Lamplight

A winter night on Ku Mountain.

Large snowflakes drifted outside the inn, while old tea bubbled inside. The front hall was dim, with cheerful red embers in the fireplace. Madam Li sliced some steamed buns and roasted them over the fire. The crispy roasted buns paired with newly bought spicy sauce made for a satisfying meal.

Madam Li's life was going well. The Luojiu battle a few years ago had almost no impact on her. This area was considered desolate even within the Ku Mountain region - birds didn't defecate here and human traces were rare. Even bandits couldn't stay, and roving outlaws didn't bother coming here. From Dayun's peace to turmoil and back again, Madam Li's life hardly changed at all.

The town on the other side of the mountain was wealthy, and they knew to flee when war broke out. Their side was especially poor, and people were too lazy to even move. Food could be bought, not to mention Madam Li grew her own vegetables and grains and raised a few chickens. Even if everyone down the mountain ran away, she could make do by supplementing with some wild foods from the mountains.

Her two children rarely came back, and the old woman's life passed through spring, summer, autumn and winter without a ripple.

If there was one regret, Madam Li did have one -

It was a pity Yin Ci had run off with the fox spirit. The other hunters lacked skill, and the pheasants and rabbits they brought back were all old, weak, sick or disabled - not tasty no matter how they were cooked. The Lantern Festival had just passed, and she had wanted to treat herself to some meat. But the rabbits and pheasants she received were all tough bones, and Madam Li lost her appetite just looking at them. Thinking of Yin Ci's cooking skills, she felt the roasted bun slices were dry and tasteless.

Sigh, that brat Yin Ci was unsentimental. He went down the mountain with that fox spirit a few years ago, and there hadn't been any news since. Who knew if he'd been eaten by that fox spirit.

Should she not have let him go back then? Fox spirits were very wicked things. Stories said they ate people without even spitting out the bones.

The more Madam Li thought about it, the more likely it seemed. She couldn't even eat the bun slices anymore. Dipped in bright red chili sauce, they crunched noisily as she chewed, and she felt they had become bloody and gory.

Next time she saw a fox, she would definitely drug it with some beast medicine, and trade its fur for some gold! Last time... last time she had been bewitched by the fox spirit's looks, it shouldn't count.

Just as Madam Li was rubbing her hands together in anticipation, there was a creaking sound from the front hall.

Two figures entered side by side. The firelight flickered, illuminating their faces. Madam Li gasped sharply, jumping up from her chair: "Fox- fox spirit... fox demon!"

Wasn't that the fox spirit from a few years ago, the one carrying the "Cure All With Medicine" flag?

After many years, this fellow's complexion was rosy, his hair sleek and shiny - he must have eaten quite a few people. Ku Mountain didn't have many young and strong people to begin with, and eating one wasn't enough for this creature, so he'd brought a companion to feast together!

This companion also looked unlike an ordinary person - clearly no good either. These two monsters were each carrying lanterns, who knew what evil magic they were up to.

Madam Li straightened up, one hand grabbing an iron fire poker. But once she had it in hand, she started to reconsider. If these two foxes had their looks ruined by an iron poker, would their fur not sell well? Thinking of the fine fur in her dreams, Madam Li actually started spacing out while holding the iron poker.

Shi Jingzhi: "..."

Shi Jingzhi: "You still remember me, old ma'am."

Madam Li stared at Shi Jingzhi's waist, her gaze constantly turning backwards, trying to find a fox tail: "Of course I do."

The old woman's way of looking at people was a bit off, but the Sect Leader Shi didn't want to delve too deeply into it. He cautiously shuffled his steps, hiding the lantern in his hand in a safer place.

This was a good lantern they had bought in Yi City, with a design personally chosen by Zizhu. Shi Jingzhi had used his internal energy to protect it, carrying it all the way through the blizzard - he'd nearly shown it off to roadside wild dogs. If the old woman poked a hole in it with one strike now, he wouldn't even know where to cry.

Yin Ci had watched enough of the show. He deliberately cleared his throat and spoke in the voice of "Hunter Yin Ci": "Auntie, it's me."

