In the middle of the night, there was a faint sound of pipa from a distant place, the sound and color were like flowing clouds and water, and like fog and dust, soaked in the slightest coldness. The sound of the piano is endless, and the wisps are in the ears.

Qingming and I got up, and Yuan Boya came from afar.

"It's Mrs. Hando, Qingming. It's Mrs. Hando's message to us, he's calling us! ”

Yuan Boya was very excited, and his joy overflowed.

"Boya, do you know where it came from?"

"Yes."

"Then you take us there."

Qingming said solemnly.

As the night fell, we hit the road. Following Qingming and Yuan Boya countless times in the night to exorcise demons and catch ghosts, I have gradually become accustomed to this kind of life, and I am no longer afraid.

"Listen to this voice, it must have come from a cave."

Qingming said solemnly.

"Ah, no—what's in the cave again...... I've spent countless times in a cave. ”

When I heard the word "cave", I was scared and wanted to cry without tears.

"Yes, you were sucked into a cave on the day of Hyakki's night walk, and you were kidnapped in front of Tamamo in the cave. It seems that you really have a relationship with the cave! ”

Qingming's timbre rises, showing a gloating attitude.

Hey, I said you, how can you look like you're not afraid of the stage when watching a play!

I poked Qingming's back with all my might to vent my "personal hatred". Since he's an onmyoji, I don't dare to really do anything with him. I didn't know if I didn't hit him yet, so I was backlashed back first.

Dead sunshine! Bad sunshine!

I grimaced behind him.

Qingming's lips unconsciously hooked up a smile.

"Smack" in exchange for the beating of the folding fan.

Touching the red and swollen bag on my forehead, my eyes were full of tears, and even the bag was new.

Qingming turned her back to me and smiled lightly, a smile on her lips.

Rubbing the red and swollen bag, I looked at Qingming, and then at Yuan Boya, with a face full of grievances and obediently shut up.

As the saying goes, "swallow your anger and dare not speak".

Yuan Boya looked at me, then at Qingming, and couldn't help but snicker.

Arrived at the cave.

Qingming pointed to the hole: "Do you dare to go in?" ”

"Of course I dare! How dare I dare! I still have the 'bellflower print' you taught me. ”

I said playfully, taking out the spell that Qingming had taught me to show off.

In exchange, Qingming couldn't cry or laugh: "Okay, let's go in." ”

"Wait, I suddenly remembered that I had something to do."

Yuan Boya said suddenly.

Things were a little abrupt, I was stunned, and quipped: "Lord Boya, are you afraid of death?" It's okay, don't worry, my honey worm will protect you. ”

Qingming slapped me: "Just you, still protect people?" ”

"Of course, I'm your assistant!"

I grinned. In the past few days, when I was sulking with Qingming, I used the "five-pointed star" to paint, and my painting skills have really improved a lot!

"Haraaki, honey worm, the emperor asked me to investigate something, and now I'm leaving."

Source Boya is the color road.

It turned out to be the emperor's business......

Seeing the source, Boya really should go, and Qingming and I reluctantly glanced at each other. Since it's the emperor's business, we can't force it.

"Okay, Boya, you stay safe."

Qingming said seriously.

"Wait, bring this."

Qingming handed the Boya five-pointed star charm and said solemnly.

"Hmm" Yuan Boya carefully put away the charm and looked at me, his eyes full of encouragement.

I smiled and nodded.

This source Boya, I don't know if it's really something, or if it's fake. Or to let me be alone with Qingming and leave the opportunity to me.

However, without Yuan Boya to accompany us, I was quite reluctant to do so. Staying alone with Qingming was inevitably a little embarrassing, and his heartbeat unconsciously accelerated.

Qingming looked at me amusedly: "Honeyworm, are you ready?" ”

"Hmm!"

I came to my senses.

"Alright, let's go."

The wide white hunting clothes fluttered, and Qingming took the lead in front. I reacted and followed him in three steps and two steps, for fear of losing it.

Qingming's lips unconsciously sketched a smile, and there was no one who knew the boys than him. I guessed the intention of Yuan Boya, but he didn't know?

"It's so dark in here, oops-"

I almost fell, but Qingming helped me in time. When I stood still, he didn't let go of his hand.

In this dark cave, Qingming and I were alone, holding hands. I was a little embarrassed, I lowered my head, my heart beat faster, and even my breathing seemed a little short.

