That evening, after securing the doors and windows, Lin Yao successfully summoned two Little Ginseng Sprites. Calling them “sprites” was actually giving them too much credit—they were merely harmless Little Mountain Spirits with meager magical power, though quite perceptive.
Trembling at the sight of Lin Yao and Yan Wuyou, the two Little Ginseng Sprites stammered, “G-great ones, what are your commands?”
“Just keep watch for us, tend the fire, and guide us by day.”
“G-great ones, will you eat us?”
“Why would we eat you when you mean no harm?”
“Eating us can enhance…” Before it could finish, the other sprite hastily covered its mouth.
“Don’t worry. Cultivation isn’t easy—I won’t eat you.”
Hearing this, the Little Ginseng Sprites clasped their tiny hands and bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
At night, mountain winds blew relentlessly. The sprites arranged three piles of firewood around the duo, burning brightly, yet Lin Yao still felt a chill. Unprepared for camping in the wild, she had only a few garments and dry grass for cover, which provided little warmth.
Half-asleep, she instinctively shifted toward Yan Wuyou, who radiated warmth from his body. So cozy!
In his drowsy state, Yan Wuyou felt something soft snuggling against him. He instinctively tried to push it away, but it clung to him tightly. Blinking his eyes open, he found Lin Yao pillowed on his shoulder, curled up close.
He intended to shove her awake and scold her for such shameless, opportunistic behavior! Yet, as if guided by some unseen force, his raised hand lowered, and he even spread some dry grass over her.
Never mind—she must truly be cold. Thus, the ever-principled Yan Wuyou closed his eyes and, for the first time, shared a “bed” with a woman.
One Ginseng Sprite covered its eyes: “So shameful.”
The other turned away: “Can’t bear to look.”
Early the next morning, Yan Wuyou woke first. He withdrew his arm nonchalantly and roused Lin Yao.
Dutifully professional, the two Ginseng Sprites had already prepared dew for their ablutions. After a quick meal of steamed buns and baked cakes, Lin Yao and Yan Wuyou resumed their journey.
By midday, they reached a fork in the road.
“Great one, heading southwest for two days will take you back to Lingxia Village. If you go north, you’ll reach Hexi Town by sunset,” one Ginseng Sprite reported.
The other added, “Since you came from Lingxia Village, you likely don’t need us to guide you back. And Hexi Town is so close to the north that our guidance isn’t necessary either. So…”
Lin Yao nodded. “You’ve worked hard these past days. Remember: be good ginsengs and do no evil, or else…”
The sprites bobbed their heads earnestly. “We heed your instruction!” As they made to leave, Yan Wuyou clamped a hand on them—
Terrified, they cried, “G-great one, you promised not to eat us!”
Yan Wuyou’s lips curved. “She promised. I didn’t.”
The two sprites hugged their heads and wailed, only to see Yan Wuyou pluck a root tendril from each of them. Casually, he said, “Alright, off you go.”
Stunned by the sudden turn, the sprites fled deep into Maoling, fearing he might change his mind: Humans are terrifying! Better return to the mountains and regrow those tendrils—Yan Wuyou wiped two ginseng roots clean, chewing one himself while handing the other to Lin Yao. Ordinary ginseng roots had minimal nourishing effects, but these spirit-formed ginseng roots were supreme treasures for consolidating qi and replenishing spiritual energy!
If only they could get a few more! At this thought, Lin Yao gazed wistfully toward the direction where the two ginseng spirits had fled.
Pah, how shameless! Lin Yao silently scolded herself.
“Senior Brother, are we returning to Lingxia Village?”
“Why seek distant solutions when nearby ones exist? Of course we’re going to Hexi Town!”
“But we’re unfamiliar with Hexi Town. Figuring out how to return to Jade Capital Pavilion from there will be another challenge.”
“With thousands of roads available, why worry about not reaching our destination? Go back to Lingxia yourself if you wish. I’m determined to find an inn tonight for a proper bath!” Seeing her continued hesitation, Yan Wuyou suddenly laughed. “Don’t worry. Past Hexi Town, it’s just two days west to Central Province territory—only half a day longer than the Maoling route.” Humming a tune, he swayed his head and walked northward.
He had already made up his mind yet deliberately tried to scare me! Lin Yao pouted, but the thought of having an inn bath followed by sound sleep made her steps lighten. Grinning, she broke into a jog: “Senior Brother, slow down! Wait for me—”
What they had expected to be an arduous, perilous journey through Maoling turned into a peaceful, joyous trek where the two gathered wild game, picked wild flowers, sampled wild fruits, drank mountain dew, and incidentally consumed some tonics—a veritable textbook example of wilderness survival!
They rushed straight into Hexi Town and entered an inn.
“Waiter, two best rooms.”
“Right away, honored guests! Including meals, that’ll be twenty coppers total.”
Yan Wuyou opened his bundle and stared: Where’s the money?
“Senior Brother, did we lose it in the mountains?”
Yan Wuyou shook his head. “Second Senior Brother took it with him.”
