Meng Huaize, raised strictly by the codes of propriety, had always felt that even slight intimacy between men and women crossed the line. Now, hearing that love affairs between men were also common, it felt as though the thunder outside had struck directly on his head, leaving him dizzy.
He stumbled back a step, clutching the edge of the table, his face flushed bright red. Weakly, he muttered, “St-stop talking.”
Both spirits turned to look at him.
Sweat beaded on Meng Huaize’s forehead as his gaze darted nervously. He didn’t know how to react, so he turned stiffly and made his way to the cabinet, exhaling heavily into the darkness inside. His heart was in turmoil.
After a while, he finally moved, pulling out a clean mat from the cabinet. He shifted the candleholder on the table and folded the mat, laying it out on one side of the table.
Keeping his head lowered, most of his face hidden in the dim light, he said to Xuezhao, “I don’t know when the rain will stop, so you should rest here for tonight.”
Xuezhao clumsily climbed onto the chair, and from behind, his movements looked oddly adorable in their awkwardness. Meng Huaize felt a bit relieved and reached out to steady him. Once on the mat, Xuezhao sniffed it with his wrinkled nose, stepping on it cautiously.
“You’re so kind,” Xuezhao said gratefully, looking at Meng Huaize. “I’ll tell you something—you should run too.”
“What?” Meng Huaize didn’t understand.
“Recently, strange things have been happening on Chuanji Mountain,” Xuezhao explained. “Everyone’s saying there’s a powerful demon buried under the mountain, and it’s about to wake up. That’s why so many demons are fleeing.”
Meng Huaize was stunned, unable to speak for a moment. It sounded like one of those strange tales from folklore, but given the fact that he was talking to two demons right now, nothing seemed impossible anymore.
“A… a powerful demon?” Meng Huaize stammered.
Xuezhao shook his head, the flickering lamplight making his ugly, slightly decrepit appearance even more pronounced, though his voice remained clear and youthful. “I don’t know. None of us have seen it. A few days ago, two great demons came to Chuanji Mountain and fought. After that, things started to feel off. Many demons sensed a faint, unfamiliar aura—it’s very faint, but incredibly powerful. So the rumor started that a great demon is buried under the mountain and is about to wake up. That’s why everyone is fleeing.”
Instinctively, Meng Huaize glanced at Wu Yue, but Wu Yue acted as though he hadn’t heard anything, still lounging on the bed, tossing a glowing golden orb into the air, seemingly enjoying himself. Without his inner core, Wu Yue couldn’t fully indulge his desires for beauty, so he conjured a small orb of light with his remaining power to entertain himself.
“Is it true?” Meng Huaize, completely out of his depth, asked, his face pale as he looked back at Wu Yue. “Is there really a great demon under Chuanji Mountain?”
Wu Yue slowly closed his fingers, and the golden light disappeared into his palm. He answered nonchalantly, “It wouldn’t be surprising.”
“You knew about this all along?” Meng Huaize was astonished.
“The human world has thin spiritual energy,” Wu Yue explained. “While it may give birth to a few weak spiritual beings, it’s hard for anything truly powerful to emerge. Even if a demon were to be born, its power would be limited. Chuanji Mountain is just an ordinary mountain in the human realm, but it has produced many spiritual creatures. That’s because something powerful must be lurking beneath, drawing the spiritual energy to itself, allowing the other creatures on the mountain to transform.” This story is hosted at novelping.com.
Another crack of thunder echoed outside, accompanied by the howling wind and heavy rain. The flickering candlelight cast shadows that danced across the room. Xuezhao, still lying on the mat, remained perfectly still, his soft ears twitching nervously.
A chill ran up Meng Huaize’s spine, and he couldn’t help but shudder.
“How do you know it’s about to wake up?” Meng Huaize asked Wu Yue, his voice trembling.
“In the past few days, besides those fleeing spiritual creatures,” Wu Yue replied, “seventeen small demons have passed through here, all fleeing for their lives. They were born here, so if there’s any disturbance in the mountain, they’d know before anyone else.”
