SQLJBFDTW Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Seeking Demons: His Kindness

The dense snow rustled. Chao Jianxue pushed aside a bamboo leaf that was blocking his view and called Yu Wei to look over.

“Is that a demon?”

Below them, in front of the bamboo where they stood, a brown-black boar was digging in the snow, its front hooves moving busily.

On the snow path, there was only a string of hoof-shaped footprints, crookedly turning from the other side.

Yu Wei bent down and looked at it, saying, “It’s not a demon, just a normal wild boar.”

Chao Jianxue stroked his chin and pondered, “Little Shidi, have you ever eaten wild boar?”

“…”

Yu Wei looked down at the demon-seeking (pái, plate), recited a spell, and the direction it pointed fluctuated and then reappeared. After refreshing, the direction changed.

The two of them lightly landed on the slender bamboo, the bamboo shaking off the accumulated snow, sprinkling it on their shoulders and heads.

Chao Jianxue brushed off the snowflakes, noticing that Yu Wei had a clump of snow on top of his head, seemingly unaware, looking strangely like a small animal with snow on its head.

He mischievously didn’t remind him, and Yu Wei walked forward with the snow on his head. After walking for a while, Yu Wei suddenly stopped and said, “Does it seem to be raining?”

His dazed gaze looked over, meeting Chao Jianxue’s suppressed laughter.

Only then did he raise his hand to touch his head, finding it already soaked.

Chao Jianxue laughed, “How can Little Shidi be so slow to notice? Isn’t it cold?”

Clearly being teased, Yu Wei said expressionlessly, “I was only observing the demon energy and didn’t notice it. But Shixiong, patrolling is not a small matter. Although demons are rare in the human world, they are cunning and difficult to tame. Shixiong should be careful.”

“Aiya–” Chao Jianxue muttered, “I just laughed at you, but you have to use three or five sentences to shut me up. I’m still a Golden Core cultivator after all, it’s not like I can’t beat anything.”

“Has Shixiong fought a demon in actual combat?”

Chao Jianxue paused: “No.”

“Has Shixiong seen a demon reveal its original form?”

Chao Jianxue choked: “…No.”

He didn’t want Yu Wei to continue asking, because the results would all be “no,” “no,” and “no again.” So, he took two steps at a time to walk alongside him, helping to pat off the snow on his shoulder, and said with a smile, “Thanks for Little Shidi’s concern.”

After spending many days together, Chao Jianxue had figured out Yu Wei’s personality. As long as he said some nice things and made a weak expression, this Little Shidi wouldn’t say anything, but would still take care of him in action.

In a word, he’s kind.

At least for now.

As expected, Yu Wei immediately stopped talking. His eyelashes fluttered, as if butterflies were about to take flight.

Following the demon-seeking (pái, plate), they encountered another wild boar. They were passing by peacefully when Chao Jianxue curiously turned his head to look at it. He wondered what delicious things were in these mountains and fields that made these wild boars grow so fat and strong.

Just as they were about to pass, the wild boar suddenly raised its head. Typical of the European-style double eyelids, it lifted up and met Chao Jianxue’s gaze.

Its four hooves began to exert force.

Chao Jianxue felt something was wrong, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and grabbed Yu Wei’s sleeve: “Little Shidi…”

Before he could finish speaking, the wild boar charged towards them.

In that instant, Chao Jianxue completely forgot his Golden Core status and also forgot about Ming Qianli, which was ready to go on his arm.

He cried out in surprise and pulled Yu Wei to run forward.

Yu Wei: “Wait…”

The Only Sword only had time to appear in Yu Wei’s palm; there was no time to strike and kill the wild boar.

Just a moment ago, he was saying, “It’s not like I can’t beat anything,” but now he was being chased by a wild boar. Chao Jianxue’s face was stinging. In an instant, he had taken Yu Wei and leaped into the treetops, panting and clutching his chest.

The wild boar crashed into the tree, causing the treetops to sway wildly.

“Luckily, luckily, we weren’t hit.” He breathed a sigh of relief.

Yu Wei still put away his sword, quietly watching him. After a long while, he turned his head, his lips slightly raised, and let out a soft laugh.

