Chapter 91: The Sacred Land
They arrived at the sacred land at dusk, with vast stretches of fiery clouds in the sky, predicting rain for the next day.
"Welcome, Jiang Hong."
At the entrance of the sacred land, in the parking lot, He Rong — He Jian's older brother — was waiting for him.
Without waiting for Jiang Hong to greet him, He Rong turned to the pandas and said, "Scram! Go away!"
The pandas scattered, and Jiang Hong thought he finally met a normal demon, though the pandas, albeit unconventional, were still quite adorable.
"Hello, big brother, where is everyone else?" Jiang Hong greeted with a smile. He Jian's brother was like his own, and he had asked He Jian to inform his brother of his early arrival at the sacred land.
"Hua Xiaoli is arranging things," He Rong said. "His Majesty the Little King asked me to take you to your accommodation. Please, this way."
Jiang Hong initially thought to decline the offer and join his roommates instead... but then remembered he might have to present the pickles to Lu Xiu soon, so he said, "Big brother, about my suitcase..."
"It will be sent to your room later," He Rong led Jiang Hong up the staircase, with the sacred land as quiet as during his last visit.
"You're too polite, Jiang Hong," He Rong said, "You don't have to call me big brother."
"He Jian's big brother is my big brother," Jiang Hong replied with a smile.
"In that case, I'll accept it," He Rong responded, "My little brother's friend is also my little brother."
"I don't know why, but I always felt the sacred land was a bit desolate last time I was here," Jiang Hong said. "Strangely, it feels different now... very serene, like an earthly paradise. Even this mountain and the river below seem..."
Standing at the railing of the walkway, Jiang Hong looked out and suddenly felt the beauty of the demon clan's sacred land.
Maples, cypresses, pines, gingkoes... a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees blanketed the mountains like layers of gradient paint, gently swaying with the mountain breeze, leading down to the emerald-green river at the base.
At dusk, a light mist rose above the river in the valley, giving the entire Wushan Mountain an ethereal, fairyland-like aura.
Though beautiful during his last visit, it had a desolate feel, but today it was transformed!
He Rong chuckled and explained, "It's because His Majesty the Little King returned recently. With a dragon in residence, the flow of spiritual energy here changed, making everything more vibrant."
"Really?" Jiang Hong asked, wondering if it was just the season's change.
"A mountain is famous not for its height, but for its resident immortal; a river is not deep by its measure, but for its resident dragon," He Rong stated.
Jiang Hong was so captivated by the view from the walkway that He Rong patiently waited behind him.
Just as Jiang Hong reluctantly thought of leaving, a huge panda appeared. Recognizing it as Damar, he was stunned.
"Wow! Damar!" Jiang Hong exclaimed excitedly.
"Wow! Jiang Hong!" Damar also thundered over, his 800-pound weight causing the walkway to shudder with dust, and Jiang Hong leaped up to cling to Damar's fluffy back.
"I'll take over," Damar told He Rong.
"Alright," He Rong courteously handed Jiang Hong over to Damar and excused himself.
Damar then got down on all fours and carried Jiang Hong up to the palace halfway up the mountain.
"Ah, my lady!" Damar began, but Jiang Hong quickly interjected, "Please don't call me that, Damar. Lu Xiu and I are not... like that."
Damar glanced back at Jiang Hong, puzzled, and said, "Okay, but that's not important. Let me take you to where you'll be staying and help you get familiar with the palace layout, shall we?"
"Sure, sure," Jiang Hong replied, "How have you been recently?"
Jiang Hong gently stroked the fur on Damar's head as he spoke.
"Great!" Damar responded cheerfully, "Every day is fun! This walkway leads down the mountain to the parking area, and there's another path, a hanging walkway, with panda attendants waiting. If you get bored in the sacred land, you're welcome to go out and explore."
Riding on Damar's back, Jiang Hong entered the palace, filled with excitement.
"This path leads to the side hall," Damar explained. "Ahead is the Wushan Cliff of Severance, which divides the sacred land into two areas, the upper and lower zones. Beyond that lies a forbidden area, the core zone..."
"Ah, hey!" Jiang Hong saw his classmates on the other side of the platform and waved at them.
"How do we get over there?" Jiang Hong asked.
"Is that Jiang Hong?" Xiao Pi spotted him and shouted, "Jiang Hong! What? You're riding a panda?!"
"What did you say?" Jiang Hong yelled across to the opposite platform.
"We're not going over there," Damar, carrying Jiang Hong, turned in another direction, saying, "Your classmates can't just come here; they are interning in the lower zone. But you can go out anytime. Later, you'll be given a jade token that can access all doors, including those in the forbidden area."
"Uh, isn't that a bit too special?" Jiang Hong remarked.
Damar replied, "It's arranged by His Majesty the Little King."
Left with no choice, Jiang Hong said, "Okay, then."
Damar took Jiang Hong to the place where they fed fish under the willow tree last time, which had a pool, and above it, a gigantic tree.
"This is the central courtyard. The four directions correspond to the administrative territories of the four Demon Kings," Damar explained. "You've seen this place during your last visit, right?"
"I have a question," Jiang Hong said. "Are they also kings?"
"Although they are nominally kings," Damar explained, "they are not the true kings. The true king was once the Ba Serpent, later succeeded by the Dragon Clan, that is, the Great King Xiang. Now that the Great King is not here, he entrusted the sacred land to the Little King Lu Xiu, who exercises the power of the Demon King on his behalf. You can also consider the other four Demon Kings as the chiefs of their respective races."
"Oh… what's the name of the Eagle King?"
"Liu Heng," Damar reminded.
"Right, Liu Heng oversees the avians, doesn’t he?" Jiang Hong said.
"Not just avians," Damar explained, "anything with wings falls under his jurisdiction, including chickens and ducks."
"Oh, okay, so Feng Li is in charge of the beasts," Jiang Hong nodded in understanding, "Got it. What about Xiang Liu? Does he manage aquatic creatures?"
Damar replied, "He oversees creatures living in water, including amphibians. The Ghost King is only responsible for all the guai species."
Jiang Hong then said, "So you guys are beasts…"
Damar proudly declared, "We pandas don’t fall under any Demon King’s jurisdiction. We are the personal guard of the Queen Mother, with considerable authority!"
Jiang Hong thought to himself: Being cute really does have its advantages.
