The High Priest felt the pressure multiply. He hesitated somewhat as he said, “This… naturally, the more intimate, the better.”
Jian Zhen took the initiative to ask, “Does sleeping together count?”
Hearing this, the High Priest’s eyes lit up. Somewhat surprised, he immediately revealed a smile and praised, “Your Excellency, you are wise indeed, truly understanding at a single hint!”
Ye Jisheng looked toward Jian Zhen.
Jian Zhen was actually quite happy. Being alone in an empty room as a single blade of grass was really scary.
In this world, he was closest to his owner.
Jian Zhen’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Ye Jisheng, carrying a bit of anticipation. His eyes seemed able to speak, brimming with impatience.
The High Priest also looked at the Demon God.
It was said that the Venerable was cold and indifferent, never close to anyone. Over these tens of thousands of years, it wasn’t as though no one had proposed selecting a consort for the Demon God, the result was a bloodbath in the demon palace. The fact that Ye Jisheng did not favor lust had long been common knowledge among the demon race. Over the years, everyone had gradually given up hope of having a little Demon God prince.
It was just unknown what methods this one had used to succeed.
Although he looked harmless on the outside…
Perhaps he was not simple at all!
The High Priest was sighing inwardly.
When the little grass, deemed not simple, sat on the soft couch and said, “Will you accompany me and sleep together tonight? The bed we bought today is really comfortable!”
The noble and coldly beautiful Demon God raised his arrogant head and said lightly, “This Venerable does not tell bedtime stories.”
Jian Zhen pouted. “The ones you tell aren’t even sleep-inducing anyway.”
Ye Jisheng raised an eyebrow. “What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything just now.” Jian Zhen was very quick-witted. His fair little face was full of certainty. “You heard wrong.”
High Priest: “……”
So this is how the Venerable is in private with this person?
Just as he was watching the show…
Ye Jisheng’s gaze fell over. Compared to his tolerance toward the little grass, the High Priest did not receive such treatment. Ye Jisheng’s red eyes were deep as he spoke, “Does the High Priest have other matters?”
The High Priest snapped back to his senses and hurriedly said, “Replying to the Venerable, when this old minister took His Excellency’s pulse earlier, it was discovered that His Excellency has recently been absent-minded. Perhaps it is due to incomplete transformation and an unstable soul. This old minister is a ten-thousand-year priest of the demon race and has heard that within the Northern Sea territory there is a Rest Flower. This flower is extremely effective at calming the spirit and nourishing the soul. If it can be obtained, it would be greatly beneficial to His Excellency’s body. The Venerable may dispatch people to search for it.”
Ye Jisheng glanced at Jian Zhen, whose face was somewhat pale.
If people were sent to search for it, the round trip would surely take quite some time.
“No need.” Ye Jisheng said calmly. “This matter already has this Venerable’s arrangements. You may withdraw.”
The High Priest saluted and left.
At this moment, the moon had already risen into the sky. The bright moon of the past few days was especially pure, moonlight pouring down like flowing water, bright and elegant.
Jian Zhen couldn’t help it and softly yawned.
Ye Jisheng said to him, “Go sleep.”
Jian Zhen nodded and said, “Oh.”
Stepping down from the soft couch, he walked on the carpet to the bedside not far away, looked at Ye Jisheng, and asked, “Are you planning to go to the Northern Sea?”
Ye Jisheng said, “Why?”
“Then can you take me with you?” Jian Zhen asked. “I also want to go with you.”
Ye Jisheng raised an eyebrow. “What are you going for? Rest properly in the Demon Hall.”
Jian Zhen sat at the bedside and said, “When I used to be a little blade of grass, I couldn’t go anywhere. I stayed in a flowerpot for two hundred years. I really don’t want to stay indoors anymore.”
After hearing this, Ye Jisheng said, “The Northern Sea is desolate, with yao demons everywhere. Aren’t you afraid?”
Jian Zhen didn’t even think and said, “I’m not afraid!”
Ye Jisheng chuckled lightly. His gaze fell on the fair youth as he said calmly, “Who is afraid of yao monsters?”
