Chapter 254 Fourth Sister

Legend has it that a Red-Clothed Immortal Mother gifted a Jade Shuttle to the Zhu family.

It was precisely with this Jade Shuttle that the Zhu family was able to weave a fabric called Descending True Gauze, which glowed as lustrously as moonlight.

However, the truly superior fabrics were all supplied to the heavens; how could they circulate in the mortal realm?

Descending True Gauze only had some renown in this mortal world.

Once, a weaver, believing this rumor, secretly snuck into the Zhu family, hoping to steal the Jade Shuttle.

The Zhu family was extravagant; their cloth workshop stretched for a hundred li, but late at night, not a single person was seen anywhere on the estate.

The weaver easily slipped inside.

As a result, he actually did see the Jade Shuttle.

In the center of the drying yard, the moonlight was dim, the surroundings pitch black, with only a single beam of light connecting heaven and earth.

Looking closely, that light beam was actually made of countless hanging threads, and on either side of the threads, enormous silkworms formed cocoons from the hanging threads, suspended on racks to dry.

From within the cocoons, hooked legs extended, hooking threads and passing a Jade Shuttle back and forth, weaving cloud brocade that was not of the mortal world.

The Spider Web Cave, naturally, was also Kunlun's business in the mortal realm.

That sky-hanging Jade Shuttle was both a production tool, proof of business license, and a form of surveillance.

However, the moment the weaver saw the Jade Shuttle, he became enchanted, completely ignoring the chaotic scene of dancing demons, and was ultimately pierced with several holes by the legs of the giant cocoons.

As he was dying, the weaver saw the large silkworms crawl towards him, eventually wrapping him into a lustrous cocoon.

Throughout the Spider Web Cave, those hanging cocoons all had this origin, all belonging to those consumed by greed.

Even if the spider demons of the Spider Web Cave could not leave this place, there was no stopping the continuous stream of people who voluntarily came knocking.

However, this time, something was different: a young man arrived at the Zhu Family Manor.

He wasn't after the Jade Shuttle, but rather to avenge his father.

Others said his father had abandoned his wife and son to marry into the Zhu family, but his mother said his father had been bewitched by a demon.

The young man had spirit, perseverance, and courage, and ventured into the mountains alone to seek out the demons.

However, as soon as he entered the manor, he was caught by a patrolling minor demon.

"This kid looks tender, so he must be roasted. The older ones are suitable for soup."

"If you roast him, all the fat will be wasted. He should be slowly stewed to bring out all the flavor from the bones, and then a pinch of fine salt sprinkled on top. Ah, that taste~."

"Listen to me! I entered the mountain gate before you, I'm your senior! He must be roasted!"

"You hornet demon, what if you entered the mountain gate first? My toad mouth can swallow you whole! He must be boiled!"

"Roasted!!"

"Boiled!!"

The two patrolling minor demons grabbed the young man and started pulling him.

If they pulled him a few more times, they might just tear the young man's body in half.

"Stop."

A sudden voice froze the two minor demons.

"Fourth Grand-Auntie?!"

The two minor demons' lips trembled when they saw who had arrived.

This Fourth Miss Zhu was usually the most mysterious; most minor demons in the mountains rarely had a chance to see her.

Not seeing her was also a good thing.

Fourth Grand-Auntie was the most difficult to get along with among the grand-aunties; just looking at her cold face was enough to make the minor demons' hearts pound.

The young man finally caught his breath, looking up at the woman not far away, dressed in green, with a fierce yet exceptionally beautiful face. He was certain this was also a demon.

How could an ordinary person possess such beauty?

Her beauty even exuded a demonic aura.

"Leave this living person here; you two continue your patrol."

The Fourth Miss waved her sleeve and said in a cold voice.

"Yes, yes."

"We'll leave now, Fourth Grand-Auntie."

The two minor demons fled as if escaping, not daring to utter a single word of dissent.

They were afraid that if Fourth Grand-Auntie developed an appetite, she might devour them along with this living person.

Compared to eating humans, demons preying on each other was far more common.

The air fell silent, leaving only the young man's fearful gasps.

After a moment, the Fourth Sister Zhu spoke again.

But this voice was clearly not directed at the young man; her still cold tone was laced with traces of lingering, tender affection.

"What do you want this living person for?"

"I have my uses for him."

"If you don't want to say, then don't. I'm not that eager to know."

"If you call me 'Good Big Brother,' I might tell you."

"Hmph."

The Fourth Sister flicked her sleeve and turned her head away.

The young man endured the pain in his body, cautiously peeking.

He spotted a figure that had appeared beside the female demon at some unknown point.

