TL: Moonlit
Finally, Shen Ye swore that his husband was the most handsome, and Ye Ze let go of him.
Shen Ye: “…”
He couldn’t figure it out. Clearly, he was the one feeling jealous, so how did it turn into the man being jealous?
It was all a set-up…
Unfortunately, as soon as Ye “Jealous” Ze came online, he couldn’t resist.
In any case, his husband was definitely a jealous jar.
Ye Ze saw his pouting mouth and kissed the tip of his nose, saying softly, “Besides you, I won’t look at anyone else.”
There were always more beautiful and younger people in this world, but he only wanted Shen Ye.
Upon hearing this, a smile naturally formed on Shen Ye’s lips, and he hugged the man tightly, saying, “Me too.”
Just then, a voice suddenly came from the depths of the abyss, “You two, hurry up and leave. I don’t want to see you showing affection!”
Shen Ye: “…”
Ye Ze: “…”
“You were actually eavesdropping?” Shen Ye wasn’t afraid of the little golden dragon. Although the little golden dragon was the king of dragons, his sect was also powerful in the original world, and his cultivation level was not lower than that of the little golden dragon. In this world, he was even less afraid, as their cultivation was restricted, and it was uncertain who would win or lose.
The little golden dragon may have felt guilty and fell silent.
But Shen Ye knew that it was definitely still paying attention to him and Ye Ze’s movements. Suddenly, he thought of something and asked, “Did you attract the heavenly thunder that struck the old Taoist priest just now?”
The little golden dragon spoke up, “No, it should be the heavenly dao punishing him.”
Shen Ye immediately clapped his hands, “I knew it.”
He couldn’t help but glance at Ye Ze and silently marvel. It seemed that the heavenly dao really liked Ye Ze, actually personally punishing the old Taoist priest on his behalf.
“Uncle, you have to watch over me in the future,” Shen Ye said with a smile.
Ye Ze pinched his nose, “You’re my husband. If I don’t watch over you, then who will?”
But in reality, he was thinking that perhaps he would need the child to watch over him.
However, they were one entity to begin with, so it didn’t matter who watched over whom.
The two of them walked down the mountain sweetly and happily.
After walking a few steps, Shen Ye looked back at the deep pool in the forest.
At this moment, the clouds dispersed, and sunlight poured down from the mountaintop, shining on the water’s surface. A gentle breeze blew, creating sparkling ripples, adding a touch of enchantment to the scene.
The little golden dragon had already sunk into the depths of the pool, its figure nowhere to be seen. The surroundings were quiet, with only the shimmering water and the interplay of mountain colors.
“It wouldn’t be bad to come here to cultivate if there’s a chance,” Shen Ye thought the environment was great, but he knew that Ye Ze probably couldn’t leave. So he just muttered to himself, then turned his head and continued walking down the mountain with Ye Ze.
When Ye Ze heard his words, he looked at him thoughtfully.
Perhaps he could gradually hand over the family business to his younger cousin and have more time to accompany the child here.
Ye Ze silently pondered.
Shen Ye was just on a momentary impulse and didn’t know what Ye Ze was thinking.
He held the man’s hand and said, “Don’t worry about Mom, Dad, Uncle, and Aunt. The little golden dragon said they are doing well.”
Ye Ze regained his senses, lowered his gaze to their joined hands, and made a soft sound of agreement.
“If the passage between the two realms is opened, if you want, I can go find them. Maybe I can even help them embark on the path of cultivation,” Shen Ye shook the man’s arm and said.
After all, he also needed to find Grandpa Niu in his next life.
However, Ye Ze shook his head, “No need.”
Grandpa Niu’s situation was different. He had already transferred merit to Shen Ye; it was the cause and effect owed by Shen Ye.
However, his parents and uncle and aunt have already reincarnated and have their own lives. He doesn’t want to disturb them.
Of course, it all depends on fate. Maybe they will meet by chance in the future, and he will definitely not abandon them.
Shen Ye understood his meaning and tightened his grip on his hand, saying, “You make sense. I hope we can meet by fate.”
Ye Ze stroked his hair and remained silent.
The two of them strolled leisurely along the road.
Shen Ye saw birds flying by and various flowers and plants on the roadside, saying, “Let’s gather some rare treasures of heaven and earth.”
