Back To When The Demon Lord Was A Beggar - Chapter 10

“You two idiots! My spiritual power is so profound, how could I possibly be an ordinary cat demon?” He spoke with a hint of pride, tilting his head back and brushing a strand of hair from his ear with one hand, looking quite haughty.

The scratch from earlier was still bleeding, but fortunately, it wasn’t deep. Zhi Shiyi didn’t mind it, knowing it would heal in a few days. Chu Nanzhen, however, felt an inexplicable surge of irritation. He barked, “You demon, where are your manners? You scratch someone and don’t even know how to apologize!”

“I’m the one without manners? You’re the rude ones!” The black cat rolled his eyes. “I know exactly why you’re here! Trying to frame a good demon without even figuring things out first… it seems your cultivation sects are nothing special. You can’t even tell good from evil!”

At these words, Chu Nanzhen had a sudden urge to punch him. His expression soured, feeling as if he were the one being unreasonable. There were only two humans and two demons here, and one of those demons literally ate people, how could he be a “good” demon?

Chu Nanzhen snorted angrily. “Fine, you tell me then—what kind of ‘good demon’ survives by eating humans?”

Zhi Shiyi hadn’t said a word the entire time. His gaze remained fixed on the cat demon, finding him strangely familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

“That’s only because some people are full of malice. It’s bad enough to do wicked deeds elsewhere, but to dare come to this Mist Forest to do them? That’s a one-way ticket to the afterlife,” the cat demon said, shrugging indifferently. Noticing Zhi Shiyi’s stare, he turned and asked suspiciously, “What are you looking at me for?”

“You just look familiar.”

“Familiar? I think you’re just trying to get close to me. I won’t fall for your tricks! Today, you either leave your lives behind or get lost and never come back! You’d better tell those powerless mortals to stay far away from here too, or they might lose their lives one day. Just like those who came a few days ago and the one today. I’ve already sucked them dry into mummies!”

He spoke quickly, his voice carrying a hint of a threat. He didn’t forget to flash his sharp claws at them, hissing like a cat.

“I thought it was the demonic mist draining people’s essence, but it turns out it was you, you wicked cat!” Chu Nanzhen caught the main point, shifting the direction of his withered branch and pointing it at the demon crossly.

They had assumed the Mist Forest only contained demonic mist, and since the cat demon hadn’t appeared during their previous visit, they blamed the mist. But now, this cat demon had appeared openly before them and confessed to draining human essence, which only meant he didn’t fear them.

The black cat didn’t care about the branch at all. He tilted his head arrogantly, looked Chu Nanzhen up and down, let out a “tch,” and swiftly swiped at the wood. The already fragile branch instantly shattered into three pieces, leaving only a tiny stub in Chu Nanzhen’s hand.

Chu Nanzhen: “Zhi Shiyi, are you just going to stand there and watch? Aren’t you going to help me?”

Hearing his name, Zhi Shiyi finally looked up at him unhurriedly. He spoke slowly, “He’s just putting on a show. There is no need to help.”

 Chu Nanzhen looked at Zhi Shiyi as if he were an idiot, feeling both angry and amused. He pulled his hand back. “First you say the demonic mist has her reasons and no ill intent, and now you say the cat demon is just putting on a show. Zhi Shiyi, did you come to the Mist Forest to catch up with old friends?”

If Zhi Shiyi ever got killed by a demon, he’d probably deserve it! Chu Nanzhen was fuming inside.

“No self, no person, no sentient beings. Therefore, the name is ‘Wuxiang’.” Ignoring Chu Nanzhen, Zhi Shiyi stared at the black cat and spoke each word deliberately.

Wuxiang the Formless One, was the cat’s name.

The black cat froze. He knit his brows but remained silent. The two exchanged looks, as if remembering an old friend or someone from the past.

This name had been given to him by a benefactor. That person once told him to break free from worldly constraints and seek the freedom and liberation of the soul. It meant he should live well and cherish the present. Thus, he was named “Wuxiang.”

Only two people in the world knew his name. Aside from his benefactor, it was the demonic mist. Since the person before him knew who he was, he was clearly connected to that benefactor.