Qingming seemed to have peeked into my heart, and her narrow phoenix eyes looked at me: "I'm afraid that you will lose it." ”

One sentence is both a reasonable explanation and breaks the embarrassment of silence. I smiled at him, and the smile on his lips grew, and he rightfully led me forward.

In the dark cave, Qingming listened attentively.

"Listen, that's where the mystical image comes from."

"There are several echoes."

"That's a deliberate trick by the youkai."

The corners of Qingming's lips curled.

"I finally understand the youkai's intentions."

"What?"

"The demonic energy in the cave is very weak, and such a little monster can't digest the power of the Xuanxiang at all. This is clearly dedicated to the wine-swallowing boy and used to honor the ghost king. ”

"It's that easy!"

I'm glad that if it's a little monster that's much easier to deal with, maybe even I can solve it!

"Qingming, look, can I deal with it?"

"Don't—" Qingming sighed, a hint of compassion, "ghosts are pitiful, too. ”

"Yes, they also have the Ghost King pressing."

I sighed. Remembering the last Hundred Ghost Feast, the ghosts snatched tribute from all over the country in order to please the Ghost King, and they probably didn't come out of their original intentions. After all, the little monsters are still too weak, and they need the ghost king to cover them. Even the female ghost who helped me almost lost her life in order to gain the favor of the ghost king.

"Whether it's a human or a ghost, there will be a way to survive."

Qingming said slowly, his expression was gloomy. Soon, calm returned, and there was no longer a trace of compassion.

"What then?"

"It's simple......"

"Huh?"

"Demons don't offend me, I don't offend demons."

Qingming hooked the corners of her lips and folded the fan, with a shrewd cunning in her eyes.

"But...... Isn't that monster pitiful? ”

I whispered.

"This is how humans and demons get along."

Qingming looked at me fixedly, and his concise words revealed the truth.

"So what do we do now?"

"After dawn, the voice of the occult will disappear."

"But it's been the middle of the night, so it's better to ...... Let's split up and look for it? ”

I asked for Qingming's permission, but Qingming was still hesitating.

"I'm worried about you—"

"Isn't it a little monster? As your assistant, I can't even solve the little demon, how can I gain a foothold in Ping'an? ”

has been following Qingming for more than a year, and I have been exposed to more ears and eyes, and my courage has become greater. The yin-yang technique that he learned unconsciously by his side, protecting people is still reluctant, and it is no problem to protect himself.

Moreover, I promised Yuan Boya that I would accompany him by Qingming's side and protect him. If even he has become a burden, how can he fight side by side with Qingming to face the danger?

If I want to be brave enough to grasp my happiness, I have to become independent and strong, so that he doesn't worry about me for everything.

Seeing the resoluteness in my eyes, Qingming agreed with my approach with a little thought. His guesses are generally accurate, and if he is unsure, he will not let me take any risks easily.

In this way, I searched separately from Qingming.

There were only three hours before sunrise, and I carefully followed the sound of the lute to find it. In the dark cave, the desolate sound of the pipa seemed to come from all directions, surrounding us.

But if you listen closely, the timbre is slightly different. The sound quality is long and short, the first sound is crisp, the second sound is mellow, and the third sound is slightly hoarse. I remembered what Qingming said that the illusion is not the other image, and the other image is not the reality.

In order to prevent us from discerning the direction of the image, the monster deliberately hid it in a cave and let the echoes from the valley disturb us. Because he knew that he couldn't protect the Xuan Xiang at all.

And the Xuan Xiang must have been hidden in the deepest part by him! The one with the most edges and the most reflective surfaces!

Realizing this, my brain immediately reacted. Touch the stone wall with your hand, stroke the uneven wall marks, and carefully distinguish them. These indentations seem to rise and fall irregularly, but if you look closely, their textures are all facing one direction, and that direction is the direction of the mystic!

Like the sound of the mystery, there is a trace of law to follow in the ever-changing voice, and there is a mystery in the mystery. I followed the texture of the wall marks, and then forward, and my heart fluttered. The voice of the Xuan Xiang is getting closer and closer, the echoes are getting less and less, and the sound quality is getting clearer and clearer!

Lights suddenly appeared in front of me, and I instinctively ducked to the side.

"Big brother, do you think this Xuanxiang wine swallowing boy will really accept it?"

"Stupid!"

"Ouch, why are you beating me again?"

"You are really stupid when you say you are stupid, the ghost king is also a person who loves music. As long as we present the image, He will obediently reward us. ”

"What if he doesn't like it?"

