Chapter 123

Chapter 123

In autumn, the mountain fruits and chestnuts ripen.

Zhao Azhu hadn't been in the mountains for long before he gathered half a basket of chestnuts.

These things are hard to shell, but the townsfolk buy them to make chestnut cakes.

The year he turned five, his mother used the money she saved from taking in laundry to buy him a piece of chestnut cake.

On account of the lard and honey it contained, the price was exorbitant.

A piece the size of a palm cost over ten wen.

His mother had to wash five garments just to earn a single wen.

But chestnut cake is delicious. In the future, when he earns money, he’ll buy some for his mother, for himself, and for Yueya and Chunsheng too.

Zhao Azhu thought about it and decided everyone in the village should get a piece.

Everyone had been very kind to him.

Although chestnut cake is expensive, chestnuts themselves are cheap. Mountain chestnuts don't sell for much; they’re even cheaper than wild fruits.

Shelled chestnuts go for a higher price, but the shells are very hard, and shelling them makes your hands ache terribly.

But no matter what, it was money. The villagers wouldn't pass up the chance to gather them just because it was a bit tiring or painful.

If he didn't also want to carry more wild fruits down the mountain, Zhao Azhu would have gathered them all day.

Perhaps he took a wrong turn; this time, Zhao Azhu wandered in the mountains for a long time without seeing any familiar fruit trees.

On his previous trips, he hadn't seen any chestnuts, but this time he did. It seemed he had truly lost his way.

Zhao Azhu picked up small branches and stuck them in noticeable spots, marking his path with alternating long and short sticks.

He didn't know how long he had been walking when he started feeling very hungry and thirsty.

He was not only thirsty and hungry but also growing colder.

Pulling his clothes tighter, he looked up. It seemed he had ventured deep into the dense forest, where sunlight was completely cut off...

The elders in the village always said there were monsters deep in the Yunshan Mountains. He had never ventured this deep before. Seeing the gloomy, damp surroundings, it was no wonder the elders believed this place was home to demons.

Zhao Azhu wasn't afraid of monsters he had never seen, but he was terrified of wild beasts.

After walking for who knows how much longer, Zhao Azhu felt his body growing colder and colder. Suddenly, he heard movement not far away. As the sound drew nearer, Zhao Azhu quickly found a hidden spot to take cover.

Behind a large tree was a small depression. Zhao Azhu lay flat on the ground, hidden by the grass in front of him.

As the sound approached, he could finally see what it was.

A giant snake was chasing something rolling around.

"Squeak! Screech!!!" The rolling thing emitted sharp, piercing cries. Zhao Azhu looked closely and realized the giant snake was toying with its prey. Each time it was about to swallow it, it would nudge it with its mouth, sending the little creature rolling forward again.

The furry little animal was black and white all over, its cries pitiful.

Looking at the thick, massive snake, Zhao Azhu swallowed hard in fear.

Zhao Azhu thought the giant snake would continue pushing the round thing along, but instead, it suddenly opened its jaws wide and swallowed the curled-up creature whole, its original form now indistinguishable.

The snake's mouth gaped open; Zhao Azhu could even smell its foul stench and see the round opening of its windpipe.

The swallowed animal screamed in agony. Unable to bear the sound, Zhao Azhu crouched lower, covering his ears.

"Thud! Thud! Thud—"

A violent gust of wind swept past. Covering his ears, Zhao Azhu watched in astonishment as the giant snake suddenly went berserk, slamming itself against a tree.

The thick, heavy snake body crashed into the tree trunk, shaking leaves down in a rustling shower.

After nearly a quarter of an hour of this, the snake finally beat itself to death.

Zhao Azhu stared, dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what the giant snake had been doing.

The giant snake's corpse fell not far from him. Zhao Azhu's legs trembled, afraid the snake wasn't completely dead.

The prey it had swallowed earlier was still in its belly, the bulge clearly visible.

Zhao Azhu wanted to run, but then he heard a faint, whimpering sound.

Looking around and listening carefully, Zhao Azhu confirmed the sound was coming from inside the snake's belly.

The swallowed creature was actually still alive?

Zhao Azhu took two steps, then finally gritted his teeth and ran back to the giant snake's corpse.

Eight-year-old Zhao Azhu had only ever killed fish, and very small ones at that.

This snake was huge and thick. Without any sharp tools, Zhao Azhu could only use branches and stones to slowly grind away at it.

He ground, retched, cried, and feared all at once.

The sounds from inside the snake's belly grew fainter, almost inaudible. Zhao Azhu's face and hands were already covered in blood, and the retching left a burning sensation in his stomach.

Utterly exhausted, when he could no longer hear any sound from the snake's belly, Zhao Azhu clenched his teeth and desperately slashed at the snake's flesh.

This snake, for some reason, had incredibly tough skin and flesh!

Zhao Azhu desperately hacked at the snake's flesh and finally managed to cut it open completely, revealing the swallowed animal's original form.

It was still curled into a ball, covered in blood and mucus. Its exposed claws resembled a bear's, and it had two half-round ears.

