Chapter Seventeen: Tracking in the Snow Valley (Part I)

"It is... well, it is like this," Zisheng said, wringing his hands, clearly finding it difficult to speak. "I would like to ask for your help in taking a few friends of mine to the Human Realm."

"To the Human Realm?" Shi Jun’s mind raced, and although he had already guessed part of the situation, he still feigned a look of bewilderment. "Brother Zisheng, that is quite easy, isn't it? Can't you do it yourself? Why ask for my help?"

Zisheng frowned deeply. "I cannot. Every move I make is too conspicuous; it is difficult to avoid the eyes of others. If they follow me, the danger will only be greater. I would end up harming them instead!"

"They? Who are they?"

"Uh, well, they are two women. One is a young friend of mine named Fuyao, and the other, I believe, is called Chiyang. She is also a very good person—truly a good person. I am merely trying to help a friend. If you could truly assist, Brother Shi, I would be eternally grateful!"

Shi Jun gave a wry smile. "There is no need to be so formal. However, how exactly do you expect me to help?"

Zisheng was overjoyed. "That is wonderful! You—you agree?"

Seeing Zisheng’s reaction, Shi Jun felt it would be too embarrassing to continue the deception. He said softly, "Brother Zisheng, actually, there is a reason why I came to the Demon Realm. The Chiyang you just mentioned... she is my friend."

Zisheng was stunned, and a look of worry washed over his face. "You are so young, why are you dealing with people from the Underworld? Their Yin energy is far too heavy; it will cause great harm to your body! Besides, you have no formal cultivation—running here to find someone is just... reckless."

Shi Jun was touched by Zisheng’s unexpected concern.

"It is alright, rest assured. I have actually learned some rudimentary spells. I believe I can at least manage to protect myself."

Zisheng nodded reluctantly. "I intended to tell you where Fuyao and the others are hiding, then teach you a few simple spells. I would draw the attention of the pursuers while you quietly led them away. It seems the time has come; delaying any longer is not an option. By the way, do you know the flight spell?"

"I do! But I only know spells from the Underworld. Does that matter? Oh, and I can also turn invisible, so no one will be able to discover me!"

"Absolutely not!" Zisheng quickly warned. "You do not understand. If it comes to the study and use of incantations, the Demon Realm might be far behind other realms, but when it comes to sense of smell and innate spiritual perception, no one can compare to the Demon Realm! If you use an invisibility spell, you might fool them for a moment, but any demon with even a little bit of cultivation will immediately detect your presence!"

Shi Jun scratched his head, puzzled. "But, I transformed into a small water monster earlier, and I wasn't discovered even at that gathering filled with so many demons!"

Zisheng smiled indulgently. "You were indeed very lucky. First, you did not do anything unusual, so you didn't arouse suspicion. Second, you transformed into one of the most common minor demon-beasts in the realm; while they aren't usually qualified to attend such gatherings, those in charge of logistics are an exception. And third, the most important point: those who attended today were already agitated and excited by rumors of the Nisu Treasure and Fuyao’s defection, which is how you slipped through the cracks!"

"Then my luck really was quite good," Shi Jun said with a sigh of relief, though he soon added in distress, "Since I cannot use invisibility, and I have no idea how to turn back into that cursed butterfly-winged water beast, what am I to do?"

Suddenly, he had an idea. "Brother Zisheng, I think I can project my primordial spirit. Could I use that to fly around and find them?"

Zisheng was astonished. "You are capable of primordial spirit projection?"

"Is that difficult?" Shi Jun asked, confused.

"Of course it is... but never mind, I will explain it to you later. Since you can project your spirit, things become easier. However, Fuyao and the others cannot, and just having their spirits escape would be useless... Hmm, I must think carefully about how to proceed safely."

That was true. He couldn't just have Chiyang and the others' spirits fly away while leaving their physical bodies in the Demon Realm. Besides, people from the Underworld were different from ordinary humans; it was unclear whether their spirits could even leave their bodies in the first place! Although Shi Jun was curious why the ability was considered so impressive, he knew this was not the time to ask. Seeing Zisheng lost in thought, he kept quiet.

"Like this," Zisheng said after a moment, his eyes lighting up. He picked up a pen and paper from the desk, drew a simple topographical map, and handed it to Shi Jun. "Here we are—the Crying Tree Forest. Do not go southeast; that is the territory of the Butterfly-Boned Dragons. We will leave separately in a moment. I will head north to lure away the pursuers, while you go west. Fly over the Freshwater River, bypass the Blood-Blue Tribe and the Xiyou Mountain Range, and you will see a snow valley. The snow there is deep blue; it is very easy to recognize."

"Deep blue snow?" Shi Jun found it strange but did not ask further.

"That ancient mystical ice is incredibly hard; neither blades nor spells can break it, but it is a precious resource in the Demon Realm. Oh, I forgot to tell you—be very careful when you go to the snow valley. That is the territory of the Great Demon Ling Biyuan."

"What? Then isn't it dangerous for Chiyang and the others to hide there?"

Zisheng smiled faintly. "Do you not know that the most dangerous place is also the safest? Biyuan has a strange temper and is so self-confident that she would never imagine anyone daring to enter her domain. Furthermore, because people fear her power, almost no one enters her territory. However, she is obsessed with cultivation and spends most of her time in deep meditation. As long as you are cautious and avoid the ears of the Snow Rats, there should be no trouble."

"What are Snow Rats?" Shi Jun asked curiously.

"They look like the squirrels of the Human Realm, only their fur is white. They are Biyuan’s favorite pets. Of course, from what I know, the rats themselves do not feel the same way. They have long grown tired of staying in that place, but they are too afraid of Biyuan’s wrath to leave. It is quite pitiful, really."

Shi Jun immediately thought of the white squirrel he had seen sitting on the elk. It was just like in the Human Realm, he realized. People keep cats and dogs as if it were an act of love, when in reality, it is nothing more than a way to kill time and amuse themselves. The animals themselves may not necessarily be willing to live such lives.

Zisheng pointed at the map and continued, "Once you arrive, you will see the valley at a glance. It is very large, with almost no vegetation and no caves to hide in. That is precisely why the pursuers never thought Fuyao would hide there. But as the saying goes, a clever rabbit has three burrows. There is an old training chamber of mine beneath the snow valley. It hasn't been used for a long time, but it is a very hidden location that no one knows about. Fuyao is there now. They are injured. I will give you some herbs and food in a moment. Ah, I have been afraid to go there for several days for fear of drawing attention; I do not know how they are doing now."

Shi Jun thought to himself: *If it is just medicinal pills and food, I have scavenged plenty from the Human and Underworld realms. They will certainly come in handy!*