Chapter 533: - Demon King

The missing person had returned.

That was something worth celebrating.

Although, as the Demon King who specialized in craftsmanship, Xue San had managed to miss the siege battles perfectly.

Still, he was alive.

That was enough.

A woman had returned with Xue San.

She wore her hair in one thick braid and was quite fat, but because she was also tall and broad, the proportions somehow made her look reasonably well balanced.

Her face was covered in thick rouge. The red on her lips was almost as vivid as A’Ming’s immediately after drinking blood.

Her most striking feature was her hips.

They were very wide, but not clumsy.

There was something faintly like an eastern version of a Kardashian about her.

“This subordinate pays respects to Master!”

Xue San dropped to one knee before Zheng Fan.

He had been in Chu for so long before finally returning to see everyone.

San’er truly had missed them.

His time outside had certainly been colorful and exciting, but no matter how one put it, staying alone too long made a man lonely.

It was like a wolf separated from its pack for too long.

Even if it could hunt and feed itself by its own strength, it would still constantly remember the days when it had run with the pack.

“Greetings, Master! Master, have you eaten yet?”

The woman dropped to her knees before Zheng Fan as well.

“Come in. Someone prepare food.”

Xue San led the woman inside.

Standing together, the two of them created a reversed Beauty and the Beast impression.

If San’er changed into a child’s outfit, they would genuinely look like a mother taking her son shopping.

When the woman entered, the Sword Saint opened his eyes and glanced at her.

Then he closed them again.

Only his fingertips continued lightly rubbing the sheath in his hand from time to time.

Count Pingye pointed toward the woman.

“Introduce her.”

“Master, her name is Hu Bamei. You can just call her Bamei. She saved this subordinate once in the State of Liang. At the time, I was circling around with the Chu and accidentally let them wrap me up like a dumpling. I managed to escape by luck, but I was badly wounded and fell down a cliff...”

Xue San paused.

Then he shrugged and smiled.

“After that, the story followed a very clichéd route.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

“So did you sleep together?”

“Cough, cough...”

Xue San immediately began coughing.

Hu Bamei reached out and wrapped an arm around Xue San’s shoulders.

San’er looked like a tiny boat swallowed by a giant wave.

“He wouldn’t!”

Her voice contained immense resentment.

Food arrived quickly.

Xue San barely touched it.

He kept talking with Count Pingye about everything that had happened to him in the State of Liang.

As for the fighting here, he had already heard the general situation earlier when he encountered Snow Sea Army scouts on the perimeter.

Hu Bamei, on the other hand, had clearly been starving.

She ate like a storm sweeping through clouds.

The few dishes on the table looked as though they might not even be enough for her alone.

Halfway through the conversation, Count Pingye ordered the guards outside to bring more food.

Xue San told Bamei:

“Slow down. Slow down. Don’t choke. Remember how miserable you were last time by the Wang River when a steamed bun got stuck in your throat?”

Hu Bamei nodded.

But her eating did not slow in the slightest.

She continued chewing while muttering:

“The food here is good. Tasty!”

The woman looked somewhat simple and guileless.

She actually seemed like she would suit Fan Li rather well.

But perhaps people who were one way themselves simply liked the opposite.

Xue San had brought this woman back.

Fan Li, meanwhile, liked carrying the Sword Maid around while he wandered the streets.

“Master, you have injuries. Go into the inner room. I’ll examine you.”

“Good.”

Count Pingye stood and entered the inner room.

Xue San followed him.

The Sword Saint remained seated outside with his eyes half closed.

Bamei continued wolfing down food.

Count Pingye walked out through the side door of the inner room.

Xue San followed him.

The two simply continued into the courtyard until they were a fair distance from the reception hall.

Count Pingye stretched.

“You don’t feel at ease?”

It was perfectly obvious who he meant.

A foolish village woman had saved Xue San, loudly declared that she wanted to repay him with her body, and then followed him all the way from the State of Liang to eastern Jin.

A beautiful and clichéd story.

Perhaps too clichéd.

So clichéd that it felt faintly unreal.

Xue San nodded.

Then shook his head.

“What does that mean?”

“I really haven’t found her vital point, but she really did save me.”

“You investigated her?”

“While we were in the State of Liang, I specifically asked the Liang Chancellor to send people and investigate her for me. Her background was too clean. So clean that it made it impossible not to become suspicious. Supposedly her family suffered disaster when she was young. Bandits killed both her parents, and afterward she became muddled and half-crazed. Another household later took her in as a child bride. That family originally had three sons, but before any of them could marry her, all three fell ill and died one after another before reaching adulthood. The villagers said she was a jinx and wanted to burn her to death. In the end, she fled into the mountains and survived there alone. She’s a little simple-minded, but she’s enormously strong. She even built herself a thatched hut in the mountains and lived there by herself.”

The corner of Count Pingye’s mouth twitched.

“A person like that should be left alone. She is already extraordinary just from that description. Put her into one of those supernatural tales from later ages and she would definitely be an important character.”

“Exactly.”

“But you still brought her back.”

“She saved my life.”

“There are many ways to repay a life-saving favor. You could give her a large amount of silver, for example.”

Xue San fell silent.

“You’re interested in her?”

Xue San gritted his teeth.

