After the Demon Lord Lost His Memory, He Became the Immortal Venerable's Dao Companion - Chapter 16

After a short bout of playful resistance, Shen Yuzong helped Qi Yan to his feet. Qi Yan walked ahead, unwilling to pay any more attention to Shen Yuzong.

Shen Yuzong closed the door and followed, reaching out to tweak Qi Yan’s braid.

“Angry?”

“…”

It was hard to imagine that someone as shameless as Shen Yuzong could exist in the world.

Seeing that Qi Yan ignored him, Shen Yuzong acted like a pestering pest, constantly fiddling with Qi Yan’s hair, tugging at his hand, and even worse, insisting on keeping his hand pressed against Qi Yan’s waist.

Qi Yan could take no more. “Shen Yuzong!”

Shen Yuzong leaned his face closer, sighing as if he were helpless. “Your husband is right here.”

By the time they reached the place where the Fox Clan was holding the banquet, a group of handsome men and women had already surrounded them. The Fox Clan was known for their beauty, so naturally, none of them were ugly. However, the moment they saw Qi Yan, many were struck with awe.

Unlike them, Qi Yan not only possessed delicate, refined features but also a certain captivating air. It was a coexistence of innocence and allure; although his fragrance was intensely mature, his entire being exuded a kind of pure, untainted beauty.

“This young gentleman is truly handsome. I wonder if you are married?”

“I see clearly that this is a young lady. How about looking at me, young lady?”

“Big brother, why are you so beautiful? Are you also from the Demon Clan?”

It was Qi Yan’s first time encountering such passionate people, and he hesitated, unsure of how to reply.

Shen Yuzong’s expression turned icy. He raised his arm and effortlessly pulled Qi Yan back into his embrace.

“You…”

“Pardon me, this is my wife.” Shen Yuzong tightened his grip, the smile on his face looking increasingly gloomy.

The group wanted to say something more, but they suddenly saw Yin Ji emerge.

“Greetings, Young Master.”

“Greetings, Young Master.”

Yin Ji raised a hand to acknowledge them. “You may all go about your own business; do not crowd around here.”

“My apologies. They have always been like this, surrounding anyone who looks good. Brother Shen, please do not mind them.” It really was a case of the tables turning; it was rare to see Shen Yuzong thwarted. What is this? A blind man marrying a pretty wife? Oh, this is making me laugh so hard my stomach hurts.

Yin Ji’s lips quirked up and down in a very strange manner.

Shen Yuzong’s gaze was heavy. “I naturally do not mind, but I fear my wife might be frightened.”

“?”

“Then I shall offer my apologies to this fellow Daoist.” Yin Ji cupped his hands and bowed to Qi Yan.

“Actually, it is nothing… ah.”

Qi Yan’s waist was pinched warningly, and he immediately stopped speaking.

“…”

Yin Ji looked at his nose and his heart, deciding to play dumb as much as possible, and led the two inside.

“Why did you pinch me?” Qi Yan asked Shen Yuzong in a low voice.

“You heartless thing, siding with an outsider, are you?”

Qi Yan shot him a sideways glance, unable to help but retort, “What of it? I am not even allowed to speak the truth?”

Shen Yuzong whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, “I will deal with you later.”

As they entered, the sound of drums and gongs pierced the clouds. Layers of red curtains were draped across the sky, and a massive red velvet carpet covered the ground. In the center, young fox maidens with visible ears danced in a circle, while the young men played pipes and flutes on the periphery.

Yin Ji led them to an empty table. “Brother Shen, just sit here. I am at the table right next to you. We have other activities later, and you are welcome to join us then.”

Most of the food on the table was raw. Qi Yan could eat raw food, but he was accustomed to cooked meals and felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. Shen Yuzong raised a hand and cast a spell over the dishes; the raw food was cooked instantly. With the original seasonings added, it smelled quite fragrant.

Qi Yan picked up his chopsticks, placed a piece of fish in his mouth, and savored it; it was sweet and delicate. He reached out to pick up another piece of fish and turned toward Shen Yuzong.

“What is it?” Shen Yuzong’s gaze traveled from Qi Yan’s full forehead down to the corners of his vermilion lips.

Qi Yan was rarely proactive; as soon as Shen Yuzong spoke, he felt shy again.

“This is delicious.” After saying this in a voice barely audible, he tried to retract his hand.

Shen Yuzong grasped Qi Yan’s hand and took the fish into his own lips. Qi Yan quickly pulled his hand back and busied himself by looking at the other dishes on the table.

“Delicious. Anything Zhuzhu feeds me is delicious.”

Hearing Shen Yuzong’s words, Yin Ji felt goosebumps rise all over his body. How could Shen Yuzong be so mushy? It was just as his elder sister had said; those who practice the Heartless Dao are either repressed or openly shameless.

“May I have some of the food from your table?”

Qi Yan looked up to see a breathtakingly beautiful woman with two emerald earrings hanging from her ears.

“Of course.”

Shen Yuzong looked at the woman for a long moment, said nothing, but then turned to glance at Yin Ji.

The woman picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, put it in her mouth, and exclaimed, “I never knew cooked food could be this tasty.”

“Yes, I have always eaten cooked food. But for shrimp, raw is also good.” Seeing the woman’s surprise, Qi Yan could not help but explain further.

The woman behaved gracefully; she pulled a cushion from another table and sat down in front of them. “Do you mind if I share this table with you?”

She could tell that the two were a couple, but it was clear that Qi Yan was the one making the decisions. The other man looked fierce, but if Qi Yan wanted something, he likely would not object. Therefore, her question was directed at Qi Yan.

