Chapter 69#

Holding His Ear in Her Mouth#

Sang Chiyu and Su Ruohui were kissing passionately when Jiang Xueya’s message suddenly arrived. Both of them paused. Su Ruohui reluctantly pressed against Sang Chiyu’s chest, pushing him away, and opened his communication compass. Sang Chiyu listened as he replied to Jiang Xueya repeatedly, his face expressionless, but the two fluffy ears on top of his head drooped, looking displeased. Su Ruohui suppressed a smile while agreeing to Jiang Xueya’s request to draw a star map. His senior sister was very domineering, strictly ordering him to return to the Border Capital to work that afternoon. Su Ruohui was utterly helpless, nodding in agreement.

“Oh, right, Senior Sister, if you have time, please help me feed Sang Baobao. I have ready-made dried fish at home,” Su Ruohui said.

Sang Chiyu’s ears suddenly perked up, and his gaze flickered slightly.

“Got it,” Jiang Xueya replied from her end.

“Thanks, Senior Sister!” Su Ruohui closed the compass and appeased Sang Chiyu. “I can’t ignore Senior Sister’s messages; if I anger her, I’ll be in trouble. Be good, don’t be unhappy.”

Sang Chiyu’s face was calm. “I’m not unhappy.”

“Really?”

Why were his ears so listless?

Su Ruohui finally couldn’t hold back. He pressed Sang Chiyu’s shoulders, making him sit down, then bent over and took his right ear into his mouth. A strange sensation came from the top of his head, and Sang Chiyu was instantly stunned, his eyes wide with shock. Su Ruohui, with mischievous intent, wasn’t satisfied with just holding it and began to lick the base of his ear with his tongue. His beast ears were like soft, warm candy, seemingly melting on Su Ruohui’s tongue.

What exactly was this guy’s true form? Ears like this… a fox? A wolf?

For some reason, these ears felt familiar, as if he had seen them somewhere before. Su Ruohui gently bit the tip of Sang Chiyu’s ear, and the person beneath him trembled violently. It was as if an electric current passed from the tip of his ear to Sang Chiyu’s heart. Beast ears were too sensitive, especially when tormented by Su Ruohui like this; a certain part of Sang Chiyu’s body unconsciously became stiff.

Su Ruohui’s hand suddenly found nothing. By the time he reacted, Sang Chiyu had completely disappeared. Su Ruohui was speechless; this fellow had actually used “Instant Shadow Shift” to escape.

“Sang Chiyu!” Su Ruohui searched everywhere for him, but couldn’t find a trace, wondering where he had run off to.

Was it really necessary to be so shy? Su Ruohui hadn’t even had enough.

As Su Ruohui walked out of the tower, the system suddenly spoke: [High-level alert! A Fire-Gazing Realm secret art practitioner, Demon Ancestor Shentu, is attacking. His secret art is “Flowing Shadow,” which allows him to appear anywhere there is a shadow. Suggestion 1: Host, please quickly move to an open area to avoid the attack. Suggestion 2: Host, please hide in Sang Chiyu’s arms and cry, seeking Sang Chiyu’s protection.]

Su Ruohui tilted his head to look ahead, and a dark figure had already appeared not far in front of him.

The dark figure was soft and boneless, like a person made of mud. He blocked the path between Su Ruohui and the tower’s main entrance, gradually forming a regular human shape. As if black paint was peeling away, Shentu’s appearance was revealed before Su Ruohui. He looked like a young man, his face painted with the colorful makeup of the Elysium Pavilion. He had delicate and gentle features, and the vibrant paints didn’t make him look grotesque; instead, they added a touch of allure.

Su Ruohui stared at him for a long time, then actually started to laugh. “You’re called Shentu? Your face is really interesting.”

Yesterday, Sang Chiyu mentioned encountering a suspicious fellow at the Elysium Pavilion; it seemed this was the guy. This fellow had probably followed him all the way from the Border Capital to the Elysium Pavilion, and then came to the Snow Realm with the ruffians.

“How do you know my name?” Shentu stood in the distance. “It’s a pity; you’re the most amazing chef I’ve ever met. I love your braised pork. If I kill you, I’ll never eat such delicious braised pork again.”

