Chapter 23: The Mud Figure and You

To the east of Ning'an County lay a mountain forest. In the past, those studying medicine would go there to pick herbs, but now it was sparsely populated and avoided by all.

As the two walked along a narrow path, a woodsman carrying firewood called out to them: "Hey! Where are you going? Don't go up the mountain; it hasn't been peaceful lately. Trouble happens easily there."

Zora looked at Vane.

Their gazes met for an instant. His dark pupils flickered as he stepped forward to act as the spokesperson: "We’re just taking a look around the outskirts; we won't go deep inside."

"That’s good then."

Vane thanked him and watched him leave.

Zora said: "Let me see the task scroll."

Vane handed it to her, and Zora opened it to skim through. Demonic energy had seeped into the bodies of animals, causing them to mutate into monsters. Some monsters had gained intelligence and cultivated into demons, even seizing human bodies, while others remained with animal minds, reduced to powerful but low-level demonic beasts.

This time, their target was a low-level Demon Spider, mutated from a common spider.

The two delved deep into the forest. The moon was bright and the wind clear, but the woods were dark and chilly. There was none of the rustling of animals typical of a forest; it was deathly silent. The deeper they went, the quieter it became.

In her peripheral vision, a silver strand dropped from a tree. Zora turned her head; the branches above that single silver thread were already thick with layers of dense, matted webs.

"It’s here." A long spear manifested, and Vane’s knuckles tightened.

The frantic sound of a multi-legged creature climbing suddenly erupted, and leaves rustled violently. A giant spider, three times the height of a man, appeared. Strands of webbing dangled near its venom glands and mandibles. With a grey body and red eyes, its spindly, segmented legs were covered in stinging bristles as it scuttled forward.

Several talismans flew out, encircling the Demon Spider. Scripts manifested, binding its movements for a split second. The two struck simultaneously, first severing two of the spider’s legs. Grey blood surged as the talismans lost their effect.

The Demon Spider shrieked. Demonic energy mixed with barbed quills fell like rain. Its massive form charged with incredible speed, but because it was missing two legs, it wasn't impossible to dodge. Zora rolled across the ground; where the barbs landed, wisps of acrid smoke rose, corroding the grass.

The reason this task was given to the two of them despite their low cultivation was because the difficulty was relatively low and the spider’s weakness was obvious. A hole was corroded into Zora's sleeve, and a burning sting erupted on her exposed skin. Zora locked her gaze on the black ring on the spider's back, found her moment, and flipped through the air to strike.

Unexpectedly, Vane had the exact same idea.

Days of sparring weren't enough to cultivate perfect synergy. Although both the sword and spear pierced the spider's body, their heads collided with a heavy

thud

. Dazed by the impact, they failed to dodge the spray of spider blood in time. They raised their arms to block, and quite a bit of blood stained their skin.

Retreating to the base of a tree, they watched the spider in its death throes. Blood sprayed everywhere before it finally collapsed with a boom. Zora immediately tipped out a detoxification pill and swallowed it; the unpleasant sensation slowly faded.

After Vane took his medicine, he slapped a Purifying Talisman onto the spider's corpse. In a moment, the body would dissolve, and the surrounding toxins would dissipate with it.

Zora approached with a stiff face. Vane looked at her, knowing she was unhappy, and said: "Maybe next time we should divide our tasks."

Zora rubbed her head, which throbbed from the collision. "Mhm." He was like a stone wall; the impact felt like her brain was vibrating.

They started walking forward. However, Zora felt her limbs growing stiffer with every step until she finally stopped. Vane also felt his hands and feet going numb.

They looked at each other.

Zora: "The detoxification pill can't cure paralysis?"

Vane: "I'm afraid so." He looked left and right. "We should find a place to lie down. It shouldn't take long to recover."

They chose a hidden spot beneath a large tree, covered by tall shrubs and weeds. The two leaned against the tree, shoulder to shoulder. Gradually, their bodies became immobile, losing sensation. Their mouths could still move, however; it seemed their heads weren't paralyzed.

Zora stared at the bushes nearby: "My head hurts a lot."

Vane: "..." He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. His head didn't hurt anymore.

Zora sat in a daze, her eyes devoid of emotion as she repeated: "Head hurts."

Vane: "..." It was difficult even to turn his head. The youth pondered for a moment and said dryly: "Maybe it will stop hurting in a bit."

With their bodies completely paralyzed, they couldn't adjust their posture. Perhaps Vane had leaned at a slight angle; his body began to tilt to one side.

Vane: "?"

Zora felt the person beside her sliding away. She couldn't see him, but she heard the sound of someone toppling into the grass.

Zora: "?"

Zora: "Did you fall?"

Lying flat on the ground, Vane stared at the sky: "Mhm..." He felt a tiny bit of sensation returning to his body and immediately shifted his torso to lie on his back in the grass.

