Su Su followed Ye Chu Feng to a quiet courtyard.
As the little beggar had said, beautiful red plum blossoms bloomed within the yard, their branches stretching beyond the mansion walls, creating an elegant scene.
Upon seeing the courtyard, Ye Chu Feng quickened his pace and closed the gate.
Su Su sniffed the air—she seemed to catch that faint, elusive scent again.
With the gate shut, she circled the courtyard, rolled up her sleeves, and began climbing the wall. Once seated atop it, she noticed Tantai Jin watching her.
Only then did Su Su recall his presence. "Why are you following me?"
Tantai Jin's dark eyes remained fixed on the courtyard, and he said nothing.
Su Su followed his gaze. Could there be some evil object in this yard that Tantai Jin coveted?
She shot him a warning look. "I'm telling you, don't come any closer!"
After the nightmare demon incident, she had nearly lost her life. Troubles kept piling up before the last was resolved. If Tantai Jin stirred up more trouble, her head would spin.
But her warning fell on deaf ears. Ever since that night when she witnessed Tantai Jin using crows to kill, he had shed all pretense, revealing his true nature without restraint.
Tantai Jin vaulted over the courtyard wall and dropped inside.
Su Su's head throbbed with frustration. She hurriedly followed.
If something truly lurked in this courtyard, her frail second brother would likely be in danger.
Unfortunately, she currently possessed no spiritual power. After the steward bought cinnabar and talisman paper, she had only managed to create two usable talismans—one Thunderbolt Talisman and one Body Fixing Talisman—both expended during the nightmare demon encounter.
The closer she got to the house, the stronger the strange fragrance grew.
The courtyard was spacious. Ye Chu Feng headed straight for the main room, while Tantai Jin turned right and pushed open a door on that side.
They moved quietly, and with no servants around, their presence went unnoticed.
From next door came the voice of Su Su's second brother.
"Pianniang, my apologies for being late today."
A delicate, charming voice laughed in response. "It's fine. Did something happen at the mansion?"
Ye Chu Feng replied, "I ran into eldest brother when leaving the estate. He spoke with me for a while."
"What did your eldest brother say?" the woman asked coyly. "Did he tell you to study hard or train in martial arts with him? As if only warriors and bookworms can achieve great things in this world?"
"Of course not," Ye Chu Feng's voice carried helplessness. "But the imperial exams are approaching, so he offered some reminders."
The woman said unhappily, "If you're taking the exams, does that mean you won't come see me anymore?"
Ye Chu Feng quickly shook his head. "Naturally not. You are the most important. If you dislike it, I won't take them."
The woman's laughter tinkled like silver bells. "You really are a fool."
Su Su pondered—her second brother was exceptionally talented in literary pursuits and had remarkable achievements in scholarship. This was precisely why Ye Zheyun, who excelled in neither literature nor martial arts, often targeted him.
Among the four Ye sons, the eldest was skilled in martial arts and steady, the second was scholarly and introverted, while the third was good-for-nothing, indulging in drinking, gambling, and womanizing. As for the fourth brother, he was still young and somewhat spoiled, though his future temperament remained uncertain.
Su Su never imagined that her studious second brother would abandon the imperial exams for a woman. If their grandmother found out, breaking his legs would be a light punishment—and he lacked a mother like Concubine Lian to plead for him.
A delicate exclamation came from next door, followed by sounds of playful scuffling.
The winter courtyard stood particularly quiet, like a small isolated world where every sound carried clearly.
Something was brushed onto the floor, and the woman's clear laughter grew louder.Su Su heard heavy panting, followed by a woman's moans that sounded both pleasurable and pained.
A look of disgust surfaced in Tantai Jin's eyes.
Su Su's face showed confusion. Since her birth from the spiritual spring, few had ever educated her about matters between men and women.
One couldn't expect the righteous leader of Hengyang Sect to explain such vulgar topics to a young girl.
She had read about the harmony of yin and yang and Dual Cultivation in the library archives.
