Demon in the world

It has been snowing heavily for half a month, and there is no sign of it stopping. Ah Jiu squatted under the corridor and said depressedly: "When will it be sunny!"

Xuan Qing sat in the room and flipped through the book with emotion, "I'd rather the snow keeps falling and never stop."

Ah Jiu tilted her head, and asked Wen Renchu ​​next to her, "Why?"

Wenren Chu said: "Because after the snow melts, monsters can't help but go out to hunt. And once the weather warms up, the cursed animals will die faster."

Ah Jiu shivered, "Then let's not do anything, what are you doing here?"

"You're right," Wen Renchu ​​stood up, and summoned the Chongming Bird to jump on it, "You follow Xuan Qing here, I must get the fourth child back."

Ah Jiu reluctantly waved his paw at him, "Brother, be careful, goodbye."

After Wen Renchu ​​left, Xuan Qing let out a long sigh, and Ah Jiu couldn't help saying, "Grandpa, why are you sighing?"

Xuan Qing said: "Spring always comes early in Mount Wuji, and it is already the twelfth lunar month. The snow may not last for a few days. If the Second Highness still can't find anyone by then, we will have to slaughter the mountain, and the blood will flow Chenghe, I am afraid it will be extremely miserable."

Ah Jiu thought for a while, and said, "Grandpa, if these monsters go to the Fool's Inn, can the curse be lifted?"

Xuan Qing shook her head, "If I remember correctly, going to the Fool's Inn should be voluntary, and those cursed animals are manipulated by people, so they will never go there on their own initiative anyway."

Seeing the old almanac in his hand, Ah Jiu asked, "What time is it today? Is it almost New Year's Eve?"

I don't know the years in the mountains, and I have been in the mountains for more than two months without knowing it.I remember last Spring Festival, he set off firecrackers with Wen Renchu.

"The 21st of the twelfth lunar month... Oh no!" Xuan Qing jumped up, "I almost forgot about those two in the Thorn Prison."

Thinking about it, it has probably been locked up for more than ten days, but no one has mentioned it, and everyone has forgotten it.

Seeing that he was anxious, Ah Jiu couldn't help asking curiously, "What's wrong with you, Grandpa Shangui?"

Xuan Qing mourned, "Twelfth lunar month 23rd, Jizaoguan. That Grandfather of the Stove King didn't see the two boys coming to report at that time, so he would definitely come out to look for it... I must not have any good fruit to eat. You don't know how powerful he is. Back then, I secretly I ate two of his fruits during the Stove Sacrifice, and ended up with 300 years of bad luck! If I let him know about this time again, wouldn’t it mean that I will not be able to live a good life for the rest of my life?”

Ah Jiu suddenly realized, "It turns out that it's a festival for Grandpa Stove King, why don't we cook more delicious things and offer them up as sacrifices on that day, maybe when the old man is happy, he won't care about such things anymore. "

"That's a way. No, that old man, that man is the most greedy. We in the demon world never sacrifice to stoves. Maybe he will give us some face this time. The best thing I make in my life is pickled snake meat, but this Things can’t be used as sacrifices. It would be great if there were humans around… They can use a variety of materials to make mouth-watering delicacies, or if I go out and grab one now, maybe I can return it. I can make it in time." Xuan Qing seemed to have made up her mind, talking to herself, she stood up and was about to leave.

Ah Jiu quickly stopped him, "Grandpa Shangui, don't leave, maybe I can help you."

"Scary, can you cook like a human?" Xuan Qing looked at him suspiciously, but remembered something after a while, "Yes, you can inherit the Fool's Inn, you must be good at cooking... Your Highness, please Please help me, boss, if you can pass this test by luck, I will repay you in the future!"

Ah Jiu panicked: "Get up quickly, I don't know if I can do it...but I will definitely try my best."

There was no one else in the Shangui Mansion, so Ah Jiu changed back into a human form, went to the kitchen to check, but found no ingredients and seasonings except for the big iron pot.

It's hard for a clever daughter-in-law to cook without rice, and now even he doesn't know what to do.He called in Fudou who was swinging in the garden, untied the Qiankun bag around his neck, and only poured out some small jars of condiments from it.

