“Why did the mission end so suddenly!”
Ying Ran woke up and stared at the dark, dilapidated roof, questioning Da Hua.
Da Hua: “Maybe the Goddess considered your dangerous situation and wanted to send you back quickly.”
Ying Ran irritably grabbed her hair.
“She should’ve at least warned me! Can you send me back?”
Da Hua: “You’d have to ask the Goddess… but why go back? A thousand years ago was so dangerous.”
Ying Ran tried to contact the Goddess.
But in this time and space, she couldn’t reach her.
Ying Ran pursed her lips, frowning.
“Huai Zhen might be punished by the Holy Demon for releasing the righteous cultivators.”
Da Hua poked its head from under the table, seeing Ying Ran’s anxious and worried expression, and sighed.
“What kind of punishment?”
“He said it’s the Demon Scourge Whip.”
“The Goddess has already given us the mission rewards, so we have some usable energy now. You can use a bit to make sure he doesn’t feel pain when he’s whipped.”
Ying Ran’s eyes sparkled in the darkness. “Really?”
Da Hua:
“Yes.”
Ying Ran:
“I want to use it.”
Da Hua fiddled for a while.
“Done.”
Ying Ran felt relieved and glanced at Xu Liling beside her.
His face and hair were clean, free of bloodstains.
His eyes were gently closed, his features appearing even colder than when awake, like a jade statue.
Ying Ran traced his brows and eyes with her fingers through the air.
He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze clear, grasping her hand in his palm.
“What’s wrong? Not sleeping well?”
It was still pitch black, just past midnight.
But the rain had stopped.
Ying Ran shook her head, hugged him, and thought of the cruel him from a thousand years ago.
Her eyes flickered.
“Huai Zhen, if someone suddenly appeared before you, claiming to be your wife from a thousand years in the future, what would she need to do for you to believe her?”
Ying Ran knew the Xu Liling from a thousand years ago hadn’t believed her.
He was just bored and found it amusing, so he played along.
She didn’t need him to believe her identity; she just wanted him to trust her enough to leave the demonic path.
Though she didn’t know how to earn his trust.
But it didn’t matter!
The him from a thousand years later was right beside her!
If this was an exam, it was an open-book one, with the teacher explaining the answers.
Ying Ran’s eyes gleamed as she stared at Xu Liling.
Da Hua under the table muttered, “Damn, that works?”
Xu Liling: “I wouldn’t believe her, no matter what.”
Ying Ran:
“…Think again. Is there anything she could do to make you believe?”
Xu Liling: “I wouldn’t believe her.”
Ying Ran, slightly dejected.
Da Hua: “…Sorry, host, I kinda want to laugh.”
After a while, Ying Ran asked again, “What if someone wanted to befriend the old you? What would she need to do to earn your trust?”
Xu Liling: “How long ago?”
Ying Ran estimated, “Probably… when you were in your twenties.”
Xu Liling: “Nothing would work.”
Ying Ran: ?
Xu Liling calmly met her gaze.
She could clearly feel he was telling the truth.
Ying Ran’s face crumpled, a mix of frustration and helplessness.
“Were you that difficult in your twenties?”
Xu Liling: “Not really.”
In his twenties, no one thought he was difficult.
Those who did, he killed.
Ying Ran leaned against him, troubled, and thought for a while.
“Then… if I met the you from your twenties, what would you suggest I do?”
Xu Liling: “Run.”
Ying Ran: ?
Xu Liling’s hand gently stroked her back, his expression somewhat serious.
“Run, as far away from me as possible.”
Ying Ran fell silent for a moment, then buried her face in his chest. “What if I don’t run?”
“You’d die.”
Ying Ran stiffened slightly.
Xu Liling closed his eyes and said softly, “Or maybe nothing would happen.”
Ying Ran pressed her face against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, lost in thought.
At dawn, they set out, and by dusk, Ying Ran and Xu Liling reached the first city on the southeastern border of Yunzhou—
Ming City.
The towering city gate, made of black iron, stood tall and imposing, exuding solemnity.
Due to recent demonic activities, Ying Ran and Xu Liling underwent thorough checks before entering the city.
The streets were nearly empty, with many patrolling cultivators.
The sunlight was bright, yet the entire city seemed shrouded in gloom, with everyone moving hurriedly, covered in dust.
Ying Ran and Xu Liling found a tavern to rest, ordered two bowls of shredded pork noodles, and listened to the conversations of the cultivators in the tavern while eating.