"Stand here," Damar, carrying Jiang Hong, stopped at a small platform in the central courtyard and said, "You can go up to the very top. That’s where the main hall is."
As the platform slowly ascended, Damar continued, "The Great King resides in the Eastern Palace, and you and the Little King will stay in the Western Palace…"
Jiang Hong thought: I’m definitely going to be mobbed by my roommates when I get back.
"Head west from here." In the fading light of the setting sun, Damar led Jiang Hong to a stunningly beautiful spot by the river. Not far off was a waterfall, and on the cliffside, there was a large room resembling a presidential suite, guarded by two pandas.
"That waterfall outside has been soundproofed," Damar mentioned, "It won’t be noisy at night, just a faint sound of water to aid sleep."
Jiang Hong: "This is…"
"Hey!" Damar exclaimed, "Don't fall asleep now! The Queen Mother is here!"
"Greetings, Queen Mother!" The pandas immediately woke up, and Jiang Hong hurriedly said, "Stop calling me that, please don't call me Queen Mother anymore…"
"Yes, Queen Mother! Alright, Queen Mother!"
Jiang Hong: "……"
"They will take turns guarding you," Damar explained as he entered the room. "I'm shedding a bit, so I won't go into the bedroom. I've prepared your bathwater. Just let us know when you're ready to eat, and the pandas outside will take you there."
Jiang Hong quickly got down and said, "This is really not necessary, I'd prefer to stay with my roommates..."
"The Little King has already considered that for you," Damar said. "He specially arranged an elevator for you. From the balcony on the east side, after swiping the access card and taking the floating elevator, you'll reach the lower area. Another swipe at the next access point, a walk through the small path, and you're at the garden. They live in the dormitory buildings just outside the garden."
Jiang Hong said, "Well, maybe I should just... go back and live with them?"
Damar seemed instantly tense and serious, looking at Jiang Hong, surprised that he didn't want to stay there, unsure of what to do.
But soon, Damar said doubtfully, "Really? But there are no pandas outside. We don't usually operate in that area."
Jiang Hong: "Oh, is that so? Well..."
Hearing this, Jiang Hong felt conflicted.
Damar, clearly aware of their competitive edge, suggested, "Or should I assign more pandas for you, to fill the corridor outside?"
"No, no, that's not necessary!" After a moment of inner struggle, Jiang Hong said, "But it's a bit boring to stay here alone… um, let me think."
A panda outside the door volunteered, "You can play with us!"
"Exactly!" Damar added, "You can come play with me anytime, or even hang out with the Ghost King."
The sight of a giant panda earnestly saying “come play with me” left Jiang Hong almost unable to refuse.
"Then I'll stay here for a few days," Jiang Hong agreed cheerfully, "If I get bored, I'll head down."
Damar assured, "Great! You can scold or hit them; they're very understanding."
Jiang Hong protested, "No, no! Who would ever scold or hit a panda! That's crazy. Okay then, that's settled! Thank you! Hahaha. But how do I explain this to them!"
Relieved, Damar left to report back. Suddenly, Jiang Hong realized he hadn't yet met with Lu Xiu.
He had prepared so many snacks! And champagne! Was this a five-star hotel treatment? There was even a minibar, Häagen-Dazs ice cream, and an ice bucket!
Jiang Hong began exploring, taking ice cream and drinks to the bath, thinking: Wow! The toiletries are Hermès! This bathtub is huge! And it’s hot spring water! This must reflect the kind of lavish lifestyle the King and Queen usually lead. Too extravagant!
He noticed a panda entering, taking away the clothes he had changed out of.
"Hey? What are you doing?"
"We are preparing your bed for the night, Your Highness," the pandas replied, proceeding to light the aromatherapy candles.
[Jiang Hong? Where are you?] He Jian sent a message, [Xiao Pi said he saw you riding a panda, where did you go?]
Zhang Xiting: [Hurry to Dormitory 7, the farthest left in the garden. Don't wander off, I brought something for you.]
Oh no, what to do?! As Jiang Hong was snacking and enjoying the mountain view, his heart skipped a beat upon seeing the message.
"This is your jade," a panda said, presenting a set of robes with an ancient dragon-shaped jade on top. "The jade is your access card for the Yāo Xié. It's unbreakable, fortified with magic."
"Okay, okay," Jiang Hong said, "Thank you." He absentmindedly petted a passing panda, wiping off some grease, thinking to go downstairs and join them for a meal later, and maybe grab some snacks to take along.
After a shower, Jiang Hong changed into fresh clothes. The weather had cooled down, with a significant temperature difference between day and night in autumn. It started raining in the mountains, accompanied by some distant rumbles of thunder.
Jiang Hong took the floating elevator down, rejecting the idea of having the panda accompany him, asking only for it to hold an umbrella for him until he reached the small garden where the outer and inner areas of the campus met, heading to join his roommates for a meal.
"You finally came!" He Jian said, "Let's go eat! Where were you? Where's your luggage?"
"It's… up there," Jiang Hong said, "I went to find Lu Xiu, but I didn’t see him."
"Yo, what are you wearing?" Zhang Xiting asked. "A Tibetan robe?"
"Hehehe." Seeing where his roommates were staying, Jiang Hong thought it was quite good. It was a four-person room with an en suite bathroom and a hot spring pool. The room had a loft structure, and the riverside houses in the outer area were like small villas in a holiday resort, offering river views in the morning.
The Monster Association had prepared a buffet for the intern students, and the canteen was bustling like a hotel. The monster students, arriving in the sacred land, felt like they were home, visibly relaxing.
As for the human students, they were much more disciplined, clearly still affected by the recent incident. The whole grade was divided into two groups, with only a few dorms mixing together.
Jiang Hong’s dorm was one of them.
Everyone had access cards in the form of amber pendants, but Jiang Hong's was a simple dragon-shaped jade.
Zhang Xiting said, "I brought Old Sun for you, it’s in the dormitory box. I was just about to give it to you."
Jin asked, "Which demon king are you going to work under?"
"Ah, right," Jiang Hong said, "What will I be doing for my internship? I need to find my counselor first. I’ll take out Old Sun after dinner."
Jiang Hong had previously reminded Zhang Xiting not to forget Old Sun so it could practice at the Monster Association. He then hurriedly went to find Hu Qingquan to check in.
