“What do you want to do?”
Chu Nanci’s gaze swept over the crude earthen courtyard of the Xue family, a glimmer of keen interest surfacing in his eyes.
Was she planning to knock Liu Niang out directly and abduct Xue Zhuang’er to the gates of the Xuantian Sect?
Jiang Yin’s method was not that rough.
She glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, before beckoning to Chu Nanci.
The young man cooperated readily and bent down closer, hearing her lower her voice, her breath almost brushing against his ear.
“We’re going to eliminate a demon.”
Chu Nanci played along. “I’m all ears.”
“I just remembered that in the Eastern Profound Continent, people often impersonate cultivators to swindle others. Liu Niang has probably suffered losses before, which is why she’s so wary.”
So they first had to make Liu Niang believe they were not frauds.
Jiang Yin pointed toward the depths of the village, her eyes bright. “Didn’t Xiao Zhuang say there’s a strange-looking great demon in the village? We’ll eliminate that demon right in front of Liu Niang. When the time comes, she’ll naturally understand that you’re a real cultivator.”
At the words “real cultivator,” the corner of Chu Nanci’s eyes lifted slightly, yet his breathing remained completely steady. “How do we eliminate it?”
He had already proposed this plan last night, only for Jiang Yin to reject it on the grounds that “the two of them currently lacked the ability to eliminate a demon.”
Although he did not understand why an “inner disciple of the Xuantian Sect” would be unable to eliminate a demon, since Jiang Yin had said so, he simply accepted this label of incompetence.
‘Perhaps that fiancé of hers was just a good-for-nothing.’
But only one night had passed. And now they suddenly had the ability?
“Yes.” Jiang Yin shook the stack of silver notes in her hand, smiling like a little cat that had stolen something delicious. “The power of money.”
The girl’s eyes were bright, her smile tinged with slyness, like the most nimble spirit in the forest, easily stirring one’s emotions.
Chu Nanci curled his lips along with her, subtly bending his waist a little more to lean closer, as if listening intently to her plan. Occasionally, he responded with a casual “Mm,” yet his gaze dropped to the ground.
Two shadows, stretched long by the sunlight, were quietly overlapping.
Foxes had always been highly possessive. As a nine-tailed fox, he was especially fond of monopolizing certain things.
Without drawing attention, he shifted half a step, allowing his shadow to completely envelop hers.
Under the sunlight, the smaller shadow could no longer escape his range. Only then did Chu Nanci nod in satisfaction.
“Not bad.”
It was unclear whether he was referring to Jiang Yin’s plan, or something else.
After deciding to eliminate the demon, the two left Sanshan Village and headed toward Shiyuan Town at the foot of the mountain.
Sanshan Village was situated midway up Sanfeng Mountain. To reach Shiyuan Town, they still had to cross a stretch of mountain path, which would take at least four hours on foot.
Even on the second time walking this route, Jiang Yin still found it fresh and interesting. The mountain path was rugged, and through the forest leaves filtered scattered patches of golden sunlight. Walking ahead, she would occasionally stop to look at wildflowers or touch patches of moss, her back so light it seemed as if she might drift away with the wind.
Chu Nanci followed behind her at an unhurried pace. His gaze would occasionally sweep over the tips of her hair that swayed slightly as she walked, before shifting away indifferently.
When they arrived at Shiyuan Town, Jiang Yin led him straight into the largest tailor shop in town and first bought a set of clothes for each of them.
It was said that clothes made the man. The bloodstained outer robe on Chu Nanci was truly frightening, and it was no wonder Liu Niang had not believed they were good people.
Even the shopkeeper of the tailor shop had been startled at first sight. It was only after Jiang Yin repeatedly explained that the young man was a cultivator who eliminated demons that he suppressed the urge to report to the authorities, trembling as he bowed. “This humble one was blind. I ask the cultivator lord to forgive me.”
Jiang Yin’s earlier judgment had not been wrong. In this world where demonic beasts appeared frequently, ordinary people usually regarded cultivators with a mixture of awe and fear, not daring to offend them.
Chu Nanci, however, found it rather novel.
He had never received such respectful bows from mortals before. In the past, those people either knelt on the ground begging for mercy or fled in panic.
In quite a good mood, he naturally would not make things difficult for the first human who had properly bowed to him. He merely responded with a faint smile, “It’s fine.”
As he looked at the shopkeeper, a thought flashed through his mind. If he could turn the shopkeeper’s bowing appearance into a puppet and place it at the entrance of his cave, that might be quite amusing.
The shopkeeper inexplicably felt a chill run down his back, the hairs on his body standing on end.
He cautiously raised his eyes and saw that the young man, now changed into a moon-white fitted outfit, had gentle features and a light smile, with no sign of anger. Only then did he feel somewhat relieved and asked attentively, “Does the cultivator lord need anything else?”
Chu Nanci looked toward Jiang Yin.
“Ahem.” Jiang Yin pulled the shopkeeper into a corner and took out a few more silver notes, pressing them into his hand. “I heard that the tailors in your shop are highly skilled. I’d like to have something made.”
The shopkeeper straightened his back, his face full of smiles. “Miss, rest assured. As long as it can be sewn with needle and thread, there’s nothing we can’t make. Even the liuxian dress favored by imperial princesses, we could imitate it to ninety percent likeness!”