He looked like a human yet not, an immortal yet not.

"Young man, why did you come to these mountains alone?"

Chen Nuo's eyes curved with a smile, and he glanced at the young man's face, asking.

"My elderly mother at home is seriously ill. I, I came to the mountains to gather herbs."

The young man shivered, quickly blurting out the excuse he had prepared.

"Don't you know there's a divine ability in this world called 'Mind-Reading,' which can discern the thoughts of all living beings?"

Chen Nuo chuckled, speaking to himself.

The young man's face immediately turned pale.

"However, this is one of the Six Divine Powers of Buddhism. I, a demon, naturally don't possess it."

Chen Nuo's tone shifted, causing the young man's heart to fluctuate wildly.

Looking into those demonic eyes that seemed to pierce the soul, the young man's last shred of will completely collapsed. He slumped to the ground, like a broken toy, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

"Living people who appear in these mountains are mostly after the rumored Jade Shuttle. However, seeing no greed in your eyes, but rather some hatred, you're probably not here for the Jade Shuttle, but rather for someone from the past."

Chen Nuo meticulously analyzed the young man's thoughts, finally concluding like a judge.

"You've come for revenge, haven't you? Am I right?"

"…"

The young man stared blankly at the ground, as if he had lost his three souls.

"Go back. You have no revenge to exact here."

Hearing Chen Nuo's words, the young man seemed to regain his soul, raising his head in a daze.

Amidst this great rise and fall, he had gained some enlightenment.

Seeing that Chen Nuo truly intended to let him go, the young man slowly knelt down and kowtowed heavily.

Then, he stumbled step by step down the mountain.

Tonight would just be a nightmare.

His elderly mother was still waiting for him at home.

"You spared his life and let him go. What exactly are you planning?"

Fourth Sister finally couldn't resist asking out of curiosity.

Chen Nuo didn't answer, merely raised an eyebrow.

"...There were outsiders just now, my good Big Brother, quickly tell your little sister."

Fourth Sister hugged Chen Nuo's arm, pouting playfully.

If the minor demons saw Fourth Grand-Auntie like this, they would probably immediately call the Old Madam to exorcise her.

In fact, among the five sisters, Fourth Sister had the strongest human essence, but she usually put on a cold facade, and rarely showed intimacy even with her sisters.

Only when alone with her beloved did the fierce expression on her face disappear, revealing her sensitive and vibrant inner self.

"I have no particular scheme or plan. I just saw that this young man has some courage and aptitude, so I thought of letting him become a disciple of your Senior Martial Brother."

After Chen Nuo was satisfied, he no longer concealed it.

The Hundred-Eyed Demon King's Insect Transformation technique did have some profound aspects, aligning with the meanings of "shedding" and "transformation," which might help him achieve immortality again.

After all, Chen Nuo's true form was also insect-related, having undergone multiple cicada molts to achieve his current divine abilities. How to "shed" and "transform" again concerned his demonic path.

"Then how do you know this young man will come again?"

Fourth Sister blinked her bright eyes.

"Then do you want to make a bet with me?"

"Bet what?"

"That day, I wanted my sisters to weave some foot coverings, but no one agreed. Big Brother was very sad. If my sister loses, how about you weave a few pairs and wear them to play with me?"

"You pervert, if I didn't know your true form, I'd really suspect you were a wild boar demon."

Fourth Sister spat fiercely.

However, after thinking about it, she still nodded in agreement.

She saw the young man's terrified expression and figured he wouldn't come to the mountains again no matter what.

From childhood, Fourth Sister had never won against this good Big Brother.

"If I win, you have to take me to visit outside the ridge again."

"What's that? I'll take my sister out now."

Chen Nuo straightened his face, wrapped his arm around Fourth Sister's waist, which he could just span with one hand, and vanished into thin air.

When they reappeared, they were already a thousand li away from Webbed Ridge.

The world was vast; with his divine ability of Roaming the Void, where could he not go?

Before Chen Nuo attained the Dao, he already possessed some divine abilities, which were the fruits born from seeds of power from other worlds.

Roaming the Void was one of them.

As for the Dharma Realm within Webbed Ridge, there were naturally other means to conceal and shield it.

The Cicada Shell Chen Nuo left behind earlier was a good thing.

It could avoid karma, hide one's form, and substitute for life and death.

Even without any refining, it was a rare treasure.

Unfortunately, Chen Nuo had only shed his cicada body seven times so far, giving five of them to his five sisters as a last resort for survival.

If they were willing to abandon the Spider Web Cave's business, the Dharma Realm descended from the heavens couldn't trap them.

