TGM Vol.1 Chapter 8 – Merman

If you want to go to Lutai Mountain, you must go to Lutai Town. This is a popular saying that many travelers and merchants like to repeat.

Lutai Town is not only famous for its jagged and rocky landscape, but also for its fine wine, Amber Fruit, that Lutai Town produces.

It’s said that the wine is brewed from a type of fruit only found at the foot of Lutai Mountain. . The wine is sealed and put into the cellar, then taken out after a few years, its froth removed and then poured into a glazed bowl.The wine color is like amber, deep yellow and bright , and the smell of fruit is also tangy, so the ancients named it: Amber Fruit Wine, due to its popularity.

By the time the group reached Lutai Town, noon had already passed, there were only two, three, pedestrians on the streets, quite different from the prosperous scene of the past. They thought it was because of the recent trouble caused by the demons eating people, so people are living in fear, even the hawkers have a sorrowful face, lamenting the recent lack of money.

Xie Lei looks around, seeing the depressed atmosphere, and he can’t help sighing, “Demons cause trouble, and ordinary people can’t live in peace.”

Dongfang Qingqi patted him on the shoulder, “Brother Chu, why bother with a frown, we are here today, isn’t it just to slay demons?”

While they were talking, Chu Yinghong had already gathered information from a hawker, and she came back and smiled, “Senior Brother, don’t worry. I just asked the little brother over there, and he said that the two demons usually appear at night and rarely hurt people during the day. We might as well find an inn to relax, and go up the mountain at night.”

The crowd nodded in agreement. When Zhong Minyan saw everyone going forward, but Xuanji was still standing in front of the snack stall, he gave her a push and whispered, “Don’t be dazed! Let’s go!”

Xuanji said, “Oh,” but didn’t rush. She took a copper coin from her sleeve pocket, pointed to the steamed cake in the pot, and said seriously, “Boss, give me two.”

Zhong Minyan frowned and said, “Why are you eating this steamed cake? We’ll eat at the inn! You’re the only one who wants this!”

Xuanji held the paper bag with the steamed cake in her hand, took a bite and almost spat it out due to the heat, saying, “Eating a meal and snacking are two different things.”

Zhong Minyan was so angry with her that he had nothing to say, and all he could do was to roll his eyes.

Xuanji gently blew the heat on the steamed cake and suddenly noticed that Yu Si Feng, who was walking in front of her, looked back at her from time to time, and one could feel the unkindness in his eyes even through a mask. She raised the steamed cake in her hand, thinking he wanted to eat it too, but he threw her a disgusted look, then quietly slowed down and stepped back to Xuanji’s side, whispering in her ear, “Wicked woman, eats. Like a pig.”

She was scolded again for no reason, unfortunately, her mouth was full of steamed cakes and she couldn’t speak, so she stared back at him blankly.

He seemed to be in a better mood suddenly, lightly smiled, quickened his pace to catch up with Chu Xie Lei, cupped his fist and said: “Head Master Chu, I am not talented, but had once lived in, Lutai Town, for a period, of time. If you don’t mind, junior, willing to show the way for the seniors.”

Before Chu Lei replied, Chu Yinghong next to him smiled: “Then we’ll leave it up to you, you are called . . .”

“Junior Yu Sifeng.”

“All right, Sifeng.” She said, “Take us to the best restaurant in town. We’ll taste the famous Amber Fruit.”

“Yes, Seniors, Please follow me.”

Huh? Are we not going to the inn? Xuanji managed to finish the steamed cakes and realized that they had entered a restaurant with a yellow flag at the entrance. Seeing her dazed appearance, Zhong Minyan sighed in his heart. Thinking that he had promised master that he would take care of his little sister along the way, he could only say, “If you were half as smart as Ling Long, I wouldn’t have had to work so hard to look after you.”

Xuanji smiled slightly and said nothing.

Everyone entered the restaurant thinking it would be as quiet as outside, but to their surprise, it was full of customers and people were coming and going, creating a lively scene.

Yu Sifeng chatted with the waiter and then led them to the second floor. He went downstairs and soon led up a middle-aged man, a hunter in the town, who was told that they were here to get rid of demons. Hearing that they were here to eliminate demons, the man agreed to show them the way up the mountain.

“This is Uncle Wang. He has been a hunter – in the town – for more than ten years. He has seen – the two demons with his own eyes, and has participated – in the last few killings, which should help us.”

After Yu Sifeng finished speaking, he turned his head and nodded to the hunter before the man said “By the way, no one talks about killing demons these days. The last few times were really too noisy and many people died, which made everyone feel sad. We hunters can still go to the mountains in the daytime, but the merchants who pass by are miserable because they have no way to get around. It takes dozens of large groups to escort a single merchant, otherwise they’ll just be walking into the monster’s mouth. Many people in the town can’t go back to their hometowns, and the rations will soon be used up, which will drive people to death!”