“Ming City used to be so lively; now everyone’s fleeing. Only a bunch of mortals are left, unable to escape.”
“Aren’t there still cultivators from big sects like Yixuan Dao and Xuanheng guarding the city?”
“Hmph, they came with five thousand, full of bravado. Look now—only a little over a thousand are left. I heard Lord Hongya, five Xuanheng Sect peak masters, and their followers all died. Only Shuang escaped, heavily injured, and went missing on the way back to Xuanheng Sect…”
As they spoke, Ying Ran finished the meat in her noodles.
The beasts and poultry of Yunzhou, raised in an environment rich with spiritual energy, have meat that isn’t gamey at all—tender and delicious.
Ying Ran loved it.
She was about to continue eating her noodles when Xu Liling swapped her bowl with his.
His bowl was untouched, still full of meat.
Ying Ran whispered, “What are you doing?”
Xu Liling said lightly, “It has spiritual energy. I can’t eat it.”
Ying Ran’s heart ached. She took out a Yunshui crisp pastry she’d saved for herself as a snack and handed it to him. “If you feel unwell, tell me.”
Xu Liling nodded, took the pastry, and ate it slowly.
Ying Ran continued eating and listening.
“How did the demonic forces suddenly become so powerful?”
“I heard, just heard…” a short-bearded cultivator lowered his voice, “they say the Holy Demon has awakened!”
“What!”
The cultivators froze, the atmosphere growing heavier.
“I heard the Holy Demon appeared in Yiwang Continent. That’s why those demons are invading this border. And Lord Hongya and the others were killed by the Holy Demon. It was Lord Hongya who, with his dying breath, sent the message back via his life-soul lamp…”
Ying Ran knew Xu Liling had killed Lord Hongya, but her thoughts turned to worry.
She gripped Xu Liling’s hand. “I don’t care why you were in Yiwang Continent back then, but since we’re married, you absolutely cannot go looking for… the Holy Demon.”
She whispered the last two words.
Her words were quite domineering. Xu Liling chuckled softly and nodded.
“Alright.”
Ying Ran went back to eating her noodles.
“No wonder those demons are so arrogant. With their recent attacks, it seems they want to take Ming City to welcome the Holy Demon.”
“Hah, they probably want to conquer all of Yunzhou to welcome him. I’ve already packed my things. After this meal, I’m leaving Ming City.”
“Really? But…”
“I heard the demonic forces are attacking the city again tonight. If those cultivators can’t hold them off…”
“We’re mystic cultivators. We should stay and contribute to the mystic path!”
“Hmph, I’m just a rogue cultivator. If I get injured, no sect will care for me. Staying is just asking to die. If you want to contribute, go ahead.”
Ying Ran’s expression turned serious.
“After we finish eating, we’re leaving too.”
Xu Liling: “Aren’t you tired?”
Of course she was.
Ying Ran had never traveled far or slept rough.
She barely slept last night, which was why she woke so early today.
But—
“If the demonic forces attack tonight, no matter who wins, we…”
Ying Ran shook her head at him.
Though she rarely left home, under Qin Huan’s guidance as a child, she had read plenty of books.
She knew well that after a battle like this, the battlefield would be cleared, and the city swept to root out any hidden enemies.
If the mystic cultivators won and discovered Xu Liling was a demon, they’d hunt him down.
If the demonic forces won and found out he was a demon, they’d drag him back to their side.
Ying Ran: “Tired or not, safety comes first.”
Xu Liling raised his hand, his fingertips brushing the tired shadows under her eyes.
“Let’s find a room to rest later. No need to rush off.”
Ying Ran frowned. “But…”
“It’s fine,” Xu Liling reassured her. “Trust me.”
Xiao Huang whimpered.
Ying Ran looked down to see Xiao Huang lying pitifully on the ground, panting heavily, as if exhausted to the point of collapse, unable to take another step.
Da Hua shot Xiao Huang a disdainful glance: Xu Liling’s lackey!
Ying Ran patted Xiao Huang’s head, recalling how it had been injured protecting her two days ago.
It hadn’t rested for a full day and was still running around with her, likely in pain and exhausted.
“Alright,” Ying Ran relented, asking Xu Liling, “Shall we find an inn later?”
Xu Liling: “Let’s find an empty house.”
Ying Ran: ?
Xu Liling: “People have moved out. There must be plenty of empty houses.”
Ying Ran hesitated. “That… doesn’t seem right.”
