The glowing fluff that looks like scattered spiritual silk is the seed of the dusk grass. It absorbs some sunlight during the day and emits a faint light at night. It is very light and thin, like a hair, and can float with the wind.
This is to attract light-seeking insects and animals so that they can spread their seeds far away.
However, it will only light up when it is carried by the wind, and the lighting period is very short. After all, the amount of light that can be stored in this tiny, fluffy seed is very limited.
So when Xiao Mian was patrolling the backyard, he discovered the groups of dusk grass under the eaves, and began to plan his time, intending to bring Leng Mushi to see them.
"What is this?" Leng Mushi reached out to take it, but because the seed was too light, it kept slipping away from his palm.
"It's the sunset grass. Isn't it beautiful?" Xiao Mian said, "The last time I went down the mountain to exorcise evil spirits, the mountains there were full of this kind of grass. When the sun sets, the mountain wind blows through the forest, and the whole forest glows faintly."
Leng Mushi imagined the scene, and suddenly a soft feeling arose in her heart, as if she had inhaled the soft and thin seeds of the dusk grass, making her feel itchy and lazy.
"You asked me to come out at night just to see this." Leng Mushi looked at it for a while, and the light from the sunset grass began to fade. She also put down her hand, "Xiao Mian, are you still a child?"
Although Leng Mushi said this, her tone was very light and she even smiled.
Xiao Mian also laughed when he heard this, "There really is a persimmon tree in this yard. Come on, I'll take you to pick some!"
Leng Mushi was pulled by Xiao Mian and ran into the yard. After a while, the two of them really came under a not-so-tall persimmon tree.
"You can see that the persimmons on the top of the tree are very big," Xiao Mian said, half-bending and kneeling on one knee, crossing his hands to form a stirrup like a horse, and signaled to Leng Mushi, "You step on my hands, and I will support you to pick them."
Leng Mushi's current cultivation level is also at the middle level of the Star Heavy Grade. Although she has not learned how to fly a sword and ride the wind, she is best at light jumping and twisting, which she uses for escaping. This is what she learned through practice in the Cangsheng Academy.
There was no need for Xiao Mian to be her stool. In the dark night, Leng Mushi met Xiao Mian's doting expression and was slightly shaken. "What are you doing? It's not like I can't reach you."
As Leng Mushi spoke, she tiptoed and nimbly climbed up to the treetop, accurately grabbed the two largest persimmons, and landed in front of Xiao Mian who was half-kneeling. She raised her eyebrows and chin towards him, with a look that said, "Look, how powerful I am."
Xiao Mian was still half-kneeling. He knelt on one knee facing Leng Mushi, looking at her proud smile like a little fox. His heart seemed to be filled with dusk grass, and he wanted to say something.
Over the past year, he has successfully made Leng Mushi completely accept her and made her realize that he would not hinder her path, but would instead help her and be of benefit to her.
He would take care of her and liked to take care of her. As long as she nodded and let him stay by her side as a partner, he could do many, many things for her that she wanted him to do.
Xiao Mian believed that he had proven that he had enough time, and he had even tested it countless times. Leng Mushi was not completely without feelings for him, and her many unconscious gestures of intimacy had already gone beyond the scope of friendship.
Xiao Mian looked at the two big tomatoes carefully and handed the bigger one to Leng Mushi, thinking that tonight was a very good time to make things clear.
She couldn't avoid him when traveling together, and this was outside the mountains. He had much more experience in exorcising evil spirits and he could protect her.
"Why don't you get up? Are you addicted to kneeling?" Leng Mushi hit Xiao Mian on the forehead with a big tomato. "It's dark now. The waiter said it's not suitable to go out at night."
Leng Mushi turned her wrist and handed the big tomato to Xiao Mian, "Let's go, let's go back to the house to eat."
Xiao Mian did not stand up, nor did he take the big persimmon. Instead, he grabbed Leng Mushi's hand that was holding the persimmon, "Nianci, I have something to say..."
“Wuuuwaaa… Wuuuwaaa… Mother, mother, where are you…”
"Wuuuwaaa... Wuuuwaaa... Mother, are you safe?"
Xiao Mian's sincere words, which he had carefully prepared, were interrupted by the crying of the little boy still in his ears.
Leng Mushi was really frightened when she heard it suddenly, because the voice was indeed eerie and sharp.
The waiter told them not to open the windows at night to avoid being haunted by the night crybaby. Xiao Mian always believed that evil spirits would appear in the middle of the night, after all, it has always been like this.