Wuxiang finally reined in his temper, standing before them properly. He explained in a low voice, “I didn’t suck anyone’s essence, and the mist hasn’t killed any good people.” As he spoke, his eyes kept darting toward Zhi Shiyi, as if gauging his reaction.

Through their exchange, even Chu Nanzhen understood what was happening. This man and demon were acquainted, and their connection wasn’t shallow. No wonder Zhi Shiyi hadn’t attacked; it was a reunion. Judging by Wuxiang’s behavior, however, he hadn’t recognized Zhi Shiyi yet.

“Just a moment ago, you said you sucked human essence, yet now you say you haven’t. Which of these words is the truth?” Zhi Shiyi put away his Liuli sword and stood with his hands behind his back.

Wuxiang rubbed the bridge of his nose guiltily. He answered honestly, “Because they were all bad people, so Ji Chushan ate them…” He then looked up at them earnestly and said, “Trust me, you can’t go wrong. If they didn’t come to the Mist Forest, they wouldn’t have died. It’s because they caused trouble here. Anyway, none of the ones who died were good people!”

Ji Chushan sounded like a girl’s name, but there were only three males here. A thought occurred to Chu Nanzhen. He pointed at the mist surrounding them. “Is she Ji Chushan?”

Wuxiang nodded, his eyes filled with pity. “Yes, she is Ji Chushan. She’s a good demon! She used to be a very beautiful girl, it’s just a pity she turned into this.”

Before they could say more, Wuxiang waved his hand. A thick layer of mist swirled around them, and suddenly, a man appeared before their eyes.

Wuxiang said proudly, “I am a cat demon with profound spiritual power, naturally different from the common ones. I can manifest how the deceased died. This is the one from this morning. Look for yourselves and you’ll see.”

The man from this morning was the old woman’s son. He looked to be in his thirties or forties, dragging a heavy sack behind him. Something inside was moving constantly.

The man licked his lips and gave a lecherous laugh. “Don’t be in such a hurry, little lady. Once we’re further in, I’ll take real good care of you.”

There was a woman inside the sack. Chu Nanzhen was stunned, but Zhi Shiyi remained much calmer, looking as if he were used to such things. If one listened closely, they could hear muffled cries for help from the bag. But in this desolate wilderness, there was no one, especially not here in the deadly Mist Forest.

There were many skeletons on the ground. The man was surprisingly bold, showing no fear. He spat and cursed, “What bullshit Mist Forest? Only cowards like you would be scared to death here! I’ve got guts. If a demon actually shows up, I’ll take them down with one punch! Hahaha…”

He wasn’t much to look at, but he certainly knew how to brag. Chu Nanzhen’s lip twitched in annoyance.

Seemingly annoyed by the bones in his way, the man kicked them aside as he walked. There were too many to kick, so he ventured deeper into the woods, finding a spot with fewer skeletons. He rubbed his hands and opened the sack. A very beautiful woman peeked her head out. Her clothes were elegant, clearly marking her as a noblewoman, though her hair was a mess and she was bound with thick rope, a white cloth stuffed in her mouth. The man laughed, removed the gag, and touched her cheek with his rough hand. He squealed with excitement, “The little lady is so beautiful, I’ve really hit the jackpot today.”

The woman’s face showed no fear, only disdain. She glanced at the man, turned her head away, and snorted. “Castrating you and feeding you to the dogs would be too good for you! I am a County Princess personally titled by His Majesty. You and your mother dare to kidnap me? Aren’t you afraid of the consequences?”

“So what if you’re a County Princess?” The man spat on the ground indifferently. “Even if I kidnapped a literal Princess, she’d still have to serve me, let alone a mere County Princess. I’m not even afraid of the Emperor, you think I’m afraid of some consequences?”

His eyes bulged as if they might fall out at any second. Just as he was about to lay hands on her, the woman instinctively recoiled. But in the next moment, the man’s eyeballs actually did fall to the ground. Blood gushed out, and the sudden pain and darkness made him tremble. He reached for his eyes, only to find empty sockets.

The man screamed, but the woman didn’t care. She simply sighed in relief and closed her eyes as a dark shadow flickered behind him. The demonic mist giggled, the many eyes on her body spinning. Then, the mist tunneled into his nose, ears, and mouth. The man’s body tensed, overcome by terror.

