Chapter 23: Offering Cold Pastries to the Moon
【Year of Guichou, 15th of the 12th Lunar Month, Very Sunny】
The sky is as if washed clean, the galaxy sparkles, and the moon is full.
Dan Gui, the former Cicada Demon musician of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, has become my music theory enlightenment Instructor for this life.
The night is beautiful tonight, but my heart is the only thing not at ease.
The first night of practicing the zither made me realize:
Practicing the zither is even more troublesome than I imagined.
Just the basic principles of the five notes—Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, and Yu—make my head swell; I have to memorize them by rote.
Refusing internal strife, I went to watch Zhu Yun's tutoring session during the day. Seeing her miserable face and hearing her complaints, my heart was greatly comforted.
As expected, happiness must be built upon a pig demon!
【Year of Guichou, 17th of the 12th Lunar Month, Overcast】
Finished practicing the zither today.
The Cicada Demon Dan Gui did not leave with me.
But I didn't follow him out of curiosity.
My head is full of music theory, my insect brain is dizzy, I'm too lazy to think or move. I mentioned it yesterday, and Gongyang Yang really did come to pick me up tonight. In the cold night wind, lying in a cashmere quilt, it's so comfortable!
As expected, happiness should be shared in times of hardship.
【Year of Guichou, 20th of the 12th Lunar Month, Overcast】
The Cicada Demon came out of the Headmaster's study again.
This is the third time I've seen it.
The two of them definitely have some kind of relationship.
Rounding it up, the Cicada Demon is also someone with connections.
Thinking of the Cicada Demon's grandfather, I might have the answer.
Practicing the zither is still frustrating.
I saw Zhu Yun's pig trotters were swollen from being hit.
Gongyang Yang, that good-tempered nerd, is getting more irritable by the day during the tutoring sessions, baring his teeth and grimacing.
My heart... is overjoyed.
As expected, even the best-tempered demon can't stand having a pig teammate who holds them back.
Mhm, a pig teammate indeed.
【Year of Guichou, 23rd of the 12th Lunar Month, Sunny】
Played the zither for the first time tonight.
The Cicada Demon spoke bluntly, saying my playing sounded worse than a duck demon whose voice was hoarse and whose home had been stolen.
You'd better not be so blunt.
Fortunately, Zhu Yun gladdens my heart.
Today the humans sacrifice to the Kitchen God, and the Demon race sacrifices to Taotie. Zhu Yun stole (crossed out), took some offerings to try and please Gongyang Yang. I tagged along, eating and taking, enjoying the Spirit Food.
Especially when Gongyang Yang remained unmoved, his sheep heart like iron, and still beat Zhu Yun's pig trotters until they swelled. I laughed my head off.
As expected, Zhu Yun is my happy pig!
【Year of Guichou, 25th of the 12th Lunar Month, Sunny】
Practiced the zither tonight.
The Cicada Demon praised me for making great progress.
The day before yesterday I was worse than a duck; today I can be considered... a chicken!
Mhm!
In the Yao Realm, 'chicken' is indeed a complimentary term.
Did a big spring cleaning at home.
I came up with an idea to have Gongyang Yang punish Zhu Yun by making her help clean the courtyards of all three families. Afterward, Pig Dad and Pig Mom praised their daughter for being sensible.
Zhu Yun thanked me privately.
She said as long as she doesn't have to study, she'll do anything.
Her simple happiness makes me envious.
So I turned around and sold her out (crossed out), saved her.
Watching Zhu Yun suffer a mixed doubles beating, she was crying and I was laughing.
As expected, one should let good friends enjoy the light of the Righteous Path.
【Year of Guichou, 27th of the 12th Lunar Month, Light Snow】
Annual evaluation: Grade A Superior. Quarterly evaluation: Grade A Superior.
Received one tael of silver and three catties of spiritual rice as stipend money.
Studying hard really... only keeps you from starving!
Regardless, my heart is carefree.
I specifically invited Gongyang Yang and Zhu Yun to a restaurant—at a roadside stall (crossed out)—to enjoy a thirty-wen feast in the falling snow. A bowl of Yangchun noodles for two wen; Zhu Yun actually devoured fourteen bowls straight, saying she was only half full.
Are you a pig? (crossed out).
To comfort my own wounded soul, I spent ten wen to buy a small bowl of Three-Delicacy Spirit Porridge.
As for the zither evaluation, forget it.
【Year of Guichou, 28th of the 12th Lunar Month, Sunny】
Finally on break.
No need to go to the Demon Academy for half a month.
But the zither cannot stop.
The Cicada Demon comes to the door punctually every day to give lessons, even temporarily putting aside his work at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
I really thank you... (ten thousand words omitted here)
After the thanking, everything was cleared out.
