Chapter 843: Chapter 658: Strange Changes (2)

Leaving the Netherworld Palace, Baili An hurried towards the purification chamber.

In the early morning, only two Inner Officials were on guard,

Perhaps they had already received the Demon Lord’s instruction, for upon seeing Baili An approach hastily, the two Demon Clan Inner Officials did not put up much of a hindrance, and after paying their respects, led Baili An into the room partition.

Though the old Demon Lord had countless favored consorts and a well-stocked harem during his lifetime, according to the Demon World’s rules, when one generation of Demon Lord perishes, their Demon Consorts are to be buried with them.

After the old Demon Lord passed away, the harem became empty and vast, with various palaces occupied by the Demon Consorts. Naturally, there were no attendants needed for purification services, and thus, this purification chamber had been left unused for years.

As one pushed the door open, a strong moldy and decaying smell assailed the nostrils.

Lin Zheng had suffered quite a bit over these past few days. As soon as Baili An entered, he saw Lin Zheng dosed with drugs, bound with ropes, firmly tied to a simple wooden bed, staring listlessly at the ceiling, like someone who had lost the will to live.

Upon hearing the creaking sound of the door opening, Lin Zheng’s eyes moved slightly, and when he saw Baili An approaching, his previously lifeless eyes seemed to light up instantly. He thrashed on the wooden bed like a fish, grabbing onto a lifesaving straw, exclaiming excitedly: “Si Chen! Si Chen, save me!!!”

Baili An rushed over to untie him and fed him some restorative medicine. After a bit, Lin Zheng began to regain strength, looking at Baili An with eyes warmer than seeing his own parents, he sobbed aloud: “To think that this Young Marquis, known for my heroic name, would be touched by two vile men, who almost castrated me, I can’t live with this!”

Seeing his melodramatic behavior of crying, yelling, and threatening to hang, Baili An was at a loss whether to laugh or cry: “Alright, it’s all over. Just how did you get on the Demon Lord’s bad side?”

Not wanting to stay in such an unlucky place, Lin Zheng hurriedly grabbed Baili An’s arm, attempting to get off the bed. Suddenly, he hissed, his face turned pale as if pulling on some injury, his movements quickly slowed down, and he carefully got off the bed in a splits-like manner.

Baili An asked with concern: “Are you alright?”

Lin Zheng waved his hand dismissively, seemingly unable to hold his dignity, he chuckled embarrassingly: “It’s nothing, nothing. That day, the Chief Surgeon seemed to be scared by something and thankfully stopped in time. It’s just a minor injury; I’ll just treat it when I get back.”

At this time, an Inner Official approached, carrying a tray with a small knife with a silver handle. The knife’s blade was half gone, the other half turned into black ashes, resembling burnt wood ashes, scattered in the tray.

Baili An’s gaze focused, sensing something was off: “This is…”

Not waiting for the Inner Official to reply, Lin Zheng’s face turned bright red with embarrassment, flaring up instantly, attempting to snatch the tray.

The Inner Official calmly stepped back half a step, avoiding Lin Zheng’s motion, and slightly bowed, courteously saying to Baili An: “The execution knife is unfit to be presented before His Majesty, defiling his eyes. However, His Majesty instructed that this one’s bloodline is extremely peculiar, and such clues still need the lord to inspect.”

The still-irate Lin Zheng quieted down upon hearing this.

Though short-tempered, he was also meticulous in thought. Upon hearing this, the peculiar changes in his body seemingly involved the Demon Lord, Lin Zheng naturally realized the gravity of the matter.

He was merely a mortal cultivator, not some harmful monster; the blood he shed couldn’t naturally corrode a sharp knife to such a state.

Yet, such strange occurrences happened precisely to him.

Lin Zheng looked at the knife reduced to ash in the tray with a mix of bewilderment and fear of the unknown. Grabbing Baili An’s sleeve, he hurriedly said: “I… I don’t know what’s going on. In the past, when competing in swordplay with Ye Shu or fighting in the underground palace, I’ve been injured and shed blood before, staining the blades, yet never has this happened. I… I… I…”

He stammered, unsure of what to say further to defend himself, anxious to the point of tears.

Seeing him in such a state, Baili An calmed his mind to reassure him: “Brother Lin Zheng, calm yourself. You said earlier that when you’ve been injured and bled, this has never happened before, and it’s the first time you’ve noticed anything unusual this time. Think carefully, this is your first injury outside the underground palace, which means your body began to change in the underground palace. By deduction, it’s possible that while being devoured and assimilated by the Netherworld Dragon’s heart, your blood underwent some change.”

“Yes! Yes!” Lin Zheng suddenly grasped a breakthrough, nodding like garlic being chopped: “It’s very likely just so!”

However, Baili An felt that while perhaps related to the Netherworld Dragon, the cause likely stemmed more from Lin Zheng himself.

Yet seeing him in such turmoil now, Baili An chose not to speak too plainly.

These words were meant for Lin Zheng to hear and also for the Demon Lord.

Being instructed to investigate the secret of Lin Zheng’s bodily changes, it provided a straightforward explanation.

As for deeper truths, which Ye Shu defended with his life, Baili An intended not to delve into.

Taking Lin Zheng out of the purification chamber, he returned him to Ye Shu for care and recuperation, then Baili An changed direction, hurrying back to Chao Mu Hall.

At that time, the sky was cloudy and snowing heavily.

No sunlight could be seen.

Baili An didn’t bother with an umbrella, walking in the Demon World’s palace. On this day, amidst the heavy snow, he smelled a stench slightly different from usual, as if something unclean was about to emerge from beneath the snow and earth.