RIIDMDR chapter 178: Extra Chapter

 

The room was bustling with noise. In the courtyard, Ning Ju and Ren Ankang chased each other around and roughhoused, laughing and shouting without end. In the kitchen, Zhixing busily worked the wok and ladle, bustling about in full swing, occasionally raising his sleeve to wipe away the sweat running down his temples.

Though it was already winter, Zhixing did not feel the cold at all. It was not because this winter was warmer than previous years, but because business at Zhuyu Mountain Inn was simply too good. Meanwhile, Nan Xu had grown impatient after staying in the kitchen too long and had tossed aside the spatula, giving up completely. Zhixing was naturally honest and kindhearted. Looking at all those faces waiting to be fed, he gritted his teeth and stepped in to fill the gap. Who would have thought that once he stepped in, he would never be able to get out again?

“Little Physician, another plate of spicy rabbit heads!” someone shouted.

Zhixing rubbed his aching arm and silently complained. They had already eaten eight plates of rabbit heads today. How could those two snow leopard demons not be sick of them yet? And besides, knowing perfectly well that he was a physician, how could they so shamelessly keep making him cook?!

“Brother Xue is really generous. The owner’s rabbit heads aren’t cheap. You’ve already stacked up quite a pile of plates on your table,” someone teased.

Hearing this, the snow leopard demon looked toward the lynx demon playing mahjong not far away. He unconsciously touched his money pouch. Feeling its bulging weight, he relaxed slightly and said calmly, “My cousin and I rarely get the chance to come down from the Northern Border. If we don’t eat enough to get our money’s worth, how could that be acceptable?”

“Looks like Brother Xue is traveling south this time, right? You should save some room to try the specialty foods of the South Sea. They’ll definitely open your eyes,” the lynx demon said. Judging by the corner of his eye, he had clearly seen the snow leopard demon’s action, but he did not expose it.

What a joke. With prices like those at Zhuyu Mountain Inn, whose wallet wouldn’t be emptied after opening it?

The snow leopard demon immediately flushed red with embarrassment and anger. “You mean that food shop opened by that bird demon from the South Sea? Don’t think I haven’t heard the rumors just because I’m from the Northern Border. Every day, demons eat there and end up vomiting nonstop, falling into fake death states, or collapsing unconscious. Brother Lynx, I have no grudge against you. Why are you trying to harm me like this?!”

His tone was so serious that he leaned forward, one large hand pressed against the table, looking ready to start a fight at any moment.

The lynx demon froze for a moment and awkwardly laughed. “N-no… I’m not trying to harm you.”

The atmosphere in the room immediately froze. The only sound was the crackling of firewood burning in the fireplace.

At that moment, another demon playing mahjong at the same table as the lynx demon hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “Brother Xue, you misunderstood. Brother Lynx was talking about some kind of fruit mix from the South Sea. Different fruits mixed together, sweet and sour. It’s genuinely delicious.”

“Yes, yes, yes. I heard the recipe was also taught by the inn owner. Brother Xue must try it when you reach the South Sea,” the lynx demon quickly added.

The snow leopard demon looked doubtful. “Really?”

The lynx demon nodded repeatedly. “Of course it’s true. Why would we lie to you?”

Perhaps because the lynx demon seemed sincere enough, the snow leopard demon slowly sat back down and picked up his chopsticks, waiting for the food to arrive. The room gradually became lively again. Only then did Zhixing wipe his wet hands on his apron and carry out another plate of spicy rabbit heads.

In the courtyard, Nan Xu sat on a swing and laughed. He had heard everything happening inside perfectly clearly, yet had no intention whatsoever of stepping in to stop the argument. His hands never stopped moving, and he sat there as steadily as ever.

“You actually believe what that fox said—that wooden plaque really has some deterrent effect? Aren’t you afraid they’ll smash up your inn?” Jingyuan, who was sitting by a stone table brewing tea, glanced at Nan Xu and laughed.

His voice was gentle, like an immortal standing apart from the world, embodying nothing but clear breeze, bright moonlight, and freedom from worldly disputes.

After nearly a year of recovery and development, the demons of every race had settled their clan affairs and gradually adapted to the spirit-energy-rich Demon Realm. They had begun venturing out to explore and observe the changes taking place throughout the realm.

After Nan Xu set up a teleportation array on Zhuyu Mountain in spring, traveling to the inn became far more convenient. This encouraged countless wandering demons who enjoyed traveling to flood in from all directions. During the second half of the year, the inn was nearly full every single day.

“What’s there to be afraid of? In my own territory, can’t I make the decisions?” Nan Xu replied.