Sang Chiyu’s voice suddenly sounded behind Su Ruohui. “Have you cooked for him?”

Both of them were so elusive; Su Ruohui was speechless.

“I don’t know; I’ve only cooked for you and your son.” Su Ruohui asked, “Where did you just go?”

Sang Chiyu didn’t answer but looked away, his ears showing faint signs of reappearing.

Su Ruohui didn’t notice his shyness and turned to Shentu, saying, “Esteemed Demon Ancestor, can we talk about your face?”

“Compared to delicacies, I’d rather reach the Celestial Realm,” Shentu said. “Child, draw your blade and show me the ‘snowflake’ your father left you, the ultimate martial art of this world.”

This foolish demon probably misunderstood something; Su Ruohui didn’t quite understand his words. What was a “snowflake”? And what did his father leave him? There was no time to think too much. The shadows inside the tower instantly deepened. Centered on Shentu, the shadows spread outwards like a thick swamp, covering Su Ruohui and Sang Chiyu’s feet in the blink of an eye.

Su Ruohui grabbed Sang Chiyu’s arm. “Brother Sang, protect me, I’m so scared.”

Sang Chiyu expressionlessly pulled his hand away.

Countless grotesque figures, like black sludge, crawled out of the swamp, each identical to Shentu. Su Ruohui drew his spirit fire gun and fired a bullet at Shentu. The bullet tore through the air, its shriek like the roar of a ghost. The bullet hit Shentu directly in the face, but his snow-white face turned into shadowy mud, collapsing inch by inch. The bullet passed through his face and struck the earthen wall behind him. The shadows intertwined, and his face automatically restored itself to its original appearance.

Shentu shook his head and said, “Let the snowflake help you, otherwise you won’t defeat me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the black sludge monsters lunged at Su Ruohui and Sang Chiyu. Sang Chiyu unleashed a blade light like a full moon, cutting all the dark figures in half. However, in the next moment, more dark figures emerged from the shadows, crawling towards them using all fours.

“You deal with them.” Sang Chiyu threw his horizontal dao to Su Ruohui.

“I’m just a weak man with no power to truss a chicken…”

Before Su Ruohui could finish speaking, Sang Chiyu had already drawn his Withered Moon blade and appeared before Shentu. Shentu drew his blade, and the two engaged in close combat, their gazes clashing as if with thunder and sparks. Su Ruohui could only raise his blade plainly, assuming a starting stance.

In just a few breaths, Sang Chiyu and Shentu had exchanged countless moves. It was a battle between demons, a contest between masters. Their blade lights were like phantoms; ordinary people could barely discern their techniques. After a series of slashes, they separated, looking at each other. It had been a long time since anyone could last ten moves against Sang Chiyu. Shentu’s blade had ignited his killing intent. The gleaming blade reflected his cold, pale face and his deep eyes filled with chilling murderous intent. The killing intent surged, and the murderous aura was as thick as blood.

“A beautiful killing move,” Shentu praised, “but this isn’t the snowflake I’m looking for. Let Su Ruohui fight me.”

“He can’t beat you,” Sang Chiyu raised his eyes, his features sharp as a blade. “Your opponent is me.”

The two clashed again! Like gladiatorial beasts meeting, their blades both held bone-chilling killing intent. However, Sang Chiyu switched hands the moment he approached Shentu. Their blades should have collided, but Shentu’s blade light under his sleeve struck empty air.

Secret Art: Mind Reading.

The moment he switched hands, Sang Chiyu’s blade technique suddenly changed. What was originally a nimble, cat-like blade technique instantly became fierce as a tiger. Sang Chiyu’s left-hand blade drew a chilling arc, slashing towards Shentu’s back. Sang Chiyu’s speed was incredible; the high-speed blade light brought a powerful air pressure. Shentu felt an invisible killing aura approaching him, but he had nowhere to hide!

Shentu had no choice but to use “Flowing Shadow” to flash to another shadowy spot. But when he revealed himself, a chilling murderous aura enveloped him once again. He looked back in disbelief, meeting Sang Chiyu’s indifferent eyes. The Withered Moon had pierced his back, and his blood gurgled down the blood groove. Shentu couldn’t understand how Sang Chiyu could predict his flash and appear in the same spot as him.

