The Light of the Righteous Path 11

Xiao Mo and Wan Zhufeng went down the mountain one after another to handle the incidents of people having their vital essence drained by Demonic Cultivators. Xiao Mo usually only managed clan affairs and thought it was just the disciples of his own clan being unlucky. He hadn't expected the rampage of Demonic Cultivators to have become the norm.

Wan Zhufeng returned completely overwhelmed and exhausted. First, he squatted there and counted Spirit Stones for a long time. It was only after a night passed that he remembered to discuss the matter and seek help from the two most promising junior brothers under his master's tutelage.

"The situation is already this serious, so why was there absolutely no word of it when I went down the mountain?" Xiao Mo frowned, his usual joking demeanor rarely completely put away.

Wan Zhufeng slowly shook his head. "The major clans all act independently. Who would be willing to take the lead to release the news, show weakness, and ask other clans for help?"

Mount Yuelu was supposed to be a place that didn't care about one's background, a union of clans. Yet in the end, didn't the disciples of the Four Great Daoists still manage their own affairs and compete for superiority?

Du Chengying remained silent the entire time, keeping his head down and staring blankly, looking as if he wasn't listening at all.

Wan Zhufeng twisted his fingers, his heart pounding with apprehension, and hesitantly spoke up: "Actually, I think Junior Brother Du would be a good choice."

On Mount Yuelu, the only person who didn't come from a cultivation clan was Du Chengying. Having him speak up would be the most appropriate, as it wouldn't damage the pride of the many clans.

Hearing his own name, Du Chengying raised his head and snapped back to attention. His gaze and expression were extremely cold. When Wan Zhufeng's eyes met Du Chengying's demonic, enchanting eyes, he involuntarily swallowed back the rest of his words.

"We should still report this matter to the Daoists and let them decide." As the eldest senior brother, Xiao Mo still possessed this bit of steadfastness. Sanyue Zhenren didn't meddle in affairs, and Xiao Mo didn't want to cause trouble for Sanyue Zhenren. Their branch had always acted with a low profile; without the capability, they wouldn't take on the responsibility.

"What needs to be reported to the Daoists?" Returning, Lin Qi smelled the scent of a mission and asked with a nervous expression.

Wan Zhufeng briefly and concisely recounted what he had encountered at the foot of the mountain once again.

Lin Qi's heart skipped a beat, and he involuntarily glanced at Du Chengying.

Du Chengying sat there as steady as a mountain, his long robes trailing on the floor and his black hair meticulously arranged. Even though he hadn't slept a wink all night, he still looked exceptionally handsome and suave. No matter how you looked at him, he didn't resemble a great demon lord at all.

Another plotline that didn't exist in his previous life. Lin Qi suppressed the doubts in his heart and sat down. His seat was right next to Du Chengying—it was the only seat left. Lin Qi felt a bit uncomfortable sitting there, trying his best not to look in Du Chengying's direction, and said softly, "Reporting to the Daoists is for the best."

"This matter should not be delayed. I will make a trip to Master Yuan Yu's place right now." Xiao Mo tapped the table beside his hand and said seriously to Wan Zhufeng, "Second Junior Brother, you stay on the mountain and manage your stall."

Wan Zhufeng: "......"

Xiao Mo then turned to Du Chengying. "Junior Brother Du, take good care of Junior Brother Lin."

Lin Qi: "......"

Du Chengying nodded. "Rest assured, Senior Brother Xiao."

After finishing his instructions, Xiao Mo briskly turned and left. Wan Zhufeng also stood up and said honestly, "You two junior brothers make yourselves comfortable, I'm going to get busy."

Suddenly, only Lin Qi and Du Chengying were left in the room.

Lin Qi felt somewhat at a loss. He fidgeted, wanting to stand up and leave, but felt that would be too obvious. After all, Du Chengying hadn't done anything wrong. Being so hurtful wasn't in Lin Qi's nature.

"If you want to leave, then go," Du Chengying said faintly.

Lin Qi's face flushed red instantly. He lowered his head and said, "I didn't mean that."

Du Chengying directly stood up. "Then I'll go." He walked outside without any hesitation.

Lin Qi watched Du Chengying leave in considerable surprise. Du Chengying didn't stop his pace; he took quick strides and directly disappeared from Lin Qi's line of sight.

Lin Qi opened his mouth slightly in astonishment. Was this... him getting angry?