He looked every bit like the local tyrant of the mountain. Since Zhuyu Mountain was his home ground, keeping a few troublesome demons behind really wouldn’t be difficult at all.

Back when the inn first became a “battlefield,” Nan Xu had returned from the mountains to find the place in complete chaos, with a bewildered Zhixing standing helplessly in the courtyard. His face had turned green with anger. But without the system’s help, and with the demons responsible having already fled after realizing the situation was bad, Nan Xu could only hunch over and spend more than a week repairing everything himself. Even now, his waist still ached faintly whenever he thought about it. Seeing this, Tingchuan carved a wooden plaque and hung it by the main hall entrance. Perhaps the Demon Realm had simply become much more peaceful, but after that, fights and brawls seemed to disappear entirely.

He spoke with absolute confidence. Seeing that his attempt to stir up trouble had failed yet again, Jingyuan simply changed the subject.

“That poisonous restaurant they were discussing in the South Sea—was that really opened by Yao Lin?”

Although Nan Xu had never personally inspected the place, he didn’t believe there could be a second demon in the South Sea with such a natural talent for poisoning food. He nodded.

“He opened it.”

Hearing this, Jingyuan couldn’t help laughing. “If I remember correctly, his cooking skills were learned under your guidance. Could it be that you favored one disciple over the other and secretly taught Yao Lin something extra?”

Nan Xu stopped sewing a waistband and stared at Jingyuan for several seconds, until the latter’s smile stiffened. Only then did he ask, “The snow you used to brew this tea—did you dig it up from Zhixing’s herb garden?”

Jingyuan had no idea why he suddenly asked that, but nodded anyway.

“Yes. Why?”

Nan Xu revealed a sly smile. Watching Jingyuan take his first sip, he leisurely said, “Nothing. I just happened to see Guan’er wandering through the herb garden early this morning.”

A dog running around everywhere was bound to do something eventually.

Jingyuan immediately understood the implication. Before he could swallow the tea, he spat it back out and frowned in disgust.

“Impossible. I didn’t see any dog paw prints in the snow.”

Hearing his name, Guan’er, who was lying inside the doghouse, twitched his ears and lifted his head toward Nan Xu. Seeing that he was not being called, he lowered his head again.

Nan Xu said, “That happened just before dawn. Later, the heavy snowfall covered up any footprints or traces. There’s no way to know for sure.”

Whether Nan Xu was telling the truth or not, he had successfully disgusted Jingyuan. Putting away his tea set, Jingyuan looked at him helplessly.

“Do you have some grievance against me?”

Nan Xu exaggeratedly shook his head.

“How could that be? I just suddenly remembered it and kindly reminded you.”

Naturally, such a grand and righteous excuse could not fool Jingyuan.

“Still angry? I was only joking. I know Yao Lin’s cooking skills can’t be blamed on you.”

Nan Xu lowered his head and continued sewing, still refusing to respond.

It wasn’t that he had any issue with Jingyuan’s joke. He simply felt a little defeated.

Before opening his restaurant, Yao Lin really had come to Nan Xu, asking to further improve his cooking skills. Nan Xu felt that Yao Lin simply wasn’t destined for the kitchen and refused. But Yao Lin kept pestering him day after day. Every few days, he would suddenly appear while Nan Xu and Tingchuan were being affectionate together. Every time Tingchuan looked at him, Yao Lin seemed ready to cause trouble, putting his life in constant danger. Left with no choice, Nan Xu finally agreed to teach him.

After a month of instruction, Yao Lin finally managed to cook his first decent dish. Convinced that he had mastered the culinary arts, he energetically returned to the South Sea.

Unfortunately, his clansmen had been tricked too many times already and no longer trusted his cooking. No matter how much Yao Lin guaranteed its quality, they absolutely refused to take a single bite of food he prepared.

Feeling that his dream was not understood, Yao Lin spent three days and three nights drinking himself into a stupor. Then a flash of inspiration struck him, and he opened a restaurant in the South Sea.

The Demon Realm had no shortage of demons. If his clansmen refused to taste his food, surely someone else would appreciate it.

Not long after the restaurant opened, Yao Lin sent Nan Xu a letter describing the business. He even mentioned how prosperous it was. Reading the letter left Nan Xu anxious and uneasy for quite some time. Something about it felt wrong.

Sure enough, not long afterward, the reputation of the South Sea Poison Restaurant spread throughout the entire Demon Realm.

After struggling to survive for two months, Yao Lin’s restaurant quietly closed its doors.

