji Hengyu, Sang Sang had been enthusiastic about their various forms of physical intimacy. She delighted in seeing his bashfulness when aroused and his uncontrollable moments of passion. However, all of that was in the past…

Since he became obsessed with having offspring, engaging in such activities day and night without restraint, Sang Sang felt fear toward intimacy for the first time.

From the small town to Qingyang City, even during the two days when the caravan rested along the way, Ji Hengyu would always find an excuse to drag her into the woods or fields for a tryst.

It was truly bold!

Truly unethical! Lawless!

Even someone as twisted as Sang Sang thought Ji Hengyu was excessively perverted.

She had never imagined that one day, even as a demon, she might be unable to keep up. Moreover, Sang Sang felt a deep sense of guilt toward him—her husband wanted a child so badly, but she suspected… perhaps… maybe… she really couldn’t bear one?

Sang Sang was distressed, and Ji Hengyu wasn’t faring much better.

He had tried so hard, from the town all the way to the city, yet her belly remained flat, showing no signs of change. Watching her increasingly evasive expressions and frequent reluctance regarding intimacy, it was clear she was also disappointed.

Ji Hengyu didn’t know where he had gone wrong.

There was no shortage of elixirs—he had even asked his junior disciple to specially refine fertility-boosting pills for them. But aside from making him more easily aroused, they showed no results!

Perhaps… maybe… he really couldn’t father a child.

This thought made Ji Hengyu feel a sense of frustration for the first time in his life.

He achieved enlightenment at three, ascended at five, and exterminated countless demons within a hundred years. His life had been smooth sailing. A diviner once foretold that he would face a great calamity in his lifetime.

At the time, Ji Hengyu had laughed it off, not taking it to heart. Now, he wondered if this inability to have children was his destined tribulation.

If it truly couldn’t be helped, perhaps he should find a few handsome young men for Sang Sang…

This thought made his chest tighten instantly. No, absolutely not! The mere idea of Sang Sang being intimate with someone else suffocated him.

Both were weighed down by their thoughts, speaking only a few words a day until the pharmacy was successfully acquired, which helped ease the tension between the couple somewhat.

Sang Sang had no lack of money now. She bought a personal maid and an apprentice from a broker, arranged things accordingly, and began preparing for the opening.

The shop was located on Shangjing Street, the most bustling street in Qingyang City, teeming with people and vibrant activity.

Unable to come up with a creative name, Sang Sang simply named it “A Pharmacy,” a unique addition to the busy street.

A pharmacy couldn’t attract as many customers as a teahouse or restaurant on its opening day. There was more idle time than business.

Taking advantage of the downtime, the couple busied themselves counting medicines. The maid and the apprentice assisted nearby. Sang Sang carefully packed the dried herbs, while Ji Hengyu stood beside her, meticulously noting the weight and effects of each herb.

Amidst their work, the wind chime above the door jingled softly.

The apprentice was quick-witted. Before the guests entered, he greeted them enthusiastically: “Welcome, honored guest! Please mind the threshold.”

Sang Sang looked up.

Two rosy-lipped, white-toothed young men entered. At a glance, they appeared healthy and strong, with no apparent ailments.

“Do you have medicine?”

The two exchanged glances, nudging each other awkwardly. Finally, their gazes landed on Ji Hengyu standing behind the counter.

Their expressions were complex, their thoughts unclear.

Ji Hengyu lowered his eyes indifferently, calmly organizing the herbs.

After a brief glance, one of the young men finally spoke: “We’ve just arrived here and are suffering from water and soil incompatibility. Is there… any medicine to alleviate these symptoms?”

The apprentice froze, instinctively turning to Sang Sang for help.

She pushed aside the bead curtain and stepped out, asking gently: “Are there any other discomforts?”

Her voice was soft, neither proud nor flirtatious, carrying a perfect touch of clarity.

The young men turned to look at her and froze instantly.

