RIIDMDR chapter 153

However, since Nanxu was completely clueless, Tingchuan couldn’t be too certain. He simply nodded and said nothing more.

After Nanxu returned to the courtyard, he found that some regular customers had come to the inn. It was Wu Jiu and his clan elders. The older deer demon and Zhixing exchanged words of thanks while the little deer demon, Wu Jiu, sat listlessly swinging on the swing rope.

As Nanxu entered the courtyard, Wu Jiu’s gaze immediately fell upon him. He was no longer as unapproachable as when he first arrived, and the gloom in his eyes had faded considerably. Although he couldn’t be considered bright and cheerful, one could feel the change in him.

Although Wu Jiu was in human form, he had a pair of thirty-centimeter-long antlers atop his head. Unlike the aggressive antlers of an adult deer, his antlers resembled long, fluffy branches and were extremely beautiful.

Nan Xu’s gaze lingered on the antlers for a moment before he smiled and greeted Wu Jiu. Wu Jiu seemed slightly awkward. After their last parting, he hadn’t expected to see Nan Xu again so soon. He hesitated for about ten seconds before nodding in response.

Seeing him like this, Nan Xu found it amusing and felt an urge to tease him a few more times. However, the elder deer demon noticed Nan Xu and Tingchuan and stood up to greet them.

After their conversation, Nan Xu learned that after the young deer demon returned, his antlers, which had sprouted tips, began to grow rapidly. In just one or two months, they grew to their current length. However, the growth slowed considerably afterward. The deer demons initially thought this was due to the onset of winter, when the cold would suppress the medicine’s effectiveness. When spring arrived, however, the antlers showed no further signs of growth. Uncertain whether this was normal, the elder deer demon led the young deer demon back into the Zhuyu Mountains.

After hearing this, Nan Xu looked at the little deer demon’s head again. Its antlers were so beautiful that even if they didn’t grow any more, it wouldn’t be embarrassing. However, the deer demon’s obsession with his antlers seemed stronger than Nan Xu had imagined.

Seeing the undisguised admiration in Nan Xu’s eyes, the little deer demon pursed his lips but ultimately didn’t feel particularly sad.

After all, he already had antlers. What did it matter if they weren’t as sharp or imposing as others’?

Before, when he couldn’t grow antlers, he was mocked and ridiculed. He rejected every gaze that fell upon him, always feeling that they were malicious. And indeed, it was. People whispered behind his back and laughed shrilly, or looked at him with strange, pitying eyes. He felt the sky was dark, and nothing in the world interested him anymore.

But Nanxu was different. Nanxu’s gaze never held a trace of mockery or pity. Wu Jiu always saw amazement in his eyes—amazement at his beautiful fur and the small antlers that had recently grown. His admiration seemed to overflow from his eyes, making Wu Jiu feel that he, too, had something worthy of praise.

Whenever Nanxu looked at him directly, Wu Jiu didn’t feel the disgust he had imagined. During his short time living in these mountains, the gloom of the past slowly faded away. When he returned to the deer demon clan’s territory, he no longer cared so much about how the demons viewed him. He realized that life wasn’t as bad as he remembered.

“Then why aren’t Wu Jiu’s antlers growing?” Nanxu asked Zhixing.

Zhixing struggled to deal with the older deer demon, but he found it much easier when facing Nanxu. He chuckled. “His antlers have reached their current limit. They’ll grow longer as his cultivation increases or as he gets older.”

Nan Xu nodded. “Oh, still a child.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Jiu seemed to have been hit on the head. He quickly looked up and met Nan Xu’s playful gaze. He realized that Nan Xu was still upset about what he’d said when he left.

But why couldn’t he say anything about that damn soundproof room, which he’d already made quite ugly?

“You’re not that old either,” Wu Jiu retorted.

The older deer demon glared at Wu Jiu, “Don’t be rude.”

Nan Xu chuckled, not bothering to argue with the little deer demon. If you really thought about it, he was about the same age as Tingchuan and the others. Why couldn’t he treat the little deer demon as a junior?

Come to think of it, he had jokingly called Tingchuan old before. But it turned out he wasn’t much younger himself. He’d wasted three thousand years doing nothing—a wasted age. He’d really lost out.

The deer demon and Nan Xu entered the courtyard one after the other. Even though they knew that Wu Jiu’s antlers were in excellent condition, they decided to stay for a few days.

“Last time, we left in a hurry and didn’t have time to buy any local specialties. When I returned and told my tribe how delicious the food was that we ate every day, they didn’t believe me. It wasn’t until traveling merchants brought us goods labeled as products of Zhuyu Mountain that my tribe bought several jars of pickled vegetables. Only then did they realize we weren’t exaggerating. But pickled vegetables can’t compare to the freshly made dishes we eat here. This time, they all insisted on accompanying Wu Jiu. I almost got replaced,” the elder deer demon laughed.

The traveling merchant he was referring to must be Ren Ci. However, Nanxu remembered that his trade route was north-south. Last time, he casually mentioned that, if business was still good, he would change his route and expand the market, asking Nanxu to prepare to supply him in large quantities. It seems he’s already trying.

Since everyone had expressed a desire to eat Nanxu’s food, he hadn’t ventured into the final great formation these past few days. Instead, he focused on serving customers at the inn and recuperating in preparation for his final entry into the formation.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t nervous. No one had ever told him what would happen after all the great formations were broken. Each time he stepped into a formation, he did so voluntarily. Deep down, he had a vague premonition, but he forcefully suppressed those burgeoning thoughts, wanting to face the final formation with a calm mind.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye. Wu Jiu and the elder deer demon took their leave, carrying with them many mountain specialties. The elder deer demon didn’t miss anything that could be preserved for several days, and the result was countless large and small jars. Wu Jiu was also forced to carry a lot; his face was always dark and gloomy.

