Demon cultivators were few in number and scattered throughout the lush, verdant forests. Xuan Yang and the others were unfamiliar with the terrain, and they wandered for several days without spotting a single village.
During this time, they visited nearby towns, but it seemed news of the destruction of the crow clan’s settlement had only just reached those places, let alone any word on the whereabouts of the survivors. The two of them couldn't help but marvel at the isolation between different demon tribes.
"I clearly heard someone I know say... that he used to stay in the City of Myriad Blooms for a while. It was very prosperous there."
"Little senior, how can you compare the largest city of the demon race to a small village?" The shopkeeper behind the inn's counter wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. He had been chatting with Xuan Yang’s group for a while; with hardly any guests staying at the inn, he was quite idle.
"Are you helping this little fellow find his family?" The shopkeeper looked over the counter at Wuyi.
"Yes! I got separated from my clansmen," Wuyi said, patting his chest to indicate himself.
"Migrating an entire village is no easy feat; they surely wouldn't have traveled a great distance. If you ask me, the paths in the forest are hard to discern, but as long as you return to the original site and search carefully, you're bound to find some clues," the shopkeeper said. "Besides, we demons have bloodline resonance! Little fellow, if you get close to your parents, you’ll definitely be able to sense them."
"Bloodline resonance... is that how it works?" Wuyi was stunned; it seemed no one had ever told him about such a thing before.
"Is that how it works!" Xuan Yang was also dumbfounded.
The shopkeeper nodded. He looked at the young Wuyi, then at the youth beside him who was clearly a demon but knew nothing of the local customs, and finally at the human standing bored at the inn's entrance, staring at the sky.
It was truly a peculiar combination.
Having obtained new information, Xuan Yang politely declined the innkeeper's sales pitch. He chose not to stay in that dilapidated building, which didn't look much more sophisticated than the wilderness, and set off again with Wuyi and Shen Yan.
"Have you never sensed it before?" Xuan Yang asked Wuyi as they walked.
Wuyi hesitated for a moment, resting a finger on his chin. "I've never been away from my parents for long. When they were nearby, I just thought I was smelling a familiar scent! Could it be that it wasn't my sense of smell, but a resonance?"
Seeing his bewildered expression, Xuan Yang knew it was useless to keep asking. It was a pity he had never had his parents by his side; he could only guess if this was something similar to the contract bond he shared with Nie Shiyun.
"Anyway, let's go back to the original spot and search carefully! We’ll definitely find tracks or scents or something," Xuan Yang said patiently.
"Mhm!" Wuyi took Xuan Yang’s hand, obediently following him.
Seeing Shen Yan’s expressionless face beside them, Xuan Yang cleared his throat and said, "Do you feel left out? It’s okay. If you insist, I can hold your hand too..."
"...No need." Shen Yan had no idea what kind of madness had gripped Xuan Yang now.
"Ungrateful," Xuan Yang grumbled under his breath.
However, he hadn't actually expected Shen Yan to take his hand. If he had, Xuan Yang would probably have been the one to panic.
It was likely that the clansmen had reverted to their original forms while moving, as there were at least no footprints left on the road. Back at the starting point, the three of them began to patiently explore the perimeter of the ruins.
"Tell Brother Xuan Yang if you get tired from walking." Xuan Yang was already acting very much like an elder. He couldn't quite explain why, but while he found Qi Xuan’er’s little girl somewhat annoying, he was exceptionally patient with Wuyi, whom he had just met. Perhaps it was because that girl had been surrounded and pampered by adults since birth, while Wuyi was currently helpless, with only Xuan Yang to aid him.
"I'm not tired yet!" Wuyi answered energetically.
"Your family... what kind of people are they?"
Wuyi thought for a moment and replied, "Mother has a very fiery temper, but she makes delicious food for me every day! Father is always gentle when he speaks, but he’s not weak at all—he can go out and hunt lots of food! My younger brother... can't talk yet, so I'm not entirely sure. But he grabs my finger and giggles."
"Oh, I see..." Xuan Yang nodded, lost in thought for a moment before smiling. "Haha, I'm sure you'll see them very soon."
Shen Yan followed behind, watching Xuan Yang, who had just shown a flicker of wistfulness. His expression remained unreadable.