Jian Zhen was righteously confident. “With you here, I won’t be afraid.”
Little did he know that within the Three Realms, if the people of the world were asked to choose which was more frightening, monsters or the Demon God, perhaps it wouldn’t even be a question.
The candles inside the hall burned, covered by lampshades that emitted a warm yellow glow. The palace, usually lonely and cold, was now filled with warmth. Ye Jisheng looked at the person not far away who was sleepy and yawning.
Jian Zhen lay down under the covers and said, “I’m going to sleep now. You can’t secretly leave by yourself tomorrow.”
Ye Jisheng didn’t speak.
Wanjie Mountain had a very large temperature difference between morning and night. Especially since the divine mountain of the Demon Realm was the highest place in the entire demon race, at night cold winds howled and frost seeped into the bones.
Jian Zhen curled up under the covers, a little cold, his hands and feet faintly chilled.
Grass and plant spirits were originally cool. Because he was pregnant, his body had become much weaker and even more afraid of the cold. The other side of the bed sank slightly. A pair of warm hands clasped Jian Zhen’s hand, as if his entire body were wrapped in warm fire, driving away all the cold.
Jian Zhen’s slightly furrowed brows relaxed.
In his drowsy state, he felt the warm body beside him. Just as he tried to force himself to open his eyes through the sleepiness, he heard Ye Jisheng’s voice, calm yet firm: “Sleep.”
That night was the best night of sleep Jian Zhen had ever had.
In the past, no matter how well he slept, there was always a sense of unease. But this time he slept deeply, no nightmares, no anxiety, only a comfortable sense of stability, a feeling that came from the steadiness of the soul.
He groggily opened his eyes.
Jian Zhen was bleary-eyed, yet unexpectedly discovered the person beside him. What entered his sight was Ye Jisheng’s lightly sleeping profile, sharp, well-defined features, black hair spread behind him. Completely different from his usual flamboyant, awe-inspiring presence, those red eyes that always carried endless pressure were now closed. Lying beside him, he seemed to have gained a touch of gentleness.
This was a Ye Jisheng he had never seen before.
Jian Zhen stared for a moment.
Until the person before him opened his eyes. Ye Jisheng’s red gaze met his as he said, “Have you seen enough?”
Jian Zhen: “……”
Actually, no.
But faced with someone whose intimidating presence was very strong, the little grass obediently nodded.
With a wave of Ye Jisheng’s hand, the heavy curtains outside were drawn open and sunlight poured in. The man sat up. After removing the outer black robe, he wore a thin inner garment. With his movements, one could faintly see the firm chest beneath. His black hair loosely draped behind him. The man said, “Since you’ve seen enough, then get up.”
Only then did Jian Zhen realize that outside it was already bright daylight.
This sleep had actually lasted even longer than usual.
Jian Zhen sat up from the soft bed and looked at Ye Jisheng, asking, “Were you asleep just now?”
Ye Jisheng had his back to him, his expression unclear. Only his calm voice could be heard: “Gods do not need sleep. This Venerable has not slept for tens of millions of years.”
Jian Zhen nodded and said, “Oh, so that’s how it is.”
Unlike him.
Just a little blade of grass with low cultivation, needing to sleep a lot.
After getting up from the bed, Jian Zhen washed up. When the maidservants brought fresh clothes from outside, they looked as though they were preparing to serve him in bathing, leaving Jian Zhen a bit confused.
Why take a bath so early in the morning?
Ye Jisheng glanced lightly at the maidservants and said, “All of you, withdraw.”
The maidservants acknowledged.
Then Ye Jisheng said, “Tell the High Priest that if he is too idle, he can accompany Yan Ji to hoe weeds in the back mountain. Do not arrange useless matters again.”
The maidservants’ hands holding the trays trembled slightly as they hurriedly lowered their heads and withdrew.
Jian Zhen looked at the maidservants trembling like sieves from fear. The little grass felt somewhat sorry for them and softly said, “How about we forget it? Actually, washing wouldn’t matter either.”