Nan Xu had a lucky divination result that day, so he traveled with them. Zhixing needed to go down the mountain to examine the little canine demon, so the group set off at a leisurely pace.

When they reached the base of the main peak, Nan Xu said, “Come stay at Zhuyu Mountain again when you have time.”

“We will, we will,” the older deer demon nodded repeatedly. The mushrooms in the mountains were fresh and delicious in the spring and summer, and Nan Xu was skilled at cooking them in many different ways, each with its own unique flavor. This vegetarian demon was truly indulging in a feast. If his return date hadn’t already been set, he would have liked to stay a few more days.

“Are you comfortable in the soundproof room this time?” Nanxu asked with a smile, looking at Wujiu.

Wu Jiu’s face was so dark it could drip ink. He slung the bottles and jars over his shoulder, making a crisp clinking sound. He said to Nanxu, “You’re such a stingy innkeeper.”

Nanxu laughed heartily.

After fending off the deer demon, Nan Xu headed east. Each mountain peak seemed to represent a memory of someone from a different direction. Could this one be related to Tingchuan?

Nan Xu looked toward Tingchuan and wondered which memory of him his past self from three thousand years ago held.

“Owner, won’t you rest a few more days? Isn’t leaving today a bit hasty?” Zhixing asked.

Actually, it wasn’t just Nan Xu who had plans; Zhixing also considered this the last major formation, hence his extra caution.

“I’m prepared. I have to enter this formation eventually. Delaying any longer isn’t good,” said Nan Xu.

Seeing his resolute attitude, Zhixing swallowed back his words of worry. He glanced at the verdant mountain peak to the east. The sun had just risen halfway up the eastern sky and was casting a warm, azure glow.

“Then I wish for the owner to have all his wishes come true and for everything to go smoothly,” Zhixing said.

Nan Xu smiled. “Thank you for your kind words.”

Nan Xu didn’t go to the canine tribe. After parting ways with Zhixing at the fork in the road, he took Tingchuan’s hand and headed east.

As their fingers intertwined, Nan Xu could sense that Tingchuan was deep in thought. Halfway there, neither of them spoke. Nan Xu couldn’t help but ask, “What are you thinking about?”

Tingchuan replied softly, “I’m thinking about whether I’ve ever said anything harsh to you or done anything bad.”

Puzzled, Nanxu asked, “Why are you suddenly thinking about this?”

Tingchuan looked at Nanxu with a hint of sorrow in his eyes and said, “You went to the Northern Border, the Western Mountains, and the South Sea on previous missions. Your memories of those places are of people treating you with the utmost care. Now, I’m thinking more about those past moments. If I did or said anything wrong, I apologize now. It’s better than you thinking I wasn’t as good to you as they were.”

Nanxu was both amused and exasperated. He had been quiet for most of the journey, apparently thinking about these things.

“Isn’t it a bit too late for you to admit your mistakes now?” Nan Xu countered.

Tingchuan remained silent for a few seconds before responding, “I wasn’t very mature when I was younger. Perhaps there were things about me that you didn’t like. When you come out of the formation, tell me. I’ll change.”

Nan Xu couldn’t help but laugh at his serious expression. He and Tingchuan had been lovers before. If they had any disagreements, they wouldn’t have gotten to this point. Nan Xu firmly believed that Tingchuan was inferior to his other close friends.

“What if I held onto it and didn’t want to tell you?” Nan Xu asked with a smile.

Tingchuan sighed. “What else can I do? I’ll naturally try my best to guess what you’re thinking.”

The two chatted and laughed for the rest of the journey, feeling quite relaxed and comfortable, until they reached the formation. Nan Xu hugged him goodbye and started to leave, but after taking a few steps, Tingchuan—unusually quiet—grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

Without waiting for Nanxu to ask, Tingchuan spoke first. “Promise me that no matter what happens inside the formation, you won’t look back. I’ll be waiting for you outside.”

His tone was slightly hurried, causing Nanxu to pause. He didn’t know why Tingchuan would say such a thing, but he could distinguish between memories clearly.

“Okay, I promise,” Nanxu nodded firmly.

Tingchuan released his hand and moved closer to Nanxu. He kissed Nanxu on the forehead and ruffled his hair. “Go on.”

Nanxu looked up at Tingchuan slightly, a smile playing on his lips. He wrapped his arms around Tingchuan’s neck and kissed him again to reassure him.

The entrance to the great formation was only a few dozen meters away. Nanxu hadn’t been able to see the entrance before, but now, thanks to his understanding of this mountain range, he could sense the fluctuations in spiritual energy.

Countless demons feared the other mountains; it was said that one could easily fall into the formation. Even the White Phoenix Ancestor of the Bird Clan did not dare step inside easily.

But Tingchuan could also sense the fluctuations of the great formation that Nanxu could feel.

He could sense it because the mountain range belonged to him and was under his control. But why did Tingchuan know it so intimately?

Countless visits over three thousand years had allowed him to observe every corner of the mountain meticulously, leaving no small formation unnoticed. His passion for the mountain range had been reciprocated by the range itself.

Nanxu strode forward. As he took his last step, he turned back and saw Tingchuan standing not far away, gazing at him. Tingchuan was tall and elegant, dignified and composed.

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