Setting aside the fact that Yao Lin had committed every possible disaster in his pursuit of culinary mastery, he was still considered half of Nan Xu’s disciple. Failing to successfully teach him was the first time in many years that Nan Xu had felt truly powerless.

Seeing Nan Xu lost in thought and looking less than happy, Jingyuan hesitated slightly before probing, “Are you really angry? How about I apologize?”

Nan Xu came back to himself and shook his head. “I’m not angry.”

Jingyuan, however, didn’t believe him. Staring at Nan Xu’s face, he said, “You must be upset about something. But why? Don’t tell me you found out about how I ordered the serow to trample the chickens yesterday? You can’t blame me for that. I’ve never gotten so much as a bite of the chickens Tingchuan raises, and besides, I’m such a delicate, sickly patient. Shouldn’t I be nourishing my body a little?”

Nan Xu glanced at him. “A delicate and frail Azure Dragon demon who manipulated storm clouds to crash into a rainbow cloud demon a few days ago.”

Jingyuan looked embarrassed and leaned back in his chair. “That little demon was too noisy. I was trying to sleep, and she was up in the sky singing. Not only was she singing, she was singing terribly.”

Nan Xu actually agreed that the rainbow cloud demon’s singing was rather unbearable, so he didn’t argue.

Noticing that there was still no smile on Nan Xu’s face, Jingyuan was silent for two seconds before continuing, “Was my guess wrong? Then is it because you found out I took Zhixing’s sugar beans?”

Nan Xu: …

Nan Xu was speechless for quite a while.

“You’re already this old. How can you have the nerve to steal sugar beans from a little demon who’s only a few hundred years old?”

Half a month ago, while cleaning the storage room, Nan Xu had found a jar of sugar beans he had bought when the system was having a sale. Back then, with the system’s shop around, he hadn’t thought they were anything special. But after the system was stripped away from his mind, many things from the human world had gradually drifted farther and farther away from him. That remaining jar of sugar beans suddenly seemed quite precious, especially since there were still no sugar-producing crops in the mountains.

Neither Nan Xu nor Tingchuan cared much for candy, so they had given the sugar beans to the inn’s “little kid,” Zhixing.

Who would have thought…

“You refused to make me cake after I asked four or five times, so I could only help myself and find a substitute,” Jingyuan said. At this point, though he had no justification, he still sounded perfectly confident.

Nan Xu felt powerless to complain.

“It was because there wasn’t enough sugar before. Didn’t I say I’d make it for you after Ren Ci brought sugar back from the South Sea?”

“Ren Ci arrived today, didn’t he?” Jingyuan immediately replied.

Nan Xu sighed.

Jingyuan had completely let loose and no longer bothered keeping up appearances in front of him.

“All right, I’ll make it for you this evening. Return the sugar beans to Zhixing.”

Jingyuan nodded.

“No problem.”

Nan Xu suddenly felt something was off.

“You didn’t eat them all already, did you?”

Jingyuan laughed.

“There’s still half a bottle left!”

Nan Xu: “…Half a bottle is fine then!”

Nan Xu fell silent again.

Jingyuan rubbed his temple and muttered almost to himself,

“Why are you still unhappy? Could it be because you found out I embroidered a sunflower on Tingchuan’s wedding robe this morning?”

Nan Xu froze for a moment.

Then he suddenly jumped to his feet and strode toward the storage room.

“If I really see that ridiculous sunflower, just wait until I come back out and beat you up.”

Jingyuan was completely fearless.

Sitting steadily in his chair, he said,

“Would you really hit a patient?”

Nan Xu entered the storage room and saw Tingchuan’s wedding robe hanging properly on the wooden rack, showing no sign whatsoever of having flowers embroidered on it.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Jingyuan had once been much steadier and was reliable most of the time, surviving a brush with death seemed to have released all the emotions he had suppressed in the past. He had started being his true self again, occasionally doing absurd things that even Nan Xu found difficult to manage.

After confirming that Tingchuan’s wedding robe was unharmed, Nan Xu turned to leave.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed something.

He whipped his head around.

Behind the wooden rack where the wedding robe hung, neatly arranged in the corner, were countless bouquets of pure white lilies.

Fresh and vibrant, they even seemed to still carry traces of morning dew.

Nan Xu’s nose stung slightly.

He didn’t know what emotion was surging through him.

He remembered that not long after Jingyuan first moved into the mountains, he had constantly pestered him with questions about the human world.

Vaguely, Nan Xu recalled mentioning human notions of romance—how every flower had been given its own unique meaning.

Red roses represented passionate love.