Madam Li's wrinkles bunched together, her eyes widened, and her voice suddenly became several times shriller: "Well well, so you're the beast that ate my boy and even learned to mimic his voice! Take this!"

This strike was incredibly fierce. Yin Ci was startled and dodged with a graceful spin.

Madam Li: "Why are you dodging? Why are you dodging? You really are a fox - that brat never had such skills!"

Yin Ci: "..."

He was just an ordinary mortal now, and one end of that iron poker was glowing red-hot - how could he not dodge? Seeing the old woman's face flushed red with anger overflowing, he stepped forward first, snatched away the iron poker, and slipped a small gold bead into Madam Li's palm. The series of movements was as smooth as flowing water, accomplished in one breath.

Madam Li froze as if her acupoints had been struck. When she came to her senses, she tucked the gold bead into her bosom, her tone becoming several degrees more refined: "Are you two gentlemen stopping for a meal or staying the night?"

As if she didn't even recognize the iron poker on the ground.

Shi Jingzhi was astounded, nearly applauding on the spot. Yin Ci didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He called out to Madam Li again: "Auntie, it really is me."

Madam Li had received the gold and couldn't bring herself to lash out. The old woman's eyes pierced Yin Ci from head to toe and back again, her face full of disbelief. Yin Ci didn't hesitate either, immediately taking out a pheasant and starting to make soup, even digging out the sauce Madam Li had hidden. The whole process was extremely skillful.

As a bowl of golden chicken soup was placed on the table, Madam Li's last doubts disappeared: "You little brat, how did you end up looking like this? Even the color of your eyes has changed!"

There was a lot involved in this, difficult to explain in one sentence. But before Yin Ci could open his mouth, he was cut off by one sentence from Shi Jingzhi: "He took me as his master, and I've been teaching him to cultivate. Old ma'am, I've performed magic on him - this is called rebirth and transformation."

The Sect Leader Shi's eyes curved into crescents, his face full of sincerity. The old woman had always been susceptible to this, and immediately exclaimed how marvelous it was.

Yin Ci lowered his voice: "...Are you addicted to playing the fox spirit?"

Shi Jingzhi cried injustice: "Which part of what I said isn't true?"

Yin Ci thought carefully and had nothing to say.

Madam Li had a sudden realization - that's right, a fox spirit is a fox spirit, they all have cultivation methods. As long as Yin Ci was still alive, that was good. She quickly drank the soup spoonful by spoonful, her earlier anger long forgotten: "Very good, very good. I'll prepare two of the best guest rooms for you. Little brat, do you still want to take a bath?"

"One room," Shi Jingzhi said casually. "And we need the largest bathtub."

Madam Li's spoon stopped, suspicion floating in her gaze once again.

Shi Jingzhi: "This is how we immortal spirits are. Taking a disciple means choosing a dao companion. We've already become intimate, so it's only natural for me to share a room with my dao companion."

Madam Li choked, coughing on her chicken soup.

The old woman coughed for a while, instinctively wanting to voice her objection. But then she thought about how this fox spirit had performed magic and taught cultivation, and Yin Ci's spirit and energy had clearly improved a lot, so she didn't feel right speaking up. The old woman was stunned for a moment, slowly finished drinking the chicken soup, then let out a long sigh.

"I don't understand you young people these days. As long as you treat him well, there's nothing for an outsider like me to say."

This fox must have taken a liking to Yin Ci's cooking skills. Otherwise, why would he have specifically come to entice an ordinary hunter in the bitter cold and snow back then?

Madam Li's own children rarely came back as it was, and now even Yin Ci who had just returned was... was taken away by a monster. Madam Li felt a pang of sadness. She suddenly put down her bowl and started rummaging through the cabinet where money was kept.

Under the puzzled gazes of the two, she dug out a book that was clearly quite old. Madam Li carefully cradled it, sighing as she shuffled over to Yin Ci: "We've had some fate together. This is a secret manual of immortal cultivation that my son spent a fortune to acquire. You might as well take it."

Yin Ci saw the characters on the book cover clearly, and his eyelid immediately twitched.

