Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Shen Yuan sent Shen Liushu back to Qingyun County—Shen Yushu needed to be given a proper burial.

Shen Liushu couldn’t refuse, so he could only repeatedly assure Shen Yuan that he would return to Youyang as soon as possible.

Shen Yuan advised, “There’s no need to hurry. Being hasty can easily cause problems. Liushu, I can’t accompany you back, so you must be careful in everything. See to your elder brother’s funeral arrangements properly.”

Aware of Shen Yuan’s concern, Shen Liushu nodded seriously.

“I understand, Brother Yuan.”

Since Shen Liushu was going back, Shen Yuan decided to send Xu Qingxuan back with him as well.

Having two people on the road meant they could keep each other company. He was genuinely worried about Shen Liushu’s state of mind; with Xu Qingxuan around, if anything really happened, there would be someone to handle the situation.

He had luggage prepared for both of them and gave them some money for the journey.

He specifically instructed Xu Qingxuan to keep an eye on Shen Liushu’s condition.

He told them not to rush back before the New Year; returning afterward would be fine.

The round trip would take a lot of time, and going home was no small journey.

The two bid farewell to Shen Yuan. Even though only two people had left, the Shen family courtyard suddenly felt much emptier.

In the evening, Shen Ye came home for dinner. He now ate dinner at home every day and occasionally stayed overnight.

If not for his concern that ill-intentioned people might use his identity to attack Shen Yuan, Shen Ye would have really liked to live with his family.

He didn’t know if he could fulfill this wish in this lifetime.

During dinner, Shen Yuan noticed Shen Ye wasn’t in high spirits. “What’s wrong, Little Uncle? Today you only ate two pieces of your favorite braised pork.”

Shen Ye seemed to realize he had eaten less than usual. He picked up a piece with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth, sighing. “Little Black seems to be sick. It’s been staying in its jar for three days, not coming out and not eating. I don’t know how to treat it… It’s uncomfortable, and I feel listless too, like I can't seem to feel happy.”

Gu worms were inherently peculiar, and Little Black was an even more peculiar specimen among them.

Shen Yuan could sense that Little Black was very intelligent, like a small animal that had been raised for a long time and could understand its owner’s words.

Not only could Little Black understand, but it could also fully cooperate and even perform very well.

To put it mysteriously, it felt like there was a mental connection with his little uncle.

Shen Yuan could understand Shen Ye’s sadness over his beloved pet being sick, but he was also somewhat worried…

“How is your body, Little Uncle? Do you feel uncomfortable or in pain anywhere?”

In his previous life, he had heard some sayings about gu worms, though he didn’t know if they were true or false; some even only appeared in works of fiction.

But when it concerned his family, Shen Yuan had to be cautious.

He was afraid that his little uncle’s gu worm was connected to his life force—that their fates were intertwined, living and dying together.

Shen Ye was stunned.

He pressed his hand against his chest and fell silent.

Originally, he thought he was just worried about Little Black, so he attributed the tightness in his chest to excessive worry.

But his eldest nephew’s words reminded him.

At first, his chest had felt tight and suffocating, but later, a dull ache had slowly developed.

It felt like a very slight twinge of pain, but it was completely bearable. When his attention was fully elsewhere, he could even briefly ignore it.

This had led him to largely ignore the sensation.

Shen Ye truthfully described his physical reactions, making Shen Yuan even more worried.

Beside them, Shen Anniang said anxiously, “Xiao Ye, you must see a doctor.”

It wasn’t convenient for Shen Ye to go to a clinic, so they invited a doctor to the house.

Shen Yuan was also worried about any unforeseen circumstances, so he asked the servant Xie Yulin had arranged in the courtyard to go to the Xie residence and borrow a doctor from him.

Having more capable doctors consult together would be more reassuring.

The doctor Xie Yulin privately employed and the old doctor the Shen family invited arrived at the same time.

Xie Yulin also came along.

Shen Anniang’s mind was entirely on Shen Ye’s health. She greeted Xie Yulin but didn’t dwell on why the busy Prime Minister, who handled countless affairs daily, had personally come along just to help with a doctor.

The three children followed Shen Anniang, gathering around their little uncle, and had no thought to spare for Xie Yulin.

Shen Ye, however, stared at Xie Yulin for a while. Finally, out of consideration for Shen Yuan, he gave a slight roll of his eyes and looked away.

