Chapter 85:
IF: Childhood Friends [Extra] – What if he was brought back to Hutian.
When Yan Jingyu dashed into his parents’ courtyard, many of his brothers and sisters had already gathered outside the door.
He walked all the way into the room. His mother was whispering something to his father. He had sharp ears and heard everything.
“This child looks to be about the same age as Jingyu. I don’t know where he learned such a strange cultivation technique… to be able to take several lives with a flick of his finger. Fortunately, I arrived in time and didn’t let him commit a massacre.”
“He should be practicing a demonic evil art…” Yan Tingxuan had clearly already checked the other’s pulse. Du Qiyun nodded slightly. “I also know, but he is so young, and…”
They suddenly saw Yan Jingyu, and the two of them stopped at the same time.
Yan Jingyu straightened his chest. He had just turned eleven this year, and his curiosity was at its peak. He walked over openly and said straightforwardly, “I heard you picked up a little demon lord.”
His parents didn’t hide it from him. Yan Tingxuan let out a light sigh. “Your mother picked him up.”
They moved aside. Yan Jingyu saw at a glance the young man with disheveled hair above. He did indeed look to be about his own age. The most important thing was that his own Heavenly Mandate Eyes actually couldn’t see his entire fate.
He moved a little closer. His mother had already timely pulled him back. “This child is evil. You shouldn’t get too close to him.”
“Since he is evil, why did you bring him back?”
Du Qiyun’s expression paused slightly. She then exchanged a glance with Yan Tingxuan. Under the latter’s instruction, his mother pulled Yan Jingyu’s hand again, took two steps to the side, and still used sound transmission. “You have been sensible since you were a child. Your parents won’t hide it from you. I suspect he may be a phoenix orphan.”
Yan Jingyu’s eyes widened. Of course, he knew about the phoenix clan. He said subconsciously, “But…”
“You weren’t born when the phoenix clan was annihilated, but I have seen those resentful souls with my own eyes.” His mother cast her gaze over there, her expression compassionate. “Just now, I tried to probe his meridians. There seems to be some residual flame fire in his body. I just don’t know how he managed to disguise himself so much like a human.”
Of course, Yan Jingyu didn’t doubt his mother’s judgment. She was the top beast tamer in the immortal sects and knew the habits of all demonic beasts very clearly. Although many high-level demonic beasts would not submit to the human race, for a creature like the phoenix clan, she must have also tried to contact them before.
So it’s a little phoenix…
“But since he has deliberately hidden his identity, we will just pretend not to know.” His mother then gently instructed, “He has just entered the demonic path, and he is so young. Maybe we can still pull him back to the righteous path.”
Yan Jingyu immediately nodded.
He also suggested to his parents that he should be the one to watch over the other. The reason was simple: “I look to be about his age. It should be easier for him to let down his guard with me here than with you.”
Du Qiyun showed a look of understanding. She knew that he was curious about this little phoenix and wanted to be friends with him, but he was pretending to be quite serious.
But Yan Jingyu’s words were also reasonable. This little phoenix looked to be a very vigilant one. She had spent a lot of effort to bring him back, and in the end, she only instructed Yan Jingyu to be careful with everything and to notify his parents in time if anything happened.
Yan Jingyu directly moved the person into his own Tinglin Courtyard. While watching over him, he took the Vast Expanse Book he had borrowed from the Treasure Pavilion and carefully read the books about the phoenix clan, looking at the pictures above, and trying to match them with the person lying on the bed.
…It doesn’t look like it. No matter how I look, it doesn’t look like it.
After a phoenix turned into a human, it actually looked so much like a human, and there were no phoenix characteristics on its body.
Yan Jingyu rested his chin on his hand and looked at the other’s sleeping face.
He found that this little phoenix looked a little like a girl, but the occasionally furrowed eyebrows made him look a little more uneasy and with a hidden hostility.
Yan Jingyu pulled the quilt up for him and from time to time, he would pretend to check his pulse.
His father had already given him a spiritual medicine, which had soothed the chaotic demonic energy in his meridians. By the second half of the night, he could clearly feel that the other was sleeping much more soundly.