Hu Qingquan was eating roasted quails and said, "I know, your internship report isn’t under my management, it's with Teacher Lu. He will arrange work for you."
"Oh, really?" Jiang Hong thought, delighted, that he could finally see Lu Xiu. He’d been at the Monster Association for half a day and hadn’t seen him yet.
"Jiang Hong!" Xiao Pi came over, exclaiming, "You look so cool! Is that a Tibetan robe? Why suddenly wear a Tibetan robe?"
Jiang Hong quickly said, "I wore it once on a trip before. Since there's no dress code, I wore it. What do you want to eat? I’ll get it for you."
Xiao Pi and Jiang Hong got along well. Firstly, they were both S-Class students under the same master, Cao Bin, sharing a sect relationship. Secondly, Xiao Pi had a troublesome principal as a father, and everyone else feared getting involved with He Zhi, but Jiang Hong didn’t mind.
"Can you help me with something?" Xiao Pi whispered. "I’m going crazy, thanks... Ah, this pudding is so delicious, is there more?"
Jiang Hong casually fed Xiao Pi some food and asked, "Oh, what’s up?"
Xiao Pi: "My dad wants to stay in the same room with me!"
Everyone: "......"
"Your dad came too?" Jiang Hong immediately looked for He Zhi, and indeed, He Zhi was there, eating in a corner.
"Yes!" Xiao Pi said, "But since there was no accommodation arranged for him and he’s not the lead teacher, the Monster Association didn't prepare a room for him, so he has to share a bed with me..."
Everyone immediately shifted their sympathy from Xiao Pi to his entire dorm room. Having the principal sleep in their internship dorm was an unusual situation!
"Uh..." Jiang Hong said, "That bed... um... yes, it’s a bit cramped for a grown-up to sleep with their dad."
Xiao Pi: "He said he used to sleep with me like this when I was little... but that’s not important. I think he should at least get a separate room. Teacher Hu agreed, but my dad doesn’t want to stay in another room..."
"Oh——" Everyone immediately understood.
Jiang Hong also got it. He Zhi must be suspicious and wanting to keep an eye on his son and Lian Jiang! But Xiao Pi and Lian Jiang aren’t even dating! Besides, it's a four-person dorm!
Jiang Hong: "I... don’t think I can help you..."
Xiao Pi said, "Never mind my dad, could you talk to Lian Jiang for me? Find him a room to stay in temporarily. Lian Jiang might listen if you persuade him. Or ask Teacher Lu, oh no, King Wang, for help."
Jiang Hong didn’t dare to intervene in Xiao Pi and He Zhi's father-son relationship, likely a long-standing battle, but helping Lian Jiang should be feasible.
If Lian Jiang doesn’t sleep in the dorm, He Zhi won’t be so suspicious, and maybe he’ll leave after a while.
"I... There should be a place upstairs where Lian Jiang can stay!" Jiang Hong said. "I'll ask Da Wan later? For tonight, you just have to endure it."
Xiao Pi left, gratefully wiping away tears.
Jiang Hong was still pondering whether to return to the presidential suite arranged by Lu Xiu upstairs. What if Lu Xiu came looking for him and got angry upon finding him absent?
But the buffet in the canteen below was also delicious! Jiang Hong thought that the treatment during his internship at the Monster Association was indeed better than at the Committee.
It was a rare occasion when everyone seemed to be on a holiday outing.
"The atmosphere is so lively," Jiang Hong commented upon returning to the dorm, as everyone took turns to shower.
"But the monster race has its own drawbacks," Jin remarked, "There’s a strict sense of racial supremacy and hierarchy."
He Jian, while blow-drying his hair, said, "It's inevitable. Monsters are evolved from animals, occupying different levels of the food chain and each with natural enemies. No matter how much equality is promoted, there’s still a hierarchy ingrained in their minds."
"Things will get better," Jiang Hong consoled.
Zhang Xiting brought out Old Sun, startling Jiang Hong. Inside was a battered celestial cat spirit, the robot vacuum cleaner almost completely disassembled.
"Old Sun!" Jiang Hong cried out in dismay, "How did you end up like this?!"
"The day you left in a hurry," Zhang Xiting explained, "Old Sun went to look for you. While passing the canteen's back door, it was hit and run over by a cart dragged by an auntie."
Jiang Hong’s eyes reddened instantly, hurriedly saying, "I’m so sorry, Old Sun... How do you feel?"
Old Sun replied, "I’m still doing well, don’t worry."
Zhang Xiting was startled himself and said, "It won’t die, Jiang Hong, don’t cry. It just needs a new body."
Jin also hurriedly consoled, "You can upgrade it now."
He Jian said, "We tried to fix it with magic, but it seems to have absorbed too much spiritual energy and has almost become a high-grade magical item. Ordinary spells won't work, so we'll need to consult Teacher Huo Ran. Do you want to replace its body, or what?"
"What do you think?" Jiang Hong asked, "Old Sun, can you still move?"
Old Sun could only turn its camera around. The celestial cat spirit had cracked, and the body of the vacuum cleaner was mostly shattered. It said, "I feel fine, Jiang Hong. Buying a new body would cost quite a bit, right? If it can be fixed, let's fix it, or maybe wait for the Double Eleven sale to buy a new one."
Jiang Hong double-checked that Old Sun's cultivation hadn't been affected by the damage to its parts and finally felt relieved.
"I’ll buy the replacement parts," Jiang Hong decided, remembering Old Sun's current form as a celestial cat spirit. The vacuum cleaner's body could be easily replaced, so he placed an order for it first.
"Jiang Hong, what happened at your home?" Old Sun was still worried about Jiang Hong, asking various questions. After Jiang Hong explained, indirectly addressing his roommates' concerns, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, having been worried about him.
"It's good that everything's fine," Jin said, "Life is fragile, we must cherish the time we have together."
"Yeah," Jiang Hong lay on his bed, inspecting Old Sun's damaged parts, and said, "I should be even better to my parents."
Everyone took turns to soak in the hot spring. There was no lights-out time during the internship, relying on self-discipline, and the villa area became quite noisy. Hu Qingquan came knocking on their doors, reminding them to go to bed early.
There were no entertainment activities in the internship area, and even the signal wasn't great. By half-past ten, the dorms had turned off their lights. Jiang Hong tossed and turned, worried about what if Lu Xiu came looking for him? Would he get angry if he couldn’t find him?
