[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-book-of-strange-tales":3,"chapter-the-book-of-strange-tales-the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-13":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Book of Strange Tales",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2317293,4532,"Chapter 13: People Can Deceive Demons and Ghosts Too","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-13",13,"\u003Cp>These days, the trend is for sword-wielding scholars; there’s no notion that literati are weak and helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Lin Jue was a young scholar, he was a villager who had run, jumped, played, and worked in the mountains since childhood; now, in a rage, he gritted his teeth and poured all his strength into gripping the demon tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue even felt it was lighter than a normal person, as if he could lift it off the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wu…wu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon immediately let out a threatening growl, twisting its body to break free from Lin Jue’s grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as it turned its head, baring its fangs as if to bite the boy, its peripheral vision caught sight—so close were they—that the boy’s seething rage pressed against his throat, appearing in its eyes like a mouthful of morning sun’s red glow, terrifying beyond measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon even felt its face burning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its yin energy seemed threatened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aow~ aow~ aow~~~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountains echoed with a sound like a stray dog startled—mixed with shouts: “Immortal, spare me! Don’t kill me! Aow aow! Don’t burn me! I’ve never harmed a soul!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue saw its terrified eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Immortal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he really be called an immortal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue thought for a moment and understood: the demon was cowardly and fearful, seeing him unafraid and even taking the initiative to strike, plus the fire in his mouth—it mistook him for a cultivated master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps even thought he had come to exterminate demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for its words…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue had been deceived twice already by it, so he naturally didn’t believe a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if true, the demon had at most never eaten a person or used claws, fangs, or demonic arts to harm one—but scaring people here wasn’t harm? Even the one in the Wang family ancestral hall, so restrained, had caused a man who boasted of being fearless toward ghosts and demons to fall ill; how much more so this vile demon, clearly designed to terrify?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, with his anger still high, if Lin Jue truly had cultivation, he truly wanted to give it a good beating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run for your life! Aow aow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Lin Jue’s rage had risen to his lips, his left hand gripping the knife tightly; seeing this, he hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the demon not begged for mercy, he would have spat fire and stabbed it without hesitation—but now that it begged, his anger paused, and he grew calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This demon had a fearsome face with fangs, clearly not easy to provoke; it excelled in transformation, could assume human form, and its cultivation seemed far from low. If he spat fire at it continuously, he might burn it to death—but once burned, it would surely struggle desperately, and his rage-fire could only last seven or eight breaths; he might burn off its fur, but likely only wound it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for this knife…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he now had the courage to fight a demon, he was still only a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy, not fully grown; facing a demon as large as a man, he wasn’t sure he could win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue thought this, yet felt no fear, showed no weakness, and said in a low voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You never harmed anyone? You say it, I believe?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Injustice, Immortal! This is a government road, a trade route—if I harmed anyone here, I’d have been exterminated long ago! Besides, Qiyun Mountain is only a few days’ journey away; if any demon or ghost harmed people, how long could it live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon let Lin Jue hold it, trembling in fear but not daring to struggle at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Lin Jue had swallowed the fire in his mouth, to the demon it seemed even more proof of Lin Jue’s composure and power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, I was a household dog, raised by humans, never bit anyone, and from childhood knew the power of humans—how could I dare harm them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re a dog demon!” Lin Jue instantly understood, “Huang Quan? Huang Quan the dog!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-yes! Wuwu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why do you scare people at night here? Do you really have the nerve of a dog?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its hairy face and fangs resembled a wolf-dog, yet its eyes were lively, glancing left and right, fidgeting, stammering, until it finally choked out:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fun… it’s fun… I couldn’t help it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fun?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re human, Immortal—you’re surrounded by companions, always busy with things—how could you understand the loneliness and suffering of a demon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the moonlight, Lin Jue saw its eyes and paused, stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because of anything else, but because its gaze now matched exactly those dogs he remembered—dogs that chased and frightened passersby, excitedly pursued them as they fled, then cowered or feigned indifference when the passersby turned to face them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fearful, yet pitiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, he felt disoriented—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once talkative man had become a demon, then from a seemingly fierce demon turned into a pitiful dog begging him for mercy—such a stark contrast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this was just the right opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue thought for a moment, then released his grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog demon sighed in relief but still turned its head away, not daring to look directly at him, only stealing sideways glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time it caught sight of his knife, it shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many people did you scare tonight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“J-just two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Including me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-yes… yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With so many people, why pick me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Didn’t the Immortal come specially to catch me?” The dog demon blinked, but seeing Lin Jue glare, dared not think further and quickly answered, “I saw the Immortal traveling alone, no one beside you, and your face looked young—you seemed easy to deceive and bully…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aow aow aow~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop howling! Where did this mule come from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was left behind by the man I scared earlier—he ran off and abandoned it.” The dog demon’s voice was very low, “I gave the mule to you before scaring you because after scaring you, you’d take the mule and ride on; there’s only one place ahead to stay the night—you’d meet that man there and return the mule to him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have such good intentions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was a household dog—I know a mule’s life is worth more than a human’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll temporarily believe you,” Lin Jue said coldly. “I have questions. Answer well, and I’ll let you go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Immortal, ask…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you were a household dog, how did you become a wild demon of the mountains?