Upon arriving at the inn, Chu Yinghong immediately began to give detailed instructions on the division of labor.
Catching demons was of course left to the three adults. The children just needed to be responsible for tasks such as lighting torches and other miscellaneous activities. Yu Sifeng had been to Lutai Mountain before, so the task of reading the map and guiding the way was given to him. Zhong Minyan and several hunters were responsible for lighting torches and throwing bags of salt. The important task of splashing vinegar on the Heavenly Dog was also his to do.
"What about me?" Xuanji, having listened for a long time and not hearing her name, couldn't help but ask softly.
Chu Lei glanced at her indifferently, "All you have to do is hide in the back and watch. Don't run around."
Did that mean she didn't have to do anything? Xuanji's eyes shone, delighted that her father was being considerate for once and didn't ask her to do anything!
Seeing the little girl's secret joy, Chu Yinghong couldn't help but smile and shake her head, saying, "Xuanji, of course, has something to do. Your job is to coat these two rabbits with honey and roast them until they're done."
She handed Xuanji two rabbits that had yet to be skinned. It seemed they had just been hunted, with droplets of blood still congealing on their ears. Xuanji was taken aback and finally, with a gloomy face, held the rabbits and asked, "Do I have to skin them as well?"
"Yes. Here, this is for you." Chu Yinghong stuffed two small ceramic bottles into her hands, each tied with a red string.
Xuanji recognized them and exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, isn't this soft cake?"
Soft cake was one of the Shaoyang Sect's homemade elixirs, quite potent. A small scoop added into food or a drink would render someone with more than ten years of cultivation strength completely feeble, unable to recover for three days. It was tasteless and colorless by itself, but once added to food or drink, it would emit a sweet fragrance that whet the appetite, hence its name.
Chu Yinghong said with a laugh, "When roasting the rabbits, don't forget to add a little extra. One bottle of soft cake is enough for one roasted wild rabbit."
Xuanji had a flash of insight and said, "Ah, so it's not us who'll be eating the roasted rabbit! Aunt Hong, the rabbits are prepared for those two demons, aren't they?"
Chu Yinghong nodded her head, "We're using these two rabbits to lure them out, so we can take the initiative."
Seeing Xuanji nodding as if she understood but also as if she didn't, Chu Yinghong couldn't help but pat her head softly and said, "Why do you call me Aunt Hong? Your sister Linglong should be calling me 'Sect Uncle'."
Xuanji said matter-of-factly, "Because 'Aunt Hong' sounds better than 'Sect Uncle'."
She probably couldn't grasp the little girl's thoughts. Chu Yinghong laughed off the comment and once more carefully repeated the details of the demon hunting task. Everyone then returned to their rooms to organize their belongings, ready to set off when it was 9 p.m.
****
Navigating Lutai Mountain at night was even more difficult than during the day. It was often said that crossing the entire Lutai Mountain was harder than ascending to heaven. From the base to the waist of the mountain were odd-shaped rocks and steep cliffs, a moment of inattention could lead to a fall. From the waist of the mountain upwards, there were grasses and shrubs. Other things weren't plentiful, but there was an overabundance of thorny brush. It was hard to see clearly in the dark, and often a misstep into a patch of thorns would result in bloodied feet before realizing what had been stepped on.
Less than half an hour into the journey, and already two porters carrying salt and vinegar were injured. They had no choice but to abandon two bags of salt and a bucket of vinegar.
Zhong Minyan saw Xuanji walking with great difficulty, puffing and panting, as if she were about to collapse, and he couldn't help but ask, "Hey, don't you know any internal cultivation methods at all? You look so tired!"
Xuanji shook her head, uncertain whether it was an admission or denial. She seemed too exhausted to speak.
"Wait! Don't go there!" Zhong Minyan, noticing her staggering toward a large patch of thorny brush, quickly reached out to pull her aside, "This is what happens when you don't learn anything! Your physical strength is even worse than an ordinary person's!"
She looked up somewhat bewilderingly; the moon was hazy, and her face appeared veiled as if covered by a thick scarf. Only her eyes, clear as autumn water, shined incredibly, with a mist inside them, seemingly bright and yet not bright, totally unlike the usual Chu Xuanji.
Zhong Minyan paused for a moment, then suddenly reached out to touch her forehead gently and said with a change in expression, "You have a fever!"
Xuanji touched her own forehead and said softly, "I... I just feel very tired... I have some difficulty breathing... Do I have a fever?"
Remembering how drenched she was, Zhong Minyan thought of everyone else as cultivators, who were much stronger than ordinary people, so no one had paid attention to this issue. But Xuanji was different; she was barely a cultivator at all, probably unable to recite a complete mental method. It was no wonder she caught a cold and developed a fever after her wet clothes remained unchanged for a long time.
