"If you want..."
Zhou Li paused for a mont, then continued, "We could play to our strengths, refurbish it, and repaint it. It would probably look better than before... But that seems like it would be damaging cultural relics."
"No need."
Huai Xu shook her head and declined, "Let's just leave it as it is. Fixing it wouldn't restore it to its original state anyway. Besides, no one will co to worship it in this place any longer; tis have changed. If a Demon causes trouble in the future, I doubt I'll need to travel all this way to deal with it—you Heavenly Masters could just take a plane over, which would be quick."
After speaking, she sighed and took a couple of steps forward. Placing her palm on the statue, she felt the cold, rough texture under her hand and caressed it gently, her expression like that of soone facing the loss of an old friend.
"Back when Demons were most rampant, this cave was filled with people on their knees. There wasn't enough space inside, so they knelt outside too. And they all knelt to ... You can't imagine it, can you?"
"Indeed."
"What's so unimaginable?" Huai Xu suddenly turned her head. "If an Evil God can be worshipped as a Deity, and a Confusing God can be worshipped as a Deity, why couldn't I also be worshipped as a Deity?"
"..." Zhou Li was speechless, feeling quite innocent. "It was you who said that."
"That's different!!"
"..."
But the idea that the Old monster by his side had once been worshipped as a 'Deity' was astounding. It wasn't just for a day or two, but for what could have lasted a thousand years. When he considered how many days and nights that would be, and how many generations of people, he realized most of today's widely known Immortals, like the Jade Emperor, didn't actually have such a long history. Zhou Li truly found it hard to imagine. He could understand the Evil God and the Confusing God. The Evil God could easily halt natural disasters, truly possessing the power of a Spirit. The Confusing God caused chaos in the human world countless tis. For thousands of years, no one has seen his true form; so even think he doesn't exist at all. Isn't that the very description of Immortals and Demons? But upon closer thought, his own Old monster, like a Bodhisattva, assud many forms and seed to appear anywhere. She could effortlessly take anyone's life like the grim reaper and could instantly deliver takeout thousands of kiloters away. Perhaps to others, such abilities of the Old monster were not far off from that of the Evil God. Zhou Li found it difficult to imagine simply because he had grown too used to the Old monster's unseemly appearances. Like sneaking and stealing, like lying on the floor as a Husky would, like eating fried chicken and getting grease all over her face... None of these matched the image of a 'Deity' revered and worshipped by people.
Huai Xu, frowning beside him, had been staring at him for a while. "What are you thinking about?"
"Oh..."
Zhou Li snapped back to reality, his expression unchanged. "I was thinking about how people here used to kneel and worship you."
As he said this, Zhou Li indeed thought for a mont, then pointed at the statue and said, "Back then, you must have sat right up there and secretly smiled."
"Eh, how did you know?"
"Guessed."
"TCH! Let's go!"
"Won't you stay a bit longer?"
"No, it's boring."
Huai Xu turned and walked out of the cave, descending the mountain with an air of nonchalance.
Zhou Li quickly followed, speaking as they walked, "We should have taken a photo."
"Can't be bothered."
"Oh."
At the foot of the mountain, Huai Xu retrieved the bicycle. But just as she was about to mount it, she suddenly turned her head, frowning as she glanced back up the mountain.
「About an hour later.」
They were back on the highway.
The car's heater was on, so Zhou Li took off his coat and threw it onto the back seat. The car was quiet as it moved along. With music playing, it felt like a different world from the icy, windy snowscape outside. However, due to black ice and snow on the edges of the road, the car was moving slowly.
As evening approached, it started snowing again. The wind blew the snowflakes close to the ground, drifting like mist, as if they were passing through an enchanted land.
But suddenly, Zhou Li slamd on the brakes.
Tuanzi, who had been sleeping on his coat on the back seat, opened her eyes wide. Her small body slid forward with the coat. She reached out her paws, trying to grasp sothing but not wanting to tear Zhou Li's clothes, so she pulled back, helplessly watching herself slide off the seat onto the floor. Then she got up and asked, "Zhou Ni, what happened?"
"There's soone."
A figure had suddenly appeared in the middle of the road ahead. It appeared out of nowhere.
The figure seed short, possibly only about one ter tall, and was wrapped in a dark, heavy robe. A hood covered his face. His visible left hand looked like a lizard's claw, while his right sleeve was empty—enough to prove this wasn't a person.
"CLICK..."
Huai Xu opened the car door and stepped out, turning to Zhou Li. "It's cold outside; you stay in the car."
With a bang, the car door closed.
