Thousand Dusts Ferry Me - Chapter 83

The girl before them appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, slightly shorter than Fu Xue. Her small, fair face wore no makeup, and though her large eyes were naturally beautiful, they lacked any luster.

She was extremely beautiful, but her attire was extremely casual. Her hair was carelessly tied in a ponytail with a water-blue ribbon. She wore a green top, brown skirt, red boots, and carried a light pink floral cloth bag at her waist. Her entire appearance looked as if she had knocked over a dye shop.

Such clothing might seem somewhat mad on an ordinary person, but when worn by a blind person, it somehow seemed reasonable.

Fu Xue stared in bewilderment for a moment, finding it hard to believe that such a beautiful girl could be blind. She couldn’t help but raise her hand and wave it in front of her face.

Shi Muyu said, “No need to wave—I can’t see.”

“Then how did you know I was waving?”

“I can sense it. When you wave your hand, there’s wind in front of my face.” As she spoke, she turned her head curiously toward Ci Li and murmured, “How strange, why is there also a cat demon here?”

This remark startled everyone.

Simply identifying sounds and positions, or judging someone’s movements based on the flow of qi—these weren’t particularly difficult skills, and they could understand her ability to do so. But Ci Li hadn’t spoken a word since appearing. How had she guessed he was a cat demon?

Yun Qing couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you think he’s a cat demon?”

“It’s simple. His breathing is faster than humans, and his footsteps are lighter. Demons with these characteristics are nothing more than cat demons, leopard demons, tiger demons, and the like.”

“Then why not a leopard demon or tiger demon?”

“For demons to cultivate human form, even those with the best natural talent need decades or centuries, while those with lesser talent need hundreds or even thousands of years. With so much time, if they were leopard demons or tiger demons, most would have eaten humans during this period.

Any demon that has eaten humans will carry an indelible bloody aura that cannot be concealed—you can smell it if you pay attention. He has no bloody aura, which means he hasn’t eaten humans, so he’s most likely a cat demon.”

Her speech was soft and lacking in force, carrying the lazy feeling of someone just awakened from an afternoon nap. But none of them dared underestimate her.

Fu Xue said, “I wouldn’t have guessed, little sister—you’re quite formidable.”

Shi Muyu smiled, “Why do you call me little sister? I might be older than you.”

“Ah? I’m eighteen this year. How old are you?”

“I’m sixty-eight.”

“………………”

Fu Xue stared dumbfounded at her innocent face. “S-s-sixty-eight? Should I call you grandmother then?”

Shi Muyu tilted her head toward her.

Fu Xue opened her mouth. “What should I do? Looking at such a face, I can’t bring myself to say it!”

Yun Qing rubbed her forehead. “Junior sister, she’s teasing you.”

Shi Muyu then laughed. “Mother didn’t lie to me—this joke really does fool people.”

The others couldn’t help but laugh, while Fu Xue stamped her feet in anger. “Hateful! To be teased by such a silly child!”

Cheng Suiyan laughed, “Fu Xue, you’ve met your match today!”

Ci Li made a fist and held it in front of his lips, quietly saying, “Idiot.”

Shi Muyu said, “Don’t be angry anymore. I’m eighteen years old.”

Fu Xue crossed her arms and nodded. “I’m also eighteen. I was born in spring.”

Shi Muyu: “Ah, I was also born in spring.”

Fu Xue: “When I was born, the pear blossoms were blooming.”

Shi Muyu: “When I was born, it was peach blossoms blooming.”

Fu Xue then clapped her hands. “Good! Then I was born first, so you should call me elder sister.”

Shi Muyu indeed called out “Elder sister.” Born with an innocent and petite appearance, her face still carrying baby fat, her voice soft and sweet, she looked truly well-behaved. Fu Xue wanted to pat her head.

After calling her elder sister, she tilted her head again and asked, “Who are you all anyway?”

“Ah, I forgot to introduce ourselves.” Fu Xue scratched her head embarrassedly.