The deep mountains are easy to nurture precious medicinal herbs, and with abundant spiritual energy here, there must be many treasures.
Soon they found hundred-year-old ginseng and Lingzhi mushrooms. Shen Ye even caught a few wild chickens, planning to stew them for everyone at home.
He shrunk these items and put them in his pocket. At this moment, he missed his storage ring and storage bag. Otherwise, he could bring back more things.
In a short while, the two of them returned to the village.
They had asked the village chief to look after their car before, and the village chief was very helpful and even provided lunch for the bodyguards.
Ye Ze and Shen Ye gave the village chief a reward and prepared to leave.
Before leaving, the village chief gave them some peanuts and soybeans he grew himself, emphasizing that no pesticides were used.
Shen Ye originally thought of the village chief as just a passerby and didn’t pay much attention. But because the village chief was so hospitable and gave them many local specialties, Shen Ye couldn’t help but take a few more glances and found that the village chief was a good person.
The village had only a few households and used to be very difficult. There were no paved roads back then, only a narrow mountain path for one person to pass through to the outside world. They relied on the mountains for survival, hunting, and growing crops for self-sufficiency. But because they had no contact with the outside world, they were particularly backward. Even ten years ago, they didn’t have electric lights and could only use kerosene lamps.
It was the village chief who sought to have electricity lines installed by the county and later secured funds to pave the road. At first, the county didn’t plan to build a road to their village since there were only a few households, and road construction was not a simple matter—it required time, effort, and money. But the village chief didn’t give up and ran to the county for two years, finally persuading them to allocate funds for road construction. At first, it was not a cement road but a muddy path, but at least it was accessible, making it more convenient for everyone to go to town.
It was because the road was repaired that tourists accidentally stumbled upon this place, gradually gaining popularity. Afterward, the village started selling local specialties and providing accommodation, leading to a better life.
It was all thanks to the village chief.
Shen Ye felt that such a village chief was a good leader who rooted himself among the people.
He thought for a moment and handed a talisman to the village chief, saying, “You have done good deeds for the village, and you will definitely have blessings. However, when your grandson turns ten, let him carry this talisman with him to ensure his safety.”
The village chief’s family had lived at the foot of the Qi Lian Mountains for generations, growing up listening to tales of gods and monsters. He actually believed in these things.
Seeing the extraordinary young man before him and the young man next to him who looked like a deity…
He respectfully took the talisman and gratefully said, “Thank you very much.”
Shen Ye waved his hand and said, “It’s your own good fortune.”
If the village chief hadn’t repaired the road and attracted mountaineers to take this route, Shen Ye probably wouldn’t have chosen to go up the mountain from here, and he wouldn’t have encountered the village chief.
Moreover, it was because of the village chief’s hospitality and the many local specialties he gave them that Shen Ye noticed him and saw that his grandson had a calamity ahead.
This was probably what they called blessing future generations.
Afterward, the bodyguards started the car, and the group left the village.
Originally, Shen Ye could have asked the driver to speed up and return to the county as soon as possible. But today’s work ended particularly early, and it was only a little after 2 p.m. They weren’t in a hurry since Shen Ye was supposed to meet with Ning Shihua tomorrow.
Moreover, they had to pass through several villages on the way to the town, and the scenery along the way was particularly beautiful, allowing them to enjoy the view.
Shen Ye nestled in Ye Ze’s arms, looking at the picturesque scenery outside, feeling quite content.
He didn’t expect things to end so quickly. It was mainly because the old Taoist was too weak, weak to the point that he barely fought back before dying.
Upon careful consideration, it was probably the purple aura on Ye Ze that played a role. When Ye Ze injured the old Taoist and was rejected by the heavenly Dao, even though the old Taoist tried everything to prolong his life, it was ultimately in vain.
That was also the reason why the old Taoist was so weak when they found him earlier.
In fact, the old Taoist was still very powerful. After all, he went against the heavenly dao, but he managed to hang on for ten more years.
Shen Ye suddenly let out a cold laugh.
No matter how powerful the old Taoist was, it didn’t matter. If someone did evil deeds, they would be met with retaliation, and not even the heavenly dao would tolerate it.
When they returned to the imperial capital, he would trap the old Taoist’s soul in a formation and make him experience the torment of being torn apart.
“Uncle, I want to sleep for a while,” Shen Ye buried his head in Ye Ze’s embrace and said with a muffled voice.