The System, seeing his absent-minded look as he stared at the door, said in exasperation at his failure to live up to expectations, "Why are you so stupid?"

Lin Qi: "Why are you calling me stupid again for no reason?"

The System thought to itself, 'He doesn't even understand playing hard to get, is this Synthetic Human an idiot?' However, it was too lazy to explain and said perfunctorily, "Du Chengying's Blackening Value is at 100, you better watch your attitude."

Lin Qi thought to himself, how should he watch his attitude? By currying favor with him? Or even accepting him? Wouldn't that be deceiving his feelings? The characters in these small worlds also had human rights. If he did such a thing, he would be warned by the Alliance Human Rights Association once he got out.

System: "The show has started, I'm slipping away first. Be careful yourself. If Du Chengying ambushes you at night, just endure it. Anyway, it will hurt for a bit, but then it'll feel great."

Lin Qi: "......Just go away quickly......"

Left alone with nothing to do, Lin Qi simply hugged the Water Qilin and focused intently on brushing its fur, satisfying his obsession with fluffy things. The Water Qilin was extremely obedient, kneeling quietly on the ground and gazing at Lin Qi deeply with a pair of bright green eyes.

"Wuxia," Lin Qi gently stroked the Water Qilin's long fur and whispered, "Do you think I'm being too cruel?"

The Water Qilin remained silent, not even letting out a single meow. It just looked at him quietly, its gaze soft and warm, and nudged Lin Qi's back with its ears.

"I know he likes me, likes me a lot," Lin Qi sighed, turning his head to bury his entire face into the Water Qilin's long fur. "But the person he likes isn't actually the real me, do you understand?"

In the dense forest, Du Chengying's eyelashes trembled, and the corners of his lips pressed down helplessly. What a confused senior brother. Did he not know who it was that he liked?

Lin Qi was truly annoyed to death. The feeling of carrying a romantic debt on his back was not wonderful at all. He rolled around a couple of times while lying on top of the Water Qilin, saying in self-abandonment, "I'm such an ordinary person, what exactly does he like about me?"

The Water Qilin, whose body was currently borrowed by Du Chengying, turned its head and gently tapped Lin Qi's face with the tip of its nose. Lin Qi dodged slightly, but it nimbly followed up, pressing its soft nose against the slightly warm cheek. Lin Qi smiled and stopped dodging, patting the Water Qilin's forehead, and smiled with his eyes curved: "You like me too, don't you?"

The tip of its nose rubbed against his cheek. It was a little ticklish, and Lin Qi shrank back with a laugh, sighing, "If only I could take you away with me."

The Water Qilin raised its head, its green eyes gazing intently at Lin Qi, its eyes containing some very complex emotions. Lin Qi's hand paused; he suddenly heard the sound coming from the Water Qilin.

"I don't care."

The voice was deep and resonant like a Sanskrit chant, seeming to come from the depths of the soul, causing Lin Qi's entire body to shudder.

The Water Qilin looked at him quietly, and the mesmerizing voice came again— "Don't feel guilty."

Lin Qi's heart was pounding wildly. He didn't know why his heartbeat had suddenly accelerated so much. The Water Qilin's green eyes seemed to have a magical power, threatening to suck his gaze right in. The soft nose once again gently rubbed against Lin Qi's cheek, causing Lin Qi to tremble all over and directly roll off the Water Qilin's body.

The Water Qilin didn't move, still sitting quietly. Its composed demeanor made Lin Qi feel a bit unfamiliar. Sitting on the ground, he locked eyes with the Water Qilin for a good while, his whole body turning stiff.

In the agonizing silence, the Water Qilin opened its mouth and said in a tiny, delicate voice, "Meow."

Lin Qi's suspended heart finally settled down. He pounced onto the Water Qilin's thick back, plunged his head into its fluffy fur, and said with a muffled voice, "Wuxia, you scared me just now."

Du Chengying endured the humiliation and let out another soft meow. Relieved, Lin Qi rubbed against its back a couple of times. It was very childish, and it also made Du Chengying's heart flutter.

If only Lin Qi could be this comfortable in front of him.

......

Hearing that Demonic Cultivators were running rampant at the foot of the mountain, Master Yuan Yu was momentarily shocked and angry. "How come I haven't heard a single word about this?"

Xiao Mo smiled but said nothing, his face exuding the full aura of a salted fish.