The group then gave their names. After listening, Shi Muyu smiled and said, “How is it that you’re also Immortal Lady Yun and Immortal Lady Xue? What about those two people earlier?”

Fu Xue said, “Those two earlier were obviously swindlers. How could you believe their nonsense? The one impersonating me was even a man—absolutely ridiculous.”

“Is that so?” Shi Muyu murmured to herself. “This is my first time encountering swindlers.”

Ci Li couldn’t help but say, “Where did this little friend come from? You’re far too naive about worldly matters.”

Yun Qing felt the same way. She guessed that this Shi Muyu, because of her inconvenient eyesight, had always stayed at home and rarely went out.

Hearing Ci Li say this, Shi Muyu replied, “I came from Shenle Valley. Our Shenle clan has always acted with honor and integrity. There are no swindlers in our clan, so I’ve never encountered any.”

Shenle Valley, the Shenle clan?

Yun Qing had never heard of them and looked curiously at Jiang Baiyu.

Jiang Baiyu didn’t disappoint her. He said:

“Legend has it that the Shenle clan was a group that performed music for the gods. As the gods perished, the Shenle clan gradually disappeared from sight. I’ve only seen brief records in ancient texts. I never expected to see a member of the Shenle clan with my own eyes today.”

Yun Qing’s gaze fell on Shi Muyu’s waist, noticing she carried a bamboo panpipe. The reddish-brown bamboo surface was glossy, with thirteen pipes arranged from left to right, from long to short.

Besides this, she also noticed that Shi Muyu only carried a sword. As a blind person, she surprisingly didn’t carry a walking stick.

After thinking, Yun Qing said, “This isn’t a place for conversation. Let’s go—we’ll head to an inn first. Shi Muyu, would you like to come with us?”

“Sure.”

The group inquired and learned that the best inn in Mengliang City was called the Zhenxia Inn, so they happily headed there. Since Shi Muyu’s eyes were inconvenient and she walked slower than ordinary people, everyone wasn’t in a hurry and strolled along leisurely together.

Mengliang City was located at the foot of Liuyun Mountain, so it was naturally quite cold. Now being winter, many people on the streets wore fur coats and fluffy hats, making Yun Qing’s heart itch strangely as she watched.

Would it be too much to ask Ci Li to transform into a small cat and curl around her neck, pretending to be a scarf?

On the road, Fu Xue also noticed that Shi Muyu didn’t carry a walking stick and asked curiously, “You don’t bring a walking stick when you go out—what if you fall?”

“If I fall, I’ll just get back up,” Shi Muyu answered matter-of-factly.

—-

When they reached the Zhenxia Inn, the premium suite happened to be available, much to Cheng Suiyan’s satisfaction.

The premium suite was an independent small courtyard, separated from other rooms by a moon gate. The small courtyard had four bedrooms upstairs and downstairs, plus a small parlor for receiving guests.

They quickly divided the rooms. Yun Qing and Fu Xue shared the largest room, while Jiang Baiyu, Cheng Suiyan, and Shi Muyu each had their own. As for Ci Li, being a small cat, he could just find any corner to sleep in at night—what did he need a room for?

After dividing the rooms, seeing that it was time for dinner, the group gathered in the parlor. They had the servants set up a dining table and ordered a bunch of the restaurant’s specialties. Shi Muyu had been holding back all along the way, but now that she was seated, she finally spoke those words again:

“Immortal Lady Yun, can you give me a child?”

Yun Qing said helplessly, “Seeking children from me won’t work, and besides, are you married?”

“Ah?” Shi Muyu was stunned for a moment, then shook her head. “You’ve misunderstood me. That’s not what I meant. I mean, I hope you’ll give me a child—a child between you and me.”

Jiang Baiyu poured a cup of tea and handed it to Yun Qing, while frowning at Shi Muyu. “You—how can you just casually ask someone for a child?”

Shi Muyu looked innocent. “I wasn’t being casual about it.”

Well, that seemed true—she had specifically named Immortal Lady Yun both times.

