Chapter 600: Chapter 356: The Little Nian Beast Unleashes Its Divine Power, The Return of the Great Monarch (Double Chapter)

Since he never existed from the start, Ji Minghuan had no need to bear the emotions or responsibilities of someone nonexistent. All his actions were solely for himself. If it weren’t absolutely necessary to kill Jack the Ripper, he wouldn’t have bothered with such troubles.

"So, what about my father?" Little Nian Beast tilted its head.

The Rainbow Horse Demon, who had inexplicably taken a punch, finally lowered its head, once again bowing down on the prayer mat. It muttered, "The Great Monarch has not returned yet. Please be patient, Little Nian Beast Lord."

"I’ll go find the Great Monarch and tell it this news," the Cyan Snake Demon said coolly.

"What news?" Little Nian Beast asked. "To tell him that I’ve passed your test and he can finally meet me?"

"No, the Great Monarch doesn’t even know that Little Nian Beast Lord is back.

Little Nian Beast was taken aback.

"The test I mentioned earlier was just made up. I apologize to you." On saying this, the Cyan Snake Demon’s form shot from the prayer mat, swiftly sweeping past the Little Nian Beast like a phantom and disappearing into the morning light through the waterfall.

"Is it always like this?" Little Nian Beast looked at the Rat Demon.

"Always like this, and if you don’t cooperate, it will sulk again," the Rat Demon sighed.

"Little Nian Beast Lord, why did you punch me just now?" Rainbow Horse Demon asked.

"Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were also going to test me," Little Nian Beast said. "Had I known, I wouldn’t have given you a Rising Dragon Fist. Since my dad isn’t back yet, I’ll go out for a walk." With that, Little Nian Beast hopped away.

It passed through the waterfall, flames erupting from its hooves, flying like fireworks through the forest, and then lay down on a branch of a giant tree.

Little Nian Beast quietly gazed at the distant valley. When the Great Monarch had no time to take it out to circle the cliffs, it often stayed on this tree by itself, watching the grass grow and orioles fly in spring or the snow swirling in winter.

Now, looking at the forest bathed in morning light, Little Nian Beast suddenly remembered eleven years ago.

....

....

After that meeting on the smuggling ship, Lin Xingshi and Little Nian Beast talked the whole night.

In the end, Lin Xingshi suggested that Little Nian Beast take a nap while she watched over the bad folks on the ship. Little Nian Beast didn’t think much of it, resting its head on Lin Xingshi’s shoulder and closing its eyes to sleep.

"My clothes are dirty, all grimy," Lin Xingshi said. "Don’t lean on me." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"It’s okay, you smell nice," Little Nian Beast replied.

Lin Xingshi was taken aback, her face showing a slight blush.

Little Nian Beast fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning when it woke up, the Human-Snake Ship had already arrived in Li Jing, the capital of China.

It was the first time Lin Xingshi and Little Nian Beast came to such a large city. They lay against the ship’s window, curiously looking outside.

What met their eyes was a massive steel metropolis, towering skyscrapers standing side by side like giants. Advertising billboards on the streets displayed "Nutritional Express" ads, while stylishly dressed people weaved through the streets.

"This is Li Jing," Lin Xingshi said, wiping the grime off her face.

"Li Jing," Little Nian Beast murmured.

"Little Nian, have you ever been to Li Jing?" she asked, turning her head.

Little Nian Beast shook its head, watching the bustling crowd outside the window dazedly. The morning light poured in, illuminating the faces of the two children in the cabin.

"Let’s go," Lin Xingshi said, taking Little Nian Beast by the hand and softly humming a tune as she led him off the ship, while also keeping an eye on the smugglers inside the cabin.

Just as they were about to leave, someone on the ship suddenly tried to make a move on them, approaching with a cloth bag and rag in hand. But with just a turn of her head, a blaze of flames in Lin Xingshi’s hand scorched their hand, leaving a blood stain.

At that moment, Little Nian Beast seemed to see a fleeting red lion shadow above the head of the short-haired girl.

He suddenly recalled the words of the Year Beast Monarch, telling him that exorcists are the greatest enemy of demons. Yet Lin Xingshi appeared to be an exorcist—could he really go with her?

"Don’t follow us, or next time I won’t be so gentle," Lin Xingshi said, wiping her nose and pulling Little Nian Beast away amid the person’s cries of pain.

The two walked on the streets of Li Jing. Lin Xingshi glanced at Little Nian Beast’s clean clothes, then at her own tattered ones, feeling a sudden bit of self-consciousness.

She hadn’t changed her clothes for days, nor bathed for some time. Everything about her was a mess; her face was all grime, resembling a little beggar.

"Do I look like a beggar?" she suddenly let go of Little Nian Beast’s hand, putting it behind her back while walking and asking, her tone nonchalant.

"What’s a beggar?"

"Those are the folks with nothing to their name, who have to beg from others," Lin Xingshi raised an eyebrow. "You don’t know anything, no wonder you got taken away."

"Then I want to be a beggar too," Little Nian Beast whispered. "Being a beggar sounds so free, so amazing."

"You..." Lin Xingshi shook her head. "Never mind, even if I explain you wouldn’t understand."

"Never mind, even if I explain you wouldn’t understand," Little Nian Beast repeated, mimicking her words.

"By the way, where did you get such clean clothes?" Lin Xingshi suddenly asked.

"I don’t know," Little Nian Beast shook his head.

He knew he couldn’t say that he was a demon, nor that he had secretly taken clothes from a children’s store, otherwise Lin Xingshi might beat him harshly.

After all, she was a dangerous exorcist, and demons ought to be most afraid of exorcists!