After Crossdressing and Provoking Long AoTian

Ye Chenyan did not understand. “What pill?”

The shaman healer leaned on her dragon-headed cane again. “They didn’t tell you?”

“A child born of an immortal and a demon defies Heaven by his very existence. You were never supposed to survive. Even though Tianji Zi exhausted every scheme at his disposal and joined forces with numerous great experts to plan a path to survival for you, no one knew how many things might still go wrong along the way.”

“The Nascent Soul stage is the most critical period. The immortal and demonic energies within you are extremely unstable at this point. No one knows what they might become.”

“They sent you here because they concluded that if anything happened to you, the only people in this world who might be able to save you were the old Pill King and me.”

Ye Chenyan fell silent for a moment. “I’ve been... perfectly fine so far.”

“So much the better.” The shaman healer shook her head helplessly. “When Candle Nine Yin came looking for me, he nearly frightened me to death.”

“That boy has barely spoken since he was little, and he never explains anything properly. I thought something terrible had happened...”

Her expression grew faintly admonishing. “But no matter how smoothly things have gone so far, you cannot break through to the Out-of-Body stage without that particular pill from the old Pill King. Tsk. Tianji Zi said he would go find it. Why has there still been no word?”

Her brows drew together slightly, and she looked distinctly displeased.

Ye Chenyan instinctively defended Tianji Zi. “The old Pill King is nearing the end of his lifespan, and the Tianyuan Pill King is now in charge of Fire Cauldron Sect. They only say that the old Pill King has shut his doors to visitors and refuses to see anyone.”

The shaman healer sighed. “...So his time has come as well.”

She considered this briefly, then gently shook her head. “But I remember his eyes. He was not a man who broke his word.”

“I’ve seen far too many people. One look into their eyes is enough to know their character.”

“If he made a promise, he will keep it. If he truly is nearing the end of his lifespan, he must have made other arrangements. There is no need to worry.”

Yu Qingtang nodded along and quietly reassured him, “Things will work themselves out when the time comes.”

“I’m not worried.” Ye Chenyan came back to himself and closed his hand around Yu Qingtang’s. After a brief hesitation, he asked, “Senior, I understand why the demon race wanted to save me. But Master... and those great experts—why were they willing to save me?”

The shaman healer gave him a long, searching look. “Those who came before us mended heaven, and we who came after have lived beneath the shelter they left behind. The least we could do was protect the last child they left in this world.”

“We of the demon race keep debts and grievances clearly separated. A kindness must always be repaid. The former Demonic Sovereign’s final wish has been passed down through every generation. We have never dared forget it.”

Her expression was peaceful. “The human race has no shortage of sanctimonious hypocrites, but fortunately, a few of them still possess a conscience.”

Ye Chenyan’s eyes flickered. “I...”

“You need not dwell on it.” The shaman healer waved a hand. “They did not leave their names precisely because they did not want you to remember them.”

“I’m old now, and my energy is not what it used to be. I’ve talked too much. It’s time for me to rest.”

“Come find me again if anything goes wrong.”

In the blink of an eye, she was back on the far side of the grass. Leaning on her cane, she slowly made her way into the cottage.

Ye Chenyan watched her from afar. He respectfully bowed his head before turning to leave.

Yu Qingtang followed his example and bowed as well. Only after walking a few steps did he remember to turn around and ask, “Senior, may I pick a few leaves from that digestive grass?”

The shaman healer’s dry, hoarse voice came from inside. “Go ahead. Take several. You can steep them in water on ordinary days as well.”

Yu Qingtang thanked her, picked several leaves, and put them in his storage ring before hurrying after Ye Chenyan.

Ye Chenyan laughed at him. “You certainly aren’t shy around strangers.”

Yu Qingtang replied with perfect confidence, “That’s because the Senior was very easy to talk to.”

Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“You don’t understand, do you?” Yu Qingtang gestured solemnly. “The Senior has weathered everything life can throw at a person, so she can discern someone’s character just by looking into their eyes. Meanwhile, I possess a mysterious sixth sense. One look into someone’s eyes, and I can tell whether they’re easy to deal with!”

“Really?” Ye Chenyan bent down until his face was directly before Yu Qingtang’s and blinked at him. “Take a look, then.”

“Hmm—” Yu Qingtang pretended to study him, then extended a finger and poked him between the brows. “This man looks difficult to deal with. He holds grudges over the smallest slight, and he’s incredibly petty.”

Ye Chenyan narrowed his eyes and nodded. “Accurate.”

Before Yu Qingtang could laugh, Ye Chenyan abruptly opened his mouth and caught his finger between his teeth.

