Chapter Fifteen: The Sorceress Nisu (Part One)

So, Zisheng was a flute demon!

Shi Jun finally understood why he always felt that Zisheng seemed out of place among the other demons. He was a demon well-versed in poetry and books, a creature whose "inner literary grace shines through." No wonder his temperament was so distinct and his speech so refined.

Zisheng, unaware of Shi Jun’s thoughts, continued, "Since you know of Liu Yong, you must know a thing or two about his life, right?"

"Yes, a little," Shi Jun said, recalling the fragments he had gathered from books. "They say Liu Yong was the master of the 'Wanyue' (delicate and restrained) style of poetry. Though he was immensely talented, spirited, and unrestrained, the old emperor disliked him. He spent his life suffering setbacks in the imperial examinations and lived in frustration. When he finally passed away, he was still..." Seeing the unconcealable sorrow on Zisheng’s face, Shi Jun found he could not continue.

Zisheng stood up abruptly and began to recite slowly: "On the golden list, I missed the top spot by chance. In this enlightened age, I am a talent temporarily cast aside; where can I turn? Since I have not attained the favor of the wind and clouds, why not indulge in wild abandon? Why dwell on gain or loss? A talented scholar and poet is, by nature, a minister in white robes. Among the flower-filled lanes and streets, I dream of painted screens. Fortunately, there is a beloved to seek out... Let me lean on red sleeves and rely on green skirts, living a life of romance and joy. Youth is but a fleeting moment; how can I bear to trade true feelings for empty fame, just to sip wine and sing softly!" His voice was filled with a poignant, bitter sorrow.

He turned to look at Shi Jun. "Actually, when I first met Sanbian, he was just a youth in his prime, already renowned as the 'Pen of Jin'e Peak.' His hometown was near the Wuyi Cave Heaven, and influenced by the spiritual energy of the immortals, he was always naturally unrestrained. Who would have guessed that during the imperial exams in the second year of the Jingde era of the Emperor Zhenzong, this very poem, 'Crane Soaring to the Sky,' would cause such a great error? It brought him trouble in five consecutive exams. Even when he finally made the list on his fifth attempt, the Emperor Renzong remarked, 'Go and sip your wine and sing your songs, what use have you for empty fame?'"

"After his failures in the examinations, he once chanced upon a master who taught him the path to immortality. But by then, his heart had already withered; he had no desire to cultivate. He spent his days lost in the flower districts, pouring his feelings into poetry and living a dissolute life. Year after year, the frost of dust settled on his once-handsome face, and his passionate youth slowly faded away. Instead, it was I who inadvertently learned the cultivation methods of the immortal realm and, by some stroke of luck, finally had the chance to become a demon."

"When I was finally reborn and attained human form, the first thing I wanted to do was find Sanbian and share this joy. But unexpectedly, news of his death reached me. That legendary, romantic talent had died in poverty and illness, and it was only the sisters from the brothels who chipped in to pay for his burial!"

Shi Jun knew something of Liu Yong’s life, and hearing Zisheng’s account, he felt a sense of gloom.

Zisheng was silent for a moment, then gave Shi Jun a faint smile. "The appearance I have transformed into today is exactly how Sanbian looked back then."

So, Liu Yong had been such a handsome man in his lifetime? Added to his immense talent, it was no wonder he was so favored by the women in the brothels! Yet, the Zisheng before him had the face of the old Liu Yong, perhaps by nature, possessing a gentle, ethereal quality but lacking that wild, unbridled arrogance. Otherwise, he would surely have been the most popular man among the female demons in the demon realm.

Even though he knew it wasn't quite right, Shi Jun couldn't help but think this.

Perhaps because the previous topic was too somber, both men fell silent for a while before simultaneously shifting the conversation toward modern Chinese history. It turned out that Zisheng had stayed in the human world for many years and rarely lived in the demon realm, so he was well-versed in the major events of the human world. It just so happened that Shi Jun had always had a strong preference for ancient Chinese history, so he had found the right person—Zisheng was an old demon with thousands of years of historical knowledge. The man and the demon began to chat with great enthusiasm.