After losing her temper, Yuan Yu knew her words were superfluous. What else could be the reason? It was nothing more than internal strife. No one was willing to swallow their pride and admit that uncontrollable events had occurred within their own territory.

It was already commendable enough that Xiao Mo was willing to pierce through this layer of window paper.

"I understand, thank you," Yuan Yu furrowed her brows and said. "This is no small matter. I will discuss it with the other Daoists. You may go back first."

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, Daoist." Xiao Mo bowed and withdrew. He had done what he needed to do, so he could consider himself to have a clear conscience.

The birth of a Water Qilin was a great omen of fortune. Fortune and misfortune rely on each other; after a great fortune, there is bound to be a great calamity. Yuan Yu's eyes darkened. This world... was about to fall into chaos.

A few days later, the Sect Order was passed into Xiao Mo's hands. The Sect Order stated: Mount Yuelu was summoning all disciples to descend the mountain and carry out the duty of eliminating demons and defending the Dao. Every disciple under the various Daoists must be deployed without fail.

Xiao Mo received the Sect Order, turned around, and explained the situation to his three junior brothers. He formed the groups with great decisiveness, "Junior Brother Wan and I will go to Fanjiu together. Junior Brother Du, you take good care of Junior Brother Lin, the two of you can go to Huayuan together."

Lin Qi was dumbfounded, saying, "But Senior Brother Xiao, you and I both belong to Huayuan."

Xiao Mo waved his hand. "Please spare me. As soon as I go back, my mother will ask me when I'm moving back home." He grabbed Wan Zhufeng's sleeve directly, "Let's go, let's go."

Wan Zhufeng stumbled along after him. "Senior Brother, we haven't even packed yet. We're just leaving like this?"

"Pack what pack? Aren't the Spirit Stones you earned enough for you to spend?" Xiao Mo replied without turning his head, hurriedly pulling Wan Zhufeng away from this cursed place as quickly as possible.

The atmosphere between his two junior brothers was so strange; he had long since wanted to leave.

Lin Qi hadn't spoken to Du Chengying for many days, and Du Chengying also seemed to be deliberately avoiding him. Going from his previous desperate clinginess to his current relieved letting go, he had adjusted extremely quickly.

The System was addicted to variety shows and completely ignored Lin Qi. Lin Qi could only talk to the Water Qilin every day.

The Water Qilin, however, was becoming increasingly intelligent. Seeing Du Chengying walk away without saying a word, it rubbed against Lin Qi's robe. Lin Qi turned back, touched its ears, and suddenly made a funny face, sticking his tongue out at the Water Qilin, "If he ignores me, I'll ignore him too."

The Water Qilin looked at him silently, its gaze as gentle and tolerant as always.

It was clearly he himself who told Du Chengying not to like him anymore. So why, now that Du Chengying had done it, did he feel a bit disappointed instead? Lin Qi lowered his face, secretly wondering to himself, is it really true that 'you don't cherish what you have until you lose it, and only then do you realize its value'?

Although Du Chengying had been quiet, he had finished packing and came to find Lin Qi. "Junior Brother Lin, if you really don't want to travel with me, we can go our separate ways."

Lin Qi stroked the Water Qilin's long fur, thinking to himself that he hadn't even said anything.

Seeing him keep his head down and remain silent, Du Chengying softened his voice and said, "I'm not doing this to intentionally provoke you. I'm just afraid you'll feel uncomfortable."

Lin Qi said softly, "I don't feel uncomfortable."

Du Chengying asked, "Really?"

Lin Qi kneaded the Water Qilin's long fur, his heart a mess, but he still said, "We study under the same sect. No matter what, our camaraderie is still there. There is no need to make things so... unpleasant over certain matters."

"I have never thought that way." Du Chengying pondered for a moment and said, "How about this: if there is anywhere you feel uncomfortable, just point it out, alright?"

Lin Qi took a light breath and finally raised his head to meet Du Chengying's eyes. He hadn't looked directly at Du Chengying for a long time. With this look, he saw that the affection in those eyes hadn't diminished in the slightest; they were still overflowing with it. He couldn't help but want to avert his gaze again.

"Does even looking at you make you unhappy now?" Du Chengying's tone was flat. Even though the words he spoke were so heartbreaking, he remained calm and unruffled.

Lin Qi hurriedly looked back and said, "It's not unhappiness..." Meeting Du Chengying's magnetic eyes, he started losing his words again.

It was just too precious; he couldn't bear it.

