Chapter 67

Dao Qing carried Rabbit Tuan in his bosom and advanced with the Shrink Ground to Inch technique, soon arriving at the source of the bloody scent.

The closer they got, the clearer the human cries, wails, and screams became. The Man-Eating Demons sliced open human flesh, shattered bones, and devoured bloody limbs with relish, while the weaker ones crouched on the ground, greedily lapping up scattered bits of meat and brains.

Rabbit Tuan clutched the silvery-white Reverse Scale and cautiously poked his little head out, only to witness this shocking, bloody scene. He felt so nauseous that he nearly vomited.

Terrified and trembling all over, he shrank back and covered himself with the Reverse Scale.

This piece of Reverse Scale contained rich Demon Power, filled with Dao Qing’s scent. Only by hugging the dragon scale tightly did he feel a bit safer.

Rabbit Tuan hurriedly scratched at Dao Qing, asking anxiously, “Are we going to save the people who are still alive?”

In that brief glance, Rabbit Tuan recognized that these humans seemed to be a merchant caravan. They had originally numbered many, equipped with dozens of strong young guards, but now most of the guards were dead. Even the packhorses had their bellies gutted and lay on the ground, barely alive and whimpering in agony, with goods scattered everywhere.

He desperately wanted to save them, but he was powerless on his own and could only rely on Dao Qing. However, he couldn’t make decisions for Dao Qing—the choice to save them or not rested entirely with him. Even if Dao Qing chose not to, Rabbit Tuan couldn’t blame him.

Fortunately, Dao Qing quickly gave an affirmative reply. “We will save them.”

Rabbit Tuan’s heart leaped with joy, but he saw that Dao Qing didn’t charge forward immediately. Instead, he used the Shapeshifting Technique to change his appearance.

The youth’s slender, bamboo-like figure stretched and grew taller, transforming into a tall, muscular adult man. His silver hair and golden eyes turned into pitch-black hair and eyes, while his dragon horns and Demon Qi were concealed. From the outside, he appeared completely human, without a trace of demonic nature.

His facial features didn’t change much—it was as if he had grown up overnight, from a handsome youth into a mature man with deep eyes, long brows, a high nose bridge, thin pale lips, and an exceedingly handsome yet coldly aloof and unapproachable demeanor.

Only the vermilion cinnabar mark between his brows remained bright red, softening his otherwise chillingly powerful aura.

Rabbit Tuan stared at him in a daze, unaccustomed to Dao Qing’s new look for a moment. Dao Qing glanced down at him, pressed his little head back into his collar, drew a chilling Dharma Sword from his sleeve, and walked toward the pools of blood and mutilated corpses.

Rabbit Tuan used the Reverse Scale like a blanket over himself and quietly listened to the sounds outside. In no time, the agonized screams of Man-Eating Demons echoed around them. Dao Qing said to him, “You can come out now.”

Rabbit Tuan poked his head out from under the Reverse Scale and saw that the demons who had been slaughtering humans moments ago now lay dead everywhere. Their dark purple blood mingled with the humans’ bright red, emitting a foul stench. Severed limbs and entrails intertwined, forming a living hell of flesh and blood.

Only a handful of the caravan survivors remained, most of them badly injured. Dao Qing found the most severely wounded and fed them Healing Pills, saving their lives.

Overjoyed to have survived the ordeal, the people knelt and thanked him profusely.

Dao Qing remained expressionless and said flatly, “The bloody scent here is too heavy and will easily attract more Man-Eating Demons. Don’t delay—pack up and leave as soon as possible.”

At Dao Qing’s command, the merchants and guards didn’t dare linger. Some carried the wounded, others sorted undamaged goods. They quickly organized themselves, collected the letters of final wishes from the deceased, and set the bodies ablaze.

In this dark era overrun by demons, merchants staked their lives on every journey. Death could come at any moment, and few met a peaceful end, so they all carried letters of final wishes. As long as one companion survived, they would do their utmost to fulfill them.