Unfortunately, cultivation-focused texts mostly contained obscure and formal language, presenting textbook-level cultivation templates.
Su Su remembered when she was young, her eldest senior brother once took her to the back mountain to catch spirit beasts.
It was springtime, and two spirit beasts—one male, one female—were nuzzling affectionately.
The little Su Su, with her two tasseled buns, curiously followed the sounds.
"Eldest senior brother! There are two here!"
Gongye Jiewu approached using Sword Control. When he saw the scene in the woods, his jade-like face instantly flushed crimson.
He covered the little girl's eyes: "Don't look at what shouldn't be seen!"
Then he hastily took Su Su away using Sword Control. It was the first time Su Su had seen her eldest senior brother flee so quickly, his ears burning red.
After that, her eldest senior brother rarely went to the back mountain, and the task of catching spirit beasts gradually fell to their junior brother Fu Ya.
Only later did Su Su realize the spirit beasts had likely been mating.
But the way humans expressed affection was completely different from spirit beasts. So as the fragrance in the air grew increasingly strong, Su Su didn't make the connection at all.
Instead, a sudden realization struck her—she finally understood what was wrong!
Charm fragrance!
This was actually the unique charm fragrance of the fox clan! The woman inside was actually a fox demon!
Her second brother!
Hearing her second brother's pained panting, wasn't he being harmed by the fox demon?
Just as Su Su was about to run out to save her second brother, Tantai Jin grabbed her arm. His expression was strange: "What are you doing?"
Su Su lowered her voice: "Don't stop me. There's a fox demon next door, my second brother must be in danger."
"Danger?" He softly repeated the word.
Tantai Jin stared at her, suddenly revealing a malicious smile: "Not necessarily. If you barge in now, your second brother would be the one wishing for death."
Su Su looked at him in confusion.
Tantai Jin took out a small emei dagger from his sleeve, which looked peculiar—much smaller than ordinary weapons, which was why no one had noticed it hidden in his sleeve.
Who knew what the Emei刺 was made of? Without apparent effort, he easily pierced a hole through the wall as if it were paper.
Turning to see a pair of clear eyes, wicked thoughts surged in Tantai Jin's heart.
"Take a good look."
Su Su leaned close to the hole and peered through.
She saw writing implements scattered across the floor. Ye Chu Feng was embracing a woman, pressing her against the desk.
The woman's eyes were dazed, her red lips parting, her slender neck arched upward.
Beneath her yellow robe, her pale legs wrapped around Ye Chu Feng like delicate, dependent dodder vines.
Her usually gentle second brother was acting completely out of character—wild and obsessed, like a frenzied beast burying his face in the woman's embrace.
"Pianniang... Pianniang, I adore you..."
Tantai Jin watched Su Su with a cold sneer.
He anticipated her blushing, then turning away in shock the next second.
How fascinating it would be to see those crystal-clear eyes tainted with impurity.
But the young girl in front remained leaning against the hole for quite some time. After a long while, she calmly plugged the hole.She looked up and met Tantai Jin's icy, malicious eyes.
Su Su said curiously, "Why are you looking at me?"
Tantai Jin stared at her for a long moment. The indecent sounds from next door continued, yet the girl remained unfazed, her clear black-and-white eyes like a sacred flower blooming in the darkness.
As if in her eyes, this was the most natural thing in the world.
Tantai Jin said coldly, "Shameless." As if humiliating her could somehow ease his strange discomfort.
Su Su paid no mind, earnestly explaining to him, "Since ancient times, whether it be Demonic Beasts, immortals and Gods, or mortals, the union of yin and yang and the continuation of descendants have always been the most natural things. It is how the Living Beings of the Three Realms thrive and multiply."
So what was there to be ashamed of?
She had long known that the mortal world was stricter toward women. An ordinary mortal woman would likely die of shame and anger upon witnessing such a scene.
In an instant, Su Su understood Tantai Jin's thoughts—this demonic creature actually wanted to see her die of shame and anger?