Chu Yinghong said softly, “Don’t worry, we came here to get rid of the demons and to bring peace to the town. This is a big matter, and we need your advice.”

“I’m a simple person, so I don’t know what I can advise. Anyway, you are here to help the townspeople by getting rid of the demons, so if there is anything I can do, just let me know. Don’t be formal!”

Chu Xie Lei asked, “Would you be so kind as to show us the way at night? Where do the monsters frequently appear? Where’s the nest?”

“They usually appear at midnight and return to the nest after midnight. There are several places where they frequent, but they are all places where there is water nearby, so that old bird is very powerful. It specializes in hiding in the water and drag people under! Tengu’s nest is at the back of the hill, the old fool is so smart that it changes the place every day.”

Chu Xie Lei was pensive for a while after hearing this. Chu Yinghong said, “Is the Master worried it would take too long to find them?”

He nodded, “I never thought that the Gu Eagles are so cunning, even if I stab their eyes with salt water, I don’t know if I can find their lair and get rid of them.”

Chu Yinghong smiled, “I do have an idea. Since they are so secretive, it will take us too long to find them, so why don’t we lure them out by themselves?”

She clapped her hands and called the three children who were idling nearby and ordered, “Xuanji, go and buy three pots, a jar of honey and twenty turpentine torches. Minyan and Sifeng, together the boys will go to the market and buy as much salt and vinegar as you can, and hire some young men who are brave enough to carry it up the mountain for us at night.”

After that she took out a pile of banknotes from her purse and divided them among herself, and then instructed: “When I came here, I saw a money changer around the corner, so I want you to exchange the banknotes first and then go shopping. The money has been carefully calculated, so don’t steal!”

With that she grinned.

Seeing her meticulous division of labor and confident look, Dongfang Qingqi could not help wondering, “It seems heroine Chu has a clever plan?”

Chu Ying-hong laughed, “Not that clever. I just thought, since that tengu is the most famous Gluttonous Ghost, instead of looking up and down for it, we should roast meat by the water and lure it out by the scent. Whether or not the Gu Eagle is follows, we’ve can get rid of one monster first.”

She took out ink and paper from her bundle and drew a simple map on the paper, following Wang’s advice. As the three of them drank the Fruit Amber, they discussed the plan for the night.

The three children had already gone downstairs to the money changer to change the money and split up. Xuanji bought the things Chu Yinghong ordered early in the morning and walked back with difficulty, carrying a pile of stuff in her arms.

Halfway there, she suddenly heard a loud banging sound from the street corner and someone shouted, “Come and see! A living monster! Come on, come on! Live demon!”

Although Xuanji is from a sect of immortal cultivation, and she has memorized the list of all demons since she was a child, she has never seen a real demon before. Seeing that the few pedestrians on the street were attracted there, she couldn’t help but walk forward while carrying everything, trying to stretch out her neck to look into the crowd.

She was small, and could only barely see the glazed edge above the head of a man. A huge fishbowl over one person tall, with bronze corners and a water-filled interior. She doesn’t know what is in the water, but it is stirring wildly, splashing water everywhere, and the people around will sometimes scream, and at other times they will sigh, but no one dares to get closer.

“Wow, it’s really a tail…a fish’s tail…Oh, it’s a male!”

“He’s looking over here ! Look this way!”

The crowd suddenly became agitated and moved backwards. Xuanji was in a complete pickle, almost dropping everything in her hands, and the people around her seemed to be pushing her forward, so she ducked and dodged, only to feel a sudden push from behind, and the honey jar hanging on her arm fell to the ground with a bang, breaking.

“Ah.” She was stunned and didn’t know what to do as she stared at the honey on the floor.

She was hesitant, but only heard a loud splash overhead, and before she could raise her head, she was drenched by the water splashing out of the glass jar.

Did a bad luck star fly over her head today?

Xuanji silently wiped off the water from her face, but out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of something dancing in the glass jar beside her, as if it was a huge white fish.

When she looked back, she saw a pale face. Xuanji was so shocked that she couldn’t hold anything in her hands anymore and it all fell onto the honey.

What was wildly tossing and crashing in the tank was actually a person… No, not entirely a person. His upper body is an ordinary man, broad-shouldered and thin-waisted, with a head of long black hair floating in the water, like algae, and a pale face hidden behind his long hair. His eyes seemed to be burning like a star.

From the waist down, there is a long fish tail. The scales on the tail are silvery, and the fins are like a light veil, it’s slightest movement in the water sets off numerous swirling bubbles.

Suddenly, he spotted her and swam slowly over to her, supporting his hands on the glass jar, his eyes hidden behind his long algae-like hair, watching her quietly.

He watched her like this, and kept watching her.

As if he had known her for a long, long time, he was looking at her with these quiet eyes. There are countless secrets and a thousand words hidden there.

Xuanji was stunned on the spot, familiar and confused feelings in her heart, and could only stare at him in a daze, forgetting everything around her for a moment.

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