Chapter 19: Extremely Daring
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Mu Zhe was just teasing him, but seeing that Shen Gurong actually behaved, he suddenly chuckled.
Since no one was around, his laughter didn’t quickly fade, and there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. Even his birthmark seemed more pleasing.
Feeling good, Mu Zhe slowly crushed the medicine-grains he had asked from Li Suo, and prepared some water for Shen Gurong. Despite his earlier tantrum, Shen Gurong’s fasting body seemed to be a bit hungry. He looked disdainfully at the crushed grains and pecked at the water in the porcelain cup nearby.
Mu Zhe: “Don’t want to eat this? This is spirit rice.”
Shen Gurong: “Chirp.”
He wasn’t a real bird, and even if he starved to death, he wouldn’t eat this kind of grain.
Feeling physically and mentally exhausted, Shen Gurong took a few sips of water and then hopped back into the small box. He stretched out his paws to cover himself with the little blanket, intending to continue playing dead.
It was too embarrassing.
Shen Gurong had never been this embarrassed in his entire life.
So much so that he didn’t even entertain the thought of returning to the main hall of Fanjiang Residence. He was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.
Throughout the night, Shen Gurong had several nightmares, kicking and thrashing about with his paws.
The next morning, as the morning bell rang, Mu Zhe got up early and after washing up, he glanced at the desk, but didn’t find the red ball of fur.
Mu Zhe hurriedly searched the entire room.
The windows and doors were all closed, so it was impossible for Shen Gurong to have flown out.
After searching for a while, Mu Zhe finally found Shen Gurong sleeping upside down on top of the tall bookshelf.
Mu Zhe fell silent for a moment, then used a stool to carefully lift him down.
Shen Gurong’s wing was injured and he couldn’t move, so it was a mystery how he managed to climb up there.
The sound of the morning bell, coupled with being woken up by Mu Zhe, confused Shen Gurong even more, and he started to fuss again.
[Shen Gurong, get up.]
[No, don’t want to get up.]
Mu Zhe heard a soft chirping coming from the palm of his hand. When he looked down, he saw the little bird yawning with its pointed beak, and even its pink tongue was visible.
Placing yesterday’s grains by the box, Mu Zhe gently patted its head. “I’m off to morning class now. Don’t forget to eat something if you’re hungry.”
Shen Gurong was yawning lazily, but upon hearing this, he immediately perked up. He hurriedly jumped out, grabbed Mu Zhe’s sleeve, and called out eagerly.
If he remembered correctly, today’s morning class was Xi Guxing’s meditation class.
Help, Sect Master Senior Brother!
Mu Zhe didn’t understand his little schemes, thinking Shen Gurong was reluctant to part with him when he stopped him. His usually cold face softened slightly. “Do you want to come with me?”
Shen Gurong nodded vigorously. Mu Zhe’s youthful face displayed a rare smile as he held Shen Gurong and said, “Alright.”
With that, he tucked Shen Gurong into his front pocket, leaving only a little head poking out for air.
Looking up at him, Shen Gurong thought his disciple’s temperament was quite gentle, showing such patience even with a spiritual beast.
Mu Zhe grabbed his books, closed the door, and called for Yu Xinghe to get up and attend morning class. The rain had stopped, leaving a clear blue sky with a flock of sparrows chirping as they flew by. Mu Zhe looked up at them.
Before Mu Zhe moved to Liren Peak, he lived in a dilapidated mud house in a remote village, half of which collapsed whenever it rained, leaving him soaked before the walls.
From as far back as he could remember, he was always the target of ridicule, barely scraping by just to stay alive.
During those almost numb days, a small sparrow panicked in the rain and bumped into him, seeking shelter under his knees, trembling with fear.
Mu Zhe, who had never experienced such warmth of being needed, was stunned for a moment before gently opening his hand to shield the sparrow from all the wind and rain.
Mu Zhe lowered his gaze to the chubby little bird napping at the edge of his clothes and suddenly smiled.
Yu Xinghe woke up late, startled by Mu Zhe’s wake-up call, and screamed as he hastily dressed and washed up. Mu Zhe, too lazy to wait for him, left after a brief word.
On the way to Changying Mountain, Shen Gurong was originally nestled comfortably in Mu Zhe’s clothes for a nap. However, for some reason, an instinct kicked in, and after a while, he hooked his claws onto Mu Zhe’s clothes and began climbing up to his shoulder.
Mu Zhe: “…”
Mu Zhe looked at him strangely but didn’t stop him. He was afraid that Shen Gurong’s claws might not grip well and he would fall, so he kept his hands underneath to catch him.
Shen Gurong climbed onto Mu Zhe’s shoulder in a daze, found a comfortable spot, and settled down before realizing what he had done. He let out a puzzled chirp.
