Back To When The Demon Lord Was A Beggar - Chapter 6

Entering the mist, a strange, fishy stench assaulted Chu Nanzhen’s nostrils. He couldn’t help but frown as a wave of dizziness washed over him. His eyelids grew heavy, and his body swayed unsteadily. Fortunately, Zhi Shiyi caught him and pulled him into a firm embrace, otherwise, falling from this height would have resulted in broken bones or death.

The further down they went, the colder it became. Within moments, a thin layer of frost coated Chu Nanzhen’s eyelashes, and he began to shiver uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Zhi Shiyi raised a hand to cover Chu Nanzhen’s mouth and nose. “Hold your breath, this mist is toxic,” he commanded, adding shortly after, “Endure it a little longer. It won’t be cold once we’re down.”

Zhi Shiyi’s grip was so firm that breathing became a struggle. Chu Nanzhen clawed at the hand, trying to break free. Finding his strength no match for the other man’s, he could only mumble in a muffled voice, “Please, let go a little… I’m going to suffocate!”

Zhi Shiyi froze for a moment, realizing he had indeed been a bit too forceful. He awkwardly licked his lips. “Just hold your breath,” he said, finally releasing his hold.

It was only after they broke through the fog that they spotted Lin Fengye’s silhouette. Looking closely, one could see frost on his eyelashes as well, though much less than on Chu Nanzhen’s. Hovering on his sword nearby, Lin Fengye crossed his arms and joked, “I thought you two weren’t coming down. I was just about to go up and fetch you.”

Zhi Shiyi ignored the banter, offering only a cold sideways glance. “Lead the way. Stop talking nonsense.”

Lin Fengye muttered, “Tch. Can’t even take a joke. Stingy brat.”

Listening to their exchange, Chu Nanzhen chuckled softly. He leaned close to Zhi Shiyi’s face and teased, “Stingy brat.”

Zhi Shiyi: “…”

He glanced down at the youth and said flatly, “Stingy? Then from now on, you can be the one to fly the sword.”

“I talked too much.”

Above the forest lay the toxic fog, while below was a chaotic tangle of dead wood and rotting branches scattered everywhere. Squinting, one could see numerous skeletons littering the ground. Some had not fully decomposed, with bits of flesh still clinging to the bone and tattered remnants of clothing stuck to the skin. Deep within the woods, there were also several thatched huts. It didn’t take a genius to guess that people used to live here.

Chu Nanzhen scanned the area below, feeling a strange sensation he couldn’t quite place, as if he had lived here once before.

The forest spanned a vast area, nearly the size of a city. Lin Fengye pointed toward the depths. “There! The Eunuch told me to find him deep in the woods once I was finished. I have to say, this is my first time in this forest, and it looks a bit creepy.”

They had originally suspected Lin Fengye was lying, but it seemed those worries were misplaced. Having stayed in the Mist Forest for a while, Chu Nanzhen’s lips were dry and cracked, and his body felt weary. He licked his lips and asked, “Since it’s your first time here, aren’t you afraid of danger?”

“I never really thought about it. Didn’t I tell you? I spent my early years stuck in the sect. I never had the chance to come out, and I’m not familiar with the different cities, let alone the dangers.”

Out of kindness, Chu Nanzhen advised, “It’s better to be careful when you’re away from home. One wrong move could cost you your life.”

Lin Fengye let out several impatient huffs, feeling they were making a mountain out of a molehill. He lunged forward on his sword toward the heart of the forest, calling back to the two behind him, “What kind of world do you think this is? There isn’t that much danger! If you ask me, you’re both just too cowardly!”

Despite it being daytime, the deep forest felt like night, or perhaps even darker than night. Directions were impossible to discern, and the air was thick with the scent of decay, forcing Chu Nanzhen and Lin Fengye to pinch their noses.

Even flying high on their swords, they felt enveloped by darkness. Everything was obscured, and no matter how powerful one’s spiritual energy was, it seemed to fail in this place. Since many had died in this forest, there was clearly something wrong. When their spiritual energy flickered out, the two felt a brief surge of alarm but quickly regained their composure.

“Are you afraid?”

“Afraid of what? It’s just a lack of spiritual energy. If any ghosts or monsters show up, the worst I’ll do is grab you and run.”