Afraid the strong smell of blood would attract other wild beasts, Zhao Azhu quickly picked up the little ball of fur and ran.

He didn't know if the little creature was dead or alive, worrying as he ran.

Finally reaching a safe spot, Zhao Azhu carefully washed the little ball of fur in his arms.

His mother had said his father once told her that wounds must be cleaned after an injury, or the person won't recover properly.

Zhao Azhu figured it must be the same for animals.

The little creature looked round and chubby, but it actually had very little flesh; it was mostly fur.

After washing off the blood and mucus, Zhao Azhu carefully checked for any other injuries. A visible slash wound on its abdomen, seemingly from a sharp weapon, was quite deep.

All of its paw pads were split open and showed signs of scorching. One ear was missing a small corner, which also appeared to have been cut by a sharp tool rather than bitten off by a beast.

Zhao Azhu had no way of telling the extent of its internal injuries, but seeing the little creature breathing weakly with shallow, labored breaths, the internal wounds were likely more severe than the external ones.

He gathered a bunch of leaves to make a soft little nest. After placing the little creature inside, Zhao Azhu finally cleaned himself.

After washing up, he took out some wild fruits from his basket to eat, feeling extremely anxious.

The light in the dense forest was growing dimmer and dimmer—he definitely wouldn't make it out today.

His mother would surely be frantic with worry when she realized he was missing.

Thinking of this, Zhao Azhu sighed.

It was strange indeed. Ever since he could walk, he had followed his mother into the mountains to dig for wild vegetables. When he grew older and could run and jump, he went into the mountains to play by himself.

The villagers only ventured into the outer parts of the Cloud-Reaching Mountains and never went deeper.

Zhao Azhu thought that he had walked these paths for years without ever getting lost, yet this time he had taken a wrong turn.

The key thing was that he hadn't noticed at all when he went astray.

It was really weird.

After eating two wild fruits, Zhao Azhu didn't feel like eating any more.

The dense forest at night was very dangerous. Since there was a water source here, there were certainly animals living nearby.

He wasn't afraid of herbivores, but carnivores were a different story.

However, moving now would likely be even more dangerous. After much thought, Zhao Azhu decided to stay here and wait for daylight before setting out again.

The forest was quite cold at night. Zhao Azhu hugged the still-unconscious black-and-white ball and rested against a large rock.

He used his basket to slightly shield himself. With no cave nearby, this was the best he could do for now.

Late at night, Zhao Azhu wasn't woken by the cold but by pain.

He looked down and saw that the previously unconscious black-and-white ball had its eyes closed and was slowly grinding its teeth against his wrist.

It must have been starving, biting at whatever it could find, but lacking the strength, it could only gnaw slowly.

Zhao Azhu took a wild fruit from his basket and stuffed it into the black-and-white ball's mouth. Fruit was easier to bite than meat, and it finished one in no time.

After feeding it over a dozen, the eating pace finally slowed down a bit. Exhausted, Zhao Azhu hugged the black-and-white ball and fell back asleep.

Just as Zhao Azhu fell asleep, the black-and-white ball opened its eyes for the first time. It had a pair of golden eyes, glistening with moisture.

Not far away, by the water's edge, a group of rabbits drinking water suddenly froze, then scattered and fled.

Poisonous snakes coiled around the surrounding tree trunks all slithered away as if fleeing for their lives.

The alpha wolf of a pack prowling nearby hesitated for a moment before leading its group away.

The black-and-white ball visibly grew even more exhausted. Before closing its eyes, it saw the bite mark on Zhao Azhu's wrist. The familiar mark made its pupils tremble slightly.

Did it bite him?

The black-and-white ball extended its tongue and licked the wound, which quickly healed until it disappeared.

After that, the black-and-white ball sank back into unconsciousness.

Zhao Azhu slept until dawn. He looked around the ground in amazement—there wasn't a single trace of any animal having approached.

He had thought staying near the water source would be slightly more dangerous, but who knew it would be so safe?

He looked down at the black-and-white ball and found that the little creature showed no signs of waking up.

Zhao Azhu planned to line his basket with some leaves, place the creature inside, and carry it down the mountain on his back. As he moved his hand, he noticed the bite wound on his wrist had vanished.

He was delighted, examining it over and over. "Heh heh, my recovery is really good now."

Zhao Azhu walked for a long time, feeling not only that he hadn't found his way out but that he was going deeper and deeper.

The forest was shrouded in heavy mist. Trees were covered in moss, towering into the sky and disappearing into the white fog, their tops unseen. Occasionally, birds cried out, their calls ethereal and distant.

Zhao Azhu climbed over protruding tree roots on the ground, growing more anxious with each step. The trees here were not only tall but extremely thick. The exposed roots were as thick as the trees he could wrap his arms around back in the usual parts of the mountains.

Along the way, trees often blocked his path, forcing him to detour for a long time. Although he hadn't found his way out, he did come across a cave.

The cave was surrounded by water and fruit trees. The fruits on the trees looked plump and juicy, clearly sweet and delicious.