Chao Jianxue’s old face flushed, and he pretended nothing had happened as he stepped onto another branch.

“I think it’s safer up here. Little Shidi, what do you think?”

Fortunately, Yu Wei didn’t expose him and nodded in agreement.

The two of them traveled through the snowy forest. When they arrived at a certain place, the spiritual light of the demon-seeking (pái, plate) became much brighter.

Chao Jianxue was the first to fly down and made eye contact with an old man with a hunched back on the ground.

The old man, with a shocked expression, pointed at them, stammering “Immortal” for a long time without saying a word.

Judging from his attire, he was probably a hunter from the nearby area, carrying a bundle of brownish-black firewood on his back and holding a dull axe in his hand.

Yu Wei stepped forward, with an official tone, “Old man, have you seen anything unusual?”

Chao Jianxue looked around, thinking that probably the most unusual things here were him and Yu Wei.

However, the demon-seeking (pái, plate) generally didn’t make mistakes.

When he came, he was worried that the demon-seeking (pái, plate) would point at him, but it was obviously an unnecessary worry. That half-demon blood in him always remained dormant in his body; even he didn’t know how to detect it.

At this time, the (pái, plate) was constantly flashing spiritual light, and there was no doubt that the demon was nearby.

The old man trembled for a long time and said, “No.”

He also carried a bundle of thick hemp rope on his shoulder. Yu Wei asked, “What are you going to do?”

“Yesterday, I set up a few traps in the mountains and was just about to go see if I caught anything…”

The old man pointed behind him, and the spiritual light of the demon-seeking (pái, plate) also pointed in that direction.

Yu Wei said seriously, “Don’t go over there yet.”

The old man figured out some things from the things in their hands and asked in fear, “Is there a demon?”

“What do you mean?” Chao Jianxue looked at him as if he knew something.

“Aiyo…two immortals, I just heard, it seems like someone has seen it…”

According to what he said, villagers who went up the mountain had seen it a few times, saying they saw strange lights at night, calling them (guǐhuǒ, ghost fire). They were all so scared that they stayed at home and didn’t dare to come out, fearing that seeing it would lead to death.

“Whether it’s true or not, we’ll know at a glance.” Yu Wei nodded to him, looking very reassuring.

They entered the woods, and the forest path here became deep, and the light dimmed, indeed creating a ghostly atmosphere. Gradually, there was a faint whimper, which was the sound of the wind blowing.

Snow fell silently, densely dropping from the sky.

Stepping on the ground made a crunching sound.

The so-called ball of light turned its face, gazing at them with elegance and calm.

Chao Jianxue looked in astonishment at the white deer in front of him. Its feet stepped on mysterious light, its horns were rainbow-colored, every part of it was demonic, yet every part of it was noble.

“Deer demon.” As Yu Wei’s voice landed, the sword light flashed.

The white deer tilted its head to dodge, and the rainbow-colored illusion devoured the sword light of the Only Sword. It took a few steps back, revealing the trap set by the hunter behind it.

A rabbit was caught by its hind leg. It must have struggled all night, and now it was lying on the ground, half-closing its crimson eyes.

Yu Wei recited a spell to freeze it in place and was about to strike with his sword when Chao Jianxue grabbed his hand: “Wait!”

He carefully looked into the eyes of the white deer, which were moist with pity, and confusion.

For some reason, perhaps because of the connection in that half-bloodline, or perhaps because of the unease in the depths of Chao Jianxue’s heart.

He said, “It doesn’t seem to have any malice.”

Yu Wei frowned, “Demons are good at disguising and hiding; Shixiong, don’t be fooled.”

But Chao Jianxue didn’t feel any bloodlust from the deer demon. The only source of bloodlust was the rabbit with the injured leg.

“Shouldn’t killing demons be about distinguishing which demons should be killed and which shouldn’t?”

Yu Wei explained, “Demons in the human world are all sources of trouble. Ordinary people have no power to resist and cannot withstand threats.”

Chao Jianxue couldn’t agree at the moment.

“It hasn’t shown a single bit of aggression. How can it be a source of trouble?”

