“Master, save me!” Song Shiqi turned his head and shouted at the top of his lungs.
Ning Chuping, who had been hiding beneath the window, frantically waved at him. “Don’t look back! You’ve given away our position!”
“Huh? Ah!” Song Shiqi immediately whipped his head forward again. “Monster, don’t you dare run wild! My master is incredibly powerful. Today you’ll meet your end at Xingyang Daoist Temple! Can’t you see that Demon-Capturing Formation?”
Xiao Chunhe: “…”
The Demon-Capturing Formation before him had been thrown together so carelessly that only a pitiful trace of true qi could be seen. It would struggle to catch an ordinary fox; at best, it might manage a rat.
Ye Shijiu hid behind Song Shiqi, staring at him with wide eyes.
“Tsk.” Xiao Chunhe rubbed his chin, clenched his fist, and promptly brought it down on Song Shiqi’s head.
Song Shiqi yelped in pain. Ning Chuping charged over with the other disciples. “Fox demon, prepare to die!”
Xiao Chunhe sneered and had only just opened his fan when a hand suddenly reached from behind him and snapped the half-open fan shut.
He turned in surprise and found Yue Jingming standing beside him. Xiao Chunhe’s eyes widened. “You followed me?”
“Yingshi Talisman water,” Yue Jingming said calmly. “Until I uncover the truth, you stay by my side.”
Xiao Chunhe scoffed. “So you really could find me. No wonder you were so comfortable leaving me alone in that room.”
Yue Jingming held his still-sheathed sword across Ning Chuping’s path and stepped in front of Xiao Chunhe. “Fellow Daoist, would you hear me out?”
Ning Chuping shielded the flock of youngsters behind him and eyed Yue Jingming warily. “You’re in league with that fox demon?”
Yue Jingming said, “I am not his accomplice. We merely traveled together. Would you be willing to leave him to me to deal with?”
“You have no idea how awful he is! He pretended to be Yue Jingming, the Number One Daoist Under Heaven, and swindled me out of all my savings!” Ning Chuping studied him as though trying to confirm his identity. “And who might you be, Fellow Daoist?”
Yue Jingming said, “I am Yue Jingming of Zushan.”
The corner of Ning Chuping’s mouth twitched. “Everyone calls themselves Yue Jingming these days. I might as well say I’m Yue Jingming too!”
“Hahahaha!” Xiao Chunhe braced himself on Yue Jingming’s shoulder. “See? The name Yue Jingming isn’t worth a thing anymore.”
Yue Jingming turned his head and looked at him.
Xiao Chunhe pursed his lips, glanced around, and started whistling.
Yue Jingming handed Ning Chuping his Zushan token to inspect. “If you still doubt me, you may use a Yingshi Talisman to contact the Zushan Sect.”
Ning Chuping turned the token over several times and asked Yue Jingming a few more questions before reluctantly returning it. “Very well. I’ll believe for now that you are Yue Jingming. But why are you mixed up with this fox demon, and why do you let him swagger around deceiving people under your name?”
“That is what I am investigating as well.” Yue Jingming’s gaze passed over him and landed on the young Daoist hiding at the back.
Ye Shijiu looked at him with equal parts wariness and curiosity, then edged farther behind Song Shiqi.
Yue Jingming withdrew his gaze. “I will make him return the money.”
“Why should I?” Xiao Chunhe lazily fanned himself. “I worked very hard to swindle that money.”
“So you admit it was swindled.” Yue Jingming’s expression turned stern. “You do not lack silver. Why do such a thing?”
“Because I’m greedy, obviously.” Xiao Chunhe smiled. “Who in this world isn’t greedy for wealth and beauty? Why are you so determined to meddle in my affairs?”
Yue Jingming said, “Because I saw it, and therefore I should intervene.”
Xiao Chunhe bared his teeth at him. Yue Jingming brought two fingers together and traced lightly across Xiao Chunhe’s lips. An invisible force instantly sealed his mouth shut, and no matter how he struggled, he could not open it.
“Please excuse the spectacle, Temple Master. Might we borrow a room?” Yue Jingming asked. “I have another friend on his way up the mountain. If he arrives, please have him come find me.”
Ning Chuping hesitated, then nodded. “Of course. Shiqi, take Daoist Master Yue to a guest room in the rear courtyard.”
Song Shiqi immediately led the way. “Daoist Master Yue, please follow me.”
Yue Jingming followed with Xiao Chunhe behind him, brushing past the handsome young Daoist as they went.
Xiao Chunhe cared greatly about maintaining appearances. He strolled along fanning himself, putting on an aloof, carefree air, yet when Song Shiqi left the room, he still could not resist smacking the boy on the head.
Song Shiqi fled clutching his head, tears in his eyes.
Yue Jingming released the Silence Spell over Xiao Chunhe’s mouth. “How much did you swindle?”
