Chapter Twenty-Five: The Primordial Demon God

Cloud Village lay shrouded in mist, filled with the songs of birds and the scent of flowers, its people living in harmony—unchanged from when Yu Ge had last left. Yet, upon returning to these bustling streets, so full of life and warmth, Yu Ge still felt a lingering sense of dread, as if he had returned from another world.

It was no wonder he felt this way. Whether it was the mutated toad from before, or the mountain demon he had faced later, while dangerous, both had solutions. This time, however, the pressure exerted by that red skeleton was overwhelming, making all attempts at escape seem futile.

There was a stark difference between these encounters. Even at the end, Yu Ge sensed that the red skeleton still had the strength to pursue him further—he simply couldn’t understand why it had ultimately let him go.

Back at his own courtyard, Yu Ge took some time to steady himself, changed into a fresh set of gray attire, and headed straight to Hundred Remedies Hall, where Lin Maozhi was.

The recent ordeal had been fraught with danger, yet in the end, he had escaped unscathed. Still, Yu Ge could not quell his curiosity about the red skeleton, a creature entirely unknown to him. Lin Maozhi had previously told him that aside from mountain demons, no other powerful beings were to be found here—he needed to get to the bottom of this.

When Yu Ge arrived at Hundred Remedies Hall, Lin Maozhi, too, had changed into clean clothes. Although he hadn’t been targeted by the red skeleton, the journey through the tangled forest and wild overgrowth had left him looking rather disheveled. Now he sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, sipping tea and dozing as he recovered his strength.

“Didn’t you say there wouldn’t be any other powerful creatures? How do you explain that red skeleton, and what on earth was it?” Yu Ge dragged over a chair and sat down in the courtyard, his tone half-accusing. Money was a small matter, but he felt he had been tricked.

Lin Maozhi gave an awkward smile, scratching his head. “I truly don’t know. The Hall sent several teams to investigate the Nether Valley beforehand, but no one expected something like that to appear. Look, we lost two people ourselves. If we’d known in advance, things would’ve been different. Brother Yu, rest assured—Hundred Remedies Hall will not let you suffer any loss!”

He thumped his chest in earnest, knowing full well that, if anything, it was Yu Ge who had saved both his and Steward Li’s lives. Though he had no idea how Yu Ge had managed to escape the red skeleton when it was so near, he had the good sense not to pry. That sudden strength in Yu Ge’s arm, for instance, was clearly another secret best left unspoken.

“What is the origin of the red skeleton?” Yu Ge pressed. He was less concerned with the previous topic, and more desperate to understand the skeleton’s background. He had a strong feeling that, having failed its task, the red skeleton would return to haunt him.

Being pursued by something that powerful was more than just a headache.

When Yu Ge posed his question, Lin Maozhi’s plump body gave an involuntary shudder. With lingering fear, he replied, “No one knows yet. I’ve asked Steward Li and several elders in the Hall—none have ever seen such a thing. It seems to have only recently appeared in the wilds.”

Yu Ge frowned, dissatisfied with the answer. His interest waned, and even the thousand taels Lin Maozhi offered next failed to elicit much reaction.

Leaving Hundred Remedies Hall, Yu Ge gazed up at the distant, winding mountains beyond the town and realized how little he truly understood of this world. He lived in a secluded corner, like a frog at the bottom of a well, and now felt that he had not even glimpsed the tip of this world’s iceberg.

“Come, let me tell your fortune! Genuine divination, satisfaction guaranteed. If I’m wrong, you pay less; if I’m right, you pay double! Ancestral secrets of divination—fortune and security for nation and home…”

As Yu Ge stood lost in thought, a thin figure’s voice drifted down the street, growing closer until the man stood before him.

The speaker was a Daoist priest in his fifties, with a gaunt face lined with deep and shallow wrinkles, clad in tattered robes, and carrying a long pole as he walked from alley to alley. He looked little different from the fortune-tellers Yu Ge had seen in his previous life.

But here, in this almost isolated part of the world, it was the first time Yu Ge had encountered a Daoist priest. He watched him, intrigued by the novelty, though only at first.

In truth, Yu Ge had seen this old priest many times before—he was a familiar figure in town, having arrived a few months ago. Just recently, rumors had spread about him being stripped bare after being exposed as a charlatan.

The story was that he had told a local family’s patriarch that his wife would be unfaithful. He was beaten for supposedly cursing their marriage. Yet, when the prophecy came true ten days later, he was beaten again for being a jinx and sowing discord. In short, misery was all he had earned.

As Yu Ge’s gaze lingered on the old priest, the latter seemed to sense it. With cloudy eyes, he sized Yu Ge up and down and spoke, “I see darkness upon your brow, a sign of great misfortune. Would you care for a reading?”

The familiar sales pitch made Yu Ge’s lips twitch.

It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in Daoist priests; in this world, monsters and demons were real. He just didn’t think much of this particular old priest—if he had true skill, would he have been reduced to such a state?

As for the business with the unfaithful wife, anyone could have guessed that with a little inquiry.

Yu Ge said nothing, unwilling to engage.

But the old priest edged closer, persistent and mysterious, repeating his offer.

Now annoyed, Yu Ge snapped, “You say your predictions are accurate? Let’s see if you can answer my question!”

The old priest stroked his beard with a smile. “I’m all ears.”

Yu Ge grinned. “All right, then tell me—what is the true nature of the Crimson Tide at night?”

The old priest’s smile never wavered. “It is the breath of the Desolation.”

Yu Ge was startled. He had only been joking, yet the answer was unexpected. He gave the old priest a curious look.

“What is the Desolation?”

“That’s two questions, twenty taels. Thank you for your patronage,” the old priest said, smiling as he held out his hand.

Yu Ge’s mouth tightened. That was a steep price for a few words. Yet the old priest’s answer was unique, unlike the usual vague nonsense one heard elsewhere. Curious, Yu Ge handed over two silver ingots.

“An ancient demon god who fell here long ago—its corpse became mountains and rivers. At dawn it inhales, at dusk it exhales; such is its breath.”

The old priest took the silver with a broad grin, raising it to his nose and sniffing as if he were a miser made flesh.

So now he claims to be Pangu? How fantastical.

Yu Ge frowned, finding the story unsatisfying, for it sounded like nothing more than an old legend.

He eyed the silver in the priest’s palm, debating whether to take it back, but the priest, sensing his intent, quickly tucked it away.

Yu Ge could only sigh.

So he tried a different question. “If the red mist is so dangerous, how can one venture out at night?”

“A night lantern made from redstone.”

Yu Ge regarded the old priest with raised brows, beginning to think that perhaps the man did possess some genuine knowledge after all.

He recalled how Si Yunhong, who had guided him previously, had been able to travel through the wilds to Shanglin City, a hundred miles beyond the darkness. Now he remembered the strange lantern hanging from the crossbar at the front of her carriage, and finally understood why.