Ch36 - Run Over by a Carriage

Editor: Sahloknir

Jiang Yinghe replaced the jade scroll he had been reading into his personal dimension.

He had taken out many records about becoming a demonic cultivator and internal demons. After perusing them, he reached an uncertain conclusion—

To have Huanhan recover his immortal cultivation, his internal demons needed to be dealt with first.

He still couldn’t believe that someone like Li Huanhan would have an obsession severe enough to cause him to degenerate into a demonic cultivator.

Jiang Yinghe took out a new book and once again prepared to wrestle with the archaic characters written in it. As he flipped open the cover, he thought about the new status bars provided by the system.

Their black colour gave him an ominous feeling. Was Huanhan’s condition really that severe?

Jiang Yinghe felt like he was missing something…

It was a good night to do business. The street outside of the inn was busy, with many devils talking and laughing amongst themselves. One can only imagine how much more bustling it was thousands of years ago, when the devil race was at their prime.

The book in his hands made mention of that time. It said that different factions of devils were engaged in an endless cycle of infighting and bloodshed. The newly crowned Devil King, Tianhou, was able to take the foundational treasure and cast the mighty Devil God into the Endless Sky Watchtower with one blow, but he also perished in the battle. Even since that conflict, the devil race gradually weakened and was forced to retreat from the four continents to the desolate Ancient Plains.

Although there was only a passing remark in the book, the period of history it described was very grim.

Jiang Yinghe refocused himself to find methods of dealing with internal demons—he wrote them down on the paper provided by the inn, but also inscribed them into his heart.

The paper used by the devil race was different from the kind used by humans. It was coarse and rough, and when ink met the paper it was faintly dyed red. Jiang Yinghe had been here long enough that his calligraphy flowed like water.

Just as he had written half a page of notes, he suddenly saw that there was a small green cup for him to wash his brush in beside the inkwell.

Jiang Yinghe raised his eyes. After seeing Li Huanhan beside him, he said, “If you want to return to the righteous faction, you need to direct your demonic energy back into your foundation. You have the heavenly demon physique, so I’m afraid this will be difficult…”

He paused before saying, “Even if you succeed, it’s likely that your cultivation will drop a level. Also…if your internal demons are not overcome, you will never be able to return.”

Jiang Yinghe raised his head to meet those blood-red eyes. “Huanhan, tell me truthfully. Is your current appearance falsified in any way?”

Li Huanhan was not prepared to suddenly be questioned like this. Even his fingers shook. As if everything was fine, he pressed his hands against the cool sides of the porcelain cup. “Shizun…”

Jiang Yinghe knew from just a glance that the other person had not been entirely truthful. He frowned and, unusually for him, cut off his eldest disciple’s words. “No excuses. I know that your internal demons are vicious. If a person’s mental state was stable, how would they become a demonic cultivator?”

He sighed and continued to speak, “I have seen many evil demonic cultivators over the years. They may be strong, or weak, but all of them share a common characteristic… How can those of us who seek the Dao pass through our tribulations without a healthy mindset? Take that Xiao Xuanyu you saw some time ago. He was once a promising youth of the same generation as me.”

“I sometimes still remember him as he was. But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten his later defection to the demons and his crimes against the innocent.” Jiang Yinghe put down his brush and continued solemnly, “To be too stubborn can sometimes warp one’s perception…and then lead into a dead end.”

He rarely spoke so much, but his tone was still soft and quiet. Jiang Yinghe raised his head to look at him. “Huanhan, it’s okay to be wrong.”

He went to hold Li Huanhan’s hand which was still on the ink washing cup. He suddenly realised that his hand wasn’t big enough to entirely cover the other person’s.

“The journey that is cultivation is long and filled with misleading paths. Let Shizun guide you back.” Jiang Yinghe said, “Don’t try to endure everything by yourself. You can rely on me as well. There is always a way out. Now tell me, who is the one you like?”

There was no one in the world who could resist when the person they loved asked after them in such a tender manner…

Li Huanhan held his Shizun’s hand in return. He felt the internal demon wrapped around his heart stir. It revealed its strong desire to rob him of his rationality.

Only he knew the sacrifices and pain needed to remain in control.

This person wanted to help him, but he was the source of his insanity and passion. There was a river of passionate magma just waiting to leak out of Li Huanhan’s cold exterior.

Who would’ve thought that the first reaction of his dark and cruel soul to falling in love would be fear and caution?

Jiang Yinghe looked calmly at him, waiting for him to confess everything. But it just so happened that everything about him could not be said.

Li Huanhan was silent for a moment. His fingers lightly rubbed over Shizun’s thin fingerbones. He said in a low voice, “You…can’t feel anything?”

Jiang Yinghe’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

Li Huanhan’s presence slowly drifted over, like a kind invasion of his space. His blood-red eyes held a mysterious mirth. Other emotions were too difficult to discern.

“Shizun,” His voice was slightly raspy, “you really don’t feel anything at all?”

Jiang Yinghe was befuddled by his questions. He then heard his next words.

