Chapter 40: You’re So Silly

Wenren Sheng quickly reined in his emotions. He straightened his expression and said, “Then we’ll act according to this plan. Don’t meet here tomorrow. Wait for me near my master’s palace instead.”

He Mu saw that he was happy and couldn’t bear to tell him the truth. Feeling utterly helpless, he could only nod in resignation.

“Fine, we’ll do it your way.”

With one worry off his mind, Wenren Sheng’s mood improved even more. His stomach growled loudly with hunger.

The initial awkwardness between him and Murong He had dissipated, so he relaxed quite a bit. He placed his tail between the two of them and began eating in earnest.

He Mu watched him eat, propping his chin as he asked, “Why do you want to see your family?”

This time, Wenren Sheng didn’t resist and answered honestly, “He passed away two years ago. I miss him a lot and want to see where he’ll reincarnate.”

He Mu said, “Reincarnate?”

Wenren Sheng nodded. “Yeah. Though I’m still a loose cultivator now, I’ve already decided to ascend.”

From the moment he gained his Dao Heart, Wenren Sheng had set his mind on ascension.

He wanted to ascend—not just to become a great hero, but also to avenge the clan leader with his sword and carve out a path to a world apart for his demon clan companions he had never met.

But life after ascension was too long. If he didn’t seize this three-year opportunity, he might be trapped in the shadow of his family member’s death for the rest of his life, unable to find release.

So he wanted to use the Rebirth Incense to go to the Underworld and see the clan leader one last time—to sneak a peek at his next life’s fate.

Even if they never met again without memories of the past, at least he’d know the clan leader’s soul was safe and sound in the human world. That would be enough.

When He Mu heard Wenren Sheng talk about ascending, his eyes darkened.

His hand rubbed unnaturally along the rim of his teacup. After a moment of silence, he spoke, “I’ve heard that the immortals in the upper realms look down on demons ascending. Aren’t you worried you’ll be in danger?”

Wenren Sheng smiled at him. “Not worried, because I’ll get stronger.”

The Heavenly Spiritual Root had brought him painful tribulations, but in return, it granted him a unique ability in the world. Wenren Sheng was confident he could grow into a hero who could stand on his own.

He Mu stared at him for a few seconds.

“Have you… found your Dao Heart yet?”

Dao Heart…

Hearing this question, Wenren Sheng pulled a face and grumbled softly, “You can’t just tell people your Dao Heart casually. How do you not even know that?”

He Mu snapped back to attention and forced a smile. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

“Whatever,” Wenren Sheng muttered. “I haven’t comprehended my Dao Heart anyway.”

After the clan leader died, Wenren Sheng lived in Cangzhou City and spent a long time in a daze. His cultivation even fell behind by a lot.

It was only recently, after hearing about the Rebirth Incense, that his spirits lifted a bit.

If he could really seize this chance to see Wenren Jing below the Yellow Springs, maybe he could find his Dao Heart.

Wenren Sheng was fairly optimistic. He pursed his lips and smiled again at He Mu. “But it’s fine. A Dao Heart is something you have to find slowly anyway.”

“If you’re blindly confident and just decide on your Dao Heart willy-nilly, only to regret it later and get forced into Qi Deviation, that would be really stupid.”

He Mu: “…”

He felt like those words were totally throwing shade at him, so he could only awkwardly rub his neck.

Wenren Sheng didn’t notice his discomfort. He leaned in to look at him and asked with a grin, “Bro, you’re a sword cultivator too, right? Which sect are you from?”

“Me?” He Mu said. “I’m a loose cultivator. I learned my sword arts on my own.”

Wenren Sheng’s eyes lit up. “That sounds just like someone I know. He self-taught his sword arts too, and then ascended as a loose cultivator. Pretty awesome, huh?”

He Mu curved his eyes. “That’s some real talent.”

Wenren Sheng patted his shoulder encouragingly. “Keep at it, Brother. You can do it too someday.”

He Mu fell silent. In just the time it took to burn half a stick of incense, he’d nearly finished a whole cup of tea.

This was even harder than negotiating with the Heavenly Court.

He Mu kept wanting to use Murong He’s identity to probe into Wenren Sheng’s life over the past two years, but he had to choose his words carefully, afraid of touching a sore spot and making him run off unhappy again.

With Wenren Sheng, he could only be cautious—like catching a sparrow. He couldn’t startle it, but he couldn’t let it go either.

He’d lost him once two years ago. He wouldn’t let go this time.

Wenren Sheng stayed in the private room a bit longer. When he glanced at the time outside, it was already nearly sunset.

He hurriedly jumped down from the bench and said hastily, “I gotta head back. I’m eating with Master tonight, and I’ll tell her about the seclusion then.”

“Get ready at home. See you tomorrow!”

