Chapter 63: I’m Happy to Wipe for You

Chapter 63: I Don't Mind Cleaning Up After You

Chi Yu felt a knot of anxiety, but the truth was, Prince Xuan Ji hadn’t asked him to do anything.

However, Chi Yu didn’t fully relax. After all this time, he felt he understood Prince Xuan Ji well—if he wasn’t bringing it up now, he would surely call in that favor at some point in the future.

Their Prince Xuan Ji was adept at strategic planning.

Since he wasn’t mentioning it now, Chi Yu was content to enjoy the reprieve. Regardless, at least he had managed to placate him.

Balancing everyone's needs is truly exhausting!

*Going bald over here.jpg*

The aura of the Golden Core Stage demonic creature on Wu Yunsu was still very potent, so even after traveling for a day, they hadn’t encountered any demonic creatures.

Chi Yu suddenly recalled something and asked Xie Xiyi, “Prince Xuan Ji, is it possible to conceal the aura on Wu Yunsu?”

Xie Xiyi replied, “We could just get rid of him.”

Chi Yu: “...Prince Xuan Ji, are you joking?”

Xie Xiyi said in a flat tone, “Isn’t it funny?”

Chi Yu: “Hahahaha...”

He thought to himself, *You were the one who wanted to keep Wu Yunsu in the first place!*

Thinking about it, he couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for Wu Yunsu.

As a hybrid of demonic creature and human, with demonic blood being dominant, it was also very difficult for him to survive in the desolate lands.

Although they had kept him, Prince Xuan Ji didn’t care about him, and Xiaoqiu felt the same. Their relationship was held together by the barest sense of obligation. As for Chi Yu himself, he had too many things to worry about, and it was hard not to show favoritism.

Wu Yunsu wasn’t truly a toddler of just a few years. Some demonic creatures grew very quickly, similar to small animals, reaching adulthood in just a year, which was in line with natural laws. So, although he was only two years old, converted to human age, he was at least ten years old, possibly older than Xiaoqiu.

At this age, his mind was already capable of sensing the likes and dislikes of those around him. Chi Yu felt somewhat powerless and found it hard to sustain the effort.

However, Chi Yu didn't show it and still tried to make time outside of cultivation to balance these relationships.

“Little Wu, can you conceal your own aura?” Chi Yu asked Wu Yunsu, looking down at him.

Wu Yunsu shook his head. Demonic creatures didn’t value familial bonds; generally, if a mother nursed her offspring for a month, she was considered a good mother. But one positive aspect was that demonic mothers would try to leave a strong aura on their children to ensure they could survive to adulthood.

His mother hadn’t actively left an aura on him; instead, he had consumed his birth mother’s remains to actively acquire this powerful Golden Core Stage demonic aura. It was a crucial protection to ensure he wouldn’t be captured by natural enemies outside, so he didn’t want Chi Yu to conceal his aura.

Essentially, Wu Yunsu lacked a sense of security. He knew in his heart that the young cultivator would protect him, but the inherent demonic paranoia was at play, leaving him constantly torn.

Chi Yu sighed and said, “Then there’s nothing we can do.”

Wu Yunsu suddenly paused, stretched out his chubby, lotus-root-like arms, wrapped them around Chi Yu’s neck, and whispered in his ear, “Dad, there are demonic creatures coming from the east.”

Chi Yu was startled. “Are you sure?”

Wu Yunsu gave a soft “Mhm,” hesitantly adding, “There are a lot.”

“A lot!?” Chi Yu was excited and said to Xie Xiyi, “Prince Xuan Ji! Wu Yunsu says there are demonic creatures coming from the east, and more than one.”

Xiaoqiu said, “Isn’t that the direction we came from?”

Xie Xiyi replied coolly, “They won’t attack.”

Chi Yu felt discouraged and couldn’t help but ask, “Why?”

Xie Xiyi said, “They’ve been following us all along. They won’t make a move now.”

Chi Yu: “...”

He was startled. “They’ve been following us? Prince Xuan Ji, you knew all along? Since when?”

