My Demon Friends-Chapter 690 - 651 Finally Seeing You Guys

In the car.

Zhou Li and Huai Xu sat in the back seat, while Baozi took the front passenger seat.

Zhou Li said to Baozi, "Have I ever told you that there are demons living on the mountain where Little Sister Zheng resides? They are all quite amiable, and most of the time, you can't see them. So, if you notice anything strange or hear an odd noise, don't be scared, or they'll feel guilty."

"You didn't mention that," Baozi replied weakly.

"But you guessed it," Zhou Li didn't mind. "Just don't be scared, that's all. Believe me, it's absolutely safe there, even safer than being with other humans."

"Oh." Baozi stared at the road ahead. "What do demons look like?"

"All sorts of appearances."

"Does Little Sister Zheng live alone on the mountain because she lives with demons?" Baozi pondered before speaking.

"Yes, she and one or two demons rely on each other," Zhou Li amended his words midway and explained in a low voice, "One of them lives with her like a family member. You'll be under the same roof as him when the time comes; it's just that you can't see him. Try to stay calm then."

"I'll try..."

"You could learn a thing or two from Brother Nan about this."

"There's nothing to learn," Brother Nan said, while overtaking another vehicle. "Just think of it as an invisible person."

"So what kind of demon is it..."

"Doesn't talk much, silent, dependable."

"He's a quiet, brooding type," Huai Xu chimed in with a pout. "Takes him forever to make a peep, not fun at all."

"And the other one?"

"The other one lives on the highest peak. He's a temperamental and formidable demon, who in ancient times was worshipped as a deity by the local villagers. The village is called Yin Yang Temple. Originally, Yin Yang Temple was a place for praying and offering sacrifices to him, so you must not do anything to provoke him. You must respect him." Zhou Li paused. Considering his little cousin was rather mischievous, he added, "Or else he might eat you. If that happens, even Huai Xu and I wouldn't be able to save you, because he is a deity."

"What... what kind of deity?" Baozi stammered.

"Lord of Farts," Huai Xu grinned as he interrupted.

"Evil God," Zhou Li ignored Huai Xu. "Meaning a god of malevolence. That's why he is prone to violent tempers and capricious mood swings."

"AHHH~~"

Baozi's eyes widened and her mouth gaped open, emitting a nonsensical monosyllable.

Zhou Li continued, "Besides these two, there are four other friendly demons, sort of like neighbors, living in the small mountain village. I like them quite a bit. But you won't be able to see them either."

Baozi didn't make a sound anymore.

She hadn't expected the situation in this small mountain village to be even more complex than she imagined. It was too complex; it was exhausting just to listen to it. If she had known earlier, she would have definitely hesitated more before deciding to come.

The car stopped at the foot of Mingjiu Mountain.

Zhou Li got out first, shouldering a backpack that only contained a few bottles of water. "You don't need to bring your luggage; Huai Xu will take it up for us. We can go empty-handed. Oh, and on the way, we will pass by a Taoist temple called Zhihong Guan. The elder of the observatory and I are acquainted, and I want to pay him a visit."

"Oh..."

Brother Nan also told her, "My grandmother's house is nearby, in Xiaoping Town, which we just passed. But she's not home; she's unwell and staying with my uncle. However, when we come down the mountain, I can take you to try the town's mala stew. It's really delicious."

"Oh..."

Baozi's expression was blank. And now there's the elder of the observatory and Grandma too; it's getting even more complicated.

Today was a sunny day with a clear blue sky, much hotter than the day before. The sun's heat was somewhat unbearable.

Brother Nan was wearing a duckbill cap. Seeing Baozi shielding her eyes with her palm, occasionally squinting and looking up at the sky with a pained expression, she took off her own cap and snapped it onto Baozi's head, asking, "Where's that... your round hat? The yellow one?"

"Bucket hat," Baozi corrected. "Thank you, Brother Nan."

"Oh, where's your bucket hat?" Brother Nan asked again.

"In the suitcase," Baozi answered.

"Shall I go and fetch it?" Huai Xu offered.

"No need," Brother Nan waved her hand. "I've applied sunscreen. It's quite nice to bask in the sun anyway. Besides, I've called Little Zheng to come meet me, hahaha..."

"Little Zheng... but can't she see?" Baozi hesitated.

"You'll know when the time comes."

"Oh."

