Futile Devices Scans

After recuperating for a few days, the group set out once more. Since the road to the capital passed through Zhangzhou, the young master they had rescued traveled with them.

There were five of them but only four horses, so Liang Yun called Ye Shijiu over to share his mount. The youth had not yet grown to his full height, so squeezing together would not be much trouble.

“His injuries haven’t healed yet. I’ll ride with Rongxi.” Xiao Chunhe walked over to Yue Jingming’s horse and took hold of the reins, only then pausing slightly. “Is that all right?”

Yue Jingming held out a hand to him.

Xiao Chunhe raised a brow, took his hand, and swung onto the horse, settling steadily behind him and wrapping his arms around Yue Jingming’s waist.

They were about the same height, so two grown men sharing one horse could hardly be called comfortable. Their bodies inevitably pressed close. Yue Jingming kept his eyes ahead and silently recited cultivation formulas to himself, only for his shoulder to suddenly grow heavy. Then came a familiar breath carrying the faint lingering scent of charm incense. “I was terribly drunk that day. When I woke up, I couldn’t remember anything. I didn’t do anything bad to you, did I?”

“No,” Yue Jingming said evenly.

Ever since Xiao Chunhe woke, Yue Jingming had been busy caring for the patients, leaving them few chances to speak alone. Xiao Chunhe had behaved exactly as usual, so naturally Yue Jingming would not bring it up himself. It was better that he did not remember. Their relationship had not yet been formally acknowledged, and behavior like that had been exceedingly improper and discourteous.

Xiao Chunhe gently rubbed the bridge of his nose against Yue Jingming’s shoulder and neck. “That’s good. But from now on, I’m never drinking Immortal’s Intoxication again. Otherwise, all the effort you’ve put into nursing me back to health would go to waste.”

“Mm.”

Dissatisfied, Xiao Chunhe tightened his arms around him. “Can’t you say a few more words to me?”

Yue Jingming lowered his gaze to the hands wrapped around his waist. The newly healed scars across them stood out starkly. “Once we enter the city, I’ll buy you some scar-removal ointment.”

“Hm?” Xiao Chunhe flexed his fingers, his claws creeping upward. “I have plenty of scars already. One more won’t matter.”

“But this one is exposed. As for the ones on your body…” Yue Jingming paused. “We’ll find a way to heal them later. Scars mean the tiny meridians there have been damaged. With your unusual constitution, old injuries will always ache on cloudy and rainy days.”

Xiao Chunhe blinked in surprise. He stared at the rosy clouds on the horizon and the leaves filling the sky for a long while before slowly burying his face against Yue Jingming’s back. His muffled voice came out softly. “I’ll listen to you.”

The rescued young master was named Ji Luo. Over the past two days, he had remembered his own name and a few other things and had grown familiar with the group. Glancing at the two men not far away, whose behavior was unusually intimate, he could not help asking Ye Shijiu, “Shijiu, what exactly is the relationship between Daoist Yue and Young Master Xiao?”

Ye Shijiu had a blade of grass between his teeth as he practiced drawing talismans. “Why are you asking?”

Ji Luo smiled. “They’re so close. I envy them.”

“They’re brothers who’ve been through life and death together,” Ye Shijiu said. “What are you envying them for? Don’t you have a fiancée?”

Ji Luo’s expression dimmed. “His family was in a hurry to marry him off. I failed to arrive on time that day. I’m afraid he has already married someone else.”

“What’s the problem? Just snatch him back,” Ye Shijiu said, baffled.

Ji Luo said, “Marriage follows the command of one’s parents and the word of the matchmaker. If he has already married another, how could I commit an act condemned by everyone?”

“Then kill his husband. After that, you can take him back perfectly legitimately,” Ye Shijiu offered enthusiastically.

“Shijiu!” Liang Yun pointed at him in warning. “Careful, or I’ll tell Brother Yue.”

Ye Shijiu stuck out his tongue, cracked his whip, and sent his horse shooting ahead.

Ji Luo frowned thoughtfully.

* * *

Zixu Mountain.