Lilies represented the blessings of family and friends, wishing newlyweds a lifetime of happiness together.

At the time, Nan Xu had felt somewhat melancholy.

He had suddenly thought of Ting Shu and Yun Yi, who had left forever and were destined to be absent from his wedding.

That kind of regret could never be filled by anything else.

But Nan Xu had never expected Jingyuan to step in for them and offer the blessings of family and friends.

Nan Xu laughed softly.

He had no idea how Jingyuan had managed to make so many lilies bloom in winter, but he had received the sentiment behind them.

And he liked it very much.

When he walked back outside, Jingyuan was still sitting boldly in his chair, looking as though he was waiting for Nan Xu to express his joy but was too embarrassed to ask directly.

Nan Xu said nothing.

He deliberately left Jingyuan hanging.

After a while, Jingyuan could no longer endure it and secretly glanced at him.

The corners of Nan Xu’s lips curved upward.

Before Jingyuan could say anything, Nan Xu suddenly pointed at him and shouted,

“Guan’er, bite him!”

Inside the doghouse, Guan’er’s ears shot upright.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he charged straight at the Jingyuan Nan Xu was pointing at.

Jingyuan reacted quickly as well. Throwing aside his cup, he turned and ran.

“You ungrateful dog! I shared half a duck leg with you the night before last!”

The voices of one demon and one dog gradually faded into the distance.

Only then did Nan Xu sit back on the swing with a smile and resume sewing the waistband in his hands.

The wedding was approaching.

With his mediocre tailoring skills, there was no way he could make Tingchuan’s wedding robe himself.

But there were no ready-made clothing shops in the Demon Realm either.

Fortunately, when the blond cat demon had stayed at the inn, he heard about Nan Xu’s predicament and volunteered to handle the wedding garments.

As for Nan Xu’s own wedding robe, Tingchuan had returned to the East Sea and personally supervised every stitch sewn by the little foxes. It was said that he had even participated himself.

If Nan Xu showed absolutely no concern for Tingchuan’s wedding robe, it would seem unreasonable.

After some thought, he decided to make a waistband himself.

Whether it turned out ugly or beautiful, it was the thought that mattered.

“Zhixing! Another ten plates of sweet and sour pork ribs!”

Yao Lin’s figure had not even appeared yet, but his voice was already echoing from outside the courtyard.

Inside the kitchen, Zhixing, who was flipping his wok, nearly blacked out upon hearing the shout.

He almost personally turned a certain little hedgehog into a dish of braised hedgehog.

Yao Lin paid no attention whatsoever to Zhixing’s misery.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he scooped up a ladle of water from the bucket beside the well and poured it straight into his mouth.

Even Nan Xu felt cold just watching him.

“There’s hot water in the main hall.”

Yao Lin waved his hand dismissively.

“Cold water feels better. Ah, mountain water really does taste best. Water outside always has this fish demon bathwater smell.”

After drinking, he sat down on a stool not far from Nan Xu.

Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, making it obvious he had worked hard.

Nan Xu couldn’t help asking,

“Where did you go this time?”

After his restaurant shut down, Yao Lin could no longer survive in the South Sea and returned to Zhuyu Mountain to seek employment once again.

After discovering the food delivery market, he began flapping his wings all over the Demon Realm every day, diligently delivering takeout.

Whenever he saw the joy on customers’ faces after receiving their food, he felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Just like that, he had discovered his second dream.

The food might not have been cooked by him, but he was the one delivering it.

If customers liked it, how was that any different from people eagerly anticipating dishes he had cooked himself?

Yao Lin’s career was on the rise, and he didn’t mind the hard work.

After catching his breath, he slapped his forehead and stood up.

“I just came back from West Mountain. Oh right, Zhixing’s mother asked me to bring back several ancient medical texts for her. I almost forgot.”

Ning Ju and Ren Ankang had tired themselves out from playing and ran over to sit beside Nan Xu.

Nan Xu reached into his pocket and found two pieces of dried meat.

He handed one to each of them and let them chew on the dried meat.

These had originally been snacks Nan Xu made for Guan’er, but after tasting one himself and finding it quite good, he added a few seasonings and started eating them whenever he wanted a snack.

The two little ones each leaned against one of Nan Xu’s legs. Ning Ju was obviously much healthier than when Nan Xu had first met him, though he had also gained quite a bit of weight and looked soft and chubby. Ren Ankang was the opposite. Being small was one thing, but he was also thin and frail. Ren Ci had said that his wife had not been well cared for during pregnancy, so when Ren Ankang was born, he had been only a tiny bundle. Raising him to this age had taken the cautious efforts of the entire clan. If spiritual energy had not recovered, Ren Ci would never have dared bring this precious child outside.