The Shen family had invited two doctors, both famous in the eastern city.

Xie Yulin brought only one, but someone who could work under him undoubtedly had exceptional ability.

Seizing a moment when no one was looking, Xie Yulin held Shen Yuan’s hand and whispered reassuringly, “You Country has many poisonous creatures, and the royal family is particularly skilled with gu. Tan Lao taught medicine to the You Country royal family, and they also taught Tan Lao about gu worms and poisons. With Tan Lao here, your little uncle will be fine.”

Even if Tan Lao couldn’t handle it, Xie Yulin could find more capable people to examine Shen Ye.

But it was better not to tell Shen Yuan about this now, fearing it would only make him more anxious.

Shen Yuan nodded slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Shen Ye.

Inside the room, the three doctors each took pulses and conducted examinations. The expressions of all three turned rather grim.

Shen Ye, who originally hadn’t taken it seriously, felt his heart sink when he saw their expressions—they tried to hide it, but couldn’t completely conceal their concern.

No way, could he really be so unlucky as to have something wrong with his body?

When luck is bad, even drinking cold water can get stuck between your teeth.

Shen Ye was truly unlucky.

The two doctors from the eastern city only diagnosed that he showed signs of being poisoned by a gu and needed to detoxify.

Based on their diagnosis, the two prescribed medicine. Shen Yuan gave them silver and had someone see them out.

The doctor Xie Yulin brought, Tan Lao, indeed had some understanding of gu worms. After the two doctors left and the servants in the room were dismissed, he asked Shen Ye, “May this old man take a look at that gu worm?”

Always, wherever Shen Ye went, Little Black was there too.

When the doctor asked, Shen Ye reached into his robe and gently took out a small box. He didn't feel comfortable handing it over to Tan Lao, fearing that Little Black might detect a stranger's scent and attack to protect him.

"Little Black is skittish around strangers. I'll open it—please stand back a bit, doctor."

Tan Lao did as he was told.

Carefully opening the box, Shen Ye revealed Little Black curled up inside. When exposed to the light, it raised its tail warily toward Tan Lao.

"Don't be afraid, Little Black. That's the doctor here to check on us." As he spoke, Shen Ye stroked Little Black's shiny, oiled shell with his finger. Only then did Little Black curl its tail tip around Shen Ye's finger and go back to lying still lazily.

Shen Ye lifted his hand, allowing Tan Lao to approach and examine Little Black coiled around his finger.

The moment Tan Lao saw Little Black, his eyes lit up.

A Gu worm this intelligent—he had never seen anything like it, even in You Country.

However, You Country had many Gu worms, including a sacred breeding ground dedicated to raising them. That place was off-limits to everyone except the royal family, and within it were forbidden zones accessible only to each reigning emperor.

Though he had seen much, there was still more he hadn't encountered.

Tan Lao had never seen such a spiritually attuned Gu worm, but he had indeed encountered many ordinary ones.

Considering the situation, Tan Lao cleared his throat softly, his tone reassuring. "You needn't worry overly much. This Gu worm is simply in heat. The two physicians detected signs of Gu poisoning likely because they felt the worm's life force linked to yours in the pulse. Without knowing the specifics, the pulse can closely resemble that of someone poisoned by a Gu."

Hearing that Little Black was in heat didn't seem like a major issue.

Shen Ye quickly pressed further, "Little Black has never been like this before. Do worms go into heat too?"

"Based on my observations in You Country, some Gu worms do, while others don't. It seems related to the method of raising them, which is a secret technique of You Country and not shared externally. I don't know the specifics. You mentioned the worm has never been like this before—it likely only reached maturity this year. To put it simply, in previous years, this Gu worm was like an unknowing child. This year, it has grown up."

After hearing Tan Lao's explanation, Shen Ye grasped the situation, but it wasn't a solution for Little Black to remain so listless, and he was indeed experiencing physical changes as a result.

"If Little Black's heat is resolved, will the slight pain in my chest disappear?"

"To resolve a Gu worm's heat, it must mate with a Gu worm of the same species and similar rank. Otherwise, a lower-rank Gu worm would be devoured by it, or it would be devoured by a higher-rank one. If the species differ, mating is impossible."

Shen Ye only knew that Little Black somewhat resembled a scorpion, especially in its tail, but other parts were quite different. More importantly, even without understanding Gu worms, he could tell that a Gu worm like Little Black wouldn't be low-ranked.