“You may.” Qi Yan smiled, revealing two small dimples.

Shen Yuzong’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Usually, getting Qi Yan to smile at him was harder than ascending to heaven, yet he was so generous with outsiders.

“My name is Yin Pin. And yours?”

“My name is Hanzhu.”

“Hanzhu, what a lovely name. It suits you quite well.” Yin Pin picked up a piece of chicken from the table and praised him sincerely.

Qi Yan looked back at Shen Yuzong inexplicably and echoed softly, “Really?”

“Truly. The name Hanzhu sounds like a precious treasure. Look at how beautiful you are; if I am not mistaken, you must be a merman.” Yin Pin’s tone was natural, as if she were chatting with an old friend she had not seen in years.

Qi Yan also felt a strange sense of familiarity with Yin Pin. “My mother was a merman, and my father was human.”

“Ah.” Yin Pin nodded.

“That is why I said the name was well-chosen; it fits a merman’s identity perfectly.”

Qi Yan pursed his lips and smiled shyly. Because of this remark, Shen Yuzong’s opinion of Yin Pin improved, and he no longer found her as annoying as he had at the start.

The banquet lasted until nightfall. Yin Pin and Qi Yan hit it off immediately and chatted about many things. Yin Pin beckoned to the waiter to leave the wine on their table.

“It is said that the Merman Clan disappeared a thousand years ago. I did not expect to see one still here.”

“Is that so?” Qi Yan was surprised.

“Indeed. I once heard a rumor that the Merman Clan was taken away to mend the heavens.”

“Ah? Can mermen mend the heavens?”

“Each generation is worse than the last. There are very few snakes that can cultivate into human form, so they snatched the mermen to be the scapegoats.” Yin Pin poured the wine into a cup and drank it in one gulp.

Yin Pin narrowed her eyes and pointed toward the night sky. “Actually, there is a massive crack in our sky.”

Qi Yan looked in the direction Yin Pin pointed but saw nothing. He blinked, only to feel a different sensation; it was Shen Yuzong’s hand. Qi Yan pulled Shen Yuzong’s hand away in annoyance. “What are you doing?”

Yin Pin covered her mouth and laughed, her two emerald earrings swaying in the dim light. “The Master guides me out of the red dust; only when the iron tree blooms does spring appear. Transformations within transformations, life after life, changing yet reborn.”

Shen Yuzong wiped the smile from his face and glared at Yin Pin. Yin Pin was not afraid; she reached out and touched Qi Yan’s braid. “Zhuzhu, do you know what the last two lines of that poem are?”

Qi Yan shook his head.

Yin Pin smiled and touched Qi Yan’s face gently. “Wishing to know if there is color or no color, one must recognize that the formless has form. Color is emptiness, emptiness is color; emptiness and color must be clearly distinguished.”

After saying this, Yin Pin drank another cup of wine and ran off to dance with the others by the bonfire.

Qi Yan turned to ask Shen Yuzong, “What does Sister Yin mean?” Sister Yin—they had only just met today, yet he addressed her so affectionately.

“It is just the story of the Green Snake and the White Snake,” Shen Yuzong said dismissively.

Qi Yan nodded and reached for the wine on the table. “Is this wine good?”

“Pour a cup for your husband and let me taste it,” Shen Yuzong said lazily.

Qi Yan poured a cup for Shen Yuzong and handed it over. Shen Yuzong did not take it, instead tilting his head to drink it from the rim of the cup.

It was the Fox Clan’s specialty osmanthus wine; one cup brings dizziness, two cups lead to intoxication. Shen Yuzong, wearing a smile, looked at Qi Yan’s ignorant and innocent cheeks and was suddenly struck by a sense of guilt.

“It is good.”

Shen Yuzong was not lying. Osmanthus wine could be found elsewhere, but only the Fox Clan’s was authentic; sweet but not cloying, smooth as it went down.

Qi Yan took the cup Shen Yuzong had just emptied, poured a small amount, and sniffed it. “It smells so good.”

Shen Yuzong nodded. Qi Yan stuck out his tongue and took a small sip; it was sweet and did not burn his throat like syrup might. Originally, he took small sips, but before he knew it, Qi Yan began downing it cup by cup.

Shen Yuzong watched from the side as Qi Yan’s eyes grew hazy. His lips were glistening, stained with the sweet wine, and his face was rapidly flushed with crimson.

“Is it good?” Shen Yuzong reached out to stop Qi Yan’s cup.

Qi Yan nodded foolishly.

“Zhuzhu, speak.”

“Good.”

Shen Yuzong finally showed a satisfied smile and continued to press him. “Does Zhuzhu like your husband?”

“Zhuzhu… likes [you],” Qi Yan replied slowly, his eyes wide and clear.

Before Shen Yuzong could ask anything further, Yin Pin suddenly came over and pulled Qi Yan away by the hand.

“Sister Yin, why are you pulling me away?” Qi Yan asked, his head swimming, looking up with a dazed face.

“How much did he force you to drink to get you into this state?”

“It is not that; it was Zhuzhu who wanted to drink.”

Yin Pin glanced at Shen Yuzong again, seeing his face dark and gloomy across the bright bonfire. She was not afraid of him. “I am taking you to dance.”

“Does dancing require holding hands? My husband will be angry if he sees,” Qi Yan said, tugging on Yin Pin’s sleeve, a bit afraid to move forward.

“Silly Zhuzhu, making him angry is exactly what we want. Do not be afraid; if anything happens, this big sister will protect you.”

Qi Yan looked back at Shen Yuzong with unease, but across the flickering light and shadow, the image was unclear.

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