Du Chengying seemed to see through his thoughts. He suddenly stepped forward, leaning closer. Lin Qi took a step back, leaning his body against the soft and tall Water Qilin. This time, Du Chengying didn't back down because of his panic. Instead, he firmly stared straight into his eyes and said in a low voice, "Are you afraid of what I might do to you?"

It was too close. He could even smell the faint fruity-woody fragrance on the other's body. Lin Qi couldn't help but hold his breath. Du Chengying bent down, his handsome and fair face slowly drawing nearer. Lin Qi's heart felt like it had been lifted into mid-air by a hand, and his entire body went on tiptoes.

His pale red lips stopped just inches away. Those thin lips parted slightly, and the low voice seeped straight into one's heart. "Without your permission, I won't."

As Du Chengying straightened up, Lin Qi finally exhaled that breath. His heart was still thumping wildly. He hurriedly turned around and buried himself into the Water Qilin's embrace, using the Water Qilin's long fur to hide his action of clutching his chest and his disheveled appearance as he panted heavily.

Du Chengying looked at his trembling back with a faint, playful smile. Even though he had said he wouldn't force him, he still couldn't resist the urge to tease him a bit.

He really didn't know when this guy would finally catch on.

The two of them still went down the mountain together. Because the Water Qilin's appearance was too eye-catching, the Water Qilin shrunk its own body size, transforming into the size of an ordinary cat or dog. It curled up perfectly in the crook of Lin Qi's arm. Lin Qi said in surprise, "You can become small, why didn't you do it earlier?"

The Water Qilin: It hadn't realized that its master's sweetheart liked small things.

Lin Qi couldn't bear to let go of the downsized Water Qilin. When they reached the town at the foot of the mountain, the sky was already getting dark. Du Chengying led Lin Qi to find lodging. Lin Qi said to Du Chengying, "Senior Brother, let's get two rooms." He explained, "I want to sleep with Wuxia."

The expression on Du Chengying's face turned teasing for a moment. "As you wish."

Lin Qi was deeply engrossed in petting the Qilin and didn't notice the strange look on Du Chengying's face.

Although they were at the foot of Mount Yuelu, human presence was much sparser than before. Mount Yuelu was brimming with spiritual energy. Not to mention the cultivation disciples seeking masters and enlightenment, even ordinary mortals would unconsciously want to get closer. The several inns were usually fully booked, but now business was withering away.

When things are abnormal, there must be demons at work. After Du Chengying finished inquiring about the general news from the innkeeper, he returned to his own room to meditate. Still worrying about Lin Qi, he closed his eyes, his soul leaving his body, and once again borrowed the shell of the Water Qilin.

Opening his eyes, he found the room filled with misty water vapor. Du Chengying inwardly cursed his bad luck. Just as he was trying to slip away, his body was scooped up from behind and turned around, directly meeting a pair of clear, smiling eyes. "Wuxia, do you want to take a bath too?"

Lin Qi must have just finished bathing. His fair cheeks were flushed with a hint of pink, and his long hair was draped naturally over his shoulders. The diagonally opened lapels of his clothes revealed a bit of his slender neck. It was still far from being alluring, but in Du Chengying's eyes, it surpassed all the beautiful colors in the world. Such an ultimate purity—so pure that it made one unable to resist the impulsive urge to leave marks on his body.

"Wuxia, why are you bleeding?" Lin Qi hurriedly covered the Water Qilin's nose with his hand.

Du Chengying: "......"

Lin Qi didn't know much about a Spirit Beast like the Water Qilin, and he truly never connected the dots that he was the one who caused the Water Qilin to have a nosebleed. In a frantic flurry, he found many medicinal pills to feed it.

Du Chengying chewed mindlessly on the medicinal pills Lin Qi stuffed into his mouth while silently reciting the Heart-Calming Mantra, thinking to himself that he was truly utterly hopeless.

"Are you about to grow up?" Lin Qi muttered as he flipped the Water Qilin over and parted its tail to take a close look. "Your butt is still white, it's not time yet." When a Water Qilin began its adulthood, it would start turning black from the tail first.

Du Chengying's entire body froze. He wanted to leave, but at the same time, he didn't want Lin Qi to genuinely get close to that beast. Agilely wriggling out of Lin Qi's grasp, he jumped to the ground and let out two slightly dissatisfied 'meows' at Lin Qi.

