112 What wife? (2/2)

…

They met with Hui Moxiang at the edge of the city.

She, or he, was waving wildly in the crowd of their attention, standing at the side of a wide dirt-paved road. His eyes flitted between the two cultivators as a sly smile bloomed across his face. A telling snicker was present as he looked at Liu Sumeng, ”So, you brought your wifey?”

Yuan Xuelan almost choked before he had the chance to glare at this suspicious person who apparently was acquainted with Sumeng.

”...?” Liu Sumeng had no idea what a 'wifey' was supposed to be but decided that it was something not worth inquiring about.

Yuan Xuelan crossed his arms, ”Yeah? So? And who are you?”

”Wow, your wife is rather fearsome. Like a gorilla. Puberty sure is a scary thing, huh? He used to be so small and cute.”

Liu Sumeng couldn't even keep up with the conversation anymore, ”What wife? Never mind. Xuelan, stop glaring. It's Xiang'er.” He said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. It was only when Yuan Xuelan was giving him a dark look did he try to elaborate a little further, ”You've already met. This is Hui Moxiang.”

Upon closer inspection, this man did share striking features as the demon girl they met back at the Wayward Wind temple. So it had abilities to change its gender as well?

”...” But somehow, Yuan Xuelan couldn't stop thinking about one particular thing.

And that was the fact that Sumeng called him Xiang'er!

Why did this fucker get such a cute nickname? Where was his?

”...Ivory Sword Saint, your wife is glaring at me. Please help.”

Liu Sumeng was not impressed by either of his companions' antics.

”...Talk normally. Stop glaring. Don't fight.”

”...”

”...”

Something told Liu Sumeng that this trip was going to feel long.

…

Westward of Reling was a town that marked the edge of Mugan Province. This town was called Hengsheng and was once nothing more than an old military post atop a strategic cliff facing a vast open valley and walled in by a dense forest. Later, it had grown to quite a lively town, with one of the main roads that lead in and out of Mugan Province cut through this town.

This main road had once been full of travelers, merchants, and people from all walks of life. But lately it had become quiet. Same as the roads surrounding it, Hengsheng stilled as well.

Hui Moxiang had spent the past few days prodding and spying on this town, because aside from the bigger cities within the province that the Seven Moons Sect oversaw, this place was easier to infiltrate and made a good strategic point to test out the ritual.

Their goal was to infiltrate the town and investigate the Fallen God that was brought forth by the townspeople's sacrifice.

That was easier said than done. While there was a dense forest behind Hengsheng, it overlooked a vast field of plains that offered no cover for approach. The forest behind the town made it difficult for large troops to advance through, but for three people, it wasn't so bad.

Or it wouldn't have been, if it wasn't so heavily littered with traps designed to catch intruders such as themselves. There were patrols as well that meandered through the woods, eager to catch unsuspecting visitors.

However, it were these patrols that made it easier for the three of them.

Liu Sumeng hid behind a tree, waiting patiently like a tiger for its prey.

Unsubtle voices carried over to him, ”I want to go home.”

”Stop your whining,” a different voice replied.

A third voice, ”I will admit, being stationed this far out does not make me feel comforted. Especially not in a ghost town.”

The first voice responded, they were getting close now, ”Don't remind me…And that thing. You don't think that thing is going to kill us or anything right? It's not just going to attack randomly…”

”No. But it can only be controlled by the Devil Blood Moon Seal. And Master Yang won't be coming around in these parts anytime soon.”

And when they passed the tree behind which Liu Sumeng hid, he casually asked, ”What can only be controlled by the Devil Blood Moon Seal?”

The Seven Moons cultivator closest to him answered without thought, ”Oh you know, that Fallen God.”

”...”

And then they froze, catching sight of the Ivory Sword Saint who stood next to them.

”Huh?” The three Seven Moons disciples blinked stupidly at him.