娶親本是大事，宅中添人，族譜添口，總要認認真真熱鬧一場。倘若娶的是妾，則又另當別論。用一抬小轎從側門抬進，無須拜天地父母，穿著粉色衣裳的新娘被送進房內，當晚圓了房，就算有了正式名分。
納妾時沈清軒正在廳中與家人們飲酒，因是生辰之日，少不得陪著親戚們多喝幾杯，又吃了一碗娘親下廚親手擀制的長壽麵，飲了湯，二娘立在沈母身後，時不時給眾人添酒，一頓席吃了兩個時辰才歇，轉去園子裡聽戲，兩折戲後撒了賞錢，眾人才作鳥獸散去。
沈清軒倒是精神不錯，聽完了戲，又去園子裡遊了一番，叫小廝自樹上摘了些瓜果，抱在懷裡一邊吃著醒酒一邊賞月。
一顆果子都啃了一半了，沈清軒才想起來，今兒個自己納妾。
看這一天熱鬧的，把這事都忘了。
沈母也多吃了兩杯，酣醉的提早回房歇息，不曾記得提醒，或許也沒想到圓房的事，也需得娘親提醒。
沈清軒這才丟了果核，讓小廝推著向自己院中趕去。
木輪車貼著風火牆行至半途，突聽牆外傳來一聲吆喝，清清脆脆的嗓音英氣十足：“你這老妖快將東西還我！”
沈清軒一愣，抬手示意停下，側耳細聽牆外動靜，只聽又是那英氣十足的男聲，正氣呼呼地喊道：“憑什麼說那是你的？那是我師傅傳給我的東西，你說是你的就是你的麼？！”
沈清軒正在狐疑這人口中的老妖會不會是伊墨，一道脆生生的兵戈碰撞聲猛地劃破空氣，傳至耳膜。沈清軒心頭一緊，也顧不上自己今夜納妾的事，叫人推著沿風火牆快步疾走，開門觀望。
沈家園子占地十幾畝，牆外便是街市，天色已晚，街面上並無多少行人商販，小廝們打了燈籠出來護在他身側兩旁，也隨著看熱鬧。
沈清軒借著燈籠燭光去看，只見不遠處站著一個年輕道人，胸前掛著陰陽魚圖案的銅鏡，手中提著長劍，劍鋒正氣勢洶洶地指在另一人的胸前。
那人正是伊墨。
卻不曉得為何出現在這裡，且與這不知打哪鑽出的道士糾纏上了。
沈清軒使了個眼色，立刻有伶俐的小廝走上前去，作了個揖道：“兩位大爺，你們這是作甚呢？要打架也遠些去，莫要在沈家門前打，萬一出了人命，豈不是給府中惹事了？再說不遠處就是官家，你們就不怕被拿了去？”
沈清軒眉峰一挑，心想倒是能說會道，可惜這兩個都是不怕事的主兒，眼力還欠火候。
那道人看到了坐在椅上的沈清軒，愣了一下收起劍，愣頭青似的一路小跑過來，一張口就大咧咧地問：“你是這府中主人？”
沈清軒自然不應聲，旁邊小廝替主子答道：“這是我家大爺。”
“哦哦，你就是沈家大少爺？”道人十八九歲的模樣，年輕蓬勃臉上兩分傻氣，話說完又一句：“就是那個癱子？咦，我看你好好的麼，還能坐起身，癱的不算厲害。”
沈清軒撇了撇嘴，眼角掃向一旁遠遠站著的伊墨，意思是你看你都惹上的是些什麼人？
沈清軒心中不滿，卻還是沖著道人笑了笑，又沖小廝打了個手勢，小廝連忙弓下身來道：“我家少爺的意思是請你們二位去府裡喝茶，中間若是有什麼誤會，也坐下來好好談談，莫要在大街上打打殺殺的。”末了，小廝又補了一句：“今天是我家少爺生辰，大喜的日子，又娶了一房姨娘，你們不如放下恩怨進來吃杯喜酒。”
“哎，你生辰？”年輕道人一愣，抓了抓頭像是為先前的冒失有些羞澀，又想到什麼，沖著伊墨那邊恨恨瞪了一眼，才轉過臉來沖沈清軒道：“也好，我聽說沈家向來厚道，今天既然是少爺喜日，也不做那敗興的事，喂，”他沖著伊墨那邊吆喝一嗓子，“聽說沈家向來明理，不如你我的恩怨叫他們評斷一下，論個公平。也省得動手，可好？”
伊墨在那處站著，也不知想了些什麼，才走了過來，點了點頭。
道人又對沈清軒道：“那就有勞沈公子給我們做個公正。”
沈清軒心中啼笑皆非。公正？為他和伊墨做公正？
天枰本身就是斜的，一頭能翹到天上去，哪裡能衡量出公正。卻還是點了點頭，做了個手勢請兩人入府。
小廝推著他走在前面，後面有嘴碎的，悄聲問那道人，你作甚喊他老妖怪？明明是氣度不凡的人物。
那道人恨聲道：“什麼人物，就是個老妖怪！”雖是說的斬釘截鐵，卻因帶了情緒，這話沒有人肯信。
沈清軒將兩人請到自己院中，就在六角涼亭裡擺了些瓜果點心，又上了一壺熱酒，就著月色擺了席。
沈清軒坐主位，伊墨和道人面對面坐著，道人時不時抬眼狠狠瞪他一眼，伊墨臉上卻始終雲淡風輕，不露情緒。
沈清軒命小廝擺好東西後就退去，自己替二人面前杯盞斟了酒，先幹為敬，兩人也端起酒喝了，一巡過後，沈清軒做了個請的手勢，叫那道人說話。
“在下姓許，許明世，青雲山青雲觀的道士。”許明世簡短介紹過後講到與伊墨的恩怨，卻是因為前些日子伊墨去他山門，拿了他道觀的寶貝，他便下山一路尋來，一個月前才輾轉尋到此處，找到了伊墨。
