“I must leave for a few days. Xiao-Yu, stay at home and rest well. Don’t go outside carelessly, alright? If you need anything, please wait until I come back.”
It was Fu Wang’s third time saying this, starting from last night and through this morning.
Shu Yu was sprawled on the soft bed, the small table next to her was piled high with delicious sweets, dried fruits, and jerky, there were a bunch of interesting gimmicks at the foot of the bed, and next to her pillow was also a stack of storybooks. These storybooks were special creations made by demons, they were full of pictures where little people could move and speak, reading them was akin to watching TV.
Everything was neatly prepared. It looked like Fu Wang really did not want her to budge from her nest.
Shu Yu felt like she had returned to the modern era. No wait, even when she shut herself at home she had never been as heavily stocked as she was now. And her parents would never act like Fu Wang, who was basically coddling her.
“I know. Be careful when you go outside.” Just as Shu Yu finished speaking, her mouth was covered by soft lips. They kissed for a few more moments, before Fu Wang finally let go of her.
When he sat up, Shu Yu’s hand reached out from underneath their quilt to tug at a corner of his clothes. “Come home early.”
“Alright.” Fu Wang left with smiling face, however he didn’t go to the place he usually frequented, instead he arrived at another house that was some distance away from their home. If Shu Yu were here, she would’ve noticed that there were quite a few things she had used before stashed in this house. Fu Wang had furnished this place like it was their second home.
This was bait.
Ever since Fu Wang got word of the Fox Clan being on the lookout for Tianfeng Jinyu, he had begun intentionally roaming through places with quick access to information. Due to his cover as a traveling healer, he hadn’t drawn suspicion upon himself and had instead dug up quite a lot of useful information. The low-rank demonkin who lived here all year round had their own information network, and if the Fox Clan wanted to make any movements within the Snake Clan – who they were at odds with – then there more or less would be whispers of it coming.
For example, this time, it was the Fox Clan’s Twelfth who came looking. Fu Wang was not surprised they would track them to the Snake Clan so quickly, they were after all figures deemed as high-rank demonkin, so they would’ve had some special tools at their disposal. He had long since set up this place, just to prepare for that Elder to come and find them.
The cultivation of Devils was certainly monstrous, but its influence on temperament and thoughts was just as huge, and it also required a large amount of blood and flesh as nutrition. Out of consideration for various factors, Fu Wang had to deliberately control his cultivation.
Regardless of where, a large number of dead demons will attract attention from several parties, and once his identity as a Devil was exposed, then he would become the main hunting target for the entire demon race, that was why Fu Wang had to act cautiously. He didn’t want to be exposed until it was absolutely necessary.
However, while his cultivation was slower than that of Devils in the past, it was naturally extremely fast compared to an ordinary demon’s. He was confident that now he could even kill that fox demonkin, Bai Che, who had once forced him to seek shelter within the Clear Wilderness earlier than planned. But even so, it still wasn’t enough to stand against one of the twelve elders of the Fox Clan. If he wished to accomplish his goal, he needed to utilize underhanded means.
“It seems that child, Tianfeng Jinyu, really did become charmed by a half-demon like you, to the point where she isn’t even willing to return home. Instead, she’s out here mingling with the likes of you.” The Twelfth appeared in the courtyard without a sound. Fu Wang internally noted his arrival, but outwardly his face showed a terrified expression.
Naturally, the Twelfth Elder didn’t think much of the half-demon. His gaze swept through the courtyard, and he said, “Where’s that child? Not even coming out to greet grandfather Twelfth?” He saw that Fu Wang merely trembled with his head lowered instead of being frightened into ugly tears, kneeling, and begging for mercy like he had expected, thus he was a bit displeased.
He had slight inkling of who Fu Wang was. It was nothing more than a lowly slave of the Qing Foxes, rumored to be a wretch that adored authority and wealth and was willing to do anything for the slightest benefit. He didn’t even consider the head of the Qing Fox Family worthy enough to enter his gaze, and even less such a worthless servant so.