“…I don’t know what else to say to convey it to you. Sometimes I feel like having emotions is the greatest weakness of all.”

Jiang Yinghe slowly savoured his words and seemed to come to a realization. “…From your words, I should know this person…”

He remembered something. His mind began to connect the dots from long ago with the scene from yesterday. His brows furrowed as he cautiously asked, “Don’t tell me you like Chang Ye?”

Li Huanhan blinked. “…What.”

Jiang Yinghe thought he had guessed wrong from his reaction. “Nevermind, it’s fine if you don’t say it. I shouldn’t be forcing you.”

He took out the artifacts he had deemed the most suitable for calming the heart from his personal dimension. He picked out the dark red ring capable of suppressing internal demons and placed it in Li Huanhan’s hand.

The material of the ring was both like jade and not. It was slightly cool to the touch and the most effective aid to becoming closer to the Dao in his personal collection. Jiang Yinghe made a hand sign to adjust the size of the ring before slipping it onto Li Huanhan’s finger.

Li Huanhan was staring at him without a word. After Shizun finished putting it on him, he suddenly grabbed his fingers.

“Hiss—”

This wasn’t the level of strength Hunahan usually used with him. Even the bones of his fingers were aching. Jiang Yinghe raised his head to see the previously calm demon markings spreading madly across his skin. The other person’s blood-red gaze became more viscous and akin to the dark red of true blood.

But, after only an instant, the death grip on his hand vanished like it was just his imagination. Jiang Yinghe was shocked and subconsciously asked,“You, just now…”

He was interrupted by his eldest disciple suddenly embracing him from the side. Half of the papers on the table scattered to the floor. The voice by his ear became hoarse, but at the same time, his emotions appeared restrained and soft. He was like a qin string sharp enough to break skin that was currently soaked through with the blood of his player.

The pain came and went, dying everything red gradually.

“Sorry.” Li Huanhan said, “Did I hurt you?”

Jiang Yinghe’s temporary discomfort was nothing compared to how frightening his current mental state was. It was like the slightest touch was enough to set him off. This hug wasn’t to comfort Jiang Yinghe, but himself.

Jiang Yinghe’s cold fragrance, like always, was able to calm him down.

“This is nothing, but you…”

He felt something wasn’t right and didn’t push the other person away. Instead, he began to pat Huanhan on the back. He comforted him in a soothing manner. “Don’t stress, I’m fine. Was that your internal demon?”

It looks like the status bar wasn’t bugged after all. He was very dangerous right now.

“En.”

Jiang Yinghe sighed and spoke softly. “Lan Ruo Temple has many artifacts like this. Abbot Chan Qing’s personal artifact is meant to suppress internal demons. Why don’t I accompany you there to borrow it for now?”

Li Huanhan replied after a brief silence. “En.”

He was focused not on the ‘artifact’ part but the ‘Shizun will accompany you’ part. If it was like that, then Li Huanhan was willing to agree.

Jiang Yinghe had never faced such a prickly situation. It looks like teaching pupils in the cultivation world was much harder than on Earth. He never thought that the stoic and stubborn Li Huanhan would also have moments of vulnerability like this.

…But the root of all his troubles was still that person he liked. Was there anything wrong with his disciple? How was he not worthy?

Jiang Yinghe couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He waited until his first disciple’s breathing evened out before leaving his arms. He turned to see Chang Ye had arrived some time ago and was sitting on the bed cleaning his flute.

Chang Ye wore all red, his clothing vibrantly vivid. It complimented his extraordinary looks.

“Li-shixiong’s current state…” Little Chang Ye put down the emerald flute in his hands to support his head and smile, “seems very dangerous.”

It was fine when he didn’t appear, but when Chang Ye came into his sight again, Jiang Yinghe suddenly questioned—if that black coloured status bar was representing the amount of repressed feelings, then what did that mean for his pure and easily misled little disciple?!

He might be in the best shape out of the three, but it was still half full, ah.

“Li-shixiong seems very much like a demonic cultivator as he is now.” Chang Ye snorted, “How could you return to Shizun’s side knowing your own situation? Aren’t you afraid of doing something you’ll forever regret during a qi deviation?”

Every one of his words pierced the most vulnerable part of Li Huanhan’s heart. He then relaxed his turn to say to Jiang Yinghe, “Shizun, I heard that today was the Partner-finding Festival for the devils. There will be lots of little sprites out playing in hopes of finding a partner.”

Jiang Yinghe was an introvert, so this didn’t hold much interest to him. He was about to refuse when he heard Chang Ye’s next words.

“…It would be good for Li-shixiong to go out and get some fresh air. No wonder he has internal demons if he’s cooped up inside all day. Wouldn’t it be a good thing if he met a little sprite that was more receptive to his advances?”

Jiang Yinghe’s rejection remained unsaid. He turned to glance at Huanhan. “I thought it was best to keep a low profile…”

“It would be more suspicious if we didn’t go.” Chang Ye said with a smile, “Does Shizun have something against the devil race? Do you not like being surrounded by them?”

