Chapter 8: The Deadly Poison of the Weakened Waters

"Where are we going?" Shi Jun shouted to Chi Yang, who was hiding in his treasure pouch.

To escape Bi Yuan's pursuit, Shi Jun had immediately dispelled his manifestation spell, ordered Chi Yang and Yin Yan to retreat into the treasure pouch, and fled due north at top speed, secretly hoping that if Bi Yuan lost sight of him, she would abandon the hunt.

Little did he know, this red-clad woman had a nose as keen as a hound's. She seemed to track them by scent alone, relentlessly closing the distance. Most impressive of all was the string of curses spilling from her lips:

"You little bastard! You brat! How dare you defy me!"

"When I catch you, you'll see what's coming to you!"

And so on.

Listening to her repeat the same insults—"little brat," "this old lady"—Shi Jun found it amusing but increasingly urgent. If this continued, how could he ever rendezvous with Zi Sheng? Besides, if Bi Yuan summoned other demons to join the hunt, he might never escape.

Just as he was worrying, he caught a glimpse of a golden light soaring into the sky to the southeast, in the territory Zi Sheng had called the Butterfly-Bone Dragon's domain. He correctly surmised it was one of Ni Su's real or fake treasures, and guessed Bi Yuan would follow the trail, which filled him with joy.

But as it turned out, this Ni Su treasure was yet another decoy. It vanished rapidly, and following the distant sound of explosions, Shi Jun saw a cloud of black vapor rise into the sky. He sighed, wondering how many more innocent demon souls had been consumed by the dark mist this time.

Bi Yuan hesitated, unsure whether to investigate the treasure—the incident at the Snow Valley had genuinely frightened her. These treasures had been scattered while Ni Su was still alive, and each time they were opened, they were accompanied by countless decoys, with the power of the seals growing stronger each time. She remembered that over a thousand years ago, when the treasures first appeared, she had successfully discovered a real one. Although the spoils were few and the competition numbered in the thousands, she had relied on her formidable cultivation to snatch a large piece of the "Earth-Suppressing God Stone," which greatly increased her power after she consumed it. However, her luck had never been that good since; every time she encountered a fake treasure, the black mist grew more perilous. If she hadn't been quick-witted earlier, she might have lost her life.

Seeing the black mist reappear, Bi Yuan sighed and refocused her attention on Shi Jun. Even if she couldn't find the treasure, catching this mortal boy would be a decent consolation. Although the lad seemed to have some tricks up his sleeve, he was, after all, a mortal; even when his primordial spirit left his body, it cast a faint human silhouette. Otherwise, this cunning little thing might have truly slipped away.

With that thought, she drew a deep breath and let out a long, piercing whistle that echoed far into the distance.

Hearing such a commotion behind him, Shi Jun looked back with concern, but seeing that there were no other pursuers besides Bi Yuan, he breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to increase his speed, he heard Chi Yang shout from inside the pouch: "Oh no! I have a feeling of impending danger—hurry and hide inside!"

"I should hide inside too?" Shi Jun thought, amused. "And let the pouch fly itself?" But before he could react, the clear sky suddenly darkened. A massive black object loomed overhead, and he caught a whiff of an indescribable, pungent stench. It was so foul that the air became thick and humid, clinging to his skin like sticky paste—incredibly uncomfortable.

He looked up and was startled. The creature that had suddenly appeared was a giant, winged monster, its skin smooth and pitch-black like a loach. Two long, thick whiskers grew from its mouth, and two massive black eyes stared at him without blinking.

"I’m in my primordial spirit form, aren't I? How can this thing see me?" Sensing something was wrong, Shi Jun felt a surge of panic. He tried to fly away, but the monster locked its gaze onto him, twisting its body to hover directly above him. Its sheer size was so immense that it stirred up a small whirlwind.

"I suppose you only see such strange creatures in the Demon Realm," Shi Jun muttered to himself, casting a worried look at Bi Yuan, who was closing in fast. "If you judge by its size, this thing could probably eat a few truckloads of food in one sitting. Is it following me so desperately because it thinks I look delicious?"

Just as he thought this, a deafening roar erupted from above. He looked up to see the giant beast open its massive jaws, revealing glistening, jagged teeth.

Before he could process what was happening, his body was uncontrollably sucked upward. A loud boom rang in his ears, everything went black, and a massive force slammed into him.

Shi Jun felt a sharp pain in his chest, and his consciousness flickered out.

