We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

“I will ask you one more time. Why were you targeting Tushan Jingci’s book boy?”

Chen Bing looked at Wang Zhong coldly, as if he were looking at a corpse.

“T-This servant... this servant truly wasn’t targeting Xiao Mo... Everything... everything was only a coincidence...”

Wang Zhong spat out a mouthful of blood.

Blood was already seeping from his eyes, nose, and ears.

“Still refusing to talk?”

Anger entered Chen Bing’s voice.

In the next instant, a great hand formed from spiritual power seized Wang Zhong by the throat and slowly lifted him into the air.

Dangling there, Wang Zhong kicked frantically, gripping that illusory hand with all his strength in a desperate instinct to survive.

Nine-year-old Chen Jue kept his head lowered and his waist bent, never looking at Wang Zhong even once.

But his body was trembling all the same.

“I’ll ask you one last time. Why did you go provoke that book boy from the Tushan residence?” Chen Bing’s patience seemed to have reached its limit. In the very next moment, he might well have destroyed Wang Zhong’s soul on the spot.

“T-This servant... this servant truly didn’t mean to provoke him... it was all... all a coincidence... That Xiao Mo just... just had to meddle...”

Wang Zhong’s eyes were already rolling back, and his voice had become weak to the point of collapse.

“Hmph!”

Chen Bing let out a cold snort and swept his sleeve.

Wang Zhong was hurled heavily to the ground, smashing out a deep pit before passing out completely.

“Retainer Jiao, take Wang Zhong away and treat his injuries. Don’t let him die.”

Chen Bing sat back down and instructed the retainer beside him.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Retainer Jiao cupped his hands in salute and quickly carried Wang Zhong away.

Now only Chen Bing and his son remained in the room.

Chen Bing took another sip of tea. The soft scrape of porcelain drifted through the still room.

After a long while, he slowly said, “Vice Minister Wang’s son is rather good. He’s quite loyal to you as well. Even when he was about to die, he still refused to sell you out.”

“Father...” Chen Jue swallowed hard, trying to think of how to explain himself.

“That’s enough.” Chen Bing waved a hand. “There are only the two of us here. There’s no need for you to keep hiding it. Besides, with that little bit of cleverness, who wouldn’t see through you?”

Chen Bing raised his head and looked at his son.

“You had Wang Zhong go find trouble with Xiao Mo. As for that human girl named Liu Shui, she was simply unlucky. She just happened to show up at the pill room and was used as a pretext for killing Xiao Mo. She can only count herself unfortunate.”

“Only, not only did you fail to deal with Xiao Mo, you ended up getting filth all over yourself instead.”

“What? Do you care that much about that human named Xiao Mo?”

Chen Jue gritted his teeth, no longer attempting to conceal anything. He answered seriously, “Replying to Father, Xiao Mo has a very close relationship with Tushan Jingci, and Madam Tushan values him greatly.”

“And most importantly, your son has heard that Madam Tushan has already taught Great Dream of Yellow Millet to Xiao Mo. I have heard that for the Tushan clan, Great Dream of Yellow Millet is no trivial matter. I was only worried—”

“Absurd!”

Chen Bing slammed his palm down onto the table, and the table instantly exploded into fine wood dust.

“Father, please calm your anger.” Startled, Chen Jue hurriedly bent even lower.

Chen Bing clenched his fist and said coldly,

“So what if Madam Tushan gave Great Dream of Yellow Millet to Xiao Mo? At most, it means she values him. That ancient rule of the Tushan fox clan ceased to exist long ago!”

“Use your head and think carefully. In the demon-race world as it now stands, is it possible that the Tushan fox clan would let one of their women marry a human in the future?”

“Does Tushan Xinhua not have to think about the future of the Tushan clan?”

“Does the Tushan clan truly have no ambitions for this demon-race world?”

“Other than the Vermilion Bird clan, which remains hidden from the world, and the Soaring Serpent clan, which is already stirring to move, among those noble divine-beast bloodlines of antiquity, the only ones left are the ancient Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan and that true dragon in the North Sea!”

“The demon-race world is about to be reshuffled. The Tushan clan will not let the value of a single child in their line go unused!”

“And even setting all that aside, so what if Tushan Jingci happens to be close to a human while she’s still a child?”

“Tushan Jingci is young now and does not understand, but the older she gets, the more keenly she will realize her own exalted status. In the end, she will cast that human aside and leave him far behind!”

“And even if you killed Xiao Mo, what would it accomplish? All you would do is make Tushan Jingci dislike you and give the children of other clans an opening to take advantage!”

“And compared to that, you are the First Prince of the Heavenly Demon Kingdom, the future crown prince, the future ruler of the Heavenly Demon Kingdom—yet you lower yourself to squabble with a mere book boy? Don’t you realize how far beneath your station that is?”