That night, Wuyi once again succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep. Xuan Yang and Shen Yan sat opposite each other by the fire in silence.
Just as Xuan Yang thought there would be no communication tonight, Shen Yan opened his eyes from his meditation and looked at him. "Are you happy being with Wuyi? Or does being back in the demon territory feel familiar?"
"Why ask that all of a sudden?" Xuan Yang knit his brows. "Of course I'm happy to be relied upon by such a well-behaved and cute younger clansman. It has nothing to do with the location. I don't feel a shred of familiarity with this place..."
It would be more accurate to say it felt foreign and awkward. In truth, Xuan Yang’s mind had drifted back to Yunqing Pavilion and those two guys countless times lately. Even though he had run away in a fit of pique and left his communication stones in the cave dwelling, it had been nearly half a year—and those two actually hadn't come looking for him!
With their abilities, they could have found him in a heartbeat.
"Do you miss Senior Nie and the other?" Shen Yan asked perceptively.
"Ha? Who would miss them? It's been over twenty years of watching those two be all lovey-dovey every day! Besides, life on the mountain is monotonous and boring. I'm not going back!"
"Is that so? I thought they seemed quite proper and restrained..."
"You! Have all! Been fooled! They act all dignified in front of others, but as soon as they get back to the cave, they're stuck together. They even lie down together to read leisure books, and they're always stealing kisses. It's annoying as hell!" Upon hearing Shen Yan’s comment, Xuan Yang immediately cried out in righteous indignation. The sleeping Wuyi stirred and frowned, prompting Xuan Yang to realize his volume was too high and lower his voice.
Shen Yan cleared his throat. "There's no need to disclose such superfluous information to me, thank you."
"They're clearly just very ordinary people," Xuan Yang grumbled, dissatisfied.
"That's only to you. To everyone else, they are not ordinary at all. They are figures high up in the clouds," Shen Yan said, looking at the disgruntled Xuan Yang. "But then again, you aren't ordinary either."
"Are... are you saying I'm special?" Xuan Yang automatically translated the meaning.
Shen Yan thought about it, and that was indeed what he meant. Although he didn't know why Xuan Yang had rephrased it that way, seeing the little joyful expression on his face, he went along with it. "Yes. That's more or less what I mean."
"You think I'm special... Haha, I—I see..." Xuan Yang’s face flushed slightly, but shielded by the night and the glow of the campfire, no one noticed.
"We've strayed from the point. What I meant was, since you like this younger clansman so much and yet can't bear to leave Yunqing Pavilion, why not just take him with you? It could be a solution. You also think Yunqing Pavilion is a better place to live than this backwater, don't you?" Shen Yan suggested calmly. But Xuan Yang was quite startled by his words.
"What are you saying! His family is most likely still alive. How could I possibly take him away..." Xuan Yang said seriously. "Even though I prefer Yunqing Pavilion, for Wuyi, the place he loves is the best place."
Shen Yan shrugged and smiled. "I was just offering a casual suggestion. But thinking about it, you're right; you aren't that kind of person..."
Seeing Xuan Yang’s stern face, Shen Yan reached out and patted Xuan Yang’s head. He rarely had physical contact with others, let alone such an affectionate gesture. The act of stroking hair to show closeness was done somewhat stiffly by him.
"Even the top of your head is warm. It's truly marvelous. You're quite different from a guy like me, who is cold all over and selfish inside."
Usually, his words were laced with thorns; it was rare for him to want to praise Xuan Yang, but even when he did, it came out sounding a bit sardonic. Shen Yan didn't bother to correct himself, letting Xuan Yang think what he wished.
Xuan Yang froze.
A palm as cold as a corpse touched his head. A shiver ran down Xuan Yang’s spine. But it was by no means a bad feeling. On the contrary, as if by some illusion, under the crackling glow of the campfire, the sensation transmitted by that hand felt incredibly warm.
"I don't think you're selfish. You've taught me so much."
Xuan Yang reached out and caught Shen Yan’s hand. His own hands were still small; he had to use both to wrap around and clasp Shen Yan’s palm.
"That's..." Shen Yan thought to himself that he only did it because there was something to gain and it was hard to refuse a senior's request.
But at this moment, looking at Xuan Yang’s inexplicably serious expression, even he found it hard to speak such a disappointing truth.