Feng Qingying glared resentfully at the fox demon who had finally deigned to arrive. “Xiao Wen, you’ve truly made me suffer! That little bastard from your clan and that stinking Daoist from Zushan overturned my Glazed Pavilion, shattered my Treasure-Reflecting Mirror, and nearly bit me to death!”

Xiao Wen looked surprised. “That can’t be right. Chunhe is a half-demon. He nearly died at birth and was the weakest among the young foxes born around the same time. He still suffers from the aftereffects. On the fifteenth of every month, he has to return to the great formation in the mountain to have his injuries treated and his life sustained. You must have mistaken him for another fox.”

“I absolutely did not!” Feng Qingying slammed a hand onto the table, her expression vicious. “When that little Daoist from Zushan was in danger, Xiao Chunhe suddenly went mad. The demonic power around him was at least comparable to that of a thousand-year-old fox demon. Those black veins on his face looked very much like the handiwork of that bitch Xiao Ning.”

The moment the words left her mouth, a palm-length poisoned needle shot toward her, stopping just short of her eye.

“If you don’t know how to speak properly, then don’t speak,” Xiao Wen said coldly.

“Xiao Wen, you don’t need to frighten me. I know exactly what kind of thing you are.” Feng Qingying sneered. “No matter how much you liked Xiao Ning, you wouldn’t have kept the child she had with another man unless he was useful to you. Or perhaps…”

Feng Qingying raised a hand and gently pushed the poisoned needle aside. “Did Xiao Ning scheme against you and leave you no choice but to raise her son?”

Xiao Wen gave her an unreadable look. “Knowing too much will only make you die faster.”

“I’m not interested in your sordid affairs. That little bastard and the young Daoist from Zushan seem to be getting rather heated with each other. If Su Ji finds out that his most prized eldest disciple was seduced by a fox demon from your red fox clan, do you think he’ll dig up old grievances and wipe out your entire clan?” Feng Qingying watched him.

Xiao Wen withdrew the poisoned needle. “What exactly do you want?”

Feng Qingying said, “Make me the clan chief’s wife of Zixu Mountain.”

The corner of Xiao Wen’s mouth twitched. “Fine.”

Feng Qingying: “…”

Xiao Wen said, “Shouldn’t you be happy?”

“Making me the clan chief’s wife of Zixu Mountain is absolutely impossible.” Feng Qingying drew a deep breath and slammed the table. “I’ll cooperate with you. You take the Myriad Demons Scroll. I want that boy called Ye Shijiu.”

Xiao Wen considered this for a long time before saying, “Very well.”

Feng Qingying said playfully, “You just said Xiao Chunhe has to return to the clan for treatment on the fifteenth of every month?”

Xiao Wen raised a hand, and someone below brought in a plump little fox.

The little fox trembled so badly its legs nearly gave out and repeatedly clasped its paws in supplication. “Clan Chief, spare me! I really didn’t steal any snacks!”

Feng Qingying raised a brow. “And this is?”

Xiao Wen said, “Its name is Hu Xiaohu. It’s Chunhe’s fox attendant.”

* * *

“So this is Zhangzhou?” Ye Shijiu looked up at the magnificent city gate. “It’s so tall.”

“I’ve heard Zhangzhou is most famous for the Thousand-Dragon Water Festival. It should be around this time of year,” Liang Yun said, gripping his whip as he dismounted.

“The Thousand-Dragon Water Festival?” Xiao Chunhe released Yue Jingming and jumped down as well, pressing a hand to his shoulder and rolling his stiff, aching neck.

“Legend has it that in the early years of the Li Dynasty, Zhangzhou was still the ancient State of Zhang, and this river was still called the Zhang River. Beneath its waters was a gate connected to the underworld. Every year, evil ghosts emerged to devour people and cause havoc. The common people made countless paper dragons from gold and silver paper, set them alight on the river to drive the ghosts back into the underworld, and chose a hundred strong men to take their own lives in the flames. Their bodies sank to the riverbed and became baleful ghosts guarding the side gate. From then on, evil ghosts never again caused trouble in Zhangzhou,” Ji Luo explained. “Afterward, every year around this time, the people would make paper dragons and burn them on the river. Little by little, the custom became today’s Thousand-Dragon Water Festival.”