“You can only land in shadows,” Sang Chiyu said coldly.

Sang Chiyu’s Withered Moon reflected the brilliant sunlight, and the beautiful crimson blood appeared even more dazzling under the light. Only then did Shentu realize that during their previous confrontation, he had unknowingly been led away from the tower to an open area under the daylight. It was noon, and under the sunlight, the only remaining shadow was a corner beneath a withered tree. This mortal had seen through his secret art, and once a secret art was seen through, his landing spot could easily be predicted.

On the other side, Su Ruohui was panting, almost unable to wield his blade anymore. Fortunately, Shentu’s secret art was dispelled, and all the dark figures disappeared.

“I’m exhausted,” Su Ruohui collapsed on the ground, like a dead dog.

Sang Chiyu looked at him indifferently.

Su Ruohui turned his head and saw Shentu impaled on the ground by the blade. His blood was draining, and if Sang Chiyu didn’t pull out the blade, the demon would soon be dead. Su Ruohui quickly got up, took out the collar given by the system, placed it around Shentu’s long, pale neck, and then pulled out Sang Chiyu’s Withered Moon.

The system panel had updated, adding a “Pet” interface. It had four options: “Change Collar Template,” “Sensory Sharing,” “Life and Death Obedience,” and “Electric Training.” Su Ruohui brought up “Change Collar Template,” which showed iron collars, leather collars, silk collars, transparent collars, and black gauze collars. Su Ruohui chose the transparent collar, and the collar on Shentu’s neck immediately disappeared. Then Su Ruohui selected the “Life and Death Obedience” option, binding Shentu’s life to his own.

Sang Chiyu watched Su Ruohui pull out the collar from thin air. He was already used to Su Ruohui’s strange items that appeared from nowhere.

Su Ruohui asked Sang Chiyu, “Aren’t you curious where this collar came from?”

“Not curious,” Sang Chiyu said.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” Su Ruohui said with a smile, pulling another collar from his satchel. “Here, for you to play with.”

Sang Chiyu took the collar and hummed in acknowledgment.

Shentu reverted to his original form, glowing all over, as if countless fireflies flickered within his meridians—a sign that his body was self-repairing.

“You don’t kill me, aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?” Shentu asked, lying on the ground.

“You’re wearing my collar; you can’t kill me anymore. If I’m finished, you’re finished too,” Su Ruohui said. “Don’t believe me? Try it.”

Shentu waved his paw at him, but each time it could only stop an inch from Su Ruohui’s face, unable to advance any further.

Shentu pouted, looking quite aggrieved.

Su Ruohui patted his head. “Good doggy, from now on you’re my pet. Now tell me, where did that face of yours come from? How do you look exactly like my cruel father?”

“I’m not a dog, I’m a wolf. If you let me fight that man next to you again, I’ll tell you,” Shentu said.

With the collar on, another fight wouldn’t matter. Su Ruohui looked at Sang Chiyu, who nodded in agreement.

They fought again. This time, they knocked a large hole in the tower, and people from the Elysium Pavilion and the Grand Compassion Hall came to watch. Su Ruohui stood on the side, inviting people to bet on who would win. This battle lasted for the duration of an incense stick, ending with Shentu pinned to the snow by Sang Chiyu’s Withered Moon.

“The demon race respects the strong,” Shentu said, clutching his wound. “You have earned my respect.”

This demon didn’t recognize Sang Chiyu, and Su Ruohui didn’t tell him Sang Chiyu’s true identity, to prevent him from relaying information to the demon race.

“Now can you tell me the origin of your face?” Su Ruohui asked.

“My wound hurts so much,” Shentu whined, “Perhaps a bowl of braised pork could restore my strength.”

This sticky self-address, coupled with his strange tone, made Su Ruohui’s teeth ache. Su Ruohui said, “You’re an old demon, why do you refer to yourself as ‘人家’ (a cutesy, feminine way of saying ‘I’)?”

