Recuperating and Waiting for the Qu Father and Son to Take the Bait

While Serena Feng was momentarily dazzled by Prince Nolan's looks, Nolan had already finished checking everyone—including Serena herself.

"All the test results are here." Prince Nolan gathered the reports from the desk and handed them to Serena.

Business first. Serena pulled herself out of her daydreams, took the reports from Nolan, and started flipping through them one by one.

The Master of the Mystic Healer Valley was clear. Dorian's Master was clear.

"Dorian's blood test is abnormal."

"Among the dark guards, these two are affected as well—same situation as Dorian. Have them come by later; I need to check them again." Serena pulled out two sheets and handed them to Nolan.

"Alright."

"What about yours? Why isn't your test report in here?" Serena double-checked and confirmed she hadn't missed it, then asked in confusion.

"No need. I can't be poisoned." Prince Nolan took off his gloves and removed his mask.

It was a perfectly ordinary gesture, yet Prince Nolan made it impossible to look away.

Is good looks a hazard or what?

Serena swallowed hard, trying to put on a serious face. Sternly, she said, "Your judgment has no basis. We're in the Demon Sect—better safe than sorry. As your doctor, I insist you get checked too."

"It's not necessary. This little poison can't hurt me." As he spoke, Prince Nolan even took off his white coat, revealing the dark robes underneath.

In an instant, Prince Nolan transformed from a modern professional doctor back into Eastlyn's noble prince. With rows of test tubes behind him and the tiny stone room, the whole scene felt like a time warp.

Serena's mind wavered. This was the second time—her second time losing focus during work.

She bit her lip, reminding herself not to zone out again.

Taking a deep breath, Serena gently pleaded, "I know your body is different from ordinary people, but this is a special situation. Please, just get checked so I can have peace of mind." Even if it's just for me, please do it.

"No need. These corpse toxins can't survive in my body." Prince Nolan's refusal was cold and hard, with a trace of chill in his voice. If Serena weren't so anxious about it, she might have noticed the annoyance in his tone.

But Serena cared too much—terrified something might happen to Nolan, she kept trying to persuade him, until his eyes turned icy cold as he stared at her. Only then did Serena realize something was wrong.

Serena froze, stammering, "Did I say something wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong. I just don't need it. My body has hosted no fewer than ten kinds of corpse poison. If these corpse worms could harm me, I'd have died long ago." Prince Nolan radiated an icy aura, his deep eyes full of frost, making people shiver involuntarily.

He hated talking about it; every time he mentioned his past, a wave of disgust swept over him, making him want to scrub himself clean again and again, to wash away all those toxins.

But he couldn't—the toxins had long since seeped into his bones and blood, impossible to ever remove.

"I... I'm sorry, I... I didn't know." Serena staggered back, shaking her head over and over.

This side of Prince Nolan was terrifying—his emotions exposed, his fury unmasked.

"Hoo..."

Prince Nolan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"It's not your fault. I just didn't handle my emotions well." By now, Prince Nolan appeared calm again, as if his earlier outburst had vanished in a flash.

Given the circumstances, Serena didn't dare say anything more. She knew she'd accidentally triggered a painful memory for Nolan.

After that, whether she was tidying up or checking Dorian and the dark guards, Serena was extremely careful—she didn't even dare look around, just kept her head down and focused on her work.

Seeing this, Prince Nolan didn't stay inside either. He strode out, standing alone under the starry sky, head tilted back as he gazed at the sea of stars above.

He radiated a deathly, frozen solitude.

Serena finished checking Dorian, injected the antidote, and by the time she was done, dawn was breaking.

Dorian and the dark guards sensed the tension between Prince Nolan and Serena and quietly returned to their rooms, not daring to disturb the pair. The whole stone house was silent.

Serena stood at the threshold, watching Nolan's back from afar, but did not go after him.

Because she didn't know how to comfort him.

The more you try to forget the painful memories of the past, the harder they are to let go.

Nolan had them. So did she.

Those hateful memories were sealed away in their minds. Just when they thought they were about to forget, everything they'd been through would come flooding back, replaying in their heads as vividly as if it had happened yesterday.

Serena kept vigil with Nolan until sunrise. Only when the Demon Sect's deaf-mute servants brought breakfast did they return inside together.

Prince Nolan gave Serena Feng a small nod, and just like that, it was as if nothing had happened. Serena didn’t ask any more questions, and the two of them quietly slipped back into their previous rhythm.

Three more days passed in this fragile calm before Rowan Bloom arrived, bringing Dr. Marcus Guile and Dr. Redwater with him.

That night, Demon Sect servants brought clean quilts for Marcus Guile and Redwater, and replaced the bedding for Prince Nolan’s group as well.

The quilts were ripped open and inspected again, but this time nothing was hidden inside.

"Even the Demon Sect fears the poison doctor’s reputation. I really am getting old," the Master of Mystic Healer Valley said, sounding a little dejected.

With Marcus Guile and Redwater present, the Valley Master felt overshadowed, as if he was suddenly unnecessary.

"Every field has its expert. I’m only more skilled in poisons, that’s all. Compared to the Valley Master’s broad mastery, I’m much more specialized. I hope you’ll teach me in the future," Marcus Guile said smoothly, flattering the Valley Master while keeping his own reputation intact.

The Valley Master laughed heartily. "You’re too modest, Brother Guile. In the field of poisons, you’re unmatched in the medical world. Since we have the chance, I’ll be sure to learn from you—and don’t you dare hold back!"

Compared to Redwater, Marcus Guile’s honest demeanor made him much more likable to the Valley Master.

After just a few words, the two were calling each other ‘brother.’ The Valley Master even pulled Marcus Guile away to chat, leaving Redwater behind.

"Finally, he’s gone. If he’d stayed, I wouldn’t dare perform acupuncture," Redwater breathed a sigh of relief.

From the moment Redwater arrived, the Valley Master had been glaring at him, making Redwater deeply uncomfortable.

He knew stealing the Valley Master’s patient was wrong, but he hadn’t wanted to take on Serena Feng’s troublesome case—or come to this corpse-ridden place to treat her.

Marcus Guile had warned him: this so-called Holy Land of the Demon Sect reeked of death, and even the worms they dug up grew fat on corpses.

If not for Serena Feng’s injured hands waiting for his treatment, Redwater would never have set foot in this disgusting place. He was determined to heal her as quickly as possible and escape.