As they grew more animated, Zisheng, usually calm and elegant, became high-spirited and radiant, sweeping away his previous depression. He simply warmed a pot of wine and produced a few plates of vegetarian dishes from nowhere, sharing a drink with Shi Jun. Shi Jun also took out the snacks he had collected before his departure from his "treasure bag," and they enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

* * * * * * * *

"...By the way, I have been quite rude; I haven't asked your name. I am Zisheng."

Shi Jun laughed. "Brother Zisheng, I already knew your name just now. I am Shi Jun, currently a student in the human world."

"A student? Not bad. You look so young, just the age to be studying in school." Zisheng nodded and took a sip of wine. "But I wonder, Brother Shi Jun, how did you come to the demon realm?"

Zisheng had poured out his life story upon meeting; he really seemed like a simple and kind demon. However, the purpose of Shi Jun's visit involved the safety of Chi Yang, so it was truly difficult to speak of it. He hesitated and asked in return, "Brother Zisheng, why did those demons look so afraid of you earlier?"

"Afraid?" Zisheng shook his head with a bitter smile. "How should I put it? They aren't afraid of me; they just keep their distance out of reverence."

"Keep their distance out of reverence?" Shi Jun was confused.

Zisheng explained, "Those who can become demons usually rely on absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, gradually obtaining self-awareness, and finally being reborn. But I..."

A flash of inspiration struck Shi Jun. "And your path to becoming a demon was different; you relied on the cultivation methods left behind by the immortal realm, so you should be stronger than other demons? But because your cultivation path is different, they are jealous of you and exclude you, right?"

"Stronger? Not necessarily. All paths lead to the same destination. Even if the cultivation method is different, isn't one still a demon?" Zisheng said indifferently. "However, it is understandable that they find it hard to accept. Even so, there are still some friends in the demon realm who treat me well, such as the Black Panther you saw earlier, and Fuyao."

Fuyao? Shi Jun’s eyes lit up. Some words welled up in his throat, but he thought better of it and swallowed them back.

After all, they had only known each other for half an hour!

"Oh, Brother Zisheng, actually, this time I only happened to meet a very capable friend by chance. I heard him say the demon realm was very interesting, so I followed out of curiosity. I didn't expect to meet you; I'm truly very happy."

"Is that friend of yours that little water beast?"

"Yes!" Shi Jun said happily. "But I only just met him, too."

Zisheng frowned. "How could a Butterfly-Winged Water Beast go to the human world?"

"...I don't know. Anyway, I just came to watch the excitement, so I didn't pay attention to all that." Shi Jun lied smoothly, his face neither red nor his heart racing. He thought, *I don't have any malicious intent toward you, but I can't tell the truth, so I have to fool you.*

Zisheng felt relieved. "So that's how it is. However, the demon realm is a mix of dragons and snakes; not everyone will welcome you, an uninvited guest. Especially those little demons who have only recently become demons. Most of them have suffered from the destruction of the environment by humans in the human world, and they are very hostile toward you humans. Besides, such a big thing has happened now... In my opinion, Brother Shi, your best strategy is to return to the human world as soon as possible."

"Go back?" Shi Jun pretended to be puzzled. "I've finally come, and I haven't seen anything yet. It would be a great pity to go back so soon! How about this: if it's not too much trouble for you, Brother Zisheng, could you point out some interesting places here so I can see for myself?"

Zisheng smiled gently. "What talk of pointing out? If I didn't have important matters to attend to, I would naturally play the host and take you around. It’s just that now is not the right time—everyone in the demon realm is currently searching everywhere for the treasure and primordial spirit left behind by Nisu. It’s already in total chaos. If you wander around recklessly, you might be in danger. Take my advice, brother, and go back!"

Seeing the other party speak this way, Shi Jun had no choice but to try to change the subject. "By the way, Brother Zisheng, what does it mean for a tree to weep tears? And who is this Nisu? Is he a very powerful demon?"

