"No, I want to ask you for help—please help heal my wife."
"Alright, ten coins."
Chicken Boss was momentarily stunned by how straightforward Kei's response was. That calm tone, like he was just talking about eating or drinking water, genuinely surprised him.
"You agreed that easily?"
"What else should I do? I'm a wandering doctor. When someone asks for help, I go. If I can heal them, I do. If I can't, I leave. Why would that need much thought?"
"No, no need to think. This way, please."
Chicken Boss returned to his humanoid form from his three-legged golden crow state. Leading the way, he passed through street after street under the gaze of many yokai and entered the palace.
They arrived at a high platform where a bed was placed. A woman with golden hair and wings lay quietly on it.
(Don't ask for her name—I don't know either. In the original work, this character didn't even appear, only showed up briefly in Chicken Boss's flashback.)
"This is my wife. She's been in a coma for many years. I've looked for countless people to help treat her, but nothing worked."
"You don't need to feel any pressure. If you can cure her, great. If not, I won't blame you. Just do your best."
Chicken Boss held great prestige in the Northern Mountains. He never relied on brute force, always convinced others with reason. Of course, if you couldn't understand reason, he could also speak to you with demon power.
"I'm not under any pressure."
Kei stepped forward to check—there were no visible injuries, and her body seemed fine.
"Hmm, no physical issues. How did she end up like this?"
"It was the Demon Taming Talisman. Although she barely survived, she's remained in a coma ever since. Her body's getting weaker... I'm afraid…"
Chicken Boss's eyes showed deep sorrow—she might not last much longer and would pass away in her sleep.
"Yeah, this is pretty serious."
Kei lightly cut her wrist with a finger.
"What are you doing?!"
Seeing his beloved harmed, Chicken Boss immediately panicked but stayed rational, stepping between them and asking.
"Don't worry, I'm just checking."
"Huh, her blood really is like fire! First time I've ever seen something like this."
Kei marveled as blood, resembling flames, flowed from the small wound on her skin.
"Don't panic. Yokai are different from humans. Their treatment methods have to be adjusted by species."
"I'm just assessing her condition."
After hearing Kei's explanation, Chicken Boss calmed down, apologized, and stepped aside. Then he asked, "Can she be treated?"
"Not sure. This is my first time seeing something like this."
Kei tried a few acupuncture points, and the woman let out a faint groan.
"It's working! There's a reaction!"
Chicken Boss, although his wife was still unconscious, became excited at her small response.
"Her physical body is okay, but her soul... that's the tricky part. Soul Acupuncture? How does that even work...?"
This was the toughest case Kei had ever faced. He took out Jirou's acupuncture manual and Dr. Li's rare and difficult disease reference.
He studied them for a whole day, while Chicken Boss waited by his side the entire time.
"Did the divine doctor figure anything out?"
"How about we try the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles? This technique stimulates the soul through external needlework—it might work."
"I'll trust your judgment."
With ripples flowing from his fingers, Kei rapidly struck thirteen major acupuncture points and countless minor ones.
The woman spat out a mouthful of flaming blood, melting the stone floor beneath her.
"Doctor?!"
"No problem. Physical damage is minor. The reaction means the treatment is working."
"If this level of stimulation gets no response, then her soul would be completely gone. That would mean she's just a living corpse."
Chicken Boss's heart nearly jumped out of his throat, then slowly settled back down. "So the reaction means she can still be saved?"
"Yeah. Give me some more time to think."
Kei continued researching, determined to find a solution.
[After deep contemplation, your acupuncture medical skills have advanced.]
[Through repeated trials, your acupuncture technique has improved.]
Faced with the challenge, Kei unleashed his full potential, sitting motionless for days without eating or sleeping, focused solely on his research.
Whenever he thought of a method, he immediately tested it.
"Doctor, she's vomiting blood again~!"
Chicken Boss's heart jumped again.
"She'll live. It's nothing serious."