Besides the fruits, there were also many varieties of bamboo. Zhao Azhu only recognized the most common type; the others he identified by their similar shapes.

Having walked for so long, he was tired and entered the cave.

Inside, he discovered the cave's marvel. While the outside was damp and cold, the cave was dry and warm.

Not only that, but there was also a stone bed.

It was more like a flat rock, covered with a layer of dry grass and leaves, making it quite soft.

Zhao Azhu placed the black-and-white ball on it. Seeing the little creature's belly rising and falling, confirming it was still alive, he went out to climb a tree and pick some fruit.

He stopped after filling an entire basket.

The fruit in his hand resembled the small wild peaches he had picked before, but these were big and round.

The skin was pinkish-red, emitting a fresh fragrance. It had some fuzz, which was a bit prickly. Zhao Azhu had never seen such large peaches before. The rich peach scent filled his nose, making him swallow his saliva involuntarily.

After washing off the fuzz from the peach's surface, Zhao Azhu eagerly took a bite.

It was perfectly crisp yet soft, with juice bursting forth. The sweetness made Zhao Azhu squint his eyes and shake his head in delight.

It was truly delicious. He would save some from his basket for his mother, Chunsheng, and Yueya, and sell the rest. If these fruits were sold in the city, a basket would fetch at least seventy or eighty wen—much more expensive than the small wild fruits he usually picked.

After eating two peaches, Zhao Azhu felt quite full. He quickly washed another one to feed the little ball inside, lest the creature get hungry and start biting again.

The air was filled with the fragrance of peaches. The black-and-white ball's eyelids lifted slightly but didn't open fully.

The cave was dimly lit, so Zhao Azhu couldn't clearly see the color of its pupils. He only noticed its mouth moving, so he brought the peach closer to make it easier for the creature to eat.

While the black-and-white ball ate, Zhao Azhu checked its wounds again. Although they were no longer bleeding, they hadn't healed either.

The elderly doctor from the neighboring village, who found it difficult to climb the mountain, would sometimes collect common medicinal herbs from the hills.

Thus, most villagers knew a few medicinal plants, and Zhao Azhu was no exception.

He remembered one type of herb that, when mashed or chewed and applied to a wound, could stop bleeding and aid in recovery.

He looked at the little creature—it was so tiny. Counting on it to heal from injuries like these on its own probably wasn't going to work. A full day and night had already passed, and the little one hadn't even opened its eyes yet. If this dragged on any longer, the injuries would likely worsen.

Since he couldn't leave right now, Zhao Azhu knew that even if he was anxious, there was nothing he could do. He had to deal with the immediate situation first.

"Your injuries are too severe; you need medicine applied. I didn't see any familiar medicinal herbs along the way here. I have to go specifically to find some for you. Just rest here in the cave."

As he spoke, Zhao Azhu placed a washed peach by the black-and-white cub's mouth, telling it, "If you get hungry, eat this first. I'll come back as soon as possible."

Worried that wild beasts might enter the cave, Zhao Azhu collected some branches and piled them on the stone bed as camouflage. He also dragged fallen branches to the cave entrance to conceal it before he felt safe enough to head out to search for herbs.

After Zhao Azhu left, the weak cub opened its eyes.

Its golden eyes looked at the peach in front of it and the branches blocking its way.

It had heard everything that frail human said.

Saying he was going to find medicine... was probably just an excuse to leave it behind.

If the human hadn't saved its life, it wouldn't have used its remaining demonic power to bring him to its own cave for shelter.

Its cave dwelling was surrounded by ferocious beasts. Since that human wanted to leave, then let him go.

As Zhao Azhu searched for herbs outside, he also noticed how strange this dense forest was. Around the cave, he hadn't seen any animals at all.

Walking a bit farther, he saw deer, rabbits, and wild chickens, and faintly heard tiger roars along with the sounds of fighting and tearing.

These sounds frightened Zhao Azhu. Fortunately, he successfully found some blood-stanching herb. The purple globes were very eye-catching, and he hurried over to pick them.

After picking more than twenty plants, Zhao Azhu heard the commotion growing louder. Not daring to linger, he took off running back.

When he ran back into the range of the cave, the listless cub inside suddenly twitched its round ears.

*Huh? That human came back.*

*See? It's so dangerous outside. He got scared and had no choice but to come back.*

The cub closed its eyes and huffed twice.

Back in the cave, Zhao Azhu first checked on the cub. Once he saw it was okay, he looked for a suitable stone to crush the herbs. After mashing them, he applied the paste to the cub's wounds.

The cave filled with the smell of herbs. The cub felt the burning in its wounds ease into a cool sensation.

So this human wasn't like those before who had deceived it. He really did go find medicine.

The cub lay motionless. The comfort helped its demonic power recover.

It thought, once its demonic power recovered to fifty percent, it would grant this human's wish and get him out of the dense forest.

The dense forest was so dangerous; there was no way this human could find his way out alone.

Zhao Azhu didn't know what the cub was thinking. He didn't even know what kind of animal it was.