As he said this, the thick and furry tail behind him couldn’t help but swish around in agitation like it was part of an antsy cat.

Jiang Yinghe knew that it was probably only Chang Ye wanting to go out and play, but he still agreed in the end. “I’m fine either way…alright then.”

In his eyes, Chang Ye’s happy smile was filled with an untested purity. But to Li Huanhan, this vicious beast was bearing its sharp incisors brimming with greed. His eyeballs were almost attached to Shizun’s body.

He really should butcher him. The sooner the better.

—-

The devils’ Partner-finding Festival was similar to the humans’ Qixi Festival.

Jiang Yinghe went out with the two of them. On his left was the masked Chang Ye in red. On the right was the Li Huanhan with black clothes and blood-coloured eyes. He didn’t feel like anything was wrong with the three of them walking together.

When it came to matters like this, his brain reacted slowly. How could he have remained single on Earth and all the way until now otherwise? The removal of his passion root only made things worse.

But Jiang Yinghe knew none of this. He was originally uninterested, but as he passed by the stalls selling various baubles, he had a change in attitude. Since he was in Wanyao City and so far from his home, there was no need to restrain himself for the sake of Peng Lai or his own reputation. He browsed several more stalls along the way.

The devil race really sold everything. There were specially-made shark people tears, white bone sprite tears, a mirror used by an ancient archdevil…and loads of other novelties all piled up.

Jiang Yinghe paused in front of a deer devil to pick out some special transmission tablets that could lock onto a target. It was when he went to pay with spirit stones that he noticed the merchant’s curious and admiring gaze.

Jiang Yinghe asked in passing, “Is there something wrong?”

The deer devil only grew more excited when he heard his voice. He shuffled over with bright eyes and asked in a small voice, “Can I ask you something?”

“…Sure.”

The deer devil shifted the antlers on his head and swallowed his saliva. He asked, “Are you carrying cubs right now?”

Jiang Yinghe paused. He didn’t understand his meaning. “What?”

“Why else would both of your companions be following you around, ah?” The shopkeeper stared at his long, snow white ears with his wide doe eyes. His tone was as serious as could be. “I can tell from a glance that they’re both vicious devil beasts, the kind that’s likely to get a rabbit for a partner!”

The shopkeep bent down to retrieve something from his wares. He rambled on, “One should be enough to guard you at the festival, but two? You must be carrying a bun in your oven, right? …I’m telling you, don’t go anywhere too crowded or even two won’t be enough to keep an eye on you.”

Jiang Yinghe’s mind was completely blank. He managed to stammer out, “Two, two what?”

“Companions.” The deer devil said matter-of-factly. “Isn’t your species able to take two at once? Your devilish aura is so faint ah. You must work very hard every night right?”

Jiang Yinghe: “…”

He felt like he was run over by a carriage.

The shopkeep mistook his silence for embarrassment, so he presented the item in the box he had fished out along with the transmission tablet Jiang Yinghe had bought. It was a small ceramic jar with an illustration of a chrysanthemum.

“Don’t be shy.” The antlers on top of his head swayed as he moved around. His voice was filled with admiration. “I heard that Devil Baron Sanqing forced a rabbit sprite the other day. There’s nothing us herbivores can do about those carnivores… But those two seem to treasure you like that, so I take it that your feelings are mutual?”

He pointed at the small ceramic jar. He had nothing but good intentions as he said, “A gift for you. I used to sell this stuff and this was left over. Also…aren’t you guys looking for a partner year-round? I heard you can do it with any kind of devil beast, so if you want a break from those two I can introduce you to a…”

Jiang Yinghe was almost numb at this point. His three views had already been shaken beyond repair. Huanhan and Chang Ye were originally only glancing at him from afar while he bought stuff, but when the shopkeep said something like ‘introduce’, Jiang Yinghe immediately felt his disciples’ glares behind him.

…Little Chang Ye hasn’t even settled on his orientation yet, so what was this?

Maybe because it was too obvious, but even this chatterbug of a shopkeep felt a chill run down his spine. The sense of imminent danger made him stop talking.

Jiang Yinghe looked at this ‘well-intentioned gift’. He didn’t want it, but he couldn’t throw it away either. He heard the deer devil whisper some tips on its usage.

“If you smear some of this there…even two won’t make you hurt.”

Jiang Yinghe choked on air. He only recovered after quite a while. Then he angrily said, “…They don’t dare to hurt me in the first place!”

The deer shopkeep was taken aback. Then his expression changed to one of quiet understanding, “Ah! So you’re a professional!”

Author’s Corner

HeHe: Does your devil race not distinguish between males and females?!

Rain

Everyone other than Jiang Yinghe can pick up on that tension, even literal strangers on the street lol.

Sahl

Thank you to everyone for your lovely ongoing comments, it’s awesome to see everyone sharing this ride with Rain and I!

Deer demons, helping the course of true love run smooth. And by smooth I mean, ahem, smooooth.

I love all the disciples, but Huanhan is just that bit more sensitive and caring…

Did I also mention I have LWJ level love of rabbits?