RIIDMDR chapter 150

Nan Xu’s recuperation lasted almost half a month. It took him several days to adjust to the differences between his body inside and outside the formation. In addition to the abundant spiritual energy and lush vegetation, he could easily use his spiritual power to cast spells without experiencing stagnation. His appetite inside the formation was ten times better than outside.

Only then did Nan Xu understand what Tingchuan meant when he said that, although the spiritual energy of the mountains was abundant, it was only relative to the demon realm. Compared to the demon realm more than three thousand years ago, the current demon realm was almost incomparable.

By the time his spiritual energy had almost fully recovered, it was late May. The loquat tree in the courtyard was laden with fruit again. When Nan Xu played in the courtyard, he would pick a few and praise their sweetness. The loquat tree would then shake its branches happily, causing the leaves to rustle.

Zhixing had prepared the fuling and other medicinal herbs a few days prior. Using the method he had learned from the aunt in the formation, Nan Xu made a fragrant pot of Tuckahoe cake. Zhixing didn’t think much of the cake’s appearance at first, but after taking a bite, he stared at Nan Xu for a long time.

Nan Xu took a piece and tried it himself. He had a natural talent for cooking, and the taste was almost identical to what he remembered. Seeing that Zhixing didn’t speak for a while, he asked, “Is it not good? Or does it taste different from what you have at home?”

Zhixing shook his head. “Different. The owner’s version tastes even better than the one made at my home.”

Hearing this, Nan Xu didn’t feel particularly happy; he was somewhat disappointed. He had thought the recipe he learned from the aunt would make Zhixing happier by giving him a taste of home.

Of course, Nan Xu didn’t know if Zhixing missed home, but he tried to put himself in his shoes. Since arriving in the demon realm, he had wanted to leave this mountain. He didn’t want to be trapped there forever. Now, Zhixing could only stay in the mountains to recuperate month after month with no end in sight. Xishan wasn’t far for a demon, but Zhixing just couldn’t go back.

“When I was little, I heard the older uncles in my clan say that the best thing to eat in Xishan was Tuckahoe cake. I didn’t understand why before, but the taste of the cake the owner made… I think I understand now. It tastes exactly as those uncles described.”

Nan Xu thought, “This is your family’s recipe,” and joked, “If I want to earn money in Xishan in the future, I don’t need to think about anything else. Making a pot of Tuckahoe cake will definitely do the trick.”

Zhixing was amused by Nan Xu’s words. “If so, then the demons of Xishan will have great fortune. Funny enough, the person who made the best Tuckahoe cake in Xishan wasn’t even a demon of Xishan.”

Nan Xu’s mind raced. He asked, “Is the senior you mentioned an old lady with graying hair? She’s very cheerful and kind.”

“How does the owner know? Where did you hear it?” Zhixing asked in surprise.

Hearing this, Nan Xu knew he was right, but he couldn’t explain that they were old acquaintances. In the demon realm, demons with long histories could be counted on one hand. Tingchuan and Jing Yuan were known by all demons. Claiming to be a demon from that era would sound strange.

Nan Xu didn’t answer, and Zhixing wasn’t particularly curious, assuming Tingchuan had told him.

Nan Xu changed the subject, asking, “What do you mean by saying that the senior wasn’t a demon from Xishan?”

During his month in the formation, Nan Xu saw his aunt every day and chatted with her about all sorts of things. However, he never knew that she wasn’t a demon from Xishan.

Noticing his curiosity, Zhixing said, “When Senior Ting Shu was born, colorful clouds filled the sky, followed by a sudden flash of white light. All the demons of Xishan considered it an auspicious omen.”

Nan Xu nodded. Since ancient times, unusual celestial phenomena have been interpreted in various ways.

He thought he would hear about Ting Shu’s special traits, but instead, he heard Zhixing sigh and continue, “But not long after, both his parents died tragically. The clan believed that his great fortune had turned into misfortune, so none of them wanted to raise him. Only an elder carried him back home. The elder had come seeking treatment, had fallen in love with a demon of Xishan while recuperating, and they had married. They loved each other for more than ten years, but unfortunately, her husband was killed by Guiquansi, leaving no heirs.”

“At that time, all the demons feared Senior Tingshu. Only that elder was willing to care for him. The demons of Xishan wanted to drive the foster mother and child away. However, the elder knew that, once they left Xishan, Senior Tingshu wouldn’t have a good environment in which to study medicine. So she insisted on staying on the mountain and doing the clan’s medicine-boiling chores.” As he said this, Zhixing clearly felt that the demons had gone too far back then, but they were his elders. Since most had now fallen, he couldn’t criticize them.

Nan Xu hadn’t expected such a story. But, thinking about it, it wasn’t surprising. Seeking benefit and avoiding harm wasn’t unique to humans.

“And then? After Senior Tingshu grew up and inherited the position of clan leader, did he ever do anything?” Nan Xu asked.

Zhixing’s expression changed, and he quickly denied it. “Senior Tingshu is a true gentleman. How could he seek private revenge? Though his childhood was difficult, he persevered and grew stronger every day. His extraordinary talent became apparent, and he achieved a great deal in medicine. The voices calling for his expulsion grew smaller and smaller. Since no other demons suffered misfortune later, the matter faded away. Senior Tingshu remained gentle and kind.

Thinking of Tingshu’s personality—interested only in medicine, indifferent to most everything else—Nan Xu wasn’t surprised. The perfect revenge arc had been replaced by a peaceful, harmonious family story.

However, when Nan Xu thought about what he had seen inside the formation, he realized that Tingshu wasn’t particularly warm toward her clansmen. Yet, he always smiled when speaking to his aunt and treated her with deep respect. Even when Nan Xu wanted to learn how to make pastries, he would first seek his aunt’s permission. That, too, was a kind of affection.