However, he was being driven by self-interest. Through chance he had learned of the Grand Elder and the Second Elder’s plan, so he was naturally tempted, but he truthfully couldn’t do anything against those two, that’s why – although he was itching to make a move – he hadn’t done anything yet.
However, today, upon seeing this half-demon that seduced Tianfeng Jinyu, the Twelfth Elder suddenly came up with an idea. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his aura sharply erupted, squashing Fu Wang – who had been shrinking back into a corner – into the ground in a miserable state.
“Fu Wang, you’re originally nothing but a worthless half-breed, and now after having bewitched the Saintess of our Fox Clan, you are further deserving of death. But this Elder has a matter that needs to be carried out by you, that is why I will spare your life today. Henceforth, you shall become this Elder’s eyes and ears, understood?” The Twelfth Elder was still severely underestimating Fu Wang, as he talked incessantly, “If this Elder’s objective is accomplished, then you will be allowed to stay at the Tianfeng Manor as a steward, there will be countless merits…”
As he spoke, Fu Wang continued kneeling without making a sound. The Twelfth Elder suddenly felt something was wrong, and with a flurry of his sleeves, he smacked away silver needles that had been shot at him from several corners. Those needles were tipped in black; they were clearly coated with poison.
“Lowly tricks from an insect! Since you refuse this toast and have chosen to swallow punishment1敬酒不吃吃罚酒, when someone offers you an “an easy way out” (on THEIR terms) but you refuse, so now they’re going about it the hard way. Either drink their toast or choke down the “punishment” they’re dealing out., then do not blame this Elder for his lack of mercy!” The Twelfth Elder said, flying forward and grabbing Fu Wang by the neck. But who knew – just as his hand touched the collapsed Fu Wang – that he would transform into a mass of blackened miasma, which took advantage of their physical contact to sink into his body through his hand.
Now, the Twelfth Elder was truly stunned and losing his composure. “Devil qi!”
Ever since the Gods and Devils perished and became extinct, they’ve not appeared for many years. If they did, it meant that turmoil would befall the demon race again. He was shaken for a moment, and it was in that instant that Fu Wang appeared behind him like a shadow, and the silver needle in his hand stabbed into several of his acupuncture points without hesitation.
The poison coating the silver needles was extremely potent. The Twelfth Elder realized it was a poison he had never encountered before, it continuously chipped away at his spiritual power and in a short period of time, two tenths of it had already vanished. But despite that, he was still a being who had lived for many years, so at the same time his palm had already struck out and injured Fu Wang, forcing him to retreat.
Seeing the dark purplish blood trickling from Fu Wang’s mouth, the Twelfth Elder’s expression changed again. “As I thought, you’ve already become a Devil! I originally thought to spare your life, but now, today you must die at all costs.”
He was already starting his attack before he finished speaking, but Fu Wang’s reaction speed was faster. His fingers twitched, and the space around them suddenly changed. The ordinary courtyard vanished, their surroundings became colors of ash and gray, and Fu Wang disappeared into thin air within this space.
“A formation?” The Twelfth Elder’s attack landed on plain air. It was like there was nothing to focus on here, as if it were isolated from everything. A formation that could trap a high-rank demonkin was definitely not a simple formation. He didn’t think Fu Wang capable advanced formations, so he was instantly on guard and assumed that there were more accomplices. When it came to formations, there were none more skilled than the Spirit Clan. But within the Fox Clan, there was one who was most adept at this art—— it was his bitter nemesis, the Second Elder.
The sudden appearance of a Devil. The changes of Tianfeng Jinyu. A mysterious person capable of profound formations—— All of this made the Twelfth Elder, who was used to conspiracies, overthink many things. He even started suspecting this was scheme set by the Second Elder. After all, he and the Second Elder did not agree on many things and clashed against each other daily.
The Twelfth Elder didn’t seem to realize his thoughts were becoming slightly dangerous. This was naturally due to the devil qi that Fu Wang painstakingly burrowed into his body. The Twelfth Elder assumed he had managed to suppress the devil’s corruption, but he was unaware of Fu Wang being capable of much more than he would’ve ever thought. He was using the influence of the devil’s qi and the disorientating properties of this formation as well as hallucinogenic medicine to corner the Twelfth Elder into a trap.