The evil energy is heavier in the middle of the night, which is beneficial to evil spirits. It is also the time when people are very sleepy and their consciousness is relaxed, which is naturally the most suitable time for evil spirits to cause trouble.
But Xiao Mian really didn't expect that when it was just getting dark and the breath of the world of the living was still strong, the Night Crying Boy would actually come out and move around!
When Xiao Mian saw Leng Mushi's shoulders shaking violently, he quickly got up from the ground. After taking the persimmon, he naturally grabbed Leng Mushi's hand.
He pulled Leng Mushi quickly towards the house while comforting her: "Don't be afraid, Nianci, I'm here."
Leng Mushi was only startled by the sharp and shrill voice at first, but she was not afraid.
In the past, as a mortal, she was afraid of all demons and monsters. Now that she had become an alchemist and had raised demons and monsters for such a long time, all the demons and monsters in the world... had become things that she could or could not use as medicine.
Leng Mushi was not afraid. When Xiao Mian pulled her, she even couldn't help but take a bite of the persimmon.
Wow.
It’s really big and sweet!
The voice of Ye Kulang was still in his ears. When he realized that the two people were running towards the bright house, his voice became more urgent and shrill.
"Wuuuwaaa! Mother, mother, don't you want me anymore!"
Leng Mushi turned her head slightly because of the noise, trying to see what was behind her, but Xiao Mian covered her eyes in time and almost half-carried her into the bright lobby.
Then Xiao Mian's voice came from above his head, "Don't look at it, it looks a bit scary."
Leng Mushi had her eyes covered, and thought to herself, no matter how scary it was, could it be as scary as Fen Lian's painted skin, which often even scribbled on her face
But she didn't say anything. Instead, she brought the persimmon to her mouth and took a bite.
It's still very sweet, but this time it tastes a little bit bitter.
She had become accustomed to Xiao Mian removing all unnecessary things for her, accustomed to seeing the scenery he carefully prepared for her, and accustomed to his care.
This habit made Leng Mushi not even try to pull away Xiao Mian's hands that were covering her eyes after she entered the lobby.
I don't know why, but having your eyes covered like this should be very uncomfortable for anyone.
But ever since that time, in the Taichu Sect's Heart-Searching Array, when Xiao Mian used his hand to cover up the nightmare that Leng Mushi had never dared to peek into her entire life, Leng Mushi began to unconsciously indulge him in covering something for her.
She herself realized that she was dependent on Xiao Mian, and this dependence came from Xiao Mian's indulgence and kindness, so even if Leng Mushi realized it, she did not refuse with her neck stiff as she did before.
Even the strongest person out there needs to give in sometimes.
Whether it is yourself or some of your emotions.
But Leng Mushi understood clearly that it was just a delivery, not an entrustment.
She can withdraw at any time, just as she has always known that the main road is a lonely one.
It was not until Xiao Mian felt that she had been in the lobby long enough and had adapted to the bright light here and was no longer dizzy that he loosened his hands that were covering Leng Mushi's eyes, loosened the arms that were half-holding her, and stepped back slightly.
The people who had eaten earlier were still in the hall. When they saw Leng Mushi and Xiao Mian running in in a panic, Xingzhou, who was sitting closest to them, turned around and asked, "What's wrong, Junior Brother? What were you doing in the backyard? Why did you come back in such a hurry? Did you see something?"
"Night Crying Boy." Xiao Mian basically never beats around the bush with anyone except Leng Mushi.
He said: "We encountered the night cryer. He will come out as soon as it gets dark."
As Xiao Mian pulled Leng Mushi toward the lobby, he said, "He seems to be afraid of light. He didn't follow us after we entered the house. It's best if everyone doesn't turn off the lights tonight."
All the disciples became tense upon hearing this, with different thoughts in their minds. Some low-level disciples simply couldn't eat.
They all gathered around Xiao Mian and listened to him talk. After all, he was the only one who had seen Ye Kulang.
Xiao Mian said: "As Senior Brother said, it was caused by resentment. I tried to attack him and was able to easily disperse him with my spiritual power, but he would recover quickly."
"He didn't attack, so we don't know how dangerous he is. Everyone should be careful not to act rashly tonight."
After Xiao Mian finished speaking, he prepared to take Leng Mushi upstairs.