Lord Dumpling hopped nimbly from the floor of the back seat to the front center armrest. She stood up and stretched her neck to look forward, seeming a bit excited. "Zhou Li, are we being robbed by a bad Demon?"
Zhou Li also looked ahead, whispering, "Is Lord Dumpling very happy?"
"Happy indeed," Tuanzi replied rrily.
"Why?"
"That's great! Lord Dumpling is an extraordinary Great Demon!" Tuanzi said joyfully. "If you use Lord Dumpling's na, unless they're stupid Demons, they'll definitely be frightened and make way!"
"I see."
Zhou Li opened the window.
The sound of the wind suddenly grew loud. The cold air whooshed in, carrying tiny snowflakes that settled on the windowsill and carried their conversation to Zhou Li's ears.
"Do we know each other?"
"I was worried you wouldn't be able to find your way here," ca a husky, unpleasant voice from beneath the hood, like two damp sticks rubbing against each other. "Should I call you a Demon or a human, Huai Xu?"
"So, we are old acquaintances," Huai Xu said, not lowering her guard. "How did you know I was coming?"
"I heard from distant Demons that there's a very scary Great Demon, clothed in starlight and resembling a human, playing a childish mory-finding ga. I guessed it was you."
"Childish ga? From your tone, it sounds like you're here for revenge?"
"You don't rember ." The Demon lifted his empty right sleeve with his left hand, looking down. "This hand was chopped off by you, and it can never grow back."
"Oh, please. You didn't have the skill."
"You're wrong."
The Demon removed his hood, revealing a wrinkled brown face with features more akin to so cold-blooded animal. He continued, "I couldn't beat you before, and I'm even less capable now. I just wanted to see what you've beco."
"It's you..."
Huai Xu stared at him for a long ti before asking, "Don't you hate ?"
"Hate."
"HEY!"
"It's just that when I awoke this ti, I realized I'd grown old. Of the old acquaintances I knew, whether friend or foe, few remain. So haven't awoken yet, and it seems they might never wake up. The number of us old ones is dwindling. Seeing one ans there's one less out there; eting one ans there's one less eting to be had." The Old monster paused, grinning to reveal a row of sharp little teeth. "So I ca to see your down-and-out appearance."
"You must be disappointed then. I'm doing quite well." Huai Xu crossed her arms, her deanor quite haughty.
"Doesn't amnesia feel awful?" The Demon continued to smile.
"Not at all!"
"Every Demon has experienced amnesia."
"I'm different."
"Is that so..."
At this point, Tuanzi, inside the car, stretched out a little paw, gently tugging Zhou Li's sweater sleeve, and asked puzzledly, "Zhou Ni, why haven't you ntioned Lord Dumpling's na yet? They're about to start fighting."
Zhou Li had no choice but to answer resignedly, "Lord Dumpling's na is prestigious, a trump card that shouldn't be used carelessly. Let's see if that annoying Huai Xu can handle it on her own. If she can, there's no need to trouble Lord Dumpling to personally take action. If she can't, then Lord Dumpling can intervene."
"Is that so, OW~~" Tuanzi nodded, only sowhat understanding.
Then she straightened up again, watching the front unblinkingly, hoping Huai Xu wouldn't be able to handle it.
At this mont, the strange Demon's grin widened, looking bizarre and terrifying. "If this troubles you so much, why not seek out the Shui Zhenzhu's book?"
"Troubled? ?... What's this Shui Zhenzhu's book?"
"A book left by Master Shui Zhen before his death."
"Shui Zhen, I think I've heard of him... What's the Shui Zhenzhu's book for?"
"It's said that Master Shui Zhen wrote a Bamboo Book before his death, split into two volus. One contains an earth-shattering secret; the other holds a thod allowing Demons to never fall into slumber again. Perhaps you could find a way to recover your mory in the latter volu," the Demon cackled. "Shule unearthed one of the volus, and many Demons, out of curiosity, have rushed over there. They've agreed to an open competition to win ownership of this Bamboo Book. After reading it, they will hand it over and receive quite a reward."
"Which volu was unearthed?"
"Who knows..."
"Is there really a way to restore mories?"
"I don't know either..."
"Why are you telling this?" Huai Xu's gaze was fierce. "You're trying to set up!"
"Yes..."
"You Demons are so childish! TSK!"
"Go or not, it's up to you..." said the strange Demon, his figure gradually fading. "This chaotic land has drawn many fearso Great Demons. I know at least one that you can't beat. Although we Demons utterly abhor infighting, injuries are inevitable. The competition starts in eight days."
"Don't go!"
The strange Demon had already vanished.
Huai Xu frowned but did not pursue.
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