He just thought it looked a bit like a bear, though he had never seen a real one. He had only seen a well-preserved bear head from afar at a fur merchant's shop in the city.

But that one was brown, not black and white.

"Little one, tomorrow when I go out to gather herbs, I'll need to scout further out. My mother is waiting for me down the mountain. If she doesn't see me for a long time, she'll surely be very worried. If I come back late, don't you worry. I'm determined to make it home to see my mother; nothing will happen to me."

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Azhu added, "I don't know what kind of animal you are, but you need a name. When I first saw you, you were rolling along curled in a ball, which left a deep impression. I'll call you Gungun."

He didn't know if the little creature could understand him. Zhao Azhu stroked Gungun's soft fur. "Gungun, get better soon."

That way, he could feel reassured about going down the mountain.

The Bamboo Bear Demon, snatched away right after it was born, had never had a name of its own. It never expected to receive one today: Gungun.

Although the name was a bit strange, on the day it was badly wounded by the demon hunter, it could still roll around in the end, battling that giant snake for a long time. It had been really brave and tough.

Gungun really liked this name. Gungun's signature move was rolling!

With a name, the Bamboo Bear's spirits rose considerably.

Late at night, Zhao Azhu slept soundly, holding Gungun.

The little creature was not only soft but also warm.

Meanwhile, Gungun fell into a nightmare.

It originally belonged to a clan of Bamboo Bear Demons living in another deep mountain. However, because their flesh and blood had various effects, their eyes, if eaten, could allow one to see ghosts, could intimidate others, and could restore sight to the blind.

Their fur was impervious to blades; wearing it even on the coldest days would feel as warm as spring.

Eating their paws daily could grant immense strength and the ability to travel a thousand miles in a day.

Eating their meat daily could prolong life, and drinking their blood daily could cure all illnesses...

These were all things humans summarized after its clansmen were eaten. Their entire bodies were treasures, useful only to humans. For other demons, aside from consuming their demon cores, no other part was beneficial.

However, humans could not eat their demon cores; they would turn into demons. Precisely because of this, the immense utility attracted many demon hunters to hunt Bamboo Bear Demons and sell them to those in need.

As long as the demon core was intact, a Bamboo Bear Demon remained fully aware, feeling itself being skinned and eaten alive.

Within the Bamboo Bear Demon clan, memories could be shared and skills inherited.

Gungun knew all this from birth. It also knew that their clan's territory had been attacked by humans time and again, forcing them to be constantly on the run.

It was born on the path of escape and was captured by a demon hunter. When other hunters tried to snatch it during the journey, it seized the chance and escaped into this mountain.

Because of a bloodline covenant inherited by their clan, they possessed powerful demonic power without needing to cultivate. At the same time, they were restricted by this covenant: they could never actively harm humans.

In the ancestral memories, their clan survived under the protection of a human leader and thus made a bloodline covenant with him, resulting in this restriction.

Cunning humans always took advantage of the Bamboo Bear Demons' kind nature, faking injuries to ask for help, only to reveal their true faces and harm them.

Gungun gritted its teeth, thinking fiercely that it would be the first Bamboo Bear in its clan to not trust humans!

Humans were all particularly bad things!

In the nightmare, little Gungun "watched" its clansmen being skinned and butchered, made into dishes served on the tables of the wealthy, over and over again.

It trembled violently, shaking Zhao Azhu awake.

"Gungun?" Zhao Azhu was very worried. Holding Gungun, he asked softly, "Gungun, does your wound hurt? Or are you having a nightmare? Gungun, wake up..."

Gungun woke up, opening its eyes dazedly. Its first reaction was relief that it was just a dream—in the end, it had dreamed of being eaten itself.

When it saw the look of surprise on Zhao Azhu's face, Gungun widened its eyes and raised a paw to cover them.

The eyes of bamboo bears are black, but those of bamboo bear demons are golden. Even using their demonic power to transform can't hide it.

So, demon hunters can easily tell if something is a demon.

All demons are incapable of changing their eye color.

Unless...

Gungun was afraid its demon identity would be exposed, and this human would surely kill it and eat it.

It was aggravating that it now had no demonic power at all and was badly injured. Even against such a weak human, it couldn't put up a fight.

It hoped that if it covered its eyes, this human wouldn't see them...

But Gungun's prayers failed.

Zhao Azhu moved the furry paw aside, looking surprised, his voice full of delighted amazement at the golden eyes. "Wow! Gungun, your eyes are so beautiful! They're gold—how are they so pretty? What kind of animal are you? A golden-eyed black-and-white bear?"

Hearing Zhao Azhu say an animal name it didn't know, Gungun was stunned at first.

Realizing Zhao Azhu was complimenting its demon eyes for being beautiful, Gungun's ears twitched uncontrollably.

"Jiji jiji jiji~"

Really, even if you praise me, I won't be happy~

"Gungun, are you talking to me? I don't understand, hahahahaha."

Zhao Azhu couldn't understand, but that didn't dampen his happiness. These past two days with no one to talk to had really made him feel cooped up.

