AUOF - 17

Sang Li used her paw to push the small fruit toward her mouth, sniffing it cautiously. It smelled fragrant and didn’t seem poisonous.

Still, she wasn’t reassured.

She quickly licked it with her tongue—no strange taste either.

Just as she was about to take a bite, an uneasy feeling crept over her.

In this desolate wilderness, aside from monsters and demons, who would be kind enough to toss her fruits? Surely it couldn’t be Ji Hengyu, could it?

Her guard up, Sang Li steeled herself and unhesitatingly pushed the fruit away, not sparing it a second thought.

The feeder persisted, continuing to toss more fruits into the cave.

Annoyed, she turned her back to the entrance, leaving only her fluffy, plump silhouette facing outward.

After a while, something gently poked her spine with a stick.

Sang Li twitched her ears, turning her head in irritation.

Outside the cave crawled a peculiar little creature, peeking curiously at her.

This thing was far from cute. It had the body of a lizard, enormous eyes that took up nearly half its face, no nose bridge—just two nostrils like Voldemort’s—and a mouth that stretched all the way to its earlobes. Its features were grotesquely disproportionate. In its hand, it held a twig, tilting its head and examining her curiously.

The moment Sang Li got a clear look at it, her mind buzzed with alarm.

A Mirror Demon!

A miniature version!!

Sang Li was terrified, jumping up and baring her teeth at it.

The little Mirror Demon was equally startled, its pupils contracting as it immediately curled itself into a tight ball.

The atmosphere between them grew tense, both frozen in their positions.

After a long while, the little Mirror Demon cautiously peeked out with its large eyes from beneath its tail and gently tossed another fruit to her feet.

Her bared fangs retracted instantly.

Sang Li looked at the fruit, then at the ugly little creature: “The fruit… is from you?”

The little Mirror Demon nodded.

“Is it poisonous?”

It shook its head.

Sang Li suddenly understood. Of course heaven wouldn’t rain down food—it was just as unlikely that Ji Hengyu would be so kind-hearted.

Still, it was unexpected…

No matter how much she calculated, she never imagined the kind-hearted benefactor would turn out to be a demon.

Feeling reassured, she lay down on the ground and began nibbling at the sweet, tangy fruit.

The fruit was juicy and contained faint traces of spiritual energy. She didn’t know where the little Mirror Demon had found it, but it had certainly saved her life.

Sang Li ate inside the cave while the little Mirror Demon crouched outside, watching.

Its pupils alternated between contracting into slits and expanding into circles, clearly curious about her. Eventually, while she was focused on eating, it reached in with its claw and tugged forcefully at her ear.

For any animal, the ears and tail are sensitive spots.

It had no sense of gentleness, and the sudden tug caused her pain, making her entire body tense up as she sprang upright. The little Mirror Demon yanked its hand back in fright, curling itself into a ball once again.

Seeing its reaction, it seemed even more timid than Sang Li.

She felt both exasperated and somewhat guilty.

If Mirror Demons were originally humans, then this one must still be very young—perhaps just a child before it transformed. As an adult, how could she hold a grudge against a child?

“Do you want to come in and take shelter from the rain?”

Sang Li moved aside to make room for it.

It blinked, tilted its head, hesitated for a few seconds, then crawled inside.

Though small, the Mirror Demon was slightly larger than her, its size comparable to a golden retriever.

The cave was already cramped, and having two occupants made it even more crowded.

Sang Li’s earlier reaction seemed to have affected the little Mirror Demon, as it curled up tightly, trying hard not to press against her. Even the tip of its tail strained with effort.

Sang Li chuckled softly: “It’s fine. I just don’t like others touching my ears or tail…” She paused, then added: “…or my belly.” Another pause. “And definitely not my paws.”

After some thought, she concluded: “Basically, any part with fur is off-limits.”

The little Mirror Demon stared at her with wide, pleading eyes.

Sang Li: “…Alright, fine. I just don’t like anyone touching me anywhere.”