***

He didn't know how much time had passed when Shi Jun slowly regained consciousness. He felt dizzy and disoriented, his body drifting and swaying uncomfortably.

He opened his eyes to see Chi Yang, Fu Yao, and A-Li. Chi Yang’s large, dark eyes were fixed on him, filled with worry. He stayed dazed for a long moment before smiling: "Is my treasure pouch a hotel for you all? You come and go as you please, and as the host, I don't collect a single cent—I'm losing face here."

"How are you? Why did you suddenly faint?" Seeing him awake, Chi Yang felt a sense of relief. She hid her anxiety, putting on a calm expression, though her voice still carried an undisguisable concern.

Shi Jun circulated his spiritual energy through his body and felt nothing amiss. He sat up, lazily stretched, and shook his head. "Why did I faint?" Recalling the events, that ominous feeling returned. "This is truly baffling. Why have I been fainting so often lately? It must be that the environment of the Demon Realm doesn't agree with my constitution. It's a case of culture shock!"

Looking around, he realized they were inside a small barrier emitting a faint white light. Outside, everything was pitch black.

Fu Yao giggled. "Culture shock? If your body is weak, don't blame it on our Demon Realm. In just this short while, I've already seen you faint twice!"

Shi Jun scratched his head, embarrassed. "Heh, actually, I have a habit—whenever I get nervous, I like to take a nap..." Before he could finish, everyone burst into laughter.

In truth, even Shi Jun was confused about what was happening, but now was not the time to dwell on it. He looked around curiously and asked, "Where are we?"

"In the belly of a Che Yu," Fu Yao replied nonchalantly, though a hint of worry laced her tone.

"In its belly?" Shi Jun raised an eyebrow in surprise and looked at Chi Yang, who nodded. "That's right. According to Fu Yao, there is a species of wild demon beast in the Demon Realm called a Che Yu. When they are born, they are only the size of a chicken egg, but as adults, they are massive. They usually live at the bottom of the water and only come out occasionally. They are ferocious and loyal to only one master for life."

"A pet?" Shi Jun asked, amazed. "So we were swallowed? Is it hungry?"

"This Che Yu must belong to Bi Yuan," Fu Yao whispered.

Bi Yuan? At the mention of that madwoman, Shi Jun’s temper flared. "That old hag is nothing but trouble! Didn't she raise those snow rats, only to roast them all? She's a psychopath! This Che Yu is an idiot—what's so good about such a master? Sooner or later, she’ll be the death of it."

"Haven't you noticed anything wrong with yourself?" Chi Yang asked quietly.

"Me? Wrong?" Shi Jun was startled. He knew Chi Yang wouldn't ask such a thing without reason. He pondered for a moment and said slowly, "Well, other than fainting twice since entering the Demon Realm, there doesn't seem to be anything..." He suddenly felt something was off and looked at Chi Yang and Fu Yao. "Didn't I dispel the manifestation spell? Why can you all see me?"

"That's right, we can all see you now," Chi Yang said, watching him with concern.

Shi Jun’s thoughts raced. If it wasn't that his cultivation was insufficient, then something must have gone wrong. Since he was in his primordial spirit form, there was no reason they should be able to see him so easily. But Bi Yuan had been tracking him, and the monster had swallowed him whole—his primordial spirit must have a problem. In all his years, he had never been this unlucky, fainting twice in less than an hour...

***

The nagging worry that had surfaced earlier returned. Yes, something had felt wrong since he entered the Demon Realm... something that should have happened, but hadn't. What was it?

"The light of my Mind's Eye!" Shi Jun blurted out, instinctively covering his chest.

Seeing his movement, Chi Yang understood immediately and gasped. "Your heart..." A-Li also jumped up, staring at Shi Jun in disbelief.

"Brother Shi, what's wrong with your heart? What light?" Fu Yao asked, puzzled and concerned.

"I'm fine, really," Shi Jun forced a smile and shook his head, keeping his eyes on Chi Yang.

"You..." Chi Yang said, "Move your hand."

Shi Jun obeyed and lowered his left hand. "Could it be because of the primordial spirit separation?" But he knew it was unlikely—if it were, the light from his Mind's Eye would have revealed his identity the moment he entered the Demon Realm. He just hadn't thought about it, and thus hadn't noticed anything wrong, only sensing a vague, nagging discomfort he couldn't quite pinpoint.

Chi Yang took a luminous pearl the size of a longan from her bosom, and the barrier flooded with light. Shi Jun looked at her and noticed her complexion was even paler and more haggard than before. "How are you? You look terrible. Are you okay?"