The sun was shining outside, casting its rays on him through the car window. He felt lazy, and with the capture of the old Taoist and the little golden dragon’s revelation about opening the passage between the two realms, he was in a particularly good mood and felt a bit sleepy.
Ye Ze stroked his hair and softly said, “Alright, go to sleep.”
Shen Ye murmured in agreement, but as soon as he closed his eyes, he heard someone outside shouting for help.
He opened his eyes and immediately opened the partition to the driver, saying, “Stop the car.”
The driver didn’t understand why but still did as told.
Ye Ze asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
“Somebody is calling for help,” Shen Ye pointed below the road, “It should be by the river.”
They set off from the village and walked along the small river towards the town. It was only a five-minute drive, and they were about to pass the second village. This road was between the first and second villages, with towering mountains on the left and a steep cliff over twenty feet high on the right, with a small river below.
“Let’s go down and take a look.” Ye Ze held his hand.
Shen Ye nodded and got out of the car with the man.
He immediately used his magic and quickly descended the cliff with Ye Ze.
The bodyguards were left behind to provide support by the roadside.
There was a beaten path from the road to the riverside, probably created by villagers when cutting trees or fishing. The two of them followed the path downwards and soon saw the girl crying for help.
The girl was being held down by four men, her clothes torn, and the four men were about to commit a heinous act.
“Help me!” the girl kept shouting for help, “Someone, please save me…”
Perhaps they thought this place was sparsely populated and located beneath a cliff, so they didn’t bother gagging the girl.
To be honest, this place was indeed rarely visited, and the small river was a distance away from the road, so even if someone passed by, they might not necessarily hear it. If it weren’t for Shen Ye being a cultivator, nothing in the surroundings could escape his ears and eyes, and he wouldn’t have heard the girl’s cries for help.
Shen Ye’s eyes narrowed, and he immediately threw four talismans.
The four men were about to undress but were hit by the talismans, causing them to roll and writhe in pain on the riverbank.
The girl, seeing that someone had come to save her, tears streamed down her face. She was both terrified and timid, curling up into a ball. She trembled all over, wanting to cover herself with clothes, but unfortunately, her clothes were all torn apart and there was nothing to cover herself with.
Seeing this, Shen Ye picked up a nearby bamboo leaf, then used illusion magic to transform it into clothes, covering the girl.
The girl continued to huddle, holding herself and didn’t see Shen Ye’s magic, but she felt a piece of clothing suddenly covering her, which somewhat calmed her emotions.
She timidly looked up at Shen Ye and Ye Ze, sobbing as she said, “…Thank you.”
Most likely, she was still frightened by the recent events. After saying thank you, she quickly lowered her head again, her body still trembling.
“You don’t need to be afraid, they won’t hurt you anymore,” Shen Ye tried to comfort her in a soft voice.
The girl shook her head, muttering, “You should leave… please leave…”
Shen Ye: “?”
Even Ye Ze raised an eyebrow.
The girl’s voice trembled, clearly filled with fear, but Shen Ye had already dealt with the four men who were harassing her, so why was she still afraid?
“Can you lift your head and look at us?” Shen Ye thought for a moment and said, “I am a Taoist priest, I can tell your fortune, and I have magic that can solve any difficult problem for you. Just look at me and my husband, and you’ll know we’re definitely not frauds. Handsome guys like us wouldn’t pose as Taoist priests, right?”
The reason he wanted the girl to lift her head was, of course, to see her face, so he could understand why she was scared.
He could actually use magic to force the girl to lift her head, but… after experiencing such cruelty just now, Shen Ye didn’t want to use magic on her. He needed her to do it willingly.
Perhaps it was because Shen Ye had just helped scare away the four thugs, or maybe his voice had a calming effect, but after hesitating for a few seconds, the girl lifted her head again.
Shen Ye saw her face and finally understood what had happened to her. His gaze became sharp, and he couldn’t help but tighten his grip on Ye Ze’s fingers.
Ye Ze sensed his inner anger and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Shen Ye didn’t want to scare the girl, so he didn’t lose his temper, but he was truly furious. He could only tighten his grip on Ye Ze’s hand.
Ye Ze didn’t pull his hand away. Instead, he used his other arm to hold Shen Ye in his embrace, gently kissing the top of his head and cheeks, silently comforting him.