"Is it warmer now?" Xuan Yang grinned foolishly, giving the hand a little shake.
The icy skin he touched did indeed grow warm from being held in Xuan Yang’s palms. After all, Shen Yan’s coldness was merely due to being shrouded in Yin energy for years; he hadn't actually turned into a corpse. His body temperature could still be influenced by the outside world.
"As expected of the only True Fire in the cultivation world. It lives up to its reputation."
"Right?" Xuan Yang practically had "Aren't I amazing?" written all over his face.
In truth, his heart was pounding fiercely. Afraid of losing face, he cautiously glanced at Shen Yan out of the corner of his eye, wondering if his violent heartbeat was being transmitted through his palms to the other man.
Xuan Yang felt a secret joy. Shen Yan’s temperature was icy, and his was warm—didn't that make them a natural match!
It wasn't until Shen Yan felt the atmosphere becoming inexplicably strange that he proactively withdrew his hand. Xuan Yang was still pondering in his heart. Initially, when Shen Yan had expressed goodwill, he hadn't accepted it. But after several months, he felt that this guy Shen Yan was actually... how should he put it... pretty good. His face was also very handsome. Maybe he should just accept him! After sending Wuyi home, he would take Shen Yan back to Yunqing Pavilion for a visit.
How should he explain it to Nie Shiyun and the other then...
Shen Yan looked at Xuan Yang, whose expression was changing rapidly, knowing that a child's thoughts were truly hard to fathom. He withdrew his hand and touched his warm right hand with his left. It was as if it were no longer a part of him; the sensation, which he hadn't felt in years, left his perception somewhat muddled for a moment.
The next morning, a bleary-eyed Wuyi struggled to climb up. Even though Xuan Yang said he could sleep a bit longer, he firmly shook his head, saying he wanted to continue looking for his clan. Perhaps driven by the anticipation of finally returning home, he was incredibly determined.
Xuan Yang couldn't sway him, so the group set off early.
They thought today would also end in a fruitless search, but to their surprise, in the afternoon, Wuyi perked up and said he sensed the scent of his clansmen.
"It does seem like there's a little something..." Xuan Yang sniffed. He could also faintly sense a tiny bit of aura. He looked at Shen Yan, who shook his head, completely unable to comprehend what this so-called "aura" of the demon race was.
"I told you everyone wouldn't go far! Our clan has lived in this forest for a long time; even if we migrate, we wouldn't travel all the way to another region." Wuyi was beyond excited.
"Then our flight to the neighboring town earlier was a waste of effort. Anyway, finding them is a good thing! We don't know for sure if it's your clan yet, so let's hurry over and check."
"Mhm!" Wuyi nodded.
Shen Yan thought that since they could smell it, they must be close at hand. He didn't expect that these two, one big and one small, would follow the scent for the time it takes to burn three sticks of incense. He couldn't help but ask, "Can the scent really travel that far?"
After a while, Xuan Yang’s sharp eyes spotted a large number of humanoid footprints on the ground.
"Ah, Shen Yan, look! Footprints!"
Shen Yan looked around and confirmed, "Indeed, there are many signs of trees being felled nearby, and there are fewer fruits on the trees than in the previous area. There should be demons working nearby."
Hope was right before their eyes, and the three quickened their pace. Wuyi was anxious to death, but his legs were too short to walk fast. Before he could revert to his original form and hop onto Xuan Yang’s shoulder, Xuan Yang scooped him up.
"Whoa! Brother Xuan Yang, I'm very heavy!"
"It's fine!"
"Really? But you're still a child too."
"I'm an adult!" Xuan Yang corrected him through gritted teeth. As if to prove his strength, he refused to let go.
"Not physically," Shen Yan pointed out sharply.
"Tch... forget that. Wuyi, let's just run there in one go! We'll charge straight to your clansmen and give them a surprise!"
"Eek!" Wuyi cried out as Xuan Yang gave him a jostle, but he was immediately infected by Xuan Yang’s spirit. He began to laugh happily, "Hahaha," and wrapped his small arms tightly around Xuan Yang’s neck. The two of them ran off into the woods, playing and shouting.
"...It seems not mentally, either," Shen Yan added flatly.
***
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Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 143 | Sensing the Bloodline | Novela.app | Novela.app