She glared at him. Even if she were to feel shy, it would be toward a beloved man. Why would she cover her face in shyness over a cold, heartless evil creature? She'd have to be insane.
Clearly, he was the one born without a sense of shame.
Su Su reached out her hand. "Lend me your Emei daggers."
"What do you want to do?"
Su Su said seriously, "I'm going to stab the bad fox demon next door."
She wasn't there to watch Ye Chu Feng and the fox demon's vivid and alluring scene—she was observing whether the fox demon was harming people.
Su Su knew that some demons cultivated with difficulty and did not harm people; such demons were good demons. But some demonic creatures would harm people, bewitching their minds and absorbing their life essence.
The yellow-robed fox demon inside was the latter.
The fox demon was draining Ye Chu Feng's life essence and even his lifespan. She was not a good demon.
At this rate, in less than three months, the Ye family would be preparing Ye Chu Feng's funeral.
Tantai Jin said coldly, "No."
Overestimating herself.
That fox demon inside was clearly not shallow in cultivation. Even if she had the Emei daggers, she wouldn't gain any advantage. Though he didn't know when Ye Xi Wu had learned so many chaotic things, with her abilities alone, she was no match for the fox demon.
Su Su actually knew in her heart that she probably couldn't handle the fox demon. If she rashly alerted it and it harmed Ye Chu Feng, the loss would outweigh the gain.
She just couldn't stand watching the fox demon absorb Ye Chu Feng's life essence and wanted to borrow the Emei daggers to save him first.
But now it seemed better to plan carefully.
Su Su quietly walked out the door, waved at Tantai Jin, and mouthed, "Let's go—" while the fox demon was engrossed in union and hadn't noticed them.
Tantai Jin looked at the wall in front of him, his expression inscrutable.
Su Su knew he was probably setting his sights on the fox demon's inner core.
She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him outside.
He had already obtained a Demon Core, and now he wanted a Demon Core too. Wasn't he afraid that the Heavenly Dao's eighty-one bolts of Tribulation Thunder would reduce him to ashes in the future?
The two of them stood together under the sunlight, and Su Su breathed a sigh of relief.
Passing by Prince Xuan's residence, Su Su said, "I wonder if Ye Bingshang has woken up yet."
Tantai Jin looked at the plaque, his dark pupils utterly focused.
Su Su thought he was truly special toward Ye Bingshang. If Ye Bingshang had enlightened him in his childhood, perhaps he wouldn't have become the Demon God later.
However, mortals only lived for a few decades. As his body aged and died, the Evil Bone would remain deeply embedded in his soul. He would repeat the fate of a lone star of calamity, awakening again in the next life.
So extracting the Evil Bone was still the most reliable solution.
Su Su suddenly asked, "Does she know you like her?"Tantai Jin lowered his gaze, meeting Su Su's curious eyes. He pressed his lips together: "I don't know."
Su Su asked: "Do you really have to have her?"
He didn't answer, but his dark pupils were cold and profound, and Su Su understood the answer.
He held no worldly concepts in his heart, nor any sense of right or wrong. Even though Ye Bingshang had already married Xiao Lin, even if Ye Bingshang had children running everywhere, Tantai Jin still wouldn't have that concept in his mind.
Just like when he was young, he had asked Lan An in confusion, what is shame?
The older he grew, the better he became at pretending, learning appropriate expressions from others. Yet in his soul, he remained the selfish, indifferent young Demon God.
Reasoning with him was useless. He even subconsciously believed that Ye Bingshang belonged to him, and even if she was placed in Prince Xuan's residence, it was merely "fostering."
Once he gained the ability, he would take back what was his.
Su Su blocked his view of Prince Xuan's residence, saying word by word: "You can't!"
She told him plainly: "You also know that if you truly want to be with her, there's only one condition."
"Unless both Prince Xuan and I die."
"Of course, even if Prince Xuan dies, she might not necessarily love you. So, you'd better give up on this idea."