The caravan leader earnestly invited Dao Qing to travel with them, and Dao Qing didn’t refuse. He carried Rabbit Tuan onto the most luxurious carriage.

In this era, many nations suffered constant demon incursions, their power waning but not yet extinguished. This caravan hailed from an ancient western kingdom, their features quite different from those of Great Yong, but fortunately, they all spoke the official language of Great Yong.

They headed east toward Shangjing in Great Yong, the same direction as Rabbit Tuan and Dao Qing. After some conversation, Rabbit Tuan and Dao Qing finally learned that the current year was the fourth of Yongshou, over a hundred years removed from their own time.

The carriage was warm and comfortable. The leader brought the finest pastries and candies from their goods, but Rabbit Tuan lay listlessly on the blanket, hugging the Reverse Scale. He had no appetite even for the sweet treats and remained saddened by the deaths.

The caravan included family members of the merchants and guards. While gathering remains, they wailed in heartbroken anguish.

One woman had been saved by her husband’s sacrifice. He had been torn apart by demons to protect her, and she loved him deeply. Unable to accept his death, she threw herself into the flames burning the corpses.

Dao Qing fortunately saved her with a spell, but her image—body engulfed in flames yet smiling serenely—burned deeply into Rabbit Tuan’s mind, impossible to forget.

Dao Qing had sat quietly meditating since boarding. He finally emerged from his trance.

Opening his eyes, he saw Rabbit Tuan unmoving and scooped him up onto his lap, gently stroking his soft body. “Don’t be afraid.”

Rabbit Tuan nuzzled into Dao Qing’s palm. The warm hand and familiar scent soothed his fear and sorrow perfectly. He needed Dao Qing right now.

He curled up in Dao Qing’s palm and slept. When he woke, Dao Qing remained in the same position, quietly gazing down at him, as if never averting his eyes.

“You’re awake.” Dao Qing picked up a pastry from the plate and held it to Rabbit Tuan’s mouth. “Eat.”

Rabbit Tuan lay on his hand and slowly nibbled it away, regaining some energy.

He climbed up, sat dazedly for a while, then suddenly asked Dao Qing, “Why do Man-Eating Demons even exist in this world? If there were no Man-Eating Demons, everyone—humans and demons alike—would be so much happier, and so many fewer people would die.”

Dao Qing stroked his little head but replied, “Not necessarily. Even without Man-Eating Demons, fights between humans and demons, or humans and humans, would never stop. This world is destined to be a hell of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.”

Rabbit Tuan grew even more depressed and butted his head against Dao Qing’s finger. “Can’t you say something nice to comfort me? Do you have to be so harsh?”

“…” Dao Qing paused. “I’m trying to comfort you. Is what I said that harsh?”

Rabbit Tuan looked up at him and saw he was serious. He suddenly laughed, flopped softly into Dao Qing’s palm, and licked his fingertip with his little tongue. “It is harsh. Stop struggling—you’re just a mud eel who can’t say nice things.”

Though he said that, he undeniably felt better. What Dao Qing said didn’t matter; knowing he wanted to comfort him was enough.

Dao Qing withdrew his finger, avoiding Rabbit Tuan’s soft little tongue. “Don’t do that.”

Golden light flickered faintly in his eyes. Seeing this, Rabbit Tuan didn’t dare lick his finger again.

He looked at Dao Qing’s black eyes and hair, and his mature, handsome face, finding it all awkward no matter how he viewed it. He asked, “Why did you specially change into this form to save them? Is there a special reason?”

“I can’t appear in demonic form before humans, or it would surely provoke suspicion and chaos.”

Dao Qing explained, “Humans only trust another human to save them. Once a demon appears, they assume harm—even if I revealed my true form right now to save them, they would still fear and dread me, scheming to eliminate me.”

Rabbit Tuan blinked in surprise. “No way. But you’re their savior.”