At this moment, the Twelfth Elder’s eyes were already bloodshot, wildly looking at the empty space before him, as if there were someone standing there. The Twelfth Elder’s hallucination had already formed, and from hereon, once he revealed the information he needed then his goal would be accomplished.
Those were Fu Wang’s thoughts as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, but then he heard the Twelfth Elder speak: “As expected, you are seeking my life, you old wretch! You spoke of capturing that girl Tianfeng Jinyu to refine her into a panacea, but you actually wanted to use this opportunity to eliminate me!”
Fu Wang’s expression changed. His eyes locked intensely on the Twelfth Elder’s hideous expression.
Refining Shu Yu into a panacea?
He thought for a bit, and then with another tap of his fingers, he slightly altered the formation. Then, he opened his mouth and with a change of voice, he started probing, “If I am not to get rid of you, then should I be waiting to fight you for the right to the medicine created using Tianfeng Jinyu?”
This moment, in the Twelfth Elder’s eyes, Fu Wang’s voice had become the voice of the Second Elder in his head. Hearing this, the Twelfth Elder sneered, “I’ve long been aware of your self-interest, you covet that divine panacea that can enhance cultivation and increase lifespan. Although you usually look like a docile mutt by the Grand Elder’s side, it turns out you also think of biting your master.”
“Say, if the Grand Elder were to learn that you yearn for her divine panacea, what will befall upon you as consequence?” The Twelfth Elder’s face was slightly gleeful.
Fu Wang’s heart was sinking, and his expression was even more tumultuous.
He had intentionally gathered no small amount of information pertaining the Fox Elders, so he only had to think a bit to figure the overall picture.
The Grand Elder of the Foxes was reaching the end of her lifespan and wished to have Shu Yu’s – or better said, Tian Feng Jinyu’s – body made into a panacea and digest it to increase her lifespan. The Second Elder was aware of this as well, he was probably even in charge of organizing this. And as for the Twelfth, he thought the Second Elder had his own agenda, and he himself was also coveting the medicine that could be refined using the divine bloodline of Tianfeng Jinyu.
Previously he had vaguely felt that something was off, but now that he gave it thought, apart from being allowed to indulge in massacring demonkin to increase her cultivation, the original Tianfeng Jinyu didn’t gather any forces of her own. All the other young lords and young ladies had personal servants and even families backing them, but because of her sadistic and violent nature, Tianfeng Jinyu was the sole person who did not have even a single person close to her, she was truly and most definitely isolated.
Based on that terrifying behavior of hers, even if she were to someday “accidentally” die off, no one would investigate heart of the matter, most people would only celebrate.
Fu Wang couldn’t help but think that, perhaps, Tianfeng Jinyu was also that crazed because of external tampering; perhaps the disappearance of her soul was also because of that. Then, did the Grand Elder know that Tianfeng Jinyu’s soul had been replaced with another?
Regardless of whether the soul was replaced or not, it might not have made any difference to the Grand Elder, after all, she only wanted the body.
Fu Wang’s face looked unpleasant.
To those people, that was Tianfeng Jinyu; but to him, that was Shu Yu.
He naturally will not stand by and watch them drag Shu Yu off to be refined into a panacea.
However, the Grand Elder was not someone the current him could tear down. If the Grand Elder really made a move, he will not be able to protect Shu Yu. If only he had three more years…
Fu Wang’s mind thought of countermeasures, and he opened his mouth again in an attempt to pry for more detailed information. But his arrays could only disorient the Twelfth Elder for a limited time, and soon enough the Twelfth Elder came to his senses.
Recalling the words he just said, he immediately became infuriated. But he also became aware that he only had half of his spiritual energy left, and now he became shocked, angry, and the slightest bit fearful.
Fu Wang didn’t plan to kill the Twelfth Elder here. He only sought to prepare this trap in case it was necessary and took this opportunity to figure somethings out. Now that his goal was more or less achieved, there was no need to put his life on the line here.