“Then… what happened to that elder?” Nan Xu asked, then immediately regretted it.

Zhixing thought for a moment and replied, “I heard the elder faced obstacles in her cultivation, so she aged faster than other demons. Senior Tingshu spent a hundred years researching but could not find a solution. But the elder was very thoughtful. She always comforted Senior Tingshu, telling him to accept life and death. Later, Senior Tingshu truly stopped dwelling on her lifespan. He treated the elder extremely well. The elder passed away before the calamity, never experiencing that pain. Senior Tingshu buried her with her husband, and even today, demons still go to offer sacrifices.

The demon realm did not believe in reincarnation. They believed that when someone died, their spiritual energy dispersed and returned to heaven and earth to bless future generations. Sacrifices were a form of gratitude.

Nan Xu let out a long breath. Hearing this ending made him feel much better. Deep down, he had avoided learning what that calamity had taken from the demons he knew.

After hearing Tingshu’s story, Nan Xu gained a new understanding of his experience in the formation. Though his spiritual power had been damaged, he didn’t regret the hardship.

Having spent so much time recuperating on the mountain, he hadn’t been able to fulfill his earlier wish to go down and visit Xu Le’s mother and the newborn pup demon.

The weather that day was wonderful, with gentle winds and warm sunshine. Nan Xu woke up early, made pastries, picked loquats, bought expensive, comfortable fabrics from the system shop, and took the wine he had brewed the previous year. Together with Zhixing and Tingchuan, he went down the mountain.

He had heard that the birth of the little pup had given the canine clan renewed hope. Their territory had been seized, and several clan members had fallen while defending their homeland, causing immense sorrow. They fled eastward until they reached Zhuyu Mountain, where they made a living in the outer territories of other demons. Though Nan Xu treated them very well, it still wasn’t their homeland. How could they not feel grief? The arrival of a new life gave them hope, so they celebrated with a seven-day, seven-night feast.

Hearing Zhixing talk about this on the way, Nan Xu sighed. With spiritual energy thinning and newborn demons being born, the future of the demon realm was hard to predict.

At the foot of the mountain, on the road to the Canine Clan’s residence, they encountered several canine demons. They were all smiling broadly, and when they saw Nan Xu, their smiles grew even brighter. Seeing them happy made Nan Xu happy as well.

When they reached Xu Ji’s house, they saw Xu Le and a woman sitting under a shed, leaning over a small wooden bed.

The woman wore a gentle smile as she watched Xu Le lie on the edge of the small bed and poke the pup inside with his finger. He called “little sister” over and over.

Nan Xu stepped forward and congratulated the woman. Xu Le’s mother was delighted to see him, thanking Zhixing repeatedly. Xu Le, who was focused, turned at the sound of voices. Upon seeing Nan Xu, he jumped three feet high and ran over to pull him toward his little sister.

Nan Xu walked to the little bed, and his smile froze. He had forgotten that newborn demons couldn’t transform. On the way, he had wondered if she would be plump and fair and if he would get to hold her.

No wonder Zhixing and Tingchuan had such strange expressions earlier.

This completely black puppy had nothing to do with “plump and fair.”

“Little sister’s fur is glossy, and her eyes are black as night. When she grows up, she’ll definitely be the most beautiful canine demon around,” Xu Le declared proudly, as if he were praising himself.

Nan Xu found it amusing, but after hearing Xu Le’s words, he also thought the pup on the bed was quite good-looking—with well-shaped features and beautiful fur. Maybe she really would turn out as Xu Le said.

Nan Xu praised her several times, making Xu Le so happy that he circled around Nan Xu nonstop. Laughing, Nan Xu asked, “So your own fur isn’t good-looking?”

He thought Xu Le would boast, but instead, the boy scratched his head shyly. “My fur isn’t pure. My earth-brown fur has a lot of black mixed in. My mother said that when I grow a bit more and shed a few more times, it’ll look better.”

The young boy was quite concerned about his appearance. Nan Xu ruffled his hair. “You’re pretty, too. Being able to transform into human form at such a young age is impressive.”

Flattered, Xu Le smiled broadly.

Nan Xu had lunch at Xu Ji’s house and experienced the joy of the canine demon clan even more deeply. He had only been there for an hour or two when the canine demons lined up to see the young ones. Some even carried water to the vegetable garden, detouring to see, tease, and leave the little demons. The shaded pergola was bustling.

Nan Xu didn’t think they were making a fuss. On the contrary, he found the canine clan simple and adorable.

Lunch was prepared by Xu Ji and his son, Xu Le, so Nan Xu didn’t have to lift a finger. Yi Shui appeared out of nowhere and Xu Ji assigned him to keep Nan Xu and the others company. He knew them well but didn’t have much to say, so he picked up a carving knife and started carving something into the wood.

In the demon realm, cooking was an unpopular activity. In the past, once a child was born, that was it. However, Zhixing explained that the spiritual energy in the demon realm was gradually decreasing and that women needed to nourish themselves for a month or two after childbirth. Xu Ji took this to heart. Zhu Yu Mountain was rich in resources that season, so Xu Ji prepared different dishes for his wife every day to help her recover quickly. After more than a month, his culinary skills had improved considerably.

After dinner, Zhixing took Xu Le’s mother’s pulse while Nan Xu doodled on paper, creating several somewhat strange-looking drawings.

“This is a baby rocking bed, this is a climbing frame for the little canine demon to exercise, and this is…” Nan Xu introduced them one by one. After his brief explanation, Yi Shui understood the drawings and found them quite interesting.

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