But…

Looking at the fruit and the innocent, endearing little Mirror Demon, Sang Li magnanimously scooted closer: “You can touch my back, but only once. No more after that.”

The little Mirror Demon’s eyes lit up, leaving a black pawprint on her pristine white fur.

It was indeed polite—just one touch, and it happily settled down beside her, refraining from further contact.

After feasting on the spirit-infused fruit, Sang Li felt much better.

“Where did you pick these fruits?”

It pointed ahead.

Sang Li asked: “Can you take me there after the rain stops?”

It nodded.

The rain would likely continue for a while longer.

However, thanks to the little Mirror Demon, its body naturally radiated heat like a small furnace, dispelling the surrounding chill. Her fur, soaked with rainwater, was already half-dried.

Sang Li let out a contented purr and curiously observed it.

Upon closer inspection, the Mirror Demon’s scaly armor was sharper than a shield, with a thin layer of fuzz barely noticeable to the eye. She wondered what it might feel like to touch.

“Can I touch you?”

Unlike Sang Li, it wasn’t petty. At her question, it generously leaned closer, allowing her to pet it.

Sang Li first touched the Mirror Demon’s lizard-like ears. Contrary to their intimidating appearance, they were soft and pleasant to the touch. Its armored scales, though seemingly rigid, were surprisingly soft, resembling the texture of a hairless cat.

The rain began to show signs of easing.

Once it stopped, Sang Li planned to visit the grove of fruits to stock up on food. If the place was safe and the environment favorable, she decided to stay there permanently.

However…

“Did you happen to see a wolf demon on your way here?”

Sang Li was genuinely afraid.

Though she was now in fox form, her mind was entirely human! What person would willingly be pursued by a wolf?

The little Mirror Demon pondered for a moment, then made a pulling gesture with both claws.

“You… killed it?”

The little Mirror Demon nodded vigorously, looking up at her with an eager expression, clearly seeking praise.

Sang Li swallowed nervously.

Well, she certainly couldn’t underestimate them.

The rain had completely stopped.

The little Mirror Demon led the way, occasionally stopping to check on her.

Sang Li had regained much of her strength and felt she might soon regain her human form.

They walked through the wilderness, crossed a lake, traversed a cave, and finally arrived at a small paradise.

It was an untouched, unpolluted haven.

The grass was lush and green, with a few colorful spirit birds fluttering about. In the center of the area lay a small, crystal-clear lake, surrounded by trees laden with fruits of every color.

Sang Li didn’t have time to admire the scenery; she rushed to the lakeside and eagerly drank a couple of mouthfuls of water.

“Do you want to drink?”

The little Mirror Demon shook its head and mimicked the act of playing dead.

She understood.

For Mirror Demons, the food that humans could safely consume was lethal poison to them.

That it had braved such dangers to bring her food in this paradise was truly courageous.

Only now did Sang Li become curious and ask: “Why did you save me?”

The little Mirror Demon didn’t answer, instead gazing wistfully at her fluffy white tail.

Sang Li: “….”

She got it.

All demons loved fluffy things, apparently.

Perhaps due to the spiritual spring water’s effect, a surge of heat coursed through her body.

The warmth rose from her feet upward, and her snow-white fur began to recede. First, her limbs transformed back into human legs, followed by her torso, neck, and finally, her entire body reverted to human form.

Sitting on the ground, Sang Li marveled at her long-absent hands with delight.

She quickly checked herself over—thankfully, her clothes were still intact.

She let out a sigh of relief but immediately remembered the little Mirror Demon. Her joy vanished as she nervously glanced over.

The little Mirror Demon looked at her without malice, only curiosity. It seemed confused about how a fluffy, four-legged creature could suddenly transform into an upright, hairless being.

Perhaps finding her ugly, the little Mirror Demon wrinkled its nose, but otherwise showed no hostility.

“Will you hate me or… kill me?” Sang Li tugged at her sleeve, nervously testing the waters.

The little one paused for a moment, then suddenly arched its back.