“Owner, I heard you’re getting married? To that handsome big brother?” Ning Ju asked through a mouthful of dried meat.

Nan Xu always found it amusing whenever he heard Ning Ju call Tingchuan that. Ever since growing a little older, the boy seemed especially unable to resist beautiful things. More than once, Nan Xu had caught him staring at Tingchuan while drooling.

“Mm. We’ll be getting married in two days. Did your brother go back to pick up your father and mother?” Nan Xu replied.

Ning Ju nodded.

“Mm. Big Brother said some other demons from the clan also want to come watch the ceremony, so he went back to organize everyone.”

Nan Xu raised an eyebrow upon hearing that.

Looks like the space at the entrance would need to be expanded again.

—

Before dawn had even broken, countless sounds reached Nan Xu’s ears.

The conversations of great demons, the laughter and play of little demons, mixed with the occasional sharp voice scolding some mischievous youngster.

There were dark circles beneath Nan Xu’s eyes as he sat before the bedroom table.

He was dressed in a bright red wedding robe embroidered with golden thread and adorned with pearls and gemstones, grand and magnificent.

Just as he was about to stand up impatiently, the cat demon pressed him back down by the shoulders.

“What are you in such a hurry for? It’s not like Senior Tingchuan is going to get kidnapped on the way up the mountain.”

As he spoke, he brushed Nan Xu’s face twice more with the brush in his hand.

Nan Xu wasn’t worried about Tingchuan.

The two of them had not seen each other for three days. For convenience, Tingchuan had not returned to the East Sea and had instead been staying with the Canine Clan. After all, climbing the mountain did not take much effort.

What Nan Xu cared about now was how he looked.

There was no mirror in front of him, and he had no idea what the cat demon had turned him into. He was anxious to find something reflective and take a look before embarrassing himself in front of the countless demons gathered outside.

Thinking about it, even though he had mentally prepared himself for many demons attending the wedding, Nan Xu still felt he had underestimated the turnout.

Demons from every race had arrived in endless numbers.

Even during the days of repairing the Heaven-Mending Cave, the crowds had not seemed this large.

After enduring more than half an hour longer, the cat demon finally put down the brush.

“All done.”

Nan Xu immediately jumped to his feet.

It was his first time having powder applied and his brows painted, and he felt rather unaccustomed to it. Like a headless fly, he ran around looking for something that could serve as a mirror.

Just as he stood up, the bedroom door creaked open behind him.

Jingyuan squeezed into the room through the crowded mass of demons in the main hall and leaned against the door with a long sigh of relief.

Nan Xu turned around.

The two met eyes.

Just as embarrassment began rising within him, Jingyuan raised an eyebrow and said,

“With a little decoration, you’re much better-looking than whatever First Beauty Tingchuan is supposed to be.”

Nan Xu felt that Jingyuan’s evaluation was definitely mixed with a great deal of personal bias.

Still, he unconsciously relaxed.

If Jingyuan could say that, then he probably didn’t look too terrible.

His expression was too obvious.

The cat demon immediately looked displeased.

“You may doubt my character, but you cannot doubt my aesthetic sense. Looking this fair-faced and red-lipped, if you go outside right now, those demons will be drooling over you.”

Nan Xu: …

That really wasn’t necessary.

Now that his worries had eased, Nan Xu no longer felt any urgency to admire himself.

Having been dragged out of bed before dawn and fussed over until now, his stomach was completely empty.

He cast a pleading look toward the door, wondering whether thoughtful Zhixing had prepared breakfast for him.

Today, Zhixing was not nearly as busy as usual.

The inn kitchen had closed yesterday, and the demons working there had already prepared all the dishes in advance.

For the wedding banquet, Brothers Zhuang Si and Zhuang Wu had fired the kiln several times throughout autumn, producing countless pots, bowls, plates, and utensils of all sizes.

There was no need to worry about running out of serving dishes.

Seeing that the sun was already climbing higher, Zhixing estimated that Nan Xu’s preparations should be nearly finished.

He lifted the lid from a pot on the stove and took out a small plate of thumb-sized buns and dumplings. Then he scooped a bowl of chicken soup from a simmering clay pot and carried everything over to feed the hungry Nan Xu.

Before he arrived, however, Nan Xu suddenly heard louder discussion and gasps from outside.

Just as he felt puzzled, the door opened slightly.