For some inexplicable reason, Jiang Baiyu felt even more uncomfortable. He glanced at Yun Qing.

Yun Qing stroked her chin, curiously studying Shi Muyu.

Cheng Suiyan asked, “No, why do you keep asking Yun Qing for a child? Didn’t your family tell you that two women can’t have children?”

“We don’t need to give birth.” As Shi Muyu spoke, she took something from the somewhat gaudy floral cloth bag at her waist and spread her hand open in front of Yun Qing.

Everyone looked closely and saw lying in her palm a jade-green pearl about the size of a fingernail, perfectly round and smooth.

No wait, this wasn’t a jade pearl.

Cheng Suiyan couldn’t help but exclaim, “This is a Hundred Seed? The kind used to plant children?”

Shi Muyu seemed surprised. “You actually recognize the Hundred Seed? You’re truly worthy of being Immortal Lady Yun ‘s friend.”

“Of course—I’m the number one lackey under Immortal Lady Yun.”

“Wow.”

One looked proud, the other full of admiration. Ci Li watched this baffling exchange and said, “Are you two sick? You can feel superior about being a lackey?”

Seeing the Hundred Seed, Yun Qing finally understood what Shi Muyu meant. She said, “So you want me to give you a drop of blood to use this Hundred Seed to nurture a child?”

Shi Muyu nodded vigorously. “Yes!”

Yun Qing asked curiously, “Then why must you find me specifically?”

Shi Muyu smiled. “I heard storytellers in teahouses tell of your deeds. I think you’re a kind, intelligent, and brave person, and I hope our child can be like you.”

If not for her truly sincere expression, Yun Qing would have thought she was joking. How could someone take a storyteller’s words as gospel? It was too ridiculous.

Unfortunately, Fu Xue had no sense of the situation and added fuel to the fire by nodding in agreement. “You’re absolutely right—my senior sister is indeed kind, intelligent, and brave.”

Shi Muyu became even more expectant. “Then, Immortal Lady Yun, could you please…”

“No,” Yun Qing rubbed her forehead and interrupted her. “To be honest, I’m invulnerable to weapons—there’s no way to draw blood from me.”

“Oh.” Shi Muyu’s shoulders instantly sagged as she sat there pitifully, her fingers repeatedly stroking the panpipe at her waist.

The inn servants, along with two nimble assistants, came to the premium suite carrying four large food boxes. They first laid out bowls, chopsticks, cups, and plates, warmed the wine, then arranged all the dishes one by one.

After setting out the food, the servant bowed obsequiously. “Please enjoy your meal, guests. If you need anything, just knock on the door twice.” He was about to leave.

Yun Qing called him back, gave him a piece of silver, and asked several questions—nothing more than about Qi Guangzi, Yin Fanhui, Way of Butterfly Dreams, living puppets, and such. The servant shook his head blankly, knowing nothing about any of it.

Yun Qing then let him leave.

Hearing their conversation, Shi Muyu murmured, “Yin Fanhui——”

Fu Xue immediately perked up. “What? You’ve heard of him?”

Shi Muyu: “The name sounds quite nice.”

Fu Xue: “…Are you teasing me?”

Shi Muyu looked rather embarrassed too. “From what you’re saying, this is an old immortal who has lived many years?”

“Yes.”

Shi Muyu said, “Though I haven’t heard of him, perhaps someone in my clan knows. Our Shenle clan has also existed for a very long time. Our ancestors have seen quite a few ancient gods.”

Yun Qing nodded. “That makes sense. Then… would it be possible for us to meet your clanspeople?”

“Of course,” Shi Muyu smiled and nodded. “Once I finish the matter at hand, I’ll take you back to Shenle Valley.”

Cheng Suiyan asked, “What matter do you need to handle? We’ll help you with it—the sooner it’s done, the sooner we can go home with you.”

“I need a child.”

“……” Everyone felt the urge to bang their heads on the table. Going round and round, they were back to the same thing—this was like hitting a ghost wall!