RIIDMDR chapter 156

Before entering the formation, Nanxu imagined what Tingchuan might have looked like in his youth. Demons have long lifespans, and time doesn’t leave many marks on their faces. However, Nanxu had been separated from Tingchuan for over three thousand years.

Looking at Tingchuan before him now, Nanxu couldn’t help but hold his breath. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact differences, but he could clearly see that the Tingchuan before him was far more handsome than before.

Perhaps it was because he was the most talented descendant of the Nine-Tailed Fox clan at that moment, a rising star in the demon realm shrouded in glory. Or perhaps it was because he had not yet experienced the grief of losing his parents, siblings, and in-laws, nor had he been tormented by a long illness to the point of losing interest in the demon realm.

It was a vibrancy and youthful spirit that Nan Xu had never seen in Tingchuan before. His eyes were fixed on Tingchuan’s face, and for a moment, he forgot to look away.

Yun Yi coughed twice beside him, but Nan Xu didn’t pay attention. Jing Yuan’s hand rested on Nan Xu’s shoulder, but he didn’t come to his senses. It wasn’t until Tingchuan looked at Nan Xu with eyes as bright as stars and met his gaze after being stared at for too long that Nan Xu suddenly snapped out of his daze. He revealed a simple, honest smile as a blush spread across his fair face.

So foolish.
But Tingchuan did not smile back. Instead, he swept his gaze over Nan Xu from top to bottom and said faintly, “Who is this? With cultivation this low, how did he enter the mountain?”

Jingyuan was inexplicably displeased by his inherent arrogance. He took a half-step forward and blocked Tingchuan’s gaze from meeting Nanxu’s. He retorted sarcastically, “This is a good friend of mine, Brother Yunyi. Your Nine-Tailed Fox Clan has always been haughty. Not even the Azure Dragon Clan or the Golden Crow Clan are worthy of your attention, let alone some nameless little demon!”

Tingchuan and Jingyuan stared at each other for a few seconds before Tingchuan spoke. “The mountains are full of traps and poisons. Someone with low cultivation is easily in danger.”

“No need to worry. We’ll take good care of him,” Jingyuan said.

Hearing this, Tingchuan shifted his attention away from Nanxu. He said to Jingyuan, “I received your letter. I’ve sent a demon to the South Sea to report the losses.”

Jingyuan choked, and then his eyes flashed with fury as he raised his voice: “Don’t pretend you don’t know the purpose of my message! Do you think I only want to collect those losses? The demons of the East Sea are committing atrocities only because you’ve been lenient with them!”

Tingchuan wasn’t intimidated by Jingyuan’s imposing manner. He simply stated, “I already informed the four clans that, if captured, the demons can be disposed of as they see fit. My Nine-Tailed Fox clan won’t pursue the matter.”

Nanxu watched the two of them, feeling inexplicably familiar with the scene, as though he’d just seen it not long ago.

Jingyuan had been calm and collected when discussing this topic with Yunyi and the other two, yet he suddenly became agitated when facing Tingchuan. It was truly baffling.

While Nanxu was still puzzled, Tingchuan and Jingyuan had already finished arguing. Tingchuan was like an impenetrable iron barrel, so Jingyuan didn’t get the promise he wanted. Finally, Tingchuan ended the conversation, telling the fox demon to take them to the mountains where they could discuss it later.

Tingchuan left as leisurely as he had arrived, while Jingyuan remained silent with a darkened face.

An unfamiliar, beautiful fox demon appeared from nowhere and led the way, followed by the three demons. The garden was beautifully designed, and each step revealed a new scene. Unfortunately, no one paid attention to it. A strange silence fell over the room. Yun Yi broke the silence first, patting Nan Xu’s shoulder and teasing, “How embarrassing! I never thought you could actually be bewitched by beauty.”

Nan Xu pursed his lips, unable to explain that he was merely intrigued by Tingchuan, not captivated.

Seeing his silence, Yun Yi chuckled and said, “That’s how the Nine-Tailed Fox clan is. Don’t take it to heart.”

He had greeted him with a smile, yet the other was so indifferent. After all, he was his future lover. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed. However, Nan Xu understood that he was currently in a memory and facing the Tingchuan from three thousand years earlier, who was not yet completely devoted to him. There was no need to dwell on this psychological gap.

Despite adjusting his mindset, Nan Xu was determined to settle the score with Tingchuan after the formation.

“Hm,” Nan Xu responded, glancing at Jingyuan ahead. He whispered to Yunyi, “Jingyuan seems a little different.”

Demons have excellent hearing, especially powerful ones like Jingyuan. Nanxu’s whisper was basically an announcement of his intentions. Yunyi glanced at Jingyuan, who had quickened his pace. Then, he whispered back, “Jingyuan and Tingchuan have never gotten along. I heard that the last time he passed through the East Sea, Tingchuan drove him out. Do you really think he’s arguing with Tingchuan because of the South Sea? He’s just using it as an excuse to vent his displeasure.”

Nan Xu sighed. “You and Jingyuan are at odds. Jingyuan and Tingchuan are like enemies. Why don’t you have any friends?”

Yunyi raised an eyebrow, tilted his head, and looked at Nan Xu. “Aren’t you one?”

Nan Xu was speechless for a moment.

A beautiful fox demon led them to the courtyard where guests were received. A large pond lay within it, filled with lotus flowers in full bloom. Nan Xu looked up at the sky, puzzled, and asked, “Is midsummer already here?”

Yun Yi sat on the railing by the lotus pond with a carefree and elegant posture. Hearing this, he chuckled and said, “With a lotus pond nurtured with countless riches, of course they can bloom whenever we want.”