Chu Nanzhen’s hand was tightly clasped by Zhi Shiyi. The hand was warm, and the warmth began to soothe his chilled body. Hearing his words, Zhi Shiyi looked down with a smile. “Alright. If a monster really appears, don’t you dare leave me behind and run off alone.”

“What kind of talk is that? You’re my business partner, and you’re holding my money! How could I possibly abandon you? Besides, I, Chu Nanzhen, am not that heartless.”

As they walked and talked, Zhi Shiyi teased, “So, the Young Master simply cannot bear to part with his husband’s wealth.”

Chu Nanzhen froze, unable to answer. While it was true he was in it for the money, he couldn’t exactly say that to his face. That would be rude and make him look incredibly materialistic.

The path ahead seemed endless. Dead branches crunched loudly under their feet, and occasionally, a crow would fly overhead, its sudden caw startling both Chu Nanzhen and Lin Fengye.

Being his first time out, Lin Fengye was already scared out of his wits and didn’t dare speak. Cold sweat dripped from his brow, and his eyes darted left and right, terrified that something would jump out at any moment.

“What are you screaming for! You nearly gave me a heart attack,” Chu Nanzhen couldn’t help but look up and yell, “If you scare me again, I’ll roast you and eat you!”

The crow that had just flown past actually turned back. “Caw! Caw! Caw-caw-caw!!!”

Chu Nanzhen: “I suspect it’s targeting me.”

“It says it doesn’t want to be roasted by you,” Zhi Shiyi chuckled, unable to help himself. He looked into the darkness ahead and reigned in his laughter to ask Lin Fengye, “How much further?”

Lin Fengye licked his lips, his voice trembling. “I don’t know…” The Eunuch had only told him to meet in the depths of the forest, but hadn’t given a specific location.

To be honest, he was terrified. After all, they were just youths who had recently left their sects. Before facing the great storms of the world, everyone is a bit of a coward. This experience would certainly build his courage.

Chu Nanzhen was speechless. “Then how are we supposed to find him?”

“Actually… actually, you don’t have to look for him. It’s not like I’m going to do anything to you anymore.” He then suggested, “Why don’t we just get out of here first? I don’t want us to actually lose our lives…”

Chu Nanzhen was inclined to agree. He didn’t want to fail at finding the man and end up in a heap of trouble. They had walked for so long without seeing a soul, it might very well be a trap set by the Eunuch.

Zhi Shiyi spoke coldly, “Since he was sent by that person in the palace, he shouldn’t expect to leave alive.” He turned to Lin Fengye. “Since when did the people of the Chongshao Sect become so afraid of death?”

“I’m the one who values my life, don’t bring the Chongshao Sect into this!” Lin Fengye snapped instantly. Hearing the taunt, he barked back, “I value my life so I can fulfill my Master’s instructions! If we fall into the Eunuch’s trap, we’ll die without achieving a single thing!” After shouting this, his fear actually dissipated quite a bit.

“The fearless youth belongs to the martial world, but the martial world does not belong to cowards,” Zhi Shiyi said coldly.

“You’re calling me a coward!?” Lin Fengye’s voice was booming. The Mist Forest was deathly silent, so his shout echoed loudly. He retorted, “You really have no manners!”

He only dared to say that much. Zhi Shiyi was a friend of his Master, so he couldn’t scold him too harshly, otherwise the old man would have to lecture him.

Zhi Shiyi replied, “You’re the one who chose to take it personally.” He then asked the person beside him, “Chu Nanzhen, do I have a point?”

After a moment of thought, Chu Nanzhen chimed in, “You do.”

If one wanted to travel the martial world, they really couldn’t be faint-hearted. Once you stepped into this world, you had to be prepared to face spears and swords. Losing one’s life was a common occurrence.

Lin Fengye opened his mouth but couldn’t find a comeback, looking thoroughly defeated.

They walked a bit further until a powerful, fishy stench hit their noses. Finally, a faint light appeared around them. Something crunched beneath their feet. Looking down, they saw white bones. Chu Nanzhen’s eyes widened, and he took a sharp breath, though he quickly calmed himself. He was shocked by the sheer number of the dead.

There were many skeletons, piled two or three high. Looking ahead, the ground was covered in even more.

“Scared?” Zhi Shiyi asked.

