The little girl led the three of them into the mountains, then wandered around in the woods. They didn’t know how many times they had walked in the same place. The disciples of the Kushan Sect followed silently. The snow was thick, making it physically demanding to walk, but the girl lightly stepped on the snow crust as if walking on level ground.
When she got tired, she hopped onto the back of the dog demon and rode it.
“I’m Yin Deng.” The little girl happily hummed a tune. “I’ve brought two good guests this time. Dad and Mom will definitely praise me.”
Yan Qing took a few steps forward. “Apart from the people of Xizhuang, have you seen any other ‘guests’ recently?”
Yin Deng turned around, tilted her head, and thought for a moment. “No, I’m not the only guide. Brother, do you want to find acquaintances? When we arrive at the village, I’ll ask Mom for you.”
Yin Ci, who was not favored by Yin Deng, walked at the back of the group. He observed his surroundings attentively, feeling a slight sense of suffocation in his chest.
There were unfamiliar arrays nearby, techniques he had never seen before. The presence of the arrays was extremely faint, but the oppressive feeling wasn’t weak. Ordinary people who walked here would probably feel uncomfortable or fearful for no reason and instinctively stay away.
The scale of the arrays was terrifying. Yin Ci tried to sense their boundaries but couldn’t find them.
He couldn’t help but glance at Shi Jingzhi a few more times. Although this master was picked up casually, he seemed quite fortunate—within less than a month of knowing each other, Yin Ci had seen many things he had never seen before.
Very fortunate indeed.
Shi Jingzhi had deep inner force and wouldn’t be affected by the arrays. Yan Qing, on the other hand, wasn’t as lucky. After staying in the arrays for too long, he became dizzy and nauseous, vomiting several times in a row, but he didn’t complain.
Yin Ci considered him the benchmark of an “ordinary person”. If Yan Qing vomited three times, he would vomit twice. Shi Jingzhi had an empty expression, seemingly detached from the mortal world, as they continued forward amidst the alternating retching sounds of the two.
The three of them went from sunrise to sunset.
No one questioned the little girl’s words anymore. With this dreadful route, even monkeys living in the mountains wouldn’t be able to traverse it in a hundred and eighty years of sprinting as a group.
They finally stopped in the middle of a dense forest, where a shrine stood.
The shrine wasn’t large, had an ancient style, and was well-maintained, standing out from the surrounding mountains and woods. It looked as if it had been scooped up from the city and forcibly moved here.
There was no plaque hanging, and the main gate was tightly closed.
Yin Deng jumped down from the dog’s back, struggling to tiptoe and knock on the door handle three times.
Shi Jingzhi had somehow reached the back of the group. He exhaled warm breath into his palms and discreetly glanced to the side—a plump sparrow was perched on a branch, bending it under its weight.
He gently shook his head at the sparrow and made a hand gesture. The sparrow tilted its head to look at him, then laboriously flew away.
At that moment, the door slowly opened inward.
The interior was in a dilapidated state, without any candles or even a statue of a deity. The altar was empty, and there was a tattered cloth curtain that hung down.
As soon as the group entered the temple, the door closed on its own.
With a few jumps, the little girl named Yin Deng climbed onto the altar and walked towards the wall behind it. Shi Jingzhi rubbed his eyes—there was a passage there now where the mahogany board had sealed off the altar just a moment ago.
The passage wasn’t long, and warm air rushed in from the other side, making them feel refreshed. Beyond the passage, the view suddenly opened up, and the three members of the Kushan Sect stopped in their tracks.
Yin Deng turned around and waved her short arms with a triumphant expression. “Look, isn’t it beautiful?”
‘No,’ Yin Ci thought. Yan Qing didn’t know, but Shi Jingzhi was probably frozen with fear.
Outside, it was still freezing cold, but here it felt like a warm spring. The sky was crystal clear, without a single cloud or flying snow. Colorful wildflowers covered the ground, and a gentle fragrance floated in the air. The crops in the fields were lush and vibrant, and the rural houses were neat and spacious. The paths in the fields were paved with stones, and everything appeared clean as if it had been washed.
The men and women passing by couldn’t be described as heavenly beauties, but their faces were rosy and attractive.
Looking back, there was no longer a tunnel behind them but a small stone bridge spanning the dry ground. The long tunnel they had just walked through had turned into a short bridge hole in the blink of an eye. On the other side of the bridge, there was an endless expanse of spring scenery.
There was no shrine and no sign of the surrounding mountains and forests.
If they had come in spring or summer, this place would indeed resemble a paradise. But venturing here in the midst of severe cold, it felt more like an illusion.
Having just experienced the “Dream Bubble” in the Ghost Tomb, Shi Jingzhi had suffered enough and was afraid of going through it again. He cautiously kept a straight face, without showing any admiration.