Although they had gained freedom, Fourth Sister had never left the cave alone in private.

She was worried about being discovered by the heavenly beings, which would ruin their current business.

After all, demons also needed to cultivate, and cultivation required resources.

It was not easy to find a good business in this mortal realm now.

All the good things in the world had been monopolized by the heavens.

Even a little bit that slipped through the gods' fingers was far better than digging in the dirt on the ground.

One must know that not everyone could dig in the dirt.

Even the Earth God had performance targets for offerings.

Chen Nuo's current cultivation was inseparable from the past support of his five sisters; without the spiritual materials they exchanged thread by thread, he would have had to delay his attainment of the Dao by at least another hundred years.

For this, his sisters' own cultivation had fallen behind considerably.

In the past, they were often scolded by their mother for neglecting their cultivation.

But how could the Old Madam know that her daughters had been turning their elbows outwards since childhood?

"Why do the sights outside the mountain look even worse than those inside the cave?"

Fourth Sister took a deep breath and murmured softly.

With a different state of mind, the feeling of viewing scenery naturally differed greatly.

The first time Chen Nuo took her out of Webbed Ridge, she hadn't spoken like this.

Although the Spider Web Cave was not a blessed land, it was also a place where spiritual veins converged. In the past, it could nurture seven demon kings, and even had a Yang Spring that could attract fairies to descend, how could it be compared to ordinary mountains and rivers?

Unfortunately, that Yang Spring had its geomanticpulse disturbed and was no longer clear, now a pool of mud.

Otherwise, Chen Nuo could have taken a bath with his sisters.

"Most of the beautiful scenery in this world has been taken by the gods; it's not so easy to see."

Chen Nuo's voice deepened slightly.

Fourth Sister naturally understood this principle and nodded along.

She didn't think much else.

After all, they now had their own blessed land, and Ziyun Mountain, though not large, was enough to accommodate them.

Fourth Sister had high aspirations, but not so high as to reach the heavens.

"But if you wish, even the High Heavens Palace, I can take you to have a look."

Chen Nuo's tone shifted, adding a touch of playfulness, which earned him a flurry of light punches from Fourth Sister.

"Don't you dare act like the Great Sage; if you get trapped under a mountain, I won't wait hundreds of years for a man like Mother did."

"Of course not. I just wonder which way the Great Sage was facing when he was trapped."

"What does that matter?"

Fourth Sister was still a bit naive, not understanding the difference.

After Chen Nuo subtly pointed it out, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Is that the Flaming Mountains?"

Fourth Sister asked, pointing at the scorched mountain range ahead.

The Flaming Mountains were not far from Webbed Ridge, and Fourth Sister had naturally heard of the name of the Great Sage Who Pacifies Heaven, Bull Demon King.

There were occasionally some business dealings between the two places.

However, those were matters handled by Second Sister Zhu; Fourth Sister usually only heard about them and had no direct contact with that side.

"Indeed, that's Brother Niu's territory."

Chen Nuo nodded, already feeling the 'fiery aura' emanating from the mountain range from afar.

"I heard that the Bull Demon King's wife, Princess Iron Fan, is peerlessly beautiful. I wonder if it's true?"

"It's true."

"What, when did you get a glimpse of her?"

Fourth Sister narrowed her eyes, her gaze becoming suspicious.

"Of course not; who doesn't know the enchanting reputation of that Rakshasa?"

Chen Nuo's face was calm, showing no sign of guilt.

How could he, with nothing better to do, go peep at someone else's wife?

He always acted openly and honorably, alright?

Before Chen Nuo attained the Dao, he had visited the Bull Demon King and sought guidance from this senior, so he had naturally met Princess Iron Fan.

It must be said, that Old Bull was indeed loyal; even though they had just met, he didn't hesitate to offer guidance, helping Chen Nuo a lot, and the two demons formed a friendship.

It must be said, that Big Sister-in-law was indeed alluring, ahem.

How does that saying go? When you're out in the world, you rely on three things.

Seducing big... no, no.

It's a strong backer, strong connections, and strong personal power.

Personal strength is, of course, the most important, but even the Monkey King knew to swear brotherhood, so Chen Nuo naturally also needed to build connections.

Having many people might not always be useful, but at least it can make a good show.

Speaking of which, it's been a while since I last saw my Brother Niu. I wonder how Big Sister-in-law has been doing lately, if she's lonely or cold. I should find some time to visit and strengthen our bond.

What if my Second Brother is needed someday?

Don't misunderstand!

What's wrong with calling myself Second Brother in front of Brother Niu?

His original sworn brothers, some fled, some hid, some died, so they no longer count in terms of seniority.