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master died.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how did you attain cultivation and become a spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… how could I know?” The dog demon grew uneasy, “I don’t know how—I just naturally became a spirit, understood things. After living years in these mountains, I learned transformation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue fell silent, digesting and pondering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you transform?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just like this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Show me again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-yes, Immortal…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden crash echoed in the mountains; mist rose under the moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black mist obscured the scene; the dog demon quietly changed form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its fearsome face and fangs vanished, replaced by the appearance of a handsome young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Huang Quan, as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached his hand into the black mist—still felt nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where did your transformation technique come from? How exactly does it work? Tell me in detail!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could I know? I’ve always loved imitating humans—even as a dog, I did. Whatever humans did, I copied. After gaining spiritual awareness, I kept doing it. Over time, I didn’t just copy their movements and speech—I could roughly become just like them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…” Lin Jue’s eyes flickered; he didn’t delay, but quickly asked again, “Do you have any other spells or abilities?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only the black mist—it makes people unable to see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-no more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No more?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… I have low cultivation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can turn into a human—and you say your cultivation is low?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know! Besides, my transformation is truly weak—I can only change at night, and it’s not convincing; I only get away with it because it’s dark. At dawn, people would recognize me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue didn’t know if he was lying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had no way to verify.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt deep regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he quickly spoke again: “I’m here seeking immortals and the Dao. What you said about Qiyun Mountain—is it true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wu…wu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog demon had been thinking, but upon hearing “seeking immortals and the Dao,” it was terrified again and hurriedly answered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every word is true!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What abilities do the Daoists on the mountain have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have any of them cultivated to immortality?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog demon’s fear grew even more intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are there any who have achieved eternal life?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… don’t know…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog demon’s voice trembled violently, shaking as if in cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man kept speaking of immortality and eternal life—how could he possibly know such things?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can I believe you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Immortal Majesty, hear me! I only lied by pretending to be human; everything else I heard on the road. If what I said isn’t true, it’s not me deceiving you—it’s them deceiving me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those people you frightened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue thought again, then asked: “Besides Qiyun Mountain, what other immortal mountains or cave dwellings are in this area? How do you get there? Do you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Immortal Majesty, I don’t know much. Besides Qiyun Mountain, I’ve heard there’s another immortal mountain not far away—only a few hundred li. But it’s very remote, known to few. The one who told me about it only heard rumors too; I don’t know the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s it called?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yishan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yishan…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue murmured the name to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brow furrowed involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded vaguely familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Immortal Majesty…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog demon quietly studied him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go. I’ll spare you this time. Never scare travelers on this road again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Your Immortal Majesty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog demon spun around at once, not even releasing its mist veil, and vanished into the bamboo grove—only the fading rustling of its retreat remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That thing…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue also exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This demon was indeed timid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet its timidity likely stemmed not just from fear, but also from understanding human society well enough—and lacking sufficient ferocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lin Jue reflected, he gradually recalled: when the demon first lied to him, its speech was often uneasy, nervous, and filled with wary glances—especially the second time. Those reactions weren’t entirely fake; it genuinely feared Lin Jue wouldn’t be frightened, and would instead fight back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never show weakness before a demon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You must be fiercer than it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yishan…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue murmured the name again, committing it to memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, he felt something and whirled around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moonlight still bathed the stony path in silvery white, but in the bamboo grove behind him, several figures stood watching him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had likely heard every word of the earlier exchange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue couldn’t see their expressions, but he imagined they were shocked—beyond that, he couldn’t guess further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Jue noticed the donkey the demon had brought still stood beside him. He thought for a moment, bent down, picked up the donkey’s reins, and without caring whether the figures behind him were human or demon, without even pondering or worrying about them, turned and invited them calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fellow villagers, since we’ve met, let’s travel together—keep each other company and bolster our courage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group hurried forward at once.\u003C\u002Fp>",1905,"2026-06-20T14:45:35.226Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bb4c9adc90a08024e6405768a0e6a7b447ee2a8b9d51d3fb74adcfcea6f78a89","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-14","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-12",608,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-book-of-strange-tales-cover.jpg"]