"Your primordial spirit is abnormal right now. It's a pale blue-purple, as if you've been poisoned. That's why your Mind's Eye is clouded and unable to open," Chi Yang said, ignoring his question and analyzing his spirit with a cold, analytical gaze. Her voice trembled slightly. "Have you come into contact with any toxins recently?"

"Toxins?" Shi Jun chuckled, feeling it was absurd. "Please, I'm a law-abiding citizen. I don't go around sampling poisons..."

"Don't be silly," Chi Yang interrupted, staring intently at him. "Think! When you were with us earlier, you didn't seem to touch any poison, and you weren't stung by any of Le Tu's venomous needles. What about before that? You should remember if you encountered anything highly toxic!"

Fu Yao suddenly cried out, "I noticed it too! Brother Shi, when you were in the ice chamber in the Snow Valley, your body didn't have this color. Why does it have it now?"

Shi Jun looked down and realized his body, which should have been transparent, was indeed a faint blue-purple. He shrugged. "Who knows?"

As the group pondered, A-Li chimed in: "It's Weak Water!"

"That's right, I used the Weak Water Spell," Shi Jun said, surprised. "A-Li, how did you know?"

Chi Yang looked at him in shock. "You used the Weak Water Spell? But why? To deal with whom?"

"To deal with myself," Shi Jun laughed. "To avoid being tracked by my powerful uncle! I was afraid he'd follow the light of my Mind's Eye, so in a panic, I used the Weak Water Spell to wrap myself in it... I intended to bury my physical body at the bottom of the lake and have my spirit travel to the Demon Realm, but I was worried I'd drown, so I just came directly. Is this 'Weak Water' considered a poison?"

"What powerful uncle? What does your uncle do? Is he mean to you?" Fu Yao asked curiously.

Shi Jun smiled. "My uncle is a good man, he's just worried about me." He looked back at Chi Yang, whose face had turned red with anger. She lashed out at him: "Why would you use the Weak Water Spell of all things? Do you have a death wish? You knew nothing about it and just fumbled through it! Are you trying to kill me with worry?" By the end, her voice was choked with sobs, and tears streamed down her face.

Shi Jun was flustered. He couldn't make sense of her outburst, but he stammered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't cry! It's my fault!" He realized what she meant: the cursed Weak Water was indeed toxic, and he must have been poisoned by wrapping his body in it. But for the moment, he couldn't worry about that. He never expected Chi Yang to cry for him. A bittersweet, yet deeply happy feeling washed over him, and a faint smile appeared on his face despite the situation.

Fu Yao, not understanding what was happening, remained silent.

Chi Yang turned away to wipe her tears, lost in thought for a moment before saying, "Fine, your poison isn't incurable, but we can't linger here. We must return to the Underworld as soon as possible. And you must promise me: before we leave the Demon Realm, do not fight or use any more magic!"

"I promise," Shi Jun said quickly, smiling. "Anyway, I'm at fault, I'm guilty, I'm bad, I'm insignificant!" He used the playful banter he often shared with his classmates to try and cheer her up.

Chi Yang was caught between anger and amusement; she sighed and shook her head.

***

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Shi Jun looked at everyone’s distracted expressions, rolled his eyes, and muttered to himself: "This Che Yu is actually quite interesting. It’s so big, I wonder what it eats."

Fu Yao took the hint and immediately replied, "Oh, the Che Yu? It’s quite fun. These big guys love a type of water grass found at the bottom of the water, but they are very patient and only eat a few times a year. Don't let their ferocious appearance fool you—as long as you don't provoke them, they are actually quite friendly."

"Friendly?" Shi Jun exclaimed dramatically. "Is swallowing us whole what you call friendly?"

Chi Yang understood Shi Jun’s intent to change the subject and her expression softened. She forced a smile: "You're a stranger to it, so it naturally doesn't have to be polite to you."

"If this Che Yu really belongs to that old hag Bi Yuan, what are we going to do?" Shi Jun sighed. "I still don't get it—that old hag is evil. I’ll say it again: following such a master will only lead to one's death."

Chi Yang looked steadily at Shi Jun. "That may be true, but these demon beasts are incredibly loyal. Even if their master treats them poorly, they will never betray them."

"Is that so?" Shi Jun, sensitive to the underlying meaning in Chi Yang's words, felt a complex mix of emotions. He stayed silent for a while before shaking his head. "Perhaps."

"Perhaps they don't care about the bad, only remembering the kindness their master showed them? Even if it's just a little bit, it's enough!" Chi Yang sighed softly and lowered her head.

