Chapter 30: Has It Come Again?

After a good while, He Mu’s irritable spiritual flow finally calmed down again.

He grabbed Color Kill in a distracted state and prepared to head toward the Scripture Pavilion, planning to wait there for Wenren Sheng to finish class as usual while sorting out his own thoughts.

But he had just stepped to the door when he caught a whiff of an unusual scent. The sword sheath in his hand trembled slightly as well.

“There’s another demon nearby?” He Mu frowned slightly and gripped the sword hilt. “When did it show up?”

Color Kill’s sword markings glowed, and it slid out of the sheath on its own, floating into midair.

He Mu gripped the hilt and was about to activate a formation to locate the demon when a gray-haired figure suddenly flashed before his eyes.

He Mu focused and saw that it was none other than Wenren Sheng, who had insisted he was “going to study with his master.”

He Mu paused, retreated half a step, and concealed his presence.

He narrowed his eyes at Wenren Sheng and muttered, “Didn’t you say you were going to see Wenqu Star? Why are you wandering around here?”

Wenren Sheng stood at the corridor not far away, cautiously scanning the surroundings to confirm no one was around.

After looking around for a bit and making sure the coast was clear, the kid actually stepped onto the wall, flipped lightly over it, and escaped from the Divine Temple!

He was skipping class!

He Mu’s eyes widened slightly. He also picked up his sword and followed silently.

He leaped onto the shrine in front of the temple, his gaze locked tightly on Wenren Sheng’s path.

Wenren Sheng moved quickly, as if hurrying to meet someone. He looked back several times along the way, acting sneaky and highly suspicious.

He skirted around the mountain gate and headed straight for the path by the mountain spring.

Although He Mu knew Wenren Sheng was in his heat period lately and his state was bound to be off, he couldn’t suppress his curiosity.

He really wanted to know what was going on in that little head of Wenren Sheng’s—why he had been unhappy these past few days, why he was skipping class to sneak here and play.

And those erotic dreams Wenren Sheng was having—what form had they taken that he would cry out endlessly at night?

Could it be…

Halfway through the thought, He Mu suddenly felt a strong pang of guilt and couldn’t help shivering.

“Forget it. He won’t tell me if I ask,” He Mu wiped his sweat and thought to himself. “I’ll just see for myself.”

With that, he followed Wenren Sheng’s steps and quietly entered the mountain spring area.

On the other side.

After cautiously confirming no one was around, Wenren Sheng finally sneaked back to this place.

Yesterday, he had deliberately lied to Yi Jinxiang, saying he was going to spar with He Mu all day today and thus wouldn’t attend class.

His goal was to meet this fox demon one last time and give it a thorough beating.

Wenren Sheng hatefully smacked his palm.

“It made me suffer so much. Today, it’s going to explain itself!”

No sooner had he spoken than the Red-Faced Fox appeared, pushing off the ground with its hind legs and landing beside Wenren Sheng.

After two meetings, it acted quite familiar. It draped an arm over Wenren Sheng’s shoulder and grinned at him. “How have you been lately?”

Wenren Sheng got goosebumps all over at the sound of its inhuman, demonic voice. He dodged sideways and stared at it coldly.

“Now that you’ve achieved your goal, stop making me have those kinds of dreams,” Wenren Sheng crossed his arms and said coldly. “I’ve already figured out my own heart.”

“You didn’t like those dreams?” The fox narrowed its eyes. “Did he not serve you well enough?”

Wenren Sheng had never experienced the world, but he had never encountered someone so shameless with such crude words.

He was startled by the fox demon’s words, his eyes widening as he gripped his dagger.

“You’re so shameless,” Wenren Sheng said in shock. “How can a demon like you be this brazen!”

Fortunately, the fox didn’t say anything more indecent. It flashed to the center of the Waterside Pavilion and lay down, idly twiddling its fingers.

“So—you’re planning to confess your feelings to your beloved?”

Wenren Sheng shot back, “What’s it to you?”

The fox chuckled lowly twice and continued, “What if he doesn’t like you? Or if his Dao Heart won’t let him like anyone else? What then?”

Wenren Sheng clenched his fists and looked away.