許明世指著伊墨，對著沈清軒言之鑿鑿：“別看他此時人模人樣，實際上卻是個妖，且是那種慣偷的妖！”
沈清軒聞言先是嚴肅點頭，後又忍不住低下頭去，無聲發笑。
“沈公子，你不信我嗎？”許明世見他笑，頓感被辱，氣的滿臉通紅。
沈清軒咬了咬唇，思索了一下才開口出聲：“他既是妖，你不收他也就罷了，為何還帶來我這裡要我給個公正？你就不怕他起歹心，害了我這公正人？”
許明世傻傻地望了他一會，“啊”的大叫起來：“你會說話？不都說你是啞巴嗎？”
“前不久才恢復，他們不知道罷了。”沈清軒淡淡答，一挑眉，說得溫溫和和：“我想給家人一個驚喜，還望道士莫傳揚出去才好。”
許明世仍是愣愣的，卻連忙點頭：“那是那是。”
沈清軒眉眼彎彎地笑著，重新掌控話題：“剛剛說到哪了？”
“害人，哦，害人……不是，這妖雖然是妖，卻沒什麼妖氣，看起來也是快要修成仙的了，不會害人。”
“是嗎？”沈清軒依舊笑眯眯，“你收了他，取了你那寶物，再放了他就是。”略頓，又道：“難不成是你本領低微，收不了他？”
許明世從小在道觀中長大，心思直來直去，單純的很，哪裡能聽出來沈清軒話中的名堂，絲毫沒察覺沈清軒正在訛他的話，連忙道：“要論平常本事，我真收不了他，可我有祖師留下來的法寶，只要用了，就絕定能收了他，只是……”
“只是什麼？”
“只是一旦用上，他便灰飛煙滅。他又不是害人的妖，我是修道人，總要慈悲為懷。”說到這裡，許明世頗為得意的掃了眼靜坐不語的伊墨，一副施予者的口吻道：“喂，你這老妖怪把東西還我，否則我就叫你魂飛魄散永世不得超生啦！”
他只顧著自己得意，卻沒有發現沈清軒的臉上冷凝下去，靜坐在那，一動不動。
伊墨終於開口了，一句話說的簡潔明瞭：“那是我的，物歸原主。”
“胡說，我師父明明說那是別人送他的蠶絲寶衣，刀槍不入，神鬼不侵。”許明世辯解，“我師父穿著那衣服也不知收了多少在世間作祟的妖鬼，你憑什麼說那是你的？！”
“那是我的。”伊墨仍是那句話。
沈清軒開口打斷兩人的糾纏不清，問：“那是什麼？”
“寶衣！”“蛇蛻。”
兩人同時出聲，答案卻截然不同。
沈清軒愣神過後，頓時明白了，原來伊墨前些日子下山尋的蛇蛻，就在這道人觀中，還是人家的鎮觀之寶。
“你這蛇妖，胡說八道！”許明世氣憤了。
“沒有胡說，”伊墨淡然道：“三百年前我蛻皮時過於虛弱，一時不查蛇蛻就被偷了去。不知道怎麼流落到你觀中。可笑你那師父，穿了妖物的皮囊，行著斬妖的事。如若不然，我也不會將這東西收回。若真是正義厚德，我就送你又如何？”
“胡說八道，我師父斬妖除魔有什麼錯！”
“人有人道，妖有妖道，妖魔自有道，神仙亦有神仙道，相輔相成。”伊墨把玩著手中鏤花銀盞，頭也不抬，漫不經心地說：“你師父自詡斬妖除魔，實則濫殺成性，不論善惡一概斬盡殺絕。如此行事，有違人道。壞了妖魔道的規矩，也壞了人道的規則。所以陽壽極短，三十歲不到就斃了命，你卻以他為尊，莫非想效法他行事？”最後一句，語氣依舊輕描淡寫，殺機已露。
“效法他又如何？”仿佛被挑釁般，許明世拍案而起。
“除了你就是。”伊墨靜靜道。
劍鋒出鞘的聲音一聲脆響，擾亂了一園清淨。
“今日我就除了你這妖！”
沈清軒默不作聲，控著輪椅往後退去，看兩人重新纏鬥在一處。
伊墨赤手空拳，許明世劍花晃眼，卻始終近不了他的身，兩人身形已經模糊不清，院中草木被劍氣掃過，盡皆躺倒，又有妖力拂過，盡數枯竭。
卻始終沒有一個人出來，連看熱鬧的小廝下人都沒有，沈清軒知道伊墨定是施了法，將這園中世界與外界隔離，也就放了心，安坐在椅上，看得津津有味。
幾十個回合下來，許明世落盡下風，長劍都丟了，披頭散髮，神態狼狽。伊墨仍是悠然沉靜，仿佛不過是耍了場猴戲。
許明世心中正義，終是抵不過少年血性，激怒之下探手從口袋裡取出一樣東西來，一手托在掌心，一手打了幾個手決，閉上眼口中念念有詞，全是咒言。
伊墨停下身，望著他手中那物微微蹙起眉，沈清軒愜意賞戲的神情終於變了。
自他從許明世口中得知果然有能制住伊墨的法寶時，他就在想如何毀了這東西。不為別的，只為伊墨對他好，別說伊墨是個好妖，就算是魔，殺人嗜血，他都要護著他。這天底下有那麼多人，對他好的卻只有這幾個，愈是少，就愈要珍惜。哪怕違天逆德也在所不惜，否則人活一世，連想護的人都護不住，要這樣的人生，有何用處？！
電光火石間，沈清軒身子一沉，整個人歪過輪椅，朝後仰去，他身後便是蓮池，荷葉漂浮，池水粼粼，口中高呼：“道士救我！”
就這麼墜入池中。