Yu Qingtang yelped.

Ye Chenyan was only trying to frighten him and did not truly bite down. He held Yu Qingtang’s finger in his mouth, shook it once, then let go and laughed. “You know I hold grudges, yet you still dare insult me to my face.”

“I wasn’t finished!” Yu Qingtang clutched his finger indignantly, no longer daring to point at him. “This man also has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Right now, he obviously feels all warm inside and is deeply grateful to them, but he’s too embarrassed to say anything...”

He looked as though he had seen straight through everything. “When you meet Senior Tianji Zi again, even after learning how much he did for you, you probably still won’t manage to say anything nice.”

Ye Chenyan awkwardly ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) looked away. “S-say what? I can’t say anything that sentimental.”

“I’ll teach you!” Yu Qingtang said eagerly. “Come on, repeat after me—”

He put on the very picture of a devoted disciple. “Master, Master, you’re the best master in the whole world!”

Ye Chenyan kept his face rigid and could not make himself open his mouth.

“Starting is always the hardest part.” With the air of someone speaking from long experience, Yu Qingtang encouragingly patted him on the shoulder. “It does feel humiliating at first, but once you get used to it, acting cute and ingratiating yourself with your Master becomes effortless!”

When Yu Qingtang had first turned into a child, he too had tried to preserve the dignity of an adult. He had resolved to become a precocious, sensible genius.

But after discovering that his Master was a complete sucker for wheedling and pleas for mercy, he had not lasted long. He had shamelessly cast aside his dignity and begun earnestly studying Biehe Sect’s ultimate art.

Ye Chenyan closed his eyes and flatly refused. “No.”

“If I say even two nice things to him, he’ll mock me for the rest of my life.”

He turned his face away. “...I heard the wine in Nanzhou is quite good. Once we leave, I’ll buy the old drunkard a couple of jars.”

Yu Qingtang leaned closer with a beaming grin. “Heh-heh.”

“Stop laughing.” Ye Chenyan pinched his cheeks. “Why do you only know how to make fun of me?”

“I don’t.” Yu Qingtang widened his eyes in protest. “I also know how to eat and sleep...”

Ye Chenyan gave a low laugh. “Is that auction you mentioned somewhere inside Great Wilderness Mountain?”

“Mm.” Yu Qingtang nodded. “The invitation is quite unusual too. It’s a special kind of insect. No matter how far away it is taken, it will always try to fly back to its colony. They use it to guide guests to the auction.”

“I heard they change locations every time. It’s extremely well hidden.”

According to the original novel’s plot, Ye Chenyan would not yet have completed the trials at this point, so naturally he would not have participated in this auction.

Even though Yu Qingtang might not be able to afford anything, he still found himself looking forward to it.

Yu Qingtang rubbed his hands together. “I’ve happened to use the Treasure-Gathering Basin recently to pick up plenty of flowers, plants, mushrooms, and bugs outside. I sold them to healer cultivators visiting Nanzhou and made quite a few spirit stones.”

“Maybe I’ll be able to buy some local specialties to take back to Biehe Sect.”

Ye Chenyan laughed. “Local specialties from an auction?”

“Uncle Snake has also been telling me to visit Great Wilderness Mountain more often and find demonfolk to spar with for practical combat training...”

Yu Qingtang gave him a strange look. “What? He told you to go pick fights with the demonfolk?”

“Mm.” Ye Chenyan shook his head in amusement. “Apparently, several powerful demonfolk secretly spoke to him. They said... they wanted me to give the younger generation of demonfolk some proper stimulation.”

“Oh—” Yu Qingtang immediately began contributing ideas. “Then should we act a little more arrogant?”

Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow. “Would I need to act?”

Yu Qingtang: “...”

Your arrogance comes naturally.

...

Two days later.

Yu Qingtang tilted his head at Chi Yantian. “Are you sure you want to go like that?”

“Mm.” Chi Yantian wore a pair of ox horns on his head and had very fashionably fitted a ring through his nose. With both arms crossed, he declared, “I’m going like this.”

“Nobody-Likes-Me said that although there’s no rule forbidding human cultivators from participating, most attendees disguise themselves. There’s no guarantee someone won’t recognize us as humans and maliciously drive up the prices...”

Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow. “So you dressed yourself as this... No, let me rephrase that. You think this makes you look like a member of the demonfolk?”

“At the very least, I look like someone who really likes demonfolk.” Chi Yantian touched the horns on his head, then proudly patted the Blazing Rhinoceros beside him. “Flamelet has one horn, and now I have two!”

Yu Qingtang: “...Scholar Xiao, why didn’t you stop him?”