Yan Jingyu also relaxed and directly set up a small bed at the head of his bed. At the same time, he made himself smaller and lay down softly on it.
When Liao Chen opened his eyes, he saw at a glance a bed top he had never seen before. He sat up from the bed with a jolt, and with a turn of his face, he saw the small person with light breathing at the head of the bed.
The room was bright and clean, and he could vaguely hear the sound of the wind passing through the green forest. Liao Chen stared at the magnificent little bed that was propped up on the small table by the bed, and also the little thing that was shrunk inside, which at a glance was a living thing, and fell into a brief silence.
He only remembered that his cultivation technique seemed to have had some problems. On the way, he had met a group of cultivators who said he was some little demon lord and wanted to kill him together. He didn’t remember anything after that.
…What is this place? And what race is this thing? It’s so…
He reached out his hand, tried to measure it, and found that the other was probably not even as big as his palm.
He’s sleeping so soundly, he’s not afraid I’ll eat him.
He then sent out his divine sense to the surroundings and noticed that he seemed to be in a certain courtyard, with an endless green forest beside it. There was also a large begonia tree in the courtyard, and there should be a formation designed around it to keep it in bloom all year round.
It didn’t look dangerous… and the little thing beside him.
He was suddenly stunned, because that little thing had actually opened its eyes in a daze and looked up at him.
Then his face lit up. “You’re awake!”
Liao Chen immediately became wary. “Where is this?”
Yan Jingyu had originally wanted to get down from the small bed directly, but seeing him so cautious, he briefly stopped this thought and still stood on the small bed very harmlessly, saying happily, “This is the Yan Clan of Hutian. You are now in Yaoguang Valley.”
“Hutian City?!” Liao Chen’s face changed slightly. He instantly flashed outside. Yan Jingyu, caught off guard, quickly grabbed his sleeve. “Where are you going—”
His person was small, and his hands were also small. He held the other’s sleeve and swayed like a wave. Liao Chen flashed in the nearby green forest, but suddenly saw a group of young cultivators on patrol walking towards him. He immediately grabbed the Yan Jingyu on his sleeve, held him in his palm, and while hiding behind a giant tree, he stared at the little thing in his hand with a threatening gaze, and said grimly, “If you dare to make a sound, I’ll choke you.”
Yan Jingyu was a little uncomfortable being held by him, but he was not afraid. He just looked at him with a somewhat curious and well-behaved gaze, nodded obediently, and because his arms were also held by him, he only made a gesture of pursing his lips tightly.
Liao Chen stared at his mouth, and at the same time, he warily scanned the surroundings with his divine sense. He heard the patrolling cultivator say, “Is junior brother still guarding that little demon lord?”
“Yes, it’s said that he was placed in the Tinglin Courtyard. Don’t you think master and mistress are really too big-hearted? How old is junior brother? What if that demon lord wakes up and wants to kill someone?”
“Alright, alright. With junior brother’s talent, is it your turn to worry?”
Liao Chen stared at the few people leaving, then looked at the Yan Jingyu in his hand, who was still well-behaved and trying hard to make an expression of absolutely not opening his mouth.
“Are you Yan Jingyu’s spiritual pet?”
“…” Yan Jingyu blinked. “Do you know Yan Jingyu?”
“I don’t.” Liao Chen continued to hide deeper into the green forest. Yan Jingyu couldn’t help but ask, “How do people outside talk about Yan Jingyu?”
He had never left Hutian since he was a child. One reason was that he was young, and his mother did not allow him to enter the world. The other reason was that Hutian itself was the supreme city of the immortal sects, and all resources were tilted towards this place. There was no need to go to the world to compete with ordinary cultivators for those three melons and two dates.
But Yan Jingyu had always longed for the world. He wanted to see a bigger world, wanted to know what kind of common people his cultivated path of the common people was protecting. He also wanted to know how the world viewed immortals, but the senior brothers who had entered the world did not talk to him much. He knew in his heart that his parents did not want him to enter the world, so they also did not allow others to tempt him.