Having read many accounts of spirit beasts yesterday, Mu Zhe knew that most bird-like spirit beasts instinctively climbed high and felt secure in high places. He figured this little bird was probably the same, otherwise he wouldn’t have found him on the bookshelf in the morning.
Crossing the suspension bridge, Shen Gurong had already climbed onto Mu Zhe’s head, gripping his bun with two claws and looking down from a high vantage point, feeling like the ruler of all he surveyed.
Mu Zhe didn’t mind having his hair grabbed and let him frolic on his head.
Shen Gurong thought his little disciple’s temperament was really good and rewarded him with a peck on his forehead.
By the time Mu Zhe crossed the suspension bridge, Shen Gurong had already wriggled his entire body into Mu Zhe’s tousled hair, revealing only a pair of dark eyes, playing hide and seek.
Before Mu Zhe reached Zhibai Hall, he heard someone calling him from not far away.
“Mu Zhe.”
Mu Zhe looked up and saw Li Suo in his usual attire, smiling and waving his fan at him.
Mu Zhe hurried over. “Senior Brother Li Suo.”
Li Suo skillfully patted his head. “Why didn’t Xinghe come with you? Today, brother will take you down the mountain…”
Before he could finish, there was a strange sensation in his palm, which startled Li Suo, causing him to retract his hand.
Shen Gurong popped his head out from Mu Zhe’s dark hair, making a curious “Chirp” sound.
Li Suo breathed a sigh of relief. “What’s this?”
Mu Zhe reached out and gently lifted Shen Gurong, presenting him to Li Suo. “I was just about to ask Senior Brother Li Suo what kind of spirit beast this is. I checked the records of spirit beasts the other day, but I couldn’t find anything like it.”
Li Suo examined the bright red ball, hesitating. “It looks like a fire spirit beast, but fire spirit beasts are generally larger in size, and… not so chubby.”
Shen Gurong: “…”
You’re the chubby one!
Shen Gurong glared at him indignantly.
Li Suo exclaimed, “Huh! It’s glaring at me? Is it already conscious at such a young age?”
Mu Zhe thought for a moment, then nodded hesitantly. “It seems like it.”
Seeing that even Li Suo didn’t recognize it, Mu Zhe didn’t inquire further. Instead, he became annoyed at Shen Gurong’s flapping wings trying to peck at Li Suo’s fur, so he tucked the irate little bird back into his clothes.
“What did Senior Brother Li Suo just say? We’re going down the mountain today? Aren’t we supposed to attend morning class?”
Li Suo smiled and folded his fan. “Yes, today the Saint is in seclusion, and Master seems to have important matters to attend to. Coincidentally, the Flower Festival begins today at the foot of the mountain, so Brother is taking you all to broaden your horizons.”
Mu Zhe was taken aback. “Master… in seclusion again?”
Li Suo looked at him strangely, wondering if this young disciple had been psychologically affected by Shen Fengxue’s mistreatment. Why wasn’t he being bothered by the Saint’s seclusion? He seemed disappointed instead?
“Don’t dwell on it.” Li Suo rubbed Mu Zhe’s head gently and said softly, “It’s rare to go down the mountain. Brother is taking you all to have fun—go on, change your clothes, and call Xinghe to join us.”
Mu Zhe pursed his lips and smiled lightly, nodding slightly before turning to call Yu Xinghe.
Shen Gurong felt sour watching from the side.
Mu Zhe had never smiled like this in front of him before, even though he had saved him so many times. At most, he would give a polite thank you, but never even a hint of coquetry.
Shen Gurong snorted at him, hopping onto his head and unreasonably grabbing at his hair with his claws.
Mu Zhe: “…”
Mu Zhe didn’t know what had gotten into him, but it didn’t hurt, so he let him bounce around like that.
Shen Gurong wildly pulled at Mu Zhe’s hair for a moment, then his small brain suddenly reacted.
Today there is no early class, which means… he won’t see Xi Guxing.
Shen Gurong’s claws stiffened, and his whole body rolled straight down, but Mu Zhe caught him quickly.
Seeing Shen Gurong staring blankly again, as if he was pretending to be dead, Mu Zhe sighed and tucked him into his clothes, then went to find Yu Xinghe.
In no time, Yu Xinghe came running anxiously.
He woke up too late, with his long hair unbound, running like a little madman, his hair flying all over the place. He was even holding a hair tie in his mouth while running, trying to fix his hair.
“I’m going to be late!” Yu Xinghe rushed over in a flurry, tears welling up in his eyes. “Master must think Xinghe is a bad kid…”
He ran past the rope bridge, only to be grabbed by the arm by Mu Zhe, who was waiting on the side.
Yu Xinghe looked at him in panic. “Mu Zhe, has the early class started?”
Mu Zhe kept it brief: “Master is in seclusion, so there’s no early class today. Senior Brother Li Suo plans to take us down the mountain for some fun.”