Finding one was already rare enough—finding another, with gender requirements as well...

It seemed nearly impossible.

"There must be a time limit, right? It's been like this for several days, and finding a suitable match is likely difficult. Could we use herbs to alleviate or resolve Little Black's heat instead of finding a compatible Gu worm?"

Shen Ye thought that being in heat felt similar to being under the influence of an aphrodisiac, so taking an antidote should help. The main issue was that while he didn't understand Gu worms, he understood Little Black. In the short term, even if Xie Yulin intervened, finding a second Little Black would be impossible.

"There is indeed a time limit." Tan Lao fell into an awkward silence for a moment before lowering his head and speaking quickly. "I once saw a case in You Country where the owner of a Gu worm couldn't find a suitable mate during its heat. In the final three days of the heat, the owner, connected by life force to the worm, was also driven into heat."

The Shen family members, who had been too afraid to speak much, all gasped in shock.

"Doctor, what should my uncle do then? Will medicine work?" Shen Yuan asked anxiously.

Shen Anniang also understood—the idea of a person experiencing the same reactions and sensations as a worm was truly horrifying. Following Shen Yuan's question, she pressed further, "Will it harm my brother's body?"

Shen Dong and the others only let out a shocked "ah," afraid that speaking too much might disturb the doctor, so they didn't ask anything.

As for Shen Ye, the person involved, he felt as if his ears had gone deaf.

He also thought quack doctors misled people.

Listen, just listen to what was being said!

Him, a human, going into heat?

Was that even reasonable?

Obviously not.

Shen Ye was so amused by the absurdity he almost laughed.

Shen Xi whispered to Shen Dong beside him, "Second Brother, Uncle seems to be losing his mind."

"Third Brother, do not speak carelessly of elders," Shen Dong corrected his brother's behavior with a stern tone.

Shen Xi covered his mouth, thinking how his second brother had grown more rigid with age.

Tan Lao spoke up, and everyone fell silent, afraid of missing a single word.

"It is possible, but based on my understanding, the stronger the Gu worm, the more intense the owner's sensations will be. Medicine can suppress it to some extent, but at most, it can only suppress half. The other half must be endured through willpower, or..."

Tan Lao's pause made the Shen family's hearts clench.

They wanted him to speak faster but were also afraid of hearing something horrifying.

"For humans, finding someone to resolve it directly is an option. However..."

"However what? Doctor, just say it outright. Your pauses are making me even more afraid."

Shen Ye wanted a quick death, not a slow, torturous one, so Tan Lao obliged. "As I mentioned earlier, the owner connected by life force will share the Gu worm's sensations. After careful examination, while I cannot confirm other details, I can confirm that the Gu worm in your hands is a female Gu. Only a female Gu can form a life force connection. Male Gu cannot. In You Country, after the owner forms a life force connection with a female Gu, any male Gu raised will obey the female Gu's commands. Therefore, if you seek someone to resolve this, I'm afraid it cannot be a woman."

While Shen Ye's mind went blank, Shen Anniang exclaimed in shock, "Not a woman? Does that mean it has to be a man? How can that be? Absolutely not!"

If word got out, how could her brother ever marry and have children? It would also be deeply unfair to any woman who married him.

Shen Anniang was frantic with worry, fearing even more that because of this, her brother might never be able to marry.

Seeing his sister on the verge of tears, Shen Ye glanced subtly at Xie Yulin and immediately spoke up. "It's alright, Sister. The doctor said I can rely on willpower to endure it. I'll endure it, that's all."

"But what about the future? Will you endure it every time? What if..." What if he couldn't endure it? Shen Anniang was deeply troubled.

Tan Lao said, "If the Gu worm's heat remains unresolved, it will die after the third cycle. The owner connected by life force will face life-threatening danger but can survive, though their body will suffer significant damage and require daily medicinal tonics for recovery. Alternatively, if they can bind with a Gu worm of the same rank, this disaster can be avoided."

Compared to the threat to his life, other issues seemed less significant.

Shen Anniang stopped thinking about Shen Ye's future marriage and children, her mind now filled with the fear that Shen Ye's life was in danger.

What could be done?

At that moment, Xie Yulin, who had been so quiet he seemed almost invisible, spoke up. "I will order a search for Gu worms within You Country. For now, Shen Ye's health is entrusted to your care."