Xuan Qing said with concern: "If there is something missing, just tell me, and I'll send someone out to find it."

Ah Jiu asked: "Can you find flour and sugar?"

Xuan Qing waved his hand, "Don't worry, these little monsters often go out to steal things and come back, and they hide a lot of rare things in their dens, so they will definitely have everything!"

"See if there are any of these." Ah Jiu dubiously made a long list, Xuan Qing responded, and immediately went out to look for it.

About half an hour later, Xuan Qing drove the car and came back in a mighty manner. There were quite a lot of things, and the variety made Ah Jiu dazzled: there was a half bag of sugar with a small opening, several bags of fresh milk, a basket of wild eggs, and butter and baking powder...

Xuan Qing stroked his beard and said: "I guess they don't even know what a lot of things are. They stole them back if they were edible or not. I searched a few places, and you can see what's missing. I'll look for them if I don't have enough."

Ah Jiu sorted out the things that could be used, and after summing them up, said: "We still need jujubes, red beans, and yams... It would be even better if there were fruits like mangoes and apples."

Although these things are very common to human beings, monsters and animals rarely have the habit of storing food, so fantasizing about fresh fruits in this winter is undoubtedly nonsense.

But Xuan Qing didn't feel embarrassed, and said happily: "Is this the only difference?" Seeing Ah Jiu nodding, he pushed the creaking empty car and ran out again.

When Wen Renchu ​​came back in the evening, he saw Ah Jiu struggling among a pile of messy things, and asked, "What are you doing?"

Ah Jiu was sweating profusely and said, "I'm picking ingredients, and I'm going to make a dessert to worship Grandpa Stove tomorrow! Grandpa Mountain Ghost is so amazing, you can even find butter! Fortunately, it's winter now, so it doesn't matter if you leave it for two days. Brother, why don't you eat it?" Didn't you find the fourth brother?"

"No," Wen Renchu's face was a bit embarrassed, and his fingers were clenched.

"Brother, don't worry, we will definitely find a solution." Ah Jiu remained optimistic as always.

Wen Renchu ​​couldn't be happy, "I hope it's as you said."

With the materials, kitchen utensils are naturally not a problem, lacking a stone hammer for pounding yams, Xuanqing asked the monster to chisel one out, the surface was polished smooth, comparable to those carved by machines.Chopping boards, rolling pins and cages are not a problem, Xuan Qing almost responds to requests.

The next day, Ah Jiu started cooking fermented red bean flour, Xuan Qing helped with the trivial work of whipping cream, and even Meng Ji and Xu Hua were sent out to collect dry firewood.

The day of offering sacrifices to the stove is known as Xiaonian among the people, and many places will celebrate it lively.Monsters mostly eat raw food, so they never worry about Grandpa Stove King. This is the first time I have seen such a grand celebration.

Xuan Qing yelled loudly in the corridor with her hips crossed, "Hurry up, cheer me up! What about you, poor and strange, pay attention when burning firewood, don't look left and right! Where are Riji and Hanli? Set it up Where did the table go? The snow in the garden has been cleaned up, so don’t make any troubles later... Don’t block the kitchen door, what if the aroma is all gone? It’s something for Grandpa Stove King Get out of the way... Uh, Second Highness, you are here too."

Wen Renchu ​​said with a cold face, "I'm leaving now, don't talk to Ah Jiu in a commanding tone, get out of the way."

Xuan Qing wiped off her sweat and muttered softly, "How dare I offend His Highness Ninth Prince at this moment."

Ah Jiu didn't cook for a few months, so it was inevitable that she would be unfamiliar with things at the beginning, but once she got used to it, she felt more at ease than usual.

He likes to eat desserts himself, so he has learned a lot about the styles. Although... others don't agree with his sweetness, but according to Ah Jiu's taste, they are very, very delicious!

A total of more than a dozen kinds of dim sum were made, such as red koji bean paste crisps, fresh milk puffs, soft cheese balls, and jujube yam paste, etc., served in washed large pearl shells, and placed on the table. A group of monsters kept drooling.

In the evening, when everything was ready, Xuan Qing took the initiative to go to the thorn prison and release the two envoys.