Zisheng paused, his expression turning somewhat sorrowful as he whispered, "Nisu was a very powerful demon-shaman in the demon realm during ancient times. The Weeping Tree Forest is what his physical body turned into after he died."

His physical body turned into a forest? Shi Jun couldn't help but think of the plots in ancient Chinese mythology, and he became very interested. "So, this Nisu was a giant?"

"Not at all. Nisu had boundless demonic power, but he wasn't a giant; in fact, he was very small in stature. Come to think of it, he and I were friends for many years!"

Although Zisheng had lingered in the human world for many years, he was, after all, kind-hearted and simple-minded. Successfully distracted by Shi Jun, he fell into his memories...

* * * * * * * *

"Nisu was originally an ancient tree that grew on Mount Kunlun. He attained the Tao and became a demon in ancient times. He was extremely gifted. After cultivating for many years, he actually broke through the wood-attribute limitations of the demon realm and began to cultivate the water-system spells of the underworld. Because of this, he was rejected by the entire demon realm, which considered him to be deviating from the orthodox path... Eventually, Nisu went from being a highly respected demon-shaman to someone despised by everyone in the demon realm."

"In truth, we all struggle to cultivate in the hope of changing our own destiny. Who doesn't hope to reach a higher level and constantly explore the mysteries of the unknown? If one could successfully cultivate the spells of other realms, it really might not be a bad thing. It is a pity that the estrangement between the five realms is too deep, and his nature was too proud and persistent. He ignored the thoughts of others. Furthermore, he encountered many difficulties during his cultivation and could not get any guidance, yet he was unwilling to speak of it, wanting only to break through by relying on his own wisdom. In the end, two powerful forces within his body suddenly backfired, and Nisu was severely injured because of it. It was precisely at this moment that those demons who had long been dissatisfied with Nisu, coveting the countless resources he had collected over the years, actually banded together and launched a sudden, vicious attack on him!"

Listening to Zisheng’s account, Shi Jun didn't know why, but a sense of respect welled up in his heart—a demon struggling to explore the mysteries of life and unknown realms, willing to endure the misunderstanding and disgust of his own kind. Compared to many human beings who were considered the "spirits of all things," wasn't this persistence and detachment more worthy of respect? Hearing that someone had taken advantage of his vulnerability, he couldn't help but worry and quickly asked, "Nisu only hoped to seek a breakthrough and didn't hurt anyone; he wasn't wrong to do so! What happened later? Was he injured?"

Seeing Shi Jun’s eager concern, a trace of emotion flashed in Zisheng’s emerald-green eyes. "I never expected you to be a kindred spirit of Nisu! If he knew this in the afterlife, he would surely be very gratified! Back then, even I, as his friend, could not fully understand his actions!"

"I happened to be out when Nisu was ambushed. If he hadn't been injured, he wouldn't have cared even if twice as many people had ambushed him. It’s just a pity that he was forcibly healing his wounds at the time and had no time to attend to anything else, let alone expect any danger. Outnumbered, he was finally beaten to the point of being on the verge of death and was taken by the crowd to Kumei Ridge, prepared to be executed publicly as a traitor who had abandoned the orthodox path."

He paused and then said, "The Kumei Ridge of those days is today’s Weeping Tree Forest."

"When I heard the news, I hurriedly set aside my affairs and rushed to Kumei Ridge. From afar, I saw Nisu covered in blood, sealed on the ridge, surrounded by a sea of people, all of them shouting to execute him immediately."

"After a fierce battle, I finally managed to get close to the sealed Nisu. Who would have thought that the Four Great Elders were lurking nearby the whole time? When Nisu cried out a warning, it was already too late. The Four Great Elders launched a surprise attack and severely wounded me as well. It was only then that I realized this was a trap set for the two of us brothers. The people of the demon realm, who had always regarded me as an outcast, intended to use this opportunity to kill us both at once!"