When they reached Zhihong Guan, it was the perfect time to rest and drink a ladleful of mountain spring water, which was sweet and cooling.

Zhou Li and Brother Nan chatted briefly with the elder of the observatory. When they stepped out of the temple gate again, they saw a yellow dog leading a piebald horse their way at a brisk pace. The tinkling of the horse bells resonated across the fields under the afternoon sun, creating a peculiar sense of temporal dislocation.

Brother Nan grinned widely. "My ride is here!"

Baozi watched silently... This seemed like something a reclusive master would do.

Then, Brother Nan jogged over, grabbed the reins, and climbed onto the horse. Only then did she look down at them.

"Let's go!"

The jingling of bells rang out again, this time winding upwards.

Walking uphill in this weather was undoubtedly hot and tiring. Baozi kept casting envious glances at Brother Nan, seated comfortably on horseback. She wanted to ride but didn't dare ask Brother Nan to get down. In the end, she could only walk with her head down, trying her best to clear her mind and not think about the exhaustion, hoping that if she didn't think about being tired, she wouldn't feel tired.

Her cousin and Huai Xu, on the other hand, seemed to proceed effortlessly, neither flushed in the face nor panting for breath.

Baozi felt envious again.

If she had such a strong physique, photography outings would be so much easier in the future... But it would be even better if such a strong body also required little food.

"Ouch!"

Baozi yelped in pain, ducking her head and covering it with both hands as she looked up at the sky.

They were in a pine forest; the pine trees were lush with branches and leaves.

Baozi then looked down and saw a pinecone at her feet—that was what had hit her.

"CAW CAW..."

The faint caw of a crow could be heard.

Her cousin nudged her shoulder from behind. "Come on, don't mind it. It's their way of welcoming you."

Baozi said, "Oh," picked up the pinecone, and continued forward.

Unknowingly, they had climbed quite high. After emerging from the Pine Forest, the view suddenly opened up. Steep mountains soared into the clouds, and a narrow path clung to the cliff face. Below, the valley was filled with a sea of clouds. In the distance, a mountain village, half-destroyed by a landslide, was a terrifying scar on this picturesque landscape, yet it also served as the magical, crowning touch to the scene.

Baozi was stunned for a moment.

Her cousin, Brother Nan, and Huai Xu were discussing the Pine Forest, pinecones for firewood, and such, but she didn't hear any of it, just staring blankly at the scene. It took her quite a while to come back to her senses. Her first instinct was to turn around and reach for her camera from her backpack, only to realize she wasn't carrying it.

"Let's go."

Her cousin's voice came again. "The weather here is mostly good, and we'll be staying for quite a few days. No need to rush."

"Oh, okay." Baozi blinked twice, nodding repeatedly.

From afar, the path leading to the mountain village looked perilous; it always seemed like one could easily misstep and fall off the cliff. But upon walking it, one would discover the path wasn't as narrow as imagined, and the slope of the mountain was gentler than it appeared. After Xing Hui and Lord Ji Bai arrived, they spent a great deal of time extending the flowers along both sides of the path. What was once a small section near the mountain village now stretched all the way to the Pine Forest. The path was lined with flowers, primarily various kinds of Yueli, creating a vibrant display of myriad reds and purples, each with a distinct fragrance—a scene that could easily become a popular spot for social media check-ins.

The most important thing was the place it led to.

It was too beautiful.

Baozi walked forward mechanically, forgetting the heat and her fatigue, even forgetting to watch her step. She stumbled repeatedly, and several times, her cousin, walking behind her, had to grab the scruff of her neck to keep her from falling.

Like Xidian Village, which she had visited before, this mountain village was also a place abandoned by civilization. Nature had reclaimed the houses: moss-covered stone paths, mountain springs flowing by, and houses overgrown with vines. The difference was that this place was more remote than Xidian Village, further away from civilization, yet it was sunny and verdant, without a hint of gloom.

"ROAR..."

A long roar that Baozi couldn't hear echoed in the sky.

The Evil God spread his massive wings, left the high mountain, and flew towards the group, then rapidly dove.

"BOOM!"

Baozi did hear the loud crash. It frightened her so much that she shivered, and the strong gust of wind made her squint.

Regaining her composure, Baozi still faced forward, too scared to turn her head. Yet, she covertly rolled her eyes to look towards an empty space to her left front—where the vegetation had just been flattened in an instant. The ground trembled heavily, the soil buckled, and white plaster dust trickled down from the walls of a nearby abandoned house, as if an invisible colossal being had just landed there with a thud.