Gungun bleated a couple more times. It didn't have any demonic power right now and couldn't make humans understand its language.

Just three more days; once it had recovered a little, it would be okay.

Later that night, Zhao Azhu copied his mother, gently patting Gungun to sleep and even humming lullabies to it.

Perhaps these things worked, as Gungun didn't have any more nightmares for the rest of the night.

In the following days, Zhao Azhu searched for medicine for Gungun while also looking for a way out of the forest.

For some reason, the mist in the thick forest grew heavier, reaching the point where you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face. Only around the cave could you see clearly.

Gungun's spirits got better and better, and its wounds began to scab over.

Zhao Azhu learned that Gungun loved eating bamboo. Even though it was just a little furball, it could sit on the ground and finish three eight-foot-long bamboo stalks.

It was a mystery how such a little belly could hold so much bamboo.

Gungun was very happy these past few days.

Because it wasn't alone anymore; a weak human was keeping it company.

Every day, the human talked to it a bunch, and even when it didn't answer, he kept on talking.

From the human's words, Gungun learned what a village was like, what a town was like, what a mother was like, what Chunsheng was like, what Yueya was like, and what the villagers were like.

In Gungun's mind, it pictured each person. They all looked like Zhao Azhu, just with different names.

From birth until now, it had only met one good person: Zhao Azhu.

But Gungun noticed the human's mood sinking lower and lower; he talked less and less.

He stopped eating his favorite peaches and didn't even drink water.

Every day, he stared out from the cave into the distance. Late at night, he would hold Gungun and cry, saying he missed his mother and home.

Gungun felt a weight in its heart.

Demons don't have tears.

But it missed its mother and its clan too.

But they were all dead.

Gungun decided to send the human away.

After all, human lives are short. Even if he stayed to keep it company, he'd die before long.

The day Zhao Azhu woke up, he suddenly noticed the mist outside the cave had dissipated considerably.

Overjoyed, he said to Gungun, "I'm going to look for the way home."

Gungun lacked enthusiasm, drooping its head listlessly.

Thinking about parting with Gungun, Zhao Azhu also felt sad.

The companionship of these past few days was real; he truly couldn't bear to leave Gungun.

But bears grow up. If he took Gungun down the mountain, Gungun might instead get hurt.

He could only pat Gungun's round head. "Gungun, after I go down the mountain and see my mother, I'll come back to visit you when I have the chance, okay?"

Gungun felt a bit happy and twitched its ears.

It held back again and again but couldn't resist bleating once.

Zhao Azhu knew this meant Gungun was happy.

He picked fresh peaches for Gungun, placed some more in the bamboo basket, and waved goodbye.

Gungun stood with its paws clinging to the side of the cave, watching Zhao Azhu leave with teary eyes.

Seeing Gungun look at him like that, Zhao Azhu also started crying.

But he had to go. Finally, gritting his teeth, he turned and waved, tears falling to the ground. "Gungun, I will definitely come back to see you! Sleep well, eat well, don't get hurt again, and don't get eaten by snakes! Next time I come, I'll bring you meat pies my mother makes!"

Gungun wiped its tears with its paws, howling "Ao ao ao~".

It could now use demonic power to speak with humans.

But it didn't dare.

It feared Zhao Azhu would be afraid of it and never come back to find it.

Human, don't forget Gungun. Come see Gungun.

The mist in the dense forest slowly dissipated with Zhao Azhu's steps. Where he passed, the mist quickly gathered again.

The cave without Zhao Azhu was cold, uncomfortable, and made the heart feel heavy.

Gungun lay sprawled limply on the stone bed, its little belly rising and falling gently. Two days had passed, and it was still teary-eyed.

Azhu must have already gone down the mountain and returned home. How long does it take for his mother to make meat pies? Why hasn’t he come up the mountain to see Gungun yet?

Has he already forgotten me?

Then again, human memory is terrible. They don’t remember what happened to their ancestors, nor do they remember what happened in their past lives.

Not like us Bamboo Bear Demons, who remember everything.

Suddenly, Gungun’s ears twitched.

Someone was approaching the cave.

A familiar scent.

A human! It’s Azhu!

Azhu brought meat pies to see Gungun!

Gungun happily rolled around several times, then nimbly climbed up the peach tree to pick the biggest, sweetest peaches from the very top.

Before, when Azhu was here, he would always pick peaches for Gungun to eat.

Today, since Azhu has returned, Gungun will pick the most delicious peaches for him.

Gungun never washes peaches before eating them, but for Azhu, it must wash them.

It clumsily washed the peaches with its paws, careful so as not to scratch the skins with its claws. It then neatly arranged the washed peaches on a leaf.

Gungun expectantly hugged three peaches and sat at the cave entrance, waiting.

"Azhu!"

In its excitement, Gungun spoke using its demonic power.

Realizing it had spoken, Gungun immediately covered its mouth and stole a glance at Zhao Azhu’s reaction.

Zhao Azhu showed no reaction.

When Gungun got a clear look at Zhao Azhu, its pupils contracted sharply.