“Sounds rather interesting,” Xiao Chunhe said.

“When the time comes, the unmarried men in the city dress in their finest clothes and parade through the streets carrying paper dragons. Many unmarried young ladies come to choose husbands. If any of you are still unwed, you can join in and perhaps find a suitable match.” Ji Luo cupped his hands. “Since we’ve reached Zhangzhou, I ask my benefactors to come to my home. For this great kindness, I, Ji, will certainly repay you.”

Liang Yun and the others naturally declined. Saving him had only been something they happened to do along the way.

Ji Luo continued, “With the Thousand-Dragon Water Festival approaching, people from the neighboring cities have all come to watch the festivities. Every inn in the city was fully booked a month ago. Benefactors, you should come home with me.”

With no better option, they followed Ji Luo to the Ji residence.

The Ji family had been a scholarly household for several generations. Their residence stood in Wuyi Lane, elegantly and tastefully maintained. When Old Madam Ji and Ji Luo’s parents heard that the eldest young master, missing for several days, had returned, they hurried to the entrance.

“Father! Mother! Grandmother!” Ji Luo rushed over and dropped to his knees before them, bursting into tears. “Your son is back!”

“My child, where did you run off to? You wretched boy, are you trying to kill your mother?” Mother Ji hugged him and wept as though the sky had fallen. “We thought some evil ghost had carried you away! My child!”

Old Madam Ji silently shed tears as several madams and young ladies supported her. Ji Luo’s father, his eyes red, hurriedly gave orders. “Quickly, send for a physician! And notify the uncles of the various branches and the clan elders. Tell them Luo-ge’er has returned. Quickly!”

Ji Luo hurriedly wiped away his tears and stood. “Father, I survived this ordeal only because these benefactors rescued me. Without them, I would have died in the depths of the mountains.”

He introduced them to his father one by one. “This is Daoist Yue Jingming of the Zushan Sect, this is Young Master Xiao Chunhe, this is Young Heir Liang Yun of the Liang family of Lintu, and this is young Daoist Ye Shijiu.”

Ji Xin cupped his hands and bowed deeply. “Thank you all for saving my unworthy son. You are great benefactors of the Ji family. I have no way to repay such immense kindness. Please accept this bow from Ji!”

He bowed deeply. The many women, descendants, and servants of the Ji family all gave them a formal salute. Yue Jingming and Liang Yun hurriedly returned the courtesy, and seeing this, Xiao Chunhe followed suit.

After the commotion finally settled, Yue Jingming and the others were treated as honored guests and invited to rest in a courtyard. Before long, several groups of people arrived bearing all manner of gifts of thanks, followed by servants carrying fine wine and food. The head steward said respectfully, “Master asks that you rest here for now. This evening, we will hold a formal banquet to thank our benefactors.”

With that, he bowed and withdrew.

Hands clasped behind his back, Xiao Chunhe examined the antiques, books, and elegant ornaments displayed on the curio shelf. He said to Yue Jingming, “So this is what you mean by a scholarly family? I’ve never seen people conduct themselves like this before.”

On Zixu Mountain, he was either seizing territory or collecting gold, silver, and treasures. The foxes were wild by nature too, and the slightest disagreement would send spells flying, fights breaking out, and fox fur scattering everywhere. This was his first time seeing such a refined and courteous household. No wonder all those female foxes liked seeking out scholars.

“The Ji family has deep roots,” Yue Jingming said.

“Is Zushan like this too?” Xiao Chunhe asked. At the thought that he might someday follow Yue Jingming back to Zushan, he inexplicably grew a little nervous. What if Yue Jingming’s master and junior brothers and sisters were all like this?

Yue Jingming reassured him. “Master has an easygoing temperament, and my junior brothers and sisters are even more lively and affectionate. There aren’t so many rules.”