Because there was no doubt, the Twelfth Elder had the means to save his life. If it came down to it, it wouldn’t be good for him either. Furthermore, this place wasn’t that far away from the house he and Shu Yu lived. If they really made a big ruckus, things would not go well if it attracted Shu Yu over here.
After having learnt of such a big secret, all Fu Wang could think about right now was to take Shu Yu and hide away somewhere and try to stall for time.
Since he became an Elder, the Twelfth Elder has never been this aggrieved. He didn’t even exert any power, but because he underestimated the half-demon, this small negligence caused him to be trapped by that eerie half-demon, which served to overall capsized the boat amidst murky waters2 阴沟里翻了船, which means fucking up or being fucked up in a situation where you thought you had everything in control.. And in present time, he couldn’t even do anything about him. Since he didn’t know the depths of the other’s skills and he was gravely injured as well, he did not dare to make a rash move.
But he did have a brain, and seeing that the situation wasn’t looking favorable, he forced and broke through the formation and fled from the scene.
Fu Wang’s situation was not good either. In order to trap the Twelfth Elder, this formation was created with his body as the main array. Even though Devils had tremendously tough bodies, the moment the formation was shattered, he also received tremendous damage. Mouthfuls of purplish-black blood was spit out, his body was half-consumed and covered in devil qi, not to mention he had also previously suffered a strike from the Twelfth Elder.
He gruelingly reigned in the devil qi. Fu Wang draped on a cloak and inconspicuously made his way to a mountain range in the outskirts of Dazhao City.
There was a nest of vicious bandits in that mountain, a place that Fu Wang had chosen after investigating long ago; a feeding ground that would not attract attention.
He was currently wounded. He was in urgent need of fresh meat and blood.
While Fu Wang, fully enveloped in the corrupted energy of a devil, consumed flesh and blood and nursed his wounds in the mountain bandits’ nest, something was occurring over by Shu Yu’s side as well.
Originally, Shu Yu was sitting there flipping through one of her books and listening to its little characters yammer and titter about. She was nodding off sleepily when she suddenly felt a powerful force.
She grabbed her sword and leapt up from the bed. She realized that the formation Fu Wang had set up had not been broken, the person who suddenly appeared had simply materialized inside the formation itself.
Shu Yu recognized the visitor. She had seen them before in Tianfeng Jinyu’s memories, it was the Second Elder of the Fox Clan!
“Enough playing outside, it’s time to go back, Jinyu… No, or should I be calling you, stranded soul from who knows where.”
Shu Yu’s eyes widened as soon as she heard this. This Second Elder knew she was not Tianfeng Jinyu? But how? She didn’t have the time to think about it, a feeling of extreme danger was surrounding her, and without further due she drew her sword and attacked the Second Elder.
Her attacks didn’t even register in the Second Elder’s eyes, he only laughed. His gaze looked at her as if he were looking at someone who was about to die.
He was holding an ancient bell in one hand, and with only a light tap, Shu Yu felt her very soul being hammered.
She involuntarily fell forward. Her sword dropped on the ground with a clatter.
She didn’t feel anything wrong with her body. That bell ring was probably aimed at the soul or mind. Right now, her mind and soul were in disarray, she couldn’t control her body no matter how hard she tried and could only watch as the Second Elder flicked his sleeves, grabbed her, and disappeared with her from the courtyard.
Chapter Description: Is my backyard catching fire? Describing it as such sounds somewhat wrong, but meh, whatever.
Author’s Note: According to the way things are going, only two chapters left and identity switching will be done. [Don’t look down on my ability to describe things, everyone!
Translator:
It’s been a long time. Sorry for being MIA, however, I finally got the time to translate and have had translated some chapters I owe since last month oof. December has been hectic, HOWEVER I’m going on a paid trip to a beach + fancy restaurant woohooo. This part of the novel is one of my favorite parts however, so I enjoyed them.
Remember to check in a few minutes for the upload of the next few chapters!
Hope you enjoyed, and happy Christmas!!
