Xie Xuechen rode swiftly for half a day, finally leaving Qingshan Town behind.
He had expected Mu Xuanling to insist on sharing his horse, but surprisingly, she had no such intention. Instead, she concealed herself in the shadows, following Xie Xuechen covertly. Spirits and half-demons weren’t afraid of the blazing sun, but demons abhorred and feared it, as the scorching rays dispersed demonic energy. Although Mu Xuanling was a half-demon, she practiced demonic cultivation techniques, absorbing demonic energy to cultivate her powers. Thus, she was also affected by sunlight, albeit to a lesser degree than full demons. However, demons had their methods – they could hide within shadows and leap between them, reducing the sun’s impact to some extent.
Xie Xuechen observed this secretly and soon discovered the truth, realizing that high noon was Mu Xuanling’s weakest period. During the journey, he intentionally changed direction, attempting to escape Mu Xuanling’s control, but the horse seemed to be under some demonic spell and refused to obey him.
Perhaps to conceal their tracks, Mu Xuanling didn’t lead Xie Xuechen into the city. Instead, they stopped at a relay station dozens of miles from Xiao City. The station had few rooms, and as luck would have it, only one guest room remained.
The innkeeper’s eyes swept over the pair, failing to see through their disguises. His gaze settled on Mu Xuanling’s elegant attire, and he said with a smile, “We have an empty room behind the station, usually for the staff. It’s simple but clean. If the sir doesn’t mind, the servant could stay there.”
The innkeeper, accustomed to judging people by their appearance, saw Xie Xuechen in his coarse linen clothes and assumed a master-servant relationship.
Xie Xuechen, being indifferent to worldly matters, didn’t realize at first that the innkeeper was referring to him as the “servant.”
Mu Xuanling, however, smiled charmingly and linked her arm with Xie Xuechen’s, saying, “This is my husband.”
Xie Xuechen’s face stiffened, and he tried to break free from Mu Xuanling’s grasp, but to no avail.
The innkeeper was secretly surprised. Seeing the couple – one poor, one rich, one affectionate, one resistant – he quickly understood the situation. His expression remained unchanged as he smoothly said, “My apologies for the presumption. Please don’t take offense. Your room is upstairs, first on the left.”
Mu Xuanling, arm in arm with Xie Xuechen, affectionately ascended the stairs. As they reached the second floor, the door to the right opened, and two men in cultivator robes emerged, coming face to face with Mu Xuanling.
The two cultivators’ gazes swept over Mu Xuanling and Xie Xuechen before they looked away, continuing downstairs as if nothing had happened.
Though the two spoke in hushed tones, both Xie Xuechen and Mu Xuanling, with their advanced cultivation, heard every word.
“Those two look a bit strange.”
“Indeed, they seem affectionate like a couple, but their attire doesn’t match.”
“The man seems unwilling. Could he be held captive?”
“That man looks thin, but his energy is impressive. Though I sense no spiritual power, he must be a skilled fighter in the mortal world. The woman appears ordinary and shouldn’t have the ability to hold someone captive.”
“I’ve heard there are many demons near Xiao City. Could it be…?”
“Brother, you’re overthinking. Those two have ordinary auras and no trace of demonic energy. I’ve heard that Xiao City has bold customs, with women often forcing men into marriage. That woman comes from a wealthy family, and though the man’s looks are average, his narrow waist and long legs suggest he must have some exceptional qualities…”
“Elder Brother, you truly are experienced…”
The two young cultivators shared a knowing laugh.
Xie Xuechen’s handsome face darkened, a vein throbbing at his temple, but he refrained from reacting.
Mu Xuanling watched Xie Xuechen’s expression with amusement, saying meaningfully, “Sect Leader Xie indeed has exceptional qualities.”
Xie Xuechen glanced at her coldly, not responding, and walked to the table to pour himself a cup of tea.
Mu Xuanling casually drew a sealing charm on the door, blocking all sound and energy from the room, before sitting down next to Xie Xuechen.
“Those two cultivators wore robes embroidered with bauhinia flowers. They must be from Mirror Flower Valley,” Mu Xuanling mused, sipping her cool tea. “Judging by their energy, they’ve just entered the Spirit Refinement realm. Why would they travel thousands of miles to come here?”