The evil emissary angrily threatened: "You old bastard, how dare you lock us up for so long before releasing us, you must not let this matter go like this, just wait for me!"

Xuan Qing smiled apologetically, and was dragged away forcibly by Shan Shi after he vented his anger, "If you don't leave and delay the auspicious time, the master will definitely lose his temper."

After the two of them left, the stove sacrifice ceremony began.

The portrait of Grandpa Stove King was found by Xuan Qing from a monster's house. The paper is yellowed and looks like it has been around for a while. The fat old man is sitting with a smile on his face, looking at everyone kindly.

All the monsters obeyed Xuan Qing's instructions, went back and changed into human costumes, washed and combed, stood in two rows, each prepared some auspicious words and blessings, and prepared to go up one by one to offer incense and pray.

Xuan Qing looked at the hourglass and counted the time, just when she was about to sing, an uninvited guest suddenly came to the mansion.

A boy of fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a rouge-colored robe, his shoulders were covered with snow and he didn't even pat him, his hands were tucked into his sleeves, he looked at the crowd ignorantly, and said, "There is something to eat." ?"

Ah Jiu jumped up in shock, "He, he, I've seen him!"

Wen Renchu's tense expression finally relaxed, "Well, he is your fourth brother."

Silver hair...silver eyes...looks like a child, could this be the legendary Qilin Highness?He, how could he appear at this time?My God... Wuji Mountain is saved!Xuan Qing was completely dumbfounded, if he didn't move, the monsters naturally didn't dare to move.

In an atmosphere of strange silence, the young man walked straight to the garden, stopped in front of a table of offerings, stretched out his white jade fingers, picked one up, sniffed it, and put it directly into his mouth.Then the movements became faster in an instant, and it seemed that seven or eight hands appeared in an instant, sweeping away the snacks on the table.

He ate quickly, but he didn't look embarrassed at all, instead he was straightforward with a childish air.

Now it's not just the mountain ghost, even Ah Jiu was stunned. Wenren Chu stroked his forehead with his hands, and didn't want to recognize this shameful foodie at all.

When the boy stretched out his hand to the last plate of dim sum, there was a sudden thunder in the sky.

The mountain ghost Xuanqing finally came to his senses, stepped forward, and said: "Your Highness, Your Highness, Fourth Highness, you can't eat any more, this is for Grandpa Stove King..."

With two balls of snacks in his mouth, the young man propped his cheeks round, and looked at him suspiciously, as if he didn't understand at all.

Xuan Qing wiped his sweat with his sleeves, and gestured for all the monsters to leave the courtyard, "Today is the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, we are offering sacrifices to the stove... Also, the Second Highness and the Ninth Highness are also here, on your... left hand side."

The young man turned his face slowly, and his blank eyes fell on Wen Renchu ​​and Ah Jiu, "Second brother, when did you come?"

Wen Renchu ​​tried his best to control the throbbing veins on his forehead, "I've been standing here since the beginning."

"Oh, it seems that I found the right place this time." The boy looked at Xuan Qing again, "I'm still a little hungry."

Listening to the warning sound of crackling thunder in the mid-air, Xuan Qing wanted to cry but had no tears, God, no one can offend anyone at the moment, who can tell him what to choose now? !

Seeing that he was hesitant, the young man stopped forcing him and put his hands back into his sleeves, "Then I'm leaving."

"Don't go!" Xuan Qing screamed loudly, offering the last plate of dim sum with both hands, "Please use it!"

The boy hesitated for a moment, took it without any hesitation, and swept all the remaining snacks into his stomach.

In the thick clouds, a rich old man pointed at Xuan Qing with trembling fingers, gritted his teeth and said to the two boys beside him: "Remember, write down all the shame of today! This person, 600 years, uh no , 6000 years can't be good luck!"

The room was so quiet that you could almost hear a pin drop.

The tea on the table was no longer steaming, but none of the three brothers spoke.

The young man put his hands on the table and looked at Ah Jiu with his chin, "We seem to have met, and more than once."

Ah Jiu immediately said: "Fourth Brother, I'm Ah Jiu. We met at the Jiangcheng Food Festival, and you went to Yudu on my birthday. You asked me for directions both times."