Listening to his father’s words, Chen Jue suddenly felt as though he had been struck awake. He immediately bent down in a much deeper salute.

“Your son knows he was wrong. I beg Father to punish me!”

“Hah...”

Chen Bing let out a long breath and forced down his anger.

“It is enough that you know you were wrong.”

Chen Bing rose to his feet, walked to his son’s side, and patted him on the shoulder.

“Jue’er, you possess the rare primordial demon body. In the future, your bloodline will surely undergo purification and atavistic return and restore the glory of our feather clan. Even the Vermilion Bird clan will not dare look down on you. And from childhood, you have been intelligent, far more mature than others your age.”

“But in the end, you are still too young. Your experience is too shallow. You still have a long road ahead of you.”

“Tomorrow, go to Tushan Jingci and apologize. Show some graciousness befitting a young man. Do you understand?”

Chen Jue nodded solemnly. “I understand, Father.”

“Good.”

Chen Bing nodded in satisfaction, wild ambition burning in his eyes.

“After the second war between humans and demons, our demon race was defeated. Now every force in the demon-race world is beginning to stir, and the greatest age of chaos is about to begin. But by that same token, for our Heavenly Demon Kingdom, this is also the greatest opportunity!”

“Our Heavenly Demon Kingdom must seize it!”

“Xiao Mo, are you alright?”

“Xiao Mo, does it hurt?”

“Xiao Mo, should we go back to the medical hall and let them have another look?”

“Maybe we really should go again.”

“After all, Sister Yueshi isn’t a healer. What if you end up with one of those lingering aftereffects the books talk about? What then?”

Back in the courtyard,

while the maid Yueshi applied medicine and wrapped Xiao Mo’s wounds, Tushan Jingci swayed her little tail, staring at him with anxious worry.

“Young Lady, I’m really fine. These are only superficial wounds. They’ll heal in a few days. There’s no need to go to the medical hall.”

Xiao Mo smiled helplessly.

Ever since Tushan Jingci had dragged him back to the courtyard, she had been fretting in his ear without pause.

Xiao Mo did not find it annoying.

After all, having someone care that much about him was his good fortune.

Other than one’s parents, how many people would truly care so much?

Much less when, in this life, he did not even have parents.

It was only that Xiao Mo felt his young lady was worrying too much.

“That’s right, Young Lady. Xiao Mo really isn’t badly hurt. They’re only superficial wounds. He just needs some rest, so please don’t worry.”

After tying off the bandage around Xiao Mo’s arm, Yueshi also tried to comfort Tushan Jingci.

That was what she said, but hidden anger lingered in her eyes.

Judging by the two claw marks on Xiao Mo’s neck, how could that have been nothing more than a quarrel?

Those book boys had clearly been trying to kill him.

If Xiao Mo had not been strong enough, things might already have turned fatal.

If that had happened, there was no telling how heartbroken the young lady would have been.

She would not tell the young lady any of this.

But she would certainly report it to Madam.

“Jingci, don’t worry. Xiao Mo really is fine. If he weren’t, I would have had you take him straight to the medical hall at the time.”

Just as Yueshi was turning these thoughts over, a refined voice drifted into the courtyard.

Everyone turned and saw a man in a green robe walking slowly toward them.

“Greetings, Master Xian.”

Tushan Jingci, Xiao Mo, and Yueshi quickly stepped forward and saluted.

“My greetings to all of you.”

Xian Xichun returned the salute with a bow.

“Master, why have you come?” Tushan Jingci asked in confusion.

“Well, I came to have a talk with Young Master Xiao.” Xian Xichun looked at Xiao Mo with a smile. “Would Young Master Xiao happen to have time to take a walk with me? Just a short stroll?”

“Since Master has invited me, this junior naturally would not dare refuse. Master, please.”

Xiao Mo nodded.

“Young Master Xiao, please.”

Xian Xichun made a gesture of invitation and waited until Xiao Mo came to his side. Then the two of them walked together toward the woods.

Tushan Jingci took a small step forward, wanting to follow.

But Yueshi caught hold of her young lady and shook her head.

Tushan Jingci could only bite her lower lip lightly and watch as Master Xian and Xiao Mo gradually disappeared into the distance.

In the woods, Xian Xichun took out a pill from his sleeve and handed it to Xiao Mo.

“This pill is called the Spirit-Healing Pill. It is especially effective at treating wounds, particularly injuries to flesh and skin. If Young Master Xiao does not mind, you may try it.”

Xiao Mo glanced at the pill in Xian Xichun’s hand, then at Xian Xichun himself, clear wariness in his expression.

“Hahaha...”

Xian Xichun laughed openly and brightly.