Some new disciples have a high opinion of themselves and think that they are invincible once they enter the immortal sect. They are also eager to perform well to make their master proud. After hearing what Xiao Mian said, they become restless.
After all, the waiter said that the Night Crying Boy would not hurt anyone, and Xiao Mian was not injured when he met him. He also said that he could be easily defeated. They looked at each other and saw the eagerness in each other's eyes.
After Xiao Mian left, Xingzhou, as a disciple with relatively high cultivation level among the group, said, "Everyone go back and rest early. Remember not to open the windows or turn off the lights tonight."
The new disciples all responded vaguely, but whether they meant it sincerely, only they themselves knew.
Xingzhou was not a talkative person and went upstairs quickly.
Of course, the disobedient new disciples were only a minority after all, and most of them went back to their rooms, ready to follow what their senior brothers said and integrate the information they had gathered tomorrow before deciding how to deal with this Night Crying Boy.
However, there were also a few new disciples who did not go back to rest. They were eager to make achievements, so they gathered together and whispered, and did not go upstairs for a long time.
At nightfall, the waiter and the shopkeeper disappeared. There was some prepared food in the lobby of the inn for the guests to take, and each room had a bathing bucket prepared early, covered with a lid to keep the water warm for half a night.
The door was locked, and it should have been quiet and time for everyone to rest, but a few newcomers opened the door without permission, went out the back door, and slipped into the night holding the Taichu Mountain disciple sword.
The team leader You Zishu was not in the inn. He had already gone to trace the source of the incident, following the trace of resentment and investigating the matter of Ye Kulang.
Although he is dull and rigid, he cares very much about the safety of his disciples. Before arriving at the demon ruins for training, he must ensure that his disciples can see real evil spirits and arrive safely.
However, he did not expect that this time the new disciples were not as obedient as in previous years. A few of them ran away secretly, and clumsily used the runes they had learned poorly to trace the source of the resentment, hoping to kill Ye Kulang with their own help.
By this time, Leng Mushi had already washed up and lay down.
Somewhat helplessly, she lay in the bed curtain with her back to Xiao Mian and her head facing the wall, while Xiao Mian was sitting at the table not far behind her, meditating.
There was a dim candlelight in the room. Although the windows of the inn were closed, they were still ventilated and made a slight creaking sound.
Leng Mushi lay down for a while and said, "Xiao Mian, I'm really not afraid, you should go back to sleep."
Xiao Mian opened his eyes, glanced at the bed curtain in the direction of Leng Mushi, and said, "I'm fine, you go to sleep, I'll practice."
Leng Mushi couldn't persuade him, so she had to let him go.
She closed her eyes and silently recited some ancient recipes for elixirs while she began to become drowsy.
Leng Mushi didn't know whether she was asleep or not. In a daze, she realized someone was looking at her. When she opened her eyes, she found a twisted little face on her pillow, so skinny that the skin was wrapped around the skull.
His hair was sparse and he was bald beyond recognition. His teeth were exposed and could not be covered by his lips. His skin was more wrinkled than the bark of an old tree and covered his crooked mouth and nose. Anyone who suddenly saw this scene would scream in shock.
But Leng Mushi just opened her mouth and didn't scream.
When Fen Lian was by her side, she didn't care about her image at all all day long and thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She often enjoyed scaring Leng Mushi to make her scream, so much so that this level of ugliness was simply considered pure and elegant among evil spirits to Leng Mushi.
After all, this little thing is so ugly that it is hated by everyone, but she has a pair of big eyes like black grapes, which are as clear as Xiao Mian's, and as pure as when she pretends to be pure.
And this ugly little thing in front of me, only its eyes still retain the innocence of a child.
Leng Mushi and he were looking at each other face to face. Xiao Mian was meditating outside and did not notice anything going on inside.
Resentment is different from other things. It is neither ghost energy nor demon energy, so it is difficult to capture. This little thing probably didn't expect Leng Mushi to not scream or be afraid of him. It forgot to speak for a moment and looked at Leng Mushi with its mouth slightly open.
But soon his face changed, his facial features twisted and he was about to cry out in grief, when Leng Mushi suddenly reached out her hand and pressed it against his lips.
Shaked her head at him.
There was something wrong with this little thing. Not only did he not have any evil spirit, but Leng Mushi was so close to him that he could even sense some life force in him.
For alchemy practitioners, even those like Leng Mushi who have only just entered the door are extremely sensitive to vitality. While she was shocked, she also stopped the night cry boy from crying.
