Young Noble Be Monster Slaying
Chapter 903: Searching for Someone (II)

"Don't go over there. There are dead people."

A brightly dressed girl tugged at the sleeve of another girl in a black skirt. Both were fair-skinned, pretty, and full of youthful charm as they quietly snuck into the fruit garden on Silver Sword Peak.

They were none other than Liu Xiaoyu'er and Tuntun.

Beside the berry bushes lay the area where Chu Liang grew his spirit plants. The spirit plants were full of vitality, and Tuntun was naturally more drawn to that side.

But Liu Xiaoyu'er quickly pulled her back.

As the long-standing mascot of Silver Sword Peak, Liu Xiaoyu'er naturally knew that despite the rich spiritual qi lingering in the area, the ground beneath was filled with the bones of eminent cultivators. She had always feared that burial site and assumed Tuntun would feel the same.

Having the instincts of a Heaven-Devouring Bug meant Tuntun would likely think the remains of Eminent Ones gave off a scent far more enticing than ordinary flesh. But fortunately, after spending time with the koi sisters, Tuntun's temperament had become nearly indistinguishable from that of a normal teenage girl.

Hearing the fear in Xiaoyu'er's voice, she hesitated as well and did not approach.

The two had skipped class.

Normally, several people kept a close watch on Tuntun. Daoist Yan from Mount Shu Sect, Caiyi from the demons' side, and various other visible and hidden observers made it impossible for her to sneak off.

But today, Daoist Yan was away, and Caiyi had gone off somewhere. So, the two girls finally worked up the courage to sneak off on their own.

Over the past few days, Xiaoyu'er had discovered that she and Tuntun bonded best over food. Both of them loved eating delicious treats and often hid behind Chen Lingtong during class to sneak snacks.

However, there was one difference between them. Xiaoyu'er loved fruit, while Tuntun preferred junk food. After thinking it over, Xiaoyu'er figured it was because Tuntun had never tasted truly good fruit. So she brought her here to try the berries grown on Silver Sword Peak.

"These little berries, I watered and grew them all myself," Liu Xiaoyu'er said proudly, patting her small chest. "But Big Bro Chu Liang is stingy. He doesn't let outsiders eat the fruit from Silver Sword Peak. So we'll just sneak a few quietly, alright?"

"Mm!" Tuntun nodded vigorously.

After hearing all of Xiaoyu's praise, she was now full of anticipation for the Golden Vein Berries.

"Here," Liu Xiaoyu'er said as she picked a berry and handed it to Tuntun.

Tuntun took the berry, cradled it in her hands, and took a tiny bite. Sweet juice burst in her mouth at once.

"Ah… It's really good!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

"Right?" Xiaoyu'er laughed. "Why would I lie to you? The whole garden is full of them, so eat as much as you want!"

"Mm…" Tuntun blinked again. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"Of course," Xiaoyu'er said as she waved generously. "This place is huge. No one will notice if a few are gone. It's your first time here, so you have to eat your fill!"

"Then I won't hold back," Tuntun said. She was so moved that she took Xiaoyu'er's hand. Using the words she had learned over the past few days, she added fluently, "Xiaoyu'er, you really are my best friend!"

Whoooooooosh!

That day, it felt as though a hurricane had swept across Silver Sword Peak.

…

When Daoist Yan returned to Treasured Pagoda Peak of Mount Shu and did not see Tuntun right away, her eyes narrowed. Her divine sense swept across the surroundings.

"She's not missing. She went to Silver Sword Peak with her little friend," Caiyi said from nearby.

Daoist Yan turned to look at her. The murderous aura had not yet faded from her eyes. Without a word, she shifted her stance, ready to head toward Silver Sword Peak.

"Let her have some fun," Caiyi said. "She's only a teenage girl. It's too cruel to make her spend all day in class."

Daoist Yan said nothing. She expanded her divine sense, located Tuntun's presence, and only then did she finally relax.

"You're hurt?" Caiyi asked again.

"I'm fine," Daoist Yan replied, shaking her head.

After a brief pause, Caiyi said, "You know about our connection, don't you? I told Chu Liang before. Back then—"

"I don't care," Daoist Yan interrupted coldly. "I'm human. You're a demon. If not for the current peace between our races, I might have drawn my sword on you already."

"Heh," Caiyi chuckled. "That temperament really is something passed down in the Yan family."

Daoist Yan stared at her with sharp eyes, as if plainly asking, "What are you trying to say?"

Caiyi seemed to understand what she was truly asking with that question and suddenly said, "Do you want to know where Yan Renjie ended up?"

"My grandfather might be curious. Perhaps my father, too," Daoist Yan said coolly. "But by the time it came to my generation, I stopped caring about such things."

"But he vanished along with the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda. If we can find him, we might be able to find the pagoda too," Caiyi said slowly.

"You can find him?" Daoist Yan asked.

"I have a way," Caiyi said with a smile. "I told that brat Chu Liang the same thing before, but he didn't believe me."

Back when Caiyi had kidnapped Chu Liang, she offered him a trade—she would help him find the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda in exchange for the Heaven-Devouring Bug. But Chu Liang believed she was bluffing. If she truly could locate the pagoda, why hadn't she done it already?

"You think I'll believe you?" Daoist Yan asked, her expression carrying a trace of mockery. "Now that the Demon God has revived, the demon race is finally free to leave the Far West. Do you really expect me to believe you'd help us find the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda?"

It sounded like nothing more than a fairy tale.

Although Caiyi was one of the reformists among the demons, she had also long desired the return of the Demon God. Now that her wish had come true, the demon race held a firm and respectable position. Despite her gentle nature and close ties to the human race, the balance had clearly shifted in favor of the demons. However, if the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda were recovered, the humans might choose to suppress the Demon God again as their first move.

And things would not remain as they were now. After all, it was the demon race that currently held the initiative.

"Others may not believe me, but you should," Caiyi said. Her gaze flickered as she continued, "I'm not just looking for the pagoda. I want to find Yan Renjie. I do know a few ways to search for him, but my strength alone isn't enough. I need Mount Shu's help. That's why I've always wanted to work with you."

Her voice grew sincere as she continued, "Yan Renjie vanished alongside the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda. Find the pagoda, and you'll find him. Find him, and you'll find the pagoda."

"It's been over five hundred years. Do you think he is also a demon?" Daoist Yan paused, then said coldly, "Even if he wasn't destroyed, he would have long turned to bones."

"No," Caiyi replied, shaking her head firmly. "He wasn't just human. He had demon blood in him. Somewhere between life and death, there's a chance he transformed."

She clearly did not want to accept any other possibility, and yet she spoke with complete conviction.

"I know you don't want to trust me, because I'm a demon and we've always been at odds. But now that the Demon God has revived, I have no reason to plot anything anymore. I only want to find Yan Renjie and see him again, even if it's just once. Even if all that remains is a pile of bones or a wisp of ash." Caiyi's voice softened. "If you've ever loved someone deeply, perhaps you would understand how I feel."

Daoist Yan fell silent. After a long pause, she finally said, "I can report this to our sect leader. Whether anything comes of it, I make no promises. But if you dare scheme again, I will be the first to draw my sword and cut you down."

With a solemn gaze, Caiyi looked at Daoist Yan and offered a sincere word of gratitude. "Thank you."