Luo Yi, dressed in shark silk, entered while pulling her senior sister along. Dan Yin followed behind them.

The already small bedroom instantly became crowded.

The flowing brilliance of Luo Yi’s clothing was dazzling.

Even the cat demon could not help glancing at it several times, the envy in his eyes impossible to hide.

The mermaid were not particularly industrious, so shark silk production was pitifully low.

Especially shark silk of this quality.

Such material was almost impossible to find anywhere in the Demon Realm and was worth more than gold.

No wonder the demons outside had reacted so strongly.

Nan Xu had long since become numb to it.

Back when he stayed at Jingyuan’s residence, even the door curtains had been made from shark silk.

“Owner, I just came up from the mountain. Senior Tingchuan has already set out. There are hundreds of fox demons accompanying him. The procession is incredibly lively!”

Dan Yin nodded repeatedly from the side.

His focus, however, was completely different from Luo Yi’s.

“They’re all beautiful fox demons.”

The demons in the room burst into laughter.

Nan Xu didn’t blush at all. After acknowledging them with a simple response, he called to Ning Ju outside the door and told him to inform Yao Lin that the guests could begin taking their seats.

The door opened once again.

Nan Xu assumed another acquaintance had come to join the excitement.

Instead, Zhixing appeared carrying the food Nan Xu had been longing for.

Nan Xu’s eyes immediately lit up like someone seeing a savior.

“Quick, quick, quick!”

Standing to the side, Luo Yi could not help laughing.

“Owner, hearing that Senior Tingchuan is almost here didn’t excite you at all. But seeing food has you this excited.”

Nan Xu felt a little embarrassed.

Laughing awkwardly, he replied,

“I’ll see Tingchuan every day from now on. But if I don’t eat this, my stomach is going to start protesting.”

The buns and dumplings were easy to eat, disappearing one after another.

Not knowing when he would get another chance to eat, Nan Xu stuffed the entire plate into his stomach.

Faced with the countless gazes directed at him from around the room, he was completely unaffected.

He even finished the bowl of chicken soup before finally letting out a satisfied sigh.

Zhixing took away the dishes and hurried off to help Yao Lin look after the guests.

Now full and content, Nan Xu listened to the demons chatting around him.

A wave of drowsiness immediately swept over him.

His eyes drooped.

He even felt like taking a quick nap.

Just as his consciousness began drifting away, he suddenly remembered that today was his wedding day and forcibly woke himself up.

After repeating this process several times, it became impossible for the demons in the room not to notice.

Luo Yi quietly tugged on her senior sister’s sleeve.

“Should we wake the owner up? If Senior Tingchuan comes and finds him asleep, what then?”

Her senior sister, who rarely wore light-colored clothing, hesitated for two seconds before shaking her head.

She was just as taciturn as the man standing silently in the corner, the cat demon man whose presence was practically nonexistent.

Since her senior sister told her not to cause trouble, Luo Yi obediently listened.

Yet only moments later, with no one paying attention to him, Nan Xu had already fallen asleep against the back of his chair.

Even the lively chatter between the cat demon and Dan Yin right in front of him failed to affect the quality of his sleep.

Luo Yi truly could not sit still anymore.

Looking around the room, her gaze unexpectedly landed on Jingyuan.

His arms were folded across his chest as he leaned against the doorframe, watching the sleeping Nan Xu.

The smile on his lips was gentle and faint, yet seemed mixed with some other emotion.

For a moment, Luo Yi forgot to look away.

Sensing her gaze, Jingyuan turned his head and met her eyes.

As the guardian deity of the South Sea, he was someone Luo Yi genuinely admired.

She swallowed nervously and gave him a small nod.

For once, Jingyuan returned the gesture with a smile.

Flattered beyond belief, Luo Yi pointed toward Nan Xu and silently asked whether they should wake him.

Jingyuan glanced at Nan Xu again and softly said,

“No need. When Tingchuan arrives, he’ll wake up on his own.”

Luo Yi didn’t understand.

“Why? What if he’s sleeping deeply?”

Jingyuan fell silent for a moment.

“Wouldn’t that be perfect? Let him struggle against sleep while waiting. Why should Tingchuan be lucky in everything?”

Luo Yi nodded blankly.

She didn’t understand, but she understood that everyone wanted Nan Xu to keep sleeping.

No one knew how much time passed.

The conversations outside suddenly quieted for a moment.

Nan Xu, who had been dozing in the chair, abruptly opened his eyes.

Sleepiness still lingered in his dull gaze.

Before anyone else could react, he asked,

“Has Tingchuan arrived?”