Xiao Chunhe collapsed into a chair. “What profit could there be in a backwater like this? A little over a hundred taels of silver. The wine is pretty good, though.”
Yue Jingming held out his hand.
Xiao Chunhe pulled out a purse of silver and slapped it into his palm. “There. You have the money. Can you unseal my meridians now? I’m this good-looking. Wandering the jianghu without any magic to protect myself is terribly dangerous.”
Yue Jingming said, “As long as you stay beside me and do not run off, you will not be in danger.”
Xiao Chunhe looked scandalized. “I knew it! You lecherous Daoist, you really are lusting after my beauty. What next? Are you going to tie me up hand and foot and keep me around day and night for your pleasure?”
“Something is wrong with this temple.” Yue Jingming went to the window and opened the shutter a crack. Outside, everything was utterly silent. The young Daoist named Song Shiqi was nowhere to be seen.
“What’s wrong with it?” Xiao Chunhe came up behind him, leaned over his shoulder, and peered outside with him. “I’ve been staying here for days and everything’s been fine. These Daoists are all idiots.”
Yue Jingming removed the paw Xiao Chunhe had draped over his waist and retied the waist token Xiao Chunhe had half undone.
Xiao Chunhe raised an eyebrow. “That was given to you by your new sweetheart, wasn’t it? You keep this precious thing tied on all the time, but toss mine aside like worn-out shoes.”
“Young Master Liang and I are only friends.” Yue Jingming paused. “And you and I have no relationship whatsoever.”
“No relationship whatsoever?” Xiao Chunhe’s voice shot up.
“Someone is coming.” Yue Jingming looked toward the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone knocked three times.
Yue Jingming opened the door and found a young Daoist cupping his hands in greeting. He returned the salute. “What is it, young friend?”
“No point asking him. The kid is deaf and mute.” Xiao Chunhe grabbed the silver from the table and tossed it to the young Daoist, gesturing as he spoke. “Go. Give it back to your master. Silver!”
Ye Shijiu carefully watched the shape of his mouth. He tucked the silver into his sleeve, nodded, then pointed toward the mountain gate.
Xiao Chunhe poked Yue Jingming in the chest with his fan. “Hey. Your new sweetheart is here.”
Yue Jingming caught his fan in one hand, a faint trace of anger in his eyes. “Must you always speak so recklessly?”
“Then take off that waist token.” Xiao Chunhe smiled without quite smiling. “It annoys me just looking at it.”
Yue Jingming said in a low voice, “What I choose to wear has nothing to do with you.”
Xiao Chunhe declared with perfect righteousness, “I’m your husband. Of course I get a say.”
Ye Shijiu, standing beside them, gaped in shock. His eyes darted between the two of them as he backed away in alarm, only to bump straight into Liang Yun as he entered.
Liang Yun looked no less stunned. The lid of the food box in his hands flipped open, and while sucking in startled breaths, he fumbled frantically to close it again.
No wonder he had always felt Yue Jingming treated this swindler differently. No wonder the moment the man ran away, Yue Jingming came straight after him, and even bought food during the pursuit!
So that was it!
Truly worthy of the Number One Daoist Under Heaven!
Yue Jingming looked at the smug fox demon in front of him, then at the other two. After a moment of silence, he took the food box and set it on the table. “Let’s eat first.”
“Right, right, food.” Liang Yun hurriedly said. “We rushed all the way here and didn’t even have breakfast or lunch. Brother, you haven’t eaten in a day and a night either, have you? Brother Yue bought this especially for you on the way.”
“Oh?” Xiao Chunhe’s eyes lit up. He lifted his robe and sat down at the table. “Then I’d better have a proper taste.”
Because they had been in a hurry, Liang Yun had only bought pastries, shaobing, side dishes, and other foods convenient for travel. Still, there was a decent variety, and more than enough for them.
Xiao Chunhe truly was hungry. He wiped his hands clean, took a shaobing between his teeth, then opened the roast chicken at the bottom of the food box. Its skin was thin and glossy with oil. One bite brought together crackling skin and tender meat so perfectly that his appetite surged at once. Delighted, he said, “This chicken is roasted pretty well.”
“I wanted some yesterday. I heard this place is a century-old shop in Changyu County and their roast chicken is famous. It’d be even better with a flask of wine.” Liang Yun was eating happily too.
“Hey.” Xiao Chunhe took out his wine gourd and gave it a shake.
“Hey!” Liang Yun brightened and produced a tiny, exquisitely made wine cup from his sleeve.
Xiao Chunhe generously poured him a cup. Each man took a chicken leg, tapped them together in midair in perfect understanding, and looked for all the world as though they had finally found a kindred spirit.