The first sentence was addressed to Shen Yuan.

The second was directed at Tan Lao.

Tan Lao immediately responded, "If the search is conducted in You Country, the chances of finding either a mating partner or a Gu worm for rebinding are much higher than elsewhere. Rest assured, Lord. Until a suitable Gu worm is found to resolve this, I will do everything in my power to care for this young man's health. Even without a Gu worm, I can ensure his survival."

The odds are better, but only compared to other places. However, no matter what, his life isn't in danger; he'll just suffer.

Looking at it this way, it's still best if a Gu Worm can be found.

Shen Anniang wiped the tears from her eyes and profusely thanked Old Tan.

Shen Yuan also whispered to Xie Yulin, "Thank you."

Xie Yulin hid his hand under his wide sleeve to pinch Shen Yuan’s, applying some force. It hurt, making Shen Yuan stare at him, his eyes asking why he was being pinched.

"When did A-Yuan become so distant with me? Wanting to cut ties now is impossible," Xie Yulin said softly.

Shen Yuan didn't speak.

He knew it was his aunt's attitude that had made Xie Yulin feel uneasy.

His fingertip slipped into Xie Yulin's glove, the warm tip of his finger touching the slightly cool back of Xie Yulin's hand. Shen Yuan traced the path of the tendons, pressing down playfully.

This made Xie Yulin try to pull his hand back, but Shen Yuan anticipated it and firmly grasped it.

Xie Yulin whispered, "Aren't you afraid of being discovered? Your family is all here."

Shen Yuan smiled. "Xie Yulin, I've never been afraid of being discovered. I'll respect my family's opinions, but I'll also follow my own heart. I said I'd be good to you; I didn't lie. Don't be afraid."

After a moment, Xie Yulin nodded. "Alright."

...

To make it easier to care for him and to keep Shen Ye and Shen Yuan from drawing attention, Shen Ye was taken to the Xie residence.

Jingyuan was quite spacious overall. It was an expansion, with land purchased outside the original Xie family compound. It was originally a prince's mansion, and the entire Jingyuan was larger than the Xie residence itself.

Shen Ye lived inside. If he wanted to run into Xie Yulin, it was a half-hour walk away.

Old Tan, along with two young apprentices, lived with Shen Ye in a side courtyard.

The small courtyard had medicinal herb fields and a small kitchen. Xie Yulin assigned a young servant, a maid, and a cleaning woman for their use.

The ingredients delivered to the courtyard daily were excellent and fresh. Shen Ye was eating their food and relying on their doctor and home to stay alive. He felt indebted.

Late at night, Shen Ye, smelling the medicinal fragrance, lay on the comfortable, soft bed. He stroked Little Black, whose heat symptoms were becoming increasingly severe, and sighed.

"Little Black, after this, I really can't badmouth Xie Yulin anymore. Is my nephew really going to end up completely under his thumb?"

Although his nephew said it was voluntary, that he liked him.

But Xie Yulin, from head to toe, inside and out, was full of schemes. He was truly afraid his nephew couldn't outsmart him.

Ah, but thinking about it, there was no solution.

Besides, his nephew genuinely liked him.

Shen Ye kept the window open. The wind blew in from outside, but he still felt restless and hot.

Enduring all night, when Old Tan came in the morning, Shen Ye was drenched as if he'd been pulled from water—soaked with sweat, his clothes drenched, his exposed skin visibly flushed.

Old Tan quickly had the apprentices prepare a medicinal bath and made Shen Ye drink some medicine to reduce the internal heat. People in the courtyard fetched water, boiled water, poured water, and prepared medicine, bustling for a long time before they could rest.

Shen Yuan and Shen Anniang stopped by once in the middle of it all, just when Shen Ye was taking his medicinal bath. The courtyard was a chaotic mess. They finally saw Shen Ye, unconscious after the bath, and left after thanking the people in the courtyard without waiting for him to wake up.

Old Tan said that once he woke up, it would be time for another medicinal bath.

Shen Yuan and Shen Anniang knew they couldn't help here and would only get in the way, so they just waited peacefully at the Shen home for Shen Ye to get through this ordeal.

Xie Yulin had already sent people to You Country, but it was currently in the midst of internal turmoil, so expectations regarding the Gu Worm matter couldn't be set too high.