Shen Ye finally calmed down a bit and released the man’s hand. He then hugged the man’s waist and said, “Uncle, looks like we’ll have to stay overnight in the county town again today.”
It seemed that this matter was very serious.
However, Ye Ze didn’t inquire about the reason. He simply spoke in a gentle tone, saying, “I’ll have someone book a hotel.”
Shen Ye responded with an “Mm” and then said, “While you’re at it, call the police and mobilize all the police force in the county.”
With Ye Ze’s identity, as long as he made a call to the provincial authorities, he could mobilize all the police force in the county.
He still didn’t ask what had happened, and simply replied in a low voice, “Okay.”
After saying that, he kissed Shen Ye’s lips and then took out his phone to contact the relevant personnel.
Thanks to the village chief insisting on building the road back then, occasional climbers and travelers would visit this area over the past ten years, so there was signal reception in the mountains.
After speaking a few words with the person on the other end of the phone, Ye Ze hung up and then looked at Shen Ye, saying, “The county town is over an hour away from here. They will first mobilize the police force from several nearby towns, and they should arrive here in as little as ten minutes.”
Shen Ye took a deep breath and said, “I’m afraid it won’t be enough, there are too few people.” But quickly, he added, “Oh well, let them come. I can ensure their safety.”
Ye Ze had realized that this matter was serious. He held Shen Ye’s hand, silently supporting him.
Shen Ye lifted the man’s fingers and kissed them gently before turning to the girl and saying, “You don’t have to be afraid. There’s nothing my husband and I can’t solve.” As he spoke, he opened his phone and retrieved the posts where netizens speculated about Ye Ze’s identity, handing it to the girl. He said, “My husband has an impressive background. Your situation is nothing compared to what we can handle.”
The girl’s body continued to tremble, but she didn’t know why, deep inside, she had a great trust in Shen Ye and Ye Ze.
She took the phone and saw Ye Ze’s background, her eyes widening in astonishment.
For the next dozen seconds, she stared intently at the screen.
“How about it? Do you believe us now?” Shen Ye said.
The girl returned the phone to him and suddenly knelt down, knocking her head heavily, “Please save us.”
She now believed that Shen Ye was a Taoist priest because the posts not only revealed Ye Ze’s background but also had netizens praising Shen Ye. The netizens referred to Shen Ye as a master, which meant that Shen Ye wasn’t deceiving her.
“No need to be so polite,” Shen Ye helped her up and said, “I already know what happened to you, and I know who you’re referring to. Don’t worry, since I encountered this matter, I will see it through to the end.”
Tears welled up in the girl’s eyes once again, but this time it wasn’t out of fear and terror but filled with hope. “Thank you… for me and the others.”
Shen Ye waved his hand and said, “First, let’s save your companion.”
The girl immediately nodded. When she thought about her companion possibly being dead, she started crying uncontrollably again. “When those four animals tried to capture me, my companion stepped forward to stop them. They hit him on the back of his head with a stone and knocked him into the river…”
She didn’t have the strength to save him, and in the end, she was stripped naked by the four animals and pinned to the ground…
“Don’t worry, the river is not deep. He has been washed onto the riverbank,” Shen Ye used a technique and, in just two seconds, brought the girl’s companion back.
The girl witnessed Shen Ye’s abilities and was astonished.
Shen Ye said, “I didn’t lie to you, did I? I am a Taoist priest, and I’m powerful. Even without my husband’s background, I can capture all those scum. So rest assured, it’s just a small matter, no need to be afraid.”
The girl nodded hastily, her hope burning brighter.
She looked at Ye Ze, then turned to Shen Ye, expressing her gratitude, “Thank you and your husband… If I hadn’t met you today, I might already be dead…”
It wasn’t a joke; there had been precedents before. Girls who had been insulted were cruelly murdered without exception.
This river had been stained with the blood of many girls, but unfortunately, over the years, their souls had never found solace.
And now, Shen Ye and Ye Ze had come… With them here, the spirits of those deceased girls should find comfort…
As the girl continued to think, tears started streaming down her face again.
Shen Ye didn’t pay attention to her current emotional state.
Crying was also a way of venting. After experiencing such an event, it would be better for the girl to cry it out.
Shen Ye’s gaze fell on the girl’s companion.
He was a young man in his twenties, with sun-darkened and slightly rough skin. He wore black-framed glasses, giving him a typical nerdy appearance.
