The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 176 Arrival
“Brother, there must be a reason why you asked us to do this. You have been cultivating in the mountains and all you have seen and met are demons. Although you have been cultivating for many years and your magic is superb, you do not understand our thoughts.”

“I was originally just a mortal. It was only through my brother’s scheme that I was able to marry a fairy wife. The methods used in this were inevitably somewhat… flawed from the start,” said the Cowherd.

"What's wrong with that? When I'm on the mountain, if I see a cow demon that I like, I just snatch it back, and she'll give birth to litters of calves."

The bull demon was unimpressed. He was a direct descendant of the Golden Bull Star Lord. From birth, he had such a powerful backer, so he was naturally invincible among the demons and had no shortage of resources. He cultivated to the primordial spirit smoothly without any hardship. Although he tried his best to appear mature, his words and actions sometimes still showed his naivety.

"Humans are not demons after all; besides brute force, they also have methods."

After the Taurus Star Lord revealed his identity, he did indeed teach the Cowherd for a period of time. With his knowledge and experience, even just a few words were enough to broaden the Cowherd's horizons and benefit him greatly. Therefore, although the Cowherd grew up in the countryside, he had some knowledge.

"There is a saying among us humans: 'If you don't forget your original intention, you will achieve your goal.' Yes, now that I have magical powers and with your help, I do have the capital to do whatever I want in the mortal world. But can I really do whatever I want?"

"If we really do that, it will certainly feel good in the moment, but what about later? Her family is not ordinary after all. My sister-in-law already caused a scene last time."

"Although the deed is done and the child has been born, she still refuses to acknowledge me. Perhaps in a while she will come to her senses and accept me, which would be perfect. All the trouble would be saved. It would just be a formality, and then we could return to Heaven together as husband and wife, and I could take a divine position under the guise of punishment. In that way, I would have made a leap to a higher position."

"I'm afraid that before that day comes, the heavens will come knocking on my door. If that happens, given the current situation, I can barely manage thanks to the children."

"Do you think someone who makes a mistake due to a momentary impulse and then behaves honestly is more easily forgiven, or someone who gains magical powers and immediately reveals their true colors, always pretending to be wrong, would be more likable?" Niulang asked.

"Then you don't need to let those ordinary village women gossip about you behind your back," the bull demon still didn't quite understand.

"Human hearts are inherently unpredictable, so we can only judge their intentions by their actions. If I say I did something, others may not believe me, but if others say I did something, most people will believe me. These are my actions. You must know that public opinion is a fearsome thing, and accumulated slander can destroy a person. Sometimes, the sharpness of words is even greater than that of force!"

The bonfire had been burning for half the night, the fuel was almost gone, and the flames were extremely small. The cowherd was in a state of half-light and half-darkness, his mood unpredictable.

"You humans are such a hassle. Isn't the world just a law of the jungle, yet you insist on going around in circles and taking so many detours?" the bull demon sighed.

“It is troublesome, but you should learn from it. My brother told me that you are the most talented among his many descendants. Who knows when the opportunity will come and he will lead you to heaven to receive your ordination. By then, it will be too late for you to learn these social skills,” Niulang said.

"Young Master, did the Ancestor really say that?"

Upon hearing this, the bull demon grinned widely, finding it hard to believe that a bull's face could smile so broadly. He learned very quickly; hadn't he already begun to understand human relationships and social customs?

"Of course, why would I lie to you!" the Cowherd said with an air of certainty.

"My dear little ancestor, you see I've always been devoted to you. If you ever mention me again, please put in a good word for me. Remember, lots of good words!"

"You don't need to tell me, of course I'll do it!"

The wind blew all night, and the last embers of the fire could no longer hold on. They flickered a few times before going out completely.

"The fire's out, let's go, let's go back," the cowherd said in the darkness.

...After the moon rises high in the sky, the farmers return home. The later they return, the later everything is postponed. After a busy day, the men carry even heavier loads and rest early after eating, while the women still have to drag their tired bodies to clean up.

At the stream at the edge of the village, bathed in moonlight, groups of two or three women were washing their own dishes. They were clearly very tired, but their mouths were still busy.

"These past years have been tough for Erlang, raising two children all by himself..."

“When we came back, we ran into him. He went out again in the dark to continue working. He was very bold and didn’t seem afraid of running into anything.”

"What can we do? There are two kids, and his wife... ugh!"

"Fortunately, the two children are sensible and don't resemble their mother; they know to be close to their father..."

call!
Suddenly a gust of wind blew by. Although it was only early autumn and the weather still carried the lingering warmth of summer, this gust of wind carried a deep chill that seemed to penetrate to the bone. The women all shivered and changed the subject halfway through their conversation.

"It's so cold."

"The weather this year is also abnormal. It was unbearably hot in the summer, and now that it's only the beginning of autumn, the nights are so cold."

"The rain is coming, it's time for autumn to arrive. Remember to dress the kids warmly when you get back."

From the perspective of ordinary people, they naturally cannot distinguish the demonic wind.

There is an old elm tree in the village that has been growing for over a hundred years. Even for pines and cypresses, a hundred years is enough for them to grow lush and leafy, let alone elms. Elm trees are relatively easy to grow, so they naturally look even more gnarled and strong. The main trunk is so thick that it takes several people to hug it, and even the branches on the crown are as thick as a large bowl.

A gust of wind swept through the village, and the massive canopy of the old elm tree suddenly trembled violently, its leaves scattering to the ground.

Inside the room, a single lamp shone dimly.

The figure hidden in the shadows of the courtyard suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the old elm tree. The commotion just now was a bit unusual. He glanced at it but found nothing, so he focused on guarding the house again.

"The Cowherd is not here; only a little demon is guarding him."

Among the branches and leaves, a man and two demons stood on a tree branch. Ding Lin glanced at the Five Fairies. The commotion just now was caused by her landing a little too heavily. Fortunately, Ding Lin habitually concealed it with his concealment technique. After his cultivation level increased greatly, the various spells he learned also improved. Now, his concealment technique can not only conceal himself, but also slightly conceal the people or things around him.

My gaze fell on the small house.

A small window, about a foot square, was cut into the adobe wall and covered with oiled paper. Since it was night, the wooden sticks supporting the window had been lowered and the window was closed.

The dim light cast silhouettes through the oil paper.

Three figures, one large and two small, could be vaguely seen.

(End of this chapter)