Chapter 30: Coming Knocking

“Minor Official Du Heng!”

“That Du Heng of Du Heng Grass?”

Du Heng hastily replied, “Exactly, exactly.”

He was inwardly puzzled. Why was the Mountain Saint speaking without those long, drawn-out pauses that made you wait an entire joss stick for each sentence today?

Kunlun asked, knowing the answer perfectly well, “Oh, have I seen you somewhere before?”

Du Heng said, “The Mountain Saint, lofty one, forgets things. Thirteen years ago, this Minor Official once mistakenly entered Kunlun Mountain, and was fortunate to have been granted a single encounter with the Mountain Saint.”

Thirteen years ago?

Kunlun pointed at her own sleeve cuff. Chuci suddenly understood. This was that little star lord from thirteen years ago who had made her bite through Kunlun’s sleeve. There was… the aura of a seal on him, wasn’t there? That was why her body, unawakened for a thousand years, had suddenly roused and started growing.

Originally, she’d planned to find Zhong Mountain first, then deal with the seal matter. But now—having worn out iron shoes searching with no success, it had come to them without any effort at all.

She took a step back, deciding to carefully examine this Du Heng.

Star Lord Du Heng kept his head down, not knowing why a chill suddenly shot up his spine.

“I remember now. Aren’t you an immortal from the Upper Realm? How did you come to Bright White City? Could it be you mistakenly entered again?”

Du Heng hurriedly raised his index finger. “Shh!” he hushed. “Mountain Saint, cautious with your words. This Minor Official is visiting relatives and friends in Bright White City. Isn’t the mortal realm about to celebrate the New Year? This Minor Official got some free time and came down to the mortal world to look around.”

He glanced left and right, then spoke in a small voice: “Please don’t say this Minor Official is an immortal anymore. This Minor Official’s cultivation is meager. I’m afraid that if I accidentally reveal my identity, some demon will swallow me up.”

Chuci suddenly cut in: “So you risked life and limb to visit friends and family?”

Du Heng: “That, well, that is—”

Kunlun’s brows slightly lifted. She voluntarily stepped aside.

Chuci bent down slightly. “Oh? What does the Star Lord wish to say, with all that ‘that is’?”

Only then did Du Heng notice Chuci. Chuci had outstanding looks. Logically, Du Heng couldn’t have failed to notice her from the start. Perhaps because his guilty conscience had frightened him silly upon first seeing Kunlun, he hadn’t remembered to look at the woman standing next to her.

She wore a pristine, fine white fox fur cape, her dress embroidered with complex patterns of dark silver lotuses. Because she was bending over, the hair behind her fell forward, the silver bells hanging exactly above Star Lord Du Heng’s eyes. The bells suddenly chimed twice, with no wind.

Ding-ling, ding-ling—

Like a clear spring striking a water’s surface.

Star Lord Du Heng blanked out for a moment, a brief, dazed look in his eyes. Then almost immediately, he kowtowed heavily downward. When he raised his head again, there was blood on his forehead. Chuci’s eyes flickered. She looked toward Kunlun, who was covering her own eyes. Kunlun paused, then realized what happened and nodded at her.

“I’m not the Mountain Saint. Why does the Star Lord perform such a grand gesture?”

Du Heng’s heart sank slightly. His action just now had already exposed him. But if he hadn’t done that, he would’ve fallen victim to her illusion technique. If he’d said something he shouldn’t then, he really wouldn’t have a hundred heads left to lose.

Ah, how come unlucky matters always landed squarely on him? Couldn’t they let him be an immortal in peace? Was watering flowers and planting grass too much to ask? There were so many capable immortals up in heaven; why did it have to pick him?

Du Heng steeled himself and replied: “What words are these? Even if you are not the Mountain Saint, since you can stand together with the Mountain Saint, you are naturally worthy of this Minor Official’s grand gesture too.”

“I do like hearing that.”

Chuci was amused. She really wondered what expression the Heavenly Emperor would make if he knew his subject had spoken such words. She’d actually like to call him over to listen.

“You can’t tell I’m a demon?”

Du Heng: “What does that matter?”

“What day did Star Lord Du arrive in Bright White City?”

Du Heng hesitated briefly, then spun a tale: “Just arrived yesterday. My silver was unfortunately stolen, which is why I came to the pawnshop to pawn a few things. I never expected to encounter… encountered nobility.”

“What a coincidence. The two of us also had our silver stolen and came to this very pawnshop looking for it.”

“What blind, wretched thing dared to take the Mountain Saint’s belongings?!”

“Just a little demon. It’s still inside the rat hole in the pawnshop,” Chuci said. “Kunlun, you go in first and retrieve the bundle. I still have things to discuss with Star Lord Du.”

Du Heng’s heart gave a thump. He felt his whole body go cold.

If he had to face Kunlun alone, the worst that would happen was some nervousness, clammy palms. If facing two people, with Kunlun around, the atmosphere would at least be tolerable. But as Kunlun obediently left, Star Lord Du Heng, facing Chuci, started feeling his scalp prickle, wave after wave of goosebumps rising on his skin.

“May I ask where Star Lord Du is staying? I and Kunlun are new here and don’t know which inn is good.”

“This Minor Official is staying at…” Du Heng wiped his palm on the hem of his robe. “Currently borrowing quarters at a friend’s house. It might be, might be rather inconvenient for the Mountain Saint and yourself.”

