Chapter 163: Off on a Date (Part Two)

Tao Ming and Su Nanxing stood hand in hand at the back of the crowd, watching carriage after carriage arrive through the West Gate of the Imperial City. Tao Ming smiled and said, “You said the people of Hezhou are open-minded. I wonder what kind of clothes the girls there wear?”

Su Nanxing gently squeezed Tao Ming’s hand. “By the Wei River, showing your neck and wrists is already considered quite liberal.”

“Then does that mean I’ll stand out?” Tao Ming turned her face sideways, her eyes sparkling.

Su Nanxing pulled her into his embrace. “If you do, don’t leave me behind.”

As the procession moved away, the crowd gradually dispersed. Those standing near them turned their heads and, upon seeing the pair, scanned them from head to toe as if they had seen a ghost—first frozen in place, then gasping sharply, before breaking into a run.

Tao Ming pouted playfully. “Husband, I’m so beautiful, yet they don’t appreciate it.”

Su Nanxing kissed her forehead. “It’s enough that I appreciate you.”

Hand in hand, they moved forward and soon entered a modest tavern. Above the door hung a plaque inscribed with the characters “Broth and Soup.”

The tavern was small, only two stories. The waiter’s eyes widened slightly when he saw Tao Ming, but he quickly suppressed his surprise and asked Su Nanxing, “The usual?”

“Double portions.”

They were led to the second floor, and Su Nanxing opened the last door on the right with a courteous gesture. “Ladies first.”

Tao Ming stepped inside and saw a tiny room with a small round table in the center and two chairs. Against the far wall stood a narrow single bed that looked stiff and uncomfortable.

Su Nanxing helped Tao Ming arrange a chair and sat opposite her. Seeing her resting her chin in her hands, gazing at him, he said, “This is where Qingliu and I meet.”

Tao Ming nodded.

Seeing her silent, Su Nanxing continued, “Qingliu is the one responsible for earning money.”

Tao Ming nodded again.

Su Nanxing gently brushed Tao Ming’s nose. “Say something.”

“Husband, those few who followed you to eradicate demons and protect the way—now that you’ve drunk my blood, what will happen to them?”

Su Nanxing fell silent.

The waiter brought in their meal, and still, neither spoke.

Tao Ming looked at the food before them: two large bowls filled to the brim with meat and broth, and a plate holding four flatbreads.

She picked up a flatbread, casually tore it into pieces, and dropped them into the broth. Su Nanxing snatched it from her hand. “Tear it smaller.”

Tao Ming watched quietly as Su Nanxing meticulously tore the bread into tiny, almost uniform pieces, which floated and sank in the broth. She shook her head. “Without sweet garlic and chili oil, it’s not authentic enough.”

“Wife, later I’ll take you to see those imprisoned demons. They might not be what you imagine.”

Su Nanxing finished tearing the bread and handed Tao Ming a pair of chopsticks, urging her to start eating.

“Okay.” Tao Ming took the chopsticks and began to eat quietly.

After finishing their meal, they planned to head to an inn outside the city. Su Nanxing looked at a bare, plucked-down dragon horse and, unable to help but laugh and cry, ended up borrowing a dragon horse from the tavern.

...

Entering the secret chamber again, Tao Ming’s mood shifted dramatically.

Last time, she was still human, curious about the demons. This time, she had become a demon herself, feeling both anticipation and fear.

Inside the chamber were only two—Devourer of Hearts and Shadow Veil. Shadow Veil never left Tao Ming’s side and was very familiar to her, but Tao Ming still knew nothing about him.

Su Nanxing led Tao Ming through a small door on the right, down a long, gloomy corridor, stopping before a tightly sealed stone door.

He lifted Tao Ming and pointed to a vent on the door. “Look through here.”

Tao Ming felt a flicker of fear and nervousness. Su Nanxing gently encouraged her, “It can’t get out. Don’t be afraid.”

At the sound from outside, a harsh roar erupted from within.

Tao Ming shivered involuntarily at the sound—it was too familiar. In her dreams, hiding in a pitch-dark cave, she often heard such roars.

Each time the roar sounded, many lives would vanish.

Feeling Tao Ming’s trembling, Su Nanxing held her tighter and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Tao Ming steadied herself and whispered, “I know what it is. We call it ‘Fear.’ Whenever it appears, fear is all we have left.”

Su Nanxing hummed in acknowledgment and began to walk away. Tao Ming looked up in confusion. “But I haven’t seen it yet.”

“No need. It’s definitely that.”

Tao Ming struggled in his arms. “Let me look! I’ve never known what it looks like.”

Su Nanxing paused, hesitating for a moment. Seeing Tao Ming’s eager gaze, he asked, “Are you sure you want to see?”

Tao Ming nodded firmly. “Yes.”

They returned to the stone door. Tao Ming took a deep breath and peered through the vent.

Inside was a narrow room. The opposite wall was about three to four meters from the door, less than a meter wide, and around three meters high.

On the two adjacent walls near the far end hung chains as thick as arms. At the ends of the chains were black masses.

Tao Ming asked, puzzled, “It’s just a pitch-black lump?”

No sooner had she spoken than the black mass unfurled, reaching from floor to ceiling. In the center glowed a pair of round, red eyes. Tao Ming clenched her fist to compare—the eyes were likely bigger than her fist.

Suddenly, a slit opened beneath the eyes. A red light flickered inside. The slit widened rapidly, almost spanning the width of the room, then snapped shut with a piercing roar.

Tao Ming jumped in fright, involuntarily recalling the terror she felt hiding in the cave. The red eyes appeared on her forehead.

The roaring fear seemed to notice the eyes on her forehead and abruptly stopped, shrinking into a motionless ball.

Seeing Tao Ming frightened, Su Nanxing quickly hugged her and walked away.

Tao Ming looked back at the retreating stone door. “Are they all Fear creatures locked up?”

“Yes. We captured six, two died, so four remain.”

Tao Ming recalled her dreams carefully. “Husband, Fear seems to have appeared in the Eternal Dark Realm only from a certain lifetime onward. There was no record of them before.”

Su Nanxing was in a great mood and kissed Tao Ming. “All I need to know is that you’re different from them.”

“Huh?” Tao Ming was momentarily stunned.

He kissed her again. “You silly goose!”

Tao Ming snapped out of it, frowning. “Are you worried I’ll turn into one of those?”

“No, no.”

Tao Ming wasn’t convinced. “You’re lying.”

Su Nanxing gently soothed the flustered Tao Ming in his arms. “I just want to confirm that you and they are two different species.”

“I’ve always been a different species from Fear! Just like the difference between you and a tiger!”

Su Nanxing carried Tao Ming out of the corridor and directly to a door on the left side of the main hall. He pushed it open and laid her on the bed. “After wandering for hours, rest a bit.”

Tao Ming felt the softness beneath her and looked around. The room was simply furnished. Curious, she asked, “Is this your temporary place?”

“Yeah, for various reasons, I sometimes stay here for a few days.” Su Nanxing helped her take off her shoes and held her feet. “Are you tired?”

Tao Ming smiled. “I’m not that delicate!”

“I’ll massage them for you.”

After a while, Devourer of Hearts listened to the faint sounds coming from that room and looked sympathetically at Shadow Veil. “You really have a hard life!”