Tantai Jin withdrew his gaze, looking at Su Su before him.
His dark pupils were icy cold as he suddenly smiled.
It seemed like mockery, yet also like complete indifference.
Even Su Su didn't know that the words she spoke to force him to retreat would one day in the future become a prophecy.
Whatever Tantai Jin wanted, he wouldn't care even if he had to step over the bones of everyone in the world.
Let alone Xiao Lin and her.
But she understood this truth too late.
Not two days later, they entered the first month.
In Great Xia's first month, the land remained wrapped in silver, with ice and snow everywhere.
Su Su began secretly looking for Monster Exterminators and Taoist priests.
That yellow-clad fox demon had some cultivation. Demonic creatures that escaped from the cracks of the Desolate Abyss couldn't be dealt with by ordinary Monster Exterminators.
Because the bounty was set very high, Monster Exterminators and Taoist priests gradually came to the residence.
However, when Su Su saw them, she was very disappointed.
These people were no different from the earlier Taoist priests who performed exorcism dances in the residence - aside from being eloquent, they had no real skills.
Occasionally, there were two decent ones, but they were far inferior to the fox demon.
Su Su grew anxious, not knowing how long Ye Chu Feng could hold on. Coincidentally, at dusk that day, she encountered Ye Chu Feng. His lips were pale, and when he saw Su Su, he bowed courteously and prepared to leave.
The man before her appeared refined and scholarly, seeming quiet and reserved - completely different from when he was with the fox demon.
Instead of directly persuading him, Su Su said: "Second Brother, the residence hasn't been peaceful recently. Grandmother plans to go to Linyuan Temple to seek peace Talismans. Eldest Brother is with Father in the military camp, Third Brother is recovering from injuries, and Fourth Brother is still too young. So, Grandmother wants you to lead the guards and accompany her."
Ye Chu Feng was taken aback, feeling surprised inside.
Because in the Ye residence, he had no presence whatsoever - neither good nor bad matters ever involved him.
Why would Old Madam Ye think of him this time?
Thinking of the young woman in his courtyard, Ye Chu Feng felt very troubled.
That delicate young woman would throw tantrums even if he arrived slightly late. If he accompanied his grandmother to the temple, he didn't know how many days it would take.
Su Su wasn't exactly lying - Old Madam Ye was indeed worried about the appearance of demonic creatures. Though Ye Xiao was brave on the battlefield, when facing the power of Demonic Beasts, even the most valiant mortals couldn't resist. Thus, she planned to go to the temple to seek Talismans.
Su Su had merely begged the Old Madam to include Ye Chu Feng among the accompanying personnel.
With the Old Madam's order, Ye Chu Feng had no choice but to go.Day by day, Su Su thought to herself, at least until she could find a reliable Monster Exterminator. Otherwise, if Ye Chu Feng exhausted his life force before they had a solution, it would be disastrous.
After Old Madam and Ye Chu Feng left, Su Su recalled the guiding butterfly from the nightmare demon's dream.
Xiao Lin must know a trustworthy Monster Exterminator.
Her eyes lit up, and she wrote a letter to Xiao Lin.
"Chun Tao, deliver this letter to Prince Xuan's residence."
Chun Tao looked troubled. "Miss, do you still have feelings for Prince Xuan..."
"Don't be silly, this is serious business."
"But Miss, when Prince Xuan still lived in the palace, you often sent scented handkerchiefs, pastries, and letters, all of which were rejected at his gate. His Highness even said before that anything sent by you should be burned."
"..." Su Su hadn't realized she had so many embarrassing past incidents.
"Then, deliver this letter to Elder Sister, saying it's a family letter."
As long as Ye Bingshang saw it, Xiao Lin would likely know. As the crown prince of Great Xia, he would surely take the matter of demonic creatures causing harm seriously.
This time, Chun Tao accepted the letter with a solemn nod. "Don't worry, Miss, I will definitely deliver it."