Nan Xu, a little demon with no experience, was stunned. Looking back, most of the flowers he’d seen were not even in season.

The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan—what extravagance!

…

They lived in the East Sea, and the furnishings in their house were all luxurious and exquisite. Every day, different fox demons brought fresh fruit from every region and every season.

From time to time, the fox demons sang songs from the terrace in the garden. They could be heard clearly even several courtyards away. Nanxu basked in the sun, enjoying the music and the sweet fruit. If not for Tingchuan’s occasional visits, Nanxu would have almost forgotten he was in a formation.

During this time, Jingyuan frequently picked fights with Tingchuan, but Yunyi didn’t join in. Instead, he took Nan Xu to stroll through the gardens, soak in the hot springs, and admire the fox demons, each of whom had its own unique beauty.

“If there’s a difference between the Northern Territory and the East Sea, it’s probably that the demons in the Northern Territory are generally rough-looking. There are few demons as beautiful as the fox clan,” Yunyi remarked. He and Nanxu had just emerged from the hot springs and were passing a graceful female demon.

Nan Xu remembered the humiliation he’d suffered at Yun Yi’s hands in the formation previously and instantly turned pale, unable to agree.

Seeing his expression, Yun Yi knew what he was thinking and explained, “The yellow sand only blows two or three times a year. You went at the wrong time. Otherwise, I could have shown you more of the northern scenery. Next time you come in the winter, I’ll take you to see the northern ice sculptures. You’ll definitely like them.”

Nan Xu nodded. “Then I’ll trust you this time.”

Jing Yuan had repeatedly lost to Tingchuan and was annoyed. One day, Nan Xu was taking a nap when he suddenly heard arguing. However, having heard so much bickering lately, he subconsciously ignored it.

When he woke up again, he stared at the empty ceiling, lost in thought for a long time.

Lying in bed, he could see birds flying in the sky. This was the first time he had experienced such a strange encounter.

He sat up and looked around. He saw the familiar furnishings but couldn’t quite figure out his situation for a moment.

“I must have gotten up too quickly,” he thought, and lay back down.

After a few more minutes with his eyes open, watching the clouds move in the wind, Nan Xu felt uneasy.

He pushed open the door and stepped outside, only to find the courtyard in disarray. The lotus flowers in the pond had been destroyed while he was asleep for half an hour. Thinking of the immense wealth Yun Yi had mentioned, Nan Xu felt a pang of heartache.

It wasn’t just his room, either; the surrounding houses were all missing their roofs.

Nan Xu didn’t see Yun Yi or Jing Yuan. He found a tall tree and climbed it with his hands and feet. Standing on top, he looked around and realized that this wasn’t even the area with the worst damage. One courtyard had been completely destroyed; not only was the rooftop gone, but the entire yard was a ruin.

Nan Xu jumped down from the tree and ran toward the area with the most damage. He had a hunch because, when he took Zhixing to find the hot spring, he witnessed Yun Yi and Jing Yuan fighting in a formation with dark clouds covering the sky and fierce winds and lightning ravaging the surroundings.

As soon as he ran into the courtyard, still breathless, he saw several figures standing in the ruins: Tingchuan, Yun Yi, Jing Yuan, and a man he didn’t recognize.

The man was tall and slender and bore a resemblance to Tingchuan. He wore a smile, but his aura was authoritative and left no room for argument. Nan Xu felt that he was less approachable than Tingchuan.

“There’s a martial arts arena in the mountains. You two are guests, and I shouldn’t say much, but since you’re close with Tingchuan, I won’t treat you like outsiders. Fighting indiscriminately—I imagine your elders didn’t teach you this way.”

Yun Yi and Jing Yuan stood ramrod straight and nodded obediently after each sentence, appearing compliant and receptive.

Nan Xu was surprised. Setting aside Jing Yuan’s difficult nature, Yun Yi was not a demon who would follow orders without question. He was accustomed to being wilful and capricious. Nan Xu had never seen the two of them behave like quails.

However, Nan Xu was certain that the current scene in the mountains was their doing.

Tingchuan stood to the side with an indifferent expression and an unclear role.

Nan Xu leaned over a fake rock to observe them when the man suddenly stopped speaking and looked toward Nan Xu’s location.

Nan Xu instinctively hid. When he lowered his head again, he saw that a piece of stone beneath the fake rock was missing and that his leg was exposed. He had no choice but to silently straighten up and give the demons an embarrassed smile.

He had only taken a nap, yet he felt more guilty than the other demons.

Nan Xu tried to banish these wild thoughts. He had dared to meet Tingchuan’s gaze before, but now, when he looked at the man, he looked away.

This demon’s aura was truly intimidating.

Nan Xu was caught in an awkward situation, unsure whether to stay or leave. Yun Yi winked at him, and Jing Yuan shifted his position, but stopped abruptly after being glanced at by Tingchuan. Tingchuan hesitated for a couple seconds before walking toward Nan Xu.

Yun Yi’s eyes widened, and Jing Yuan’s gaze became serious as if they felt Tingchuan was about to bully Nan Xu.

Despite Yun Yi and Jing Yuan’s concerns, Nan Xu remained unfazed by Tingchuan. He stood there motionless until Tingchuan walked right up to him…

Then, they brushed past each other.

Nan Xu: …

Yun Yi, Jing Yuan: …

The atmosphere became awkward. Nan Xu himself felt a little embarrassed; after all, he had just been staring intently at the other person.

After taking a few more steps, Tingchuan turned back to Nan Xu, who was still dazed. “Aren’t you coming with me? You want to go get a lecture, too?”

Nan Xu came back to his senses. Ignoring the gazes of Yun Yi and Jing Yuan, he happily followed Tingchuan, looking completely infatuated.

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