他那一聲叫的極是尖銳，聲震長空，許明世手中越來越明亮的金色光芒猛地停頓下來，瞬間熄滅了，想也不想的朝沈清軒撲去。
許明世剛抓住沈清軒一隻手，一瞬間只見池中剛浮出水面的那張臉沖他微微一笑，笑的甚是狡詐又無辜，接著許明世只感到後腦一陣鈍痛傳來，他記憶裡最後看到的是沈清軒的笑臉以及手中攥著的石塊。
伊墨施法將兩人從蓮池裡撈出來，沈清軒咳了兩聲，剛一翻身就急忙從許明世的掌心裡摳出那紫銅色的小鼎，拋向伊墨：“你收好。”
伊墨接住那鼎，在手中看了看，而後收進袖裡，神色如常，“倒是一場好戲。”
“呸。”沈清軒啐他一口，“還不送我回去換身衣裳？”又道：“你解了法術，我要叫人了，剩下的事我來處理。”
伊墨走過去，將人打橫抱起，走向院中那楠木小樓。沈清軒一手勾在他頸項，一手抹著臉上的水，剛抹了兩把，便見自己身上水跡滴答，卻分毫沾染不上伊墨，忍不住好奇心起，又抹了把水跡存心擦在他襟口。那濕痕未曾碰上，自發散了。
沈清軒試了幾次，一次也不曾成功。
是了，他是妖。法力無邊，煙塵不染。
忍不住笑自己荒誕，妄以為自己污濁能染了他，豈不知他高高在上，哪裡是他這樣一個凡夫俗子能沾染的上。
他也不知這孩子氣的舉動，落在伊墨眼底有多可笑，看他蹭了又蹭總也蹭不上，都想解了術法成全了他，可污泥著實不潔，伊墨也有些為難，頓住腳步低頭看他。
沈清軒見他停下，正好道：“放我下來罷，今晚我納妾。這模樣倒像是你要納我為妾。”
伊墨把懷裡人看了又看，他大約是真不知道自己此時什麼模樣，披頭散髮，滿身污濁臭水，發頂還蠢蠢欲動著一隻池塘裡的小蝦。看了半晌，也不知該如何回應他的多情，只好道：“滿是淤泥的妾，我也是平生未見。”
沈清軒惱羞成怒，在他肩頭擰了一把，反擊道：“我倒是不嫌你是又冰又冷的大長蟲，你還來嫌我。怎麼，對我這麼評頭論足，你想嫁我不成？你要嫁我，我就退了明年親事，三媒六聘鳳冠霞披給你備好，立即娶了你。”
伊墨此時承了他的情，又被他陡然發作的伶牙俐齒堵了話，也不知自己哪裡激怒了對方，只好沉默片刻，說道：“你這嘴，合該啞了那麼多年。”
沈清軒嗤了一聲，伊墨又道：“無事，你房中那人我早已讓她睡了。盡可安心。”
兩人一路鬥著嘴皮，沈清軒平日裡不能開口言說，好容易有個能說話的人，口舌功夫便一路看漲，刁鑽無匹的同他打著言語官司，十分安然自在。回到樓中，沈清軒看那新納的妾室果然歪在床上，放了心也歇了話。指使著伊墨取了衣物，想起此時實在不便叫人來伺候沐浴，只好問他：“可有法子讓我乾淨？”
伊墨手指微動，他身上淤泥和頭上的小蝦便都不見了。只是他記著這一路嘴仗沒占到便宜，便蓄意使壞，不肯讓他乾淨的太徹底，依然是濕漉漉的衣裳，緊貼著身子存心讓沈清軒黏糊糊的不好受。
沈清軒笑著斜他一眼，一眼道不盡的風流。哪裡會不知他的小脾性，也不戳破，自己扯了絹布擦拭水滴，一邊擦著一邊換乾燥衣物。
這時才想起來問他：“今晚你怎麼會出現在這？”
“來送禮。”伊墨看他褪盡衣裳，露出單薄的蒼白胸膛，“你的生辰，理應送禮。”
“送什麼？拿來。唔……涼死人了。”
沈清軒解了褲子，掙扎著往下褪，叫人一把握住腰肢，冰涼掌心讓他瞬間動彈不得。話也頓住，耳根泛了紅，“要做什麼？今晚浸了涼水，又娶了妾，新婚之夜可不跟你洞房花燭。”
隔了數月相逢，就遇上這麼一樁事，沈清軒也不知為何，卻對他卻更熟悉，仿佛從來不曾分離過，幾個月的光陰在他這裡什麼都不算，言行比從前更坦然。
“送的就是洞房花燭的東西。”伊墨也隨意了些，蹲下身幫他將濕透的長褲退到腳踝，掌心在那細瘦小腿上摩挲，忽輕又忽重，一瞬間仿佛又回到那晚，他們倆一個要“以身相許”，一個“被他報恩”。氣氛便有些理不清的濃稠，滋生的妄念仿佛肉眼可見，沈清軒耳根越來越紅，頭也越垂越低。
伊墨這時便鬆開手，正正經經的替他除了鞋襪，將身上水滴擦盡，又重新將衣物給他換上，只是動作裡難免碰上肌膚，穿到底褲時更有心無意的觸到腿間，沈清軒腰身抖了抖，始終不敢抬頭，又忍不住固執的睜大眼，悄悄看著他的手在自己身上遊動，骨節分明的手指修長白皙，一件件撚起衣物套上他的身子，間或與那些細軟系帶互相糾葛，無端生出幾分纏綿。更有系束腰時伊墨雙手環繞過他，草木清新的氣息噴發在頸側，濕癢難當，明明是正經的動作，卻分外煽惑，沈清軒看著看著，自己軟了身子。他清楚這老蛇狹促心起，只裝作不知，忍耐著等他自己收手，卻不料自己如此經不起撩撥，這麼快便起了興，低頭羞慚著不吭聲。
