To Get Married - Chapter 43

Chapter 43

“Perhaps you’re right, but there’s still a knot in my heart. Back then, I had no personal grudge against them. Even if I had caused much slaughter in the mountains, it was only following the natural law of the jungle—it had nothing to do with humans…”

“…”

“When that group came to hunt me, their mouths were full of nonsense about ‘subduing demons and protecting the people’!” Manzhu said, her fists tightening. “Utterly hypocritical.”

Mentioning the past brought up a mixture of anxiety and resentment in Manzhu.

The anxiety stemmed from the fact that those Exorcists were truly powerful. Even if she hadn’t been undergoing her tribulation—even at the peak of her spiritual power—she might not have fared well against them.

The resentment was because she had spent 2,600 years in seclusion, away from the mortal world, solely to transform from a snake into a jiao (flood dragon) and eventually ascend as a true dragon. Yet, at the most critical moment, she was interrupted and lost her chance. With her remaining lifespan, she might not live to see the next opportunity.

A demon’s cultivation is ultimately limited by their race. It is like a human who spends their entire life chasing a goal that is merely the starting point for others. But does knowing that mean one should stop trying?

Though the transformation from snake to jiao, and jiao to dragon, was largely a legend among her kin—and many who successfully became jiao never survived long enough to become dragon gods—she had still wanted to try.

Unfortunately, she had failed at the final step.

But perhaps it was for the best. If not for that failure, she wouldn’t have left the deep mountains, wouldn’t have met Lu Yudong, and wouldn’t have known that she actually enjoyed this peaceful life. The feeling of caring for, accompanying, and protecting one person was far more fulfilling than the bitter pursuit of an empty dream.

“I’ve never understood why they crossed into the forbidden zone to kill me. What did I do, or what did they want to gain? The more I think about it, the more suspicious it feels… I have a lingering sense that they won’t let me go,” Manzhu said heavily. “But my courage is smaller now; I just want to hide from them.”

If she were alone, and those guys dared to show their faces after six years, she would risk her life to settle that old score. But she was no longer a solitary traveler; her life was now inextricably linked with Lu Yudong.

Yudong was just a fragile human. At the mention of “Exorcists,” Manzhu’s first reaction was fear that Yudong would be hurt.

Mu Chenshan listened and thought for a moment before looking up. “Exorcists haven’t stopped hunting demons, but they have never hunted a single demon under the protection of the Management Bureau. Back then, you weren’t registered. Now it’s different. Even if the ones who hunted you appeared right in front of you, they wouldn’t dare touch you.”

“As for Yudong meeting an Exorcist…” Mu Chenshan continued, “Demons are constantly moving through human cities, and so are Exorcists.”

“The Bureau keeps a registry of all demons in human cities to determine the level of surveillance. If a Great Demon lives in a certain area, there will definitely be many Exorcists stationed there. They aren’t there to hunt; they are there for prevention.”

“Since Zhaomu and I came to Yuanchuan nine years ago, the number of Exorcists here has increased significantly. They follow us wherever we go; I’ve seen many familiar faces at the Bureau. Now that you’re here too, there’s probably no city in the country with more Exorcists than Yuanchuan. It’s normal for Yudong to run into one.”

This did make Manzhu feel somewhat relieved, but she still felt a sense of injustice. “Don’t you find it unfair? Demons in the mountains are hunted for doing nothing. Demons in the city are monitored for thinking of doing nothing.”

“If you’re not satisfied, maybe you can go fight them?” Mu Chenshan spread his hands.

Manzhu was speechless. A second later, Mu Chenshan sighed. “Hong Hong, the weak have no right to talk about fairness.”

His tone turned unusually serious. “Humans seem fragile, but they are powerful because they are united. Demons, however, have always been a scattered mess of sand; that hasn’t changed in ten thousand years. On this point, the demon race lost from the very beginning. Otherwise, why would we have been making concessions for over a thousand years, retreating until there was nowhere left to go, finally forced to sign those unequal peace treaties?”

“You stayed in the mountains too long; you don’t know how much the world has changed. This delicate balance was bought with many sacrifices,” Mu Chenshan said. “Just take it day by day. Life is simple, the money is enough… what’s wrong with following a few rules? Humans have plenty of rules for themselves; we’re just following local customs. Don’t overthink it.”