Yue Jingming: “…”
He picked up a shaobing and was just about to eat when he heard footsteps at the door. Looking up, he saw that the young Daoist had not left. The boy was staring longingly at the flatbread in Yue Jingming’s hand and swallowed.
Yue Jingming held it out. “Want some?”
The young Daoist shook his head warily, but his stomach growled loudly. Seeing this, Yue Jingming tore off a small piece, ate it himself, then offered the rest again.
Ye Shijiu came over and cautiously took the shaobing. He nibbled a bite, his eyes immediately brightening, then looked up at Yue Jingming in delighted surprise.
A hint of a smile flickered in Yue Jingming’s eyes.
“The food at this temple is so bad it’s practically criminal.” Xiao Chunhe tore off a chicken wing and passed it to Yue Jingming. “I stayed here three days, and every meal was vegetable-leaf soup with dry flatbread. If I hadn’t needed to maintain your image as an enlightened master, one meal would’ve made me want to die.”
Ye Shijiu stared at the chicken wing, his eyes following it wherever it moved. Xiao Chunhe deliberately waved it back and forth a few times before finally stuffing it into Yue Jingming’s mouth.
Yue Jingming removed the chicken wing and said, “If you don’t mind, you can sit and eat with us.”
Ye Shijiu shook his head, pointed at the shaobing, nodded, then cupped his hands toward Yue Jingming before turning and running off.
“Hah, that kid.” Liang Yun took another sip of wine, then suddenly frowned. “Does it feel a little chilly to either of you?”
Xiao Chunhe narrowed his eyes around the chicken bone between his teeth. “It feels a little like a demon, but not quite. Strange.”
Yue Jingming returned to the window. The young Daoist from before was standing beneath the ancient cypress in the courtyard, head lowered as he ate the shaobing.
Almost at the same instant the Myriad Demons Scroll began to burn hot, the ancient cypress’s branches transformed into several tentacles and shot toward the window!
“Move!” Yue Jingming twisted aside, drew his sword, and hacked at the thick branch. It snapped beneath the blade, yet even the severed section continued writhing across the floor as though alive.
The table in the middle of the room was smashed to pieces by another branch. Xiao Chunhe sprang nimbly onto it, while Liang Yun rolled across the floor and pressed himself into a corner. “What’s going on?!”
“A demon. Get outside first.” Yue Jingming went for the door.
“Too late!” Xiao Chunhe’s expression sharpened. He seized Yue Jingming by the arm and yanked him backward just as a branch as thick as a bowl burst through the door. It scraped past the tips of their noses and punched straight through the wall.
Dense branches stabbed endlessly through the doors and windows, swiftly overrunning the entire room like writhing pythons. The three of them could barely keep up and were soon wedged into the narrowing gaps between the limbs.
Xiao Chunhe felt like a sheet of paper being crumpled tight. The air in his chest was disappearing fast, and he could only struggle to stretch out a hand and grab Yue Jingming. “The seal… hurry and undo it!”
Yue Jingming forced his true qi outward, bracing open a small pocket of space for Xiao Chunhe. “If I undo it, you’ll run.”
Xiao Chunhe sucked in a desperate breath. “Ancestor! I’m about to die! I swear to Heaven I absolutely won’t run. If I do, then may I never manage to marry you in this lifetime!”
Yue Jingming hacked at the branches while turning to give him a cold look.
Seeing the branches about to swallow him over the head, Xiao Chunhe shouted, “If I dare run, then may I never get to eat chicken again for the rest of my life!”
The instant the words left his mouth, the seal on his body vanished. Xiao Chunhe hurriedly circulated his true qi and twisted the damned branches apart, then glared at Yue Jingming with a face full of grievance.
Now he truly could not run. Failing to marry Yue Jingming was one thing, but if he could never eat chicken again for the rest of his life, what would be the point of staying alive?
Unfortunately, the culprit responsible had no idea how serious the matter was and was still fighting the branches.
Xiao Chunhe could only step forward to help. Then, without warning, everything changed. The vicious branches vanished without a trace, and the room disappeared with them.
The three men stood facing one another in the courtyard when a clear voice rang out. “Second, Fourth, Sixth, what are you three standing around for? Master picked up another little kid!”
Xiao Chunhe turned toward Yue Jingming and was caught off guard by the sight of a boy of fifteen or sixteen. He was strikingly handsome and so clean-cut he seemed untouched by dust, though there was still a trace of youthful softness in his face. Xiao Chunhe ventured, “Yue Jingming?”
Yue Jingming’s expression was grave. “Your fox tail is showing.”
Xiao Chunhe whipped around and came face-to-face with his own enormous fluffy tail. He seized it and hugged it against his chest, aghast. “What in the world is going on?”
Yue Jingming looked at the handsome young man before him, fox ears and tail exposed, then slowly lowered his gaze. “It should be an illusion.”