So Jiang Hong got up in the dark, and Old Sun said, "Jiang Hong!"
"Shh!" Jiang Hong quickly hushed Old Sun, not wanting to wake his roommates, and held it in his arms, tiptoeing out.
"Where are you going?" Old Sun asked in a lowered voice.
"Upstairs," Jiang Hong replied, "To the main hall."
Old Sun: "Why?"
Jiang Hong: "No reason, just don't ask..."
Walking in the pitch-dark garden, Jiang Hong suddenly saw a red dot glowing in the darkness - was someone smoking outside?
"Who's that?" He Zhi's voice asked. "Jiang Hong? Is that you?"
Jiang Hong quickly responded, "Ah, Director He! You're here too?" He hesitated about whether to approach, as He Zhi was sitting alone on a garden bench, smoking.
"Carrying your vacuum cleaner robot again, where are you headed?" He Zhi said, and then sighed.
Jiang Hong decided to go over and check.
"Do you smoke?" He Zhi asked.
"No... thank you." Seeing He Zhi seemed quite down, Jiang Hong sat with him for a while.
"Sigh." He Zhi sounded melancholic again.
Jiang Hong: "What's... what's wrong? You've also come to join us for the internship, must be tough, right?"
Jiang Hong’s impression of He Zhi was limited to his sleeping face covered with a copy of 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' at enrollment and his performance in the 'Plants vs. Zombies' show on school anniversary night.
Most of what he knew about He Zhi came from classmates, especially Xiao Pi's complaints.
But Xiao Pi didn't complain about everyone, only confiding his frustrations with his father to Jiang Hong. Jiang Hong was known for not gossiping; curious, yet never spreading what he knew. He was a vault for secrets, making him an ideal confidant.
"Let me ask you," He Zhi suddenly put an arm around Jiang Hong’s shoulder, his unexpected closeness making Jiang Hong nervous, "What do you know about Xiao Pi and that guy called Lian Jiang?"
Jiang Hong immediately pretended to be clueless, saying, "Ah? Lian Jiang? What about them?"
He Zhi looked at Jiang Hong seriously, as if trying to discern from his eyes whether he was lying.
This was uncomfortably close... Jiang Hong thought: If other students saw me arm in arm with the principal in the garden in the middle of the night, it would be so awkward! But he was familiar with He Zhi's behavior pattern; straight men like to show their control this way.
"Is he straight? Suddenly, Jiang Hong thought of something a bit frightening. Could He Zhi's control over Xiao Pi... be paternal possessiveness? I remember Keda once gleefully mentioning, 'Issues with conduct, eight S-rank exorcists, four of them gay.'"
"Although He Zhi doesn't stand out much, overshadowed by Cao Bin and Chen Zhen, he's still an S-rank exorcist. Is he gay? Doesn't seem like it, right?"
"I raised Xiao Pi from a young age," He Zhi sighed again. "I remember when he was little, how obediently he listened to me... How did it suddenly change so quickly?"
"He loves you very much!" Jiang Hong immediately said, "Really, he admires you a lot."
"Although Xiao Pi has some complaints about his father, overall, he really loves He Zhi. Jiang Hong could clearly feel it."
"I watched him grow, from when he was just an egg, until he hatched..."
Jiang Hong thought: Isn't this a bit bizarre?
"That egg..." Jiang Hong cautiously asked, glancing at He Zhi's abdomen, as if trying to understand this physiological conundrum.
He Zhi: "?"
Jiang Hong: "Is it... laid by you personally?"
He Zhi: "Of course not! Xiao Pi is my adopted son! What are you thinking?"
"Oh!" Jiang Hong finally understood and said, "But Xiao Pi never mentioned it. I think, in his heart, he always considered you his biological father, right?"
He Zhi said, "We never talk about this matter, but that child... Ah, did he make a sword for Lian Jiang? Did he make it for Lian Jiang? Why did he make a sword for him? I remember he asked me a lot of questions when he was forging it..."
"Uh, I don't know," Jiang Hong equivocated, saying, "I haven't seen any sword."
He Zhi: "Xiao Pi has never given me anything so valuable."
Jiang Hong was still thinking: As a father, isn't this jealousy a bit too much? Besides, Xiao Pi couldn't possibly have any pocket money.
Eight S-rank exorcists, four of them gay, but who are they talking about?
Does Keda count? Keda should be one, right? After all, Feng Li is a boy. And Principal Xiang too? Jiang Hong remembers that the principal's wife is also a male—he only knows these two.
Then there's Cao Bin, Chen Zhen, An Jie, and Qi Wei, all four he has met, and one more he hasn't, what was his name?
Finally, there's the dean of discipline, He Zhi…
Jiang Hong was still pondering about the remaining two slots when Hu Qingquan appeared from behind.
"Jiang Hong?" Hu Qingquan said, "What are you doing here?"
Jiang Hong: "Ah, I... was just about to go upstairs."
He decided not to lie to the counselor, as he still had a good impression of him. Hu Qingquan said, "You must be tired, go ahead."
Hu Qingquan sat next to He Zhi, replacing Jiang Hong, accompanying the sighing He Zhi, took out a cigarette pack, shook it, and said, "Only two left, here, have one."
So the counselor and the dean of discipline sat on a bench in the garden, smoking. Jiang Hong finally got away and hurried off.
He passed through the garden, swiped open the furthest door with an ancient jade, feeling like he was using a secret passage, went through two doors, got onto the lift platform, which rose into the air, and returned to the large garden outside the palace.
Passing through the sky garden, distant thunder began to rumble, signaling rain. Jiang Hong switched elevators again, returning to the presidential suite's bedroom.
"Ah..." Jiang Hong said, "Finally back."
Jiang Hong glanced outside, initially wanting to ask if Lu Xiu had come by, but the two pandas were napping again, so he took a blanket from the room, covered them with it, and gently closed the door.
"I've already bought a new cleaning robot," Jiang Hong said, "It will be delivered to the foot of the mountain by tomorrow with overnight shipping. You'll have to make do for today."
"No problem," said Lao Sun. "What time do you need to wake up tomorrow? I'll call you."
Jiang Hong: "I... I should get up before six, and go back to the dormitory downstairs. What am I even doing with this!"
Jiang Hong lay in bed, turned over, and thought about whether to go find Lu Xiu. Too sleepy, he decided to sleep first.
