At the same time, within the Hundred Demons’ Domain, in the lush forest, Yun Mu was holding a Wooden Stick in his hand, relying on his sense of aura as he slowly made his way back to the cultivation valley.
After being kicked off the magical artifact by Qin Luoyi, he had been walking alone in this unfamiliar forest for some time now.
“By my pace, I should be able to get back before sunset. Luckily, Miss Luoyi didn’t throw me too far from the valley, or it’d have been a real hassle.”
Muttering to himself, he raised his foot and stepped over a thick tree root stretching out in front of him.
“Hmm… As expected, with five days of cultivation plus the aid of the medicinal baths, my perception ability has indeed improved a lot.”
As he spoke, he stepped over a protruding stone, his tone rising involuntarily with a hint of satisfaction.
To be able to walk the road alone, without relying on anyone else—this was something he hadn’t even dared to dream of after losing his sight.
But now, not only had he done it, he was even traversing such a complicated place as this dense forest.
Because of this, he had even more confidence in finding Lin Xizhi.
However, as the saying goes—unlucky people even get food stuck between their teeth when drinking water.
Yun Mu didn’t really believe in such sayings, but he’d always been that kind of person.
Sure enough, he hadn’t been pleased for long when, with another step, his foot was inexplicably caught by a “tree branch” sticking out in midair.
He was caught so off-guard that he didn’t even have time to react.
He fell forward, landing flat on his face with his mouth full of mud.
If not for the fact that his grip had grown much stronger, even the Wooden Stick in his hand would probably have flown out.
“Uh… Strange. I didn’t sense the aura of this branch just now—how did it suddenly grow out?”
He mumbled as he sat up, brushing the dirt from the corner of his mouth, then turned to face the “branch.” He reached out to touch it—only to grab at thin air.
“Huh? Where’s the branch?” he asked himself, completely confused.
Then, only after focusing his power did he discover that the culprit, for some reason, was acting as if alive, swiftly whipping the offending branch away and vanishing from sight.
The thing even smacked his arm as it left.
And it wasn’t gentle, either.
“Excuse me, is there a senior of the demon clan here?”
Clutching at the fresh mark on his arm, Yun Mu spoke with respect, “If I accidentally disturbed your rest, I apologize. I truly didn’t mean to. I’m sorry.”
In his mind, a plant that could move on its own and attack people with such intent couldn’t possibly be an ordinary plant.
Especially here, in the Hundred Demons’ Domain—he was even more convinced that the other party was a demon, maybe even the master of this area.
But after he’d finished speaking, he waited a long time with no response—there wasn’t even the faintest sound.
“That’s odd… Am I just being too sensitive?”
He scratched his head, stood up, picked up the Wooden Stick he’d dropped, and was about to leave when the rustle of leaves reached his ears, accompanied by several pitiful cries of
“Ouch, ouch, ouch!”
A chubby, green, furry figure rolled out from the dense foliage, tumbling until it hit a rock and finally stopped.
“Ouch… That really hurts…”
So I was right.
Something’s messing around in here.
But… judging by the aura, it doesn’t seem like a senior at all?
A dazed voice reached him.
Yun Mu stopped halfway through his step and asked gently, “Junior, are you alright?”
“I-I-I… It hurts! No, wait, I’m fine. Y-y-you stay right where you are and don’t move, or else I won’t go easy on you!”
The furry creature sat on the fallen leaves, rubbing its swollen head with a pair of wing-like branches, its childish voice making it sound rather cute.
“Uh… Alright…”
He didn’t ask who it was.
Instead, he bent down, brushing the dust from his clothes with his right hand, while his left hand propped the Wooden Stick in front of him, pretending to be absent-minded.
But as he patted away the dust, his right hand drifted behind his back.
Hearing the little one still panting with pain, he quietly pinched his right fingertips and silently recited “rise.”
Instantly, a flame-like ink green glow leaped up at his fingertips.
He turned his hand slightly, flicking the glow toward the ground beneath him.
The tiny flame disappeared into the earth.
So that’s what you look like, little fellow—pretty cute.
With a faint smile, in just a few short seconds during these little actions, the layout within a dozen meters, including that green furry shape, was vividly imprinted in Yun Mu’s mind.
This was the perception technique Eleven had specially taught him on the night of his first day of cultivation—a modified version of the technique Tu Shan Yunxi had cast on him before, better suited to his body.
Hmm…
I’m still far from mastering it, and the range isn’t as vast as Master Eleven described, but compared to the technique the Empress used on me before, the objects I can “see” now are indeed much clearer.
Fixing his “gaze” on the now quiet “attacker,” Yun Mu smiled slightly.
It’s a pity… I still can’t use this to see fine details like facial features.
Otherwise, I’d really like to see what this adorable little thing actually looks like.
He’d always liked these furry creatures.
“W-what are you smiling at?!”
Maybe he was smiling too obviously, or maybe his urge to squeeze something fluffy had been discovered.
The little thing, still rubbing its head a moment ago, suddenly grew alarmed and pointed its wing-branches at him, yelling:
“Is bullying little kids that much fun to you?! Seriously! It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, I-I-I wouldn’t have fallen off such a high branch!”
“Bullying little kids? Hmm… But aren’t you a Junior? If that’s the case, shouldn’t we settle the score for you tripping me just now?”
He said playfully, intending to tease her some more.
“Uh! Yes, that’s right, I’m a senior. What I meant to say was… I may be younger in my clan’s terms, but I’m still older than you!”
“I get it. After all, you’re from the demon clan—this kind of thing is pretty normal.”
He humored her, as if coaxing a child.
“So, Junior, what did you want with me?”
“What was it? Oh right, I almost forgot if you hadn’t mentioned it! I have something I need you for. As for what… um…”
“Hm?”
“It’s… uh… I…”
The voice trailed off into endless mumbling, growing softer and softer until it was as faint as a mosquito, without ever getting to the point.
Now Yun Mu really didn’t know what to do.
From the storybooks he’d read at Xie Yi’s house, he knew that characters who suddenly blocked the road in strange places usually either wanted trouble or needed help.
But someone who stopped you and couldn’t even speak clearly—this was a first.
So this is what people mean by the world’s endless wonders?
I guess I’ve broadened my horizons today.
Thinking so, he took a step forward and gently asked, “Um… are you alright…?”
“No, don’t come any closer!”
“Alright, alright, I won’t. I won’t come any closer.”
He had no choice but to step back.
“How about we keep this distance between us, okay?”
“Uh… Okay…”
With her agreement, Yun Mu finally breathed a sigh of relief—they could at least talk normally now.
“Little—uh, Junior, are you lost? Is that why you stopped me for help?”
“Nope! This is my home, how could I get lost in my own home?”
With that, the little one’s previously timid tone gained a trace of pride.
“Then… Junior, could it be that you attacked me because I trespassed into your home?”
“Yeah… Wait, no! I just… um…”
Before she could finish, a sharp snap of a breaking branch sounded, followed by an airy voice laced with displeasure.
“Oh, come on! Why are you so slow, Number One Hundred and Twenty-Seven?!”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.