Brother Nan was the closest to the clearing.

Her horse had been startled, rearing up on its forelegs, but Brother Nan wasn't thrown off and remained seated stably.

She also turned to look at the clearing, her face showing an expression of interest.

"So that's what you look like...

"TSK TSK!

"So imposing!"

The Evil God silently lowered his head and moved closer to her, a pair of blood-red eyes staring at her intensely.

Zhou Li quickly ran up, standing in front of Brother Nan.

"Lord Evil God..."

However, the Evil God merely gave him a contemptuous glance, then glanced at Brother Nan, before letting out a loud howl. Pushing off with his hind legs, he tore open the earth, and his huge figure rose into the sky amidst the winds. After circling a few times against the blue canvas of the sky, he returned to the mountaintop.

He watched over the group from the mountaintop.

"Heh heh..."

Brother Nan grinned, continuing to ride forward as if nothing had happened. She even turned back to say to Zhou Li, "Pretty much what I imagined. Overflowing with dominance."

Zhou Li was silent for two seconds. "Don't be disrespectful."

Brother Nan, on horseback, shook her head, letting his words go in one ear and out the other.

They hadn't gone much further when a terrifying figure appeared around the corner ahead, silently watching them.

Brother Nan let the horse approach, but she kept her gaze fixed on the figure, her eyes full of curiosity. "So you're Qinghe? You really look like this. I thought Zhou Li was lying to me..."

Qinghe: ?

There was a hint of bewilderment in his eyes.

Brother Nan grinned.

The horse continued on without stopping, but she kept her gaze locked on Qinghe, her head slowly turning back, making Qinghe start to feel embarrassed.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar, and Brother Nan finally retracted her gaze.

Looking forward, she saw a slender figure running along the stone path. Because she wasn't used to running, her posture was somewhat awkward, and the long, black braid down her back swung wildly. Fortunately, she had walked this path many times, so she didn't fall.

"Slow down!"

Brother Nan hurriedly dismounted, her hands slightly outstretched.

Not until Miss Zheng reached the group did she slow down and catch her breath. When she stood up straight, she had set aside her worries and was back to being the calm and quiet Miss Zheng.

Brother Nan said with some amusement, "Why run over in such a hurry? Did you miss me that much?"

Zhou Li also said, "What if you had fallen?"

Miss Zheng glanced at Brother Nan, then at Zhou Li and Huai Xu behind her, and also at the blurry figure behind Zhou Li. Only then did she ask in a low voice, "What just happened? Why did Lord Evil God suddenly fly over here when he was sleeping, and even land... Did Huai Xu provoke him again?"

"It wasn't me!" Huai Xu was very unhappy.

"It's a minor issue, don't be alarmed," Brother Nan grabbed Miss Zheng's hand, steadying her. "It's a long story... Hurry up and take me to see the other demons. I'm very curious!"

"Ah... What?"

"Haha, you didn't know, did you! I can see demons now!"

"What?"

"Hahaha..." Brother Nan couldn't help but laugh at her surprised expression. "I'll tell you all about it tonight!"

"Oh..."

Miss Zheng finally relaxed. Then she quietly glanced at Zhou Li, Huai Xu, Tuanzi, and at Baozi, who was hiding behind Zhou Li, not daring to move.

Zhou Li smiled. "Long time no see!"

"Yes." Miss Zheng nodded gently.

"Long time no see!" Huai Xu added with a touch of mock nostalgia. "It must have been two or three days, right?"

"Yes." Miss Zheng nodded again, her tone quite gentle.

Then it was Tuanzi's turn. "Long time no see!"

Miss Zheng kept nodding. "Greetings, Lord Dumpling."

"Lord Dumpling greets you too!"

"This is Baozi, my cousin. You've met her," Zhou Li pulled Baozi forward. "And this is Little Sister Zheng."

"Hello," Miss Zheng spoke softly.

"Hello, Little Sister Zheng. My name is Ji Ran," Baozi bowed deeply in her nervousness. "Sorry for the intrusion. I'll be in your care."

"Not at all."

"Are we done yet? Are we done?" Brother Nan was getting impatient and extremely frustrated. "Come on, take me to see Xiao Yuan, Lao Hui, and the others..."