“I didn’t say I’d bring Kunlun to borrow quarters at your friend’s house.”

“Ah, that is… truly, truly a pity.”

Chuci paused for a long moment, then said, “So I’m planning to have you move out of your friend’s house and live next door to us. That way, it’s convenient for you to show Kunlun around Bright White City properly.”

Was there any necessary logical connection between the premise and the conclusion?

Du Heng politely refused: “This Minor Official also only arrived yesterday and isn’t familiar with the city yet. How about this Minor Official introduces you to an acquaintance to guide the Mountain Saint around instead?”

Chuci’s tone suddenly turned playful: “But I just want you. What should be done about that?”

Du Heng: “I am deeply honored by your—Mountain Saint.”

“Mm.” Kunlun walked out, bundled in hand. Her expression held a faint trace of displeasure. She walked to Chuci’s side, and with a raise of her hand, hung the bundle around her neck.

Chuci had no patience left to beat around the bush with Du Heng. She cut straight to the point: “Star Lord Du, I give you two choices. One, I invite you to come with us. This is the polite version. Two, I ‘invite’ you to come with us. If somewhere on your body has a problem—like missing an arm or a leg—I can’t guarantee anything.”

Du Heng: “…”

Why even say ‘please’? Just say ‘abduct’ outright.

“This Minor Official will go,” Du Heng accepted his fate. Pointing at Chuci, he asked, “This Minor Official has one final question. How should this one be addressed?”

Kunlun looked down at him from a lofty height, taking Chuci’s hand. She said, “She’s with me.”

“This Minor Official naturally knows she’s with you. What this Minor Official is asking…” His expression abruptly froze rigid, mouth falling slightly open as if terrified. The words blurted out: “Madam Mountain Saint?”

“Star Lord Du Heng~” Chuci said in an appreciative tone. She reached out and patted Du Heng on the head. “I take a real liking to you. If there’s anything in the future, just tell me. I will do my best.”

Du Heng: “Can I not move in next to you?”

Chuci let out an “Oh.” “This, I have no strength for. Can’t do it.”

Du Heng: “…”

Thus was he forcibly “invited” to stay in the room next door to the two of them. Whether they were eating, they dragged him along. Going out to play, they dragged him along. But they wouldn’t let him follow too closely—he still had to remain within eyesight so they wouldn’t lose sight of him. It was blatant surveillance.

Every day, Du Heng lived in terror and trepidation. The task the Heavenly Emperor had assigned him had no progress whatsoever. Three days passed like this.

Burning with impatience yet forced to wait patiently, Chuci saw him several times and actually saw his face full of rashes, which he claimed was from internal heat.

Three more days passed, and he truly did get his chance. That day, Chuci had just stepped out the door when her attention was caught by a young man standing before the stone lions at the inn’s entrance. He wore a short tiger-skin vest and had thick brows and large eyes. It was the very same Jing Mo she’d been certain would come looking.

Jing Mo’s hand blocked her path—an obvious interception. He extended his left hand. In just three short days, his left wing had recovered as good as new. The speed was astonishing. Chuci was inwardly shocked but externally unruffled.

“Who are you?” he asked.

Chuci pushed against his arm, her voice cold. “Who I am, you don’t yet have the right to know. Move aside.”

Jing Mo didn’t budge. “Who are you?”

“Who are you?”

“I told you to move aside.”

Jing Mo: “Are you my father’s daughter?”

Chuci: “Who is your father?”

Jing Mo: “Father is the person who gave birth to me.”

“Then who are you?”

“I am my father’s son.” He asked again, “Are you my father’s daughter? Why do I sense you carry the same aura as me?”

That same phrase again. This person seemed utterly simple-minded. Chuci’s eyes flickered. She asked, “What is your father’s name?”

Jing Mo shook his head.

Chuci: “…”

Jing Mo: “Who are you? Are you my father’s daughter?”

Chuci: “…”

Kunlun pulled the nearly pent-up-with-rage Chuci aside and asked Jing Mo, “I am Kunlun. Who are you?”

Jing Mo: “I am Jing Mo.”

Kunlun: “My father’s name is Pangu. He is a very great god.”

Jing Mo: “My father’s name is… I don’t know what it is. He is also a very great dragon.”

Kunlun: “Is he the Divine Dragon of Buzhou Mountain?”

Jing Mo: “Don’t know.”

Kunlun: “I come from Kunlun Mountain in the southwest. Where do you come from?”

Jing Mo: “Not clear.”

He immediately pointed west, the meaning being that he came from that direction.

Chuci, watching from the side, her jaw nearly dropped open. So when dealing with wooden blockheads like this, you send a stone onto the field? If you said this osprey was stupid, well, he still understood exchanging information. Earlier, when she’d talked to him, because she hadn’t revealed any information, she got no useful replies. So was he genuinely stupid or just faking?

Thus Chuci cut in: “I stayed at the City Lord Mansion for one day, then ran away.”

Jing Mo: “I was trapped at the City Lord Mansion for two days.”

Chuci didn’t ask further. Inwardly she thought: Yep, genuinely stupid.

Kunlun: “The place I live is on top of the ground. There are many demons and ferocious beasts.”

Chuci paused, then instantly caught on. She stared almost immediately at Jing Mo’s mouth shape. She saw him say, word for word: “The place I live is beneath the ground. There are also many demons and ferocious beasts.”

The Far West. Ferocious beasts. A dragon.