Xie Xiyi deflected, saying, “You’ll have to ask Wu Yunsu about that.”

Chi Yu lowered his head and looked at Wu Yunsu.

Wu Yunsu: “...”

His eyes darted away as he said, “Since we left Molian Town.”

Xiaoqiu was shocked. “What? They’ve been following since we left Molian Town?”

Chi Yu: “...”

Wait, so only he and Xiaoqiu didn’t know?

Chi Yu asked in confusion, “Why are they following us?”

Wu Yunsu tightened his arms around Chi Yu’s neck and murmured, “Because... they’re my siblings.”

Chi Yu: “...”

Chi Yu looked down at him. “Since they’re your blood relatives, do you want to go with them?”

Wu Yunsu replied, “No, I’ll stay with Dad.”

Demonic creatures didn’t value blood ties. Before Chi Yu and the others arrived in Molian Town, Wu Yunsu had already sensed his blood-related siblings lurking outside the town. They didn’t dare to step within the boundaries of Molian Town.

The power hierarchy among demonic creatures was severe. Without knowing the current state of their Golden Core Stage mother, none of them dared to make the first move, as there was a high chance they would be eaten by their mother as cultivation nourishment.

There was a very practical consideration why Wu Yunsu had left with Chi Yu back then: after the commotion they caused, the news of his birth mother’s death would get out, and he himself might be preyed upon by his siblings.

Wu Yunsu couldn’t figure out why they had been following him all this time. He had never intended to meet them—on one hand, he was too weak, and on the other, his half-human bloodline made him, against his will, feel a slight flicker of desire to get closer to his siblings. Because of this, he remained silent and didn’t report the matter to the human cultivators.

But little did he know that Prince Xuan Ji had known from the very beginning.

Wu Yunsu felt as though he had stepped into another one of Prince Xuan Ji’s schemes, which made him slightly uncomfortable. He tightened his grip around Chi Yu’s neck, gently nuzzling his forehead against the strands of hair falling by Chi Yu’s ear, and whispered, “I don’t want them. Dad, go kill them.”

He naturally wanted to make a clean break between himself and the demonic creatures.

Realizing that Wu Yunsu meant what he said, Chi Yu hesitated momentarily and said worriedly, “But these demonic creatures aren’t coming closer. How do we handle this?”

Xie Xiyi said, “Use Wu Yunsu as bait to lure them over.”

Chi Yu: “...”

Here we go again—setting traps!

Chi Yu said, “That’s not appropriate. Wu Yunsu would be in too much danger.”

Xie Xiyi replied, “I can give him a protective charm. If he’s attacked, it will trigger.”

Wu Yunsu said obediently, "I can do it."

Chi Yu thought for a moment and said, "That works too. Prince Xuan Ji, give Wu Yunsu a few more talisman slips for safety."

Xie Xiyi said with an ambiguous tone, "You're really worried about him."

Chi Yu replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, he's my adopted son after all, right? Wu Yunsu."

Wu Yunsu pursed his lips into a smile, looking like a quiet and well-behaved little girl, making your heart melt.

Xiaoqiu muttered under his breath, "It's all an act. Who knows how many humans he's eaten behind the scenes."

Wu Yunsu: "..."

Wu Yunsu's eyes reddened as he squeezed out a few tears, wordlessly wiping them on Chi Yu's loose robe.

Chi Yu quickly defused the situation, saying, "Ah, Xiaoqiu, don't talk nonsense. If he had eaten anyone, would the Crown Prince have allowed him to stay? Once you've tasted human flesh, you know the flavor, and there's no excuse not to execute him."

Xiaoqiu was so angry his hairs stood on end. Making such a big deal and crying at a few words—it was just too disgusting!

He fumed and said, "Brother Aotian, hurry up and use him to lure those demonic creatures. The Hongbao Trial lasts a year, and we only have 20 demonic creatures on our tally. We need to get the task done quickly."

Chi Yu agreed and asked Xie Xiyi for a few more talisman slips, placing them inside Wu Yunsu's clothes.

Then he placed Wu Yunsu under a tree, and the three of them concealed their auras while waiting nearby.