Mirror Flower Valley was thousands of miles away. While a Golden Core cultivator could fly there in a day, those at the Spirit Refinement stage could only travel by horse, making it a considerably long journey. Moreover, this area near Two Realms Mountain was often troubled by demons and wasn’t peaceful. Lower-level disciples from sects usually wouldn’t come to this area without the protection of a powerful cultivator.
Just as cultivators enjoyed slaying demons, evil cultivators and demons took pleasure in hunting cultivators. A cultivator’s essence blood was far superior to that of ordinary people, making it a great tonic for demonic beings. Cultivators often carried valuable spiritual pills and magical tools as well.
Mu Xuanling mused, resting her chin on her hand, “Could there be a high-level cultivator from Mirror Flower Valley here?”
Xie Xuechen remained silent, his long lashes hiding his phoenix eyes. Though he wasn’t looking at Mu Xuanling, he could feel her intense gaze upon him.
“Sect Leader Xie, are you thinking of sending a message?” Mu Xuanling asked with a smile.
Xie Xuechen’s eyes flashed coldly. “What are you planning?”
Mu Xuanling laughed, “Is Sect Leader Xie wondering if I’ll silence them?”
Xie Xuechen replied, “Won’t you?”
Mu Xuanling said, “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.”
Xie Xuechen let out a cold laugh. “Hmph.”
Mu Xuanling continued, “But you’re not wrong to think that way.”
Xie Xuechen frowned slightly as he looked at her.
Mu Xuanling said seriously, “I’m not exactly a good person.”
Xie Xuechen paused, then corrected her, “You’re not a person at all.”
Mu Xuanling indeed wasn’t human. Xie Xuechen wasn’t insulting her, merely stating a fact – she was only half-human.
After a day of observation, Xie Xuechen still couldn’t determine what kind of demon made up Mu Xuanling’s other half. There were two types of half-demons: those born to human mothers and demon fathers, and vice versa. If the mother was human, the half-demon would have a human body but with some characteristics of their demon father’s species, like cat ears or a fox tail. If the mother was a demon, the half-demon would have a demon body with a human soul, able to speak and walk upright.
Given Mu Xuanling’s appearance, her mother must have been human, but Xie Xuechen couldn’t discern what kind of demon her father was. If he hadn’t sensed the faint demonic energy from her earlier, an ordinary person would have been easily fooled.
As they were talking, they suddenly heard a commotion from downstairs. Mu Xuanling perked up her ears, hearing the two cultivators from earlier calling out “Senior Sister.” Her eyebrows twitched as she walked to the window, silently opening a small crack to spy on the activity below.
Two female cultivators had entered the inn’s main hall downstairs. One of them, with a graceful figure and wearing a thin veil, was the leader. The other three bowed slightly to her, addressing her as “Senior Sister.”
“Senior Sister, you’ve finally returned,” one of the male cultivators said eagerly. “My junior brother and I have already searched the east side and found nothing. Did you encounter any situation on your end?”
As the elder martial sister remained silent, the round-faced female cultivator beside her, slightly shorter in stature, spoke up loudly: “Senior Brother Song, my elder martial sister Gao and I were just ambushed by a demon!”
Upon hearing this, the two male cultivators were greatly alarmed and hurriedly asked, “What kind of demon? Were you injured?”
The round-faced female cultivator giggled, “With Elder Martial Sister Gao present, of course, we weren’t hurt. It was just a small, careless demon.”
As she spoke, she untied a brocade pouch embroidered with golden threads from her waist. Mu Xuanling’s sharp eyes recognized the golden thread pattern as a spirit-locking formation, commonly used by cultivators to capture demons. Generally, when demons are trapped inside such pouches, they lose all their spiritual power.
The round-faced female cultivator opened the pouch and gently shook it. A furry ball fell out, regaining its original form as it hit the ground. It was about the size of an adult’s palm, a fluffy bundle with a short tail. Its body was pure white without blemish, but its ears were round and golden, seemingly trembling slightly from fright. As it fell to the ground, the little demon let out a squeak, then frantically scurried about. The cultivators laughed as they blocked its path with their sword sheaths. The little demon would bump into a sheath, and turn around, only to be blocked by another after a few steps. It ran in circles helplessly, its golden ears quivering as it emitted soft, pitiful cries.