“I’ve decided not to hide anything from him anymore,” he said in a low voice. “In a couple more days, I’ll tell him everything—my identity, my feelings…”

“Tch, that’s way too much hassle.”

The Red-Faced Fox waved its hand dismissively.

“Even heroes falter before a beauty. With your looks, you’re more like a fox spirit than I am. Can’t you just shed a few tears and beg him? Why prepare all this?”

Wenren Sheng frowned in displeasure.

What nonsense was this stinky fox spouting?

His intention to confess to the Mountain God was a serious decision after much thought—he didn’t want to hide anything from him anymore.

If a few crocodile tears could make it happen, that would be laughable.

“You’re so full of yourself,” Wenren Sheng said, his tone hardening. “The Mountain God is an important family member to me. I would never treat him with that kind of attitude.”

The fox sighed and propped up its cheek listlessly.

“You’re quite devoted.”

Wenren Sheng didn’t bother wasting words with it and changed the subject. “Mind your own business. Tell me clearly—what kind of demon are you, and why did you come to Fragrant Ze Mountain?”

The fox raised an eyebrow. “You really want to know?”

“Spit it out.”

It chuckled twice. “I’m not telling you.”

“…”

Wenren Sheng let out a long breath, feeling rage surging in his chest.

He was generally good-tempered and only threw little tantrums at He Mu.

In the past, when people bullied or isolated him, he at most ignored it or cursed them inwardly. He rarely felt this urge to punch someone.

But this blind fox had truly pissed him off today.

And for some reason, the angrier he got, the more his nape stung like pinpricks—as if someone was deliberately probing his body with spiritual power, extracting something from him.

Wenren Sheng endured it for a moment, then leaped forward with his toes, landing in the center of the Waterside Pavilion.

This time, he didn’t hope for an honest answer from the fox. He gripped his dagger in reverse and charged at it!

Though he wasn’t using his most handy weapon, Wenren Sheng’s martial arts had improved far beyond half a year ago.

His strikes were fast and precise, targeting vitals right from the start. He forced the Red-Faced Fox back several steps, nearly sending it tumbling into the mountain spring.

The Red-Faced Fox pretended to fall, then slyly spun away with malicious playfulness, not forgetting to praise him.

“Not bad—worthy of a disciple taught by Cangyu and Wenqu Star.”

With that, it seized the chance to lean toward Wenren Sheng’s nape and sniff.

“You smell so good. What scent is that?”

Wenren Sheng felt disgusted all over as this shameless lowlife suddenly came close to sniff him.

“…Stay away from me!”

Enduring his revulsion, he spun and kicked the fox down, pouncing to stab downward with his dagger.

But the fox was slippery as an eel. In the blink of an eye, it shed its shell like a cicada, leaving only a swath of white gauze in Wenren Sheng’s hand.

Looking back, the fox demon stood perfectly fine on a bamboo stalk not far away.

Wenren Sheng gritted his teeth and flung away the white gauze.

He had met this fox three times now, and each time it toyed with him completely. This demon seemed to read his mind, knowing every thought, decision, past, and future like the back of its hand.

It was almost like…

It had watched him grow up.

“What exactly do you want?!”

Wenren Sheng snapped.

“Causing trouble in Fragrant Ze Mountain—the Mountain God won’t let you go, and neither will I!”

“Then don’t let me go,”

It smiled mildly at Wenren Sheng.

“But our fate ends here. We probably won’t meet again.”

With that, it narrowed its eyes and slowly raised a hand in farewell to Wenren Sheng.

“Farewell, little—”

“Wait!”

Clang!

Just as Wenren Sheng thought it would vanish like the previous two times, a streak of white shadow flashed in his vision—like a predatory eagle seizing the Red-Faced Fox’s neck.

?!

Wenren Sheng held his breath, staring intently ahead.

This was…

In the next second, the white light exploded. A cold longsword pierced the fox’s throat, slamming down and pinning it viciously to the ground.

The sky darkened abruptly with the anomaly. In an instant, thick clouds gathered overhead.

A fierce wind whipped up Wenren Sheng’s bangs. He quickly raised an arm to shield himself, staggering back two steps until his back bumped into someone.

