Chapter 616

For the next ten days, Shen Lang didn't step outside once. He spent twenty hours a day experimenting, using the remaining four hours for all his basic needs—eating, drinking, and relieving himself. It reached a point where no one could see him. When he was experimenting, no one was allowed in the laboratory. If they did, he would fly into a rage and have a meltdown. Every day, Xiao Bing brought Shen Lang his meals. Every two days, she would wash him and change his clothes while he slept. Everyone in the Count of Xuanwu's Estate lost their smiles.

The news that Jin Mulan had fallen into a deep slumber after giving birth, becoming like a person in a vegetative state, soon spread. Once again, countless people celebrated Shen Lang's misfortune. They made horrific remarks, saying that Shen Lang was getting his just deserts, that he deserved it, and that Jin Mulan should just pass away. The Heavenly Dao Society continuously sent various medicinal herbs and rare items, but none of them were of any use.

Although the King heard the news, he did not send the royal physicians. He knew that Shen Lang was the finest physician, so sending the royal physicians would be pointless. Soon after, he wrote a letter to his daughter, Princess Ninghan, in a very humble tone, asking if, for her father's sake, the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion could intervene and save Jin Mulan. A few days later, Ninghan sent a reply.

After receiving the letter, the King staggered as if struck by lightning and collapsed onto his bed. Then, his hands began to tremble uncontrollably, as if his Parkinson's-like affliction was having a violent fit. In that moment, many things came to his mind. For instance, he remembered how desperate he had been when his first wife was afflicted with appendicitis and no one would help. Shen Lang's feelings now were probably the same as his had been. No! Shen Lang's pain must be even greater. Because his love for his wife was deeper, and he regarded her as his pride and joy. Consort Bian took the King's hands and massaged them continuously.

"My lord, please don't be angry. Don't be angry."

After a long while, King Ning Yuanxian laughed miserably and said,

"My dear consort, the truth is, I've known for a long time that I've lost my daughter. She came to see me only once in over ten years, and that was just to warn Shen Lang not to get involved in the struggle for the throne. In her heart, her father has long been gone. I was only deceiving myself..."

At last, King Ning Yuanxian could hold back no longer and shed tears.

"My dear consort, why do we have no children? Why?"

Ning Yuanxian wailed. The Crown Prince and Ninghan had grown distant from him, and the Third Prince, Ning Qi, saw himself as a spokesman for the Zhong and Xue clans. Consort Bian comforted him gently.

"My lord, we have Zheng'er. He is a good child. We also have Yan'er. He may be a bit naive, but he's a good child nonetheless. Besides, we have Shen Lang. Please, my lord, put your mind at ease. Think of how many miracles Shen Lang has created. He's a child who can do anything; he will surely be able to save his wife."

But despite Consort Bian's words, the King could not stop his sorrow and continued to weep.

* * *

It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had already been over half a month since Mulan fell into her deep slumber. Shen Lang still hadn't rested or slept, but he could find no way to save her. He ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wondered if hitting his own head with a hammer would make him smarter, but it was an idea he couldn't act on, which only made him more distressed.

Just then, Zhuo Zhaoyan arrived on behalf of the Crown Prince.

"Shen Lang, let's make a deal."

"Speak."

"You will hand over Gu Duhuan so I can kill him, give the two thousand three hundred Nirvana soldiers to His Highness the Crown Prince, and provide us with the medicine that can modify bloodlines. In return, His Highness the Crown Prince can ask Princess Ninghan and the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion to save your wife, Jin Mulan."

Hearing this proposal, a spasm crossed Shen Lang's face.

"Perhaps you don't know yet? His Majesty wrote to Princess Ninghan asking her to save your wife, but she refused. However, if His Highness the Crown Prince were to ask, Princess Ninghan would surely accept immediately."

Shen Lang still said nothing.

"Shen Lang, don't you love Jin Mulan dearly? Surely, in your heart, Jin Mulan's life is worth more than two thousand-odd Nirvana soldiers and a bloodline-modifying medicine? Are you really going to stand by and watch Jin Mulan die?"

*Taking advantage of a house on fire to loot it?*

Shen Lang abruptly stood up, pointed at Zhuo Zhaoyan, and shouted.

"Kill her! Kill this woman. Kill this wicked bitch!"

In that instant, the Sword King Li Qianqiu suddenly drew his sword. He had currently formed a strong bond with Shen Lang, so he felt Shen Lang's pain as his own. Without a second thought, he moved to kill Zhuo Zhaoyan, but two Grandmasters appeared in a flash. They were the same Grandmasters from the Hidden Yuan Society who had fought him before. Moreover, the four peak experts who always followed Zhuo Zhaoyan also appeared, making a total of six people protecting her in the center.

"Shen Lang, consider it carefully. Jin Mulan doesn't have much time left."

Zhuo Zhaoyan said with a sneer, and Shen Lang soon regained his composure and replied.

"If my wife leaves my side, I will kill over a million people to be buried with her."

"Haha, hahaha..."

Zhuo Zhaoyan left, leaving only the sound of her laughter behind.

