Chapter 86: Transformation

March.

The south was already full of spring blossoms while the north was still unbearably cold. On top of a frozen lake under the moonlight, a man in black stood inside the howling wind.

He was silent and still. If not for his long silver hair and black robe flying in the air, it would look like he had been frozen over. When the moon started to fade, he finally parted his lips.

"Someone said what you would say, and his name is similar to yours. He said I was wrong." He paused and looked at the ice beneath his feet.

"Of course I was wrong."

He had been wrong ever since he came to the north six years ago. Even earlier. He had been wrong when he first met Ji Yunhe in the Demon Valley, and when he leapt into the abyss with her in the Ten Square Formation.

What's more... he should have never saved a human in that monstrous wave, a princess named Shunde. This was an endless dispute among the human world, it had nothing to do with him.

But...

He turned to leave.

"Oh well." His voice and shadow gradually faded into the wind and snow.

...

After a near death experience, Aji decided that she and Ji Ning should leave the north immediately. Then she could find a good time to get rid of him, and continue to seek her own peace and tranquility in the human world. But strangely, Aji still wanted to see the jiaoren again...

Even though he had beaten her to the point of spitting blood. That jiaoren was dangerous and she should stay away, but...

Aji recalled the look of his back yesterday as he walked away while everyone else was celebrating their return from the dead. It was like he had turned his back on life and hope, and walked toward death alone. Aji felt sorry for him...

"Hey! Aji, what about you?" Lu Jinyan placed a wine jar onto the table.

"What are you planning to do now?"

The snake demon had arranged for her and Ji Ning to stay at the inn just outside the Demon Terrace for the night. Lu Jinyan came visiting with two jars of wine before noon. Aji looked at the wine and laughed.

"So much wine? I'd forget everything even if I did make plans. Bring me tea." Ji Ning interjected in a soft voice, "I also drink tea..."

"I know what kind of people your Grand Master's disciples are, I won't force you to drink wine." Lu Jinyan muttered while bringing two large, coarse bowls from the side and poured some coarse tea for them.

"But you? As a fox demon, you don't like to eat meat or drink wine, but prefer tea? You didn't train under some zen demon master did you?" Aji chuckled and picked up the bowl.

"I really did train under a demon master." Lu Jinyan laughed.

"Who are you fooling? You already have four tails! If a demon master trained you, then he must be world famous. So who was it? Who's this mighty guy?" Of course Lin Haoqing was world famous, but she could not tell them...

She took a sip of tea and was just about to muddle him when sounds of gasping came from behind, followed by a familiar voice ringing in her ears, "I'm curious too, who taught you?"

Everyone's eyes instantly fell on the visitor. Lu Jinyan and Ji Ning grew pale, and Aji spat the mouthful of tea she just took back into the bowl. She turned her head and saw his black robe and silver hair...

"Lo… lord..." Lu Jinyan sat down wrong and fell onto the ground. Ji Ning immediately retreated three steps and squatted down in the corner. Aji stood up stiffly and stared at Changyi. The other people here all made a bow they seemed very familiar with, "Your Highness..."

Aji looked at him, then looked at the people with their special salute of some gestures across the chest. She really did not understand this bow, so she imitated them to the best of her abilities. She roughly crossed her chest and leaned down, "The… Your Highness..."

Calling him that felt truly awkward to her...

Changyi looked at Aji's head.

"Get up, I am also here to drink tea."

He took care of himself and walked to the seat opposite of her... As soon as he sat down, the people around emptied out.

Changyi turned his head and asked the terrified Lu Jinyan and Ji Ning, "You two are not going to sit back down?"

"I... I have to pee!" Lu Jinyan jumped up and covered his crotch. "Yes, yes, I urgently need to pee!" He immediately ran off. Ji Ning also trembled and said, "Me too..." Then he also escaped, nearly on all fours. Only Aji remained standing at the table.