Without waiting for an answer, Nan Xu was already heading outside.

The moment he opened the door, he saw the demons packed tightly into the main hall all looking in the same direction.

Nan Xu tried following their line of sight, but his height gave him no advantage among the demon race.

He rose onto his tiptoes, trying to glimpse the fox demon procession in the courtyard.

At that moment, the demons parted to create a path.

Nan Xu almost praised them for being considerate. They had not forgotten about him despite him being trapped in the room all this time.

But it seemed he had misunderstood.

The path was not being opened for him.

It was being opened for Tingchuan, who was walking directly toward him.

Tall and broad-shouldered, Tingchuan looked exceptionally handsome in his bright red wedding robes. Taking long strides, he walked straight toward Nan Xu.

Back when Tingchuan had merely worn a red sweater, Nan Xu had practically drooled over him.

Now, he could not tear his eyes away at all.

In fact, everyone else had already disappeared from his sight.

The demons crowded inside the house and courtyard kept looking at Nan Xu, then at Tingchuan, turning their heads back and forth as though they had never seen the two of them before.

Tingchuan had already walked up to Nan Xu and extended a hand toward him. As though bewitched, Nan Xu placed his own hand into it. Tingchuan stared at Nan Xu for quite a while.

Spiritual energy swirled around him, and his brows and eyes seemed full of life. Nan Xu did not know when exactly the change had begun, but it felt as though Tingchuan had been transforming all along, slowly becoming someone…

The two of them walked into the courtyard. Before any of the demons could think to speak, Nan Xu looked at the neatly dressed fox demons and sighed inwardly. Sure enough, appearance really did depend on the race.

The loquat tree in the courtyard had been covered with red ribbons. Upon seeing Nan Xu and Tingchuan emerge, it began shaking wildly. Nan Xu glanced at the loquat tree and found it rather amusing.

Taking advantage of the moment when everyone seemed frozen in place, Guan’er struggled out of the doghouse and rushed toward Nan Xu, whining as though acting spoiled and complaining of grievances. A red ribbon was tied around its neck, making it look somewhat ridiculous.

The serows in the woodshed also stretched their heads out and began bleating for attention. Their voices were so unpleasant that Nan Xu was about to scold them, but after turning his head, he laughed first.

Red ribbons had been tied around the serows’ horns as well.

Looking around at the festive red decorations everywhere inside and outside the courtyard, Nan Xu found the scene strangely familiar. It seemed the place had been decorated much the same way during the New Year.

Only this time, it was not to welcome a new year.

This time, he was truly getting married.

While Nan Xu was lost in thought, the demons finally recovered from their amazement at the newlyweds and began buzzing with quiet conversations. Every face was filled with excitement and joy.

At noon, Nan Xu and Tingchuan stood side by side.

“Bow to Heaven and Earth!” an aged voice solemnly declared.

The speaker was a highly respected elder of the turtle clan.

Nan Xu and Tingchuan knelt and bowed together toward Heaven and Earth.

None of the demons found this strange. They worshipped the Heavenly Dao, so they always bowed to Heaven and Earth during important occasions. Only a small number of demons knew that Nan Xu had neither father nor mother. He had been born of Heaven and Earth themselves. By bowing before Heaven and Earth, he was also informing the spiritual energy of the world and seeking its recognition.

Boom!

A sudden clap of thunder exploded through the sky, its sound so loud that it seemed capable of splitting mountains apart. The gathered demons were frightened out of their wits, nearly ready to scatter in panic.

Yet Nan Xu and Tingchuan, still kneeling on the ground, remained perfectly steady. They exchanged a glance.

A strange feeling stirred within Nan Xu. He looked up at the sky.

The heavens were clear and bright, without the slightest trace of dark clouds.

He felt no fear.

Instead, when the thunder sounded, he experienced a faint sense of familiarity. It was like a memory from a very, very distant past, or perhaps a resonance within his bloodline.

He knew.

This was the Heavenly Dao responding.

Sure enough, after the thunder came clouds of brilliant colors spreading across the sky. The entire heaven looked like a magnificent painting, yet infinitely more beautiful than any painted image could ever be.

All the demons looked up and cried out in amazement.

Nan Xu and Tingchuan smiled at each other.

Hearing the turtle demon announce, “Bow to the high hall,” they turned and bowed toward the direction of the Eastern Sea.

“Bow to each other!”

“Ceremony complete!”

Neither Nan Xu nor Tingchuan liked troublesome formalities. The wedding process had been simplified again and again, so it did not take much time.

Yet the clap of thunder and the sky full of colorful clouds were things the attending demons would never forget.

