Xiang Su strolled along the town’s blue brick streets. A small river passed through the town, with countless stone bridges along its course—quite picturesque. This small town called Hewan was close to Hangzhou yet not very prosperous. Most of the town’s common people made their living by handicrafts, selling their products in Hangzhou, living stable and tranquil lives. Xiang Su gnashed her teeth, not knowing what spell Junshang had cast. The townspeople all seemed very familiar with her, greeting her as “Auntie Su” from afar, acting as if she had already lived in this town for decades.

What made her even more furious was that truly living in a mortal town, she now knew that not only had Kunpeng deceived her—Junshang was an even greater master deceiver!

The more she learned, the more anger she accumulated. Before sleeping at night, she didn’t forget to angrily enumerate everything once through. When Junshang finished forging the sword and came to fetch her, she would definitely settle accounts with him properly!

Angry as she was, the mood of looking forward to venting her anger at him sometimes actually gave her a somewhat sweet feeling. She did miss him a bit.

“Her family’s” calligraphy and painting shop had average business, but her spoon son seemed to have extremely good connections. Surrounding neighbors constantly came over to chat idly. Xiang Su very much liked this mortal habit of gathering in groups—lively and able to broaden one’s knowledge. Old ladies and young wives chattering together—Xiang Su gained much just from listening. She felt she was making up for those three hundred years foolishly spent in the wilderness. The insights of these few women far exceeded the mountain god Bai Zhicao.

Because she always listened wide-eyed in amazement and rarely spoke, the women praised her as “elderly and virtuous, composed and calm.” Xiang Su accepted this happily.

The spoon son was very filial to her. The maids and young servants were also clever and diligent. But thinking they were just illusions, Xiang Su couldn’t develop any feelings for them. Life was peaceful and leisurely. Xiang Su always took out the small dagger Junshang gave her to look at. Though she knew it was impossible for the sword-forging to be completed so quickly, seeing it gleaming coldly she still couldn’t help feeling somewhat disappointed. As a wood spirit, for the first time she felt time long and helpless.

This day before dinner, neighbor Auntie Ma came running over excitedly to tell her: “Master Cao has returned!”

Auntie Ma was of similar age to “Auntie Su,” “Auntie Su’s” most convenient friend. She loved collecting the town’s gossip and for “Auntie Su” was a figure like a guiding star. It was through her that Xiang Su learned with sudden fury that the so-called “covenant” was fundamentally an obscene desire men could not eliminate, not at all as sacred as Junshang had described. Some men, in order to “make covenants” with multiple women, though clearly lacking the capital, would take medicine and drink blood to forcibly rouse themselves, even risking their lives.

“Don’t know what new stories Master Cao will bring back this time!” Auntie Ma was very excited. Her longing expression made Xiang Su suspect whether she had fallen in love with this legendary “Master Cao.” Xiang Su had long heard of this master’s prestigious reputation. Supposedly a renowned demon-subduing master, these past few years after gaining a grandson his magical power had greatly increased. He was frequently invited to other towns to subdue demons and monsters.

Xiang Su perfunctorily hummed a few responses. Junshang always handled matters meticulously—how could he let a demon-subduing master live next door to her? Though Kunpeng had told countless lies, he was right about one thing: in the eyes of mortals, she was a demon!

As they were speaking, a maid came in to announce that neighbor Master Cao had come to visit. Auntie Ma looked overjoyed. Xiang Su felt somewhat apprehensive, fearing Master Cao would see through her from beginning to end. Just as she was feeling uneasy, she saw the spoon son and an unremarkable dried-up old man chatting and laughing as they came in from outside. She immediately felt mostly relieved—if he were truly a master with great magical power, how could he not distinguish between person and spoon?

Master Cao wore a blue cloth Daoist robe and carried a peachwood sword on his back. Being thin gave him somewhat of an immortal bearing. The person was very enthusiastic, greeting from afar: “Auntie Su, Auntie Ma, have you been well lately?”

Xiang Su returned the greeting together with Auntie Ma. Master Cao then turned back to call his grandson: “Xiao Yan, come greet the two grandmothers.”