The round-faced female cultivator bent down, grabbed its tail, and held it up in the air, swinging it proudly. “Do you know what this is?” she asked smugly.
The two male cultivators furrowed their brows as they examined it, puzzled. “It looks like a mouse, but also like a rabbit.”
The round-faced female cultivator explained, “Elder Martial Sister says it’s one of the Ten Mythical Beasts, the Treasure-Sniffing Mouse. Look at its ears, don’t they resemble copper coins? Its nose tip and ears are golden, and its hearing and sense of smell are unparalleled in the world. They know best where treasures are hidden. My elder martial sister and I followed a compass, searching everywhere, and found a place rich in spiritual energy. We didn’t expect it to be the Treasure-Sniffing Mouse’s treasure trove. Who knows where this little creature found so many treasures, but our trip wasn’t in vain.”
The female cultivator they addressed as Elder Martial Sister Gao took out a small pouch from her sleeve and tossed it on the table. “Inside are some magical tools and treasures suitable for your use. Divide them among yourselves. The rest, I must hand over to the sect.”
Hearing this, the three immediately cheered and said in unison, “Thank you, Elder Martial Sister!”
As the three divided the magical tools from the pouch, Elder Martial Sister Gao took the Treasure-Sniffing Mouse and sat calmly to the side, showing no interest in the division. She deliberately released spiritual pressure from her palm. The Treasure-Sniffing Mouse, known for its timidity, trembled in her hand, not daring to move. It appeared quite docile, but in truth, it was terrified.
The round-faced female cultivator asked, “Elder Martial Sister, you seem quite fond of this Treasure-Sniffing Mouse. Do you intend to refine it into a spirit beast?”
Before Elder Martial Sister Gao could answer, the male cultivator surnamed Song said, “Elder Martial Sister Gao, although the Treasure-Sniffing Mouse is a mythical beast, it appears quite weak and offers no benefit in combat. It might not be suitable as a spirit beast.”
Elder Martial Sister Gao replied calmly, “For combat, my abilities are sufficient. Why would I need assistance from a spirit beast?”
Her tone was calm, but pride was evident.
The others immediately agreed, “Elder Martial Sister’s words are true. Sect Leader Xie also relies solely on himself and his sword, roaming the eight wilderness areas without the aid of spirit beasts.”
“Elder Martial Sister Gao and Sect Leader Xie are both people of exceptional talent, incomparable to us…”
Mu Xuanling’s gaze fixed on Elder Martial Sister Gao. Although her face was veiled, the pair of autumn-like eyes visible were enough to prove she was an undeniable beauty. Her attire differed from the other disciples, not only in its superior quality but also in the intricate spell formations embroidered on the cuffs and collar. Such special treatment indicated her high status within the sect.
A senior sister surnamed Gao from Jinghua Valley, with such an extraordinary status, could only be one person.
Gao Qiumin, the personal disciple of Jinghua Valley’s leader and the young lady of Mingyue Manor.
Among the Five Sects Alliance, there were rumors that Gao Qiumin and Xie Xuechen were betrothed. The other person in those rumors was now sitting in this guest room, seemingly oblivious to everything outside the window.
Mu Xuanling pouted and turned her gaze to the Treasure-Sniffing Mouse in Gao Qiumin’s palm, her brow unconsciously furrowing.
Treasure-sniffing mice were rare, harmless-looking, and cute. Their only ability was to find treasures, and no concealment method could deceive their intuition for valuable objects. Thus, some evil cultivators loved to keep Treasure-Sniffing Mice, using their ability to search for treasures.
Gao Qiumin’s understanding of Treasure-Sniffing Mice was limited. She didn’t know that they were timid and easily frightened, and extreme fright could even cause their gallbladders to rupture, leading to death. Gao Qiumin was using spiritual pressure to intimidate the Treasure-Sniffing Mouse. Its golden round ears trembled violently, growing brighter. Though it looked beautiful, Mu Xuanling knew this was a sign of impending gallbladder rupture.
Mu Xuanling clenched her fist, finally unable to resist. Despite the risk of exposing herself, she dipped her finger in water from the teacup and flicked it. A drop of water shot through the air, hitting Gao Qiumin’s wrist. Gao Qiumin felt her wrist go numb, her spiritual power momentarily disrupted. The Treasure-Sniffing Mouse suddenly felt the spiritual pressure disappear, flicked its tail, and in a flash, slipped away from Gao Qiumin’s palm.