“You certainly live a transparent life.”

“Me? I’m satisfied as long as I can live without fighting or competing.”

After a moment of silence, Manzhu took a long breath and sighed. “Mu Chenshan, regarding what happened six years ago… did you guess something?”

“Yes… but it has nothing to do with who you are now.”

“So what was it? I have a right to know.”

Mu Chenshan thought for a long time before speaking in a low voice. “Shortly after you arrived, I had my suspicions, so I looked into some things. I happened to hear that over twenty years ago, a demon ‘bound their soul’ with a human Exorcist…”

Manzhu frowned. “What does that have to do with me?”

“After you bound your soul with Yudong, she didn’t just gain spiritual meridians; she gained a cultivation potential far beyond ordinary people. I suspect this isn’t her own talent, but rather her absorbing the 2,600 years of accumulation belonging to you. In other words, she isn’t really ‘cultivating’; she’s absorbing what belongs to you.”

“Are you saying… we share more than just lifespan and pain?”

“If this is true, and human Exorcists found out about it, it explains why they hunt unregistered demons and risk entering forbidden zones to capture Great Demons like you.”

“But haven’t they always been hunting?”

“The official reports say ‘hunting,’ but who knows what really happens? Under the guise of hunting, they capture, imprison, coerce, and domesticate. They have many ways to make a demon bow,” Mu Chenshan said. “Think back—given the circumstances then, if they were truly determined to kill you, could you have really escaped from Shennongjia?”

“…” Manzhu recalled the events and realized he was right. The power of the tribulation was immense, and those Exorcists were highly skilled. If they had intended to kill, she truly wouldn’t have escaped.

Mu Chenshan added, “It’s simply a case of the weak seeking longevity, and the strong seeking to ‘drive the gods’.”

Manzhu shook her head, frowning. “But I am no god.”

She knew “God” in this context referred to a Demon God. A Demon God wasn’t a deity, but a title given by demons to the strongest among them as the race began its decline. They wanted someone to lead them, someone to stop the oppression; they admired the strong as a spiritual pillar. Among demons, those who defied fate were the most respected. Those over 3,000 years old who survived the heavenly tribulations became Demon Gods.

Old Snake Father in Shennongjia was like that. He was nearly 5,000 years old when he died, so weak he could barely breathe, yet he was loved by every demon in the mountains. Many small demons even threw themselves into his final tribulations to bear the burden for him.

But Manzhu was nowhere near that level.

“A few hundred years isn’t much to them,” Mu Chenshan said. “If they could bind a soul with you, they could afford to wait. But clearly, they’ve lost their chance now.”

Manzhu sneered. “I admire you sometimes. You guessed what those guys were up to, yet you can just sit still.”

“What else? Stand up and be a savior?” Mu Chenshan laughed self-mockingly as he stood up. “Most demons have entered human cities now, living stable lives. No one wants to break this peace. Whoever breaks it is the villain. At that point, neither humans nor demons will have a place for them.”

“Soul-binding is a forbidden art. Forcing a demon to bind their soul carries the risk of being backlashed by the demon race. Not all Exorcists are involved in this; how many truly have the guts? Once they satisfy their greed, it will stop.”

“We’re all demons; there’s nothing wrong with being selfish. Ultimately, it’s just another form of survival of the fittest. Everyone just clears the snow from their own doorstep; no one can save anyone else.”

That was the last thing Mu Chenshan said before shooing her back to work.

Military training for freshmen lasted half a month without weekends. However, the training at Yuanchuan Conservatory wasn’t very strict, or perhaps the instructor for Vocal Music Class 3 was just gentle. Out of fifteen days, ten had passed, and Ye Liujing had managed to skip seven of them.

From “family visits” to “food poisoning” to “faking heatstroke,” Ye Liujing was a consummate actress with an ever-changing list of excuses. Seeing this, Chen Yang and Tang Qian were tempted. Initially hesitant, they tried it and found it worked. Soon, the three roommates would find excuses to skip whenever the sun was too hot.