"She's shaking all over! She looks like she's in pain!"
"That's a good sign. It means she's reacting to external stimuli. Let's keep going!"
"Doctor! Maybe we should take a break!"
"No need. I'm still holding on. Actually, someone bring me food—meat. I need to replenish energy."
"No, Doctor, I can't take it anymore! My heart can't take the stress!"
"Then go rest. I'll keep going myself!"
With no choice, Chicken Boss gritted his teeth and endured. Every time his beloved showed a response, he felt both joy and fear.
Joyful that she reacted, afraid that the intense treatment might kill her.
He even worried if he'd die from a heart attack before she woke up.
A whole month passed like this.
"Hey, Bro Husky, your master and our Chicken Boss have been in there so long. Did they succeed?"
"Don't joke. Our boss is a divine doctor, a famous master across east and west! No way he'd fail."
Husky and Chicken Boss's guards sat together gossiping about what was happening inside.
"Let me tell you, Bro Husky, every day I hear screaming from up there! Sometimes it's the woman, sometimes it's Chicken Boss!"
"Do you think something happened up there?"
"What could go wrong? Our boss hasn't called us, right? That means everything's fine."
Husky wagged his head. Not out of loyalty, but more because he was living the good life. These past days at Chicken Boss's place, he had feasted well.
He'd even gained two pounds! His little underlings were all as fat as furballs now.
He doubted whether they could still run!
Meanwhile, rumors were spreading across the city.
"I heard that doctor—neither man nor yokai—is treating Chicken Boss's illness!"
"No, no, I heard Chicken Boss is gravely injured and called the doctor to treat himself!"
"You're both wrong. I heard Chicken Boss took a liking to the human yokai king and wants to form a blood pact with him. They've been holding banquets all week!"
"Eh? I heard it's the Yokai Emperor himself who wants to form a blood pact with that human!"
On the streets, rumors grew more and more absurd, until it became: Kei revived the dead princess of the Demon Taming Kingdom, and the Northern Mountain Yokai Emperor now wants to become sworn brothers with him.
Another month passed!
[Through continuous study and practice, you've overcome a major obstacle. Your acupuncture medical skills have greatly improved!]
"It's done! Hahahaha!!"
"What happened?!"
Chicken Boss jolted awake from sleep. After two straight months, he finally couldn't stay awake and had dozed off for a moment.
The once serious and majestic Chicken Boss now looked like a scruffy rooster, hair messy, red-eyed, with big dark circles.
He reeked with a foul odor. Even as a great yokai king, two months of sleeplessness left him mentally shattered.
Any longer and he'd be ready to meet King Enma himself.
"I finally saved your wife! I've fully developed Soul Acupuncture!"
Kei looked fresh and energized. After his intense grind, his acupuncture skills had soared. Now he looked like a carpenter with a hammer—everything looked like a nail.
He glanced at the exhausted Chicken Boss and jabbed him with acupuncture—instantly, Chicken Boss perked up like he was injected with adrenaline.
"OOOH!"
Chicken Boss howled, "You said my wife's okay?! For real?!"
"Of course. Go check yourself. I'm off to eat something—two months without food, I'm starving."
Kei's stomach let out loud growls. He'd been so focused on grinding acupuncture mastery that he forgot he was hungry.
[Your perseverance has paid off. Your willpower has slightly improved. Your mind has slightly improved.]
[Your cells savor the taste of growth. Cell quality has slightly improved.]
[Under the effect of the 'Indomitable Will' trait, the more pressure, the more you resist! Your willpower has slightly improved again!]
Now he was hearing progress updates from his Heavenly Reward talent every minute. Though this grind took a long time, it was totally worth it!
Ordinary treatments rarely brought much progress—the difficulty just wasn't high enough. Real training only came from tackling tough problems.
Kei understood that now more than ever!
After Kei left, Chicken Boss nervously approached the bed. He reached out a trembling hand but pulled it back again.
Memories flashed through his mind—the times she protected him, willing to die for his sake.