Even though he didn’t have the habit of bathing in the morning.
Ye Jisheng stood at the doorway. Daylight spilled over his tall figure. His posture was straight as he looked at him with red eyes and lightly smiled. “Are you sure?”
As if countless dangers suddenly arose, Jian Zhen’s sense of danger sounded the alarm. He hurriedly shook his head and said, “Then let’s not wash.”
Ye Jisheng neither confirmed nor denied.
In the morning, a maidservant brought jade dew water again. Having slept well the night before, Jian Zhen, perhaps with the little one in his belly in a good mood too, drank it quite smoothly this time.
Seeing that his appetite was good and his complexion much better, Ye Jisheng felt at ease.
After eating, it was time to set off for the Northern Sea.
When he saw the phoenix again, Jian Zhen didn’t dare reach out to touch its head like before. He obediently walked beside Ye Jisheng and mounted the phoenix.
The azure sky held rolling clouds, boundless as far as the eye could see.
The phoenix took flight. Jian Zhen felt cold in the wind and leaned closer into Ye Jisheng’s embrace.
Ye Jisheng did not stop him. Only when the person in his arms restlessly rubbed about in unease did he reach out and place his hand on Jian Zhen’s smooth head, saying calmly, “Sit properly.”
Jian Zhen: “……Oh.”
Wanjie Mountain was very far from the Northern Sea. Even flying on the phoenix took a long time.
At first, Jian Zhen was a little curious about the scenery below, but after looking for a while he felt it was dull. Very quickly he fell asleep. This sleep was quite good as well, and he slept until Ye Jisheng called him.
The phoenix had already departed.
Ye Jisheng said to him, “We’re here.”
Jian Zhen saw the borders of the Northern Sea. In the distance were endless mountains. They were on one of the peaks. From here, one could look down and see the vast, boundless sea not far away. Mist rose among the mountains, clouds and fog entwined, exquisitely beautiful.
Seeing such fine scenery, a smile appeared on Jian Zhen’s face as he said, “Wow, it’s so beautiful.”
Ye Jisheng said, “Go down the mountain first.”
Thinking that this trip was to pick a flower, Jian Zhen asked, “There are so many mountains here. Where do we start looking?”
Ye Jisheng said, “The Rest Flower is a rare, legendary flower of the Northern Sea. To find it, one naturally has to ask the local people.”
Jian Zhen followed his steps and said, “There are people living on this mountain?”
Not long after he said that…
They had only just reached the official road at mid-mountain when they saw a tea stall not far ahead. There were many travelers resting inside, and a shop assistant was busily serving tea and water.
Ye Jisheng glanced sideways at him and said, “Isn’t this it?”
Jian Zhen deeply felt that there were still times when he truly didn’t understand this world well enough.
The two of them entered the tea stall.
In order not to be recognized, Ye Jisheng transformed into a set of ordinary clothes. He wore a coarse black cloth outfit, his hair tied up with a simple jade hairpin, yet it still could not diminish that powerful, untouchable aura.
When the shop assistant saw the two of them, he hurried over and greeted them, “Honored guests, would you like some tea?”
Ye Jisheng tossed a spirit stone into his arms and said, “Bring a pot.”
The shop assistant had never seen such a generous guest. He instantly beamed with joy and said, “Right away!”
They casually found a quiet corner in the tea stall and sat down.
Jian Zhen then heard the conversation at the neighboring table:
“Have you heard? The Rest Flower in Ningjing Village is about to bloom again.”
“Is that the flower that nourishes the spirit and soul?”
“That flower isn’t easy to cultivate.”
“Exactly. Every year there are countless cultivators who go there because of its reputation.”
Everyone chatted on.
Jian Zhen also heard quite a bit of important information. He had originally thought the Rest Flower grew in the wild, but he hadn’t expected it to be such a precious thing cultivated by a certain village.
Ye Jisheng had clearly heard these conversations as well.
Just when Jian Zhen was still pondering the authenticity of those words, Ye Jisheng turned his gaze to the chatting crowd and spoke, “Brothers, are you heading to Rest Village?”