But it was this nerdy guy who stood up when his companion was captured… However, he was no match for those four animals and was hit on the back of his head with a stone.
At this moment, the back of the young man’s head was still bleeding. If Shen Ye and Ye Ze had found him half an hour later, he would have likely bled to death.
In fact, the young man’s forehead was dark, indicating that his life was nearing its end.
The girl had also noticed the wound on the back of the young man’s head. She wiped her tears, forced herself to stop crying, and then ran over to squat beside him, wanting to use her hand to stop the bleeding.
Shen Ye quickly said, “Don’t touch him.”
He used a technique to stop the bleeding and consecutively pasted three talismans on the young man’s forehead, ensuring his survival.
“He is no longer in danger, you don’t need to worry,” Shen Ye said.
The girl sobbed and thanked him.
Shen Ye shook his head and said, “You two come up with us first. When the police arrive, we will go to the village together to seek justice for you.”
As he spoke, he pasted another talisman on the young man’s body.
With his eyes closed, the young man stood up on his own.
“Let’s go.” Shen Ye held Ye Ze’s hand and walked up, gesturing for the girl and the young man to follow.
The girl had already witnessed Shen Ye’s abilities. After recovering from her initial astonishment, she had become calm and steadily supported the young man, walking together with Shen Ye and Ye Ze.
As for the four ruffians on the riverbank, Shen Ye certainly wouldn’t let them go. He used a technique to make the four ruffians follow them like zombies.
Soon, the group returned to the road.
Ye Ze asked the bodyguards to free up a car to accommodate the girl and the young man, and to look after them.
Shen Ye pulled Ye Ze back to their own car, sighing and saying, “I didn’t know there were such… disgusting things in the world.”
In the past six months, he had seen quite a lot of the dark side, but none had made him so angry that he wanted to beat someone up like today.
Ye Ze patted his head and waited for him to continue.
Next, Shen Ye narrated the girl’s ordeal and what had happened to the others she referred to as “them.”
The girl’s name was Ding Chunni, and the young man was Lin Zhihe. They had both just graduated from university and had come here for a teaching program half a year ago.
Today, Ding Chunni was supposed to conduct a home visit to Dahe Village. Due to the advice of their predecessors, Ding Chunni knew that a girl should not travel alone, so she asked Lin Zhihe to accompany her to Dahe Village.
Dahe Village was on the other side of the mountain, also in a valley, but it was a flat area with plenty of cultivated fields. Therefore, it had a larger population and more than a hundred households.
Ding Chunni’s home visit target today was a sixth-grade girl who had been forced to drop out of school. She had heard that the girl’s parents wanted her to quit school and work outside to earn money for her younger brother’s education, so she wanted to talk to the girl’s parents.
The little girl neither welcomed nor resented their arrival. They exchanged pleasantries, but it was clear that the parents had no intention of changing their minds.
Ding Chunni felt anxious, but she knew that a single home visit wouldn’t have much effect. So she decided to return to school with Lin Zhihe. She planned to first apply for financial aid from the higher authorities to help the young girl with her tuition fees before talking to the girl’s parents.
Just as the two of them were about to leave the village, a disheveled madwoman suddenly ran up to them and handed Ding Chunni a crumpled piece of paper before running away.
Ding Chunni was surprised. When she stepped out of the village, she unfolded the paper and discovered it was a distress call.
The madwoman had been kidnapped and brought to the village as a university student over a decade ago, and there were over a dozen other women and children who had been similarly abducted in the village. The madwoman hoped that Ding Chunni and Lin Zhihe could rescue them.
This matter was too serious, so Ding Chunni and Lin Zhihe decided to return to school and report to their superiors.
However, just as they reached the riverside, they were intercepted by those four beasts.
Author's Note 6,000 words~ The story is fictional, don’t worry~
See you tomorrow, my darlings, good night~
I’ll revise the text another day~
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution between 2020-01-02 22:54:03 and 2020-01-03 23:31:33~
Thanks to the little angels who voted for me to step on a landmine: Sunny89, 40917119 (1 each);
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated me with nutrient solution: Ranxiu (20 bottles); Xiaoxiao’s Big Junya! (10 bottles); Seiichi, Luori Yuhui (1 bottle each);
Thank you all for your support. I will continue to work hard!