Wu Yue’s golden eyes glowed faintly with amusement, as though he were looking forward to it. “I suppose when I fought with that foul snake demon, it must have stirred it from its slumber. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Meng Huaize, a mere mortal, couldn’t comprehend Wu Yue’s excitement. He only felt his anxiety growing. “W-what kind of demon is it?”
Wu Yue didn’t answer, merely stretched out on the bed and closed his eyes, clearly intending to sleep.
Meng Huaize stood there, frozen for a long time. Xuezhao tugged on his sleeve with a claw, and Meng Huaize looked down to meet Xuezhao’s pitiful gaze.
“Did you run away because of this?” Meng Huaize asked softly.
Xuezhao nodded.
“Is this demon… really that powerful?” Meng Huaize asked again.
Xuezhao nodded once more.
“Th-then… what should we do?” Meng Huaize’s voice trembled, his face pale.
“Pack up and run,” Xuezhao replied, tilting his head. This story is hosted at g.com.
“But…” Meng Huaize clenched his hands tightly, his brow furrowed with worry. He had no attachments and could flee if necessary, but what about the other villagers? If he told them that there was a demon waking under Chuanji Mountain, urging them to flee, would anyone believe him? Even if they didn’t think he was possessed and tie him up, he doubted they’d take him seriously.
The wind and rain continued to batter the windows. Wu Yue remained motionless on the bed, and Xuezhao had already fallen asleep on the mat. Meng Huaize sat at the table, his mind a whirlwind of confusion. He had no idea what to do next.
Xuezhao, in his deep sleep, rolled over, exposing his wrinkled belly. Meng Huaize reached out and pulled the blanket that had fallen aside back over him. Letting out a quiet sigh, Meng Huaize stood up and went to the cabinet again, pulling out another blanket. He made himself a makeshift bed on the floor beside the table.
He blew out the candle and was just about to lie down when he heard Wu Yue’s voice from not far away. “Come here.”
“N-no, it’s fine,” Meng Huaize stammered. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”
After hearing Xuezhao’s shocking insinuations about their “special relationship,” all Meng Huaize wanted was to keep some distance from Wu Yue.
Wu Yue’s tone grew colder as he repeated, “Come here.”
Lightning briefly illuminated the room, casting a faint blue glow. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the light vanished, plunging the room back into darkness. Outside, the rumbling of thunder grew louder, echoing amidst the ongoing storm.
Meng Huaize sat on the floor, feeling a heavy weight pressing down on his chest. Against his better judgment, a strange sense of longing stirred within him at Wu Yue’s demand.
After a long moment of silence, Meng Huaize slowly stood up. In the darkness, he cautiously made his way to the bed. Just as he bent down slightly, Wu Yue’s arm shot out, pulling him forcefully onto the bed. In one swift, seamless motion, Wu Yue wrapped him tightly in his arms, holding him close as if it were second nature, a practiced move.
With something familiar now nestled in his embrace, Wu Yue’s mood seemed to improve noticeably. He chuckled softly, “Scared?”
Meng Huaize grumbled stubbornly, refusing to admit anything. “Who’s scared?”
“Enough,” Wu Yue murmured, his arm tightening around him as he rested his head against Meng Huaize’s neck. He snickered, “Just a cowardly spirit hiding under a mountain—was that really enough to frighten you?”
Meng Huaize opened his mouth to protest, but Wu Yue cut him off. “Shut up. Go to sleep.”
This annoying wolf spirit! Meng Huaize fumed inwardly, but being held securely by that strong arm, with Wu Yue’s warmth seeping into his body, the fear and anxiety that had been tormenting him began to ebb away. Somehow, the sense of comfort and protection soothed him.
The storm raged on outside, but inside, Meng Huaize found himself relaxing. He stared at Wu Yue for a moment before finally closing his eyes, allowing sleep to overtake him.