The person approaching was less like Zhao Azhu and more like his spirit form.

"Finally found this Bamboo Bear Demon!"

Three people followed closely behind, holding copper coin swords, carrying peach wood swords on their backs, red threads wrapped around their bodies, and talisman paper tied at their waists.

Demon hunters!

Gungun immediately shielded Zhao Azhu, releasing its demonic power toward the demon hunters.

"You killed Azhu!"

The lead demon hunter said, "If we didn’t kill him, how could we capture his soul to lead the way?"

Gungun roared, "You know how to search memories! Why did you have to kill him?!"

The demon hunters were taken aback, then looked incredulous. "First time we’ve seen a human and a demon protecting each other. We told him you were a demon, that we were here to capture you and rid the people of a scourge. But he still refused to cooperate and tried to run. You should know that this technique requires cooperation; otherwise, the memories searched might be flawed. We don’t want to be misled."

When Gungun heard that Zhao Azhu, even after learning it was a demon, hadn’t tried to eliminate it but instead wanted to protect it, it stood frozen, unsure how to react.

Zhao Azhu was the most foolish human.

Gungun thought this with certainty as it cried.

The demon hunters took the initiative to attack. A Bamboo Bear Demon was a treasure trove from head to toe; dead or alive, it could be exchanged for a fortune in gold.

They might even be granted an official title!!!

They had been tracking this Bamboo Bear Demon for a long time and had finally caught its trail. If not for that child appearing, they wouldn’t have found it.

No matter what, they couldn’t let it escape this time!

Gungun’s injuries had healed, and its demonic power had mostly recovered.

But it was still not fully grown, and its demonic power wasn’t at its peak. Dealing with three demon hunters with years of experience was truly challenging.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been severely injured last time.

As the two sides were locked in a stalemate, one of the demon hunters suddenly said, "Bamboo Bear Demon, if you don’t surrender obediently, I’ll scatter that boy’s soul, ensuring he never reincarnates again."

Gungun’s demonic power faltered, and it nervously looked at Zhao Azhu’s restrained spirit.

It diverted half of its demonic power to protect Zhao Azhu’s spirit and engaged the demon hunters in battle once more.

This time, it was clearly at a disadvantage.

After who knows how many talisman burns and copper sword stabs, the body that Zhao Azhu had so carefully nurtured for Gungun was once again riddled with wounds.

Gungun was already powerless to fight back, but it didn’t touch the half of its demonic power protecting Zhao Azhu’s spirit.

Just as the copper coin sword was about to pierce its demon core, a horsetail whisk flew in and knocked the sword away.

Startled by the sudden turn of events, the three demon hunters quickly turned around to see a young Taoist priest catching the whisk, frowning as he looked at the scene.

The lead demon hunter eyed him warily. "Fellow practitioner, are you here to pick peaches? That’s not very honorable."

The young Taoist priest performed a hand gesture in greeting. "This humble priest was entrusted by Liu Lihua, a villager at the foot of the mountain, to come up the mountain to search for her only son."

The priest’s gaze fell on the spirit wrapped in demonic power not far away, whose appearance and build resembled that of the missing child.

"You killed him and captured his soul?"

The demon hunters knew the Taoist priest before them possessed greater magical power than all three of them combined.

Since he wasn’t here to snatch the Bamboo Bear Demon, things were easier to explain. The lead demon hunter said, "It wasn’t us. It was the Bamboo Bear Demon who killed him. It wanted to possess this human’s body, so we came to slay the demon. That spirit is still wrapped in demonic power. Demons are cunning, feeding on human flesh and blood. It’s hardly likely a demon would wrap a spirit to save a person."

Gungun was furious. "It was you who killed Azhu!"

The demon hunters showed no fear at Gungun speaking. Instead, they said to the young Taoist priest, "Demons always deceive people and tell endless lies. A demon’s words are the least trustworthy."

The young Taoist priest nodded. The three demon hunters were overjoyed at this, while Gungun glared at them angrily.

Unexpectedly, the priest then said, "Since both sides have their own claims, let the victim speak for himself."

In the blink of an eye, before the three demon hunters could react, the demonic power and restraints on the spirit vanished completely.

Zhao Azhu’s soul regained consciousness, and he remembered everything he had seen and heard while bound. He immediately rushed over to Gungun.

Seeing Gungun lying in a pool of blood, he was heartbroken but couldn't cry.

"Gungun, are you in pain?" Zhao Azhu wanted to check the wounds, but his hand passed right through them. Only then did he realize he was already dead.

He couldn't touch Gungun, nor see his mother.

"Gungun, I guess I can't heal your wounds anymore..." Zhao Azhu was distraught, still unable to believe he was dead.

But the reality was clear.

The three demon hunters never expected this Taoist to be so powerful that he could break a soul-binding spell without harming the soul itself. Only one or two people in the world possessed such ability.

What bad luck to run into him.

The three of them planned to take Gungun and flee while unnoticed, but the young Taoist used a spell to freeze them in place.

