RIIDMDR chapter 139

Nan Xu had originally wanted to gloss over things vaguely. However, when he saw Zhixing’s guilty expression, as if he thought that even guarding a small inn in the mountains was too much for him, and that he was truly useless for losing things, Nan Xu couldn’t bear to see him upset and told the truth.

“Those things weren’t lost by you,” Nan Xu said. “I took them.”

Zhixing asked in surprise, “Didn’t the owner leave Zhu Yu Mountain long ago? How could you take things from the storage room thousands of miles away? You don’t have to say that just to comfort me. I know I was careless.”

Hearing this, Nan Xu felt even more distressed. After all, the warehouse was thousands of miles away, and the handling fees were expensive.

“Zhu Yu Mountain belongs to me,” Nan Xu said. “I’m a demon, having a bit of talent isn’t strange. Why would I tell such an obvious lie to comfort you?”

Zhixing thought about it and agreed. Recalling the vast, dizzying night sky he’d once seen in Nan Xu’s spiritual space, something only a great yao could possess, he accepted the explanation. In the demon world, each of the few great demons had their own abilities.

Once he accepted this, Zhixing’s face clearly relaxed. His tone became lighter, and he smiled more as he told Nan Xu what had happened after he left Zhu Yu Mountain.

When Nan Xu heard that someone from the Tiger Clan had come looking for the previous Tiger Demon and threatened Zhixing in the inn, his heart tightened. Was the tiger clan’s unreasonable temper really hereditary? They relied on their size to bully others, just like the tiger demon who had bullied Nan Xu before. Now, another had come to do the same to Zhixing.

“Did he bully you?” Nan Xu asked, glancing at Zhixing’s thin frame.

Zhixing smiled and shook his head. “No, he’s just big and strong with brute force, but not much brains. I just fooled him a bit, then drugged and knocked him out.”

Nan Xu: …

He didn’t know why, but instead of worrying, he thought: Is his inn actually a shady business?

The way they treated guests on this mountain was clear: those who obeyed thrived, and those who defied perished. Still, that was fine. There were no strict laws in the demon realm, one survived by ability. If you lost, you accepted it. It was better to be a little overbearing than to be bullied and not be able to fight back. After all, they were quite kind to genuinely friendly guests.

Zhixing continued, “Now I understand why the owner left that tiger demon lying in the courtyard and didn’t bother with him—he was too heavy to move.”

Nan Xu was curious about what happened after that. “Did you ask the wild boar yao for help? Their cultivation isn’t strong enough to move a tiger demon down the mountain.”

Zhixing shook his head. “Zhuang Wu said we might as well toss him off the cliff instead of wasting effort. I didn’t want to kill him, so I tied him up, left him in the yard, and prepared more knockout medicine. I planned to drug him again if he woke up.”

“But you couldn’t keep watch all the time. That’s not very safe,” Nan Xu said.

Zhixing nodded, remembering how worried he’d been. “Luckily, a few days later, You An came up the mountain. He knocked the tiger demon out again and threw him off the mountain. After that, the tiger demon never dared to return.”

You An came up the mountain midway? Nan Xu thought. Then it struck him—the tiger demon and Tingchuan’s nephew were truly fated to meet repeatedly.

“Wait, he never came back again?” Nan Xu asked.

Zhixing nodded, his eyes full of innocence and purity.

‘Such an easily fooled child,’ Nan Xu thought. He didn’t believe Tingchuan’s nephew was truly that kindhearted. However, he wouldn’t badmouth You An in front of Zhixing.

Strangely, in just a couple of months, Zhixing had completely changed his view of You An—from dislike to friendship. Kids indeed.

…

After picking flowers and plants from the courtyard, Nan Xu prepared to make more floral perfumes, choosing pleasant scents and mixing them in different combinations to record the ratios and compare the fragrances.

Since spring flowers bloom and wither quickly, picking them wasn’t wasteful; this was the perfect season for perfume making.

Tingchuan sat beside Nan Xu and helped him sort out the bad petals while Nan Xu washed the good ones with well water. They divided the work neatly.

Suddenly, Guan’er, who had been lying nearby, darted out of the courtyard. Nan Xu said confidently, “It must be Xu Le.”

Sure enough, Xu Le was being led up by Xu Ji. When Xu Le saw Nan Xu waiting at the gate, he immediately let go of his father’s hand and ran toward the courtyard, calling out, “Brother Nan!”

