Seeking the Dao in the Seemingly Mundane Mortal World

Chapter 37: Actor

Translator: Henyee Translations

Editor: Henyee Translations

Qin Yi arrived at Night Wing’s small room to find her lying flat on her stomach. Smoke seemed to be rising from her little body, and she was holding a piece of wood in her little hand, but its original shape was too charred to be recognized. There was a big hole on the ceiling, and the edge of the opening seemed burnt. It was safe to assume that the dark energy just then had indeed come from Night Wing.

Her clothes were in tatters, revealing her fair skin, which was also covered with dust. Strangely, her wings seemed to have shrunk, making her look like a child wearing a Halloween costume, which was quite adorable.

Qin Yi rushed to her side, looked around, and saw a robe on the bed. He grabbed it and wrapped it around Night Wing before helping her up.

Seeing Qin Yi, Night Wing sobbed. “It hurts…”

“What happened? Were you struck by lightning?”

“I don’t know…” Night Wing sounded confused. “Fire was burning inside of me, and boom! I was cooked…”

Qin Yi was speechless. He then realized that the silly snake wouldn’t give him anything, and he had to count on his repliable Liusu.

Indeed, Liusu started talking. “That was the Superior Seven Star Darkness-expelling Formation, and it can make a demon burn up from inside out, releasing their energy to the sky. This formation is very effective on minor demons who still can’t suppress their animal instincts and murderous intentions. This dumb snake has done a pretty good job, actually. I thought the formation would’ve killed her. If any other minor demons were hiding in the city, they would’ve all been killed by now.”

Qin Yi realized that was why Minghe had stopped nagging him. She had probably lost her control over the wooden sword and concluded that Qin Yi had joined hands with the demons. Instead of waiting for his cooperation, she made the decisive move to set up this great formation, taking out all the demons in the city all at once.

It was so simple and straightforward.

Qin Yi recalled the look in Minghe’s eyes which were tranquil and distant, just like the Milky Way.

He sighed. His gaze then landed on the charred wood in Night Wing’s hand and he asked, “What’s that? For a moment, I thought you had touched some forbidden thing and triggered all that.”

“It’s just a piece of wood…” Night Wing said between her broken sobs. “I carved a little monkey to give to you as a gift… I’ve been listening to your stories and using your medicine without giving you anything in return…”

Taken by surprise, Qin Yi fell silent as he stared at the piece of blackened wood.

He had somewhat resented her for sabotaging his plan, but that feeling had all vanished now.

“Dumb snake…”

“You’re the dumb one!” Night Wing rose to her feet with much difficulty and said, “I’ve been exposed, haven’t I? I have to leave now. Thank you for everything…”

She then turned into a dark shadow and dashed off toward the hole in the ceiling.

The next second, she fell back onto the floor with a loud thump, and the look in her eyes was terrified when she looked up at the sky.

Qin Yi looked up as well. Through the hole, he saw Minghe looking down at them as she suspended herself in midair.

Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to talk himself out of it, Qin Yi raised his voice and said, “Priestess Minghe, to what do we owe this honor? Do come in so we can chat.”

Minghe slowly descended, her clothes flapping in the wind. Qin Yi felt that this must be how an immortal looked when they came down to the mortal world.

As a matter of fact, to the mortals, an orthodox cultivator like her was indeed an immortal.

Frightened, Night Wing scrambled to the ground and hid behind Qin Yi, who also moved closer to her to shield her with his own body. He then met Minghe’s eyes. “Priestess, you’re a fairy-like figure who’s supposed to enjoy nature and be beyond worldly affairs, but why are you getting tangled up in this political game and making yourself someone’s weapon?”

Minghe shook her head slightly. “I don’t care about the strifes of mortal men, but I have to intervene when a demon has killed a human being.”

Qin Yi said, “To be frank, even if they’ve killed other people, it’s none of your business. At your level, you should’ve realized that all lives are equal. Is a killer demon different from a killer human?”

“Yes,” Minghe said quietly. “Your argument might sound reasonable, and ten thousand years ago, someone said the same thing. As a result, the world was infested by demons and monsters who ate human beings as they pleased. Vast areas became no man’s land, and the continent was almost destroyed. That was against the law of Nature. Even if one could stay away from the mortal world, unaffected, demons would eventually try to take their mountains and invade their dwellings. They’re not one of us, so they’re bound to turn against us.”

