Free Web NovelChapter 1369: Chapter 429: First Encounter
Unexpectedly, Little Jiunian still couldn’t see anyone; he only saw a stretch of mountain range.
At the foot of the mountain, he saw a stone tablet.
The stone tablet was rectangular, integrated with the mountain.
The tablet had strange and ancient inscriptions, some in mountain shapes, and they glimmered with obscure light.
The stone tablet looked no different from ordinary tombstones in the Human Realm, made of bluestone, but due to years of exposure to the elements, it was covered in dust, with plenty of wild grass and some insects occasionally crawling over it.
"Where is everyone..."
Little Jiunian wondered, looking around suspiciously.
"You’re quite clever, little ghost."
The stone tablet suddenly made a sound, startling Little Jiunian.
Bravely, he approached the tablet, his big eyes staring at it.
"Ah, no wonder you keep hiding; turns out you’re a Stone Tablet Monster."
Little Jiunian said, poking the tablet with his finger.
"Don’t touch me, you rude little ghost. Who told you I’m a Stone Tablet Monster?"
Stone Tablet Monster?!
What is this nonsense.
The voice inside the tablet was indignant, remembering back in the day when he was dashing and charming, mesmerizing countless Demon World maidens, yet now he was called a Stone Tablet Monster by this little ghost.
"So you’re not a Stone Tablet Monster; maybe you’re the Land God? Didn’t know there were Land Gods in the Demon World."
Little Jiunian wasn’t afraid. After poking the tablet and seeing no reaction, he hugged his knees and squatted next to it.
Somehow, he quite liked this hot-tempered Land God.
Maybe because he had just saved him.
"Land God..."
The person inside the tablet wanted to crack open the little guy’s skull to see what was inside.
To actually call him the Land God.
The struggle lasted a fleeting moment, and this person consoled himself that being mistaken for a Land God was better than a Stone Tablet Monster, at least it held a higher status.
"Land God, thank you earlier. My mom told me to repay gratitude. I owe you one. But debts of gratitude are troublesome, how about you tell me if there’s anything I can help you with, and I’ll repay you."
Little Jiunian cocked his head, examining the stone tablet.
According to Little Jiunian’s logic, he couldn’t understand why the Land God didn’t live in the Land Temple but turned into a stone tablet instead.
"Pfft~ What can you do, little ghost? I’ll say it again, scram."
The voice inside the tablet scoffed.
He couldn’t even handle a dozen Jade-faced Jackals, let alone help him trapped in the Demon Emperor’s Prohibition.
"You can’t say that, just because I’m small doesn’t mean I’m not capable. I really can help you, just wait and see."
Little Jiunian puffed out his cheeks, resembling a small frog.
His eyes darted around, he thought for a moment, then squatted down and meticulously cleared away the wild grass near the tablet.
He also disrupted a few snake, worm, and rodent nests nearby.
The voice inside the tablet fell silent, observing the little guy’s actions.
This little ghost was quite considerate. His Demon Body had turned into a tablet due to the Demon Emperor’s Prohibition. Though he still had demonic power, he couldn’t use it.
Those wild grasses and even the ordinary low-level creatures in the snake, worm, and rodent nests weren’t afraid of his demon power, nibbling at the tablet day and night, making him uncomfortable.
"Who told you to mind other’s business, little ghost."
The voice inside was annoyed.
"Eh, wouldn’t it be more comfortable this way? Every Qingming Festival, my mom and grandparents clean our family’s ancestral tombstone like this, saying it’ll make the ancestors happy and protect us."
Little Jiunian touched his head, showing a puzzled face.
Qingming grave sweeping...
The voice inside opted to remain silent, worried that he’d lose control and choke the outspoken little guy.
Anyway, the child had limited patience, and once he finished fussing, he’d leave.
Sure enough, after finishing the "Qingming grave sweeping" routine, Little Jiunian got up and walked away.
"Finally left, really a troublesome little fellow."
The voice inside the tablet muttered, not noticing the tinge of wistfulness in his tone.
Over a thousand days and nights, trapped by the Demon Emperor’s Prohibition, he hadn’t spoken to anyone.
Just earlier, detecting a hint of human aura from the little fellow, he remembered his wife living in the Human Realm and their unseen child, feeling sympathetic, he saved the little guy.
The little guy had both Demon Energy and human aura, he must be a demon-human hybrid.
The child he had with his wife, he didn’t even know if it was a boy or a girl, should be three years old by now.
That little ghost looked five to six years old.
But he had a pair of beautiful, clean eyes; how wonderful if his own child were like him.
Then, the sound of rustling came.
A small figure stood in front of the stone tablet.
"You little ghost, stop bothering me, haven’t you left yet?"
Seeing Little Jiunian return, the tablet trembled slightly.
"Hehe, I’m here to repay my debt. I hate owing favors the most."
Little Jiunian was holding several arm-thick logs. He came back and forth a few times, gathered some dried, sturdy branches and grass, and found some small tools from his storage bag.
Then he set to work next to the tablet, hammering away.
The person inside was speechless.
The little guy was building a shelter.
After about four hours, Little Jiunian climbed up the small shelter and spread some dry grass on top.
A small, not perfect, but cozy shelter topped the tablet, shielding it from the harsh sunlight.
"How’s that? I’m pretty capable, right?"
Climbing down from the shelter, Little Jiunian held a small hammer, his face covered in dirt and scratches, yet sporting a huge smile.
He proudly wiped his nose.
"Barely satisfactory, who taught you these things?"
The man inside the tablet, though his tone was still cold, had improved significantly. At least he wasn’t immediately telling Little Jiunian to scram.
"My grandpa and my godfather. Don’t worry, this shelter is sturdy. I built one like this for Chi Chi before."
Little Jiunian patted his chest confidently.
"Damn, you’re treating me like a dog!"
Luckily, he was a tablet at the moment, or his nose would have crooked from anger by this little fellow.
Turns out he spent all that effort building a doghouse.
"You’re so rude, Chi Chi is a tiger, not a dog."
Little Jiunian looked displeased.
Mentioning Chi Chi made Little Jiunian’s face fall.
Who knows how Chi Chi was doing; if it found out he didn’t listen and led away the Jade-faced Jackals, it would be very angry. After all, it’s a tigress. Scary when upset.
