To reach Lutai Mountain, one must pass through Lutai Town. This was a common saying that many travelers and merchants loved to quote.
Lutai Town's fame did not solely come from the rugged and strange rocks of Lutai Mountain, challenging to ascend, but also from the renowned liquor it produced—Fruit Yellow.
It was said that this liquor was brewed from a unique fruit that grew at the foot of Lutai Mountain. After sealing, it was stored in cellars for more than a year, then taken out to skim off the froth and poured into glass bowls. The color of the wine was like amber, deep yellow and bright, further complemented by the fruit's exotic fragrance which assailed the senses, hence the ancients named it Fruit Yellow, a name both straightforward and fitting.
When the group arrived in Lutai Town, it was past noon and there were only a few pedestrians on the streets—a stark contrast to the bustling scenes of the past. Given the recent terror caused by demons devouring people, it was understandable that the townsfolk were panicked and even the street vendors were frowning and lamenting their inability to make money.
Chu Lei looked around and upon seeing this desolate scene, couldn't help but sigh, "Demons bringing calamity, causing ordinary folks to live in fear."
Dongfang Qingqi patted his shoulder, "Brother Chu, why do you look so troubled? Are we not here today to slay demons and eliminate evil?"
In the meantime, Chu Yinghong had already gathered information from the vendors and came back with a smile, "Senior brother, no need to worry. I just asked that lad, and he said that the two demons usually appear at night and rarely harm people during daylight. Why don't we find an inn to rest first and it won't be too late to explore the mountain tonight."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Zhong Minyan saw everyone moving forward, but Xuanji was still staring blankly at the snack booth, so he went over and nudged her, whispering, "What are you daydreaming about? Let's go!"
Xuanji 'oh'-ed, but unhurriedly took out a copper coin from her sleeve, pointed to the steamed cakes in the pot, and said earnestly, "Boss, give me two."
Zhong Minyan frowned, "Eating steamed cakes now? We'll have to eat at the inn later! Always you with the fuss!"
Xuanji held the paper bag with steamed cakes in her hand, took a small bite, nearly spitting it out because it was so hot, and mumbled through her full mouth, "Eating... snacks is a different matter from meals."
Zhong Minyan was so exasperated by her that he couldn't come up with a response, just rolling his eyes in frustration.
As Xuanji gently blew on the hot steam rising from the steamed cakes, she suddenly noticed that Yu Sifeng, walking in front of her, kept looking back at her. Even through a mask, his gaze felt quite hostile. She raised the steamed cake in her hand, thinking he might want a bite as well, but he disdainfully rolled his eyes at her and then quietly slowed down, falling back to walk beside Xuanji, whispering in her ear, "Evil woman, such a glutton, like a pig."
She was insulted for no reason and with her mouth stuffed full of steamed cakes, she couldn't speak a word, just staring back at him with wide, puzzled eyes.
He, on the other hand, seemed to have suddenly improved in mood, smiling slightly before quickening his pace to catch up with Chu Lei. He bowed with his hands clasped and said, "Sect Leader Chu, though I am not talented, I have lived in Lutai Town for some time. If you do not mind, I am willing to guide our senior members."
Before Chu Lei could reply, Chu Yinghong laughed and said, "Well then, we'll burden you with this task. What's your name..."
"I am Yu Sifeng."
"Alright, Si Feng," she said, "lead us to the best tavern in town, we want to taste the world-renowned Fruit Yellow."
"Yes, seniors, please follow me."
Huh? Aren't we heading to the inn? It took Xuanji quite an effort to finish her steamed cakes, only then noticing they had entered a tavern with a yellow flag at the entrance. Zhong Minyan saw her dazed look and couldn't help but sigh internally. Recalling his promise to their master to take good care of his junior sister on this journey, he reluctantly said, "If only you had half the cunning of Linglong, it wouldn't be so hard to take care of you."
Xuanji just smiled slightly and stayed quiet.
Although they entered the tavern expecting to find it as desolate as the outside, to their surprise, it was bustling with guests and extremely lively.
Yu Sifeng spoke with the attendant for a moment before leading them up to the private seats on the second floor. He then went downstairs and soon came back with a middle-aged man—a local hunter. Having heard that they were there to exterminate demons, he had agreed to Yu Sifeng's offer and came to guide them in the night.
"This is Uncle Wang, who has been a hunter in the town for over a decade. He has personally seen those two demons and also took part in the previous extermination attempts. He should be of help to us."
After Yu Sifeng finished speaking, he turned his head to nod at Hunter Wang, who then said, "To be honest, no one has talked about eliminating the demons these days. The last few attempts ended in such a disaster, with many deaths, that everyone has lost heart. Hunters like us can still go to the mountain in groups during the day, but it's tough for the traveling merchants. There's no alternative route, and if it's a large group of dozens or hundreds, it's still manageable, but it spells doom for solitary small-time merchants—they're just delivering themselves into the demons' mouths! Many people in the town can't return to their homes, and their funds are running low... this is driving people to death!"