Old Tan was preparing for both outcomes and had already begun sourcing the precious medicinal herbs that would be needed in the worst-case scenario.

Some herbs still needed to be cultivated. Shen Ye was fortunate to have been discovered early, allowing time for cultivation.

Otherwise, it would be a death sentence without medicine.

With Shen Ye's situation temporarily stable, Shen Yuan also needed to focus more on the theater.

The rehearsals for *Catching Demons* were completely finished, and preparations were being made for its first performance at the theater.

The first play, *Snow Disaster*, had been running for several months. The audience was getting tired of it, and the theater was rarely full.

Seeing the sign outside the theater announcing a new play today, the theater was once again packed in no time.

Demons—another new concept.

No one had heard of it before. It sounded interesting, probably another fresh story.

Various countries had legends about gods, ghosts, and strange tales, but they were very few.

Shen Yuan not only wrote *Catching Demons* but also compiled a small booklet. It was more detailed than the one he previously gave to Gui Qi and the others to take to North Country, containing many things he remembered from the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, as well as ghost stories from works like *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*. Shen Yuan noted these were his personal compilations. Eventually, they would all be made into booklets for sale at the Storytellers' Union.

Now, Wu Country also had writers, and Qingyun County was the place with the most writers.

Under Ji Xingwang's leadership, the Storytellers' Union in Qingyun County had already trained seven seasoned writers.

Although they weren't highly literate, precisely because of that, their use of words was very precise, making the meaning and emotion even more profound.

These weren't meant to be kept private. Shen Yuan compiled these, thinking that in the future, more and more people would write stories, and these could become sources of inspiration for creators.

He also wanted these things to be passed down through the ages here.

The booklet detailing various monsters and ghosts was placed on every table in the theater.

The audience could read it while waiting for the play.

The booklet paired images with text. Shen Yuan only drew one copy; the rest were carved and printed.

Due to technical and paper limitations, there was some smudging, but it didn't affect reading and was, in fact, quite novel.

With limited quantities, only one booklet per table, the audience at every table in the theater huddled together, sometimes gasping in surprise, sometimes exclaiming in admiration, sometimes puzzled with curiosity.

Until the brisk sound of the gong rang out, the audience reluctantly looked away from the booklets.

*Catching Demons* began.

Unlike the heavy opening of *Snow Disaster*, the opening of *Catching Demons* was more lively and boisterous.

At the Autumn Mountain Villa at the foot of Mount Ruyun, the villagers worked from sunrise to sunset. The protagonist, Zhao Azhu, was cheerful, responsible, and wise beyond his years, immediately captivating the audience. Seeing him get spanked by his mother, everyone couldn't help but laugh heartily.

Serves you right, you mischievous child.

A-Zhu's heartfelt desire to earn money and support his family was well understood by the older members of the audience. However, at such a young age, the mountains held many dangers, and this journey was likely fraught with difficulties.

Considering the play was titled *Catching Demons*, the child A-Zhu was bound to encounter legendary demons. No one knew how it would end.

The audience anticipated this, watching with bated breath.

At the slightest movement on stage, even before the actors reacted, the vigilant audience would start calling out warnings to be careful.

Until a little furry ball rolled out.

What rolled out was indeed a black-and-white ball, wrapped in dyed wool, fluffy and soft. It was skewered on a long, thin stick. The puppeteer, dressed to look like a grassy mound, crouched low to the ground, making it hard to spot him at first glance. Even if noticed, he blended so seamlessly into the stage setting that he was easily overlooked.

The puppeteer followed the action, manipulating the stick's direction. The giant snake was controlled by two other people who could move it slightly.

The audience followed A-Zhu through his escape, his turning back, and his rescue of the bamboo bear.

Just as everyone feared the two vulnerable beings would meet demons in the mountains, they discovered that the little black-and-white bamboo bear cub *was* the demon.

Just as they worried the Bamboo Bear Demon might kill A-Zhu, they were soothed by the interactions between the boy and the bear. For some reason, watching them live together in the mountains felt peaceful and comfortable, bringing an immense sense of tranquility.

If not for Mother Zhao waiting down the mountain, one might wish they could live in peace and safety in the mountains forever.

This peace was shattered when Gungun was almost fully healed; they were about to part ways.