Just as he finished adjusting, the girl leaning against the tree began to slide toward him because one of her support points was gone.

"?"

"Wait—"

The youth let out a muffled groan as her head slammed right into his chest, nearly knocking the wind out of him.

Zora: "Head hurts."

Vane was speechless: "..."

The paralysis hadn't vanished. He simply relaxed. When he could move slightly, he propped himself up. Zora, whose head was resting on his chest, still couldn't move; she was stained with even more blood. Holding the back of her head in his palm, Vane sat up, finding the person lying limp on him to be a difficult situation.

Zora ignored his conflict and said: "Carry me out. Senior Sister Turi should be there by now."

"..."

Vane hesitated for a moment before bracing her back. The girl’s body was as soft as cotton; she felt like a ball of white dough that he couldn't quite control. He had to avoid touching places he shouldn't while getting her onto his back. During the process, Zora looked down and saw his pursed lips and the slight pink tint on his ears.

Before properly situating her, he placed layers of clothing on his upper back as a barrier. Since she had no strength, she was pressed entirely against his back, but with the layers of soft clothing between them, it avoided any awkwardness.

Vane took a few steps, his soft gait gradually returning to normal speed. After walking for a while, he realized the person on his back had regained sensation. The two arms draped over his shoulders moved, withdrawing and propping her palms against his shoulders to create distance.

Zora stuffed those clothes back into Vane’s storage bag. With her arms around his neck, she didn't feel like getting down. Her knees were nestled in the youth's palms through her skirt. His body temperature was naturally high, making the soft fabric there feel warm; at any rate, the back of her knees felt very hot.

Her legs were swinging slightly. Even without looking on purpose, Vane could see her toes flickering in his peripheral vision. A hand suddenly tugged at his left ear. The youth's lashes trembled.

"Go that way, it's shorter." Unlike Vane, who was staring at the ground and had no mind to look around, Zora spotted the path outside the woods at a glance.

He gave an almost imperceptible acknowledgement.

Reaching the path, Zora jumped down and walked straight toward their destination. Vane remained silent the entire time.

Arriving at the outskirts of Ning'an County, there was no sign of Turi Qi.

Zora: "She should have arrived long ago, right?"

Having recovered on the way, Vane said calmly: "She might have been delayed."

Zora thought for a moment: "Should we go look?"

Vane: "?" He looked over in slight surprise, as if the idea of "proactively helping" was a concept that could never be associated with the two of them.

"Not to help, but to see if she's finished. Because we have to go shopping." Zora pointed toward the county gate. "If we don't go now, it will be over." She turned and said seriously: "I don't want to stay another day."

"?"

Was it possible that if they stayed another day, the person might not want to go shopping? After all, the Sword Gate head disciple was very busy.

Of course, Vane said nothing.

They headed toward the west side. They had intended to stay on the outskirts to see if Turi Qi had finished without interfering. However, after walking west and leaving the county gate, they suddenly entered a Hehuan Sect formation. The surroundings transformed into a series of erotic scrolls where men and women intertwined and came to life—a spring scene across every scroll.

They were at least several hundred meters from the west-side task location, yet the formation extended this far. Zora looked around, examining every face: "She’s not here."

Vane’s expression remained unchanged as he said: "She must be in the depths. Judging by the formation, it has been active for some time; she is likely trapped."

The two people with seemingly ascetic expressions walked into the depths with perfect composure. Turi Qi was indeed at the center of the formation, meditating to clear her mind. She was drenched in sweat, her cheeks flushed, and her brow knotted. In front of her stood a figure made of mud, possessing a strangely powerful attraction.

The voices of the people in the scrolls whispered filth into her ears. When Turi Qi opened her eyes, the mud figure took the form of her master, Lord Wanghua. He looked cold and proud, yet he was confessing his heart to her. Her usually distant beloved was showing a vulnerable expression—it was heart-stoppingly seductive.

Endure. Stay calm. This is a trap... a trap...

Zora: "What is she doing?"

Turi Qi closed her eyes again, clearly unaware that her junior sister and brother were observing from a few steps away.

Vane: "That mud figure seems to have the ability to hallucinate. Don't look at it too long." He frowned and shifted his gaze. The people in the scrolls were disgusting; the youth couldn't help but focus his attention on Zora instead. Having seen too much filth in the Demon Realm, he found those men and women repulsive.

Zora looked around again but couldn't find an exit. She had also seen much in her original world; compared to Vane’s disgust, she saw them more as pieces of meat.

"Anyway, let's just cut it down and see," Zora decided.

"Wait! it split!"

The mud figure twisted and split into three identical lumps of mud. One stayed in place, and another wriggled closer, seizing Zora’s focus. In her eyes, it gradually took on a real human form, making her unable to look away, as if her head were being controlled.

