Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1515 - 942: Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing (Part 2)
Previously on Journey to the End of the Night...
It was, in fact, a red tooth mark, resembling the imprint of a kiss bitten too forcefully.
That mark certainly wasn't there yesterday!
Madam Wu was utterly astonished, her mouth working, "This... this... this... isn't this Shu Da Younger Sister, isn't she your mother?"
"Hmm... So noisy..." Shu Ci, known for her acute hearing, stirred and rubbed her eyes upon hearing the commotion, attempting to wriggle free from Baili An's embrace.
Baili An's gaze calmly drifted downward, observing the soft, white ears peeking from between his fingers.
He gently but firmly pressed her head back against his chest.
Shu Ci immediately felt her breath constricted by a cool, unyielding chest. Like a suffocated fox, a low rumbling sound emanated from deep within her throat.
Baili An's little finger stealthily found its way into her fox ears, offering a light scratch.
His movements were as practiced and tender as one might use when petting a kitten or puppy.
His voice, low and possessing an unconscious allure, murmured, "Be good."
His clear tone, drifting softly into her ears, caused her heart to inexplicably quicken its pace as she awoke that early morning.
Shu Ci shuddered, much like a puppy being comfortably stroked, instinctively becoming compliant.
After all, in Shu Ci’s recollection, no one had ever addressed her with such a tone.
Not only Shu Ci, who was right there, but even the elderly Madam Wu, standing at the doorway, swallowed hard.
Oh my.
She had believed this was a tale of a widow and her child facing destitution in a mountain village.
It turned out to be a romance of a young runaway wife and a distinguished young master eloping together.
How could Shu Da Younger Sister, with her alluring, fox-like features, possibly give birth to such a proper young boy, especially when they weren't even related by blood?
He presented as a fragile, well-bred young noble who chanced upon an enchanting young wife.
From that moment, he was smitten, forsaking his official duties and tranquil life, journeying thousands of miles with her, which led to his frail and sickly constitution.
Indeed, the young man raised his clear, gentle eyes. "I mentioned yesterday, she is not my mother; you have misunderstood. In truth, she..."
"I understand, I understand! Madam Wu understands. She's not your mother; she's your wife, heh heh heh. Madam Wu made an error, Madam Wu made an error, heh heh heh..."
Madam Wu's smile unfurled like an aged chrysanthemum in bloom.
Yet, in her heart, she pondered why such a young buck would specifically choose to graze on old grass—a truly peculiar preference.
Baili An: "..."
...
Just as Shu Ci had mentioned the previous day, a so-called demon hunter arrived in this small mountain village, heralded by constant drumming and gongs, with the sounds of exorcisms audible from a distance.
Baili An, with his sharp hearing, picked up certain details from afar.
The voice of the Taoist priest performing the rituals indeed belonged to someone no longer young.
However, upon listening to the erratic chants and dubious techniques, Baili An deduced the reality of the situation.
This was no demon hunter, but merely someone employing unorthodox, fringe practices to deceive the populace.
The poorer and more remote the region, the more frequently such Taoists appeared. Yet, as he possessed no cultivation skills, there was no cause for concern that he might expose Shu Ci's true nature.
Although Baili An was eager to distance himself from Shu Ci's persistent attention.
Given that she had previously saved his life, he did not wish for her to be apprehended by wayside Taoists or sorcerers and subsequently used as a blood offering.
As for Shu Ci, she naturally would not reveal her true name to Baili An.
Baili An learned from Madam Wu's address of 'Shu Da Younger Sister', and thus he adopted the moniker 'A Shu' for her.
The quilt within the house was ancient, and Shu Ci, being a fox demon with a sensitive nose, could not tolerate the musty, damp odor, prompting her to take the quilt outside to air.
Baili An procured charcoal and paper from Madam Wu and penned a summary of his current circumstances.
He omitted the detail of the fox demon's covetous intentions towards his body, merely conveying a message of well-being and instructing Yin Baishuang and the others to convene directly in Shifang City in the coming days.
This presented an opportune moment to purge the Thunder Intent lingering within his body.
While recuperating from his injuries, he resolved to enlighten the seemingly simple-minded, buxom fox on the intricacies of male-female relationships in the Mortal World.
After all, having assumed human form, her mind was still preoccupied with urges of mating, which was quite improper.
If she could be guided toward the proper path and learn of 'One Drop of Blood', it might prove to be a beneficial progression.
Imparting such wisdom would prevent her from aimlessly seeking out men, potentially gaining nothing and nearly forfeiting her fox life on numerous occasions.
He must earnestly impress upon her the principle that 'lust is a knife poised above'.
Having completed the letter, Baili An whistled towards the window, summoning a sparrow demon.
The letter was entrusted to the sparrow demon's talons. With a gentle rub against his finger, the demon unfurled its wings and soared into the sky. Suddenly, a rustling sound emerged from the tall grass beyond the courtyard. Baili An's attention was drawn to the spot. A young Taoist priest was spotted, staring wide-eyed at him. As their gazes met, the priest hastily retreated and fled. "Feeling better? You can even summon small demons now?" Shu Ci's voice chimed in from behind him. Baili An turned. Shu Ci, clad in simple attire, was carrying a wooden basin. Within the basin lay Baili An's blood-stained clothes from several days prior. Whatever Madam Wu had spoken to her remained a mystery, but today, Shu Ci had surprisingly volunteered to launder his garments. A smile is often met with a smile. Baili An's lips curved into a warm grin, preparing to speak.