Inevitably, Yudong was influenced by her surroundings. With all three roommates doing it, she couldn’t resist. She lied about her “monthly visit” and slipped away home for the day.

Manzhu was surprised to see her back so suddenly. After questioning her, she found out the girl had lied to sneak home, which left her between laughter and tears. Yudong hadn’t tanned much, but she returned smelling of sweat. The first hug was so pungent that Manzhu pushed her straight into the bathroom.

After showering, Yudong was exhausted. She curled up on the sofa with her head on Manzhu’s lap, listening to the TV as she dozed through the afternoon. Later, she followed Manzhu to the bar for a staff meal.

Ye Liujing had claimed a headache today, but she didn’t want to leave immediately, so she pretended to rest in the shade until the instructor dismissed the class. Back in the dorm, she realized her usual dinner companions were missing.

The group chat titled “Did You Skip Today? 415” pinged.

Little Leaf: Where’s Lu Yudong? Not in the dorm? @Lu Yudong

It’s Yangyang: Maybe she went for a walk off-campus?

Little Leaf: Did you leave campus? Should I wait for you? @Lu Yudong

Lu Yudong: I’m not coming back today. Go to the cafeteria yourself.

It’s Yangyang: Did Yudong go straight home after skipping?

Lu Yudong: [Blushing Emoji]

Little Leaf: The perks of being a local! So jealous. [Crying River Emoji]

It’s Yangyang: Ye Liujing, Tang Qian and I are at the cafeteria, just started eating. Coming?

Little Leaf: Can you bring some back for me? [Wailing Emoji]

It’s Yangyang: We eat slowly; it’ll be late.

Little Leaf: [I am a Salted Fish] Never mind. Training is too tiring; I don’t want to move.

Tang Qian: Hearing that from you is completely unconvincing.

Lu Yudong: +1

It’s Yangyang: +1

Little Leaf: [Blushing Emoji]

“Chatting with your new classmates?” Manzhu asked.

Yudong nodded and sat up as Manzhu placed the food on the table. “What are you talking about that makes you so happy?” Manzhu pulled up a small stool and sat beside her.

“Just chatting.” Seeing Manzhu’s curiosity, Yudong put down her chopsticks and showed her the group chat.

Manzhu glanced at it. “Which one is the Exorcist?”

“Little Leaf! The one saying training is too tiring!” Yudong pointed to the leaf avatar. “Look at her! She has the nerve to say she’s tired when she taught the whole dorm how to skip! She skipped seven out of ten days!”

Manzhu tapped Yudong’s forehead. “So you’ve been learning bad habits from this roommate?”

“Wait, wait!” Yudong grabbed Manzhu’s hand playfully. “This is my first time skipping! Just today! There are no weekends during training, and I only skipped to come home and spend time with you!”

Manzhu felt a surge of happiness but found herself saying the opposite: “I’m a grown-up; do I really need you to spend time with me?”

Yudong dove into her arms. “It’s me who needs Sister’s company.”

Manzhu chuckled. “You little clingy spirit…”

“I’m only clingy with Sister,” Yudong murmured, nuzzling into her chest.

“Time to eat.” Manzhu tried to gently push her away, but the girl wouldn’t let go.

“Just a bit longer~”

“Do you want me to feed you?”

“Can you?” Yudong looked up, eyes wide and a smile tugging at her lips.

Gou Hongjie walked out of the kitchen with a chicken cutlet, intending to bring it to them. He was immediately pulled back by Xiaozhi.

“What are you doing?” Xiaozhi asked, hands on her hips.

“Doesn’t Yudong like chicken cutlets? I forgot to put it on her plate,” he explained.

Xiaozhi rolled her eyes and took the cutlet from him. “Aren’t you just getting in the way?” she whispered. “Is a chicken cutlet more ‘delicious’ than Sister Manzhu?”

“Huh?” Gou Hongjie looked over. Yudong was now sitting sideways on Manzhu’s lap, her arms wrapped around Manzhu’s neck, eating the food Manzhu was feeding her, bite by bite.

The two of them were so intimate that they didn’t look like sisters at all; anyone would believe they were a couple in love. In that moment, Gou Hongjie felt like his eyes were about to be blinded by the “sparkle.”