伊墨蹲在他下首，如何不知他的境況，卻也裝著若無其事，替他整好裝束就起了身，取出一隻檀木小盒來，巴掌大的長盒鏤刻的花紋古樸簡練，也不知盒中裝了些什麼，遞到面紅耳赤的沈清軒面前，“原是送給你的生辰禮，並不知你今晚納妾。”
沈清軒呼吸略急，伸手接過，低聲問：“是什麼？”
“打開看。”
沈清軒將那盒子在手中研究片刻，很快推開盒蓋，一股花香撲面而來，盒中淡紫色的膏狀物，滿滿一盒像塊紫色豆腐，沈清軒看了半天，又用指尖蘸了一點聞了聞，也不知道這是什麼。
只好問：“這是什麼？吃的？”
伊墨眼底似乎閃過什麼，沉默片刻，才道：“外用，不可內服。”
“療傷的？也不像。這麼香，像脂膏一樣泛著油光。”沈清軒嘀咕著，還是想不明白，突然想起剛剛那句“送的就是洞房花燭的東西”，腦子裡似乎明白了些什麼，傻傻望著他。
伊墨又出言解釋，“原是打算慶你生辰，給你用的。”
沈清軒呆了呆，他說的太正經，毫無端倪，卻莫名的話裡透出兩分曖昧的味道來，沈清軒頓時悟了，“啪”地把盒子合上，丟在一旁，“有拿這東西做生辰禮的嗎？毫無廉恥！”
“說了原本是送禮來的。”伊墨走過去，彎下身來逐漸貼近，兩人面對著面，胸膛相貼，廝磨般開口道：“你知道禮不單是這一樣，還有配合的‘用具’。”
沈清軒只覺腦中“轟”的一下，這回連頸子都紅透了，眼神閃躲著根本不敢看他，只往後仰躲，又氣又羞地罵，“你這壞蛇！你你、我今晚就不該幫你，叫那道士拿了你這淫蛇最好！”
任他再伶牙俐齒，也架不住對方厚顏無恥。
沈清軒舌頭都打了結，還要再罵，卻找不出詞來。
伊墨仍是那般樣子，老神在在的，看了他片刻，突然起身道：“我走了。”
“嗯？”沈清軒沒反應過來。
伊墨一言不發地伸出手，指尖朝自己掌心一劃，頓時湧出血來，沈清軒一驚，還沒來得及說話，就看見那血並未曾順著掌紋流下，而是凝結在傷口那處，逐漸凝結成珠，彈丸般大小，閃爍著紅色的光，形成實體。
稍後伊墨拿起那顆血珠，一手執起沈清軒的手，放進他的掌心，淡淡道：
“若還想以身相許，就自己抹了那脂膏，用這個喚我。”
沈清軒又是面紅，本想還嘴說誰要自己抹那東西等你來……一抬頭，人已經不見了。
只有手中那顆紅珠，散著幽幽血光。
————————————————
Getting married is a big event. It adds a new member to the family and a new member to the family tree. It must be celebrated with great care. If the bride is a concubine, it is another matter. She is carried in through the side door in a sedan chair . There is no need to worship the heavens, the earth and the parents. The bride, dressed in pink, is sent to the room. The marriage is consummated that night, and she is officially married.
When Shen Qingxuan took a concubine , he was drinking with his family in the hall. As it was his birthday, he had to drink a few more cups with his relatives. He also ate a bowl of longevity noodles that his mother had made by hand and drank the soup. Second Mother stood behind Shen’s mother, pouring wine for everyone from time to time. The meal lasted for two hours before they took a break and went to the garden to listen to an opera. After the two acts, they distributed tips and everyone dispersed.
