It's not easy being a Master

10

In the end, Shen Zhixian didn't have to carry his little hedgehog disciple inside. He was too afraid that if he really did hug him, he would be skewered on the spot. No way was he willing to enter the hornet's nest.

Relieved, Shen Zhixian happily opened up his little disciple's thin top, then his heart immediately sank.

The wound was even worse than he thought.

The residual chill from the discipline whip lingered on the wound, and the pitch-black accumulation of blood piled over the laceration, making it look even more ghastly. Dark-red blood oozed out of the cracked scab, dispelling the medicinal ointment.

This ointment was a common one, with a subtle scent and a poor rate of effectiveness. In terms of quality, it was light-years away from the first-class elixir he'd sent. In these past few days, Yan Jin must have been using this ointment instead, which explained why his wound wasn't healing.

Shen Zhixian soaked a gauze in a special liquid medicine before carefully using it to clean the wound. As soon as the fabric touched his skin, Yan Jin trembled slightly, his muscles tightening. The motion caused the wound to flex, and soon after, the blood began to flow more freely.

Shen Zhixian gently patted his arm with his other hand and said in a soothing tone, "Relax."

The gauze quickly became stained with blood. The treatment was very painful and Shen Zhixian was worried that Yan Jin wouldn't be able to endure. He deliberately chatted as a means of distracting him. "Where's the bud sprout? Still attached to you? It's strange how this little guy suddenly became so intimate with you."

As Shen Zhixian spoke, Yan Jin lightly and cautiously murmured in agreement, his back muscles tightening.

Shen Zhixian, "..."

He admitted that he was working hard to distribute goodwill! What the hell did the original Shen Zhixian do to make this youth behave like this?!

Shen Zhixian helplessly became silent. Originally, he wanted to ask Yan Jin why he didn't use the elixir he'd sent. Now that he thought about it, it was probably because Yan Jin was afraid to use it.

He was afraid that Shen Zhixian was tricking him.

After wrapping the bandages around and around his disciple, Shen Zhixia tied the two ends together into a knot. Once finished, he got up to clean his hand. Reaching into his storage bag, he pulled out Yan Jin's brocade band.

Throughout this entire thing, Yan Jin had been silent and forbearing.

Shen Zhixian called, "A'jin."

Then, taking a deep breath, he passed the band to the youth, solemnly saying, "I'm sorry."

Yan Jin saw the familiar brocade ribbon and his body began to tremble. He could barely resist the urge to snatch the ribbon away. Once it was in his hand, he carefully studied the piece of cloth before finally determining that it was the one he'd lost. Relief swept through him. Then, at last, he finally reacted to the words--What did Shen Zhixian say?

In the silence, Yan Jin tightly clutched his newly recovered ribbon, feeling as if the situation was completely absurd.

Sorry.

Shen Zhixian had apologized to him.

What were you sorry about? Sorry for all the past things, or have you devised a new way to torture me, or...

Yan Jin turned his head and looked at Shen Zhixian. His black eyes were mocking, the emotion so slight that it could be easily overlooked. His voice came out slow and subdued, "Master, have you been possessed?"