Yan Jingyu often felt puzzled. Did his parents just want him to stay in Hutian and be a fake immortal on a pedestal?
Liao Chen did not say much to him and still went deeper into the forest like a whirlwind. Yan Jingyu did not get an answer, but kindly reminded him, “There is a cliff in the forest, and there is a formation on the cliff. It’s not easy for you to get out.”
Liao Chen shuttled through the forest without a word for half an incense stick’s time. Not until he saw the floating island in the air did he confirm that the other had not lied to him.
He picked up Yan Jingyu again and said with a threat, “Where is the exit?”
“The exit is at the main gate.” Yan Jingyu struggled to pull his small arm out of his palm, stretched it out in a certain direction, and said, “But this is the Yan Clan of Hutian. Many people in the world want to come and become apprentices. Are you really going to leave?”
Liao Chen continued to hold him and began to probe towards the exit. Half an hour later, he returned to the deserted cliff, frowning as he looked at the thing in his hand. “What on earth does the Yan family mean?”
“The Yan family are good people.” Yan Jingyu’s eyes were very clear. He said seriously, “You fell into demonic deviation, and it was Lord Yan and Immortal Aunt Du who saved you. They hope you will stay in the Yan estate, get rid of the demonic obstacles, and cultivate properly as an immortal.”
“Cultivate as an immortal?” Liao Chen sneered. “I hate immortals the most in my life.”
He held Yan Jingyu tightly again, his huge, handsome face directly approaching the other, and said sinisterly, “Tell me, how do I get out?”
“You can get out from the main gate.” Yan Jingyu was not angry, nor was he afraid. “If you really want to leave, you can just tell me… my master’s parents, they are not unreasonable people. They will not force you to stay.”
Liao Chen stared at him for a while, but still did not go to summon Yan Tingxuan and Du Qiyun. Instead, he directly took Yan Jingyu and, without a word, pressed himself against the giant rock on the cliff. There was only a small foothold here, about the size of a table, with the cliff directly in front, and a sloping giant rock behind that seemed as if it could push a person down at any time.
Liao Chen directly tied Yan Jingyu with a silk string and began to regulate his breath here.
The tiny Yan Jingyu barely stood up straight on his thigh and poked his head out to look outside.
He found that the angle the other had chosen was very tricky. The people who walked over from the green forest would not notice this corner at a glance.
But this place was clearly very dangerous. If the wind were a little stronger, it seemed as if it would blow a person down directly.
Yan Jingyu thought for a moment. Although he was tied up, he still tried his best to emit a little light and set up a spiritual energy shield on this side of the cliff. Of course, Liao Chen could not completely let down his guard against him. Although he was meditating with his eyes closed, he had been paying attention to the little thing’s movements. Not until a barrier the size of a tabletop was slowly erected in front of him did he slowly open his eyes.
The sky had darkened. The Yan Jingyu on his leg had his hands tied behind his back, but he was still sleeping soundly on his leg.
Liao Chen was quiet for a short while.
He had never seen such a big-hearted person in this world. He wasn’t afraid that he would eat him?
He directly picked up the silk string on Yan Jingyu. Yan Jingyu’s body was suspended in the air. He soon blinked his eyes and woke up drowsily, looking at him with a dazed expression.
“…” Liao Chen pursed his lips and finally gently placed him in his palm, watching as he sat up in his palm, still well-behaved and dazed. “Are you of the ant clan?”
Besides ants, he couldn’t think of any other race in this world that was so… petite.
Yan Jingyu: “…”
He was a little amused for a moment. As he shook his head, he said with a straight face, “I am of the thumb clan.”
“The thumb clan?”
Liao Chen nodded and measured his height with his finger. “It is indeed a little similar.”
…As expected of a little phoenix from the mountains. The phoenix clan has been extinct for a long time, so I’m afraid no one has taught him these common senses. He doesn’t even know the mustard seed art. But there are indeed very few people in this world who can practice the mustard seed art. Yan Jingyu had only figured it out himself because he was curious. In the entire Yan Clan, he was the only one who could do it.