Shen Qingxuan was in good spirits. After listening to the opera, he went for a walk in the garden. He asked the servant to pick some fruits from the trees, which he held in his arms, eating them to sober himself up while appreciating the moon.
Shen Qingxuan had eaten half of the fruit when he remembered that he was going to take a concubine today.
It was such a lively day that I forgot about this matter.
Mother Shen also drank two more cups and went back to her room early to rest drunkenly. She didn’t remember to remind him, and perhaps she didn’t expect that she needed her mother’s reminder to consummate the marriage.
Shen Qingxuan then threw away the fruit core and asked the servant to push the fruit towards his yard.
The wooden wheel cart was halfway along the wind and fire wall when suddenly a shout came from outside the wall . The clear and crisp voice was full of heroism: “You old monster, give my things back to me!"
Shen Qingxuan was stunned, raised his hand to signal to stop, and listened carefully to the noise outside the wall. He heard the heroic male voice again, shouting angrily: “Why do you say that it is yours? That is something my master passed down to me. If you say it is yours, it is yours?!"
Shen Qingxuan was wondering if the old demon in the man’s mouth was Yi Mo, when a crisp sound of weapons colliding suddenly cut through the air and reached his eardrums. Shen Qingxuan’s heart tightened, and he didn’t care about taking a concubine tonight. He asked someone to push him along the wind and fire wall and walked quickly, opened the door and waited.
Shen’s garden covers an area of more than ten acres, and outside the wall is the street market. It was late at night, and there were not many pedestrians and vendors on the street. Servants came out with lanterns to protect him on both sides and also watched the fun.
Shen Qingxuan looked in the light of a lantern and candle, and saw a young Taoist standing not far away, with a bronze mirror with a yin-yang fish pattern hanging on his chest. He held a long sword in his hand, and the tip of the sword was pointing menacingly at another person’s chest.
That person was Yi Mo.
But I don’t know why I appeared here, and got entangled with this Taoist priest who came out from nowhere.
Shen Qingxuan winked, and immediately a clever servant stepped forward, bowed and said, “Two gentlemen, what are you doing? If you want to fight, go far away, and don’t fight in front of the Shen family’s gate. If someone dies, won’t it cause trouble for the mansion? Besides, the government’s house is not far away, aren’t you afraid of being arrested?"
Shen Qingxuan raised his eyebrows and thought that they were good at talking, but it was a pity that these two were not afraid of anything and their vision was not good enough.
The Taoist saw Shen Qingxuan sitting on the chair, was stunned for a moment, put away his sword, and trotted over like a fool, and asked casually : “Are you the master of this house?"
Shen Qingxuan naturally did not respond, and the servant next to him answered for his master: “This is my master."
“Oh, so you are the eldest young master of the Shen family?" The Taoist looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a bit of silliness on his face. He added, “You are the paralytic? Hey, I see you are fine, you can even sit up, your paralysis is not serious."
Shen Qingxuan curled his lips and glanced at Yi Mo who was standing far away, meaning, look at the kind of people you have offended?
Shen Qingxuan was dissatisfied, but he still smiled at the Taoist priest and gestured to the servant. The servant quickly bent down and said, “My young master wants to invite you two to have tea in the mansion. If there is any misunderstanding, sit down and talk it out. Don’t fight in the street ." At the end, the servant added, “Today is my young master’s birthday, a happy day, and he has married a concubine. Why don’t you put aside your grudges and come in for a glass of wedding wine."
“Hey, your birthday?" The young Taoist was stunned, scratched his head as if he was a little embarrassed for his previous recklessness, then thought of something, glared at Yi Mo angrily, then turned to Shen Qingxuan and said, “Okay, I heard that the Shen family has always been kind, and today is the young master’s birthday, so we won’t do anything to ruin the mood. Hey," he shouted at Yi Mo , “I heard that the Shen family has always been reasonable, why don’t we let them judge our grievances and make it fair. It will also save us from fighting, okay?"
Yi Mo stood there, not knowing what he was thinking about, before he walked over and nodded.
The Taoist said to Shen Qingxuan: “Then I’ll have to trouble Master Shen to do us justice."
Shen Qingxuan was confused. Justice? Justice for him and Yi Mo?
The scale itself is tilted, one end can be tilted to the sky, how can it measure justice? But he still nodded and gestured to invite the two to enter the house.
The servant pushed him in front, and someone behind him asked the Taoist quietly, “Why are you calling him an old monster?" He is obviously a man of extraordinary bearing.
The Taoist said hatefully: “What kind of person is he? He’s just an old monster!" Although he said it in a decisive tone, no one was willing to believe it because it was emotional.
Shen Qingxuan invited the two to his courtyard, placed some fruits and snacks in the hexagonal pavilion, served a pot of hot wine, and set up the table under the moonlight.
Shen Qingxuan sat in the main seat, Yi Mo and the Taoist sat face to face. The Taoist raised his eyes from time to time and glared at him fiercely, but Yi Mo’s face remained calm and he showed no emotion.
Shen Qingxuan ordered the servant to set the food in place and then left. He poured wine in front of the two men and drank it first as a sign of respect. The two men also raised their glasses to drink. After one round, Shen Qingxuan made a gesture to invite the Taoist to speak.