Xiao Chunhe tilted his head at him. “You’re such a stickler for etiquette. How could your master possibly be easygoing?”

A hint of a smile passed through Yue Jingming’s eyes. “Where I live is far from the front mountain. If you dislike crowds, you can stay at Qingsong Residence. There’s a pond full of lotus flowers in front of the house, and a courtyard and bamboo grove behind it. No one will disturb you.”

“Ahem.” Xiao Chunhe cleared his throat. “I never said I was going back with you. What does where you live have to do with me?”

“Can’t you visit a friend’s home?” Yue Jingming asked mildly.

Xiao Chunhe rubbed his itching nose. “It’s not that I can’t. But I’m a fox demon. I’m afraid I’ll be captured before I even set foot through the mountain gate.”

“Not while I’m there.” Yue Jingming opened the bedroom window to let in fresh air. He stood there for a moment, then looked up at Xiao Chunhe.

Xiao Chunhe was studying a valuable-looking jade ruyi scepter on the curio shelf.

“Chunhe,” Yue Jingming called.

Xiao Chunhe turned toward him. “Hm?”

Yue Jingming took a box of ointment from his sleeve. It was an oval red-sandalwood box inlaid with beautiful mother-of-pearl. Two swallows, one flying and one perched, adorned flowering branches in shimmering colors. The workmanship was exquisite.

Xiao Chunhe looked at him in confusion. “What’s this?”

Yue Jingming placed the box in his palm and lowered his eyes. “The top contains scar-removal ointment. There’s a hidden compartment underneath, with—”

Xiao Chunhe’s eyes lit up. Thinking some treasure had been hidden inside, he eagerly moved to open the compartment, only for Yue Jingming to seize his wrist. “Look at it yourself later.”

“Rongxi! You and Jichuan, come eat!” Liang Yun called from outside.

“Let’s go.” Yue Jingming released him, turned, and left the room, his steps slightly hurried.

Xiao Chunhe’s curiosity had been thoroughly roused. He simply flipped the box over and opened the hidden compartment. Inside was a neatly folded sheet of letter paper. He unfolded it and saw Yue Jingming’s familiar handwriting.

“Heaven’s will and karma are empty forms; our worldly bond remains unspoken and unclear. Though we part across a thousand mountains and rivers, year after year we return together.” Xiao Chunhe read it softly. He stared for a long while before the corners of his mouth rose beyond his control. “Return together, year after year… Shameless little Daoist. Who wants to return with you?”

Returning together would have been one thing, yet he actually wanted them to do it year after year.

For all his grumbling, Xiao Chunhe could not stop reading the letter again and again, leaning against the window and smiling foolishly.

He carefully folded the letter and returned it to the hidden compartment, then tucked the box safely into his sleeve.

Yue Jingming sat at the dining table drinking tea and talking with Liang Yun, while Ye Shijiu stared eagerly at the table laden with dishes. When Xiao Chunhe arrived, he hurriedly called, “Martial Uncle, come eat!”

He had previously called Xiao Chunhe “Master’s wife,” only to receive a lecture from Yue Jingming. Nor did he dare call him Fox King anymore, so he obediently settled on “Martial Uncle.”

“Coming.” Xiao Chunhe glanced at Yue Jingming, only to find Yue Jingming looking at him too.

Their gazes met without warning, then darted apart like two fish that had suddenly bumped heads. Yue Jingming lowered his head and took another sip of tea. Xiao Chunhe awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose and sat beside him.

At the meal, everyone except Yue Jingming was fond of talking. Yue Jingming ate at an unhurried pace when a plump chicken drumstick suddenly appeared in his bowl.

He turned to look at the person beside him.

Xiao Chunhe lowered his head and took a huge bite of meat, seemingly utterly absorbed in his meal.

Yue Jingming suppressed the curve of his lips and resumed eating. Then someone lightly bumped his knee, and a beautiful, slender hand reached toward him. A thin layer of translucent ointment had been spread over the newly formed scars.

“Thank you for the medicine. I… like it very much.”

So said the owner of the hand.