"How many people can refuse Mrs. Hando's soul? To tell you the truth, this Hando was working under the Ghost King a long time ago, and later betrayed the Ghost King for the sake of a human woman......"

"Ouch, that's confusing—"

"But isn't it, I don't know if the current ghost king misses Mrs. Hando, or resents Mrs. Hando......"

"Big brother, it's none of our business. All we need to do is get our reward. ”

"Hey, you're finally getting smarter."

The one who was called "Big Brother" was clearly pleased.

I privately calculated that these two monsters were not very powerful, and they were obviously low-level spirits with very weak spiritual power. Usually, Qingming only needs to draw two symbols to solve the problem. Although I can draw "bellflower prints", my skills are not comparable to those of Qingming. If I rush into fighting them, there is no guarantee that they will not have backup.

After some consideration, I decided to pass on the sound through the secret language of the practice, and I would wait for him to arrive before I acted.

Fingers opened, and I chanted the mantra silently, and I heard them continue to talk—

"Big brother, I heard that the person called 'Abe Haruaki' is very powerful, what if he comes?"

"You're stupid! Big brother, of course I know that I can't beat Lord Qingming, so I deliberately chose this position, for what? It's just that you can't find us! ”

"It's really annoying, this mysterious elephant has been making noises, will it attract them?"

"When it's dawn, let's hurry up, pay tribute early, and finish things early."

The youkai boss is clearly impatient.

After the mantra is recited, the sound is as urgent as the law. With a flick of his fingers in the air, he hit the stone wall, and the secret spell quickly flew -

"Qingming, come here!"

It's not good, the secret language accidentally hit the Xuanxiang, causing the pipa to pop up spontaneously.

"What people!"

"Big ...... Big brother, Qingming is here! ”

"Don't worry, we took her hostage."

The stone wall in front of me exploded instantly, and I had nothing to stop. Seeing that the situation was wrong, I was anxious to hide. However, the monster was one step ahead of me, and in a hurry, he forgot that he was a beginner, and did not hesitate to press it with a spell.

In an instant, the spell shook out of his hand, and the leading monster was defenseless, hit him with a blow, and immediately fainted.

Seeing that another little demon was shouting for revenge, he didn't have time to think about the spell in his hand and instinctively shook his hand out.

In a moment, two spells hit the two little demons, and they were all stunned. I was stunned for a moment, it happened so fast that I couldn't react for a while, and I stood in place at a loss.

"Honey worm—"

In a moment of distraction, Qingming's voice came through the secret whisper.

I was so excited that I forgot that I was in danger and was unprepared to go to Qingming.

But suddenly I felt a tightness under my feet, and the youkai that I had just knocked out woke up and gave birth to long branches.

I saw another vine about to pierce me—

"Broken!"

A folding fan flew quickly and steadily pierced through the monster.

The youkai fell in response, and the vines wrapped around its feet suddenly loosened.

My center of gravity was unstable, and I fell straight forward—

but unexpectedly fell into a warm embrace......

A hand grabbed me in time and forced, I staggered a few steps and threw myself into his arms, and he hugged me tightly.

The familiar scent of grass greeted me, enveloping me warmly.

This familiar aura is-

"Sunny ......"

I muttered.

"You're alright, I'm worried about you."

Qingming's voice was full of concern and anxiety, and joy to see that I was okay. He hugged me hard and buried his head in my ear. This is the first time he has taken the initiative to hug me, and it is also the first time...... Hold me tight.

Tightly held in his arms, clinging to his wide white hunting suit, his cherishing of me is self-evident. But I felt the intense sadness emanating from Qingming's body, which invisibly permeated me, making me cry inexplicably. The familiar and warm embrace, the nostalgic sunny atmosphere, made me feel relieved and sad.

For a long time, he never let go of me.

Always tight...... Hold me tight.

I'm afraid I'll get hurt in any way.

It's as if I'm a pearl of the night, cared for by him in the palm of my hand.

After a long time, he was reluctant to let go of me, his expression was sad, and he was lost between his eyebrows.

"Are you hurt?"

"Nope."

"That'...... Let's go home. ”

Qingming picked up the Xuanxiang and carefully put it away, turned around and led me out of the cave.

Go home?

I have a home!

A real home ...... in the Heian period

A person who accompanies me......

I should be happy, but why did the tears flow unconsciously, I couldn't stop it. Qingming's grief was so strong that even I was infected and couldn't extricate myself.

He just hugged me.

I should be happy!

But why...... I always want to cry...... I always want to cry