Wenren Sheng turned against the wind and saw it was He Mu.

“Mountain God?” He was stunned. “Why are you…”

Halfway through his words, he noticed something off about He Mu.

The He Mu in his memories was always smiling warmly, but now his face was terrifyingly cold, his eyes a dead, lightless chill.

He didn’t look at Wenren Sheng, just stared deadly at the fox demon nearby. The aura around him brimmed with killing intent, like a coiling serpent that chilled one to the bone.

Was the Mountain God… angry?

Because of this fox?

The fox apparently hadn’t expected He Mu’s sudden arrival. It hissed and struggled twice before splitting itself in half, trying to dive into the water to escape.

But He Mu gave it no chance. He summoned Color Kill, skewered the two fox faces together, and brought it to hand.

He Mu looked down at the Red-Faced Fox and said slowly,

“That thing on his nape—was that your doing?”

The Red-Faced Fox’s mouth was pinched shut. It glared in horror, trying to defend itself. “I didn’t… it wasn’t…”

Before it finished, He Mu twisted the fox face with one hand. Veins bulged on the back of his hand as he wrung it, making the fox face shriek and warp.

In moments, it burst with a splat into a puddle of minced meat. Blood oozed through He Mu’s fingers.

Wenren Sheng’s face was splattered with blood. His pupils shrank as he stared dazedly at He Mu.

Such heavy killing intent…

Oh no, the Mountain God was definitely angry.

It couldn’t be because of this fox demon, right?!

Wenren Sheng knew He Mu well. Ever since they met, this man loved getting jealous over people close to him—from his master to the clan leader, even Color Kill. None escaped.

And now this was a demon he had never mentioned…

If the Mountain God was upset that he was hanging out with some shady demon, he would be truly wronged.

Wenren Sheng hurriedly explained, “I wasn’t playing with this stinky fox. It kept making me have weird dreams, so that’s why I…”

Halfway through, he worried He Mu might guess his demon identity and trailed off, rubbing his clothes hem as he frantically thought of an excuse.

But strangely, He Mu said nothing.

He just stood there, staring at the thick blood in his palm, his eyes murky and emotionless.

“…Mountain God?”

Seeing him motionless, Wenren Sheng tentatively waved a hand in front of his face.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Mountain God?”

“He Mu!”

This finally made He Mu tremble.

His chest heaved dramatically twice before he snapped back, light returning to his eyes.

He slowly lowered his head to look at Wenren Sheng.

The kid gazed at him with full worry, his face still smeared with the fox demon’s blood, un wiped and looking filthy.

Just like when he had first picked him up.

He Mu crouched down and wiped his cheek.

“Why didn’t you go to the Scripture Pavilion? What are you doing here?” He Mu’s voice was a bit hoarse. “Did you get hurt fighting that fox demon just now?”

Hearing he wasn’t angry, Wenren Sheng’s suspended heart settled.

As his mood relaxed, grievance welled up. He pouted and proactively hugged He Mu.

“That fox kept bullying me. I chased it for days but couldn’t catch it.”

He Mu hugged Wenren Sheng back and soothed, “How did it bully you?”

Wenren Sheng cautiously explained, “It made me have really weird dreams. When I woke up, I’d be all hot and weak, and in a terrible mood…”

As he spoke, Wenren Sheng felt that tidal heat from the dreams surging back, his emotions turning restless.

He couldn’t help loosening his collar and continued, “Yeah, just like now—super hot…”

…?

He Mu felt the scorching temperature in his arms and looked down, hesitating as he said:

“Shengsheng?”

Wenren Sheng’s cheeks had, unbeknownst when, burned hot into an abnormally flushed crimson.

Wenren Sheng’s legs went soft, and he tumbled into He Mu’s arms. He clutched at him, panting sharply twice as his body trembled faintly.

“So hot,” Wenren Sheng murmured lowly. “Suddenly just…”

He subconsciously wiped the blood from his face.

The moment he saw the vivid crimson filling his palm, Wenren Sheng felt his mind haze over as if struck by illusion arts, the dizziness intensifying.

This fox’s blood… could it have an aphrodisiac effect too?

Of all times, right in front of the Mountain God!