Everyone at the table looked over.
Although Jian Zhen and Ye Jisheng, sitting by the tea table, were both dressed in ordinary clothes, their bearing was extraordinary. The others grew somewhat wary. “Who are you?”
Ye Jisheng curved his lips into a smile and said, “My wife is pregnant, and her soul is somewhat unstable. I wish to take him to Rest Village, but after asking around along the way, I still haven’t found the direction. May I ask if you brothers could give some guidance?”
Jian Zhen listened with his eyes wide open.
He had never imagined that the great Demon Venerable actually had such a side!
However…
The few people at the opposite table believed it completely. Upon hearing this, their enthusiasm instantly rose, and each one spoke warmly:
“So that’s how it is!”
“You’ve asked the right people.”
“That Rest Village is three hundred li ahead, at Wangxia Mountain.”
“Recently the Rest Flower is about to bloom. Lots of people are going.”
“Yes, brother, you’d better hurry.”
Ye Jisheng curved his lips slightly and said, “So that’s the case. Many thanks.”
When he turned back, Jian Zhen was still looking at him.
Ye Jisheng raised an eyebrow and said, “What is it? Did your husband say something wrong?”
Everyone instantly looked over.
Under the gaze of the crowd, Jian Zhen hurriedly lowered his head obediently, pressed his lips together, and said in a soft voice through sheer force of will, “H-husband is right.”
He was just still a bit unaccustomed to the term “wife.” He and Ye Jisheng hadn’t married at all!
No, wait.
Why would he marry Ye Jisheng?!
The little grass was frightened by the fleeting thought that crossed his mind.
However, having obtained the address, Ye Jisheng no longer intended to stay. Seeing that Jian Zhen had finished his tea, he said, “Let’s go.”
Jian Zhen: “Okay.”
It was late autumn at this moment, and the mountains were covered in layers of maple leaves.
Three hundred li of mountain road was not close. Fortunately, Ye Jisheng had a shrinking technique. He hardly spent any effort before they had already arrived at another mountain peak. Afternoon sunlight fell upon the small village below Wangxia Mountain.
Jian Zhen said, “This is Rest Village!”
Ye Jisheng nodded faintly. “It should be.”
By all rights, having finally found the right place, the two of them should have been happy. Yet Jian Zhen saw Ye Jisheng looking at the village, his red eyes slightly narrowed, carrying deep meaning.
To enter Rest Village, one needed to pass through a narrow gap in the mountain valley.
After the two passed through the gap, Ye Jisheng raised his hand, and several massive boulders fell from the sky. The falling rocks crashed down, almost completely sealing the road into the valley.
Jian Zhen exclaimed in surprise, “Why?”
Ye Jisheng stood in the middle of the valley path, looking at the tightly sealed mountain road. The hem of his dark robe fluttered as he said calmly, “Since so many people come to Rest Village seeking flowers, naturally we cannot allow more competitors, can we?”
Jian Zhen: “……”
So cunning!
Seeing the little grass glaring at him in indignation, Ye Jisheng said, “Such stones can at most block outsiders for two or three days. It won’t cause too much obstruction. Let’s go.”
That was true. This was a cultivation world, everyone was talented.
Jian Zhen could only let it go.
Following behind Ye Jisheng along a small path, they slowly arrived at the village entrance. The houses in the village were interwoven and continuous, looking very simple and rustic. Not far away, there were villagers herding cattle and sheep back home, and at the village entrance there was also a beggar girl kneeling there.
The girl’s clothes were ragged. She was trembling as she tugged at a villager, seemingly asking for something, only to be shoved away by the villager, who cursed at her a few times before leaving.
Jian Zhen frowned slightly.
The girl fell to the ground, even her bowl shattering. Her whole body was hunched there, hair disheveled.
Jian Zhen stepped over. His fair hand grasped the girl’s thin wrist, which was covered in wounds, and he asked gently, “Are you alright?”
