Shen Yu approached the massive bed, his movements silent and graceful. Meng Yan was still sprawled exactly as he had left her, her skin flushed and her chest rising and falling in a deep, peaceful rhythm. The tension that had etched fine lines into her forehead for months was completely erased, leaving her looking younger, softer, almost vulnerable.
To maintain his image, Shen Yu picked up a pristine, dry silk blanket from a nearby chaise lounge. With the care of a devoted physician, he draped it gently over her bare, voluptuous curves, covering her from her shoulders down to her thighs to preserve her modesty. Only then did he reach out, pressing two fingers gently against the pulse point on her neck.
"Senior Meng," Shen Yu called out, his voice a soft, melodic baritone in the quiet room. "The treatment is complete. It is time to wake up."
Meng Yan's thick eyelashes fluttered. She let out a soft, breathy groan, shifting her heavy limbs under the silk blanket. Slowly, her dark eyes opened, blinking away the heavy fog of exhaustion.
For a moment, she looked disoriented. Then, reality rushed back in.
She took a sharp breath, instinctively bracing herself for the agonizing, burning pain in her chest and abdomen that had greeted her every waking moment for the past year.
But the pain didn't come.
Instead, a profound, icy coolness radiated from her Dantian. Her lungs expanded effortlessly, drawing in a full, deep breath of air without the slightest hint of scorching heat. Her body felt incredibly light, as if a boulder the size of a mountain had been lifted from her chest.
"I... I can breathe," Meng Yan whispered in sheer disbelief, her hands coming up to touch her own chest.
Her gaze fell upon the silk blanket tucked neatly around her shoulders. A slight, grateful smile touched her lips, realizing that Shen Yu had covered her before waking her. It was a thoughtful action that solidified her impression of him: he was truly a doctor treating a patient, not a man leering at a woman.
She sat up slowly, holding the silk tight to her collarbone.
Then, the sensation registered.
She felt the dampness beneath her thighs. She looked down at the ruined, soaked bedsheets. The memory of her violent, screaming climaxes and the sheer volume of hot fluids she had expelled under his hands hit her like a physical blow.
Her mind plummeted into chaos.
Shame. Humiliation. Confusion.
She didn't know what to say or feel. She was the Matriarch of the Jin Clan, a Golden Core expert, and she had lost control completely in front of a junior male.
She took a deep, shuddering breath and closed her eyes, forcing her racing heart to slow. She needed to gather her scattered thoughts. Now that the maddening heat was gone, her mind was sharper than it had been in years.
Calm down, she commanded herself.
A few minutes passed in silence. When she opened her eyes again, the panic was gone. Her emerald eyes were cold, filled with a crystalline clarity. She had come to a conclusion.
At first, she had been skeptical of this treatment. She had only agreed out of desperation, driven by the torture of the Lunar Fire. But now, the results were undeniable. Shen Yu had done what no other alchemist could.
Yes, there was a stinging feeling of humiliation in letting a young man touch her so intimately after decades of solitude. There was a pang of betrayal when she remembered her late husband. But, outweighing all of that was relief. There was the renewed hope of ascending to a higher realm to protect the Jin Clan.
And buried deep beneath the logic, there was a hidden feeling she tried to ignore but couldn't deny, the feeling of enjoying that massage. A spark of lust that had been buried for decades had been ignited.
This was for the best, she decided firmly. Survival outweighs pride.
Shen Yu was watching her quietly as she contemplated. He didn't disturb her; he simply stood there with patient elegance, letting her work through the turmoil.
Finally, Meng Yan looked at Shen Yu. Her voice was cold and composed, though a hint of genuine warmth lingered beneath the surface.
"Young Master Tang, at first, when you suggested this cure, I thought you were merely boasting. But now that I have felt the result... it makes me feel guilty for doubting you."
She bowed her head slightly, a gesture of immense respect from a senior to a junior. "I am sorry for doubting your skills."
Shen Yu looked at her with hidden interest. He knew this woman would eventually belong to him, but seeing her regain her composure so quickly made him evaluate her character. She was not just a powerful cultivator; she was humble enough to apologize to a junior when she was wrong. She possessed the grace of a true leader.
"It is quite alright, Senior Meng," Shen Yu said calmly, his smile gentle and disarming. "When one stands on the edge of death, doubt is natural. That doubt only increases when the physician is young and possessing a broken constitution like myself. It is merely human psychology. Please, do not take it to heart."
Meng Yan looked at him as he spoke, her opinion of him rising another notch. He is talented, yet so humble and understanding. A rare gem.
"That aside, Senior, how are you feeling now?" Shen Yu asked, shifting to a professional tone.
"I am feeling refreshed," Meng Yan admitted, placing a hand on her stomach. "It is as if a blockage in my body has been removed. There is still a dull ache in my abdomen, but it is incomparable to the agony I felt previously."
Shen Yu nodded. "That is to be expected."
He reached into his robes and pulled out a folded piece of paper, handing it to her.
"Senior, this is the prescription for the Nine-Yin Reversal Elixir. There are a total of 108 herbs required to refine it. Many of them are rare spirit herbs, so please begin gathering them immediately."
Meng Yan took the note, her eyes scanning the complex list.
"Out of those, approximately 47 of the auxiliary herbs are already available in my Shen Clan's apothecary," Shen Yu added smoothly, setting his next trap. "You can contact my Aunt to acquire those directly. It will save you time."
Meng Yan nodded, clutching the paper. "I will have my people start gathering the herbs at the fastest possible speed."
"The faster you arrange them, the sooner you will have the permanent cure."
Shen Yu's expression then turned stern, his voice dropping to a serious, warning tone.
"And Senior, I must repeat my previous warning. You may think that because the pain has subsided, you can resume your training. The answer is no. This massage is a temporary relief, not a cure. Do not circulate your Qi."
He held up a finger. "Also, stop taking the Ice Spirit Pills immediately. And avoid consuming any concentrated Yin or Yang items. They will destabilize your current fragile balance."
Meng Yan listened intently, nodding like an obedient student. "I will heed your instructions, Doctor Shen."
"Good. Since the treatment is concluded, I should take my leave," Shen Yu said, offering a polite bow. "Lixue and Aunt Yilan will be waiting for me."
Meng Yan moved to stand up from the bed. She wrapped the silk sheet tightly around her body, though it did little to hide the voluptuous swell of her curves.
As her feet touched the floor, her legs wobbled dangerously. The soreness in her muscles and the aftershocks of her intense pleasure made her knees weak. She grabbed the bedpost to steady herself.
She took a breath and bowed again, this time more deeply.
"Thank you, Young Master Tang. Though this relief is temporary, it is a new lease on life for me."
Her cold voice trembled slightly, cracking under the weight of her emotion.
"I owe you my life. The Jin Clan owes you an unpayable debt."
"I am merely fulfilling my promise," Shen Yu replied, offering a polite, shallow bow in return. "I will take my leave now."