Only then did Xiang Su see the child blocked by the two adults. Around ten years old, delicately beautiful like jade, with outstanding appearance—not resembling his grandfather in the slightest. Though his grandfather enthusiastically urged him, Xiao Yan only perfunctorily cupped his fists, then stood behind his grandfather without saying a word, expressionlessly looking at Xiang Su.

Xiang Su felt uncomfortable being looked at by him. This stinking brat had that familiar deserving-to-be-beaten manner. Xiang Su put on an elder’s expression and glared back at him disdainfully. Fortunately at this time, Auntie Ma had already begun pestering Master Cao to tell strange tales, and no one paid attention to Xiang Su and Xiao Yan’s mutual contempt.

The legendary stories Master Cao told were very boring to Xiang Su. They were just about several minor immortals and demons causing trouble in the mortal realm. Those with high magical power escaped, while those with weak power were subdued. Master Cao was very good at exaggeration, describing the demon-subduing process as extremely thrilling. But Xiang Su knew that those who truly reached the cultivation level he described, he absolutely could not subdue based on his abilities alone.

The more extravagantly he boasted, the more laughable Xiang Su found it. This “great demon” was right before his eyes, yet he kept calling her Auntie Su.

As evening approached, the spoon came to invite everyone to stay for dinner. The demon-subduing expert Master Cao cheerfully and readily agreed. Xiang Su watching him nearly laughed aloud—con artist.

Master Cao was probably quite hungry from fabricating stories. He walked ahead with Auntie Ma. Xiang Su was just about to follow in a good mood when she was blocked by Xiao Yan stepping in front of her.

“Who are you?” Xiao Yan, whose height only reached Xiang Su’s neck, had a cold expression. His large round eyes were deep and profound, but unfortunately too childish, completely lacking in lethality.

Xiang Su snorted disdainfully. The height advantage made her very satisfied. Both hands reached out to pinch his fair tender cheeks, mischievously pulling them, stretching Xiao Yan’s initially formed oval face into a round shape. “I am your ‘Auntie Su.'”

Master Cao turned back wanting to call his grandson to follow. Seeing this scene, he still said with a smile to Auntie Ma walking alongside: “Oh, who’d have thought Xiao Yan and Auntie Su would get along so well.” Auntie Ma also chimed in agreement, chatting and laughing as they left.

Xiao Yan, ashamed and angry, raised his hand to swat away Xiang Su’s evil claws, saying restrainedly: “Don’t think I can’t see your true face. If not for my inability to sense your demon aura, I would definitely subdue you, this evil demon.”

Xiang Su looked at him disdainfully from the corner of her eye, both hands challengingly on her hips: “A little brat, why learn to speak so pretentiously? What true face do I have?”

Xiao Yan snorted, turned his face away and no longer looked at her. “Better looking than what the illusion conjured… a bit!”

With him saying this, Xiang Su was surprised. She bent down and leaned close to examine him carefully. “Has your heavenly eye opened?”

Xiao Yan didn’t answer, only snorted coldly: “Evil demon! Don’t let me catch you stirring up trouble.”

Xiang Su still wanted to interrogate him, but the spoon was already calling from the dining room entrance: “Mother, come eat with Xiao Yan.”

At the dining table, Xiang Su kept sizing up Xiao Yan. Though his tone of speech was considerable, when eating he wasn’t soft-mouthed either. Xiang Su came to deeply understand that eating was worldly desire. The child who had just looked full of spiritual energy, when eating, lost half his imposing manner—completely mortal. Xiao Yan was also particularly cold to her, no longer speaking a word to her or looking at her, with a proud and aloof manner, not at all like a ten-year-old child.

Master Cao’s business could be considered good. Whenever anyone in town, adult or child, had illness or disaster, or moved house or opened business, they would invite him to perform rituals and prayers. He couldn’t be considered a good grandfather. He didn’t hire a single servant at home. When Xiao Yan was unwilling to go perform rituals with him, he would dump the child at “Auntie Su’s” house. This way three meals were settled, and he himself often came to mooch meals.

