Ginseng's Path to Immortality - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

That night, just as Huo Langxing had settled down to sleep, sounds drifted in from outside the small courtyard.

I let out a sigh. These men in black were truly persistent, coming to kill Huo Langxing every single night.

At first, I didn’t realize they were here to kill someone; after all, I didn’t know much about the habits of humans.

It wasn’t until they held a blade to Huo Langxing’s throat-nearly severing my Path to Immortality-that I realized something was wrong.

I had hurriedly used my magic arts to toss them into the mountain forests, but the next night, they came back.

Humans are truly strange creatures.

Just as I was planning to repeat the trick, the sound of a door opening came from the room next door.

Huo Langxing’s wounds hadn’t healed yet, so I quickly opened my door and followed him.

However, Huo Langxing pushed me back into the room. “Shen Shen, don’t come out. Wait for me inside!”

Before I could refuse, he pulled the door shut, grabbed his longsword, and rushed out.

I peeked through a crack in the door. Huo Langxing was fighting five men at once without showing any sign of weakness. Before long, the men in black fled.

However, Huo Langxing’s wounds had torn open again.

I was skillfully changing his bandages when he suddenly grabbed my hand. “Shen Shen, I have to leave.”

I was taken aback. “Huh? Why? I haven’t finished repaying my debt of gratitude yet!”

Huo Langxing said, “I have some matters to handle. Staying here will only involve you. You’ve taken care of me for so many days; the debt is already considered paid.”

I shook my head. Heavenly gratitude is a heavy burden; how could this little bit of care count as repayment?

Besides, if the debt were truly paid, I should be ascending to the heavens right about now.

Huo Langxing’s tone hardened slightly. “I must leave. I’m going tomorrow morning.”

I thought about it for a moment. Even if he left, I could still follow him secretly.

But in his current state, he would die easily. I needed to give him some nourishment first.

There are few things in this world more nourishing than me, so I planned to lop off an arm to bolster his health.

Having made up my mind, I turned and ran to the kitchen.

I was in such a hurry that I didn’t see the look of lingering reluctance in Huo Langxing’s eyes back in the room.

I took a bath, tucked a kitchen cleaver into my clothes, and slipped into Huo Langxing’s room.

Huo Langxing was surprised. “It’s so late. What are you doing here?”

I sidled up to him. “Repaying the debt.”

Huo Langxing was dazed. “Repaying the debt?”

I nodded. “I have no worldly possessions, so I can only use my body to repay you.”

Huo Langxing’s face flushed crimson at my words. “Your body? Shen Shen, what are you saying? This… this isn’t right!”

I quickly countered, “What’s not right about it? You’re leaving, and I don’t know when I’ll see you again. Let me repay at least a little bit of the debt first.”

Huo Langxing hurriedly refused. “No! How can such a thing be done so casually? Wouldn’t this ruin you?”

I shook my head. “It won’t. Doing it once is nothing.”

I can always grow it back!

I walked toward Huo Langxing with determination and pulled open the front of my robe.

Huo Langxing scrambled to his feet and pressed down on my hands. “Shen Shen, listen to me. You and I cannot be so reckless. If you truly feel this way, then in the future, I…”

I was getting impatient. “We’ll talk about the future in the future! Today, I must repay my debt!”

Huo Langxing looked at me with a complicated gaze for a long while. “Fine. Then I shall simply marry you!”

Marry me? What kind of nonsense was that?

Whatever. Giving Huo Langxing nourishment was the priority.

Then, under his bashful gaze, I loosened my sash and pulled the kitchen cleaver from my bosom.

Just as I was about to bring the blade down, Huo Langxing grabbed my arm.

“What are you doing?”