The woman was filthy and unkempt, her entire face covered with bluish-purple bruises and scars. Her ash-gray face made it hard to even see her features clearly. Her eyes were dark, yet somewhat empty, staring blankly without speaking.
When Jian Zhen saw her leg, he cried out softly, “You’re bleeding.”
It was already late autumn, yet the girl was still wearing thin, torn trousers. Her legs were caked with mud and ash, and a long gash ran across her calf, blood seeping out steadily.
Jian Zhen said, “Wait a moment.”
Because he often bumped and scraped himself, he usually carried medicine with him.
Jian Zhen took out medicinal powder from his pouch and sprinkled it on her wound. After hesitating for a moment, he tore off a long strip from the hem of his white robe and then bandaged her wound.
The girl shrank back somewhat, trying to dodge.
Jian Zhen looked at her with clear, clean eyes, smiled slightly, and said, “It’s okay, I’m not a bad person. Don’t be afraid.”
After deftly tying the long strip, he even thoughtfully made a bow.
Jian Zhen said to her, “This will do. For the next couple of days don’t let it get wet, and it won’t leave a scar.”
The girl lowered her head, her long hair covering her face so that her expression couldn’t be seen.
Seeing how thin and frail she was, as if a gust of wind could scatter her, Jian Zhen couldn’t bear it. He asked, “Why are you begging here? Are you in some kind of difficulty?”
After hearing this, the girl seemed to finally react. She murmured to herself, muttering, “Little… little brother, looking for little brother…”
Jian Zhen listened for quite a while before finally understanding what she was saying.
“You got separated from your younger brother?” Jian Zhen summarized. He said, “Is your younger brother in this village?”
The girl didn’t speak.
Seeing how frail she was, covered in injuries, and thinking about how she had just been kicked to the ground by a villager while begging, Jian Zhen thought for a moment, then took out the spirit stones Ye Jisheng had given him earlier and handed them all to the girl. He said, “Take this. Go buy something to eat and find a place to stay. Don’t rush about your younger brother for now, take it slowly, you’ll find him eventually.”
A total of ten top-grade spirit stones, given without holding anything back.
Jian Zhen’s fair palm cradled the spirit stones, his eyes filled with gentle kindness. The spirit stones emitted a pearly white glow in the air.
But upon seeing them, the girl seemed as if she had been stimulated. She shook her head frantically, murmuring, “No, no, I don’t want yours…”
Jian Zhen was taken aback.
Before he could react, the girl suddenly lunged at him, her childish voice sharp, “You go, go away!”
And before her hand could even touch Jian Zhen, a powerful force swept in from the side, knocking her away. The girl’s entire body was flung aside. Ye Jisheng’s figure stood in front of Jian Zhen. The man’s face was icy as he looked down at the girl from above and said, “He’s with child. Don’t touch him.”
The girl trembled all over.
Just as Jian Zhen was about to go check whether the girl who had been flung far away was hurt, he saw that she actually stood up on her own, disheveled as she was, picked up the bowl from the ground, and left without saying a word.
Seeing this scene, Jian Zhen was somewhat shocked.
Ye Jisheng, however, seemed completely indifferent. He said to Jian Zhen behind him, “Let’s go.”
Even if Jian Zhen was slow, he sensed that something was wrong. Still shaken, he nodded and said, “Alright.”
The two of them entered the village.
Rest Village was rather lively. Villagers came and went along the roads. Jian Zhen and Ye Jisheng walked along, casually observing the village roads. A child ran over in small steps from the opposite direction and almost fell. Jian Zhen instinctively reached out to help.
But in the next second, the child was pulled back by his mother behind him.
The mother guarded the child warily behind her. Upon seeing Jian Zhen and Ye Jisheng, she only offered a polite smile.
Jian Zhen said, “Hello, we’re from out of town. We’d like to ask in your village about the whereabouts of the Rest Flower.”
Upon hearing “Rest Flower,” the mother shuddered all over, as if frightened of something, but still said, “The Rest Flowers in our village are all managed by the village head. If you’re looking, then go find the village head!”
After saying that, she quickly led the child away, as if guarding against thieves.