This art looked simple, but it was actually not easy. It required compressing one’s own small world, and a slight carelessness could lead to a mental backlash. And once compressed, the spiritual energy would also decrease. The more it was compressed, the more the original cultivation would also shrink infinitely. This was also why Liao Chen had felt that he was harmless the first time he saw him.
In the past, Yan Jingyu did not use it. He was the kind of person who would be fresh for a few days after learning an art, and then basically not use it. In this world, only a cultivation genius like him would dare to waste time on these useless cultivation techniques. Others would be rushing to break through their realms as soon as they had some time.
Therefore, Yan Jingyu was often reprimanded by his father for being a dilettante.
“What’s your name?” Yan Jingyu was not in a hurry to have him untied. From the other’s attitude, he clearly did not trust the Yan Clan. If he were really the only orphan of the phoenix clan, he didn’t know how much suffering he had endured all these years to have developed such a vigilant personality. If he could make him let down his guard, Yan Jingyu didn’t mind suffering a little himself.
The wind on the cliff at night was very strong. The barrier that Yan Jingyu had tried so hard to set up was already a little shaky. Liao Chen reinforced it again. “My name is Liao Chen.”
The two of them looked at each other on the edge of the cliff. The wind surged up from below, and the clouds and mist floated past their faces and then dispersed. Yan Jingyu had been waiting for his inquiry but did not get it. He had no choice. “My name is Little A-Yu.”
As he spoke, he secretly stuck out his tongue.
This was the name the book spirit in the Vast Expanse Book had given him. He called Yan Tingxuan Little A-Xuan, and Du Qiyun Little A-Yun. Yan Jingyu was Little A-Yu. No one had ever called him that in the past, but at this moment, he was so small, to secretly use this name… it wasn’t really deceiving him.
He secretly observed the other’s expression and was very surprised to find that the other actually had no other thoughts, but just said “mm.” “It suits you very well.”
He was exquisitely carved. He guessed that this little thing should be the spiritual pet raised by the young master of the Yan Clan. He had heard that the people of Hutian liked to raise spiritual pets.
The two of them fell silent again. It seemed that besides making a fierce expression and a vicious tone when attacking others, Liao Chen simply could not communicate normally.
“Are you hungry?” Yan Jingyu, based on his own physiological needs, asked again. Liao Chen shook his head. “If you tell me how to leave, I will return you.”
“There are barriers in other places. It’s not like you don’t know what kind of place the Yan Clan is, right?” Yan Jingyu’s tone was helpless. “The more you want not to disturb others, the more trouble you may bring to yourself. It’s better to explain the situation to Lord Yan openly. He is really a good person.”
Liao Chen was silent.
After a while, he looked at the slightly squirming Yan Jingyu in his hand and finally raised his hand to remove the silk string from his body. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes.” Yan Jingyu said, “I haven’t eaten all day today.”
Liao Chen was quiet for a few moments, then gently placed him on his thigh. He rummaged in his tattered Qiankun Pouch for a while and took out a piece of raw meat that had been well-preserved with spiritual energy, handing it to Yan Jingyu like a small mountain.
Yan Jingyu reacted for a while, looking at his dark and cold eyes, and said in a daze, “You, you want me to eat this?”
“You eat the food of the human race?”
“It’s not about eating or not eating the food of the human race…” Yan Jingyu muttered, “At least it should be cooked before eating, right?”
Liao Chen took out a small knife, lowered his head, and cut off a piece of raw meat. A flame popped out from his fingertip, and soon it was roasted until it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. He handed it over again.
That was just a wisp on his finger, but in Yan Jingyu’s hand, he had to hold it. He sat on Liao Chen’s leg, first smelled it, and was actually a little reluctant to eat it… Although there was a little bit of a meaty fragrance, considering that he didn’t know how long this meat had been preserved with his spiritual energy, he had never eaten such unfresh food…
But Liao Chen had been looking at him, his eyeballs dark, and he didn’t know what he was thinking.