The little thing's mouth was already cracked, but when Leng Mushi let go of it like this, its big eyes, which were already about to pop out of their sockets due to being too thin, suddenly widened.
Dark energy rapidly accumulated and rolled in his eyes, making him look like a person accumulating tears.
"Mother..." He called very softly, close to Leng Mushi's ear.
"I found you." He hugged Leng Mushi with his illusory hands.
Leng Mushi was confused by his calling her "Mother". It wasn't because she had any maternal instinct awakening, but because to her, Mother was also something soft and sour that was untouchable.
Hearing this little child's voice calling close to her ear, Leng Mushi's nose suddenly felt sore and she almost hugged and cried with this crying boy.
The little thing formed by resentment could not possibly touch a living person. He kept trying to hug Leng Mushi, but in the end he couldn't really hug her. In the end, he could only hug Leng Mushi vaguely, just like Leng Mushi was kissing his lips, and whispered, "Mother... Mother..."
Leng Mushi lay there without moving, with her fingers placed in her storage bag, constantly rummaging through it. When she came, she had prepared various bags for storing monsters and beasts. She found a small bag specifically for gathering souls, and pulled it out of the storage bag with two fingers.
This thing is originally used to gather souls, and Leng Mushi doesn't know if it can restrain the resentment.
That night, the crying boy was still rubbing against her and calling her "mother". Leng Mushi then discovered that there was a ray of blood in each of the little guy's eyes. Although his eyes were clear, he looked at people blankly. It was obvious that he couldn't see at all.
Leng Mushi slowly enlarged the soul-gathering bag in her hand and was about to cover him with it when the bed curtain was suddenly torn open and Xiao Mian's Shuiyun sword flew out, pointing directly at the Yekulang who was lying on top of her.
"don't want!"
Leng Mushi shouted immediately, and Xiao Mian heard her voice and stopped in time. Leng Mushi also took the bag off at the same time, but Ye Kulang still ran away.
"Wuwuwa... Wuwuwa... Mother, where are you..."
Ye Kulang's sharp voice rang out again and hit Xiao Mian's sword directly. Shui Yun made a "hum" sound, and the little thing condensed from the resentment instantly dissipated.
The next moment, he condensed at the window again, but the thick darkness rolling around him was slightly less than before.
"Hold him, don't let him run away, Xiao Mian, he has life!"
Leng Mushi turned over and stood up, grabbing the soul-gathering bag and rushing over with great agility.
Xiao Mian and Leng Mushi have been together for such a long time that he not only has a very good understanding with her, but he has even learned to follow her orders without asking why.
So, as soon as Leng Mushi finished speaking and rushed out, Xiao Mian had already used the Water Cloud Sword to quickly draw a blocking rune in mid-air, "Go!"
With a sound, it was imprinted on the window sash!
The Night Cryer, who was filled with resentment, was about to hit the window to escape, but was bounced back by Xiao Mian's talisman.
He quickly fled towards the door.
"He can't see, he can only hear. Don't hurt him, close the door!" Leng Mushi shouted again.
Xiao Mian instantly turned away the sword that was about to chop Ye Kulang, quickly drew a talisman and sealed the door.
The little guy could only listen but not see. The windows and doors, which were the outlets for wind, were blocked, so he naturally lost his direction.
Leng Mushi jumped up and down in the room holding the soul-gathering bag, chasing Ye Kulang with light leaps. Xiao Mian was like a worm in her stomach. The tip of his sword followed Leng Mushi's feet to give her leverage. No matter which direction she turned and leaped, he could hand over the tip of his sword to give her leverage.
After blocking the doors and windows, it didn't take long for the two men to cover Ye Kulang in the soul-gathering bag.
“Wooooooaaa—Wooooooaa—Mother mother—”
Leng Mushi fell to the ground holding the bag that was constantly impacted into various shapes. The next moment, she held the soul-gathering bag tightly in front of her.
The Night Crying Boy is formed by resentment. He cannot see or touch anyone. He can only chase after people while crying, trying to identify each one of them who is his mother.
However, through the soul-gathering bag, this trapped evil creature can feel people's hugs.
Then his shrill voice suddenly stopped, and he began to cry out in a low, pitiful voice, asking: "Mother, is that you? Mother, is that you?!"
Leng Mushi sighed slightly, hugged Ye Kulang and looked at Xiao Mian, saying: "I am not your mother."