That morning, He Lian Mingche and Xiao Yuanzi had departed in such haste they’d forgotten to leave Yan Wuyou any money…
“No matter. Though the Abbot didn’t mention bringing money, I brought some.” Lin Yao giggled, unfastening a purse from her waist and placing a string of wuzhu coins on the counter.
Yan Wuyou clicked his tongue. “Rich kid! I’ll gratefully accept this free meal then!”
They retired to their respective rooms and sank into comfortable baths. Pure bliss! After changing into clean clothes, Lin Yao stepped out contentedly.
“Senior Brother, time to eat—” Lin Yao called while knocking, but received no response. Had he gone downstairs first? She knocked again. “Senior Brother, are you there?”
Gurgle-gurgle-gurgle— Strange sounds seemed to come from the room? Pressing her ear against the door, Lin Yao listened carefully. This wasn’t right! The noise resembled the choking cries of a drowning person—
Had Senior Brother fainted in the tub? Gritting her teeth, Lin Yao decided human life mattered more than propriety. She shoved the door open, dashed to the bathtub, and just as Yan Wuyou’s head emerged from the water, her eyes met his broad shoulders and muscular chest—
Both froze in shock, gaping wordlessly at each other like wide-eyed goldfish.
The waiter tremblingly observed them from the doorway: “Honored guest… your hot water…”The two snapped back to reality. Yan Wuyou swiftly crossed his arms over his shoulders and sank back into the water, leaving only his head exposed. Lin Yao stumbled out, bumping straight into the doorframe…
Lin Yao rushed back to her room, her heart pounding like a drum!
She transmitted her thoughts: Tao Tao, stop jumping—my heart can’t take it.
Tao Wu retorted: You’re the one jumping! I’m perfectly calm and detached.
She sat at the table, hands cupping her flushed cheeks, yet couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips: He’s actually quite handsome! Finally, she scolded herself inwardly: Lust clouds judgment!
Knock, knock, knock—the sound came at the door. Lin Yao took several deep breaths before rising to answer it. To preempt any trouble from Yan Wuyou, she launched a preemptive accusation: “I knocked and called for you—why didn’t you answer?”
Yan Wuyou leaned lazily against the doorframe: “Practicing breath-holding.”
“I…”
But Yan Wuyou cut her off with a yawn, his expression weary and indifferent: “Enough. No need for you to take responsibility. Let’s go eat.” With that, he strode downstairs.
Lin Yao breathed a sigh of relief and followed him down with ease. The two ate in silence, heads bowed, until the waiter approached. Glancing at Yan Wuyou, he kindly warned: “Young master, once night falls, no matter what noises you hear, don’t get up and never leave your room!”
Both looked up: “Why is that?”
The innkeeper, charmed by the striking pair, came over to explain: “You’re outsiders, so you likely don’t know. Our Hexi Town is fine in all regards, but since last year, men have been vanishing every night—no trace of them alive or dead. The authorities investigated but found nothing. It was Ma Qiang from East Village who later claimed that one night, after gambling late, he saw his fellow villager Li Erlai sleepwalking out of the village, utterly unresponsive to calls. The next day, Li Erlai was reported missing!”
The waiter continued: “After that, disappearances kept happening. Some bold souls, refusing to believe it was supernatural, purposely watched from their windows at night. Hu Qing from our town once saw a sleepwalker through his window, but the person seemed to notice Hu Qing watching and suddenly turned back with a creepy grin. Hu Qing was so terrified he went mad on the spot, raving incessantly until he drowned in the river a few days later. Since then, no one dares to watch. Everyone bolts their doors and windows at night, and indeed, the disappearances have lessened.”
It seemed a Demon was at work. They exchanged a knowing glance.
“Before this started, did anything major happen in Hexi Town?” Lin Yao asked.
The waiter’s eyes held a glint of admiration: “You truly have sharp insight, miss. That incident wasn’t exactly major, but it did stir talk for a while…”
About ten years ago, one day, Partridge Mountain outside town suddenly gleamed with golden light. Speculations ran wild, all claiming the mountain held a gold mine.
Prospecting teams flocked from everywhere, even the authorities got involved. But all returned empty-handed. Gradually, the gold rush fever died down, and the matter was forgotten.
Until a year ago, a five-person team arrived in town. No one knew where they came from, only that their leader was called Third Young Master Yuan—a man of lavish spending and refined speech, clearly someone of wealth or nobility.
The group rented a courtyard in the town and went into the mountains every day, acting mysteriously, suggesting they had genuine skills. But two months later, Third Young Master Yuan and Li Niang, an actress from the Celestial Happiness Troupe in town, were found dead together in the mountains. After the authorities investigated, it was revealed that Li Niang had been pregnant—two lives lost! Of the remaining four in the group, three died in that courtyard, while the other vanished without a trace.
Everyone said the group must have truly found some valuable treasure in the mountains, and the murders happened due to a dispute over dividing the spoils. It’s just a pity that Li Niang was innocently caught up in it—a beauty fated to die young!