How could Kunlun be completely unaware of the commotion in the Kunlun Mountains these days? Little Chuci hadn’t intentionally kept it from her either, but for some inexplicable reason, deep down, she hadn’t really wanted her to know. At the very least, not until she no longer needed to consume demon flesh and blood. That way, she’d seem a bit cleaner, a bit more presentable in her eyes.
Of course, when Kunlun bathed her that night and carried her to bed, a casual question was all it took. Little Chuci confessed everything, not holding back a single word.
Jiang Yang’s identity was already perfectly clear to Kunlun. What she didn’t know was the purpose of her visit. Asking outright would probably yield no answer. So, she simply discussed it with Little Chuci, and they lured her out.
When Jiang Yang saw the two of them, thousands of thoughts tangled in her heart like a twisted braid. She couldn’t sort it out, feeling utterly aggrieved and devastated.
She just couldn’t understand. How could Little King so naturally ally with an outsider to deceive her?
Kunlun: “Long time no see, Little Yang.”
Jiang Yang’s face was wooden: “Divine Lord, long time no see.”
Kunlun smiled: “Since you’re here, come inside and sit.”
She led Little Chuci away first, Jiang Yang following behind. Little Chuci could feel a lingering, persistent resentment on her back. She tugged at Kunlun’s hand and muttered discontentedly, “Kunlun, she keeps staring at me.”
Kunlun turned her head to look at Jiang Yang and said in a gentle, soft tone: “The idea was mine. Don’t hold a grudge against a child.”
She was clearly protecting her own.
She crouched down, intending to pick Little Chuci up to shield her from Jiang Yang’s gaze. But when her hands reached out, Little Chuci stared at them for a long moment. Suddenly, she turned her face away and said quietly, “I’m too heavy. You can’t carry me.”
Kunlun honestly sized her up, her eyes curving slightly. She made to scoop her up, saying, “Not that heavy yet. Come on.”
“I said no need.” Little Chuci bristled and jumped out of her embrace.
“Don’t you dislike her staring at you?”
Jiang Yang’s face turned green. Was it really okay to say that so openly, so bluntly, right in front of her? She really wanted to swallow them both whole!
“I’ll just pretend I don’t see her.” Little Chuci grabbed Kunlun’s hand and urged, “Hurry, hurry, let’s go. Meng Zhaozhong is home alone.”
“What problem is there with him being alone?”
“He-he-he… he’ll cause trouble by himself.”
“Meng Zhaozhong has a good sense of propriety,” Kunlun said, being yanked forward at a rapid pace. She paused, then continued, “But he’s so… bluntly straightforward. Perhaps he really might cause trouble?”
“Yes, yes, yes! So let’s hurry back.”
“Still, no need to walk this fast.”
Jiang Yang thought to herself woodenly: I’ll just pretend I don’t see you two.
They fled all the way back to the courtyard halfway up the mountain. Meng Zhaozhong was obediently chopping firewood. A gust of wind swept in, whipping his long hair up to cover his face and block his vision. Then he realized his respected Mountain Saint had blown in with that wind. He quickly stopped the axe and said, “Mountain Saint, Little Lord Chu, and…”
He tried to pull his hair back, intending to retie it as he greeted them, but he abruptly froze.
Little Chuci said, “Your Little Green.”
Kunlun said, “You two can compare who’s bigger and smaller. That snake Chuci picked up back then, I told you about her last time.”
Meng Zhaozhong was a rather handsome dragon. Though a bit bulky, he had long limbs and a well-proportioned frame. At this moment, with his long hair flowing, he looked like a beautiful man at first glance. Right now, this beautiful man stood speechless, then his pale face instantly flushed red.
Jiang Yang was still quite polite. She nodded her head: “Jiang Yang.”
Meng Zhaozhong threw down his axe and ran.
Jiang Yang: “…”
Had the Heavenly Emperor gone blind, or had these people? Was she really that terrifying? They all recoiled from her like she was something foul. If it weren’t for her connection with the King, she would swallow every last one of them whole!
Little Chuci had caught the phrase Kunlun just used keenly: “That snake Chuci picked up back then.” This wasn’t the first time she’d heard Kunlun speak in that tone. She herself was called Chuci, but the person Kunlun was talking about clearly wasn’t her.
When she first heard it, she was too young. All she could do was squeak, unable even to ask. And she often fell asleep and completely forgot the previous day’s events. So that whole thousand years felt like one endlessly repeating day. As for memories, she remembered practically nothing.
But now it was different.
Kunlun felt her hand suddenly seized with great force. She looked up into Little Chuci’s gaze, calm as a placid lake. The girl slowly opened her mouth: “Who is that person?”
Kunlun looked into her eyes and was suddenly dazed.
When children are newborns, their eyes are mostly pure black, like black glass beads soaked in water. As they grow, the black gradually fades, and the iris becomes lighter. Little Chuci’s eyes were the same. The girl now reaching Kunlun’s waist already had eyes much like the grown Chuci’s. But she still couldn’t perfectly control her original form and human form, so faint, rich gold still lingered in her pupils, giving them a rather colorful, shimmering quality.
She’s not looking at me. She’s looking through me, at someone else.
This realization made Little Chuci’s gaze turn suddenly sharp. Her animal ears, only recently transformed into human ones, burst through her hair again.
The Little King is angry, Jiang Yang thought to herself. Then she stepped back a few paces, gloating inwardly.
Just as Little Chuci was about to bare her fangs, Kunlun finally returned to her senses belatedly. Seeing Little Chuci’s ears, she raised her hand out of habit and rubbed them. No thought required. As if she’d said it a thousand times, she coaxed gently, “I was wrong. Don’t be mad, don’t be mad.”
Little Chuci wanted to dodge the hand, but the stroking made her limbs go weak and soft. She couldn’t muster a single bit of strength. She could only let out a couple of disgruntled huffs, her ears burning red.
Kunlun seemed to have become addicted to the feeling, continuing to rub: “Were you just asking about Chuci? I don’t know what to say. Jiang Yang will tell you.”
“Let go first…” Little Chuci felt numb all over, her breath uneven. “My ears.”
“Oh.” Kunlun released her hand.
Little Chuci immediately used both hands to cover her ears and press them back. She leaned against a pillar and rested for a long while before pointing a finger at Jiang Yang. “Whatever you have to say, say it. Who sent you? Here for me or for Kunlun? You can look for me, but looking for Kunlun is out of the question.”
—”She schemed against me, fine. This Seat, the mighty Demon King, won’t stoop to her level. But can she, a mere creature, lay a hand on the one in this mountain?”
Aside from her ears popping out when angry, Jiang Yang had finally found another common point between Little King and the King. Though, this wasn’t necessarily a good thing for her. According to the King’s orders, she eventually needed to talk to Kunlun alone.
Jiang Yang decided to get past the first hurdle. She said, “I came for you, Little King. There are some things I need to tell you. Alone.”
She turned and looked at Kunlun for permission: “Would the Divine Lord be willing to let her go?”
Kunlun nodded. Naturally, she had no objection.
Little Chuci led Jiang Yang towards the study. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she turned her head and asked, “Kunlun, I’ve grown a lot again. So, can I… at night?”
Kunlun cut her off: “Not yet. Wait until you’re a bit older.”
“Why? I can do it.” Little Chuci said. “Then, what if I get Meng Zhaozhong to take me hunting? Can I stay out later at night? More demons come out at night.”