“My last name is Xu, Xu Mingshi, and I’m a Taoist priest at Qingyun Temple in Qingyun Mountain." After a brief introduction, Xu Mingshi talked about the grudge between him and Yi Mo. It was because Yi Mo went to his mountain gate some time ago and took the treasures from his Taoist temple, so he went down the mountain to look for him. It was only a month ago that he found this place and found Yi Mo.
Xu Mingshi pointed at Yi Mo and said to Shen Qingxuan confidently: “Don’t be fooled by his appearance as a human being. He is actually a monster, and a habitual thief!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingxuan nodded seriously at first, then couldn’t help but lowered his head and laughed silently.
“Mr. Shen, don’t you believe me?" When Xu Mingshi saw him smile, he felt insulted and his face turned red with anger.
Shen Qingxuan bit his lip and thought for a moment before speaking: “Since he is a demon, it would be fine if you didn’t take him in, but why did you bring him here and ask me to give him justice? Aren’t you afraid that he will have evil intentions and harm me, a fair man?"
Xu Mingshi looked at him stupidly for a while, then yelled, “You can speak? Didn’t everyone say you’re dumb?"
“It was only recently that I recovered, so they don’t know about it." Shen Qingxuan replied calmly, raised an eyebrow, and said gently : “I want to give my family a surprise, and I hope the Taoist priest won’t spread the news."
Xu Mingshi was still stunned, but nodded quickly: “That’s right."
Shen Qingxuan smiled with curved eyebrows and regained control of the topic: “Where were we talking about just now?"
“Harm people, oh, harm people… No, although this monster is a monster, it doesn’t have any monster aura. It looks like it will soon become an immortal. It won’t harm people."
“Really?" Shen Qingxuan was still smiling, “You take him in, take your treasure, and then let him go." After a pause, he continued, “Could it be that you are too weak to take him in?"
Xu Mingshi grew up in a Taoist temple. He was very straightforward and simple. He had no idea what Shen Qingxuan meant by that. He didn’t realize that Shen Qingxuan was trying to blackmail him. He said quickly, “If we talk about my ordinary abilities, I really can’t defeat him. But I have a magic weapon left by my ancestors. As long as I use it, I will definitely be able to defeat him. It’s just…"
“Just what?"
“But once it is used, he will be reduced to ashes. He is not a demon that harms people. I am a cultivator and I must be merciful ." Having said this, Xu Mingshi glanced at Yi Mo who was sitting quietly with a proud look, and said in a tone of a benefactor: “Hey, you old demon, give my things back to me, otherwise I will make your soul fly away and you will never be reincarnated!"
He was so focused on his own pride that he didn’t notice that Shen Qingxuan’s face had turned cold as he sat there, motionless.
Yi Mo finally spoke, and his words were concise and clear: “That is mine, return it to its original owner."
“Nonsense, my master clearly said that it was a precious silk robe given to him by someone else. It is invulnerable to swords and guns, and is immune to ghosts and gods." Xu Mingshi argued, “My master has subdued countless demons and ghosts in the world while wearing that robe. What makes you say it’s yours?!"
“That’s mine." Yi Mo still said the same thing.
Shen Qingxuan interrupted the two people’s entanglement and asked, “What is that?"
“Treasure clothes!" “Snake skin."
They both spoke at the same time, but their answers were completely different.
After Shen Qingxuan was stunned for a moment, he suddenly understood that the snake skin that Yi Mo had gone down the mountain to look for a few days ago was actually in this Taoist temple and was the temple’s treasure.
“You snake demon, you are talking nonsense!" Xu Mingshi was angry.
“No nonsense," Yi Mo said calmly, “Three hundred years ago, I was too weak when I shed my skin, and I didn’t check it and it was stolen. I don’t know how it ended up in your temple. It’s ridiculous that your master wore the skin of a monster and killed monsters. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken this thing back. If you are really righteous and kind, what’s wrong with me giving it to you?"
“Nonsense, there’s nothing wrong with my master slaying demons and eliminating evil!"
“Humans have their own way, demons have their own way, monsters have their own way, and gods have their own way, and they complement each other." Yi Mo played with the carved silver cup in his hand without raising his head, and said nonchalantly: “Your master claims to slay monsters and eliminate demons, but in fact he is a murderer by nature, and kills all regardless of good or evil. Acting in this way is against human nature. It breaks the rules of the monster way, and also the rules of humanity. That’s why his life span was very short, and he died before he was thirty years old. But you respect him. Do you want to emulate him?" The last sentence was still spoken in a nonchalant tone, but the murderous intent was already revealed.
“What’s wrong with imitating him?" Xu Mingshi slammed the table and stood up as if provoked.
“Except you." Yi Mo said quietly.
The crisp sound of the sword being unsheathed disturbed the tranquility of the garden.
“Today I will get rid of you, this monster!"
Shen Qingxuan remained silent , controlling his wheelchair to move backwards and watched the two men fighting again.
Yi Mo was unarmed, and Xu Mingshi’s sword was dazzling, but he could not get close to him. The two figures had become blurred. The grass and trees in the yard were swept by the sword energy and fell down. Then the demonic power swept over and dried them all up.
But no one came out, not even servants to watch the fun. Shen Qingxuan knew that Yi Mo must have cast a spell to isolate the world in the garden from the outside world, so he felt relieved and sat comfortably in his chair, watching with great interest.
After dozens of rounds, Xu Mingshi was at a disadvantage, he even lost his sword, his hair was disheveled, and he looked embarrassed. Yi Mo was still calm and relaxed, as if it was just a monkey show.