Xiao Yan was completely unlike a mischievous and naughty ten-year-old child. When entrusted by his grandfather to the neighbor’s house, he would sit quietly in the study, writing talismans with cinnabar for his grandfather to use.

Xiang Su felt that at first he was still somewhat wary of her, but gradually assumed an attitude of not taking her, this “demon,” seriously at all. This made Xiang Su feel very uncomfortable. How could she, a dignified three-hundred-year-old wood spirit, be looked down upon by a mortal child? But to really fight with him, Xiang Su also felt bullying the small with the big was too shameless. She could only frighten him when there was nothing else to do, saying she would eat him in one bite, or mock him a few times. When no one was around, she also showed off some spells, conjuring little flower petal people and such. As a result, Xiao Yan completely ignored her—not surprised, not curious, not even bothering to retort sarcastically. This made Xiang Su, beyond annoyance, actually feel a ridiculous sense of showing off before an expert.

Xiao Yan very much liked reading books and could surprisingly write good calligraphy. The first time Xiang Su saw him dip ink and write, she was instantly stunned. The scene of Junshang elegantly flipping through books on the wooden couch under the tree—when she had watched it she felt indifferent, yet she couldn’t forget it no matter what. Deep in her heart, she still envied those who could read and write. During a break from transcribing books, Xiao Yan lifted his head to look at her. When the child’s expression calmed, he looked particularly smug. He asked: “Want to learn?”

Xiang Su was immediately infuriated by his attitude. What she found most unbearable was that she actually nodded.

Xiao Yan dipped ink again. “Then let’s start from the simplest.” He wrote some simple commonly used characters on paper, indicating for Xiang Su to come over, very patiently teaching her one by one.

Xiang Su learned quite quickly, probably due to strong desire. After recognizing all these characters, she frowned and was silent for a while. “Can you teach me how to write the three characters ‘Dong Tian Yun’?”

Xiao Yan thought about it, seeming somewhat familiar yet unable to think of the reason, and accurately wrote these three characters for Xiang Su.

Xiang Su treasured them like precious jewels, writing them repeatedly. She kept the one she was most satisfied with, planning to show it to Junshang in the future.

She had found a new pleasure. She had long grown tired of touring the small town. The anecdotes and stories that could shock her tremendously from Auntie Ma had long been exhausted. She immersed herself in recognizing and writing characters, secretly looking forward to the day when she too could elegantly read books like Junshang.

A ten-year-old child teaching a fifty-year-old grandmother to read—strange and absurd. The spoon and chopsticks naturally took it in stride. When Master Cao or neighboring women came, Xiao Yan would stop teaching. Xiang Su appreciated this very much—otherwise she would be too embarrassed.

It must be said, Xiao Yan was a good teacher, at least the most patient person Xiang Su had encountered. To thank him, Xiang Su instructed the spoon and chopsticks to prepare his favorite dishes. A child was still a child after all—very satisfied with this compensation. Of course, the grandfather and grandson eating at “the Su house” also became increasingly taken for granted.

Master Cao, not understanding the situation, only said that “Auntie Su” had developed feelings from watching his child and treated Xiao Yan like her own grandson. Enjoying the benefits himself, he was also very satisfied.

Xiang Su accumulated some vocabulary and eagerly prepared to start reading books. She sent the chopstick maid to the bookstore to buy some simple ones to read. Who knew how the bookstore owner understood the meaning of “simple.” The chopstick maid brought back many storybooks about affairs between men and women. Xiang Su stumbled upon success, burning oil and staying up late reading with great interest.

After all, her literacy was limited. Many crucial descriptions had characters she didn’t recognize. She tirelessly inquired of Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan glanced with extreme disgust. His childish little face assumed a righteous and stern expression, saying seriously: “Obscene!”

Xiang Su snorted. “Stop being a hypocrite! What does a child like you understand?”

Xiao Yan looked at her coldly, asking disdainfully in return: “You understand?”

Xiang Su thought about her and Junshang’s situation in Shengyun Hall, chuckled, and said proudly: “Of course I understand.”

Xiao Yan snorted coldly again: “Obscene! Shameless evil demon!”