Tears rolled down uncontrollably, falling onto her hand.
She instinctively swatted it away.
Chicken Boss called out her name.
"Little Chicken, don't make noise… let me sleep a bit more… I'm so tired…"
His tears flowed even harder. He knelt beside the bed, tightly holding her hand.
After all these years… he finally heard that familiar voice again.
"Sleep… no matter how long, I'll be here waiting. I'll always be by your side!"
The next day.
Chicken Boss, full of joy, brought his wife to thank Kei—only to find he was already gone.
"Gone? Why didn't you stop him?"
"You didn't tell us to, sir."
"Then go chase after him!"
"We can't. That dog is of the Base Sumo King bloodline, known for speed. They've been gone a whole day—we can't catch up."
"I haven't even properly thanked him yet!"
"Sir, he did take ten coins as a consultation fee…"
"Hmph! All of you remember this—he is my benefactor. His business is my business! Anyone in Northern Mountain who opposes him, opposes me!"
"I'd lay down my life for him if needed!"
Chicken Boss knew many in the Northern Mountain disliked Kei. At first, even he was skeptical. But after seeing Kei work non-stop for three days and nights, all his doubts vanished.
All for a single request, he gave two months of his life with no sleep or rest, then left with only a "help me" and "okay."
Chicken Boss was truly convinced! Completely impressed!
Meanwhile, on Kei's side.
"Boss, did you kill someone?"
"Are we running away from Northern Mountain now?"
"We'd better head for the Central Plains. That's human territory. We can hide there and live under new identities."
Husky still had no idea what happened. Kei woke him up and told him they were leaving, so he assumed something went wrong and they had to flee!
Without hesitation, he dragged Kei and ran, panting the whole way, afraid they'd get caught and roasted by Chicken Boss.
"What nonsense—of course I cured her. Didn't you see I got paid?"
Kei patted his head and said.
"Huh?"
Husky slammed on the brakes, leaving a long skid mark: "You cured her?! Then why the heck are we running?!"
"Who said we're running? I just finished the job and am heading to the next place."
"No way, Boss! You mean we've been running like mad this whole time and nobody's chasing us?!"
"And not only are they not chasing us, they're probably coming to thank us?!"
Husky was devastated. After all that running and panting, it was all a misunderstanding.
"Exactly."
"Woof… woooooo… Boss, why'd we leave in such a hurry? We should've stayed and enjoyed life!"
"Boss, look what you did—I got blisters on my paws! I'm so upset!"
Husky collapsed on the ground, rolling and whining miserably.
"Enough whining. If I was really being hunted, would you have actually run off to the Central Plains with me?"
Kei asked curiously. He genuinely didn't expect that from Husky—he always thought Husky would be the first to flee.
"Of course! You saved my bro, and I swore to follow you. I'd never go back on that!"
"Even if it's Chicken Boss or the Yokai Emperor himself—I might be scared, but I'd never abandon you!"
Husky might be greedy and lazy, but once he accepted you as his boss, he'd follow you to the end.
He'd never betray you!
"Alright then. Looks like you've finally shown some true wolf spirit. Let's go to the next city—I'll buy you a bone."
"Woof! I want a big one, okay!"
Husky instantly reverted to his doggy self.
Meanwhile, near Chicken Boss's city, a group was lying in ambush to assassinate Kei.
"Why isn't he out yet?"
"Wait a bit longer. Word is, he cured Chicken Boss's lover. He's clearly a human traitor!"
"As soon as he steps out, we strike with full force—eliminate this yokai!"
"Oh right, boss, a dog came out earlier."
"A dog? Forget the dog. Our target is the yokai. Chicken Boss will definitely escort him out, so we only have one shot! Be quick!"
"Yes!"
These were agents from the Yi Qi Dao Alliance, preparing to kill Kei. But because of a misunderstanding with the dog, they fell into an even bigger misunderstanding.
(End of Chapter)
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