Gungun's wounds were healed by the Taoist's magic, and the half of its demonic power was returned.

"You're a Taoist, aren't you supposed to hunt demons?" Gungun asked curiously.

Zhao Azhu floated over to shield Gungun and said nervously to the Taoist, "Taoist Master, even if Gungun's a demon, he's a good demon. He's just a little thing; he has nightmares when he sleeps, gets chased out of his own home, and even snakes bully him. He's really not bad at all—he doesn't even like meat, he just likes to munch on bamboo, sleep in his cave, or bask in the sun. Please don't kill him..."

The Taoist gave a faint smile and shook his head. "I only hunt evil demons."

Then he looked at the equally anxious black-and-white ball of fur. "But Gungun is a good demon."

Gungun wiggled its ears and let out a soft bleat—"Mie, mie, mie~"

Knowing the Taoist wouldn't harm Gungun, Zhao Azhu was relieved.

He began to feel dizzy, his spirit growing increasingly transparent. He’d held on despite the discomfort before, but now he couldn't hold on any longer.

Gungun worriedly asked Zhao Azhu what was wrong. Seeing this, the Taoist sighed. "His soul left his body but didn't follow the ghost guards to the underworld. Instead, it remained in the world of the living. Now he's reached his limit and must be sent to the underworld immediately, or he'll vanish between heaven and earth, never to enter the underworld or reincarnate."

"I can help send you to the underworld, but you won't get to see your mother one last time."

Zhao Azhu understood what the Taoist meant.

There was no time left.

After a moment of thought, Zhao Azhu accepted this outcome.

He asked the Taoist, "Taoist Master, I just heard the demon hunters say that demons can take over human bodies. Can Gungun use mine?"

Then he said to Gungun, "Gungun, if it's possible, could you pretend to be me and say goodbye to my mother? Tell her I've gone with the Taoist to study a skill, okay?"

"Azhu, I'll do whatever you ask," Gungun said tearfully.

The young Taoist watched the human and the demon, flicking his horsetail whisk.

"It is possible."

Zhao Azhu was sent off to the underworld. As the final golden light faded, Gungun could no longer see him at all.

Holding the large peach it had picked for Zhao Azhu, Gungun sobbed so hard it nearly passed out.

Demons can't cry tears; what streamed from its eyes was its demonic power.

"If you keep crying, you'll drain your demonic power."

Gungun sniffled, "But I can't stop. I miss Azhu."

It looked down at the peach. "The tastiest peach Gungun ever picked, and Azhu never got to eat it."

The Taoist sighed softly, giving the little furball time to grieve.

He went into the mountains and found Zhao Azhu's body. After two days, the corpse had suffered some damage, but it wasn't an issue.

When he returned, Gungun had stopped crying—not because it had calmed down, but because it had cried all its demonic power away.

The Taoist had no choice but to feed Gungun a restorative pill. Gungun quickly regained a bit of its demonic power.

Seeing it start to cry again, the Taoist hurriedly said, "That pill to restore your demonic power is the only one left. You can't enter Zhao Azhu's body without demonic power."

Gungun held back its tears—or rather, its demonic power—and nodded hard.

Entering a human body for the first time, Gungun felt strange. But remembering this was Azhu's body, it gently stroked it with care.

After using magic to help Gungun enter Zhao Azhu's body, the Taoist tried to conceal Gungun's demonic pupils.

But when he saw Gungun's eyes clearly, he was taken aback for a moment.

Gungun's eyes were black.

The color of a human's eyes.

He recalled his master once saying that demons could disguise themselves flawlessly.

The only way was for a human to willingly surrender their body.

Taking over a corpse after death wouldn't work, as residual energy from the original soul remained in the body until it became skeletal.

This residual energy carried the will of the original soul. Even a hint of reluctance would fail to conceal the demon's golden pupils.

The fact that Gungun's demonic pupils were completely concealed could only mean Zhao Azhu had truly wanted Gungun to enter his body.

If a demon forcibly possessed a human body, even with demonic power maintaining it, the body would last at most a year.

But a body willingly given wouldn't decay and would even age and grow normally.

This meant Gungun could live like a human until the body died of old age, after which it could revert to its demon form.

And demonic power could significantly slow aging.

When Gungun realized Zhao Azhu had willingly given his body, it cried again.

This time, what flowed wasn't demonic power but tears.

Experiencing human tears for the first time, Gungun cried while catching them with its hands.

"Aunt Lihua! The Taoist found your son Azhu in the mountains! Azhu is back!"

Hearing the commotion, Liu Lihua struggled to get up from her bed, her face pale but hopeful as she looked outside.

A neighbor who had been keeping her company by the window helped her up. Before she could get out of bed, someone burst in from outside.

Having entered the body, the residual energy imparted the soul's memories to Gungun. Gungun now knew everything about Zhao Azhu, from his childhood on.

Liu Lihua looked at Azhu not far away, dazed for a long time, before tears finally streamed down her face as she responded, "Yes, dear."

Gungun didn't do as Zhao Azhu had said—to make an excuse and leave after telling his mother. He lived in the village for forty years, until Liu Lihua passed away and was buried.