With that, he turned into his original form as usual, jumped onto the table, snatched the last piece of pastry in his mouth with a grab of his paws, and leaped out the window.

As soon as his paw pads hit the ground, Wenren Sheng shifted back to human form. He landed lightly and leaped again, using Lightness Skill all the way back toward the Splendid Palace.

Now, as long as he convinced his master, he could sneak Murong He into his room tomorrow, and they’d have a way to go to the Underworld to see the clan leader.

Just thinking about the reunion soon made Wenren Sheng’s steps home lighter. The clacking of tiles under his feet even sounded like pleasant music.

By the time he arrived at the Splendid Palace, night had fallen.

As soon as Wenren Sheng stood at the entrance, he saw Yi Jinxiang standing there aggressively, holding a half-dead Emerald Green Snake in her hand.

Wenren Sheng’s heart jolted. He rushed forward. “What happened to her?!”

“Nothing,” Yi Jinxiang said flatly. “She just ate some pastry from a certain little trickster and passed out cold.”

With that, Wenren Sheng immediately realized his sneaking out last night had been exposed.

His wolf ears flattened back instantly. His face showed a pitiful, guilty expression begging for forgiveness. He carefully clung to Yi Jinxiang’s arm and admitted his mistake.

“Master… I’m sorry…”

Yi Jinxiang raised a brow. “Begging for mercy now?”

Wenren Sheng nodded without any backbone. “I came back to apologize to you, Master.”

“How about this? I’ll punish myself—ground me for half a month, no leaving the room. A whole month works too!”

“Self-punish?”

Yi Jinxiang thought his obedience today was unusually suspicious. She tossed the Emerald Green Snake to the ground and grabbed Wenren Sheng by the scruff of his neck.

“Wenren Sheng, what are you up to?”

The snake demon’s skin was chillingly cold. Wenren Sheng shivered at the nape, whimpering.

“Nooo! I was wrong, Master! I snuck out to play last night! Sorry, sorry! I won’t do it again. I’ll go study right now, Master!”

Yi Jinxiang ignored his pleas and pressed, “Who did you sneak out to see last night? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Huh? No one, I didn’t see anyone—”

“Hm?”

“I… I went to see a snake demon friend!”

Yi Jinxiang narrowed her eyes. “Snake demon?”

A snake demon in Cangzhou City that she didn’t know?

Wenren Sheng dodged her hand, pouted, and said, “Just a snake demon. He insisted I meet him at night, so last night I gave Sister Emerald Green Snake some sleeping meds…”

“But I’ve sorted it out with him now. We’ll meet during the day from now on. Tomorrow I’ll bring him back to play. Yeah… last time before grounding, okay?”

Yi Jinxiang frowned and stared at Wenren Sheng for a long time.

He looked guilty no matter how she looked at him, but she couldn’t figure out what the kid was thinking.

After racking her brain with no clue, she finally sighed and compromised. “Fine. For the next half month, you stay obediently in your room. No going out. Got it?”

Wenren Sheng nodded repeatedly. “Got it!”

With that, he picked up the Emerald Green Snake from the ground, placed her on the grass, gave Yi Jinxiang a farewell bow, and hurriedly ran back to his room.

He ran all the way, heart pounding as he patted his chest.

Close call.

Luckily, that flash of inspiration not only kept him from being found out but also solved the seclusion issue.

Two birds with one stone!

Wenren Sheng felt the joy of surviving a disaster. In the end, he pounced onto his bed, hugged the bedding, and rolled around twice.

“This way, I can just bring Murong He in tomorrow.”

He chuckled sneakily, covering his face with the quilt.

“Wenren Sheng, you’re so smart…”

The next day.

Wenren Sheng arrived at the meeting spot with Murong He on time.

He looked around but didn’t see Murong He. Just as suspicion rose in his heart, a soft voice called from nearby.

“Wenren Sheng.”

“Bro?” Wenren Sheng’s wolf ears twitched. “Where are you?”

“Look on the ground.” The voice said again.

Wenren Sheng looked down and peered at the ground. Sure enough, there was a coiled figure.

Pushing the grass aside, he saw a little red-and-white snake lying there in a dazed, half-asleep state.

“…………”

No way… this was it?

How could that be?

A demon’s original form usually wasn’t too different from their shapeshifted one. Like Yi Jinxiang—her true form was a giant python, and after shapeshifting, she was a tall woman.

Normally, given Murong He’s height and build, his original form should be something like a flood dragon or python. How could it be a corn snake?

And… that voice hadn’t come from the ground at all.

It was more like it came from behind him, right by his ear, as if whispered while nipping his ear.

Despite all the suspicions, Wenren Sheng still tried calling out softly,

“Murong He?”

The little snake flicked its tongue.