Gao Qiumin was so stunned she failed to stop it. The other three were busy dividing the treasures and didn’t notice until they heard Gao Qiumin shout angrily, “Who’s hiding and attacking me?” Only then did the three turn around in confusion.
The Treasure-Sniffing Mouse had long since vanished. Gao Qiumin, the hand on her sword, her beautiful eyes showing killing intent, vigilantly scanned the surroundings.
The three hurriedly asked, “Elder Martial Sister Gao, what happened?”
Gao Qiumin looked at her wrist, where a tiny red dot marked an acupoint, still faintly aching. The attacker was no ordinary person. She had no idea how long they had been hiding, and she hadn’t sensed them at all.
“Someone just attacked me,” Gao Qiumin said coldly. “Are there others here?”
The male cultivator surnamed Song said, “This inn doesn’t have many rooms. Besides us, there’s only a young couple.”
Gao Qiumin ordered, “Search!”
When Mu Xuanling acted, Xie Xuechen naturally saw it, but he maintained an aloof, indifferent demeanor until Mu Xuanling threw herself into his arms.
“Sect Leader Xie, we’re in big trouble!” she exclaimed.
Xie Xuechen’s temple twitched as he tried to back away.
“The Jinghua Valley cultivators are coming up to cause us trouble!”
Xie Xuechen corrected her, “You mean your trouble.”
“Is this the time to distinguish between you and me?” Mu Xuanling grumbled. Suddenly, she hugged Xie Xuechen’s waist. He felt his body lighten before his back hit the bed.
Before he could ask what Mu Xuanling intended, he saw her draw a symbol in the air towards the door, removing the protective spell. Then she began to open his robe.
Xie Xuechen grabbed her hands and hissed, “What are you doing?”
Mu Xuanling pulled the quilt over them and whispered in his ear, “Just play along.”
At that moment, the double doors were violently pushed open. Four people brandishing swords burst in, immediately encountering this scene.
A man and woman embracing under the covers, the man’s clothes loosened to reveal a firm, fair chest, the woman on top of him. Startled by the intruders, she let out a scream and burrowed into the man’s arms.
“Who are you? Why are you barging in?” The woman under the covers demanded angrily and fearfully.
Xie Xuechen was held tightly by Mu Xuanling, her fragrance enveloping him, making it hard to breathe. He tried to push her away, but she clung even tighter, trembling and whispering in his ear so only he could hear, “If we’re found out, they’re dead.”
Xie Xuechen’s struggle immediately ceased.
Gao Qiumin averted her eyes from the couple on the bed but had already used her compass to probe, confirming they were ordinary people. She apologized and quickly left with the other three.
“Elder Martial Sister, could it be that the Treasure-Sniffing Mouse has other demon companions who came to its aid?” one asked as they left.
“You three search around. We’ll take turns keeping watch tonight. Be careful of demon attacks,” Gao Qiumin instructed.
As the footsteps faded away, Xie Xuechen finally pushed Mu Xuanling off, his handsome face covered in frost.
“Please show some self-respect,” Xie Xuechen said through gritted teeth.
Mu Xuanling’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she whispered, “Sect Leader Xie, I heard you’re betrothed to Gao Qiumin?”
Xie Xuechen didn’t want to respond.
Undeterred, Mu Xuanling grinned wickedly, “Sharing a bed with me in front of your fiancée, how thrilling!”
Xie Xuechen gritted his teeth, “She is not my fiancée!”
Mu Xuanling feigned realization, “Oh, are you explaining this to me because you’re afraid I’ll misunderstand?”
Xie Xuechen took a deep breath, trying to control the anger surging in his chest.
“Sect Leader Xie, you should just dual cultivate with me. I’m prettier than Gao Qiumin and know better how to care for someone.”
Xie Xuechen exhaled slowly, enunciating each word, “I have never met someone as shameless as you.”
Mu Xuanling shook her head, “Sect Leader Xie, you’re half wrong about that.”
Xie Xuechen glared at her coldly.
Mu Xuanling said seriously, “I’m not human, but I am indeed quite shameless.”
Xie Xuechen let out a cold laugh. “Quite?”