Chu Yinghong said softly, "Don't worry, brother. We have come precisely to rid the town of these demons and restore peace to Lutai Town. The matter is of great importance, and we need your guidance."
Uncle Wang scratched his tiger-skin cap and chuckled innocently, "Big sister speaks so nicely. I'm a simple man, don't quite understand everything, but as long as you're here to eliminate the demons, helping the townspeople is a big favor. Whatever you need from me, just give the word. Don't be strangers or polite!"
Chu Lei asked, "Could you guide us to where the two demons frequently appear at night? Where is their den?"
"They usually appear between 9 p.m. and midnight, and return to their nests after midnight. There are several places where they frequently show up, but they are all by the water. That old crow is really cunning! It hides in the water and drags people in! The nest of the Heavenly Dog is on the back mountain's waist, but the crow is crafty, changing locations every day, so it's hard to predict!"
When Chu Lei heard this, he fell into deep thought. Chu Yinghong said, "Is the Sect Leader worried that we might not find them in time?"
He nodded, "I hadn't expected the Gu Diao to be so sly, so even if we blind it with saltwater, it's uncertain whether we'll be able to find its nest and eradicate it completely."
Chu Yinghong laughed, "I have a plan. Since they hide so well and it would take great effort to find them, why not lure them out instead?"
She clapped her hands and called over three children who were busy eating, instructing each one, "Xuanji, go buy three pots, and also get a jar of honey and twenty torches made of pine resin. Min Yan and Si Feng, the two boys, go to the market to buy salt and vinegar, as much as you can find, and hire some brave young men to carry it up the mountain for us tonight."
After she finished, she took out a stack of silver notes from her pouch, gave some to each, and instructed further, "When you arrived, I saw a bank around the corner, first exchange these notes, then go buy the things. Make sure to account for every copper coin, and don't you dare skim anything off the top!"
With that, she let out a peal of laughter.
Seeing her delegating tasks with such confidence, Dongfang Qingqi couldn't help but ask in amazement, "Heroine Chu, do you have a clever plan?"
Chu Yinghong smiled and said, "I wouldn't call it clever. I was just thinking, since the Heavenly Dog is famous for its gluttony, instead of looking all over for it, why not roast some meat by the water and let the aroma draw it out. Whether the Gu Diao follows or not, at least we'll eliminate one demon."
She took out paper and ink from her bundle and, relying on Hunter Wang's description, sketched a simple map. The three of them discussed the night's action plan while drinking Fruit Yellow.
Meanwhile, the three children had already gone down to exchange the silver and split up to complete their tasks. Xuanji had gotten up early and managed to buy everything Chu Yinghong had instructed her to purchase, now struggling to carry the load back.
Halfway there, she suddenly heard a clamor of clappers from around the corner; someone was shouting, "Come see! A live demon! Quick, come look! A living demon!"
Although Xuanji belonged to a Cultivation Sect and had learned the Demon Name List by heart since childhood, she had never actually seen a real demon. She couldn't help being drawn to the commotion as the few pedestrians on the street were attracted to the scene, trying to peer into the crowd while holding her purchases.
Being small, she could barely see a section of glass jutting above the heads of the crowd. It seemed to be a huge tank, more than a person tall, with corners wrapped in bronze, filled with water. Something was thrashing wildly inside, splashing water all around, causing the bystanders to exclaim in surprise and awe, but no one dared to draw near.
"Wow... a real tail... a fish tail... Ah, it's a male!"
"He's looking this way! He looked over here!"
The crowd suddenly became restless, retreating backwards. Xuanji was jostled about, almost dropping everything she was holding; it seemed as though everyone was pushing her forward. She was dodging and weaving when suddenly someone pushed her from behind, causing the jar of honey she was carrying to fall and shatter with a clang—
"Ah." She stared blankly at the honey all over the ground, unsure of what to do next.
While hesitating, she heard a loud splash overhead; before she could look up, she felt a cold drenching as water spilled from the glass tank, soaking her through.
Had a bad luck star passed over her head today?
Xuanji silently wiped the water from her face, her peripheral vision catching sight of something writhing within the nearby tank, looking like a huge white fish.
Turning her head, she found herself face to face with a pale visage. Xuanji's heart skipped a beat, and she could no longer hold onto her belongings, which scattered into the sticky mess of honey.
The one causing the frenzy in the tank was a person... no, not entirely human. His upper body was that of an ordinary man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, black hair swirling around him in the water like seaweed, a pale face intermittently visible through the floating locks, his features unclear but his gaze intense as the brightest stars.
Below the waist, his body merged into a long fish tail. The tail's scales were silver, and the fins, light as gauze, undulated gently in the water, creating countless bubbles and vortexes.
He suddenly noticed her and swam closer, leaning on the glass tank, his eyes hidden behind the seaweed-like hair, quietly looking at her.
Looking at her, just like that.
As if for a long, long time, he had already known and understood her, watching her with those gentle eyes filled with numerous secrets and unspoken words.
Xuanji stood stunned, feeling a sense of familiarity but also confusion, as she met his gaze without a word, forgetting everyone and everything around her for a moment.