Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 267 - Joining Hands (2)

The interior and exterior of Yue Mountain were quite different.

The forest within the mountain was not as dense as outside. A thin layer of snow covered the mountain, and as evening approaches, the sunset cast a warm golden hue over the entire mountain. It looked like a huge crimson gem, extraordinarily beautiful. No matter which direction one looked from, a beautiful white pagoda could be seen, almost blending with the golden sunset hanging on its tip.

The people of the Si You Kingdom seem to be environmentalists. They rarely left Yue Mountain and cherished every plant and tree there. They also had the ability to communicate with animals. The large bird and the flower leopard speaking just now were actually using communication magic from Qiong Niang and You Lang. All the animals on the mountain were their eyes, so if anyone harmed the forest, the two clans would immediately notice.

Zanxing had only seen communication magic used on people, not on beasts, and was wondering if it could be used on Mimi. But then she thought, if one day Mimi spoke to her in a deep, rough voice, it would be quite incongruous. So she dismissed the idea.

Qiong Niang and You Lang were each riding on a brown bear, leading the way for the group.

Gu Baiying walked beside Zanxing, and she felt a slight stir in her heart.

The young man’s fingers were long and cool, with calluses from years of holding a spear, brushing against her skin with a slight itch. Zanxing suddenly recalled the moment she escaped from the Ten Thousand Killing Formation when Gu Baiying had firmly held her hand, which was probably his most proactive approach towards her.

While she was thinking this, a cold, indifferent voice, tinged with a hint of anger, suddenly spoke in her ear: “If you’re going to hold hands, just hold hands. What are you touching?”

Zanxing raised her eyebrows and looked at Gu Baiying, who did not look at her and seemed to deliberately distance himself as if she were some kind of disaster. There was so much space between them that even Mimi could stand in it.

She didn’t say anything, just smiled. However, Pu Tao, walking beside her, had a noticeably grim expression.

Meanwhile, the Skeleton Woman was flirting with Mu Cengxiao, smiling sweetly as she lightly scratched his palm a couple of times, her tone ambiguous and lingering: “You spoke up for our young princess just now, young master. I see you’re handsome and talented. I wonder if you have a partner… It doesn’t matter if you do. I don’t mind having an extra person…”

Mu Cengxiao ignored her and focused intently on the hands of Meng Ying and Xiao Shuang, who were holding each other. His face darkened.

Xiao Shuang had always been very courteous to women. When they encountered rough terrain, he would softly remind Meng Ying, “Miss, be careful of the loose stones.” From a distance, they appeared quite well-matched.

In contrast, Tian Fangfang was not as fortunate. The wife of the Zhao Ling demon clan had been harmed by her husband in her previous life and hated men most in the world. She had a stern face and dragged Tian Fangfang forward, her nails almost digging into Tian Fangfang’s flesh. Meanwhile, Men Dong and Earth-Eater supported each other. One was a child, and the other had a broken leg, limping along with an appearance that suggested a bond through hardship.

Of course, there were also less harmonious interactions. The demons and humans had always been at odds, and even though they were forced to cooperate now, they still sneered at each other.

Someone scolded Mourning Star next to him: “What kind of clothes are these? Strange and bizarre outfits, truly an evil path, a demonic force.”

Mountain Spider nearby sneered and disdainfully examined the person up and down before slowly responding: “Some people don’t know where their confidence comes from. They’re so bland that they barely catch anyone’s interest, yet they can’t stand others being dazzling.”

The scolded cultivator choked a bit. It was an undisputed fact that the clothing of the cultivation world was always simple and plain. He glanced at Zanxing ahead and decided to target her: “That’s still better than your green-faced, grotesque appearance! And what about your so-called princess with her green hair? She wants to entice people from the cultivation world, but she should take a look at herself! Look at how close she’s getting to Gu Baiying, clearly trying to rekindle an old romance. Although I dislike Gu Baiying, he is a top talent in the cultivation world. How could he possibly be with such a demon? Don’t dream about it!”

“Pfft,” Skeleton Woman, who was chatting with Mu Cengxiao, turned around. Her pretty eyes smiled into crescent moons, but her words were not polite: “Does our young princess even need to entice anyone? Don’t flatter yourself. In the Chaos Palace alone, she has seven male pets, all obedient, considerate, and extraordinarily beautiful. Entice? That’s unnecessary!”

“That’s right, indeed! It’s like lifting yourself up the stairs by your own buttocks!” Mountain Spider quickly agreed.

The forest was quiet, and the voices were clearly heard by everyone. Zanxing maintained a calm expression, seemingly unconcerned with the idle talk around her. Gu Baiying’s brow twitched slightly, as if he was about to get angry, but he managed to restrain himself.

According to Qiong Niang, the shape of Yue Mountain changed automatically every few years. Lakes that were once here might disappear the next time, and barren areas could turn into flower fields. No wonder the map that Bu Jiang had given Zanxing earlier didn’t match at all.