Chapter 91: The Sacred Land
They arrived at the sacred land at dusk, with vast stretches of fiery clouds in the sky, predicting rain for the next day.
"Welcome, Jiang Hong."
At the entrance of the sacred land, in the parking lot, He Rong — He Jian's older brother — was waiting for him.
Without waiting for Jiang Hong to greet him, He Rong turned to the pandas and said, "Scram! Go away!"
The pandas scattered, and Jiang Hong thought he finally met a normal demon, though the pandas, albeit unconventional, were still quite adorable.
"Hello, big brother, where is everyone else?" Jiang Hong greeted with a smile. He Jian's brother was like his own, and he had asked He Jian to inform his brother of his early arrival at the sacred land.
"Hua Xiaoli is arranging things," He Rong said. "His Majesty the Little King asked me to take you to your accommodation. Please, this way."
Jiang Hong initially thought to decline the offer and join his roommates instead... but then remembered he might have to present the pickles to Lu Xiu soon, so he said, "Big brother, about my suitcase..."
"It will be sent to your room later," He Rong led Jiang Hong up the staircase, with the sacred land as quiet as during his last visit.
"You're too polite, Jiang Hong," He Rong said, "You don't have to call me big brother."
"He Jian's big brother is my big brother," Jiang Hong replied with a smile.
"In that case, I'll accept it," He Rong responded, "My little brother's friend is also my little brother."
"I don't know why, but I always felt the sacred land was a bit desolate last time I was here," Jiang Hong said. "Strangely, it feels different now... very serene, like an earthly paradise. Even this mountain and the river below seem..."
Standing at the railing of the walkway, Jiang Hong looked out and suddenly felt the beauty of the demon clan's sacred land.
Maples, cypresses, pines, gingkoes... a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees blanketed the mountains like layers of gradient paint, gently swaying with the mountain breeze, leading down to the emerald-green river at the base.
At dusk, a light mist rose above the river in the valley, giving the entire Wushan Mountain an ethereal, fairyland-like aura.
Though beautiful during his last visit, it had a desolate feel, but today it was transformed!
He Rong chuckled and explained, "It's because His Majesty the Little King returned recently. With a dragon in residence, the flow of spiritual energy here changed, making everything more vibrant."
"Really?" Jiang Hong asked, wondering if it was just the season's change.
"A mountain is famous not for its height, but for its resident immortal; a river is not deep by its measure, but for its resident dragon," He Rong stated.
Jiang Hong was so captivated by the view from the walkway that He Rong patiently waited behind him.
Just as Jiang Hong reluctantly thought of leaving, a huge panda appeared. Recognizing it as Damar, he was stunned.
"Wow! Damar!" Jiang Hong exclaimed excitedly.
"Wow! Jiang Hong!" Damar also thundered over, his 800-pound weight causing the walkway to shudder with dust, and Jiang Hong leaped up to cling to Damar's fluffy back.
"I'll take over," Damar told He Rong.
"Alright," He Rong courteously handed Jiang Hong over to Damar and excused himself.
Damar then got down on all fours and carried Jiang Hong up to the palace halfway up the mountain.
"Ah, my lady!" Damar began, but Jiang Hong quickly interjected, "Please don't call me that, Damar. Lu Xiu and I are not... like that."
Damar glanced back at Jiang Hong, puzzled, and said, "Okay, but that's not important. Let me take you to where you'll be staying and help you get familiar with the palace layout, shall we?"
"Sure, sure," Jiang Hong replied, "How have you been recently?"
Jiang Hong gently stroked the fur on Damar's head as he spoke.
"Great!" Damar responded cheerfully, "Every day is fun! This walkway leads down the mountain to the parking area, and there's another path, a hanging walkway, with panda attendants waiting. If you get bored in the sacred land, you're welcome to go out and explore."
Riding on Damar's back, Jiang Hong entered the palace, filled with excitement.
"This path leads to the side hall," Damar explained. "Ahead is the Wushan Cliff of Severance, which divides the sacred land into two areas, the upper and lower zones. Beyond that lies a forbidden area, the core zone..."
"Ah, hey!" Jiang Hong saw his classmates on the other side of the platform and waved at them.
"How do we get over there?" Jiang Hong asked.
"Is that Jiang Hong?" Xiao Pi spotted him and shouted, "Jiang Hong! What? You're riding a panda?!"
"What did you say?" Jiang Hong yelled across to the opposite platform.
"We're not going over there," Damar, carrying Jiang Hong, turned in another direction, saying, "Your classmates can't just come here; they are interning in the lower zone. But you can go out anytime. Later, you'll be given a jade token that can access all doors, including those in the forbidden area."
"Uh, isn't that a bit too special?" Jiang Hong remarked.
Damar replied, "It's arranged by His Majesty the Little King."
Left with no choice, Jiang Hong said, "Okay, then."
Damar took Jiang Hong to the place where they fed fish under the willow tree last time, which had a pool, and above it, a gigantic tree.
"This is the central courtyard. The four directions correspond to the administrative territories of the four Demon Kings," Damar explained. "You've seen this place during your last visit, right?"
"I have a question," Jiang Hong said. "Are they also kings?"
"Although they are nominally kings," Damar explained, "they are not the true kings. The true king was once the Ba Serpent, later succeeded by the Dragon Clan, that is, the Great King Xiang. Now that the Great King is not here, he entrusted the sacred land to the Little King Lu Xiu, who exercises the power of the Demon King on his behalf. You can also consider the other four Demon Kings as the chiefs of their respective races."
"Oh… what's the name of the Eagle King?"
"Liu Heng," Damar reminded.
"Right, Liu Heng oversees the avians, doesn’t he?" Jiang Hong said.
"Not just avians," Damar explained, "anything with wings falls under his jurisdiction, including chickens and ducks."
"Oh, okay, so Feng Li is in charge of the beasts," Jiang Hong nodded in understanding, "Got it. What about Xiang Liu? Does he manage aquatic creatures?"
Damar replied, "He oversees creatures living in water, including amphibians. The Ghost King is only responsible for all the guai species."
Jiang Hong then said, "So you guys are beasts…"
Damar proudly declared, "We pandas don’t fall under any Demon King’s jurisdiction. We are the personal guard of the Queen Mother, with considerable authority!"
Jiang Hong thought to himself: Being cute really does have its advantages.