She stood in the middle of the pharmacy, dressed in a pale green shirt, her long hair neatly tied up and adorned with pearls and jade. Her appearance was understated yet elegant, her eyes expressive and naturally radiant, exuding an almost intimidating beauty that made one feel intrusive just by looking at her.

Among the numerous celestial maidens of Tiange, each had their own charm, but none compared to her natural, ethereal beauty. She could rightfully be called a face that could topple kingdoms. The young men grew flustered, their faces reddening from their necks to their foreheads.

Sang Sang eyed them curiously, thinking they hadn’t heard clearly, and repeated her question in the same tone.

The young men glanced at each other, shifting responsibility back and forth. Finally, the shorter one stepped forward, cleared his throat, and said: “We… uh… have diarrhea.”

“Any nausea?”

“Yes… a bit?”

“Fever?”

“That too… a little.”

They stammered, their wide eyes fixed on Sang Sang’s forehead, which amused her greatly.

“A case of maladjustment caused by an imbalance in the spleen and stomach. Two doses of Gegen Qinlian Decoction will suffice.” Sang Sang wrote the prescription and instructed the apprentice to fetch the medicine.

Noticing their attire, Sang Sang remarked: “You’re not from around here?”

“Ah, we’re from… Tian…” The shorter one started to speak but was nudged by the other.

“We’re from Linyuan near Mount Tian.”

Sang Sang raised an eyebrow, sensing something amiss.

She had no interest in prying into others’ secrets. After writing the prescription, collecting payment, and sending them off, she turned to Ji Hengyu once their figures disappeared into the bustling market.

“Why haven’t you said anything this whole time, Husband?”

Sang Sang keenly picked up on his subtle abnormality.

Ji Hengyu didn’t lift his head: “I don’t understand medicine—what would I say to them?” He glanced up briefly, his expression distant, which immediately dispelled Sang Sang’s doubts.

________________________________________

After leaving the pharmacy, Chunhua and Chunmao sprinted straight to the inn.

This inn had been completely taken over by disciples of Tiange. Though spacious, it felt empty except for the enthusiastic waiter attending to them. Ignoring him, the two dashed upstairs and pushed open the door to one of the rooms with a loud thud .

Inside, three or four people turned their heads to look at them simultaneously.

Chunhua and Chunmao panted heavily, carelessly tossing the medicine bags onto the table before grabbing teacups and gulping down the tea.

This annoyed their fellow disciples: “What are you drinking tea for? What happened?”

Before they could respond, the curtain was violently thrown open, and a young woman emerged from the inner room.

Her features were delicate, her fiery red dress like flames. It seemed she had just cried, as a tear still clung to the corner of her eye.

Seeing her, the two hastily put down their teapots and stood with their legs together, adopting a humble posture.

The others stepped aside to let her take a seat.

She crossed her arms, tilting her head to glare at them: “Tell me—has Tianheng Jun really married a mortal?”

“Ah… yes.”

Chunhua and Chunmao nodded, appearing even more timid.

“What does she look like?”

To describe her appearance…

Recalling Sang Sang’s calamitously beautiful face, lascivious thoughts swirled in their minds, heating their ears. However, facing their junior sister, they dared not tell the truth and instead replied vaguely:

“Passable.”

“Passable?”

Si Tu ground her teeth, pressing further: “How passable? Compared to me?”

“That… she definitely can’t compare to Junior Sister!” Chunhua, quick-witted, hurriedly sat next to her and began flattering her: “A mortal—how could she compare to a celestial maiden of the divine realm? Right, brothers?”

Chunhua shot a glance at the others, who understood implicitly and nodded in agreement: “Right, right! Definitely can’t compare to Junior Sister.”

“Junior Sister, rest assured—Senior Brother must have had no choice.”

“Yes, you know Master’s personality. How could he easily pledge himself to someone?”

“That’s right—it must be a fleeting affair. Junior Sister, don’t take it to heart.”

“…”

The group half-lied, half-consoled her, but Si Tu had heard such words countless times and was no longer moved by them. She saw through their attempts to comfort her, recognizing them as lies meant to placate her.