The demonic creatures were very cautious and did not appear for a long time.

Chi Yu extended his spiritual sense and communicated with Xie Xiyi: "Prince Xuan Ji, what should we do? They're not taking the bait."

"Be patient," Xie Xiyi said.

Chi Yu said, "My legs are numb from crouching."

Xie Xiyi said, "You should work on your physical cultivation."

Chi Yu: "..."

He looked down at Xiaoqiu, who was also gently stamping his feet.

Well, his physical strength was hardly better than Xiaoqiu's.

After waiting another two hours, the other side's guard lowered slightly, but they were still cautious and did not appear immediately. Instead, they sent one demonic creature over.

It was a female demonic creature with a great figure and rather revealing attire.

Of course, Chi Yu couldn't see it because everything below the neck was censored with mosaic.

Chi Yu: "..."

At times like this, the system's presence became especially noticeable.

Just as he was thinking this, he felt a gaze and looked up to see the Crown Prince glancing down at him.

Chi Yu: "?"

Chi Yu asked via spiritual sense, "Prince Xuan Ji, what's wrong?"

Xie Xiyi's tone carried a hint of sarcasm: "You're staring so intently."

Chi Yu: "..."

Huh? I'm not!

Chi Yu was at a loss for words and really wanted to write the word "wronged" on his thigh.

Xie Xiyi: "Close your eyes."

Chi Yu: "...Okay."

He closed his eyes, not daring to look, afraid that one more glance would make him come across as a lecher in the Crown Prince's eyes.

Not far away, the conversation between the female demonic creature and Wu Yunsu reached them.

The female demonic creature said, "Little brother, you should know by now—I am your sister."

Wu Yunsu didn't respond, sniffing the air instead.

Seeing this, the female demonic creature did not interrupt. Demonic creatures were most sensitive to spiritual signatures, and if she had malicious intent, it would be difficult to conceal.

After Wu Yunsu confirmed her scent, she continued, "Don't worry, I mean you no harm. Our mother, a Golden Core stage great demonic creature, gave birth to 27 children over the past 300-plus years. Three died young, seven perished in fights, and eight were killed by human cultivators. Now, only nine remain. You are the youngest. Today, I want to invite you to make our mark together."

Wu Yunsu: "?"

He looked at her in confusion.

The female demonic creature said, "You might not know this, but our grandfather—our mother's father—single-handedly became one of the twelve Demon Generals of the demon realm. Though he is the lowest-ranked Demon General, it is still a remarkable achievement. We are demonic creatures, and there is an insurmountable gap between us and pure-blooded demons. This time, the demon realm is employing demonic creatures, which means their attitude toward us has thawed. If we unite, we might just secure a place in the demon realm. We might even aspire to become the ruler of the demon realm.

Little brother, even though you have human blood, you've consumed our mother's flesh. As long as you eat more cultivators, you can wash away the human bloodline and become a pure demonic creature. We need you."

By the end, the female demonic creature's voice was almost mesmerizing.

It was a temptation no demonic creature could refuse.

The demon realm was the territory of demons and demonic cultivators. They had fought against immortal sects countless times and always retreated unscathed, their strength formidable.

Meanwhile, demonic creatures were exiled to desolate lands, used as disposable pawns to wear down immortal sect cultivators. How could anyone be content with that?

If he hadn't met the young cultivator, Wu Yunsu would certainly have been persuaded.

But now... his choice was clear.

Wu Yunsu pretended to be puzzled and asked, "I'm weak. Are there enough of you...?"

He spoke vaguely, but the female demonic creature understood his meaning. "Little brother, since I'm here to recruit you, I won't lie to you. Our grandfather has countless descendants besides our mother. One more person means one more fighter. We share the same mother, so we're naturally on the same side. After we kill all the others, we can fight among ourselves slowly—so until those vermin are dead, we won't harm you."

That made sense.

It was the best strategy a powerful demonic creature could devise.

After all, most demonic creatures were straightforward.

Sometimes pitifully so.

Wu Yunsu lowered his eyes, hiding the cold pity in his gaze.