Jian Zhen found her reaction somewhat strange. Ye Jisheng, on the other hand, remained calm and said, “Let’s go.”
The two continued forward. There were quite a few villagers in the village. As sunset approached, many households had already lit their cooking fires. There were also some simple little shops in the village. At the village entrance there was an inn run by the village head, with some people seated outside.
Ye Jisheng led Jian Zhen to sit down on the chairs outside.
The village head, dressed in plain cotton clothes, walked over and said, “You two are from out of town?”
Ye Jisheng nodded.
The village head said, “You two have come for the Rest Flower?”
Ye Jisheng said, “Precisely.”
“The Rest Flower is extremely precious. Even in our village, each year only one or two plants are able to produce flowers.” The village head chuckled. “If you two want it, I’m afraid…”
Ye Jisheng idly played with the teacup in his hand and said lightly, “Spirit stones are not a problem.”
The village head paused, then smiled and said, “That’s good then. If you want the Rest Flower, you’ll likely need to wait a few days. The last Rest Flower hasn’t fully grown yet.”
Ye Jisheng said, “The price in spirit stones is not an issue, but we need to go take a look at the place where the Rest Flowers are planted.”
The village head hesitated. “This…”
Ye Jisheng lifted his pitch-black eyes, his attitude forceful yet measured, his tone light. “If you’re unwilling, we won’t force it.”
Perhaps it was because he rarely encountered such a generous patron.
The village head immediately said, “Naturally there’s no problem. Please wait a moment, you two. I’ll have someone make preparations.”
Ye Jisheng nodded.
Only then did the village head leave.
Jian Zhen watched the village head’s departing figure and said softly, “I originally thought the North Sea would be full of ferocious yao demons, but I didn’t expect the people here to be quite normal.”
Ye Jisheng gave a cold laugh.
Jian Zhen looked at him in confusion.
“Do you know that in this world, sometimes yao demons aren’t frightening?” Ye Jisheng’s long fingers lightly tapped the teacup, which reflected a cold gleam under the sunlight. He said, “More frightening than yao demons is the human heart.”
For no apparent reason, Jian Zhen felt a chill.
Not long after, the village head returned, smiling as he said, “Please, you two. You can go take a look now.”
Ye Jisheng stood up and said, “Let’s go.”
Jian Zhen followed him. After walking for a while and passing through layers of small paths, they finally arrived at a patch of farmland. At the very center of the field grew a flower bud that was just about to bloom. The flower was rich in spiritual energy, and at a glance one could tell it was anything but ordinary.
The village head smiled and said, “I truly didn’t deceive you two. This Rest Flower is a supreme treasure for nourishing the soul, extremely rare under heaven, and it had almost gone extinct long ago. At present, only our village still has it.”
Ye Jisheng’s gaze fell upon the flower, and he curled his lips.
Just as the village head thought the two would immediately agree to buy it, Ye Jisheng instead said to Jian Zhen, “Let’s go.”
Jian Zhen didn’t ask why either. He only nodded and directly turned around to leave.
The village head was somewhat puzzled. He stared blankly as the two left and chased after them, saying, “Why are you two leaving? What is the reason for this?”
Ye Jisheng stopped in his tracks, looking down at him from above. The aura of the Demon God made it seem as though one was instantly placed within the Hall of Asura. His pitch-black eyes were icy and deep. He curled his lips and said lightly, “Those who commit too many evil deeds will bring about their own destruction.”
The village head froze.
Ye Jisheng turned around and no longer paid him any attention.
The two walked back together along the small path, neither speaking the entire way.
It wasn’t until they were about to leave the village that Jian Zhen finally seemed to let out a breath. He frowned lightly and said, “The people of this village are truly too vicious. Beneath that farmland, there’s no vegetation at all, and it reeks of blood.”
He was a spiritual medicinal being of heaven and earth, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, so he was naturally sensitive to these things.
Ye Jisheng raised an eyebrow and said, “You smelled it?”
Jian Zhen nodded lightly and said, “They’re using human blood to nurture the flower?”