Knowing her life was nearing its end, Liu Lihua called Gungun over and gazed at him with deep affection.

Gungun couldn't bear to part with Liu Lihua. Though nearly fifty years old, his eyes were puffy and red from crying.

"Azhu, after Mother is gone, remember to eat on time every day. Wear warm clothes when it's cold; don't say you're not cold while wearing light clothing. I've made many of the bamboo shoot dumplings you love. It's cold now, so they'll keep for a while. Remember to eat them before they spoil."

Gungun sobbed uncontrollably. Due to his demonic power, his appearance hadn't aged past twenty, even though he was nearly fifty.

People in the village thought he had obtained some miraculous elixir from a powerful Taoist priest years ago, and they couldn't stop talking about Zhao Azhu's extraordinary encounter in the mountains.

"Mother, Azhu can't bear to let you go."

Liu Lihua raised her hand to stroke Gungun's head and softly asked the question she had wanted to ask for over forty years: "Azhu, what is your name?"

Forty years ago, her son went up the mountain and didn't return for days. Coincidentally, a highly skilled Taoist priest was traveling through the area, and she begged him to save her son.

Later, her son returned.

The sky was so clear that day. Her son stood under the window, sunlight spilling over him, looking awkward and uneasy.

Even though the appearance was identical, she recognized at a glance that this was not her son.

At that time, she wanted to expose him, to demand where her real son had gone.

But facing those large, innocent eyes and the child's nervous, hopeful expression, Liu Lihua found she couldn't utter the words.

In the end, she still answered to that call of "Mother."

Later, through careful probing, she pieced together the truth from her new son's words.

This child was naive and honest, completely unguarded against others.

Learning of her son's death, Liu Lihua wept for a long time.

She also understood what Azhu meant—for her to live well.

But after forty years of companionship, she had long come to regard this child before her as her own son. At the moment of parting, she was filled with reluctance.

Gungun hadn't expected his identity to have been discovered by Mother all along. Choking up, he said, "Gungun. Mother, my name is Gungun. It's the name Azhu gave me because I'm really good at rolling."

Liu Lihua smiled. "Gungun, a good name."

"Gungun, Mother is going to find Azhu and Azhu's father now. You must live well on your own from now on, okay?"

"I understand, I understand, Mother."

Gungun lost his mother at birth, and decades later, he lost a mother again.

After Gungun buried Liu Lihua, the Taoist priest from back then arrived.

He was still as young as before, though his eyes now held much more weariness.

"Gungun, would you like to cultivate the Dao with this humble priest?"

Gungun asked him, "How long can you live, Priest?"

The priest thought for a moment and said, "Probably a very, very long time."

"Alright."

Gungun followed the priest away. On the journey, he asked the priest, "Priest, I smell my own kind on you."

The priest's eyes grew desolate, and he said with difficulty, "I had a dear friend, a Bamboo Bear Demon. To save me, it gave me its demon core."

Gungun understood.

Bamboo Bear Demons were treasures from head to toe; even their demon cores, which humans couldn't normally consume, were precious.

If they willingly gave their core to save someone, that demon core could grant the person immortality, freedom from illness and disaster, and a demon's lifespan.

After the entire performance of *Catching Demons* concluded, the stage was filled with the sound of crying.

The actors were so immersed in their roles that they couldn't break free for a long time, crying even harder than when they had listened to Shen Yuan read the story.

Shen Yuan boiled water, added honey to it, and distributed it to everyone to soothe their throats and taste something sweet, hoping to lift their spirits a little.

Feng Xiaoqi played Zhao Azhu, and the role of Gungun was played by his younger sister, Feng Xiaomei.

The child was only five years old, yet her acting was remarkably vivid.

Once before, when Feng Xiaomei came to the theater to find Feng Xiaoqi, Shen Yuan noticed the child standing below the stage, mimicking the movements and expressions of the actors rehearsing above with perfect accuracy—a natural-born performer!

Discovering this young acting talent, Shen Yuan immediately asked Feng Xiaomei if she'd like to act.

Feng Xiaomei didn't really know what acting was, but she knew that her brother's acting had allowed the whole family to eat.

She also wanted the whole family to be able to eat, so she nodded without hesitation.

Shen Yuan, of course, also consulted Feng Xiaomei's older brothers and sisters. Only after they all agreed did he sign Feng Xiaomei.

Feng Xiaomei was still wearing the panda costume made by the props department, her headpiece removed to reveal her adorable little face.

The child, her eyes and nose red from crying, was being held by her brother, who was also wailing loudly.

The deep bond transcended the stage; Feng Xiaoqi and his sister were crying so hard they were nearly fainting.

Shen Yuan stood by with honey water, comforting the two children, wiping their tears and calming them down.

He told them the performance was over, and in reality, everyone was safe and sound.

After patiently comforting them for a good while, the two children slowly stopped sobbing. Shen Yuan suggested everyone take some more time to settle their emotions, scheduling the next rehearsal for two days later.