“Don’t trust human nature,” Dao Qing said indifferently. “You’ll only end up disappointed.”

“Fine…”

Rabbit Tuan muttered. Though he couldn’t imagine the woman willing to burn herself for her husband turning hostile or murderous toward them, he conceded Dao Qing was right. “You’re the farsighted one.”

“It’s not that I’m particularly cautious,” Dao Qing said. “I just have more experience.”

Rabbit Tuan asked curiously, “You have similar experiences?”

“Yes.”

Dao Qing nodded but offered no further explanation—clearly an unpleasant memory.

Rabbit Tuan didn’t press and turned to Dao Qing himself. “You say you have more experience than me—how old are you exactly? I bet you’re younger than me.”

Dao Qing looked at him. “How old are you?”

Rabbit Tuan counted on his round rabbit paws. “We’re in the fourth year of Yongshou now. I was born in the first year, so I’m three years old this year. Were you even born yet?”

Dao Qing replied, “Right now, I should be tempering my bones in the Thunder Pool, enduring forty-nine heavenly thunderbolts every ten days. The fourth year of Yongshou is my thirteenth year.”

“…”

Rabbit Tuan gaped with his three-petaled mouth. “Fine, you’re older and more experienced than me. How many bad things have you done to get struck by lightning every day?”

Dao Qing said, “It’s a necessary trial for the Dragon Clan to enter the world. We live in hidden realms— the mundane world is extremely dangerous for us. To walk among them, we must undergo twenty years of Thunder Pool refinement to face those perils.”

Rabbit Tuan’s eyes widened. “You’re so powerful as the Dragon Clan—what danger could threaten you enough to require twenty years of heavenly lightning?”

Dao Qing gazed out the window and uttered two words: “Cave Abyss.”

The temperature in the carriage dropped instantly. For some reason, Rabbit Tuan shuddered, a chilling sensation of being watched by cold eyes washing over them the moment those words were spoken.

The feeling vanished as quickly as it came. Dao Qing covered Rabbit Tuan with his sleeve and placed a hand on his back, picking him up.

He rubbed Rabbit Tuan’s round belly, getting a handful of rabbit milk. “Full again.”

Rabbit Tuan flailed his paws in struggle. “Finish your story first! How could Cave Abyss threaten the Dragon Clan? Is the legend of Heavenly Demons hunting dragons true… Ah!”

Warm rabbit milk flowed steadily into Dao Qing’s throat. Rabbit Tuan soon grew dazed from the sucking, his perked ears drooping softly. He murmured, “Drink gently… don’t hurt my baby…”

Dao Qing drained all the stored milk before setting Rabbit Tuan down and wiping the milk from his belly.

Rabbit Tuan weakly clutched his belly, glaring at Dao Qing’s impassive face. He knew Dao Qing was dodging the question by drinking the milk to distract him, but he wouldn’t let him off that easily.

Even if he kept asking, Dao Qing wouldn’t answer, so he mischievously posed a sharp question: “Just licking your fingers a few times gets you worked up, yet you drink so much of my rabbit milk every day and feel nothing? How come you don’t get…”

Before the last word “aroused” escaped his three-petaled mouth, Dao Qing pressed his fingers over it.

But this time, unlike before, Dao Qing didn’t just pinch his mouth—instead, he slipped his fingers inside, making Rabbit Tuan suck on them.

Dao Qing said, “I do feel it. I just deliberately don’t think about it. Why do you have to remind me?”

“Doing this won’t benefit you. Even in rabbit form, I have ways to mate with you.”

“For example, using the Shapeshifting Technique to make you my size.”

A spell fell on Rabbit Tuan, and his body rapidly enlarged into a plump rabbit half the size of Dao Qing, sitting dazedly on his lap.

“Not doing it doesn’t mean I can’t.”

Dao Qing warned, “Don’t provoke me, Qixue. You definitely don’t want to see what an out-of-control dragon looks like.”