“Master, I don’t know whether this counts as being interested. I know perfectly well her background may not be simple, but that feeling of something being wrong is exactly what makes staying with her exciting. When I sleep at night, there’s always the possibility that the person beside me will suddenly stab me to death. No, using a knife has no artistry. Maybe she’ll reveal some other method instead. Anyway, that feeling of excitement, that anticipation, makes every day on the road feel incredibly full. Master, you can understand that feeling, right?”

Count Pingye sighed.

“I can.”

“Long live understanding.”

Xue San made an innocent face.

“You can chase excitement if you want. I don’t want to be dragged into it with you, and the others probably don’t either. You know perfectly well how terrifyingly effective the Silver-Armored Guard of Qian can be when it comes to issuing wives.”

“There’s one thing this subordinate can confirm. She is not Silver-Armored Guard.”

“Old Tian may have once confirmed something similar.”

“This subordinate believes Dujuan’s identity could not possibly have been hidden from the Prince of Jingnan.”

“Fine. This Bamei... what was her full name again?”

“Hu Bamei.”

“How do you plan to settle her? Send her back to Snow Sea Pass?”

“I had that thought, but it depends on whether Master...”

“I won’t agree.”

“Then leave her in the army?”

“No.”

“What if I send people to Yingdu, buy a residence there, and settle her in it for you?”

Xue San nodded.

“All right, Master.”

One could clearly see reluctance on Xue San’s face.

He still had not had his fill of the excitement.

But he also understood that risking his own safety for the thrill was one thing.

There was no reason, and no possibility, for Master and the other Demon Kings to be forced to experience that same excitement with him.

“Oh, right, Master. They’re doing river works over by the Wang River.”

“I know.”

“But this subordinate thinks the purpose may not be that simple.”

“What did you discover?”

“With her beside me, I didn’t dare investigate too seriously.”

“Good. At least you haven’t started thinking entirely with your dick.”

“Of course not, Master. But there is one thing I can more or less confirm. The current river works on the Wang River should be preparations for this campaign against Chu.”

“Fine. I may as well ask Tian Wujing directly when I go over in two days.”

“Yes, Master.”

“All right. Let’s go back.”

When they returned to the reception hall, Hu Bamei was already sitting beside the dining table and burping.

Every dish on the table had been wiped clean.

“Good. Tasty. Really tasty.”

Bamei looked at Xue San as he returned.

A blissful smile spread across her face.

Xue San walked over, took a handkerchief from his sleeve, and gently wiped the grease from the corner of her mouth.

His doting affection was almost overflowing.

The Sword Saint remained seated without moving.

“Hehehe. I want to eat this every day. Every day.”

Hu Bamei pointed at the plates on the table.

“Of course, of course. From now on, someone will make it for you every day,” Xue San coaxed.

Like a conjuring trick, Hu Bamei pulled a greasy chicken leg from inside her clothes and held it to Xue San’s mouth.

In a soft voice, she said:

“Eat. I saved it especially for you. Tasty.”

Xue San took a bite.

“Good?”

“Good. Very good.”

Count Pingye watched the scene.

“Are you two acting out *Country Love*?”

Xue San scratched his head shyly.

The chicken leg remained clenched between his teeth.

Then Count Pingye looked toward the Sword Saint.

With his back to Hu Bamei, he pointed at her.

The Sword Saint understood.

He stood and walked into the partitioned room.

Count Pingye had no choice but to follow.

The Sword Saint walked out through the side door and into the courtyard.

Count Pingye had no choice but to follow him out there again.

“What exactly is that woman?” the Sword Saint asked.

“A wild girl from the mountains,” Count Pingye answered. “But I don’t entirely believe it.”

Xue San came over as well and smiled at the Sword Saint.

“Did you see something?”

The Sword Saint shook his head.

“I saw nothing. I only feel that the girl is very clean.”

“Of course. I cleaned her up personally. Back in the mountains she was filthy.”

“Not that kind of clean. More like...”

The Sword Saint gestured with one finger.

“Unworldly.”

Then he continued:

“Accomplished cultivators who live outside ordinary society often give people this feeling. A pity Tian Wujing came and left already. If he were still here, perhaps he could see more than I can.”

At that moment, a towering figure entered the reception hall.

White cloth was tied around his head.

Black gauze hung over his shoulders.

He wore full mourning clothes.

It was Fan Li.

“Master, take a look. Does this outfit look good on me? If it does, I’ll wear it often from now on and kowtow to you in it.”

Fan Li entered the reception hall.

At that moment, only Hu Bamei remained inside.

After eating and drinking her fill, she had slumped sideways in a chair and was already snoring.

Seeing such a huge woman sprawled there asleep and snoring, Fan Li looked confused.

Then Hu Bamei began muttering in her sleep.

“Granny... stone stele... stone stele... Granny...”

Fan Li scratched his head and looked around.

He was preparing to find Master so he could kowtow.

“Stone stele... Demon Kings... descend... fiends... seven... seven of them...”

Fan Li’s eyes suddenly widened.

He spun around and stared at Hu Bamei, who was still sleeping soundly.

“Mother of mine. Seems like something’s gone wrong.”

With that, Fan Li unfastened the giant axe strapped to his back and gripped it in both hands.

The strange woman’s sleep-muttering had given him a deeply uncomfortable feeling.

And Fan Li’s method for dealing with uncomfortable feelings was usually very simple.

“Should I just chop her?”

[End of Chapter 533]