Yu Wei was also puzzled: “Doesn’t Shixiong know the principle of ‘prevention is better than cure’?”

It wasn’t that Chao Jianxue didn’t know, he just felt that this deer demon had no evil nature at all, and he hadn’t heard the old man say that it would harm people, but killing it without asking questions was too rash.

But the immortal sects had training in this regard. If the relationship between human cultivators and demon cultivators was still harmonious hundreds of years ago, things could be discussed, but now, as long as it’s a demon, it must be killed without exception.

Yu Wei took a step forward, and the sword light turned into a dozen illusory shadows of swords, shooting towards the deer demon.

Suddenly, the light scattered into spots of light, and the trap on the ground clicked open at some point. The rabbit regained its energy, dragged its injured leg, and hopped far away, disappearing into the snow.

After this incident, Chao Jianxue’s thoughts became heavy.

He felt a sense of shared sorrow with the rabbit and felt that Yu Wei had a bit of a Fahai (Fǎ Hǎi, a monk in the Legend of the White Snake) “you don’t understand love” vibe. If his half-demon identity was exposed one day, he feared that Yu Wei would also strike mercilessly, regardless of their past relationship as fellow disciples.

The demon-seeking (pái, plate) no longer moved. Chao Jianxue couldn’t help but ask, “Do you have a grudge against demons?”

Back when they came out of the secret realm, when he suspected he was a demon cultivator, Yu Wei had really tried to kill him.

Yu Wei didn’t respond.

Chao Jianxue kicked a stone on the ground, and the stone rolled to the back of Yu Wei’s foot.

He didn’t expect Yu Wei to answer him, but Yu Wei turned his head, and said with restraint, “My parents were killed by demon cultivators.”

With just one sentence, Chao Jianxue was stunned.

The rare fierce look on him vanished in an instant, and Yu Wei immediately returned to his cold (xiānzǐ, fairy) demeanor. He said softly, “The matter is already in the past; Shixiong, don’t ask anymore.”

After walking a few steps, he suddenly said again, “I’ve never told anyone else about this matter; Shixiong, don’t tell it either, okay?”

Although it was a tone of discussion, it sounded like a threat…

Chao Jianxue was sweating profusely in his heart.

He should have thought of it earlier: the tragic background required for the protagonist!

Yu Wei had a grudge against demons, so his half-demon identity had no future at all.

He could only try harder before he was exposed.

So, Chao Jianxue changed the subject and asked, “What does the Juli Country look like?”

Yu Wei led the way, and the two climbed to the top of the mountain. Looking into the distance, a corner of the human world’s city finally appeared in the snow-white expanse.

It could only be considered a small country. The city walls were made of earth, and dark-red flags fluttered in the wind. The houses in the city were neatly arranged, and wisps of smoke were rising.

Not wealthy, but peaceful enough. If one grew up here without illness or disaster, one should be able to live an ordinary life.

When they went down the mountain, the demon-seeking (pái, plate), which had been silent for a long time, shook again. Chao Jianxue watched as a shadow quickly leaped past them, and Yu Wei chased after it.

He didn’t chase after it, figuring Yu Wei would return soon.

But soon, Chao Jianxue became aware of the unusual atmosphere in the air. A strange feeling made his whole body tense, and his skin began to tremble.

He summoned Ming Qianli to his side and shouted sternly, “Who’s lurking there!”

The atmosphere almost froze.

A horizontal light instantly struck, and Chao Jianxue’s scalp went numb.

He quickly dodged, and Ming Qianli’s sword cried out non-stop, parrying countless sword shadows coming from all directions.

The attacker never showed his face from beginning to end, but the sword shadows became a dragnet, enveloping him, forcing him to dodge, unable to find an exit.

Unable to, Chao Jianxue had to activate the Thousand Miles of Clear Mind. The Golden Core spun rapidly, spiritual power exploded inch by inch in his body, gathered on Ming Qianli, and only then did he break open a tiny gap in the airtight sword shadows.

He squeezed out toward that gap, but his foot stepped on empty space.

The sword shadows had just forced him to the cliff face.

Chao Jianxue fell down.