Yin Deng, feeling that she was being ignored, pouted even more. She turned her head and rushed into the arms of a woman behind her. “Mom, Mom, I brought two good guests!”
The woman had a good appearance, with a plump and round figure. She raised her head and smiled at Shi Jingzhi. “Husband, change into some clothes. It’ll be hot in a moment.”
She patted Yin Deng’s head again. “Go find your father and ask him to pick out two sets of clothes.”
Yin Deng cheered and took the dog demon with her, running off without looking back.
“Mian Jie*, these three… two are my friends. Let me take care of them. I’m the only bachelor in my family, so it’s convenient for me.” A voice came from behind the crowd.
*Older sister. Generally a term used to address a woman who’s older/higher rank than you.
The three turned around abruptly.
A young man was sitting on the edge of the stone bridge, with an innocent smile on his face.
He had willow leaf-shaped eyes and a small black mole under his right eye. His features were exquisite and lively, not as detached from ordinary people like the Kushan Sect master and disciple, making people feel close to him just by looking at him.
“A’Si!” Yan Qing let out a rare shout.
A’Si politely bowed to him without saying anything and continued to look at the woman. “Mian Jie, I’ll take them away first.”
Mian Jie smiled and said, “Alright. If the guests can’t fit into your clothes, let me know, and I’ll help you make adjustments.”
“Okay.”
A’Si turned around and led the three of them. Though he smiled along the way, his attitude was lukewarm, and he didn’t respond to any questions. Yan Qing was on the verge of exploding, when they finally arrived at A’Si’s residence.
The room was spacious and clean, large enough to accommodate four people. The furniture inside was simple and rustic, and the wooden surfaces were polished to a shine. However, the bed was messy, clothes were strewn everywhere, and a meat cleaver was even leaning on the table.
A’Si entered the room, closed the door, and cautiously looked around. Making sure there was no one else, he grabbed Yan Qing by the collar, lifting the eight-foot-tall man off the ground by his feet.
“Didn’t I tell you to run away?” The gentleness on his face vanished, leaving only a mix of resentment and frustration. “And this is what you call running away? Running into the thieves’ den? Huh?”
“I was worried about you…” Yan Qing said absentmindedly.
“You idiot! I can fight better than you, and I couldn’t even run away. You came to join me in death? Great, just great…”
A’Si glanced at the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect, smiled politely, then changed his expression, looking stern again.
“So you’ve brought two more unfortunate people with you? They are innocent!”
Shi Jingzhi quickly explained, “Little brother, it’s cold outside, and we were planning to spend the night here. That’s why we arrived late, not because Yan Qing persuaded us. He told us about you yesterday. You’re Su Sigou, right…?”
Little did he know that he was only making matters worse.
“You told them my name is Su Sigou?! You gave me a new name, and now you’re eating it yourself?”
“Su Si, Su Si, please let go first.” Yan Qing spoke in a friendly tone. “Everyone, this is my friend, Su Si. The Si from reckless. When I changed my own surname, I also helped him change his name*.”
*Before, Su Si’s name was [Su Sigou] (苏四狗), with the [si] deriving from four [四]. His current (new) name is [Su Si] (苏肆) with the [si] deriving from wanton/reckless (肆意). Note: Yan Qing did not change Su Si’s surname (just his own).
Only then did Su Si release his grip, and Yan Qing rubbed his neck, feeling relieved.
“You’ve grown stronger than before, even taller than me.” Su Si finally spoke after a long silence as his eyes slightly reddened. “That’s good.”
Yan Qing’s expression softened. “I went to Taiheng. Since you never came, I thought…”
Su Si shook his head and smiled sincerely.
“Let’s not talk about that now. It’s good to see each other. San Zi*, come here and give me a hug.”
*Third Son. It’ll be explained later why he’s called this but think of it as a nickname.
Seeing the two young men reuniting after a long separation and embracing tightly, Shi Jingzhi looked at his disciple with longing. “It’s really nice. I also want such friends.”
Yin Ci broke off a piece of smoked meat and stuffed it into his master’s hand. “We haven’t been separated for a long time. Here Shizun, eat some meat.”
Shi Jingzhi started chewing the meat sadly.
“I apologize for earlier. We were being watched outside, so I couldn’t show too much enthusiasm.” After calming down for a while, Su Si’s emotions finally eased. “And who are these two?”
“Shi Jingzhi of the Kushan Sect. This is my disciple, Yin Ci. Yan Qing is currently following me and serving as a servant in our sect.”
Su Si nodded readily. “Su Si, no family, no sect. I know some self-defense skills.”
“I pretended to like it here and have been staying for nearly half a month without any trouble so far. With the appearances of Sect Master Shi and San Zi, there shouldn’t be any issues for now. However, it’s uncertain for Brother Yin. Now, what I’m about to say is all true, so please stay calm.”