After traveling in the mountains for a long time, the group reached a point where the sunset on the white tower was reduced to just a sliver of twilight on the rising hills. The two people in front stopped. You Lang got off the brown bear he was riding, patted the bear, and the bear let out a low growl before walking away into the distance.

“This is the Si You Kingdom,” Qiongniang said.

Zanxing looked ahead and paused. After a moment, she hesitantly asked, “Isn’t this… a village?”

Before her was a settlement.

The village was not large, built on a relatively flat hillside. The dirt road was very smooth and clean, with rows of houses on either side. These houses were all made of mud, with one side having white roofs and the other black roofs. They were all the same shape and size, giving a very orderly appearance.

Zanxing turned to Qiong Niang and asked, “Is this really the Si You Kingdom?”

For a kingdom, it shouldn’t be so shabby. Even though Li’er Country was on an island and small, the city had everything one might need. Yet this village, not to mention being prosperous, seemed even less populated than a single sect of the Taiyan faction.

“The two clans of the Si You Kingdom do not marry or take spouses,” Qiong Niang explained. “So the population has been gradually decreasing. Therefore, the entire kingdom now only consists of these people.”

“Didn’t they say that just by looking at each other, offspring can be born?” Zanxing asked.

Qiong Niang laughed lightly, “That’s just a legend. Without marriage or taking spouses, offspring cannot be conceived. The population of the Si You Kingdom will continue to decrease, and one day, the Si You Kingdom will completely disappear from the world.”

Tian Fangfang cleared his throat and asked, “May I ask something a bit forward? Is it that you don’t want descendants, or is it that you can’t have them? Is it a physical issue?” He brought out Men Dong. “Our sect’s junior brother is very skilled in medicine. If there’s a physical issue, maybe he can help!”

“Thank you for your kind offer, but it’s not necessary,” Qiong Niang’s smile faded. “The Dao of Heaven is fair and seeks balance. The Si You Kingdom has been this way for thousands of years. We, the two clans, have no descendants and do not need them. Procreation is not essential. After a hundred years, our bodies will return to dust, mingling with the mountains, and living in harmony with the green hills might not be an unworthy form of continuation.”

Her tone was calm, her expression seemed to see through everything, and there was a hint of mild world-weariness.

People in the mountains were always somewhat unusual.

You Lang addressed everyone, “It’s getting late, and the mountain will be dark tonight. We can only set out tomorrow morning. The Five-Wheels Pavilion is still a distance from the village. You’ll stay here tonight. There are some vacant houses. Find your own place to stay.” He paused and added, “Do not cause trouble here. The flowers and plants in the mountain are hard to grow. This place was originally barren, and it took a lot of effort to cover it with greenery. If you destroy it…” He said, “You will need to compensate.”

He truly was a staunch environmentalist.

The village’s houses had originally been occupied, but some of the clan members had passed away, leaving the houses vacant. The place was still relatively clean, and a few young women from the Si Nu clan came to bring some blankets and started preparing food.

As night fell, the village gradually became lively.

The smoke from cooking rose from the rooftops, filling the air with the aroma of porridge and rice. The totem of the Si You Kingdom featured a scale pattern, which seemed to signify their emphasis on ‘balance,’ or perhaps it suggested a certain obsession with order. The pots, bowls, and pans in the houses were neatly stacked, and the placement of stools, the folding of bedding, and the arrangement of cups and plates were so orderly that Zanxing even suspected they meticulously counted the tea leaves when making tea.

Just as they settled into a house, they heard someone outside call out, “Senior Sister Sisi is awake!”

The Xiang Ling Sect female disciple that Zanxing had rescued from the water had finally woken up.

“Of all times to wake up, she chose now,” the Skeleton Woman rolled her eyes. “Our young princess has already been scolded. Is that girl doing this on purpose?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s definitely intentional,” Mountain Spider grumbled. “It’s like the old saying: ‘stealing melons and fruits, killing and setting fires—each generation worse than the last!’”

Xiao Shuang gave them both a glance, signaling them to stop talking, and they fell silent, retreating to one side. Xiao Shuang approached Zanxing and asked, “What are you planning to do about it, young princess?”

Zanxing looked up and asked, “Do what?”

“That young master Gu Baiying is now the leader of the Demon Extermination Army…” Xiao Shuang began, glancing at Zanxing’s expression. Although Zanxing was still young, and Gu Baiying had not only become her adversary but had also seemingly forgotten about her entirely. Young people often placed great importance on feelings and love. If Zanxing couldn’t handle this well and did something foolish, it would be truly regrettable.

As Xiao Shuang was pondering how to comfort Zanxing, Zanxing said, “You’re right. Gu Baiying isn’t someone who’s easy to deceive. Now that we’ve met, it seems that the plan to profit from the situation won’t work. If that’s the case, we’ll have to forcibly seize the Xiao Yuan Pearl. Do we have a problem fighting the Demon Extermination Army with the people we’ve brought… Xiao Shuang?”

Xiao Shuang came to his senses and said, “Ah?”