"Stand here," Damar, carrying Jiang Hong, stopped at a small platform in the central courtyard and said, "You can go up to the very top. That’s where the main hall is."
As the platform slowly ascended, Damar continued, "The Great King resides in the Eastern Palace, and you and the Little King will stay in the Western Palace…"
Jiang Hong thought: I’m definitely going to be mobbed by my roommates when I get back.
"Head west from here." In the fading light of the setting sun, Damar led Jiang Hong to a stunningly beautiful spot by the river. Not far off was a waterfall, and on the cliffside, there was a large room resembling a presidential suite, guarded by two pandas.
"That waterfall outside has been soundproofed," Damar mentioned, "It won’t be noisy at night, just a faint sound of water to aid sleep."
Jiang Hong: "This is…"
"Hey!" Damar exclaimed, "Don't fall asleep now! The Queen Mother is here!"
"Greetings, Queen Mother!" The pandas immediately woke up, and Jiang Hong hurriedly said, "Stop calling me that, please don't call me Queen Mother anymore…"
"Yes, Queen Mother! Alright, Queen Mother!"
Jiang Hong: "……"
"They will take turns guarding you," Damar explained as he entered the room. "I'm shedding a bit, so I won't go into the bedroom. I've prepared your bathwater. Just let us know when you're ready to eat, and the pandas outside will take you there."
Jiang Hong quickly got down and said, "This is really not necessary, I'd prefer to stay with my roommates..."
"The Little King has already considered that for you," Damar said. "He specially arranged an elevator for you. From the balcony on the east side, after swiping the access card and taking the floating elevator, you'll reach the lower area. Another swipe at the next access point, a walk through the small path, and you're at the garden. They live in the dormitory buildings just outside the garden."
Jiang Hong said, "Well, maybe I should just... go back and live with them?"
Damar seemed instantly tense and serious, looking at Jiang Hong, surprised that he didn't want to stay there, unsure of what to do.
But soon, Damar said doubtfully, "Really? But there are no pandas outside. We don't usually operate in that area."
Jiang Hong: "Oh, is that so? Well..."
Hearing this, Jiang Hong felt conflicted.
Damar, clearly aware of their competitive edge, suggested, "Or should I assign more pandas for you, to fill the corridor outside?"
"No, no, that's not necessary!" After a moment of inner struggle, Jiang Hong said, "But it's a bit boring to stay here alone… um, let me think."
A panda outside the door volunteered, "You can play with us!"
"Exactly!" Damar added, "You can come play with me anytime, or even hang out with the Ghost King."
The sight of a giant panda earnestly saying “come play with me” left Jiang Hong almost unable to refuse.
"Then I'll stay here for a few days," Jiang Hong agreed cheerfully, "If I get bored, I'll head down."
Damar assured, "Great! You can scold or hit them; they're very understanding."
Jiang Hong protested, "No, no! Who would ever scold or hit a panda! That's crazy. Okay then, that's settled! Thank you! Hahaha. But how do I explain this to them!"
Relieved, Damar left to report back. Suddenly, Jiang Hong realized he hadn't yet met with Lu Xiu.
He had prepared so many snacks! And champagne! Was this a five-star hotel treatment? There was even a minibar, Häagen-Dazs ice cream, and an ice bucket!
Jiang Hong began exploring, taking ice cream and drinks to the bath, thinking: Wow! The toiletries are Hermès! This bathtub is huge! And it’s hot spring water! This must reflect the kind of lavish lifestyle the King and Queen usually lead. Too extravagant!
He noticed a panda entering, taking away the clothes he had changed out of.
"Hey? What are you doing?"
"We are preparing your bed for the night, Your Highness," the pandas replied, proceeding to light the aromatherapy candles.
[Jiang Hong? Where are you?] He Jian sent a message, [Xiao Pi said he saw you riding a panda, where did you go?]
Zhang Xiting: [Hurry to Dormitory 7, the farthest left in the garden. Don't wander off, I brought something for you.]
Oh no, what to do?! As Jiang Hong was snacking and enjoying the mountain view, his heart skipped a beat upon seeing the message.
"This is your jade," a panda said, presenting a set of robes with an ancient dragon-shaped jade on top. "The jade is your access card for the Yāo Xié. It's unbreakable, fortified with magic."
"Okay, okay," Jiang Hong said, "Thank you." He absentmindedly petted a passing panda, wiping off some grease, thinking to go downstairs and join them for a meal later, and maybe grab some snacks to take along.
After a shower, Jiang Hong changed into fresh clothes. The weather had cooled down, with a significant temperature difference between day and night in autumn. It started raining in the mountains, accompanied by some distant rumbles of thunder.
Jiang Hong took the floating elevator down, rejecting the idea of having the panda accompany him, asking only for it to hold an umbrella for him until he reached the small garden where the outer and inner areas of the campus met, heading to join his roommates for a meal.
"You finally came!" He Jian said, "Let's go eat! Where were you? Where's your luggage?"
"It's… up there," Jiang Hong said, "I went to find Lu Xiu, but I didn’t see him."
"Yo, what are you wearing?" Zhang Xiting asked. "A Tibetan robe?"
"Hehehe." Seeing where his roommates were staying, Jiang Hong thought it was quite good. It was a four-person room with an en suite bathroom and a hot spring pool. The room had a loft structure, and the riverside houses in the outer area were like small villas in a holiday resort, offering river views in the morning.
The Monster Association had prepared a buffet for the intern students, and the canteen was bustling like a hotel. The monster students, arriving in the sacred land, felt like they were home, visibly relaxing.
As for the human students, they were much more disciplined, clearly still affected by the recent incident. The whole grade was divided into two groups, with only a few dorms mixing together.
Jiang Hong’s dorm was one of them.
Everyone had access cards in the form of amber pendants, but Jiang Hong's was a simple dragon-shaped jade.
Zhang Xiting said, "I brought Old Sun for you, it’s in the dormitory box. I was just about to give it to you."
Jin asked, "Which demon king are you going to work under?"
"Ah, right," Jiang Hong said, "What will I be doing for my internship? I need to find my counselor first. I’ll take out Old Sun after dinner."
Jiang Hong had previously reminded Zhang Xiting not to forget Old Sun so it could practice at the Monster Association. He then hurriedly went to find Hu Qingquan to check in.
