“Did Liu the Tyrant go up the mountain yesterday?”

“Of course.”

“Good riddance!” Someone immediately gritted their teeth in anger, “My uncle’s family lives in the neighboring North Village. That Liu Qiang, relying on his relative who is the village chief who has been acting tyrannically in the village. He even beat my uncle last year, claiming that my uncle stole his chicken. Hah! Clearly, he was the one trying to steal chickens from my uncle’s house!”

“Everyone’s afraid of him because he’s also a martial artist. No one from both villages can beat him.”

“Heh heh, who would’ve thought that fate caught up with him in the end.”

“Who says it’s fate? It’s a demon! I heard from them that a mountain demon devoured his intestines!”

Instantly, everyone’s hair stood on end, feeling a chill in the air as if there was a gust of cold wind.

“Early this morning, the Liu family went to the town to invite a fairy to exorcize evil spirits. Anyone harmed by demons needs exorcism, or else they say they’ll turn into flesh-eating zombies. Moreover, they say that Liu Qiang’s younger brother had his soul frightened away by a demon and needs soul-summoning.”

The villagers’ expressions tightened, a hint of horror creeping into their faces. Whenever the topics of demons and ghosts were mentioned, their hearts couldn’t help but race, as if speaking about them might draw the attention of malevolent spirits. Even though it was nearly noon, they felt that the sun’s warmth was somehow eerie.

As the sun climbed higher, the sound of cicadas filled the air, and a group of barefoot village children holding bamboo sticks ran past He Shiqi’s grass-thatched house, busy catching cicadas.

Lian Youyou sat in He Shiqi’s small and shabby courtyard, lounging on a reclining chair, snacking on melon seeds and sipping tea.

He Shiqi stood by her side with a joyful expression, serving her by refilling her tea when it was finished and even peeling melon seeds when she grew tired.

Lin Yuniang and He Xiucai stood nervously on the side, watching Lian Youyou for quite some time already.

Lin Yuniang tugged at He Xiucai’s sleeve, and He Xiucai swallowed a gulp of saliva, gathering his courage to take a step forward, “Miss Lian, um, where is your home? We… we can have Ah Qi escort you back.”

Lian Youyou smiled, “Mr. He, there’s a saying: inviting a god is easy, but sending a god away is difficult. Yesterday, you both locked me and Ah Qi…” she patted He Shiqi beside her, “together, hoping that I would become He Shiqi’s wife and take care of him after you both pass away.”

The two old people began to tremble again, how did Lian Youyou know everything!

Lian Youyou clapped her hands, stood up, stepped onto the reclining chair, raised her right hand in the “OK” gesture in front of her, and placed her left hand on her waist. With the sun shining on her, a breeze ruffling her hair, she suddenly exuded a hint of goddess-like elegance.

When the old couple looked up at her, the glittering golden sun above her head was dazzling, and they felt as if a golden aura enveloped Lian Youyou.

“I am a real goddess, I know your wishes, and I cannot be Ah Qi’s wife, but I will continue to take care of him.”

“Ah, no need, no need!” The elderly couple hurriedly exclaimed, waving their hands repeatedly, “We’ll take care of him ourselves, no need for Miss to worry.” Who would starve a fool while handing him over to a fool?

Lian Youyou raised an eyebrow, abandoned her standard pose, and hopped off the reclining chair. With hands on her hips, she looked at the elderly couple with a frustrated expression, “I said I’m a goddess, why don’t you believe me? Let me tell you, I have a divine beast! I’ll show it to you!” Lian Youyou started reaching into her chest.

The old couple had already started moving towards He Shiqi, each holding one of his arms, and ready to run at any moment.

Lian Youyou patted her hands all over, her hand stopping at her waist. She smiled, licked her lips, and pulled out an object from her waist, turning to place it in front of the old couple and He Shiqi, “Look! The divine beast, Black Flame!”

The elderly couple stared intently, oh my! This time, no one would believe that Lian Youyou was a foolish girl!

What they saw in her hands was unmistakably just a small black wooden plaque shaped like a cat! Moreover, it was carved in a very crude manner, as if a simple cat face had been etched onto a round piece of black wood.

It was like during the New Year when adults would create a happy image on a flatbread for children, using red dates, peanuts, and sesame seeds to form a little cat’s face.

Seeing this wooden plaque that Lian Youyou claimed was a divine beast, He Xiucai and Lin Yuniang felt somewhat relieved. Even if she was a demoness, she was still a foolish banshee.

“Oh~~~ Oh~~~” He Shiqi clapped his hands beside them, “The black cat can become friends with the dogs and others, hehe.”

Lian Youyou saw that the old couple didn’t believe her, and she laughed, “Don’t you believe me? This thing here, just like me, got squashed. Its luck wasn’t good; its face got squashed on the ground. Hey, it’s like squashing a cat from head to toe.”

While speaking, Lian Youyou gestured with her hands. She outlined the size of a cat, then clapped her hands as if flattening something. When she opened her palms, the small black wooden plaque was there.

He Xiucai and Lin Yuniang shook their heads repeatedly; Lian Youyou’s foolishness surpassed even their Ah Qi’s, making them no longer fearful. It seemed that this foolish demoness wasn’t dangerous at all, just like a foolish rabbit, there was no need to fear it.

“Don’t underestimate him, he is the son of a devil in the Demon Realm!” Lian Youyou became more and more enthusiastic as she spoke. She waved her right arm, tilted her head 45°, and struck a pose like she was reenacting an epic while her eyes sparkling mischievously.

“Bilibilibala———” Suddenly, the sound of a suona horn resounded through the clear sky.

Lian Youyou immediately turned to look outside, lips curling into a smile, “Something exciting happening.” She quickly skipped to the door and saw a procession walking along the village path through the fields.

Drums and gongs led the way, the Seven-Star Sails flag fluttered, two flower children scattered flowers along the path, robust attendants led oxen, and sitting on a cow cart was a middle-aged Taoist nun dressed in a vibrant floral robe.

The Taoist nun wore her hair in an elaborate bun, a blue female Taoist cap on her head, a pink Taoist robe, a string of feather ornaments around her neck, and a white cape fluttering in the wind.

The Taoist nun’s face was as white as snow, with rosy cheeks. She had a lotus flower mark on her forehead, and her closed eyes held a dignified expression. Her right hand held a lotus finger gesture in front of her, the same pose that Lian Youyou had playfully imitated earlier.

“Hehe.” Lian Youyou looked at the gesture and laughed at herself. She crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame. A playful glint sparkled in her bright eyes.

The elderly couple and He Shiqi also heard the sound of the drums and suona horn and came to the fence to watch the commotion.

The procession approached, and the crowd grew larger.

From the fields and workshops, the villagers all came out, gathering on both sides.

In the small village where entertainment was scarce on ordinary days, it was a rare occasion to have a fairy passing through. Naturally, the entire village gathered to watch. So, one by one, families brought along their members – fathers sending their sons to fetch their aunts, mothers asking their daughters to call their aunts, all coming to see it.