Ye Jisheng curled his lips and said, “The Rest Flower is a supreme treasure for nourishing the soul. Ordinary human blood is of no use to it.”
Jian Zhen asked in confusion, “Then it is…?”
Ye Jisheng lowered his gaze to look at him. In his pitch-black eyes, the figure of the person before him was clearly reflected. He said, “You’ve walked around this village for so long, did you see any children?”
As the words fell, Jian Zhen’s entire body stiffened.
Recalling the behavior of that mother and child, along with all sorts of other things, he only felt his hands and feet turn ice-cold.
Jian Zhen’s stomach churned with sourness, and he couldn’t help but run to the side and vomit.
After he finished vomiting, Ye Jisheng helped him up and said, “Let’s go back first. The Rest Flower here can no longer be used. This venerable will find you another supreme treasure.”
With a wave of his hand, the Fire Phoenix flew in from the horizon.
Jian Zhen’s eyes were brimming with tears as he said, “Th-then the children of this village…”
Ye Jisheng’s eyes were cold as he said, “Just now, this one already used divine sense to check. There are no living children left in this village. That child from earlier won’t live much longer either. Even if you saved her, she wouldn’t survive.”
All the strength seemed to drain from Jian Zhen’s body.
As they rode the Fire Phoenix away, he once again saw the girl at the village entrance, wearing tattered clothes, holding a bowl, watching them from afar.
Jian Zhen instantly became agitated. He tugged at Ye Jisheng anxiously and said, “She’s also a child, she’s still alive, we…”
Ye Jisheng grabbed the person who was about to go over. Seeing Jian Zhen look at him, he said, “Zhuzhu, she is not human.”
Jian Zhen froze.
When he turned back again, the girl’s figure seemed to sway in midair. From somewhere came the sound of a flute. She sat on the riverbank and began to play, her calf still wrapped in the white cloth Jian Zhen had bandaged around it.
Ye Jisheng took Jian Zhen back onto the phoenix.
The phoenix let out a long cry and took flight. The small village was slowly taken into their view, along with the sealed mountain valley road and the girl by the riverbank, all gradually leaving his sight.
Jian Zhen was somewhat dazed.
Only then did Ye Jisheng’s voice slowly sound out, “She is a kind of ghost called a Yesheng ghost. When she was alive, she became separated from her younger brother. After death, she transformed into a ghost and is drawn to the souls of children who died unjustly.”
Jian Zhen thought of the village head’s farmland.
Ye Jisheng continued, “When she comes to a village, she will inquire everywhere about her younger brother’s whereabouts. And the souls of children who died unjustly will make her stronger. A ghost originally has no form, but the one you saw already has a human body, and her power is extremely strong.”
Jian Zhen’s eyes widened as he asked, “Then she…”
Ye Jisheng curled his lips and said, “She will do for those unjustly dead children the things they were unable to do.”
A guess surfaced in Jian Zhen’s mind.
Ye Jisheng said, “That village likely won’t have any survivors before long. The ghost has already reached the village entrance, their time of death is not far off.”
Jian Zhen suddenly recalled that moment when the little girl had driven him away and told him to leave. Could it be that it wasn’t because she disliked him, but because she wanted him to leave the village?
Thinking of this, Jian Zhen’s heart suddenly felt sour and swollen, and he said, “How could it be like this…”
The phoenix flew through the sky. Seeing the sadness on his face, Ye Jisheng gave a cold laugh and said, “Why care? Some people deserve to die. This venerable has never cared about the lives or deaths of such ants.”
Jian Zhen：“……”
The little grass was angry.
But very quickly, Jian Zhen, sitting atop the phoenix, lifted his head. His clean eyes looked at him as he said, “You’re lying. You do care.”
Ye Jisheng looked at him in some surprise.
In other people’s eyes, the cold and merciless, slaughter-loving Demon God was questioned for the first time.
Jian Zhen said, “You sealed off the mountain valley because those kind-hearted cultivators at the tea stall who pointed the way for us would soon arrive as well. You didn’t want them to be implicated, so you blocked the road, right?”