Hu Qingquan was eating roasted quails and said, "I know, your internship report isn’t under my management, it's with Teacher Lu. He will arrange work for you."
"Oh, really?" Jiang Hong thought, delighted, that he could finally see Lu Xiu. He’d been at the Monster Association for half a day and hadn’t seen him yet.
"Jiang Hong!" Xiao Pi came over, exclaiming, "You look so cool! Is that a Tibetan robe? Why suddenly wear a Tibetan robe?"
Jiang Hong quickly said, "I wore it once on a trip before. Since there's no dress code, I wore it. What do you want to eat? I’ll get it for you."
Xiao Pi and Jiang Hong got along well. Firstly, they were both S-Class students under the same master, Cao Bin, sharing a sect relationship. Secondly, Xiao Pi had a troublesome principal as a father, and everyone else feared getting involved with He Zhi, but Jiang Hong didn’t mind.
"Can you help me with something?" Xiao Pi whispered. "I’m going crazy, thanks... Ah, this pudding is so delicious, is there more?"
Jiang Hong casually fed Xiao Pi some food and asked, "Oh, what’s up?"
Xiao Pi: "My dad wants to stay in the same room with me!"
Everyone: "......"
"Your dad came too?" Jiang Hong immediately looked for He Zhi, and indeed, He Zhi was there, eating in a corner.
"Yes!" Xiao Pi said, "But since there was no accommodation arranged for him and he’s not the lead teacher, the Monster Association didn't prepare a room for him, so he has to share a bed with me..."
Everyone immediately shifted their sympathy from Xiao Pi to his entire dorm room. Having the principal sleep in their internship dorm was an unusual situation!
"Uh..." Jiang Hong said, "That bed... um... yes, it’s a bit cramped for a grown-up to sleep with their dad."
Xiao Pi: "He said he used to sleep with me like this when I was little... but that’s not important. I think he should at least get a separate room. Teacher Hu agreed, but my dad doesn’t want to stay in another room..."
"Oh——" Everyone immediately understood.
Jiang Hong also got it. He Zhi must be suspicious and wanting to keep an eye on his son and Lian Jiang! But Xiao Pi and Lian Jiang aren’t even dating! Besides, it's a four-person dorm!
Jiang Hong: "I... don’t think I can help you..."
Xiao Pi said, "Never mind my dad, could you talk to Lian Jiang for me? Find him a room to stay in temporarily. Lian Jiang might listen if you persuade him. Or ask Teacher Lu, oh no, King Wang, for help."
Jiang Hong didn’t dare to intervene in Xiao Pi and He Zhi's father-son relationship, likely a long-standing battle, but helping Lian Jiang should be feasible.
If Lian Jiang doesn’t sleep in the dorm, He Zhi won’t be so suspicious, and maybe he’ll leave after a while.
"I... There should be a place upstairs where Lian Jiang can stay!" Jiang Hong said. "I'll ask Da Wan later? For tonight, you just have to endure it."
Xiao Pi left, gratefully wiping away tears.
Jiang Hong was still pondering whether to return to the presidential suite arranged by Lu Xiu upstairs. What if Lu Xiu came looking for him and got angry upon finding him absent?
But the buffet in the canteen below was also delicious! Jiang Hong thought that the treatment during his internship at the Monster Association was indeed better than at the Committee.
It was a rare occasion when everyone seemed to be on a holiday outing.
"The atmosphere is so lively," Jiang Hong commented upon returning to the dorm, as everyone took turns to shower.
"But the monster race has its own drawbacks," Jin remarked, "There’s a strict sense of racial supremacy and hierarchy."
He Jian, while blow-drying his hair, said, "It's inevitable. Monsters are evolved from animals, occupying different levels of the food chain and each with natural enemies. No matter how much equality is promoted, there’s still a hierarchy ingrained in their minds."
"Things will get better," Jiang Hong consoled.
Zhang Xiting brought out Old Sun, startling Jiang Hong. Inside was a battered celestial cat spirit, the robot vacuum cleaner almost completely disassembled.
"Old Sun!" Jiang Hong cried out in dismay, "How did you end up like this?!"
"The day you left in a hurry," Zhang Xiting explained, "Old Sun went to look for you. While passing the canteen's back door, it was hit and run over by a cart dragged by an auntie."
Jiang Hong’s eyes reddened instantly, hurriedly saying, "I’m so sorry, Old Sun... How do you feel?"
Old Sun replied, "I’m still doing well, don’t worry."
Zhang Xiting was startled himself and said, "It won’t die, Jiang Hong, don’t cry. It just needs a new body."
Jin also hurriedly consoled, "You can upgrade it now."
He Jian said, "We tried to fix it with magic, but it seems to have absorbed too much spiritual energy and has almost become a high-grade magical item. Ordinary spells won't work, so we'll need to consult Teacher Huo Ran. Do you want to replace its body, or what?"
"What do you think?" Jiang Hong asked, "Old Sun, can you still move?"
Old Sun could only turn its camera around. The celestial cat spirit had cracked, and the body of the vacuum cleaner was mostly shattered. It said, "I feel fine, Jiang Hong. Buying a new body would cost quite a bit, right? If it can be fixed, let's fix it, or maybe wait for the Double Eleven sale to buy a new one."
Jiang Hong double-checked that Old Sun's cultivation hadn't been affected by the damage to its parts and finally felt relieved.
"I’ll buy the replacement parts," Jiang Hong decided, remembering Old Sun's current form as a celestial cat spirit. The vacuum cleaner's body could be easily replaced, so he placed an order for it first.
"Jiang Hong, what happened at your home?" Old Sun was still worried about Jiang Hong, asking various questions. After Jiang Hong explained, indirectly addressing his roommates' concerns, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, having been worried about him.
"It's good that everything's fine," Jin said, "Life is fragile, we must cherish the time we have together."
"Yeah," Jiang Hong lay on his bed, inspecting Old Sun's damaged parts, and said, "I should be even better to my parents."
Everyone took turns to soak in the hot spring. There was no lights-out time during the internship, relying on self-discipline, and the villa area became quite noisy. Hu Qingquan came knocking on their doors, reminding them to go to bed early.
There were no entertainment activities in the internship area, and even the signal wasn't great. By half-past ten, the dorms had turned off their lights. Jiang Hong tossed and turned, worried about what if Lu Xiu came looking for him? Would he get angry if he couldn’t find him?