Tingchuan rose and helped the heavily dressed Nan Xu to his feet before announcing the beginning of the wedding feast.

Whether they had tasted it themselves or merely heard of it, all the demons knew the reputation of Zhuyu Mountain’s cuisine. They flooded toward the banquet tables.

Dish after dish was served without end.

Jars of fine wine that had been prepared half a year in advance were carried into the crowd one after another.

The demons drank heartily and rejoiced.

From noon until sunset, members of various clans spontaneously performed their special talents to entertain everyone.

The gecko clan demonstrated tail-shedding.

The ant clan performed feats of strength.

The opossum clan showed how they could play dead in a single second.

One bizarre skill followed another, earning constant applause and cheers.

Among them, however, the mermaid clan’s konghou¹The konghou is a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument, often classified as a type of harp. It features a sound box similar to that of a pipa and typically has 36 to 44 strings stretched over bridges on either side of the sound box performance was the most astonishing of all, leaving the audience completely mesmerized.

As darkness gradually fell, Nan Xu and Tingchuan were still busy exchanging greetings with guests from every clan.

Neither knew how much alcohol they had already drunk.

Fortunately, the wine prepared for them was a specially brewed low-alcohol fruit wine. Otherwise, they probably would have collapsed beneath the tables long ago.

At another table sat members of the wild boar clan.

Zhuang Si and Zhuang Wu were naturally among them.

The moment Zhuang Wu saw the pair, he immediately leaned forward. Having drunk far too much, even his naturally dark complexion could not hide the redness on his cheeks.

“Owner, hic, I’m not drunk. I just want to thank you. Those pigs you sold me are really wonderful!” he slurred.

Though Zhuang Wu’s words were a complete mess, Nan Xu still understood.

The brothers had carefully raised their four piglets, planting plenty of crops to feed them and fattening them up until they were plump and healthy.

When the first litter was born before winter arrived, the piglets’ fair skin and exceptionally high attractiveness among pig-kind made them highly sought after throughout demon society.

They sold for excellent prices.

The brothers earned a considerable profit.

With the three-year deadline approaching, they used the money from selling piglets to have clan members purchase land and plant crops.

That way, when they eventually returned to their own mountain with the pigs, they would not need to worry about having enough feed.

Orders for piglets had already been booked through the autumn two years from now.

Their future looked increasingly prosperous.

How could the brothers not be excited?

Back when they had been growing cabbages under the scorching sun and harsh winds, they never could have imagined that after failing to commit wrongdoing and being detained on Zhuyu Mountain, their years of honest hard work would ultimately turn misfortune into blessing and lead them to a wonderful life.

After drinking with the wild boar clan, Nan Xu moved on to the deer clan’s table.

Wu Jiu had already drunk himself unconscious.

Someone with a wicked sense of humor had copied the serows’ appearance and tied a bright red ribbon around his antlers as well.

Though…

It actually looked rather good.

The ribbon made his complexion appear especially fair and delicate.

Night fully descended.

Bonfires were lit all around.

Some demons could no longer stay awake and had already fallen asleep, while others with endless energy continued laughing and celebrating around the fires.

Nan Xu eventually clutched his stomach and made a trip to the restroom.

Only afterward did he feel much more comfortable.

There was no helping it.

He had consumed far too much alcohol.

Even without much alcohol content, it was still difficult to endure.

After an entire day of commotion, Nan Xu finally enjoyed a comfortable bath.

Dressed in red sleepwear, he wiped his hair with a towel while walking toward the bedroom.

Pushing open the door, he saw Tingchuan already lying on the bed.

The instant he saw him, three words suddenly appeared in Nan Xu’s mind:

The wedding night.

The thought flashed through his mind for only a moment, yet an inexplicable sense of embarrassment immediately followed.

He stood rooted to the spot.

Tingchuan turned his head toward him.

From Nan Xu’s subtle expression, he seemed to understand something. One eyebrow lifted slightly as he said in a somewhat coaxing tone,

“Come here. I have something good to show you.”

Nan Xu snapped out of it.

“What?”

“Tail.”

~

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Acargoreng:

Hello everyone! 💕

I wasn’t planning to translate this extra chapter, but here we are 😆

It’s been a long time since I worked on this novel, and I’ve forgotten half of the characters already 😭 Hopefully, everything is still correct!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the extra chapter. Happy reading! 💖✨

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  The konghou is a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument, often classified as a type of harp. It features a sound box similar to that of a pipa and typically has 36 to 44 strings stretched over bridges on either side of the sound box