He reached out to the female demonic creature, who understood and picked him up. "Little brother, you still need to eat more cultivators. I'll capture some for you. Eat well and grow strong. Then we'll go to the demon realm."

She added, "Mother has another child who has eaten so many cultivators that he's reached the Golden Core stage. We don't dare approach him, so with you joining us, we'll stop at eight. The eight of us demonic creatures will make our plans carefully."

Wu Yunsu said, "The cultivators..."

"The ones who brought you along—I know you hate them, but the leader is also at the Golden Core Stage, so it won’t be easy to deal with him. Let’s wait until our cultivation levels improve before surrounding and killing him. We won’t compete with you; we’ll leave them all for you to eat."

The female demonic creature didn’t suspect that he had been abandoned. They all knew that those cultivators wore uniform meditative practice robes, and it was common practice to release weaker demonic creatures who hadn’t killed.

Wu Yunsu tightened his arms around her neck and stopped talking.

The female demonic creature brought him to the other six demonic creatures.

"Everything alright?"

The female demonic creature replied, "No issues. How could those human cultivators possibly redeem him? They’re just butting in."

Demonic creatures are naturally violent, bloodthirsty, and cruel. But now, for the sake of "building our reign," they forced themselves to communicate as politely as humans. "Little brother, I’m your big brother."

"I’m your second-oldest brother. You must respect me."

"I’m your third sister..."

Wu Yunsu’s gaze swept over them. There were seven demonic creatures in total—five males and two females—all exceptionally handsome and beautiful, but each reeked of bloodlust, and their cultivation levels were all higher than his.

Wu Yunsu obediently addressed each one in turn, eliciting cold, fake smiles from them.

"Now that we’ve brought our little brother back, let’s return to Mother’s territory first. Her aura still lingers there, and ordinary demonic creatures wouldn’t dare approach. Once at least three of us reach the Golden Core Stage, we’ll set out for the demon world."

Wu Yunsu thought to himself, *Looks like they’re all at the Foundation Establishment stage.*

If that man were willing to take action, he could probably kill them all. But if the young cultivator had to face them alone, he’d likely let half of them escape.

Wu Yunsu twitched his fingers, and several snow-white gu worms emerged from the area near his heart. These were gu worms he had cultivated using his birth mother’s heart, capable of controlling demonic creatures and human cultivators below the Golden Core Stage.

The snow-white gu worms turned invisible and silently crawled out from his collar, landing on the female demonic creature holding him.

All the demonic creatures present were descendants of the Gu Mother, but almost none had inherited her abilities. This skill was unique to Wu Yunsu alone.

Holding his breath and closing his eyes, he sensed the snow-white gu worms smoothly burrowing into the demonic creature’s body.

"Hah." Wu Yunsu exhaled and opened his eyes.

At that moment, a blast of sharp spiritual energy swept past. One of the demonic creatures raised a weapon to block the attack, his voice tense. "It’s a cultivator!"

The demonic creatures instantly stiffened, ready to flee.

The female demonic creature holding Wu Yunsu also urged, "Run, now! Don’t fight them! We can’t lose anyone now!"

They had been following Xie Xiyi the entire way without any intention of fighting. Higher-level demonic creatures are more intelligent and wouldn’t stubbornly try to kill a Golden Core Stage cultivator—their natural enemy—especially when outmatched by a whole realm higher. Killing them would be as easy as killing chickens.

No matter how bloodthirsty and cruel they were, their expressions would become meek in the face of a stronger opponent.

Even the most eager to fight demonic creatures suppressed their desire to fight and turned to flee. But as fast as they were, Chi Yu was faster.

Chi Yu held nothing back. Sword in hand, he bolted forward like lightning toward one of the demonic creatures, trying to take its head off—

But because the demonic creature’s skin was thick and tough, the beheading failed.

The sword got stuck in the demonic creature’s neck, caught between bone and sinew. The demonic creature reached out with sharp claws to grab him, but Chi Yu yanked his sword back and severed the claws.