"You can't go on like this!" he said urgently, "You better go back! Hunting demons is not a joke. If you're so weak, what if you get hurt?"
Xuanji didn't speak.
People up ahead were already attracted by his shouting. When Chu Yinghong saw Xuanji's abnormal complexion, she immediately placed a hand on her forehead — "The girl is sick! Sect Leader, shouldn't we send her back?" She spoke with concern.
Chu Lei looked up at the high mountain, whose summit was not visible, and asked, "How much longer do we have to go?"
Hunter Wang, who was leading the way, replied, "Not long, just over this slope, there's a big pond ahead."
He sighed and turned to look back at Xuanji, a mix of reprimand and affection in his eyes. This consequence of his younger daughter's laziness and lack of practice was finally surfacing, hindering everyone at this critical moment. At this stage, it was not advisable to send someone to take her back, because if they encountered a demon on the way, there would only be one outcome – death.
He whispered softly, "Xuanji, hold on a bit longer. We're almost there."
She nodded and took two more steps forward, but then heard Zhong Minyan urgently call from behind, "Don't go that way!"
She paused, only to feel a sudden sharp pain under her foot—she had stepped on thorns!
Suddenly, someone yanked her shoulder, and with great force, she was pulled backward several steps. The wound on her foot scraped the ground, causing her to cry out in pain.
"Take off your shoes," Chu Lei said fussily as he held his little daughter in his arms.
Xuanji grimaced, feeling as if she was truly cursed by bad luck today—why did all unfortunate things find her? She grimaced as she kicked off her shoes and, as instructed, propped up her foot. Everyone saw her snow-white sole was a mangled mess of blood and flesh, peppered with who knew how many punctures, wincing in sympathy.
"Sect Leader, let me have a look," Chu Yinghong walked over. By the light of the fire, she examined the wound carefully and then pulled a long pair of tweezers from the cowhide bag tied at her waist and softly said, "Don't be afraid, I'll help you get the thorns out first."
Xuanji could only nod. She felt embarrassed—even her father was right; she was good for nothing and only excelled at being a burden.
Turning her head and seeing Zhong Minyan and Yu Sifeng standing behind watching her, she whispered apologetically, "I'm sorry... for always being a trouble to you."
Zhong Minyan snorted, and mindful of Chu Lei, he muttered quietly, "You finally realize you're a nuisance..."
Chu Yinghong removed the thorns from her foot and applied some medicine. She then wrapped Xuanji's foot tightly with her own handkerchief and said, "I'm afraid Xuanji can't walk anymore; someone will have to carry her."
"I will do it," Chu Lei offered.
She shook her head, "No, the three of us can't carry her; a demon may emerge at any moment, and we cannot be distracted."
With that, she turned to Zhong Minyan and beckoned, "Min Yan, you carry your little junior sister. When we get to the pond, be extra vigilant. The scent of blood might attract them for a sudden attack."
Zhong Minyan had a hundred reasons not to agree, but he couldn't refute his uncle's orders, and reluctantly, he came to lift Xuanji gently onto his back, whispering, "You're such a burden. If only you had stayed in the inn instead of coming out, how much better that would have been!"
Xuanji, both feverish and injured, felt weak and leaned limply against his back. Hearing his complaints, she couldn't help but whisper, "I'm at fault... Next time, I will definitely stay in the inn and not come out."
Zhong Minyan always had a soft spot for the softer approach and couldn't hold onto his resentment after hearing her say that. He could only whisper back, "As if there's going to be a next time! I'm not taking you out again."
Xuanji remained silent.
She quietly leaned against Zhong Minyan's back, gently swaying with his steps, and suddenly many thoughts surfaced in her mind.
She had never liked cultivation, was too lazy to practice martial arts, meditate, or recite the mental method, thinking it very silly. She also always thought that she could stay on Shaoyang Peak forever, never venturing out and not having to face the outside turmoil. But she had never considered that one day, like this time, due to one reason or another, she would leave the protection of Shaoyang Peak, leave her parents' care.
She had just realized that, stripped of everything she relied on for survival, she was utterly incapable and ignorant, truly a troublesome burden. Anyone can talk big, and she used to boast imprudently that she could take care of herself alone. But now? Was she truly capable of caring for herself?
Sigh... She sighed inwardly.
What should she do to be able to continue being lazy while also being able to protect herself?
This was a serious question, and she thought about it earnestly for a long time but could not find an answer.
Looking up at the crescent moon in the sky, Xuanji felt lost for the first time. Everyone had their own pursuits; her father desired to become an immortal, Linglong wished to dominate Shaoyang, Zhong Minyan sought his father's approval... but what about her? What did she desire?
She didn't know.
*************
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