*Kill a million people? Shen Lang, do you think you're a god?*

* * *

On the seventeenth day of Mulan's unconsciousness. There was finally a breakthrough in the effort to save her. It wasn't that Shen Lang's experiments had progressed, but that something had happened. Two scholars he had never seen before arrived from the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion.

"The Young Master sent us to examine the lady."

*Young Master? Who? Princess Ninghan? Didn't she refuse?*

Though reluctant, Shen Lang showed Jin Mulan to the scholars from the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion. The two scholars checked Jin Mulan's pulse and carefully examined her blood, but they couldn't reach any conclusion.

"Now, we must examine your son. It is a crucial clue to saving the lady."

At the words of the scholars from the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, Shen Lang narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Wait a moment!"

He then went to Xiao Bing's room. She was the one primarily looking after Shen Ye. Because she already had a baby, it was better for her to look after both of them together. Besides, many people were helping her.

This was the first time Shen Lang had voluntarily come to see Shen Ye. Seventeen days after his birth, Shen Ye had grown quite a bit. The baby was sleeping soundly with his hands wrapped around his head, and Shen Mi was sleeping next to his younger brother. Shen Lang used his X-ray vision mode to examine Shen Ye's bloodline, and something astonishing happened. The energy of the golden bloodline within Shen Ye's body was gone, having vanished completely without a trace. This was too bizarre.

"Xiao Bing, has anyone touched Shen Ye recently?"

Xiao Bing shook her head.

"No. Only the two old madams and I have held the baby!"

"No one has gone near the baby."

The Old Demon of Mount Xue said from outside. Shen Lang was shocked. In other words, the bloodline that had been a golden bloodline at birth had suddenly disappeared one day. Now, no bloodline could be found in Shen Ye at all, making it appear like a blank bloodline.

"How has the child's reaction been usually? Isn't he dazed? Lacking in energy?"

At Shen Lang's question, Xiao Bing burst into tears.

"My lord, how ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can you say such things about the baby? No one wanted this to happen to my sister. But we can't blame the baby for it. Our baby is doing very well. He's lively, smart, and healthy!"

As expected, Xiao Bing's crying woke Shen Ye up. The baby pouted his small lips and let out a loud wail. His large eyes darted around, looking first at Shen Lang, then at Xiao Bing. Then, he waved his small arms and legs towards Xiao Bing, crying even harder to be held by her. He certainly looked very healthy. Besides, what seventeen-day-old baby could be as cunning as this child? He was clearly a very bright baby.

Xiao Bing held Shen Ye and brought him over to Shen Lang, saying,

"My lord, look. See how healthy our Xiao Ye is? How lovely is he? Baby, let's have your daddy hold you!"

In the end, Shen Lang couldn't bring himself to reach for the baby and said to Xiao Bing,

"You carry him and follow me!"

As if sensing Shen Lang's coldness, Shen Ye pouted and cried even harder, to the point of convulsing. Seeing this, Xiao Bing quickly soothed the baby. Her heart ached. She believed this wasn't Shen Ye's fault. Shen Ye was, after all, just a newborn baby.

* * *

"This is the child Mulan gave birth to."

The eyes of the two scholars from the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion suddenly lit up, and they even flinched in surprise as they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠quickly approached to examine the baby. But Xiao Bing took a step back, acting like a mother protecting her child.

"Don't you touch the baby. No one but his father, mother, grandfather, and grandmothers can touch him."

The two scholars from the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion took half a step back and observed Shen Ye from a distance of several feet. The two of them continuously fixed their gazes on Shen Ye's eyes, skin, and body, as if searching for something. After a long while, the scholars from the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion asked.

"Master Shen Lang, may we draw a little of this child's blood?"

"No!"

Xiao Bing answered immediately. Shen Lang thought for a moment, then nodded.

"I will do it."

He then took out a syringe and pricked Shen Ye's arm. This time, Shen Ye didn't cry. Instead, he looked at Shen Lang with pitiful eyes, pouting his small lips in an endlessly pathetic manner. He really didn't seem like a newborn who was only seventeen days old. Shen Lang drew a very small amount of blood. He first examined it carefully with his X-ray vision mode before handing the blood to the scholars from the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion.

"You may examine it here, but you may not take it with you."

They nodded, then took out various reagents to conduct their tests. Their expressions went from excited and thrilled to gradually calm, and finally, to disappointment. In the end, the two became completely indifferent, but as if unable to accept it, they tested it a couple more times. Finally, they told Shen Lang their conclusion.

"Young Master Shen, we are very sorry, but we have no way to save your wife. We shall take our leave!"

Without another word, the two of them left immediately.

"Xiao Bing, take the child."

"My lord, please, won't you hold Xiao Ye? Just once!"

Shen Ye was still looking at Shen Lang with pitiful eyes. Shen Lang sighed inwardly, took the baby, and held him. But the baby's small, chubby hand immediately grabbed and released Shen Lang's nose lightly.

*Sigh! This little villain tormented Mulan so much that she became like a person in a vegetative state.*

Emotionally, Shen Lang naturally blamed the baby, but in a way, the child was an innocent newborn. He knew nothing; everything was just an instinct for survival.