Fu Yao blinked, clearly not understanding the sentiment, while A-Li nodded slightly and turned away without a word.

Chi Yang looked at Shi Jun and put away the luminous pearl, leaving them in darkness once more.

Just as they were sitting in silence, a spark of fire suddenly appeared outside the dark barrier. They were all startled and looked out, only to see a figure in white standing with his back to them, hands behind his back.

***

Shi Jun and Chi Yang exchanged looks, both reading surprise in the other's eyes. As Chi Yang moved to act, Shi Jun stopped her. He stood up and said loudly with a smile, "What a coincidence to meet here! May I ask who you are, sir?"

The man turned slowly. His handsome face was illuminated by the flickering light; his silver hair flowed over his shoulders, his eyes were clear, and his demeanor was elegant. A faint smile played on his lips.

Shi Jun was overjoyed. He and Fu Yao shouted in unison: "Brother Zi Sheng!"

Chi Yang dispelled the barrier, and as Shi Jun stepped out, he realized they were in a canal-like channel. Through the faint firelight, he saw they were inside a tubular passage—perhaps the monster's intestines.

Fu Yao cried tears of joy. "How did you end up in the belly of a Che Yu, Brother Zi Sheng?"

Zi Sheng said gently, "I waited at our meeting place for a long time and didn't see you. I was worried, but soon discovered I was being followed. I guessed it was Le Tu's men. Since my cover was blown, I decided to summon Luo Jin to come and find you."

So, this Che Yu was named "Luo Jin" and was Zi Sheng's beast, not the old hag's. Shi Jun laughed, "I thought you'd been swallowed too."

Chi Yang, who had met Zi Sheng before, said in a low voice, "This means we must fight our way out of the Demon Realm. A fierce battle is inevitable."

"Indeed," Zi Sheng replied. "Those pursuers followed Luo Jin and me. Though they didn't dare attack, their intent was clear. Furthermore, Luo Jin told me that unidentified individuals have appeared in the Stone Mountains to the southeast and have already clashed with the Butterfly-Bone Dragon. I suspect they are reinforcements for Miss Chi Yang."

Fu Yao explained, "The Che Yu has exceptional hearing, vision, and smell. It can search for anomalies within hundreds of miles in an instant. If it weren't so massive, it would be the perfect tool for reconnaissance."

"Could it be Ye Cha and the others?" Shi Jun pondered, feeling a little anxious but keeping his tone light. "If that's the case, let's go join the fun. Since we can't escape, we might as well have a proper fight." Seeing Chi Yang’s face darken, he quickly added, "Though, of course, it's best if we don't have to."

"I heard your conversation," Zi Sheng said directly. "Brother Shi, is there anything I can do for you?"

Shi Jun felt a surge of gratitude but joked, "Brother Zi Sheng, there is plenty you can do. For starters, introduce me to some Demon Realm delicacies—and let me pack some to go! And if you ever visit the human realm, I’ll be sure to play the host. In short, there's a lot—you better not go back on your word!"

A flicker of appreciation crossed Zi Sheng's eyes. He shook his head. "One's life is not a laughing matter. I have heard of the toxicity of Weak Water; you must not be careless, brother."

Chi Yang smiled at him. "Don't worry, once we return to the Underworld, I will be able to purge the poison from his body."

Zi Sheng nodded. "True. Underworld healing arts are highly effective, and since Weak Water is of the Underworld, you should have a way to neutralize it. In that case, I need not worry too much. Now, I will have Luo Jin fly to the Stone Mountains immediately to see if those people are friends or foes."

He turned to Fu Yao and asked kindly, "Ah Yao, why do you look so thin after just a few days?" His tone was as gentle as a father’s.

Fu Yao's eyes turned red. The girl who had been trying so hard to appear unaffected finally let her guard down. After a long silence, she said softly, "Brother Zi Sheng, did you know? My biological father was from the Underworld, and he wasn't a heartless man who abandoned me and my mother... From today on, I will no longer take pride in being a demon, nor will I be ashamed of being born of a demon and an Underworlder."

Zi Sheng sighed, though it was barely noticeable. He reached out and held Fu Yao's hand. "Did you find your grandfather?"

Fu Yao shook her head gently and didn't speak. After a while, she straightened up. "But just now, I finally got a small measure of revenge. I whipped that bitch Chun Niang hard, it's just a pity..." She then recounted in detail what had happened in the Snow Valley to Zi Sheng.