She was a celestial maiden born in the divine realm. From birth, the gods declared her unique, destined to be paired only with Tianheng Jun.

Si Tu had memorized these words. From the age when she couldn’t even walk, she had chased after him. But his heart was as cold as stone. To avoid her, he stayed in the mortal realm, refusing to set foot in the divine domain. Now, hearing that he had fallen for a mortal, how could she not be angry, how could she not be enraged?

With these thoughts, her eyes reddened again. Glancing at the medicine bag on the table, she asked: “What’s this?”

“Uh…” Chunhua cautiously replied, “You told us to check on that woman, but we couldn’t approach her directly. Coincidentally, we saw they had opened a pharmacy, so we used that as an excuse.”

“A pharmacy?”

Si Tu raised an eyebrow, suddenly struck by an idea.

Grabbing the medicine bag, she declared: “I’ll go see just how bewitching this woman is to make Senior Brother so infatuated.”

In the blink of an eye, she vanished from the inn, leaving behind only a fleeting shadow.

The disciples exclaimed in dismay and hurriedly chased after her.

________________________________________

Still harboring resentment, Si Tu stormed through the streets, her anger deterring passersby from approaching.

“A Pharmacy” was easy to find since it had just opened. Si Tu headed straight for the entrance, glanced up to confirm the name, and strode in confidently. Looking around, she saw only the apprentices but no sign of the owner.

With a loud thud , she slammed something onto the table, rolled up her sleeves, and sat down on a chair meant for rest. “Call your master out—!”

Her voice was loud and domineering, clearly intending to cause trouble.

As the sun was setting, the busiest time of day, the shop was crowded with people. Upon hearing her voice, the surrounding crowd slowed their steps, casting curious glances her way.

The apprentice was startled by her presence.

The shop had just opened, and there were only a few customers. Such a striking figure would certainly leave an impression. The apprentice confirmed she was unfamiliar but noticed the medicine bag matched their packaging. Despite his suspicions, he didn’t dare neglect her and approached respectfully:

“Is there something troubling you, Miss?”

“Trouble?” Si Tu crossed her arms, her expression haughty. “Yes, there’s trouble.”

Pointing at the medicine bag, she accused: “These medicines are infested with bugs. Are you trying to harm us? Call your master out!”

Hearing the word “bugs,” the onlookers immediately gathered around.

This satisfied Si Tu. She wanted to see what kind of mortal could enchant the aloof Tianheng Jun so thoroughly.

The apprentice had just been bought by Sang Sang and had never dealt with such situations. To make matters worse, Sang Sang and Ji Hengyu had just left together, seemingly not returning anytime soon.

Just as he was at a loss, Sang Sang and Ji Hengyu returned one after the other, carrying newly purchased items.

“What’s going on?”

At the sound of her voice, the apprentice rushed to her like seeing salvation. Leaning close, he whispered the situation, complaining pitifully: “Our herbs are thoroughly dried—where would bugs come from?”

Sang Sang turned around, puzzled.

At the same time, Si Tu lifted her chin, putting on a confrontational and fierce demeanor.

But the moment their eyes met, the deliberately cultivated ferocity on Si Tu’s face softened halfway. Her sharp gaze gradually stiffened, eventually fixating entirely on Sang Sang’s face.

Sang Sang found the girl strangely odd. Taking two steps forward, she leaned down and asked: “You said there were bugs in my medicine?”

Sang Sang stood very close, enveloped in the scent of herbs. Si Tu couldn’t help but crane her neck to look at her.

Up close, she realized Sang Sang’s beauty was even more striking. Her thick lashes framed captivating eyes, yet her gaze was pure and serene, making it impossible for anyone to vent anger upon her.

Si Tu swallowed nervously. As Sang Sang reached for the medicine bag, Si Tu swiftly snatched it into her arms, dispelling the bug curse she had secretly cast earlier with lightning speed. Straightening her face, she stammered:

“I… I didn’t say that. I… I never said that!” Clearly guilty, her eyes darted around frantically.

Sang Sang: “?”

Apprentice: “…?”