"Is Wuxia feeling shy?" Lin Qi leaned down with a smile. The miniature Water Qilin gave him an even greater sense of satisfaction of keeping a pet. He beckoned, "Come here, I'll help you take a bath."

Unable to endure any longer, Du Chengying directly jumped out of the room.

Lin Qi called out softly but didn't chase after it. The kid had grown up and needed some personal space. He believed that a Spirit Beast like the Water Qilin would run back on its own in a little while.

This little interlude left Lin Qi with a smile on his lips when he lay down in bed to fall asleep.

......

"Junior Brother......"

In his drowsy slumber, a deep voice was calling out to him. The voice was very familiar but deliberately lowered, sounding right next to his ear. A faint fruity-woody fragrance hovered around the tip of his nose. Lin Qi struggled to open his eyes. A pair of eyes in the darkness emitted a profound light, and two slightly parted thin lips brushed phantom-like past his cheek.

"Junior Brother, do you really not have me in your heart?"

The warm breath sprayed across his cheek, and Lin Qi shrank back slightly. The scene before him felt both like a dream and not a dream; it was a genuine interrogation and seduction of his heart.

Was he dreaming? Lin Qi's head was dizzy. He wanted to dodge, but his whole body felt incredibly heavy, completely unable to move an inch. Instead, that demonic and enchanting presence drew closer and closer, moving from his cheek to the tip of his nose, drilling into his skin pervasively.

"Junior Brother, you're blushing......"

Lin Qi furrowed his brows, fully realizing that he was deeply trapped in a nightmare. The real Du Chengying would never act so frivolously toward him. Gritting his teeth, he focused his mind and shouted loudly— "Go away! Don't touch me!" He raised his hand and swung it out.

His wrist was tightly grabbed, and a stream of spiritual energy was struck into his side arm. Lin Qi abruptly opened his eyes. This time, he was truly awake. The room was as bright as day. Du Chengying was looking at him quietly, his face calm as he sat upright and properly, looking like a completely different person from the demonic seducer Lin Qi had just felt in his nightmare.

"Junior Brother, you were caught in a nightmare," Du Chengying said faintly.

Lin Qi's back was covered in sweat, and his heart was still racing. He said weakly, "Senior Brother, it seems the situation is even more serious than we imagined."

Even the inn at the foot of Mount Yuelu had Demonic Cultivators intruding, let alone other places.

Du Chengying didn't respond to that. Instead, he said slowly, "Just now... you kept calling my name."

Lin Qi's movement of raising his hand to wipe his sweat paused. His other wrist, which was still firmly grasped in Du Chengying's palm, suddenly felt a bit hot. He lowered his head and mumbled, "......Did I?"

"You told me to go away," Du Chengying's hand applied a little force, suddenly pulling Lin Qi into his embrace. Lin Qi looked up in astonishment, only to see Du Chengying lowering his head, his brow and eyes full of unbridled charm. "Did I do something to you? Junior Brother......"

Lin Qi's breath hitched. The corners of Du Chengying's lips curled up slightly. He leaned down, opening his lips as he drew closer, "Like this......?"

'Slap.' A palm ruthlessly slapped that handsome face to the side. Lin Qi's expression was filled with disgust as he said coldly, "Sorry, your acting is really entirely unconvincing."

The person whose face had been slapped sideways became distorted for an instant. Just as he turned his head to say something, an angry roar that seemed to come from the depths of the earth blew the figure before him into a puff of smoke.

Lin Qi woke up again.

"Junior Brother, how are you?!" The person in front of him looked tense, his brows tightly knitted. His face was full of worry and chagrin. Suppressed fury hid beneath his gentle concern; even though he was enraged to the extreme, he didn't forget not to frighten the person in front of him. Seeing Lin Qi's unfocused eyes, seeming as if he were still caught in the nightmare, Du Chengying hated himself even more for transferring the Water Qilin away, which gave the enemy an opening in that split second. He said in frustration and hatred, "It's all my fault..."

A tight hug interrupted Du Chengying's next words. "It's you." The sigh-like words were filled with relief and profound gladness.

Du Chengying's manic heart was instantly soothed. To him, the person in his arms possessed exactly that kind of magic. A single thought could turn him into a Buddha, and a single thought could turn him into a demon; it all depended on this person's joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. After a long while, Du Chengying finally raised his hand slowly and gently rubbed the top of Lin Qi's head. "I'm here."