The audience couldn't help but sigh, yet they knew descending the mountain was necessary. Even to bring his mother up to the mountain later, they had to go down first.

But no one expected things to take such a sudden turn.

So *this* was what "catching demons" meant.

In the latter half, the theater was filled with sobs. Some young men and women, unable to bear it, climbed onto the stage, standing between Gungun and A-Zhu. With red-rimmed eyes, they shouted through tears to the three demon hunters, "If you want to catch Gungun, you'll have to get through me first!"

"That's right! You can't hurt Gungun anymore! It hasn't done anything wrong!"

"They say demons eat people, but I think *people* eat demons! People are more despicable! You demon hunters are all bad people!"

At this, a demon hunter spoke: "It's true we capture the Bamboo Bear Demon to exchange for benefits from nobles. But we do this to gain resources to catch *more* demons! You people from the outside world, your world has no demons. You've never seen a mother devoured by a demon before your eyes, never seen a wife and child have their hearts and lungs torn out by demonic creatures, never seen a friend flayed and dismembered by a demon. You've never been chased by demons, never suffered their harm. That's why you can say demons are good and people are bad."

"When you are truly injured by a demon, harmed by a demon. When everyone around you has been eaten by demons, leaving none behind. If you can still remain clear-headed enough to distinguish which demons are good and which are bad, how would you even know? Are you a demon? If not, how can you know?"

"All I know is, I will slaughter every demon in this world to bring peace to the mortal realm. Therefore, even if the Bamboo Bear Demon is innocent, if its core can provide more rare materials for demon hunting, this Daoist will still kill it! After this Daoist dies, my soul may return to the Bamboo Bear Demon, letting it tear me apart without a whimper. But as long as this Daoist lives a single day, I will kill demons, sparing no cost."

"We are the same as our senior brother. We will slaughter every demon in this world to bring peace to the mortal realm!"

The youths did not know demons, had never seen them.

But they knew that if someone killed their family, especially with such cruelty, putting themselves in that position, if they had the power, they would surely demand blood for blood.

"But Gungun really is a good demon."

The demon hunter said, "Outsiders, if one day you are trapped by a demon, this Daoist will also spare no cost to capture it and save you."

Both those on stage and those off stage were stunned. Now, they could truly see from both perspectives.

And they truly understood what it meant to be caught between a rock and a hard place.

They knew the demon hunters weren't wrong, and Gungun wasn't wrong either.

It was simply that humans and demons were destined for different paths.

The people on stage eventually stepped down reluctantly, filled with guilt for not being able to save Gungun.

As the plot developed, the audience saw Gungun take A-Zhu's place. They saw Liu Lihua realize Gungun wasn't A-Zhu, yet, because of that one nervous and awkward call of "Mother," she truly became Gungun's mother for decades.

Finally, they learned that the demon core of the Bamboo Bear Demon, which seemed most useless to humans, was actually the most useful to them.

A-Zhu and Gungun. The Bamboo Bear Demon and the Daoist. Gungun and Liu Lihua.

There *was* emotion between humans and demons; they *could* coexist. It was just that both humans and demons needed absolute trust and absolute sincerity.

But how difficult are sincerity and trust? Even humans struggle with them among themselves, let alone between humans and demons.

As the story drew to a close, the audience, eyes red and voices hoarse, applauded and cheered.

In the next moment, gold, silver, and jewels were thrown onto the stage, representing the audience's recognition and love for *Catching Demons*.

"Gungun! Take good care of yourself, even as a demon."

"Buy more bamboo shoot dumplings to eat."

"A-Zhu, I'll go home and burn paper money for you, and burn some peaches for you too."

"Aunt Lihua, have you met your husband and son?"

"*The Path to Immortality* mentions a ghost realm where souls can enter reincarnation after death. May you all be reborn as one family in your next life, living peacefully until old age."

"Daoist, with Gungun by your side, you won't be lonely."

"A-Zhu!!!!!!!!"

"Slaughter every demon in the world! Bring peace to the mortal realm!"

"Who? Who's shouting nonsense?"

"Don't kill Gungun."

"The Bamboo Bear Demon is an exception!"

The theater was bustling with excitement. Shen Yuan and all the actors breathed a sigh of relief, smiles on their faces.

The first performance of *Catching Demons* was a complete success.

As per tradition, Shen Yuan gave everyone a bonus.

The actors cheered backstage, "Thank you, President!"