Shentu said innocently, “Su Guanyu taught me. He said a man who acts spoiled is endearing.”

Su Ruohui: “…”

How utterly shameless. Sang Chiyu tied him beneath the tower and pulled Su Ruohui away.

After many years, Su Ruohui saw his cruel father’s face again, and his heart was indeed touched. However, he was no longer the stubborn boy who had waited deep in Mount Zhuluo. Time had filled the ravines in his heart, and his old sorrows had faded with the years. He had once been obsessed with finding out why a father could be so heartless as to leave his only child and travel far away. Later, he finally understood that even as father and son, they were independent lives. Even without traveling far, separation was an inevitable fact. Since that man had more important things to do, why should he become a burden to him?

However, seeing the familiar face on Shentu now, he vaguely guessed the location of that fellow’s distant journey. He wanted to know why the demon race knew his father.

Shentu refused to surrender. Su Ruohui used this time to draw the star map for the mine’s defensive star array and handed it to Blind Lu. With the star map, they could dig trenches and channels according to it, setting up the star array. As for the star lines, Su Ruohui could calibrate them after the star array was dug. Meanwhile, Sang Chiyu found a secluded spot to meditate and regulate his breath. His body was becoming more adapted to the core, and even after using several secret arts this time, there were no signs of restless spiritual energy within him.

After being starved for a meal by Sang Chiyu, Shentu finally compromised.

“I always thought the snowflake came from your father. But now it seems you don’t even know where your father went.” Shentu reverted to his original form, squatting in the snow, gazing towards the distant north. “Your father is the enemy our demon race fears most, and also our most respected opponent. More than thirty years ago, the demon race already had plans to invade the human world. It was your father who visited our homeland, delaying this plan for a full twenty years. Because of him, our King remains asleep in the royal city, daring not to enter the human world even now.”

“…” Su Ruohui felt incredible. “Are you really talking about my dad?”

Su Ruohui still remembered his father’s character. Every time it was his birthday, that wandering man would return from afar to accompany him on Mount Zhuluo. Su Guanyu would bring gifts every year, but always the same wooden puppy. Su Ruohui sometimes complained, “Dad, you already gave me this puppet last year.” The man would then smile apologetically, “Is that so? Dad actually forgot. I’ll give you a new gift next year.” The following year, Su Ruohui still received the same crude and ugly puppet.

Su Ruohui comforted himself, “Never mind, never mind, forgive him. At least he still remembers my birthday.”

Sometimes, Su Ruohui would see him being bullied. Many people mocked him for having once been Princess Suwu’s male concubine. When he set up a stall in Zhuluo Town, mischievous children would often deliberately step on the straw sandals he sold or throw away his carrying pole. He never resisted, enduring it silently. Su Ruohui also hoped he would fight back, at least show a little masculine spirit, but he never did. Su Ruohui initially defended him, explaining to the townspeople, but later, seeing Su Guanyu’s indifference, he also gave up.

Once, Su Ruohui finally couldn’t bear it and asked him why he didn’t resist. He just smiled, “If you’re bitten by mosquitoes and ants, would you bother arguing with them?”

Su Ruohui thought he was just rationalizing, like saying grapes are sour because you can’t reach them, just excusing his own uselessness. “Never mind,” Su Ruohui, a small person with a big personality, comforted him, “It’s okay, Dad. Everyone has their strengths, and being good-looking is also a strength.”

He nodded, shamelessly saying, “If realms were divided by beauty, your father would be worthy of the Celestial Realm.”

Give him a pole, and he’d really climb it. Su Ruohui’s thick skin was probably inherited from this guy.

His head was patted. Su Ruohui looked up, meeting Sang Chiyu’s gaze. This guy, though seemingly cold, was very perceptive, immediately noticing his slightly low mood. Su Ruohui smiled, indicating he was fine, then turned to Shentu and asked, “You’re not going to tell me my dad is a Celestial, are you?”

Shentu blinked. “How did you know? I was just about to say that.”

作者有话要说：

Author’s Note:

The five realms of first-grade secret art practitioners: Cavernous Mystery, Nether Passage, Fire-Gazing, Pilgrimage, Celestial.