...In this day and age, what brainless "immortal" would directly use "Secret Manual of Immortal Cultivation" as a book title? Moreover, the character for "manual" was written incorrectly. Who knows what book that son of hers had bought, taking advantage of the old woman's illiteracy to thoroughly deceive her.

However, although Madam Li was shrewd and greedy, she was ultimately a good-hearted person. In this world of comings and goings, in terms of age, she was only considered Yin Ci's junior. In terms of affection, she was perhaps the closest thing to family he had. Whether out of loneliness or simple kindness, her care for "Hunter Yin Ci" had never been lacking.

Yin Ci accepted the old book with both hands, deliberately making his expression look more solemn: "Thank you, Auntie."

The ungrateful little brat finally showed some human feeling. Madam Li was deeply gratified. She happily boiled water and prepared the room, no longer interfering in the two's affairs. As for that book, Yin Ci temporarily had Shi Jingzhi keep it while he continued busying himself at the stove - Mr. Shi loved to collect little objects and always carried various bundles, unwilling to throw anything away.

Deep in the night.

Madam Li had been gnawing on steamed buns and cabbage for half a month, but now that she had caught Yin Ci, she insisted on having him cook a table full of good dishes. The old woman ate in a daze, unable to move easily, and went to sleep in the inner room by herself. Shi Jingzhi pulled Yin Ci into the bathtub, and the two contentedly soaked in the hot water.

Perhaps it was a trick of the eye, but in the misty steam, Yin Ci felt that Shi Jingzhi looked a bit redder than before.

"Is the water too hot?" Yin Ci asked with concern. "No need to endure it, I can cool it down a bit with my internal energy."

Shi Jingzhi played with the water, his gaze a bit evasive: "Did you look at that book?"

Yin Ci: "I gave it to you right away, and then my hands were covered in blood and oil, so I couldn't even touch it. Why, is there something wrong with the book?"

Could it really be some kind of magical text?

"It's not exactly that there's something wrong with it. It talks about dual cultivation methods, quite erotic... ahem, quite practical. This master thinks it's feasible. Would you be willing to try it with me?"

...Oh, no wonder Madam Li's son had to lie through his teeth. So it turned out to be a trashy romance novel. Yin Ci thought with a blank expression, pinching Shi Jingzhi's earlobe. The latter was already flushed from the steam, and now he looked like a crab in a pot.

"That's perfect, I won't read it then," Yin Ci said, moving closer dripping with water and whispering in his ear. "This disciple doesn't want to read words. Since you've taken me as your disciple, you should lead by example and teach me thoroughly."

His fingertips slowly slid down, water droplets sliding across skin, separating and rejoining.

"Come to think of it, I'm a disciple taken by a fox spirit. How can a disciple not listen to what his master says? Whatever you teach, I'll accept it all—"

Steam drifted, firelight flickered. The orange-red firelight brushed over fair skin, water droplets scattered here and there, quite suggestive.

How could a Desire Child endure such torment? He immediately put into practice what was described in the book, catching Yin Ci in a deep kiss. A few sparks splashed out with his movement, hissing as they hit the water.

The two had been intimate for years, and Yin Ci had long since grown accustomed to this Desire Child's strength. He was originally completely relaxed, occasionally teasing back, smiling as he watched the other lose control and pant urgently.

Who knew that this "Secret Manual of Immortal Cultivation" was written by who knows who, with some truly wild techniques. At first, he casually embraced Shi Jingzhi, but after half an hour, the Demon Lord Yin had to brace both hands on the edge of the tub just to retain a shred of clarity in his mind.

The other's hot breath fell on his back, his brain seemingly melting into honey. The water temperature not only hadn't dropped, but had risen quite a bit. The sound of water was incessant, making one's heart feel warm and itchy.

It looked to be another night of passionate entanglement until dawn.

Outside the window, the north wind howled and snow fell incessantly, burying the mountain road completely. A deer walked past the back of the inn, treading on the snow crust. Only one window of the inn was still lit, particularly eye-catching in this pitch-black snowy night.

Looking through the gap in the window, two lanterns nestled close together in front of the window, burning brightly.

Author's note:

Main text complete~