Liuwu Forest

She was sent down the mountain by her master to gain experience. Although she went quite far, she also unintentionally got involved in the infighting within Fox Mountain.

As two of the Seven Great Demon Mountains, Fox Mountain and Qiling Mountain are sandwiched between the formidable Bieyao Valley. The relationship between the three has always been tense. Since she has been away for so long, the loudmouths of Bieyao Valley have probably already exposed all her actions.

Although she was not her mother's biological daughter, her mother treated her as her own. In the past, if she ran a little too far, her mother would bring her back, fearing that she might encounter some danger. As a result, all the demons on Qiling Mountain avoided her like the plague, and she had no friends for a long time during her childhood.

Only after they arrived at the Yang Palace did her mother feel slightly relieved enough to let her go out and play.

But ever since she became Shu Huixin's apprentice, her mother has hardly interfered in her affairs. She attributed this to the principle that one thing subdues another, and her mother was probably still afraid of her old monster master who had lived for over three hundred years and still claimed to be human.

So, Mother must have heard the news that she was coming back, but went to Yang Palace ahead of time? Why was that?

Filled with questions, Ren Xiangxiang did not obediently run directly to Yang Palace, but instead secretly went to her master's residence, Liuwu Forest.

The Liuwu Forest is shrouded in mist all year round. Because it is backed by the cliff of Daoyuankou, the sun rarely shines here. As a result, the trees here are short and strangely shaped. The crisscrossing tree roots are exposed at your feet like pythons. The thorny vines grow up the tree trunks, vying for the scattered light. Only the crystal clear mushrooms around the tree roots sway and behave themselves.

"...You'd better not touch these mushrooms, or you might accidentally fall asleep for three months..." Ren Xiangxiang warned without turning her head.

Upon hearing this, Caowa immediately burrowed back into the bamboo basket.

"When you see my master later, answer whatever she asks, without uttering a single extra word, understand?"

"Is your master very fierce?" Caowa asked cautiously.

Ren Xiangxiang paused, unsure how to answer. The image of her master unconsciously surfaced in her mind: snow-white hair, a gentle smile, and a master who, due to blindness, spent most of his life in a wheelchair. He had almost no demands on her, only helping to tend the herb garden—the work of a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Yet, everyone who had seen her, human or demon, regardless of their abilities, treated her with unbelievable respect and obedience.

“She…” Ren Xiangxiang racked her brains to explain more clearly, but couldn’t find the reason. “You…you just do as I say…”

"Oh..." Grass Boy nodded in confusion.

After passing through the misty Liuwu Forest, the view suddenly opened up. As night fell, the surrounding fields turned a golden yellow, outlining a tranquil landscape.

The courtyard gate was ajar. Ren Xiangxiang gently pushed open one of the doors, immediately startling the sparrows on the wall, who scattered in a flurry. A rather oblivious gray magpie was chirping incessantly on a branch to the west. Ren Xiangxiang casually picked up a pebble and threw it at the magpie, which immediately flapped its wings and flew away.

"You've just come back and you're already bullying it. Be careful, it holds a grudge."

Ren Xiangxiang turned around abruptly, and Shu Huixin wheeled herself out of the house. The wind blew through her white hair at her temples, and she casually tucked it behind her ear, revealing a face that did not match her hair color, young yet exuding an air of old age.

With her eyes closed, she gazed in the direction where Ren Xiangxiang stood, as if she could see. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, and her voice was gentle as water, pleasant and calming.

Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?

"Master, I...I'm back." Ren Xiangxiang felt inexplicably guilty and quickly stepped forward. "No, Master, can't you really see me?"

As she spoke, she stretched out her paw and waved it in front of Shu Huixin's eyes.

“I thought you would be eager to go to Yang Palace, but I didn’t expect you to come here. It’s rare that you still remember your master.”

"Master, what are you saying? I'll definitely come to report to you as soon as I get back!"

Ren Xiangxiang quickly put down her bamboo basket and fawned over Shu Huixin, patting her back and massaging her shoulders.

"You brought a new friend, why don't you introduce her to me?" Shu Huixin gently pressed her hand.

Ren Xiangxiang was startled and looked down. Caowa was huddled in the bamboo basket, not even breathing. Not to mention a blind person, even someone with good eyesight might not be able to spot him.

“Let me guess…you just came back from Bieyao Valley, you must be a friend from Bieyao Valley!” Shu Huixin reached out towards the bamboo basket.

Caowa shuddered in fright. Ren Xiangxiang frantically gave him meaningful glances while replying nonchalantly, "Master, you are truly amazing! Nothing can be hidden from you. His name is Caowa, and he is my new friend."

Hurry up!

Ren Xiangxiang's eyes almost twitched. She didn't know what was wrong with this little grass child. Suddenly, he was terrified of Shu Huixin. Could it be that he was frightened by her?

Danger, danger, danger!

Alarm bells rang in Caowa's mind. It wasn't that he was unwilling to cooperate, but his instincts were screaming for him to escape. He desperately suppressed the urge to run away, gently tapped Shu Huixin's palm with his hand, and then quickly withdrew it.

Ren Xiangxiang suddenly felt her master's relaxed body stiffen for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

“I see…” Shu Huixin murmured to herself, “Your name is Grass Child? You’re not a scarecrow, are you?”

"Master, you're amazing!" Ren Xiangxiang's eyes lit up with excitement.