“Not really.” Only then did Chu Nanzhen realize his courage was actually quite decent. Any ordinary person would have fainted from the sight.

Having just argued with Zhi Shiyi, Lin Fengye was still fuming, so the skeletons on the ground didn’t seem that terrifying to him.

Then, a strong wind carrying that same stench swept toward them. The pungent smell nearly made Chu Nanzhen gag. In the blink of an eye, a carriage appeared. A eunuch sat atop a white horse, smiling at the three of them. He spoke to Lin Fengye in a high-pitched, pinched voice, “Little brother, why did you bring two extra people? If that’s the case, I cannot give you the silver.”

Lin Fengye rolled his eyes. He was already annoyed, and seeing the man made it worse. If it wasn’t for this eunuch, there wouldn’t be all this trouble. He crossed his arms and snapped, “Who cares? Keep your money!”

Chu Nanzhen stared at the eunuch and realized something was wrong. The man’s face was as pale as paper, his lips lacked any trace of color, and his eyes were bloodshot, filled with a hidden “terror.”

A stiff smile stretched across the eunuch’s face as he stared deathly at them. He looked hideous. “Since you haven’t silenced them for me, then I can only take your life instead, little brother.”

At those words, Lin Fengye sensed danger. He summoned his life-bond sword and gripped it tightly, warning the official fiercely, “You’re too green to take my life! I am a disciple of the Chongshao Sect, do you dare touch me?!”

The blade shimmered with a faint light. It looked as though Lin Fengye might take the eunuch’s head at any moment.

Hearing this, the eunuch let out a “cluck-cluck” laugh that was bone-chilling.

Chu Nanzhen thought for a long time, then shook Zhi Shiyi’s hand and said calmly, “This eunuch isn’t really the eunuch, is he?”

When they were flying over the forest, they had seen a skeleton with scraps of flesh and clothing that matched the official’s perfectly. It was highly suspicious.

Hearing this, Zhi Shiyi nodded. “Mhm. Just a poor soul.”

“Poor soul?” Chu Nanzhen asked, confused.

Zhi Shiyi let go of his hand and pulled a piece of yellow parchment from his sleeve. He stepped forward, bit his finger, and began drawing a talisman on the paper. He glanced coldly at the eunuch, but just as he was about to throw the charm, the eunuch vanished.

They scanned the surroundings but the eunuch was nowhere to be found.

The next second, they heard the sound of Lin Fengye’s sword clattering to the ground. Sensing something was wrong, they ran over to find a dark shadow covered in countless pupils staring at them. It was choking Lin Fengye.

Zhi Shiyi threw the talisman, but the shadow dodged it. The shadow released Lin Fengye, who clutched his throat and gasped for air. “My neck almost snapped,” he complained.

The shadow swirled behind Chu Nanzhen, sniffing at his neck as if it had found a delicacy. Sensing it, Chu Nanzhen leapt toward Zhi Shiyi. He turned around to see the shadow grinning at them, the eyes on its body fixed on their every move.

Then came the sound of faint wailing and sobbing. If one listened closely, they could hear cries for help.

Seeing the situation turn dire, Zhi Shiyi said solemnly, “Run.”

He immediately took Chu Nanzhen’s hand and flew back on the sword. Just as they had been unable to find their way coming in, the way back was just as confusing. Dead branches tangled together, and all three of them ended up with several scratches on their faces.

The shadow didn’t seem interested in chasing them. The return journey was much shorter than the trip in, almost as if that long stretch of road had been nothing but walking in circles.

Once they cleared the deep forest, they passed the remains again. As Chu Nanzhen suspected, those bones undoubtedly belonged to the eunuch.

“The eunuch likely met his end in the Mist Forest, and his soul was manipulated. That shadow just now was probably the thing responsible,” Zhi Shiyi said with a frown. “I’m not sure how it formed to become so powerful. Let’s return to the manor.”

Chu Nanzhen asked, “Don’t the sects come to handle this thing?”

Zhi Shiyi replied, “Our spiritual energy failed the moment we entered the deep forest. It would be a wasted effort even if the sects came.”

With that, the three returned to the manor. They had originally intended to kill the eunuch to send a message to the palace, but since he had already been killed by the shadow, they didn’t need to lift a finger.

Support