The justice in Xu Mingshi’s heart was ultimately no match for the young man’s bloodiness. In anger, he reached into his pocket and took something out. He held it in his palm with one hand, made a few hand seals with the other, closed his eyes, and muttered something, all of which were curses.
Yi Mo stopped, looked at the thing in his hand and frowned slightly. Shen Qingxuan ‘s expression of enjoying the show finally changed.
Ever since he learned from Xu Mingshi that there was indeed a magic weapon that could control Yi Mo, he had been thinking about how to destroy it. Not for anything else, just because Yi Mo was good to him, not to mention that Yi Mo was a good demon, even if he was a demon, murderous and bloodthirsty, he would protect him. There are so many people in this world, but only these few are good to him. The fewer there are, the more he should cherish them. Even if it is against the will of heaven and against morality, it is worth it. Otherwise, if a person lives a lifetime and cannot even protect the people he wants to protect , what is the point of living like this? !
In a flash, Shen Qingxuan’s body sank, and he tilted over the wheelchair and leaned back. Behind him was a lotus pond with floating lotus leaves and sparkling water. He shouted, “Master, save me!"
Just fell into the pool.
His shout was so sharp that it shook the sky. The increasingly brighter golden light in Xu Mingshi’s hand suddenly stopped and went out in an instant. Without thinking, he pounced towards Shen Qingxuan.
Xu Mingshi had just grabbed one of Shen Qingxuan’s hands when he saw the face that had just surfaced in the pool smiling at him. The smile was cunning and innocent. Then Xu Mingshi felt a dull pain in the back of his head. The last thing he saw in his memory was Shen Qingxuan’s smiling face and the stone in his hand.
Yi Mo cast a spell to fish the two out of the lotus pond. Shen Qingxuan coughed twice, and as soon as he turned over, he hurriedly took out the small copper tripod from Xu Mingshi’s palm and threw it to Yi Mo: “Keep it."
Yi Mo took the tripod, looked at it in his hand, and then put it into his sleeve, with a normal look, “It’s a good show."
“Bah." Shen Qingxuan spat at him, “Why don’t you send me back to change clothes?" He then said, “Once you have removed the spell, I will call for help and I will take care of the rest."
Yi Mo walked over, picked him up and walked towards the nanmu building in the courtyard. Shen Qingxuan hooked one hand around his neck and wiped the water off his face with the other. After wiping twice, he saw water stains on his body, but it didn’t stain Yi Mo at all. He couldn’t help but get curious, so he wiped the water stains again and deliberately rubbed them on his collar . The wet marks didn’t touch him and disappeared on their own.
Shen Qingxuan tried several times but never succeeded.
Yes, he is a demon, with boundless magical powers and untainted by dust.
He couldn’t help but laugh at his own absurdity, thinking that his filth could contaminate him. Little did he know that he was so high up and was beyond the reach of a mere mortal like him.
He didn’t know how ridiculous this childish behavior was in Yi Mo’s eyes. Seeing him trying again and again to get on the target but never succeeded, Yi Mo wanted to break the spell and help him, but the mud was really unclean and Yi Mo felt a little embarrassed. He stopped and looked down at him.
Seeing him stop, Shen Qingxuan said, “Put me down. I’m taking a concubine tonight. It looks like you want to take me as a concubine."
Yi Mo looked at the person in his arms again and again. He probably really didn’t know what he looked like at this moment. His hair was disheveled, his body was covered with filthy and smelly water, and there was a small shrimp in the pond on his head. After looking at him for a long time, he didn’t know how to respond to his affection, so he could only say: “I have never seen a concubine covered with mud in my life."
Shen Qingxuan was furious and twisted his shoulder, retorting: “I don’t mind you being a cold and icy worm, but you still blame me. Why do you criticize me like this? Do you want to marry me? If you want to marry me, I will cancel the marriage next year, prepare the phoenix crown and robe for you, and marry you immediately."
Yi Mo accepted his kindness at this time, but was blocked by his sudden sharp words. He didn’t know how he angered him, so he kept silent for a moment and said, “You deserve to be silent for so many years."
Shen Qingxuan sneered, and Yi Mo said, “It’s okay. I’ve already let the person in your room sleep. Don’t worry."
The two of them were arguing all the way. Shen Qingxuan couldn’t speak normally, but he finally found someone who could speak, so his verbal skills improved all the way. He was very cunning in his verbal battle with him, and he felt very comfortable. Back in the building, Shen Qingxuan saw that the new concubine was indeed lying on the bed, so he was relieved and stopped talking. He instructed Yi Mo to get some clothes, and then remembered that it was inconvenient to ask someone to help him take a bath, so he had to ask him: “Is there any way to make me clean?"
Yi Mo moved his fingers slightly, and the mud on his body and the shrimps on his head disappeared. But he remembered that he didn’t get the upper hand in the verbal battle, so he deliberately played tricks on him and didn’t want him to be too clean. His clothes were still wet, clinging to his body, deliberately making Shen Qingxuan feel sticky and uncomfortable.
Shen Qingxuan smiled and glanced at him, a look that was full of charm. How could she not know his temper, and she did not expose him, but wiped the water droplets with a piece of silk cloth, while changing into dry clothes.
Only then did I remember to ask him: “Why are you here tonight?"