“Young Master Xiao may be very young, but I did not expect your thoughts to be so careful. Do not worry. Consider this pill my apology. I have no other intentions. I have not sunk so low as to make a move against a child.”

“Thank you, Master Xian, for the medicine.”

Xiao Mo did not stand on ceremony. He accepted the pill and swallowed it.

In an instant, he felt a warm current flow through his body.

The pain that still lingered in his arm and neck suddenly eased considerably.

He could even feel the wounds beginning to close more quickly.

“Young Master Xiao, do you truly have no wish to ask why this pill counts as my ‘apology’?” Xian Xichun asked with a smile.

“I have guessed some of it.” Xiao Mo’s expression turned somewhat grave. “Although I am human, I am still Young Lady Tushan’s book boy. By rights, Wang Zhong and the others should not have laid hands on me, much less tried to kill me. I fear this was the will of the masters behind them.”

Hearing Xiao Mo’s answer, surprise flashed through Xian Xichun’s eyes.

“Young Master Xiao truly is precocious. You are right. Wang Zhong acted against you under orders from his master.”

“As for the other book boys, Wang Zhong merely duped them into joining him.”

“I don’t understand.” Xiao Mo shook his head.

By all rights, he was nothing more than a book boy. He had not offended Chen Jue. Even if Chen Jue disliked him as a human, there was still no reason to want him dead.

What good would it do him?

Xian Xichun stopped walking and cupped his hands in a bow toward Xiao Mo.

“I am not in a position to explain the reason to you, Young Master Xiao. But Chen Jue is my student, and for him to commit something so vicious truly is my failure. Still, please rest easy, Young Master Xiao. This will not happen again.”

“You taught them what was right. If they did not take it to heart, what does that have to do with you, Master?” Xiao Mo returned the bow. “Still, according to academy rules, how will Wang Zhong and the others be dealt with?”

Xian Xichun lowered his eyes, and a trace of dejection passed through them.

“According to academy rules, one who kills without cause, whether successful or not, should be expelled from the academy and never allowed to set foot in Cold Mountain Academy again.”

Xiao Mo fell silent for a moment, then raised his head and asked again, “Then may I ask, Master—if one kills a demon without cause, what is the punishment?”

“...”

This time, it was Xian Xichun who fell silent.

His throat moved. He seemed to want to speak, yet hesitated.

At last, after drawing a deep breath, Xian Xichun said, “One who kills a demon without cause repays a life with a life.”

“I see...”

Xiao Mo had his answer. His eyes were calm as autumn water.

“Do you find it unfair, Young Master Xiao?” Xian Xichun asked. “That a life is a life, yet humans and demons are treated differently?”

“A demon’s life is a demon’s life. A human life is a human life,” Xiao Mo answered. “This is the demon-race world. Human lives are as cheap as grass. It is not that I cannot understand it.”

“But...” Xiao Mo raised his head and met Xian Xichun’s eyes directly. “I can understand it, but I still think it should not be this way.”

When he finished speaking, Xiao Mo stepped back, bowed once more, and saluted.

“Thank you, Master, for the pill, and thank you as well for telling me all this. It is getting late, and my young lady is still waiting for me in the courtyard. This junior will take his leave first.”

“Rest well.”

Master Xian cupped his hands and bid Xiao Mo farewell.

Xiao Mo turned and left.

But even after Xiao Mo had vanished into the distance, Xian Xichun still had not withdrawn his gaze. He remained looking in the direction Xiao Mo had gone.

“That human boy is very much like you,” Jiang Feng said as he stepped out from behind a locust tree. Leaning against the trunk, arms folded over the sword in his embrace, he looked at Xian Xichun. “And that little girl from the Tushan clan is very much like her.”

“No. They aren’t, and they mustn’t be.” A trace of memory flickered through Xian Xichun’s eyes. “People like us do not come to a good end...”

“Speaking of which,” Xian Xichun said, collecting himself and looking at Jiang Feng, “instead of going back to the Disciplinary Hall, why are you still following me around?”

Jiang Feng spat the blade of grass from his mouth off to the side. “There was something I meant to tell you in the first place, but all those little brats made me forget.”

“What is it?” Xian Xichun asked.

“I’m leaving the academy,” Jiang Feng said smugly. “A scholar from White Deer Academy recently came to our demon-race world. I heard his sword qi is extraordinary, and he’s been going around testing swords specifically against demon sword cultivators. I want to go measure myself against him.”

“Very well... just don’t die.”

At the thought of his friend going far away, Xian Xichun could not help feeling a trace of desolation. But he did not try to persuade him, because he knew there was no point.

“You’re one to talk.”

Jiang Feng walked forward, patted Xian Xichun on the shoulder, and looked at him seriously.

“Don’t die. Don’t flip the table. Staying alive matters more than anything.”

“If you die, then let alone me—even in the underworld, she will never forgive you.”