Its limbs and bones rapidly expanded—first doubling in size, then tripling, until it grew ten times larger.

It now resembled an eagle, covered in venomous spines, with black wings sprouting from its sides and a fiery tail blazing like wildfire. The creature before her was now mountain-sized and bore no resemblance to the cute little thing from moments ago.

Sang Li gasped, craning her neck so hard it ached, yet still couldn’t make out the details of its face.

In the blink of an eye—

The little Mirror Demon transformed back, blinking its large eyes innocently.

The message was clear—

[What do you think you’re doing?]

Sang Li: “...” Impressive.

But this also reminded her.

The little Mirror Demon was friendly, adorable in its small form, and capable of flight in its larger form. As she planned to search for the Golden Crow and the Moon Phase next, going alone would be far too dangerous. If the little Mirror Demon was willing to help her, she’d have some protection.

But what about Ji Hengyu?

Sang Li furrowed her brow.

She wasn’t sure if her dagger strike had hit his heart. With his spiritual energy sealed, whether or not she’d struck true, an injured person wouldn’t last long in this demon-infested ruined city.

He was the male lead of the novel—the chosen one of the Heavenly Dao. If he really died because of her actions, wouldn’t she face heavenly retribution? Perhaps the entire Nine Ling Realm would collapse as a result.

Realizing this, Sang Li’s eyes widened instantly.

“Let’s go, help me find someone.”

Without further explanation, Sang Li dragged the Mirror Demon straight out of the haven.

Wanshui Prefecture was the main city, vast in size. Searching for one person in such a sprawling area was no easy feat. Even with the Mirror Demon’s assistance, it took her an entire day to finally locate Ji Hengyu.

They found him in a forest.

Something had clearly happened here; the underbrush was burned to ashes, and the air was thick with the lingering smell of scorched earth.

Ji Hengyu sat slumped against a withered tree, his eyes tightly shut, appearing neither alive nor dead.

She bit her lip, bent down, and said to the little Mirror Demon: “You should leave first—I’m afraid he might harm you.”

Ji Hengyu had previously mentioned finding another Mirror Demon to use as a means of returning home.

If this had been before, she would’ve readily agreed.

But this little Mirror Demon was still just a baby, capable of transforming into a mountain-sized creature, and it had saved her life. She couldn’t let it fall victim to Ji Hengyu’s wrath.

The little one obediently hopped away, disappearing into the distance.

Once she was certain it was gone, she cautiously approached Ji Hengyu.

The ground was littered with debris; she stepped over charred wood and burnt corpses until she finally reached his side.

He seemed unaware of her presence, his eyes still closed.

Ji Hengyu had been drenched by the rain, his appearance disheveled. His torn blue robe clung tightly to his body, accentuating his narrow waist and limbs.

His chest was exposed, revealing a solid expanse of muscle marred by two bloody wounds.

After a night of healing, the wounds were no longer bleeding, but they hadn’t fully healed either.

They crawled across his chest, grotesque, scarlet, and horrifyingly twisted.

Sang Li’s heart raced, and she dared not touch them.

But why were there two wounds?

Aside from the knife wound she had inflicted, the other injury was far more severe—a gaping, blood-soaked hole that even revealed the white bone beneath the torn flesh.

Was he… dead?

Trembling, she leaned closer, holding her breath as she checked for signs of life.

No… no breath!!

Sang Li’s face turned deathly pale.

But in the next instant, her outstretched fingertips were abruptly seized by an icy grip.

Ji Hengyu had grabbed her.

Startled, Sang Li instinctively pulled her hand back and slapped him across the face—

Smack!

The sharp sound of the slap echoed as a red mark appeared on his left cheek.

A pained groan escaped his lips as his body tilted to the side, reopening the wounds.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, clutching his injury, his gaze meeting hers with calm indifference.

Sang Li’s back stiffened.

Her palm still stung from the force of the slap.

She couldn’t quite describe her feelings.

She supposed it was good that he was still alive—but it was almost… regrettable that he hadn’t died.