Chapter 74: The Enchantress Returns, Songs in the Alleyways

“Do you want to swim in a river a meter deep with a baby’s body? Or are you looking to end it all?” A calm voice suddenly spoke from behind, making Little Meiqin stop in her tracks.

She stared blankly at her infant form, barely a foot tall, then glanced at the beautiful yet somewhat rapid stream. She was left speechless, tears almost brimming in her eyes. Crestfallen, she shuffled back to the campfire, sat down, picked up the steaming, milky-white porridge, and gulped it down in a few mouthfuls. “Old man, another bowl, please. Uh, what kind of porridge is this? Why does it taste like milk powder?”

“Milk porridge. My own secret recipe, unique in this world.”

“…It’s pretty good. Another bowl, please.”

“Can your body handle more? How’s your throat?”

“Much better than yesterday. I think I can finish two bowls. I should be able to speak for a short while without a problem. As long as I don’t chatter on endlessly, ordinary conversation is fine.”

“Lijiang City. Who would have thought a discarded disciple of my demonic sect would hide behind the Qiqi Sect, secretly cultivating the Profound Infant method? If I’ve heard the news, you can be sure the Qiqi Sect has as well. I wonder whom they’ll send to deal with him?” A bewitching woman, her smile charming and eyes alight with mischief, watched as the man beside her seemed momentarily entranced.

“Young Mistress, with the recent incident at the Demon Lord’s Secret Realm putting every sect on edge, we should leave quickly,” said the man, his features delicate and refined—he was the very Core Formation demon cultivator who had chased Ji that day. Now, his long hair was smooth and flowing, no longer disheveled from being struck by the frying pan.

“Don’t worry. Among the great sects, there are no more than three Nascent Soul elders each, all of whom are guarding their sects without venturing out. It’s the same for Core Formation experts. Besides, aren’t you here to protect me?”

“Hm? What’s that?” Suddenly, the seductive woman’s expression changed to surprise as she looked off into the distance.

“What is it?” The refined man tensed, following her gaze.

…

“What’s wrong? Is there something over there?” asked the baby girl, her voice childish, as she sat on the boy’s shoulder.

“It seemed like an unfriendly gaze flashed by,” Ji frowned, withdrawing his attention, thoughtful. “Probably one of Lijiang’s local toughs or something. Ignore them. But why does the atmosphere here feel so oppressive? Is it always like this when cultivators gather?”

“I’ve never met any cultivators besides you, so how would I know? Let’s go in and find out. Hurry up! You have no idea how uncomfortable it is wearing your shirt!”

This was, of course, Ji and Little Meiqin, who had left Qiqi Mountain and hurried here.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care. We’re about to enter the city, so don’t speak carelessly,” Ji adjusted his plain glasses, expressionless.

“You weren’t wearing glasses yesterday, so why put them on today? Can cultivators be nearsighted too? Anyway, that doesn’t matter—once we get into the city, buy me some clothes. They have to have a frog, or a kitten, or a teddy bear on them…” Her childish voice trailed off into the distance.

“Young Mistress, why didn’t you let me capture him?” the refined man asked with a frown.

“No need to hurry. Isn’t it more interesting now that he’s come here? He escaped from you and came out unscathed from that chaos. He’s not someone you can just catch easily. I did underestimate him last time.” The bewitching woman touched her lips, her enchanting smile hiding a strange gleam in her crescent eyes.

“Why are all the clothes here so ugly? There isn’t a single animal pattern,” complained Meiqin.

“People here see the world differently. What mortal would dare wear bright, eye-catching clothes? Cultivators all dress oddly, and their clothes are for defense. Wear them if you want—if not, keep wearing my shirt.”

Meiqin puffed her cheeks, eyes scanning the drab, ugly garments before finally stopping at a piece of bright fabric.

“So, you chose to make your own in the end?” Ji asked, leaving the clothing shop with Meiqin, ignoring the strange looks of passersby as he wandered the street.

“Those clothes were really too ugly. I’d rather make my own. I’ve officially given up on this world’s fashion,” Meiqin grumbled, equally oblivious to the odd stares.

“Well, that’s settled. Next, let’s look around, learn more about the cultivation world, spend a night here, and leave tomorrow.”

“Eh? Don’t you want to know what’s going on here?”

“No. In the cultivation world, it’s best not to meddle in others’ affairs. We’re just passing through—there’s no need to concern ourselves with local matters.”

“Tch, how boring. Am I supposed to be stifled for more than a hundred days? Don’t you know that only by experiencing events and battles can you level up… become stronger? If you aim to be the strongest, how can you fear trouble?”

“This isn’t a game. Fighting doesn’t give you experience points, and you can’t level up. You’re more likely to get yourself killed, and there’s no resurrection. Besides, that ‘become the strongest’ ambition is your motto, not mine. Don’t force it on me.”

“You—stop fussing over details! A true man should be bold, stand up for what’s right. If something happens that we can’t handle, then we leave. But at least we have the heart to try, right? And if it’s something within our ability, ignoring it would weigh on our conscience.”

“That’s your conscience. Mine grew wings long ago and, under the brilliant spring sun when all the flowers bloomed, an angel smiled and carried it back to God—where it’s been tormented ever since.”

Little Meiqin, exasperated, slapped the forehead of Ji—who, glasses on, wore a deadpan expression and gazed skyward at a forty-five-degree angle. “No matter how you dress it up, the truth is you’re just a heartless scoundrel.”

“So, let’s go shopping.”

“I misjudged you. If you won’t go, I’ll investigate alone. I haven’t met anyone yet who can really fight me at full strength. I’d like to see just how powerful these cultivators you boast about really are.”

“Why do you sound so uncertain? Ugh—such a troublesome brat. All right, let’s gather some information first. Maybe this city is always like this. There’s no point guessing.”

“That’s more like it. Even I know that crime and injustice happen everywhere, all the time. But if something happens right in front of me and I ignore it, I’d truly hate myself.”

“The road to cultivation is hard! Love is not simple, either. Why can’t immortals and demons fall in love? Sect rules cannot sever ties. Hidden among mortals, Dao companions walk together…”

“What’s that sound? Is someone singing?” Meiqin looked around in confusion.

Ji arched an eyebrow, took off his glasses, put them away, and walked toward the source of the singing.

(It seems I’ve been muted—can’t even advertise? I haven’t received any notification, but I can’t post any comments [ads]. How do I fix this?)