Guan’er ran behind him, barking “woof woof,” as if joining in his former little master’s song.

Nan Xu smiled and caught the boy as he threw himself into his arms.

Xu Ji’s angry voice came from afar: “Xu Le! You little pup! Don’t crash into the owner!”

Although those words sounded fine coming from the usually honest man, it was clear he was furious.

Hugging Nan Xu’s waist, Xu Le whispered in his defense, “I held back, Brother Nan. You were in a coma the other day—I was so worried.”

Only then did Nan Xu realize the Canine Clan had also heard about his coma in the South Sea. Well, that made sense. Tingchuan had carried him back himself. There was no way to sneak up the main peak quietly, and no reason to avoid the Canine Clan.

“I’m fine,” Nan Xu said, touched by the boy’s genuine concern. He patted Xu Le on the head and smiled, saying, “You seem to have grown taller.”

Hearing that, Xu Le’s worry turned into joy. He straightened his back proudly. “Mom said the same! She said the environment at Zhu Yu Mountain is better than outside, so I can grow fast. But compared to Little Tree, I still can’t beat him.”

Nan Xu laughed heartily. “Little Tree must be growing even faster.”

“Brother Nan, are you really all right? You look thinner,” said Xu Le, having somehow learned this adult-like phrasing as he looked Nan Xu up and down.

Nan Xu couldn’t help laughing. Since he woke up, Zhixing and Tingchuan had treated him like a treasure. Tingchuan carried him outside to sunbathe and made sure that snacks and tea were within reach whenever he did chores. Under such care, he quickly regained the weight he lost and maybe even gained more. His once-proud abdominal lines were no longer as distinct.

Even though he knew Xu Le was just playing the little adult, Nan Xu still answered earnestly. “I’m truly fine. I’ve rested well these days. Today, I can even cook something tasty for you.”

Xu Le, a child at heart, immediately brightened and bounced around Nan Xu with joy. Xu Ji arrived and smacked him lightly on the head. “So noisy! The older you get, the wilder you act!”

Xu Le held his head, not daring to talk back. He hid behind Nan Xu and made faces at his father, which only made Xu Ji angrier.

Nan Xu chuckled and shielded Xu Le. “Le Le’s still young, Brother Xu. No need to be angry.”

Xu Ji withdrew his glare and smiled. “These past few days, Xu Le heard from Dan Yin that the owner was well again, and he wouldn’t stop pestering me to visit. I held him off for two days, but I couldn’t anymore, so I brought him here to calm him down. I didn’t expect him to behave like this. If I’d known, I’d have locked him at home.”

Xu Le tugged on Nan Xu’s sleeve. “Brother Nan doesn’t mind me.”

Nan Xu had braced himself for a full-on collision, but the boy’s impact was light. Xu Le wasn’t a wild child. Nan Xu liked him very much and led both father and son into the yard.

Xu Le went to swing while Xu Ji unloaded a heavy basket of dried wild mushrooms.

Xu Ji nodded. “Yes, I’ve been staying home because I don’t trust Le Le to watch over things alone. I actually came today to ask if Doctor Zhixing could come down from the mountain for a few days. If he’s here, we’ll all feel more at ease.”

Although human medicine has developed quite well, childbirth is still a perilous crossing between life and death. In the demon world, even more so. Nan Xu agreed it was necessary and went inside to ask Zhixing’s opinion.

Zhixing followed him out. Xu Ji immediately stood up, and even Xu Le stopped playing and looked at Zhixing with hopeful eyes.

While Nan Xu was away, the canine clan often came to the inn—one day with a fish, the next with a rabbit—each with an excuse to check on Zhixing. Zhixing knew they were watching over him on Nan Xu’s behalf and appreciated their kindness. So, when asked for help, he couldn’t refuse.

Moreover, Zhixing had inherited his mentor Ting Shu’s philosophy: that no demon in the world should ever suffer from illness again.

“I’ll prepare the herbs in the next two days and come down for a short visit. Please find me a place to stay,” Zhixing said.

Xu Ji quickly replied, “Of course, of course.”

Relieved, Xu Ji’s stiffness eased. Suddenly remembering something, Xu Ji added, “A few days ago, I went to a remote cliff and saw strange, bright red markings on the rock face—like blood. Do you know what they might be, owner?”

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