“I’m here to give you a gift." Yi Mo watched him take off all his clothes, revealing his thin, pale chest. “It’s your birthday, so I deserve a gift."
“What are you sending me? Bring it here. Ugh… it’s freezing cold."
Shen Qingxuan unbuttoned his pants and struggled to pull them down. Someone grabbed his waist and the cold palm made him unable to move. He paused and his ears turned red. “What are you going to do? I’ve been soaked in cold water tonight and I’ve married a concubine. I won’t spend the wedding night with you."
After meeting each other for several months, such a thing happened. Shen Qingxuan didn’t know why, but he felt more familiar with him, as if they had never been separated. A few months meant nothing to him, and his words and actions were more frank than before.
“It’s something for the wedding night." Yi Mo also became more casual, squatting down to help him pull his soaked trousers down to his ankles, rubbing his palms on his thin calves, sometimes lightly and sometimes heavily, and in an instant it seemed as if they were back to that night, one of them wanted to “give her body" and the other “repay her with his kindness". The atmosphere was thick and confusing, and the delusions that were growing seemed to be visible to the naked eye. Shen Qingxuan’s ears were getting redder and redder, and his head was drooping lower and lower.
Yi Mo then let go of his hand, and seriously took off his shoes and socks for him, wiped off the water droplets on his body, and put his clothes on again. However, it was inevitable that his skin would be touched during the action. When he put on his underwear, his legs were touched intentionally or unintentionally. Shen Qingxuan’s waist trembled, and he never dared to look up. He couldn’t help but stubbornly open his eyes and quietly watched his hands moving on his body. His fingers were slender and white with distinct joints. He picked up clothes one by one and put them on his body, occasionally entangled with those soft laces, and gave rise to a bit of lingering for no reason. When he was tying the waist, Yi Mo’s hands wrapped around him, and the fresh breath of grass and trees sprayed on the side of his neck, which was wet and itchy. It was obviously a serious action, but it was particularly tempting. Shen Qingxuan watched and softened. He knew that this old snake was narrow-minded , but he just pretended not to know, and patiently waited for him to stop, but he didn’t expect that he was so unable to withstand the teasing, and he got excited so quickly. He lowered his head in shame and didn’t say a word.
Yi Mo squatted below him, knowing his situation, but pretending to be calm, he helped him get dressed and stood up, took out a small sandalwood box, the palm-sized long box with simple and elegant patterns, and no one knew what was in the box. He handed it to the blushing Shen Qingxuan, “It was originally a birthday gift for you, I didn’t know you were taking a concubine tonight."
Shen Qingxuan’s breathing quickened. He reached out to take it and asked in a low voice, “What is it?"
“Open it and take a look."
Shen Qingxuan studied the box in his hands for a moment, then quickly opened the lid. A floral scent wafted to his face. Inside the box was a lavender paste, filling the entire box like a piece of purple tofu. Shen Qingxuan looked at it for a long time, then dipped a little with his fingertips and smelled it, still having no idea what it was.
I had to ask: “What is this? Food?"
Something seemed to flash across Yi Mo’s eyes. He was silent for a moment before saying, “For external use only, not for internal use."
“For healing? Not really. It smells so good, and has an oily sheen like grease." Shen Qingxuan muttered, still unable to figure it out. Suddenly, he remembered the sentence “It’s something for the wedding night," and his mind seemed to understand something, and he looked at him stupidly.
Yi Mo explained again, “I originally planned to use it to celebrate your birthday."
Shen Qingxuan was stunned. What he said was too serious and there was no clue, but there was an ambiguous taste in his words. Shen Qingxuan suddenly realized it and closed the box with a snap and threw it aside. “Who uses this as a birthday gift ? Shameless!"
“I said I came here to give you a gift." Yi Mo walked over, bent down and gradually moved closer. They faced each other, their chests pressed against each other, and he said , “You know that gifts are not just this, there are also matching ‘tools’."
Shen Qingxuan felt a “boom" in his head, and this time even his neck was red. He avoided his gaze and didn’t dare to look at him at all. He just leaned back and hid, cursing angrily and ashamedly, “You bad snake! You , you , I shouldn’t have helped you tonight. It would be best if I asked the Taoist priest to take you, the lewd snake!"
No matter how eloquent he is, he cannot withstand the other party’s shamelessness.
Shen Qingxuan’s tongue was tied. He wanted to curse again, but he couldn’t find the words.
Yi Mo was still in the same state, calm and composed . He looked at him for a moment, then suddenly stood up and said, “I’m leaving."
“Huh?" Shen Qingxuan didn’t react.
Yi Mo stretched out his hand without saying a word, and scratched his palm with his fingertips , and blood immediately gushed out. Shen Qingxuan was shocked, and before he could say anything, he saw that the blood did not flow down along the palm lines, but coagulated at the wound, gradually condensing into beads, the size of bullets, flashing red light, and forming a solid.
Later, Yi Mo picked up the blood bead, took Shen Qingxuan’s hand with one hand, put it in his palm, and said lightly:
“If you still want to pledge your love to me, then smear the ointment on yourself and call me with this."
Shen Qingxuan blushed again, and wanted to retort, saying who wants to apply that stuff on themselves and wait for you to come… When he looked up, the person was gone.
Only the red bead in his hand emitted a faint blood-red light .
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