Qin Yi didn’t know what to say to that.

He thought that the priestess had gotten involved because she still had mortal desires, but as it turned out, she had risen above his level.

Minghe then said, “If cultivators like us only cultivate for immortality, we can always shut ourselves up in our mountains and mind our own business like any other selfish people. But we also learn the skill of the flying sword, the technique of the Five Thunder, and killing formations. Why do we do that? It’s not because we want competition. We learn them so we can eradicate demons to protect this world. The world will only prosper when evil creatures don’t dare to run wild. You’re enjoying the fruits of other cultivators’ work, but you’re taking a demon’s side. Your words are that of a fool.”

She then looked past Qin Yi, and Night Wing was stealing glances at her while holding onto the lower hem of Qin Yi’s clothes.

“That’s all I’m going to say. Young Master Qin, are you still going to protect this evil creature?”

Qin Yi retorted, “Can’t there be good demons? If a harmless rabbit accidentally gained enlightenment, are you still going to kill it, saying that it’s not one of us?”

“I’m not an unreasonable person, but the demon here isn’t harmless, is she?” Minghe said indifferently. “You can stop trying to make excuses for the late crown prince’s murder. You might be able to fool the others, but not me.”

Qin Yi realized that he didn’t know how to respond to that, as ever since he left the village, all the demons he met fed on human beings, and there was nothing wrong with Minghe’s desire to eradicate evil creatures. He could claim that not all demons were evil, but Night Wing had indeed killed the late crown prince. He couldn’t deny that.

Come to think of it, there was nothing wrong in saying that he had been mesmerized by the demon and abandoned his principles.

But even if that was the case, he couldn’t bring himself to watch the girl die.

Seeing the piece of charred wood on the floor, Qin Yi knew he couldn’t do it himself.

Just then, Liusu took the risk to speak to him. “Something has changed in Night Wing, and I suspect that she’s lost her demon energy. That’s why Minghe hasn’t taken action yet. If there was demon energy around us, she would’ve killed Night Wing already.”

That gave Qin Yi an idea. He decided that he would simply deny it. “Why are you calling her a demon? Priestess, I’d like to see some evidence.”

Minghe frowned.

Liusu was right. Minghe had sensed Night Wing when she came into the room, only to realize that the demon energy was so thin that she could barely detect it, which was in stark contrast to the dense and ferocious energy she felt the night the crown prince was assassinated.

Judging from that energy, a demon snake, or possibly a winged snake, was living in the manor.

Winged snakes were crafty creatures that were prone to telling lies and killing. Their energy was different from demons that were plant-based and were very easy to tell.

Minghe studied Night Wing carefully. The girl was wrapped inside a coat, and her little face was blackened by the smoke. With her frightened big eyes, she actually looked quite pitiful. Not only was the demon energy very thin around her, but Minghe couldn’t detect any murderous intentions either.

She made an oath before she came out to the world that she would kill demons only but not human beings. Therefore, she was concerned with accidentally breaking her oath, which was why she had been talking for so long. Normally, she would’ve taken action by now.

“Her demon energy might be thin, but it’s still there. What is she, if not a demon?”

Qin Yi blurted out, “Her name is Zhou Dongdong, and she’s just a dumb kid.”

Minghe was speechless.

Qin Yi knew that Minghe wouldn’t be so easily fooled, and she was only being cautious, so he took the opportunity. “Priestess, it’s complicated, and things aren’t as black and white as you think. You know what? There’s a great show just outside the front gate, so how about we go have a look. Let’s solve the problem once the show is over.”

Minghe looked into his eyes and slowly said, “Young Master, my oath didn’t say that I couldn’t hurt any human being under all circumstances.”

You can kill someone if they try to trick you or harm you, right? Qin Yi thought. He then said indifferently, “If I’m not mistaken, you came out to the secular world to experience as many things as possible. In other words, you’re sight-seeing. It would be quite boring if all you did was eradicate evil.”

Minghe seemed persuaded. She then studied Qin Yi’s eyes, only to find them very clear.

She smiled. “To watch a show… Is that what you’re here for as well?”

“Me?” Qin Yi hesitated for a moment before heaving a sigh. “Maybe I was, but now, I’m already an actor in it.”