Chapter 34: The Demon Mountain

After flying for an hour, the clouds drifted into the sunset, which turned a brilliant, cinnabar red, casting an even more beautiful glow upon the mountains and wilderness of the mortal world. Hu Jiao told Xiao Bugui, "We have arrived at the Demon Mountain."

Xiao Bugui had imagined the Demon Mountain to be a place of miasma and littered with corpses, where one might encounter man-eating monsters feasting on human flesh. In reality, it was nothing of the sort. At the foot of the picturesque mountain stood a stone archway inscribed with a couplet: "Demons and monsters are most lovable; the dirty hearts of men, even dogs won't eat." The horizontal plaque above read: "Beasts may enter; idlers keep out."

Under the archway stood two freaks. One was a strange creature hovering in mid-air; he had no limbs, only a pair of wings. Otherwise, he looked human, save for a hooked nose and round eyes. He seemed to have been waiting for a long time, with dried sweat on his forehead. The other was a creature resembling an ape, possessing eight highly agile arms.

"Shang Qiufeng!"
"Yuan Lang!"
The two demons spoke in unison: "Welcome, Sect Leader!"

Shi Yuhuan asked, "Where are Yin Wuxiang and Hua Lan?"
"They are in the great hall preparing a feast," replied Yuan Lang. Seeing the Pig Demon panting under the weight of his burden, Yuan Lang whistled. A group of monkeys emerged from the forest, grouping into fours to carry each corner of the crates.

The Pig Demon shed his burden and gasped, "That nearly killed me. Only Brother Yuan cares for my well-being." He then shrank his massive frame into a small piglet and perched on Xue Ke'ai’s shoulder.

Yuan Lang remarked, "Among the Seven Fiends, your skills are the most significant now, so the Sect Leader naturally expects you to exert yourself more."

Inside the great hall, a long table was set with twelve chairs. A massive iron cauldron sat over charcoal embers, the broth boiling and filled with sausages. Yin Wuxiang took a cleaned casing, tied one end, and used a gourd ladle as a funnel to fill it with sheep blood or minced meat. Once a sausage was finished, he tossed it into the boiling water. The steam dampened his face, which looked like molded clay; he wiped the moisture away with his hand and accidentally smoothed his nose flat.

Hua Lan, possessing a beautiful face and wearing vibrant robes, moved with elegance. He covered his nose and said, "This stuff reeks; I can't stand it."

Yin Wuxiang retorted, "Don't put on airs. Which flower doesn't need fertilizer? I don't believe you've never eaten filth."

Hua Lan snapped back, "Your hands are covered in mud, dirtying the sausages. If the Sect Leader eats one, be careful she doesn't beat you into a pulp."

Yin Wuxiang replied, "The Sect Leader is made of stone, and I am made of mud; we are distant relatives. Don't try to scare me."

Shi Yuhuan stepped into the hall, having clearly overheard them. She chided, "The two of you are bickering again." As she spoke, she reached into the boiling water, pulled out a hot sausage, and ate it, entirely unfazed by the heat and lacking any feminine grace. She told everyone, "Sit down; let us drink and eat."

Hu Jiao used chopsticks to fish out the sausages, serving them on plates for everyone to share. The Pig Demon, having a small appetite in his shrunken form, hopped off Xue Ke'ai’s shoulder, transformed into a pot-bellied human, and took a seat. Shang Qiufeng folded his wings and landed steadily on a chair. Lacking hands and feet, he relied on his long, agile tongue—which functioned like an arm—to eat sausages and drink wine with ease. Yuan Lang was quick-handed; with eight arms, he used one pair to slice the sausages, one hand to sprinkle seasoning, one to hold his wine bowl, and another to scratch his head. Xiao Bugui watched in disbelief, sighing to himself: his eyes are busier than his hands.

Yin Wuxiang used a bronze mirror and a small knife to reshape his facial features. Once his face was presentable, he noticed the handsome Xiao Bugui sitting alone. Having heard from the ravens that the Seven Fiends' spear had a new master, he asked, "And who might this be?"

"My name is Xiao Bugui. Greetings, Senior."
Yin Wuxiang said, "The lad has manners; he is teachable."
"You are too kind, Senior," Xiao Bugui replied.
Yin Wuxiang continued, "Just call me Protector Yin from now on." He then introduced the others: "That is Hua Lan, a flower demon who is neither man nor woman."

Hua Lan did not take offense; instead, he slapped Yin Wuxiang’s face, leaving it unrecognizable once more. He smiled at Xiao Bugui and said, "Don't listen to his nonsense. You can call me Brother Hua."
Xiao Bugui replied politely, "Greetings, Brother Hua."
Hu Jiao introduced the others: "Xiao Bugui, these are Brother Yuan and Brother Shang."
Xiao Bugui, a bit stiff, stood up and said, "Greetings, Brother Yuan. Greetings, Brother Shang."
Yuan Lang raised his wine bowl: "Don't just say greetings—let’s have a drink."

"Thank you," Xiao Bugui said. He downed the wine; it was mellow, fragrant, and sweet, forcing him to exclaim, "Truly excellent wine."
Hua Lan said proudly, "It’s sorghum wine infused with fruits and honey I gathered myself. Naturally, it’s good."

Because it was so good, Xiao Bugui toasted everyone again. As they urged each other on, he drank a dozen more bowls. The more he drank, the more he talked: "I heard the Demon Sect has two sect leaders. Why is Sect Leader Ji Qingcheng not here?"

Shi Yuhuan set down her half-eaten sausage, drank another bowl, and said, "I have been the Sect Leader for many years, yet I have never met Ji Qingcheng. Whenever I appear, she is never there."

Xiao Bugui wanted to ask more, but Hu Jiao held a bowl of wine to his lips: "Xiao Bugui, drink with me."
Xiao Bugui could not refuse. He drank Hu Jiao’s wine, then Yuan Lang’s, Yin Wuxiang’s, Xue Ke’ai’s... The group’s enthusiastic goal was to drink more and talk less. After several more bowls, Xiao Bugui was completely intoxicated. He became limp, lost control of his limbs, and unable to stay in his chair, he collapsed under the long table.

Once Sect Leader Shi retired, and only Yin Wuxiang and Yuan Lang remained in the hall whispering to each other, the others dispersed. The Pig Demon carried Xiao Bugui to Hu Jiao’s residence.

Across a small stream, where several large stones served as a bridge, stood a thatched cottage with a small courtyard. The interior was simple: a wardrobe, a large bed, a table, a water pot, a bowl, and a stool.

The Pig Demon left after dropping off Xiao Bugui. Hu Jiao made the bed, removed Xiao Bugui’s outer garments, and they went to sleep in separate blankets on the same bed.

A small grove outside the cottage was Shang Qiufeng's territory. He was tired, but his way of sleeping was unique: he would flap his wings to ascend into the high clouds and fall asleep there. His outstretched wings slowed his descent, and in his dreams, he would occasionally flap them. By morning, he would drift down from the clouds to land on a tree and wake up. This descent took exactly the duration of a night. His exquisite way of sleeping, using the heavens as his bed, was truly marvelous, earning him the reputation among the martial arts circles as the demon with the greatest lightness skill.

Hua Lan, being a flower demon with roots, could plant himself into the soil; he had a pavilion by the stream where he stood to sleep.

The murmuring stream gathered into a pond in the lower basin, where fish swam leisurely. The water was as clear as a mirror, reflecting the stars and moon in the sky. Fireflies drifted through the breeze among the flowers and grass. The night on Demon Mountain was peaceful and serene.