“Woooaaaaa—Woooaaaa—”
Ye Kulang struggled and screamed again. Leng Mushi grabbed the bag and hugged him tightly, saying, "But I can help you find your mother!"
"As long as you tell me your name, where you live, and whether..." Leng Mushi swallowed and asked, "Are you still alive?"
This is ridiculous, how can I be alive
There is only one way for a living person to become evil, and that is by being possessed by a demon.
But this crying boy at night was clearly not possessed by a demon. He was formed by resentment, and his resentment was still mixed with a bit of vitality that only Leng Mushi could sense, and even Xiao Mian could not sense.
If he were caught by others, the talisman fire released by a high-level disciple would be able to burn away his resentment and make this Night Crying Man disappear forever.
But Leng Mushi shook her head at Xiao Mian who was still holding the sword, and Xiao Mian put down the sword.
"Tell me in detail," Leng Mushi said while hugging Ye Kulang through the soul-gathering bag, "What's wrong with you—"
Ye Kulang calmed down and asked after a while: "Can you really help me find my mother? Will you really help me find my mother? Really? Really? Really... "
His voice was shrill and helpless, and finally became so sharp that it could almost pierce a person's eardrum. If Xiao Mian had not covered the doors and windows with runes that could block out sound, they would have definitely summoned other disciples with such a loud commotion.
Leng Mushi waited for him to finish screaming, then she resisted the urge to pick her ears and said softly, "I will definitely help you find it, you will definitely be able to find your mother, but now, you have to tell me, tell me everything, okay?"
Leng Mushi used all her patience except for alchemy, "First, you have to tell me, what is your name?"
"My name is... Ping An." Ye Kulang said in a very low voice.
Leng Mushi held Ye Kulang and sat down on the bed, patting him gently to show encouragement.
"So peaceful... Your mother must have given you this name, it sounds really nice..."
Until almost dawn, Leng Mushi repeated many things to coax Ye Kulang, but his mind was confused and he knew very little.
But according to his description and his vitality, it was just as Leng Mushi thought, he was not dead, but still alive in a dark place without sunlight.
He didn't know where that was, so Leng Mushi had to find everyone now and tell everyone the news together with Xiao Mian.
The purpose of their mission was to eliminate the Night Crying Man and restore peace to the town. This would be considered as completing the mission. They would then go and retrieve the commission card from the person who asked for help. When they return to Taichu Sect in the future, they would hand it over to the sect's task distribution office to claim the credit.
But now Ye Kulang is not a harmful creature, he might even be the one being harmed. They must find where Ye Kulang is who is not dead yet and rescue him.
And the mother he mentioned.
In addition, the innkeeper and the waiter were also not right. Ye Kulang did not act like what they said. As long as the window was not opened, they would be found by Ye Kulang regardless of whether the window was opened or not.
Leng Mushi put away the soul-gathering bag, and just as she and Xiao Mian unlocked the runes on the door, they were about to go look for everyone when they saw Leng Tianyin standing at the door.
As soon as she saw the two people, she said in a panic, "Hurry! A new disciple is in trouble. The place for help is in the deserted mountains outside the city. The eldest brother has led people there. You guys should come too!"
The author has something to say: Xiao Mian: One day, she will think it’s normal when I kiss her!
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I would like to recommend a novel to you, "Two Apprentices Compete to Be My Taoist Companion" by Shan Youqingmu
When Yu An was out, her disciple who she had raised since childhood suddenly became possessed by a demon. She quickly ran back to the sect and cut him in half with a knife. One half was a kind person, and the other half was a wicked demon.
Kindness is kept by your side
The evil ones stay in the abyss
Just wait for the day when good is stronger than evil and they merge into one, and I will have a complete apprentice again.
However, before they could merge, good and evil met.
Song Jue grew up in the abyss. As long as he can remember, he has only faced killing and darkness. The only woman who treated him well was the one who cheated him of his beloved blood.
He thought she was born without conscience, until he came out of the abyss and saw that she had deceived him, lied to him, and hurt him, and had spoiled her other self to heaven.
Song Jin was born weak and sickly, destined to a short life, and only wanted a master.
It was not until he met his other self that he realized that he wanted the Master, but the Master wanted him...
In order to prevent his young apprentice from becoming possessed by the devil, Yu An split the man into two.
Unexpectedly, when she woke up, she had two little disciples who were possessed by demons.
Yu An: ...That’s great, huh.
#Single male protagonist, his soul is temporarily split into two, temporarily, both are single arrows before fusion#