Xu Liling, unabashed: “Saves spirit stones.”
Ying Ran:
She couldn’t argue with that.
Ying Ran finished one bowl of noodles and gave the other, along with half the meat, to Xiao Huang and Da Hua.
Two bowls of shredded pork noodles cost two spirit stones, and Ying Ran winced as she paid.
This made her even more accepting of Xu Liling’s suggestion.
They led their flying steed through Ming City and found a quiet alley.
The alley was deserted, its residents gone.
They chose an unlocked courtyard to enter.
The courtyard was stripped bare, leaving only an empty house.
But it had doors, windows, and some dry firewood by the kitchen stove.
Ying Ran was satisfied.
Xu Liling swept the floor clean and brought wooden boards from next door to make a makeshift bed, tidying the house.
Ying Ran went out, specifically seeking mortals to buy rice and flour, and got busy in the kitchen.
Xu Liling finished setting up the bed and caught the aroma of rice, flour, and a sweet scent drifting from the kitchen.
He went to the kitchen. “What are you making?”
He approached her, reaching to take the spatula from her hand.
Ying Ran stopped him. “I asked some Yunzhou mortals earlier. Many of the taverns and restaurants here cater to mystic cultivators, using ingredients that are all spiritual food, just with varying levels of spiritual energy.”
“But since they contain spiritual energy, it’s best if you don’t touch any of it.”
She smiled at Xu Liling, a touch of heartache in her eyes. “On the road, you’ll have to make do with dry rations. Once we settle down, you’ll have proper meals.”
Ying Ran didn’t love cooking, but she could manage.
On the stove were two oilpaper packages: one held freshly made sweet rice cakes, the other had two egg pancakes. Another pancake was grilling in the pan.
There was also a burnt one she hadn’t thrown out, wrapped in oilpaper, with some unburnt parts still edible.
She broke off a piece and held it to Xu Liling’s mouth.
“Try it.”
Xu Liling ate it, his lips brushing her fingers, his teeth lightly nipping her fingertip.
Ying Ran gave him a playful glare and turned back to flip the pancake. “Is it good?”
Xu Liling took the spatula from her.
“Let me do it.”
Ying Ran pouted. “Is it that bad?”
She thought her cooking wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t terrible either.
Xu Liling shooed her out.
“The kitchen’s hot, and the oil fumes are heavy.”
Ying Ran felt warmed by his care and didn’t argue.
She instructed, “Tonight, we’ll eat those pancakes. Later, make some soup too.”
She pointed to the vegetables on the other side of the stove.
Xu Liling nodded.
Ying Ran returned to the room, drew water from the courtyard well, and gave herself a quick wash.
It was summer, so the cold water wasn’t an issue.
After two days of travel, she felt uncomfortable, and the wash left her refreshed. She changed clothes and rested.
Da Hua and Xiao Huang were sprawled in the cool shade of the room, occasionally exchanging a “meow” or a “woof” in conversation.
Ying Ran found it amusing and asked Da Hua, “What are you two talking about?”
Da Hua: “Arguing.”
Ying Ran: “Arguing about what?”
Da Hua: “This dumb dog… Never mind, I won’t tell you. It’s beast business, nothing to do with humans.”
Ying Ran burst out laughing, then remembered something and asked, “By the way, you said earlier that Xiao Huang told you the location of the tomb it guarded. Does it already know you’re not an ordinary cat?”
Da Hua: “Don’t worry, I won’t reveal I’m a system. That dumb dog just thinks I’m a cat demon with human-like intelligence.”
Ying Ran smiled.
“Stop calling Xiao Huang dumb. It’s great—it protected me twice and has been guarding Huai Zhen’s tomb since a thousand years ago. Now that Huai Zhen’s back, it’s still by his side.”
Da Hua snorted.
“It doesn’t even know it’s guarding the tomb of Xu Liling, that demon.”
Ying Ran was surprised.
“It’s been guarding it for a thousand years. How could it not know?”
Da Hua: “It can’t read.”
All it knows is eating, drinking, playing, and sleeping—sly and sycophantic.
Ying Ran: …
Da Hua: “That’s why I call it a dumb dog. Illiterate!”
Ying Ran was amused.
Though she found it incredible that Xiao Huang didn’t know it had guarded Xu Liling’s tomb for a thousand years, when she thought about it, it made sense.
Xiao Huang was a beast, so not knowing how to read was normal.
Still—