Yan Jingyu just had to take a bite in front of him. Fortunately, he was in a mustard seed state now and couldn’t eat much to begin with. He puffed out his cheeks, pretending to chew with great relish. Seeing his body slowly relax, he said, “If you often eat the food of the human race, you will be domesticated by the human race, and one day you will forget who you really are like a dog.”
Yan Jingyu was stunned for a moment, then slowly swallowed the roasted meat in his mouth. “You… hate the human race?”
“I don’t hate them.” Liao Chen said calmly, “I just want to remind myself of my identity… were your ancestors also spiritual pets for humans?”
“…” Your ancestors were spiritual pets for humans. Yan Jingyu inexplicably felt that he was scolding him, but looking at his expression, it clearly wasn’t like that. He had no choice. “I am very good with… hmm, Yan Jingyu.”
“You mean ‘good’ as in he gives you good food, and also gives you this kind of small bed to sleep on?”
He flipped his palm. Yan Jingyu was stunned again. “You, how is my bed here with you?”
“I took it.” Liao Chen didn’t feel that there was anything wrong. “This kind of exquisite little thing is just an illusion of the human race. Their real purpose is to enslave you, and one day they will eat you.”
“…” Yan Jingyu had no choice. “I, my master is not that kind of person.”
Liao Chen frowned, his face unhappy. “He is the son of the current supreme being of Hutian. What good thing can he be?”
“…Lord Yan is also not the kind of person you think.”
“If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have captured me and brought me here.”
“They were trying to expel the demonic obstacles for you…”
“What demonic obstacles?!” Liao Chen said coldly, “I worked so hard and finally entered the demonic path. Whoever wants to cripple my demonic cultivation, I will fight them to the death!”
Yan Jingyu: “…”
Aren’t you a demon? Why do you have to enter the demonic path…
But then he thought again, could this be a way for him to deliberately conceal his true form? That wouldn’t be good. His parents had originally wanted to help him with good intentions, but now it had turned into opposing him…
“You, don’t be angry.”
Yan Jingyu pouted. Liao Chen looked at the small ‘thumb clan’ in front of him, held it in for a bit, and frowned. “I will find a way to escape from the Yan Clan, but you will never be able to go back to your master’s side.”
“…Ah?”
“If I let you go back, they will surely chase after me and eradicate me.” Liao Chen said firmly, “I will give you two choices now. One, I will kill you now. Two, I will erase the spiritual contract for you, and from now on, you will serve me as your master. Choose.”
How can you change your face so quickly?!
Yan Jingyu said in a daze, “But…”
“It seems you are very reluctant to part with Yan Jingyu.” Liao Chen said calmly, “Then let me decide for you.”
His fingertips flickered with spiritual light, and he directly pointed his finger at Yan Jingyu’s glabella. Yan Jingyu thought to himself that it was not good. Once he really saw his spiritual platform clearly, he would understand that he was not a spiritual pet at all. With his aversion to the human race, he might directly take his life.
He weighed between exposing himself and stopping Liao Chen. In his haste, he hugged the finger that the other had reached out.
Liao Chen: “…”
A little youth of more than ten years old, a tiny one in a mustard seed state. Not only were his cheeks soft, but when he suddenly climbed onto his finger, he could feel that his body was also soft and tender.
Yan Jingyu was trying very hard to hold his finger. For a moment, his brain was also a little blank, not knowing what he should say.
Liao Chen suddenly withdrew his finger. Yan Jingyu was light to begin with, and was suddenly brought flying by him, directly crashing into his chest. With a muffled sound, he was dizzy and fell on his back.
Liao Chen subconsciously caught him again, his brow furrowed slightly. “So delicate…”
Before his voice had finished, a tracking pearl suddenly flew over and stopped in front of the two of them. A pleasantly surprised voice came from inside. “Jingyu, you are here?!”
Before Liao Chen could react, Yan Jingyu had suddenly opened his eyes in his palm. With a carp’s leap, he jumped up and directly pounced on top of the tracking pearl, his body covering the pearl, his curve facing down, using his small body to block his family’s search.
At the same time, he showed a rather innocent expression to Liao Chen.
Liao Chen: “…?!!!”