Shu Hui smiled and patted her hand. "Take good care of this little grass-boy friend for me." Then, she turned to the direction of the backyard lights and said calmly, "Your Uncle Shui is in the back. Go see him and then come find me!"

After saying that, before Ren Xiangxiang could ask any more questions, the wheelchair slowly returned to the house, and the door closed silently. Ren Xiangxiang was stunned for a moment, then looked down at the still trembling little grass child.

"What's wrong with you? My master isn't that scary!" Ren Xiangxiang pulled Caowa out of the bamboo basket.

As Shu Huixin said, Caowa looks like a straw man that was casually made, and the walnut-sized red agate on his forehead is his eye.

“Xiangxiang, your master is really scary. I’ve tried so hard to suppress the urge to run away, but she’s just so terrifying! I’ve never felt this way even in Fox Mountain.” Caowa was unusually serious, leaving Ren Xiangxiang completely bewildered. She asked, confused, “Why don’t I feel that way…”

"..." Caowa couldn't express himself clearly for a moment. Seeing that it was getting late, Ren Xiangxiang ran to the kitchen to prepare food. After settling Caowa in, she came to the backyard.

Her cooking skills are average; what she makes is merely passable and edible. In the past, when it was her turn to cook, she often argued with Uncle Shui.

Uncle Shui's real name is Shui Buyun. It is said that he was a daffodil that his master bought back in Zhexian Town. It had developed sentience and was carefully raised by his side, but it was tricked away by two old monsters. After cultivating into human form, it ran away and came back.

She overheard this gossip from the little demons outside, but didn't know if it was true or not. However, Uncle Shui's true form was indeed a daffodil, with a handsome and dashing appearance. After being rejected by his master, he had been staying here ever since.

The lights were on in the backyard house. Ren Xiangxiang rushed in with dinner in her arms, only to find the person inside sweating profusely as they applied medicine to themselves.

He was wounded in the chest, a bloody knife wound with flesh torn open and bone exposed. If it were an ordinary person, they would have been reporting to the King of Hell long ago.

Ren Xiangxiang was startled by the sight and blurted out, "Uncle Shui, what happened?"

Shui Buyun's hand trembled, and he glanced at her while enduring the pain, saying in a hoarse voice, "Would it kill you to knock on the door! Hiss... Aren't you coming over to help?"

Two bottles of hemostatic medicine were applied, almost all of which flowed down with the blood. Ren Xiangxiang first cleaned the wound for him, then carefully stitched it up, before reapplying the medicine and tightening the wound to stop the bleeding. He was in so much pain that he couldn't breathe and was sweating profusely, but he didn't utter a sound.

After finishing everything, Shui Buyun finally caught her breath. "Hiss... You went out for a while and you haven't improved at all. It took you so long to treat a wound?"

Ren Xiangxiang paused, then threw all her previous worries to the dogs, saying, "I was wondering why Master sent me to see you. You must have been doing something bad behind her back."

"Nonsense!" Shui Buyun vehemently denied it. Looking at the food on the table, he swallowed hard, took a bite, and immediately spat it out. "What is this? It's burnt again! Can't you watch the heat? You're wasting food..."

"Eat it if you want, don't eat it if you don't." Ren Xiangxiang picked up her food and was about to leave when Shui Buyun suddenly asked from behind, "What did your master say to you?"

Ren Xiangxiang glanced at him and said, "Let me come see you, and then go find her."

Hearing this answer, Shui Buyun seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but her tone became impatient again, "Put down the food and get out of here, I don't need you here anymore."

"You always come back covered in injuries every time you go out. What are you doing?" Ren Xiangxiang suddenly asked out of the blue.

Shui Buyun was stunned for a moment. "She told you to ask? Impossible... Little brat, don't go asking around. What does it have to do with you? You should worry about your own marriage first. Break up with that boy from Fox Mountain as soon as possible, listen to your mother, and go to the Yang Palace to get married!"

"What did you say?!"

...

The night was cool and still, outlining a distant mountain range. Shu Huixin hadn't been inside for long when she heard hurried footsteps outside the door. Before she could knock, the door opened by itself.

"Master!" Ren Xiangxiang rushed in and blurted out, "Why did my mother go to the Yang Palace? What happened? Why did she... I... get married!"

"I thought you already knew." Shu Huixin smiled.

"What do I know? My mother didn't mention marriage in the mosquito net she gave me. Master, do you know something? Why are you suddenly making me get married?"

Ren Xiangxiang was so anxious she was almost in tears. She vaguely guessed the reason, but she didn't know if it was really as she imagined.

“We’ve all heard about what happened at Fox Mountain,” Shu Huixin said slowly. “If it weren’t for Dog Lord’s sudden appearance, She Liuying would probably have already stormed Fox Mountain…”

really……

Ren Xiangxiang suddenly felt utterly hopeless.

“Your mother will never agree to you being with a demon; she and Dog Master are a bloody example.”

"But I'm not exactly a normal person either! I also have demonic energy on me, I..." Ren Xiangxiang tried to defend herself.

Shu Huixin simply shook her head. "You know your mother; I don't need to say more."

"But...but..."

But Mo You didn't come to find me; it was all just wishful thinking on my part. She opened her mouth, then suddenly felt both ridiculous and pathetic.

Don't you want to know who your mother chose for you?

Ren Xiangxiang was in a state of utter confusion and confusion. Upon hearing this, she was startled. Shu Huixin said, word by word, "You recognize him. When you were a child, he tried to stay at Banshan Residence."

"Brother Wen?"