“No need for a liuxian dress.” Jiang Yin borrowed some paper and a brush, and based on Xue Zhuang’er’s description from yesterday, sketched out the appearance of that “great demon.”
After finishing, Jiang Yin handed the drawing to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper clapped his hands in realization. “Ah, this. No problem. Please wait a moment.”
After about fifteen minutes, Jiang Yin took the demon headpiece handed over by the shopkeeper and froze for a moment.
The drawing she had made had no color, yet the headpiece before her was dazzlingly multicolored. Various beastly features were stitched together with different colored silks, bright and eye-catching. Even the eyeballs were different colors, matching everything Xue Zhuang’er had described.
Jiang Yin did not think too much of it, simply assuming that this great demon was already well-known throughout Shiyuan Town.
After putting away the headpiece, she asked the shopkeeper about the local opera troupe and spent ten taels of silver to hire a martial-role actor.
In fact, ten taels of silver would have been enough to hire the entire troupe, but Jiang Yin’s plan required the martial actor to perform a staged demon-elimination fight with Chu Nanci, so she first tested the man’s skills.
Only after this test did Jiang Yin truly experience the strength of an inner disciple of the Xuantian Sect, as well as the charm of the male supporting character. No wonder he was a man who could make the female lead fall for him even after breaking free from the control of the plot.
Even with his spiritual power sealed, the young man subdued the martial actor, who claimed to have trained in martial arts for ten generations, in a single move using only his footwork.
With one kick, he sent the man crashing into the wall, knocking him unconscious on the spot. The remaining actors retreated three steps in fright.
Jiang Yin had no choice but to raise the payment to ten taels and guarantee that next time she would make the young man hold back his strength, ensuring there would be no life-threatening danger. If someone were accidentally seriously injured, all medical expenses would be covered. Only then did someone tremblingly accept the job.
By the third time climbing Sanfeng Mountain, Jiang Yin had already lost interest in the scenery along the way.
When they reached the village entrance, she wiped away the thin layer of sweat on her forehead and silently crossed out the idea she once had of bringing Xie Huaian to live in seclusion in the mountains.
‘I really can’t climb anymore.’
“There isn’t much time. Let’s split up.” After resting for a moment and steadying her breathing, she began arranging the plan for tonight’s operation. “Zhao Wu, put on the headpiece and lie in ambush along this road. Once I give the signal, jump out immediately. Be careful not to hurt anyone.”
Then she turned to Chu Nanci, her voice unconsciously softening a little. “Brother Huaian, let’s go to the Xue family first and ask Xiao Zhuang what he wants.”
She wanted to help, but she also understood that sometimes what one thought was “for your own good” was not necessarily what the other person truly wanted.
During the day, with Liu Niang at home, it was inconvenient to ask too much. Only after nightfall, when Liu Niang went out to work, would she have the chance to personally ask Xue Zhuang’er whether he was willing to cultivate at the Xuantian Sect.
If he was willing, everything would proceed according to plan. If he was not, she would not force him, and Zhao Wu would simply return.
Chu Nanci did not understand. “If that’s the case, why not wait until tonight to confirm his decision before arranging all this?”
“Because waiting is a very painful thing. If we prepare everything in advance, we can shorten Xiao Zhuang’s waiting time.” Jiang Yin lifted her face, her eyes reflecting specks of starlight, dazzlingly bright. “One minute less of waiting means one more minute of happiness.”
Chu Nanci looked at the starlight in her eyes and suddenly stopped walking.
Jiang Yin was puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
The young man did not answer her immediately. He turned and walked in front of her, standing still with his back to her for a moment, then looked back and examined her from head to toe, as if gauging her size.
Then, without any warning, he bent one knee and half-knelt down, his broad back unfolding before her.
“Do you need me to carry you?” He turned his face slightly, his voice as gentle as water carried to her ears by the night wind. “There’s no waiting time. As long as you want it.”
He had just learned it and immediately put it into practice, placing the answer right in front of her. As long as she wanted it, she could have it at once.
Jiang Yin’s heartbeat fell out of rhythm in an instant.
She had forced herself to keep walking this far, her legs already aching and sore. She had only gritted her teeth and swallowed her exhaustion, afraid that Xie Huaian would think she was delicate, useless, and a burden.
But he did not think of her as a burden. Instead, he offered her a back she could rely on.
Her eyes suddenly stung, betraying her with a surge of tears.
Chu Nanci did not hear a response for a long while and was just about to turn back when Jiang Yin suddenly threw herself onto his back.
“L-let’s go…” She buried her face behind his shoulder, her voice muffled.
This way, he would not be able to see her tears.
A patch of warmth and softness suddenly collided against his back, and the habitual smile on Chu Nanci’s lips stiffened for a moment.
…A strange feeling.
He steadily supported the bend of her legs, stood up, and walked toward the Xue family.
That soft sensation remained pressed against his spine, so clear that it was impossible to ignore.
He did not understand why the hearts of human women had to grow in such a vulnerable place, soft like clouds, and like freshly set curds. Even without a sword, if one simply cupped a hand over it and applied a little force, her heart might melt away.
‘Forget it.’
Without drawing attention, he adjusted the position of his arms, moving himself slightly farther from that softness.
Lest, by accident, he really crush her.