So Jiang Hong got up in the dark, and Old Sun said, "Jiang Hong!"
"Shh!" Jiang Hong quickly hushed Old Sun, not wanting to wake his roommates, and held it in his arms, tiptoeing out.
"Where are you going?" Old Sun asked in a lowered voice.
"Upstairs," Jiang Hong replied, "To the main hall."
Old Sun: "Why?"
Jiang Hong: "No reason, just don't ask..."
Walking in the pitch-dark garden, Jiang Hong suddenly saw a red dot glowing in the darkness - was someone smoking outside?
"Who's that?" He Zhi's voice asked. "Jiang Hong? Is that you?"
Jiang Hong quickly responded, "Ah, Director He! You're here too?" He hesitated about whether to approach, as He Zhi was sitting alone on a garden bench, smoking.
"Carrying your vacuum cleaner robot again, where are you headed?" He Zhi said, and then sighed.
Jiang Hong decided to go over and check.
"Do you smoke?" He Zhi asked.
"No... thank you." Seeing He Zhi seemed quite down, Jiang Hong sat with him for a while.
"Sigh." He Zhi sounded melancholic again.
Jiang Hong: "What's... what's wrong? You've also come to join us for the internship, must be tough, right?"
Jiang Hong’s impression of He Zhi was limited to his sleeping face covered with a copy of 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' at enrollment and his performance in the 'Plants vs. Zombies' show on school anniversary night.
Most of what he knew about He Zhi came from classmates, especially Xiao Pi's complaints.
But Xiao Pi didn't complain about everyone, only confiding his frustrations with his father to Jiang Hong. Jiang Hong was known for not gossiping; curious, yet never spreading what he knew. He was a vault for secrets, making him an ideal confidant.
"Let me ask you," He Zhi suddenly put an arm around Jiang Hong’s shoulder, his unexpected closeness making Jiang Hong nervous, "What do you know about Xiao Pi and that guy called Lian Jiang?"
Jiang Hong immediately pretended to be clueless, saying, "Ah? Lian Jiang? What about them?"
He Zhi looked at Jiang Hong seriously, as if trying to discern from his eyes whether he was lying.
This was uncomfortably close... Jiang Hong thought: If other students saw me arm in arm with the principal in the garden in the middle of the night, it would be so awkward! But he was familiar with He Zhi's behavior pattern; straight men like to show their control this way.
"Is he straight? Suddenly, Jiang Hong thought of something a bit frightening. Could He Zhi's control over Xiao Pi... be paternal possessiveness? I remember Keda once gleefully mentioning, 'Issues with conduct, eight S-rank exorcists, four of them gay.'"
"Although He Zhi doesn't stand out much, overshadowed by Cao Bin and Chen Zhen, he's still an S-rank exorcist. Is he gay? Doesn't seem like it, right?"
"I raised Xiao Pi from a young age," He Zhi sighed again. "I remember when he was little, how obediently he listened to me... How did it suddenly change so quickly?"
"He loves you very much!" Jiang Hong immediately said, "Really, he admires you a lot."
"Although Xiao Pi has some complaints about his father, overall, he really loves He Zhi. Jiang Hong could clearly feel it."
"I watched him grow, from when he was just an egg, until he hatched..."
Jiang Hong thought: Isn't this a bit bizarre?
"That egg..." Jiang Hong cautiously asked, glancing at He Zhi's abdomen, as if trying to understand this physiological conundrum.
He Zhi: "?"
Jiang Hong: "Is it... laid by you personally?"
He Zhi: "Of course not! Xiao Pi is my adopted son! What are you thinking?"
"Oh!" Jiang Hong finally understood and said, "But Xiao Pi never mentioned it. I think, in his heart, he always considered you his biological father, right?"
He Zhi said, "We never talk about this matter, but that child... Ah, did he make a sword for Lian Jiang? Did he make it for Lian Jiang? Why did he make a sword for him? I remember he asked me a lot of questions when he was forging it..."
"Uh, I don't know," Jiang Hong equivocated, saying, "I haven't seen any sword."
He Zhi: "Xiao Pi has never given me anything so valuable."
Jiang Hong was still thinking: As a father, isn't this jealousy a bit too much? Besides, Xiao Pi couldn't possibly have any pocket money.
Eight S-rank exorcists, four of them gay, but who are they talking about?
Does Keda count? Keda should be one, right? After all, Feng Li is a boy. And Principal Xiang too? Jiang Hong remembers that the principal's wife is also a male—he only knows these two.
Then there's Cao Bin, Chen Zhen, An Jie, and Qi Wei, all four he has met, and one more he hasn't, what was his name?
Finally, there's the dean of discipline, He Zhi…
Jiang Hong was still pondering about the remaining two slots when Hu Qingquan appeared from behind.
"Jiang Hong?" Hu Qingquan said, "What are you doing here?"
Jiang Hong: "Ah, I... was just about to go upstairs."
He decided not to lie to the counselor, as he still had a good impression of him. Hu Qingquan said, "You must be tired, go ahead."
Hu Qingquan sat next to He Zhi, replacing Jiang Hong, accompanying the sighing He Zhi, took out a cigarette pack, shook it, and said, "Only two left, here, have one."
So the counselor and the dean of discipline sat on a bench in the garden, smoking. Jiang Hong finally got away and hurried off.
He passed through the garden, swiped open the furthest door with an ancient jade, feeling like he was using a secret passage, went through two doors, got onto the lift platform, which rose into the air, and returned to the large garden outside the palace.
Passing through the sky garden, distant thunder began to rumble, signaling rain. Jiang Hong switched elevators again, returning to the presidential suite's bedroom.
"Ah..." Jiang Hong said, "Finally back."
Jiang Hong glanced outside, initially wanting to ask if Lu Xiu had come by, but the two pandas were napping again, so he took a blanket from the room, covered them with it, and gently closed the door.
"I've already bought a new cleaning robot," Jiang Hong said, "It will be delivered to the foot of the mountain by tomorrow with overnight shipping. You'll have to make do for today."
"No problem," said Lao Sun. "What time do you need to wake up tomorrow? I'll call you."
Jiang Hong: "I... I should get up before six, and go back to the dormitory downstairs. What am I even doing with this!"
Jiang Hong lay in bed, turned over, and thought about whether to go find Lu Xiu. Too sleepy, he decided to sleep first.
