Divine Level Witch Doctor

Xiaoyang lifted its head, looking at Zhao Yuan in surprise.

It had a vindictive nature, as did its former master, so it had come to believe that all living beings were the same.

So when it heard Zhao Yuan say he wouldn't kill it, it was in utter disbelief.

"Wh... Why?" Xiaoyang asked, its voice still sounding odd.

Zhao Yuan smiled and explained, "You were only following orders before. There's nothing to blame you for."

His tone suddenly shifted, growing cold. "But from now on, you must obey my orders without exception. Even if you fail a task, you must inform me immediately instead of running off to hide! Understand?"

Xiaoyang tilted its head, as if processing Zhao Yuan's words. After a moment, it nodded emphatically and replied, "Understood." It then pointed to the Demon Capturing Ring on Zhao Yuan's hand and said, "With this, I won't disobey your orders."

Obviously, Xiaoyang meant that with the Demon Capturing Ring, Zhao Yuan was its master, and it would obey his commands one hundred percent. But its words held another meaning: if the Demon Capturing Ring were ever stolen, lost, or broken, it would no longer listen to him.

Zhao Yuan shook his head and chuckled. 'A Mountain Spirit is a Mountain Spirit,' he thought. 'It might be a little clever, but it's completely straightforward and doesn't understand subtlety. Still, this kind of subordinate is better.'

In truth, Zhao Yuan didn't want to control Xiaoyang merely through the Demon Capturing Ring. His goal was to make Xiaoyang genuinely loyal to him. But he knew this couldn't be accomplished overnight, so he wasn't in a rush. He would start with small things, fostering goodwill and gratitude in Xiaoyang, rather than just fear and terror.

Treating its injuries was undoubtedly the best way to start.

Zhao Yuan had Xiaoyang open its mouth and checked its throat.

Though filled with confusion, Xiaoyang obediently complied.

During their earlier battle, Zhao Yuan had first stuffed the Fearless Pearl into Xiaoyang's mouth, then jammed in the Wind and Thunder Whip. The two Magical Artifacts had left its mouth and throat covered in burns and scars.

Additionally, its internal organs had taken a beating and suffered various degrees of damage. In comparison, Xiaoyang's external injuries weren't severe. Its skin was tough, its flesh thick, and its fur incredibly hard, so it was left with only a few burn marks.

For its external injuries, Xiaoyang had gathered some herbs, chewed them into a pulp, and applied the poultice to its wounds. Zhao Yuan, having mastered the art of Chinese Herbal Medicine, immediately identified them. He recognized rhubarb, bletilla, and Japanese knotweed, among others, all known for their detoxifying and flesh-regenerating properties. This left him rather surprised. "You know medicine?"

Xiaoyang looked baffled. "What's medicine?"

"It's the art of treating injuries and illnesses..." Zhao Yuan explained simply, but Xiaoyang was still completely lost. Resigned, Zhao Yuan had to rephrase the question. "How did you know these plants could treat your wounds?"

This time, Xiaoyang understood. "Some I learned by trying them myself. Others I saw other animals use."

Zhao Yuan understood. The creature didn't know medicine; it had simply lived in the mountains for years, figuring out its own healing methods through trial and error. It was just like how many animals in the wild can find the right herbs to eat when they're sick or injured—an instinct honed by nature.

"Those herbs are fine for your external wounds. I'll treat your internal injuries. Stand up..." Zhao Yuan instructed. But when Xiaoyang actually stood up, he instantly regretted it, smiling wryly. "Never mind, you'd better lie back down. Good grief, when you stand, I don't even reach your waist. I can't treat you like this."

Xiaoyang obediently lay back down. In that moment, it showed none of the ferocity it had when fighting Zhao Yuan to the death.

Zhao Yuan took out his Golden Needles to treat the damage to Xiaoyang's internal organs. Fortunately, his hand strength was immense. Any other doctor would have snapped thousands of needles without ever piercing its skin. The creature's hide was as tough as iron and stone!

As Zhao Yuan inserted the needles, Xiaoyang felt waves of a sore, numb, and aching sensation spreading from the pierced acupoints.

The sensation was strange, but it overwhelmed the pain in its organs. It could even feel its internal injuries gradually beginning to heal.

Xiaoyang immediately understood: Zhao Yuan was healing it!

It had several masters before Zhao Yuan, but they had only ever driven it to do their bidding. At best, they might toss it some food as a reward when pleased. No one had ever truly cared for it, let alone healed its wounds like Zhao Yuan was doing now.

An indescribable feeling welled up in Xiaoyang's heart. When it looked at Zhao Yuan again, its gaze held a newfound warmth.

When he finished the acupuncture treatment, Zhao Yuan was quite exhausted.

Although Xiaoyang's meridians and acupoints were no different from a human's, its hide and muscles were incredibly hard and dense. Performing acupuncture on it was far more difficult than on an ordinary person. Even with his strength at the Late Stage of Marrow Cleansing, the effort had left him drenched in sweat.

"Alright, your internal organs are mostly healed. Now you just need to take a medicinal decoction every day to recuperate." Zhao Yuan put away his Golden Needles and instructed, "Memorize this. For the next little while, you'll need Ginseng, Astragalus Root..."

He was still listing the names of the herbs when Xiaoyang cut him off, asking in confusion, "What are all those things you're saying?"

Zhao Yuan paused, then realized that even if Xiaoyang had seen the herbs he was listing, it wouldn't know their names. "Okay, new plan," he said. "You're coming with me." With that, he led Xiaoyang toward Jinhua Village under the cover of darkness.

He didn't notice that in the distant woods, a Little Red Fox with fur like fire was hiding in a thicket, having secretly watched the entire exchange. Now, as he and Xiaoyang departed, the Little Red Fox hesitated for a moment before quietly trailing after them.

It was already four in the morning by the time they returned to Jinhua Village. The sky was still pitch-black, and the villagers were all fast asleep.

Sensing Xiaoyang's aura, the village livestock once again cowered in the corners of their pens, trembling in silent terror.

The White Cat scampered out of the house and glanced at Xiaoyang. Perhaps knowing this big oaf had been tamed, it showed no hostility. Instead, it leaped up, scrambled up Xiaoyang's body, and settled itself on the creature's head.

If any other animal had dared to be so disrespectful, Xiaoyang would have flown into a rage and torn it to shreds. But toward the White Cat, it showed no dissatisfaction at all. On the contrary, it wore an expression that seemed to say, 'I am deeply honored to be of service.' It was hard to say whether this was due to Zhao Yuan's influence or the White Cat's own unique charm.

Zhao Yuan led Xiaoyang to the medicinal herb farm, where he dug up a batch of Ginseng, Astragalus Root, and other herbs for it. Then, he found a pot and patiently taught it, step-by-step, how to brew the decoction.

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