Yu Xinghe, panting heavily, took a while to catch his breath before sighing in relief and patting his chest softly. “You scared me…”
Mu Zhe didn’t bother paying attention to his antics. He dragged him back to put the books away and change into casual clothes, then followed Li Suo down the mountain for some fun.
At the Lotus Lake of Fanjiang Residence, a white crane stood on the water’s surface, pecking at fish.
After pecking for a while without success, it didn’t lose patience, still diligently searching for fish with its head lowered.
Just as he finally caught a small fish about the size of his palm, a faint sound suddenly reached his ears, like a pearl falling on a jade plate.
The white crane trembled, and the fish in its mouth fell directly into the water. It stood there dazed for a moment, its displeasure evident even on its crane face.
With a stern expression, the white crane swiftly spread its wings and flew to Baishang Mountain. Upon arriving at Lou Bugui’s residence, it transformed into human form.
Xi Guxing was in conversation with Lou Bugui, looking somewhat frustrated.
“He can’t even speak, and if he’s transformed into a phoenix, he might just be a tiny ball. He could be snatched away by a mere mouse!”
“Senior Brother… Senior Brother, calm down… Your scabbard is poking me.”
“How can I calm down!? If something happens to him, Master won’t let us off! I’ve searched all over Liren Peak, but he’s nowhere to be found. If he left Liren Peak, the Boundary Spirit Stele would have reacted by now… “
“Senior Brother, please calm down…”
Xi Guxing seethed with frustration, irritated by Lou Bugui’s lack of urgency. “What? Spit it out.”
Lou Bugui replied dryly, “It seems that the Boundary Spirit Stele has already reacted.”
Xi Guxing: “…….”
Xi Guxing froze for a moment, staring at the faintly glowing sky-blue jade on the table, struggling to comprehend.
Lou Bugui tilted his head, reminding him, “Shiyi wouldn’t leave Liren Peak on his own initiative. It must be that after transforming into a phoenix, he couldn’t use his spiritual power and was forcibly taken away. Just check who went down the mountain today, and we’ll know.”
Xi Guxing furrowed his brow, swiftly conjuring a complex rune in the air. The rune instantly transformed into ethereal ink traces, flying into the void.
Soon, the void returned with another streak of ink.
It was Qi Fei, the disciple of Li Suo, reporting respectfully, “Yes, Mu Zhe is accompanied by a fiery red spirit beast, and we have already descended the mountain.”
Xi Guxing paused, absorbing the information. Then, he dispersed the ink traces with a solemn expression.
Lou Bugui was about to speak when he suddenly sensed something, his previously vacant eyes turning fiercely sharp as he glared menacingly at a spot not far away.
Dressed in white, White Crane emanated a cold aura as he took a deep breath, then respectfully bowed to the two.
Xi Guxing frowned at him. “What’s the matter?”
White Crane nodded, respectfully saying, “Master Xi, the Saint has left Liren Peak.”
After speaking, he lifted his head slightly, his narrow eyes fixed on Xi Guxing. “Shouldn’t you go and bring the Saint back?”
Xi Guxing, originally impatient, looked at White Crane with some disgust at his words. Coldly, he said, “Since when did the affairs of Liren Peak concern the Yao Clan?”
White Crane’s face lost its usual gentleness and respect. Expressionless, his voice turned icy, “Our Yao Clan’s leader has made a hundred-year pact with Lord Nan Yang. If Saint Shen doesn’t hand over the divine artifact, he won’t leave Liren Peak. The pact hasn’t even reached its halfway mark, yet he openly descends the mountain. I believe within three days, everyone in the Three Realms will know…”
Before he could finish, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his neck. Then, everything went black as someone grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against a sturdy tree trunk.
Xi Guxing’s face was filled with murderous intent, his aura oppressive as he coldly declared, “Shen Fengxue is the Saint of Liren Peak. He can do as he pleases, and it’s not for others to interfere! My Master had a prohibition pact with the Yao Clan’s leader regarding Shen Fengxue’s descent from the mountain, but I didn’t.”
White Crane was silenced by the chokehold, unable to make a sound.
“Now, I, Xi Guxing, am the current head of Liren Peak. What I say goes,” Xi Guxing’s eyes were as cold as ice and snow atop a mountain peak. “If the Yao Clan wishes to interfere with Saint Shen’s freedom, then let their leader come and speak with me personally.”
Even though Xi Guxing uttered such rebellious words, Lou Bugui didn’t attempt to intervene. He simply stood there quietly, his gaze lowered to a poisonous weed at his feet, lost in thought.
Xi Guxing had no intention of killing White Crane. After delivering his statement, he simply shrugged him off. White Crane coughed violently, white feathers emerging from his arms as his spiritual power became unstable.
From a position of superiority, Xi Guxing looked down at him, his murderous intent undiminished. “Consider yourself lucky this time, thanks to Fifth Junior Brother. But if there’s a next time, you’d better think twice before coming to me. Make sure your neck is sturdy enough.”
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