(4) Unraveling the Veil

After silently passing through five routes in the town, Zui suddenly slowed down and unexpectedly transformed back into his human body, causing both him and Wang Zhu to free-fall through the air.

Startled but maintaining her composure, Wang Zhu sprang into action. She quickly summoned her sword, landed gracefully on it, and surged toward Zui, who was plummeting toward the roof of one of the town's most renowned inns.

Seeing how swiftly the young demon fell and the vast distance between them, Wang Zhu frowned and gritted her teeth.

Without a moment's hesitation, she infused her sword with more spiritual power, enabling her to catch the young entity just in time and hold him securely in her arms.

Wang Zhu exhaled in relief, though her wariness remained. Complex emotions swirled within her as she reflected on the moment.

For years, she had captured or slain demons, never once allowing one to get close to her. And yet, here she was, holding one in her arms.

For someone who firmly believed that no demon could ever be innocent, this was a peculiar and deeply unsettling experience. But if this boy truly is a demon, why is the demonic energy coursing through him so faint? Strange.

Not letting her thoughts wander further, she landed flawlessly in front of the inn, still carrying the unconscious young demon in her arms in bridal style.

She summoned her sword back to its scabbard and released a small amount of spiritual power into her hand, channeling it into Zui, to seal his demonic aura and essence. It was a temporary measure to avoid unnecessary conflict.

As she stepped into the inn, all eyes immediately turned toward her. Most of the onlookers seemed to be members of various cultivation sects, with a few ordinary civilians mixed in, their curiosity piqued by the sight of a young boy in her arms.

He was covered in fresh wounds, his clothes filthy and menacing, a sharp contrast to her pristine, jade-like appearance.

Yet, despite their stares, Wang Zhu remained unfazed. Her gaze was fixed solely on a young man at the center table, pacing nervously back and forth, anxiously biting his thumb.

"A-Lian," her calm and light voice caught the onlookers by surprise, as it seemed to contrast with her sharp, strict, yet attractive features.

Pu Lian, having long since grown immune to his senior's voice due to five years of joint training and night hunting sessions, quickly turned, only to see her holding a child.

Without hesitation, he strode over at full speed, his expression a mixture of confusion and surprise.

"Who's this? What, what happened? Whose child is this? Don't tell me it's yours!"

Wang Zhu's brow knitted in displeasure, and immediately stomped hard on his foot. His words had somehow triggered her temper.

"Get us a two-bedroom room, and make it quick."

Pu Lian, well aware of how merciless the other when angry, could only hiss in pain and nod before limping toward the receptionist counter.

Wang Zhu watched him go with satisfaction, and remain where she stood. Her gaze was fixed on the inn's wall, and her expression revealed no intention to engage with anyone inside the restaurant.

However, unexpectedly, she heard two unfamiliar footsteps approaching, but before they could get any closer, Pu Lian reappeared and placed his arm over her shoulder.

"I've already arrange one, let's go."

She glanced at him and then at the hand resting on her shoulder. Her expression remained blank as she gave a slight nod.

Now seated in one of the wooden chairs inside the chamber, Pu Lian watched as she gently placed the unconscious boy onto one of the comfortable beds and stood beside it, gazing down at Zui with a neutral expression.

"What happened to him?"

Wang Zhu glanced at him but didn't respond to his questions. Instead, she shifted the conversation to another topic.

"Do you still have a spare of healing pills?"

Pu Lian, already familiar with her personality, leaned back in the chair and casually picked up some boiled peanuts from the table, thoughtfully prepared by the inn's caretaker for all new guests.

He crack one open and eat, before saying,

"I do, but it's not free."

Wang Zhu shot him a straight glare, which, strangely enough, only pleased him. He couldn't help but chuckled in amusement. He wasn't sure why, but he had enjoyed teasing his senior ever since.

When they first met ten years ago, he had assumed she would be difficult to get along with. She rarely smiled, was always serious, and never laughed at his jokes—so different from the other disciples in their group.

However, he soon realized she was simply a reserved, straight forward and disciplined person; someone who had likely seen the true nature of people and the world.

Despite her stern exterior, she was surprisingly kind and selfless. Those who didn't understand her often mistook her attitude and behavior for coldness. However, to those with patience, she revealed a completely different side.

"Senior, this is the second time you've glared at me today."

Wang Zhu's unwavering gaze remain bore into him, unblinking and intense, as if she were peering straight into his soul, making his confidence falter and causing him to become self-conscious.

"Jeez! Fine, fine. I'll give it to you."

Pu Lian quickly reached inside his chest hanfu, pulled something out, and tossed it over.

Wang Zhu caught it just in time and stared at it.

It was a medium-sized white porcelain bottle containing healing pills, a staple for cultivators to carry in case of emergencies.

"Elder Lan mentioned the dosage is stronger than the last batch, so just give the child half."

Wang Zhu nodded, removed the lid of the bottle, took out the half pill, and bent down to the appropriate level.

With a delicate touch, she pried Zui's mouth open and carefully placed the pill at the back of the throat.

"So, did you capture whatever is lurking in that dark alley? Was it a strong demon?"

Pu Lian, still munching on peanuts, kept his gaze fixed on her as she straightened up and let out a weary sigh before responding,

"I don't know."

A heavy silence quickly settled over the room. Her words left the others stunned; so much so that it took Pu Lian a full two minutes to respond.

"Senior, you've never said anything like that before. This is the first..."

A rough cough from the young boy erupted, interrupting their conversation, and all their attention immediately turned to him.

"Jiejie..." Zui mumbled, his voice trembling.

He slowly opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness, until the unfamiliar structures of the ceiling finally came into focus. Immediately, a wave of confusion and a disturbing feeling jolted him upright in panic.

His heart raced, and his eyes slowly flared violet, signaling an instinctive response to strike anyone nearby.

This triggered the awakening of his demon essence, causing the seal that Wang Zhu had placed on him to shatter.

The demonic aura within him erupted violently and occupied the whole parts of the room, raw, with uncontrollable force of anger and anxiousness.

"Yo! Look at that; you saved a young demon. That's also a first!" Pu Lian said, his voice casual and almost amused, completely unfazed.