The boy stared at it for a long while before reaching out to touch Ah Jiu's tail, "You look different from when you were a child."

nonsense!Wen Renchu ​​let out a cold snort.The Ah Jiu he saw at that time was still an egg, of course it would be different from now, "Ah Qi..."

The young man turned his face, "Jai Zi, please call me Dongfang Qi."

After following the guy named Dongfang for hundreds of years, do you really think of yourself as a follower?Wen Renchu ​​suppressed his anger, and said, "Dongfangqi, since you ate so many things from the mountain ghosts, you should help all the monsters in Wuji Mountain lift the curse."

"But I'm not full yet."

"Don't go too far." For this sacrifice to the stove, he almost turned all the monsters' houses upside down, and he still had the nerve to say such a thing?

Dongfang was a little aggrieved, but he seemed afraid of Wenrenchu ​​and dared not speak up.

Ah Jiu whispered: "Fourth brother, I made the snacks. After you help the monster lift the curse, I will make whatever you want to eat."

Dongfangqi moved his ears, "Really? You didn't lie to me?"

"I promise not to lie to you."

"Okay, I've decided to follow you from now on." Dongfangqi stood up, took out a paper brush and drew a few talismans on it, and handed it to Xuan Qing who was trembling at the door, "Take it and stick it on the cursed monster."

It's that simple?Xuan Qing hesitated: "Can your Highness draw a few more? There are so many monsters in the mountains, I'm afraid it's not enough..."

The young man squinted at him, and slowly uttered four words, "Repeat, repeat, utilize, use."

Xuan Qing went there sweating profusely, not knowing whether it would work or not.Immediately go out and ask Meng Ji to catch a few little monsters, and after the talisman is pasted on their chests, two balls of black air will come out of their nostrils in a short while, and then let the corpse vulture check in the belly, it is true that the curse has been removed. Cleaned up.

Xuanqing was overjoyed, and immediately dispersed the seals. When she returned, she met Wen Renchu, "Your Highness, it's effective, it's effective, and several of them have been saved. Others are gradually improving. I believe that within two days, everyone will be back to normal." .”

There was no joy on Wen Renchu's face, and he walked away with a faint reply.

In the next few days, while Wen Renchu ​​and Xuan Qing were very busy, Ah Jiu and Dongfang Qi got tired of being together.

Dongfang Xian reacted very slowly, whether it was speaking, thinking or moving, he was half a beat slower than normal people.He is gentle, he doesn't like to fight and kill, he is not at all different from the other brothers, but this makes Ah Jiu feel fresh and interesting.

"Fourth brother, your paintings are so beautiful."

"Do you like it? I'll draw another one for you tomorrow."

"Well, thank you fourth brother!"

When the two brothers were chatting with each other intimately, Wen Renchu ​​hooked his fingers at Dongfang Qi at the door, "Come out, I have something to tell you."

Dongfang Qi put down his pen and walked out with him.

After about half an hour, Wen Renchu ​​came back.Ah Jiu looked behind him, but he couldn't find Dongfang Qi anywhere, "Hey, where is fourth brother?"

Wen Renchu ​​said lightly, "Let's go."

"How could this be?" Ah Jiu said rather disappointed, "I haven't made him any snacks yet, and he also said he would teach me how to draw..."

Wen Renchu ​​paused, but said nothing.

Xuan Qing has been dizzy for the past two days, but he is still very relieved to see Wuji Mountain gradually returning to normal.

When he was patrolling around in a deer cart, he passed a small forest on the way, and saw a fiery figure circling around in place with his sleeves in his hands.

Xuan Qing hurriedly stopped to greet her, "Fourth Highness, what are you doing here?"

Dongfang Qi said slowly: "Second brother and I got separated and couldn't find the way back."

"Second Highness?" Xuan Qing stroked his beard and recalled, "I seem to see that he has already returned."

"Eh?" The boy looked at him blankly, "Then what should I do?"

Xuan Qing said happily: "Hey, I'm not here, get in the car, I'll take you back!"

Bringing the lost brother back, the Second Highness should praise himself no matter what?Xuan Qing couldn't help guessing like this, but after seeing Wen Renchu's face when he went back, he knew that this move was a big mistake...