Su Si’s story was humbler than Yan Qing’s.
Ten years ago, he got separated from Yan Qing and ended up in an unfamiliar place. At first, due to his naturally strong grip, he was tricked into doing labor work, and later, because of his appearance, he was bought by a wealthy family as a servant. When the wealthy family was robbed, he joined the group of bandits and spent a few years in a daze. Eventually, the gang dispersed, and Su Si, without any identity, became a beggar on the streets.
In short, he had encountered all sorts of lowly people.
Fortunately, Su Si had learned some butcher skills and had learned to read a few characters under Yan Qing’s insistence. A butcher in Yongsheng was willing to take him in, and that was when he settled down. After saving enough money, he started wandering, and ten years had already passed.
To prove his identity, Su Si pointed to the cleaver inserted in the table. The cleaver shimmered with a cold light, with a rough wooden handle, soaked in blood and oil, emitting a faint smell of pork.
Yin Ci’s gaze paused for a moment. He always felt that the cleaver looked somewhat familiar. However, considering that the cleaver was quite shabby, he withdrew his gaze and continued listening to Su Si’s account.
Su Si chose Xizhuang as his first stop. He decided to return to the village to see if Yan Qing had dug up the coin, but he ended up in a situation exactly like that of the Kushan Sect. When he tried to leave the village, he was intercepted by the people from Yuanxian Village.
Su Si was even more reckless than them. He wasn’t afraid of the dog and directly drew his cleaver, fighting against the white-robed strange people.
“I chopped one of them in the sole of the foot and cut their throat. Their tendons should have snapped, but they continued to move as if nothing happened.” Su Si rubbed his chin. “At that time, I saw something wrapped in a cloth.”
Shi Jingzhi sat up slowly and asked, “Something? “
“Well, it definitely wasn’t a person. Through the gaps in the fabric, I saw fleshy pieces that looked like internal organs… Who has internal organs growing on their feet these days? I chopped it fiercely with my cleaver, but it didn’t even make a sound. Is that normal?” Su Si asked.
“It doesn’t feel pain, and there were so many of them. I knew I had no chance of winning, so I admitted defeat and made one request—to dig up something from San Zi’s house. There was no one else in the village, so they let me go.”
He grabbed a glass of water, drank most of it in one gulp, and cursed a few more vulgar words.
“San Zi might not come back to dig up the money, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. I didn’t know how long they would guard the place, so I left a note… and then you! I was captured on the front foot, and you came right after. Haa—”
Su Si slammed his head on the table, creating a loud thud.
Yan Qing had nothing to say and could only pat his back soothingly.
Shi Jingzhi, having been frightened many times, gradually grew accustomed to it. “We came here to hide from people, and everything that happened was purely accidental. It’s fortunate to have someone reliable here.”
Yin Ci remained silent.
Someone reliable? He didn’t think so, and Shi Jingzhi might not have spoken sincerely either.
Along this journey, he did smell the scent of pus and blood from the white-robed individuals… the white-robed monsters. He smelled it, and this fox wouldn’t miss it either. Su Si claimed to have injured one of the white-robed monsters, and it was probably not a lie.
However, the white-robed monsters were capable of easily overpowering Shi Jingzhi. Could Su Si, a butcher, really have had a chance to injure it?
But Su Si’s encounter with Yan Qing didn’t seem fake, and his emotions appeared genuine. Yin Ci decided to observe a little longer.
Yan Qing, on the other hand, seemed to unconditionally trust Su Si, and his focus was elsewhere.
“A’Si, should we discuss it here? Won’t the villagers eavesdrop?”
Su Si slapped his head. “No, no, I have a helper. Come, let me introduce my ally. I owe my survival to it.”
Before anyone could react, Su Si opened the window and stuck his head out. “Lord Bai, Lord Bai—dinner is ready!”
In an instant, a snow-white creature smashed in.
It knocked Su Si to the ground, with its two feet stepping on Su Si’s face, arrogantly surveying the world. Then it flapped its wings and let out a loud honk.
It looked like a goose, but much larger than an ordinary one. Its beak had a particularly plump lump of flesh on top. Unlike a regular goose, it had two antennae-like things on its head, about the length of a human finger, covered in short feathers and drooping softly.
Yin Ci, rarely puzzled, murmured, “A goose?”
“It’s a goose demon.”
Su Si quickly got up.
“If we use it right, it’s stronger than any monster in Yuanxian Village.”
The author has something to say:
Yan Qing is not really the pet (…). The pet in this story officially appears!
It’s a true combat force, Fox Shi, danger.
Demonic Lord Yin announces a no-prize guessing game: Lord Bai =? Shi
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