With nothing better to do, Su Su decided to practice Talisman Drawing. There would be many challenges ahead, and it was best to prepare as much as possible. Recalling how the Talisman Paper had saved her in the nightmare demon's dream, she once again understood the importance of having power to protect herself.
The butler had only managed to find a small amount of Cinnabar and Talisman Paper, so Su Su didn't dare waste any. She set up a spirit-attracting array, dipped her brush in Cinnabar, and began drawing Talismans.
Her Spiritual Power was insufficient, and she failed repeatedly. Each time the Cinnabar touched the paper, the Talisman Paper would spontaneously combust without any wind.
But she didn't get discouraged or disheartened by the failures, persistently repeating the Talisman Drawing motions.
Noticing someone's gaze on her, Su Su turned around to see Tantai Jin. Behind him, the snow lay pure white, and the young man's expression was cold and detached. She had no idea how long he had been watching her.
She had rarely seen him these past two days and wondered what misdeeds he had been up to.
She had her own matters to attend to as well, such as the fox demon and figuring out how to make contact with the Divine Turtle guarding the Desolate Abyss.
After his appearance, Su Su detected a faint scent of blood in the air.
It made her somewhat unhappy, but she knew it would be difficult to stop him.
After some thought, Su Su simply said, "Do you want to learn Talisman Drawing?"
Hearing this, Tantai Jin frowned.
Su Su counted silently in her heart, and sure enough, when she reached five, he walked over.
The previous dream had given her considerable insight into him. He lacked compassion and emotions, but he craved power and destruction.
He would look up earnestly and ask Lan An many questions.
Back then, the Little Demon could even be described as humble and eager to learn.
After Lan An abandoned him, no one knew how he learned to disguise himself and feign weakness.
Sitting opposite each other, Su Su said, "Watch carefully!"
She dipped her brush in Cinnabar and, with smooth, deliberate strokes, applied it to the Talisman Paper. Since it was a simple Incantation, she completed it quickly this time. The Cinnabar glowed faintly, and the Talisman Paper remained intact.
"Do you want to try?"
Tantai Jin took the brush. He was extremely intelligent and, despite having only seen it upside down, replicated the strokes perfectly.
However, the Cinnabar didn't glow; instead, it took on a dark, ominous sheen.
The Incantation ignited before him, its ashes scattering into the air. He set down the brush, pressed his lips together, and his eyes grew colder.
Su Su was momentarily stunned, realizing that Gods and demons were fundamentally different in nature.His power originated from darkness, so celestial incantations naturally wouldn't work. Even though what she taught him wasn't an offensive incantation.
This might be the reason he stubbornly desired power.
Su Su thought for a moment, then placed the talisman she had just drawn into his palm.
"The first time drawing a talisman can be quite difficult. But you can use this incantation too. Would you like to try?"
Tantai Jin looked at the talisman in his palm, then at the smiling girl before him.
"Mm."
She taught him the spell.
Tantai Jin silently recited it once in his heart, his dark pupils fixed unblinkingly on Su Su before him. He had witnessed the power of her talisman paper. If a Thunderbolt Talisman struck a person, it would be fatal.
Didn't she know he wasn't a good person?
The news he had just learned chilled his heart, making him despise everything in this world. Almost with malicious intent, he activated the talisman.
Yet the talisman in his palm didn't transform into a purple lightning bolt.
Warm light dispersed, and the talisman unfolded into a beautiful scroll—snow-capped mountain peaks, white-feathered birds, waterfalls and falling leaves, sunlight and winding vines...
Shy rabbits circled around him, while curious groundhogs peeked out their heads.
A stream flowed through his hands, washing away the scent of blood.
He saw elders and children resting under trees, blue skies with white clouds, and the vast mortal world.
He froze.
Beyond the illusion, the girl watched him with smiling bright eyes.
A speck of cinnabar had smudged between her brows.
His pitch-black pupils fixed on her, fingers curling tightly. With his slightest movement, the scroll instantly shattered.
OpenNovel