Scholar Xiao cleared his throat and lowered his voice. “It was Pretty Butterfly’s idea. How would I dare spoil her fun?”

Yu Qingtang curiously searched the area but saw no sign of Pretty Butterfly. “Where is she?”

“She isn’t coming today.” Scholar Xiao’s eyes curved with laughter. “She said she ran into that Esoteric Sect disciple before leaving. He was skulking around suspiciously, so she decided to go ruin whatever he was up to.”

“She also said that you were the one who previously told her to bother him whenever she had nothing better to do. If we spot anything suitable for her at the auction, you’ll be responsible for buying it.”

Yu Qingtang touched his storage ring and nodded seriously. “I’ll definitely buy it if it’s within my means.”

He still had no idea what price range this auction operated in. If everything started at tens of thousands of spirit stones... he could not make careless promises.

Ye Chenyan was still examining Chi Yantian’s horns. “Where did you buy these?”

“I can faintly sense spiritual power fluctuations from them. They weren’t actually ripped off a demon cultivator’s head, were they?”

“Of course not!” Chi Yantian shook his head. “These are merely imitations contaminated with a faint trace of spiritual power. It’s a common counterfeiting method on the black market. I saw through it at a glance.”

“We’re going into demon cultivator territory. If I paraded around wearing a real pair of horns taken from one of them, wouldn’t that be the same as marching to their doorstep and issuing a challenge?”

Ye Chenyan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Yu Qingtang’s eyes widened in alarm. “You aren’t planning to...”

“Ahem.” Ye Chenyan smiled. “What are you talking about? They haven’t done anything to me. I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Are the four of us the only ones going? Let the insect out.”

“Let’s go!”

Chi Yantian was brimming with enthusiasm. A golden beetle the size of a thumb flew from a small cage, oriented itself, and plunged headlong into Great Wilderness Mountain.

A sharp gleam flashed through Chi Yantian’s eyes. “Hey! It’s pretty fast. So this is the entry test Nobody-Likes-Me mentioned? Flamelet, after it!”

Ye Chenyan summoned his spirit boat. Yu Qingtang sat at the stern and called to Scholar Xiao, “Brother Xiao, aren’t you coming aboard?”

Scholar Xiao stepped through the air to catch up, smiling gently. “No need, no need. The two of you should ride together.”

He turned and called after Chi Yantian, “Brother Chi, don’t charge around so recklessly! The factions within Great Wilderness Mountain all have their own territories. Be careful not to provoke—”

Before he could finish, Chi Yantian let out an enraged roar.

“Let go of my bug!”

A brightly striped tiger burst from the forest. The golden beetle was so frightened that it flattened itself against a tree and did not dare move, stopping where it was.

The tiger licked its lips and stared at Chi Yantian with obvious hostility.

“Have you awakened spiritual intelligence? Can you understand human speech?” Chi Yantian had already drawn his twin sabers. “If you still refuse to let my bug pass, I’m going to attack!”

Yu Qingtang examined the situation, followed the tiger’s gaze, and quietly reminded him, “Brother Chi.”

“Doesn’t it have its eye on your cow?”

Chi Yantian flew into a rage. “Then it deserves to die even more!”

His red hair flared wildly in an instant, and he charged straight at the tiger.

Scholar Xiao glanced around the forest and narrowed his eyes slightly. “Something’s wrong.”

Yu Qingtang nodded solemnly. “Something’s fishy!”

Ye Chenyan paused. “You noticed too?”

Yu Qingtang clicked his tongue. “What is that supposed to mean? What do you mean, ‘too’?”

“Let’s not reach any conclusions yet.” Scholar Xiao narrowed his eyes. “Brother Yu may simply have had another imaginative idea and gone completely off course.”

Fanning himself, he asked, “What did you notice?”

Chi Yantian and the tiger were fighting furiously up ahead, while the remaining three showed no urgency whatsoever about going to help him.

“You don’t trust my intelligence, do you?” Yu Qingtang snorted and pointed toward the brightly striped tiger. “It makes no sense for it to attack Brother Chi out of nowhere. Someone must be influencing it!”

Scholar Xiao looked thunderstruck. “He actually figured it out!”

Ye Chenyan asked curiously, “How could you tell?”

Yu Qingtang pointed at the tiger’s stomach. “At first, I thought it was hungry and was considering throwing it a piece of meat. But then I took a closer look—its belly is all round. It obviously just ate!”

“Who are you calling potbellied?!”

A girl’s furious shout rang out. The brightly striped tiger transformed into a young woman, abruptly changed direction, and launched herself straight at Yu Qingtang.

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