"Not enough strength. You need to train your body," Xie Xiyi’s voice shouted from afar.

Chi Yu glanced sideways and saw him effortlessly trapping the remaining demonic creatures in place, like a cat toying with mice.

What a cool, controlled, and elegant stance.

Chi Yu focused his mind and focused on battling the demonic creature before him.

"Stop fighting! Run!" the female demonic creature holding Wu Yunsu screamed. "Don’t fight them! Don’t fight!"

Wu Yunsu thought she was pretty dumb. This was no longer about whether they could escape—there was simply no way they could escape.

And no one listened to her. She had been infected with his gu worms and, under his mental suggestion, didn’t even try to run.

He looked at Xie Xiyi, who was surrounded by five demonic creatures yet remained so relaxed that Wu Yunsu suspected he hadn’t even used half his strength.

Such a one-sided fight—were his siblings just too weak?

A deep wariness settled in Wu Yunsu’s heart.

Then he looked at the young cultivator. After a rough start, with a few pointers from that man from afar, his technique got smoother, and he stopped getting injured. The attacks on his "brother’s" neck—slashes, stabs, and chops—grew more frequent and deeper, until the demonic creature could bear it no longer. In a surge of bloodlust, it tried to take him down with it.

Wu Yunsu’s eyes darkened. With a slight pinch of his small fingers, the demonic creature’s burst of blood energy action froze instantly.

In those few seconds, Chi Yu’s sword flashed like a rainbow, cleanly beheading the demonic creature.

Dark blood splattered across his handsome face, leaving a streak. He wiped it away casually, his dark eyes lit up, burning with intensity. He yelled eagerly, "Prince Xuan Ji, I’ll help you!"

After a bloody fight, all seven demonic creatures were killed by the two.

Chi Yu killed three; Xie Xiyi killed four.

Covered in the dark, foul blood of the demonic creatures, Chi Yu didn’t care. He hurried over, picked up Wu Yunsu, and carefully checked him over with his fingers. "Wu Yunsu, are you okay?"

Wu Yunsu stared intently at him, then wrapped his arms around his neck and whispered, "I’m fine... Dad."

He had made his choice.

Now, the only path left for him was to become a human cultivator.

So, please like him a little more, Dad.

Xie Xiyi watched their intimate exchange coldly, then suddenly took out a handkerchief. With one hand supporting the back of Chi Yu’s head, he wiped the dirt and blood from his face.

Chi Yu, realizing what was happening, tilted his head back obediently and said, "Prince Xuan Ji, I can use the Dust Cleaning Spell."

Xie Xiyi replied unhurriedly, "I want to wipe it for you."

He looked down into Chi Yu’s clear, bright, and beautiful eyes. The earlier slaughter had left no trace of fear in him.

He adapted quickly.

Xie Xiyi thought idly, *I once said his mental state was fragile—perhaps I was wrong. Maybe it was weak at first, but he always adjusts to the best condition.*

Chi Yu: "...Oh."

As Xie Xiyi wiped his neck, Wu Yunsu’s head was in the way, so he naturally grabbed the back of Chi Yu’s neck and flung him back—

"Hey!" Chi Yu was startled and reached out to catch him, but Xie Xiyi held his neck firmly, preventing him from moving.

Fortunately, the logistics guy, Xiaoqiu, rolled into a slide and caught Wu Yunsu.

Chi Yu breathed a sigh of relief and praised Xiaoqiu, "Xiaoqiu, you caught that perfectly! You're the best goalkeeper!"

Xiaoqiu fake laughed, "Heh."

*As if he actually enjoyed playing nice with brothers—he was purely afraid that if he got hurt, he’d have another excuse to hide in Brother Aotian’s arms and act spoiled.*

*Jeez, I’m so done with this demonic creature!*

Xie Xiyi wiped the blood off his face and neck, then tossed him the handkerchief, saying, "Use the Cleansing Dust Technique."

Chi Yu replied, "Oh."

*What's the point of that pointless move?*

Author's Note:

11: Let’s play ball.

Xiao Yu: Where’s the ball?

Wu Yunsu: The ball’s right here.