He cried out, “Help! Help me!!”

There was no one around. The only person who could have helped was the kidnapped woman, but she couldn’t move and didn’t want to help anyway. She chose to keep her eyes shut.

Soon, only the man’s screams remained. As the mist entered his body, his flesh was stripped away until only a skeleton remained. The mist drifted to the woman and made soft noises, as if comforting her, telling her not to be afraid.

The woman opened her eyes. Seeing the demonic mist, she only frowned slightly, not finding it frightening. After a moment, she smiled and said, “Thank you for saving me.”

Then, a piercing cat’s meow echoed through the area. Wuxiang jumped down from a tree, transformed into his human form, and picked up the two eyeballs from the ground. He tossed one to Ji Chushan, which immediately merged with her body, and the other he popped into his own mouth.

Staring at the skeleton on the ground, he didn’t feel satisfied. He snapped his fingers, and a ball of fire appeared, which he threw onto the bones. Wuxiang said, “You piece of trash, I’ll burn the path to your next life too!” He then stepped on the skull. With a loud crack, Wuxiang froze for a moment. He looked down slowly and realized he had crushed it.

“So fragile. Weren’t you acting all tough just now?” Wuxiang pulled his foot away in disgust. He walked over to the woman, untied her, and pointed toward the path ahead. “There are many lost souls and much resentment here. Keep walking straight and never look back. Once you find the exit, don’t tell anyone what happened today, or you’ll face divine retribution.”

That last part was a lie, of course—just to scare her.

The woman gave a respectful bow and departed. Once she was out of sight, Wuxiang drew a talisman in the air and slapped it onto the skeleton. In the blink of an eye, the bones turned back into the man’s living appearance.

Ji Chushan followed Wuxiang’s lead, forming a rough humanoid shape. She rushed into the woods, brought back a pile of wood, stuffed it into the sack, and handed it to the man. The man, acting like a controlled puppet, took the sack, slung it over his shoulder, and walked toward the exit.

Wuxiang stood by Ji Chushan and giggled. “I’ll scare his mother to death! She was his accomplice, she’s no good either.”

With that, the vision faded. The mist cleared, and Ji Chushan remained as a swirling mass before them.

“No wonder.” Chu Nanzhen looked at Wuxiang, speechless. “No wonder the old woman said she saw her son’s head fall off with her own eyes. It was your doing.”

Wuxiang looked a bit embarrassed but tilted his head stubbornly. “He deserved it! Leaving a mummy for his mother was generous enough.”

“Why do you survive by eating eyes?” Zhi Shiyi asked. He could understand the demonic mist, but it was strange for a cat demon. He had a hunch about the answer: they were using the eyes for cultivation.

Sure enough, Wuxiang replied, “For cultivation, obviously. We don’t eat the eyes of good people, only those who are about to die! They’re all villains. Instead of letting them rot, we might as well eat them!” He spoke with such conviction, as if he hadn’t done a single thing wrong.

Zhi Shiyi: “…”

Wuxiang continued, “Besides, Ji Chushan has to eat them. Do you know why she has so many eyes on her body?”

An improbable idea surfaced in Chu Nanzhen’s mind, something he had read in an ancient book. He said, “Is it because the more eyes she has, the more clearly she sees people, perhaps even peering into their hearts and thoughts?”

Wuxiang’s eyes lit up. He pointed at him excitedly. “Exactly! The more eyes she has, the better she can distinguish good from evil. If someone is kind-hearted, she lets them go. If they are rotten to the core, she takes their life.”

Chu Nanzhen felt a twinge of regret. If he had known, he wouldn’t have run his mouth earlier. He asked Zhi Shiyi, “How did you know Ji Chushan wasn’t an evil demon? Is she another one of your old friends?”

Zhi Shiyi hesitated for a moment before nodding. “I didn’t realize it at first. I only figured it out today.”

“You sure have a lot of old friends.”

“You were one of them once.”

“So, is this matter considered resolved?” Chu Nanzhen changed the subject.

“Yes,” Zhi Shiyi said. “Liars are punished. Though I don’t need to be the one to do it, wicked people have their own ways of tormenting each other. Someone will take care of it.”

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