As expected, if you want to live long, you have to vent in time.
【Year of Guichou, 29th of the 12th Lunar Month, Windy】
Zhu Yun and Gongyang Yang arrived one after another to deliver New Year's gifts.
I also returned gifts, treating them both equally.
Zhu Yun asked me why I write a journal. What normal demon would write a journal?
Because many things can only be said to oneself!
Of course, those words didn't come out of my mouth.
I faintly uttered a sentence:
“Because I have been here.”
As a result, she asked blankly:
“Then when are you leaving?”
Argh! I am irreconcilable with this pig!
Sent them off.
I went to the Headmaster's residence to deliver a New Year's gift.
The Headmaster also gave one back, quite generous; I profited!
I also gave the Cicada Demon a New Year's gift.
The latter gave in return... a music score!
I @Cicada Demon %#%￥￥#*&￥￥... Fortunately, the zither stopped today, and lessons are temporarily suspended.
【Year of Guichou, 30th of the 12th Lunar Month, Snowy】
Demons also celebrate New Year's Day.
Bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, all things are renewed.
This is also a big day for the Demon race.
It is said that this festival originated from the Demon race.
It is called the Duan Yue Festival or Moon Worship Day. All demons worship the moon together at the hour of the Rat to feel the moon's blessing, and then worship the sun together on the morning of the first day to feel the sun's great virtue. Thereafter, the first lunar month is called the Duan Month.
Only the first day is called Duan Day.
Tonight, the Cicada Demon came to accompany me in worshipping the moon.
He is also a lone insect.
However, I have no home to go to, while he no longer has a home.
Tonight is a rare feast.
This is the first New Year I've spent since becoming a demon, and with an insect for company, I should drink a—big cup.
At midnight, the Cicada Demon and I set up the altar, presented the offerings, and sacrificed to and worshipped the moon.
The moon is not seen on the thirtieth.
Sacrificing to the moon also has the intent of calling the moon.
In the beginning, demons did not understand the moon's phases and feared the moon would not appear; this is the oldest origin of the Duan Yue Festival.
After worshipping the moon, a crescent moon actually appeared on the horizon. It wasn't bright and was faint, yet it filled the demons' hearts with joy and gave birth to a sense of hope.
The old and new auras collided.
As if washed clean, heaven and earth were brand new.
Even the Spiritual Qi became fresh, surging into my body and making me feel comfortable all over. I have the feeling!!!
Within days—break through the realm!
———
Year of Jiayin, Month of Jiazi (First Month), First Day.
The Cicada Demon took his leave and returned home under the cover of night.
Fu Shaoguang saw him off to the old pine tree, watching his solitary, desolate, and lonely figure.
He didn't feel a shred of sympathy.
Who isn't a single insect!
Turning back home, Fu Shaoguang bathed and tidied himself up. With a pious insect face, he took out a jade bottle.
It was precisely the treasure bestowed by Empress Yuli a month ago.
Headmaster Ji Mo said this item could help him break through his realm.
He specifically waited until today to open it.
Inputting a sliver of Dharmic power, the Restriction automatically unlocked. He flapped his wings with force and pulled out the bottle stopper.
A cool and dense Yin Qi rushed toward him.
The entire insect's body wall opened up, so comfortable that all six legs stretched out, and his head felt dizzy. Striving to suppress his excitement, Fu Shaoguang clung to the mouth of the bottle and poked his head in. A pool of silver water met his eyes.
“This is... Cold Crisp Spirit Dew!”
He said excitedly.
After three months at the Demon Academy, Fu Shaoguang's horizons had broadened, and his cultivation insights and knowledge reserves had greatly increased.
He had heard of the name of this Cold Crisp Spirit Dew.
It was a supreme treasure extremely suitable for small demons in the Technique Realm to break through his realm.
After months of study, Fu Shaoguang had some understanding of the current cultivation system. Nowadays, the External Elixir Method was widely popular, and both the Human Race and the Demon race possessed some external elixir characteristics, just in different proportions.
To break through the Technique Realm, techniques are merely a stepping stone; one still needs to borrow external objects to break through. spirit objects are best, followed by semi-spirit objects and mortal objects. spirit objects have four Ranks: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow. Each Rank has three grades: High, Middle, and Low, making up twelve grades of the Spirit Mirror.
Cold Crisp Spirit Dew was a Yellow-Rank High Grade spirit object. The spirit honey he drank daily and bought by the tael was Yellow-Rank Low Grade.
“It seems if I want to extend my life, I must cling tightly to the Empress's thigh.”
Thinking this, Fu Shaoguang moved all six legs, struggling to lift the jade bottle and pour the Cold Crisp Spirit Dew into a bowl. He flew inside and sucked it up in large gulps.
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