Vane’s forehead broke out in sweat, his gaze also captured by a mud figure: "...It seems to transform into the person who made the deepest impression on you, or the person you have the most complex feelings for, to break you down."

Zora was composed: "..."

Vane’s breathing grew heavy; the formation seemed to have a significant impact on him: "..."

Zora’s eyes went flat: "..."

Vane struggled against the mud figure's powerful attraction, his face flushed: "..."

Zora felt complicated. In front of her, a burly man with a face full of stubble was showing his white teeth in a smile.

—

Why is it Warden Wang who gave out food in my original world?

And in Vane’s eyes, the familiar girl approached him. Those brownish eyes were exceptionally bright, like amber stars. She spoke: "I’ve decided not to let you be my servant anymore."

...This was merely a fantasy. He maintained his composure.

The "Zora" suddenly smiled, changing her tone: "But when you were a servant, you had more joy than sorrow. You view me separately from everyone else, and not just because I am your master, right? We get along so harmoniously, like a match made in heaven."

Hallucinations always have exaggerated parts.

Stay calm.

The youth bit the tip of his tongue, tasting the metallic bitterness of blood. He habitually discarded all thoughts. Because he didn't know what he would think, he focused on a single point to empty his mind, discarding all ideas so that all his thoughts were blurred. Now, the mud figure was forcibly dragging a part of them out. Even if it was exaggerated, it was based on his own kindness or malice. He was terrified of violating the Master-Servant Covenant.

...But no. He hadn't violated the covenant. Not a shred of malice existed.

—

How is that possible?

In front of him was only that face, that blue hair ribbon—a person with a personality he likely wouldn't find again from the Demon Realm to the Immortal Cultivation Realm. The youth's knuckles were white, but the skin beneath his eyes was flushed. His obsidian eyes shimmered. Even though the mud figure wasn't overly seductive and was merely stating his inner thoughts, he showed such an expression.

It was as if the other party had plucked out his filth-filled heart and said in surprise: "You actually don't hate? You don't feel humiliated? You don't want to resist?"

—

You actually harbor such pure thoughts toward the person who made you a servant?

For a youth who had struggled through the Demon Realm, this was an unbelievable and deeply humiliating dissection, almost cruelly crushing his never-before-broken pride.

Suddenly, Vane’s body was frozen in place. A flash of cold light swept by, and the smiling head of the "Zora" was separated from its body, rolling away. The youth's pupils dilated for an instant; his emptied brain truly went blank.

But in the next moment, he heard a familiar voice.

"Need a blade?"

Zora had hesitated for a long time while looking at Warden Wang before finally cutting off his head. The food vanished into the air. She then proceeded to cut down the remaining two mud figures. Turi Qi was still meditating, unaware that the mud figure had been killed.

Zora saw that Vane was still staring at her blankly. Suspecting he wasn't quite sober, she asked a question, but he didn't answer. Turning her blade, she intended to give him a little poke to draw blood and stimulate him back to his senses.

Vane suddenly snapped back: "Zora?"

"..." She stared at him suspiciously.

The youth slowly emptied his thoughts again, closed his eyes, and completely calmed down. Only his heavy breathing remained. He pursed his lips, and within a few breaths, his breathing returned to a normal frequency.

Vane’s expression returned to normal. He looked at Zora, then at the meditating Turi Qi: "We should wake her up and then leave this place."

"..." She was still staring suspiciously.

Although the sounds from the scrolls disgusted him, they had now turned into a hurried thumping in his chest, making it hard to stay calm. Vane’s expression remained unchanged: "What is it?"

Zora: "You’ve never called me by my name. Why did you suddenly do it? I highly doubt your current state."

Vane was startled. Had he never called her by her name?

...It seemed he hadn't.

Zora frowned and stared at him for a few more beats. Vane suspected she was ready to stab him with her sword at any moment. He kept his expression as usual, looking back openly. Finally, Zora withdrew her gaze and her ready-to-strike sword.

Without the mud figure, Turi Qi woke quickly.

"Junior Sister Zora? Junior Brother Vane?"

She stood up, hearing the gasps and filth from the countless people in the scrolls and seeing the scenes that were too numerous to avoid. She couldn't help but turn red in the face. Without the mud figure, the formation was mostly broken.

Remembering something, she turned to comfort the two younger ones, only to find them both perfectly calm, as if they were watching monkeys in a zoo. Vane even calmly reached out to stop Zora’s attempt to stab a couple in a scroll to see if it would do anything.

However, he would rather frown at the scrolls than look at Zora, as if looking at her were more embarrassing than looking at the scrolls—it was very awkward. Even when he reached out to stop her, it was as if he had eyes on his side; he didn't look, just extended his arm to block the eager girl.

Turi Qi smiled softly and turned her head away.