“…………”

“…Fine!”

Though he couldn’t convince himself, Wenren Sheng still tucked the little snake into his pocket.

He patted the snake’s head. “Bro, I’ll take you in now. Don’t reveal yourself later. My master doesn’t like me hanging out with jianghu folks.”

With that, he looked around. Seeing no one nearby, he turned and hurried back, steps quick and urgent.

Behind him, two shoe prints suddenly appeared on a patch of grass.

The invisible He Mu sighed faintly.

“He’s way too easy to fool…”

Getting his identity exposed would be trouble, but as long as it was this snake, it was fine.

Because the snake in Wenren Sheng’s pocket wasn’t He Mu at all—just a random corn snake he’d picked up from the lawn.

The real He Mu was invisible, standing right behind Wenren Sheng. He’d been watching him talk to the little snake the whole time.

He hadn’t expected such a crude trick to completely fool Wenren Sheng.

He Mu couldn’t help feeling lucky.

Good thing he’d found Wenren Sheng after just two years of searching. Otherwise, who knows if someone might have taken advantage in the meantime, forcing him to use some unsavory methods.

It seemed Wenren Sheng had preserved what little kindness he had left.

Feeling immensely grateful, He Mu shook his head and hid his form, following Wenren Sheng all the way to the palace gates.

The guard on duty today was Yi Jinxiang’s personal attendant, named Ye Lan—a stern, unsmiling man.

When he saw Wenren Sheng, he stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

“Young Master.”

Wenren Sheng returned the salute, then nervously held up the little snake. “Um, can I bring a friend back to play?”

Ye Lan replied, “The City Lord already told me. Please enter, Young Master.”

It was that easy!

Looks like his performance last night was flawless. Master hadn’t suspected a thing.

Wenren Sheng nodded happily, cradled the snake in his palm, and hurried toward the central palace.

He Mu followed like a guardian spirit, planning to stick with Wenren Sheng all the way to his room.

But as he brushed past Ye Lan, Ye Lan’s expression shifted. He keenly sensed something.

“Human…?”

His snake pupils contracted. His wrist pressed against his blade as he turned toward He Mu.

He Mu didn’t turn back.

Sensing Ye Lan’s gaze, he expressionlessly pulled a copper coin from his collar and flicked it, hitting Ye Lan’s wrist.

“Urk!”

The coin numbed Ye Lan’s hand, and his blade clanged to the ground.

Ye Lan gritted his teeth, pressed his wrist hard with his thumb, and looked up unwillingly again.

But that human scent was gone, leaving only a tiny figure bouncing toward the central palace in the distance.

Although they had passed through the main gate, they were still in Yi Jinxiang’s Splendid Palace and could be discovered at any moment, so Wenren Sheng still didn’t feel entirely at ease.

He hurried along with quick steps and soon made it back to his side room. He set the little snake down on the table and slammed the door shut with a thud.

“Brother, we’re good now,” Wenren Sheng said as he dragged over a chair and sat down in front of the little snake, panting heavily. “No time to waste—let’s discuss how to use this Rebirth Incense first.”

“Oh right, Master is definitely coming to see me tonight, so you need to find a way to hide for now.”

He Mu stood beside Wenren Sheng, frowning at the nameless little snake on the table.

Trouble. How was he supposed to seamlessly “transform into human form”?

To make matters worse, the snake was extremely affectionate toward Wenren Sheng. It flicked out its tongue, slithered forward, and wound its way up his hand starting from his fingertip.

Seeing “Murong He” act so intimate with him, Wenren Sheng immediately blushed and hurriedly said, “Brother, don’t do that. I don’t like others touching me…”

But the little snake ignored him and clung tightly to Wenren Sheng’s hand, resting its head on the pad of his index finger.

“…”

He Mu wasn’t pleased. He flicked his finger through the air, sending a tiny strand of spiritual power that flung the little snake back onto the table.

Then, he cleared his throat lightly and said, “You open the door first.”

Wenren Sheng let out an “oh” and got up to open the door.

In the instant that light filtered through the door crack, He Mu swiftly tossed the corn snake outside. He then quickly dispelled the spell and reappeared behind Wenren Sheng.

Wenren Sheng turned around to find He Mu standing there perfectly fine.

“Brother,” he blinked. “It really is you?”

He Mu calmly took a seat by the table. “Who else could it be?”

Wenren Sheng pulled out a chair and sat down as well. “I was just wondering if you were some kind of invisibility expert who deliberately used a fake snake to trick me.”

He Mu didn’t blush or skip a beat. “You’re so dumb. Who would even think that?”

Hearing the other call him dumb, Wenren Sheng unhappily pursed his lips and muttered to himself in his heart, “You’re the dumb one, the dumbest in the world.”