Chapter 21: Majestic Without Anger
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Young Master Shen was furious, yelling angrily as Mu Zhe pulled him away.
[You darn thief! If you’ve got the guts, let’s settle this with me now! I won’t let you off!]
Xue Manzhuang’s eyes were filled with tears as he sobbed, burying his face in Yu Xinghe’s palm, clearly in pain.
Yu Xinghe tenderly stroked the patch where he had pecked, looking at Mu Zhe indignantly. “Mu Zhe, is your spirit beast jealous of my cute little pet’s beauty, deliberately pecking at him?”
Shen Gurong exclaimed furiously, [Are you blind? Can’t you see that my beauty surpasses everyone else’s? Yu Xinghe, you’re expelled from the sect!]
Mu Zhe furrowed his brows, lightly stroking Shen Gurong’s body, and casually remarked, “He’s always been well-behaved, wouldn’t attack others without reason. Perhaps there’s an issue with your spirit beast. You’d better investigate thoroughly before raising it.”
Yu Xinghe snorted softly, holding Xue Manzhuang and muttering under his breath, “I’ve asked around, this spirit beast has a tiny bit of phoenix bloodline. When it grows up, it’ll even breathe fire!”
Mu Zhe rubbed his temples. “Do you really believe such thing?”
Yu Xinghe believed them and, with a huff, carried the spirit beast to find Li Suo.
Shen Gurong angrily shouted at Yu Xinghe’s back, [Xue Manzhuang, stay! Let’s settle this one-on-one! Xue Manzhuang!]
Mu Zhe saw him fuming there and couldn’t help but pat him on the back.
He had thought it was just a docile canary, but its claws were quite sharp.
As night fell, the city was aglow with lanterns, casting a warm glow.
On both sides of the snowy river, the people held lanterns, and the trees were adorned with colorful notes tied with red strings. As the evening breeze blew, the notes fluttered like crimson blossoms.
Before, Yu Xinghe had been envious of Mu Zhe’s spirit beast, practically turning green with envy. But this time, he finally got one himself, and he was over the moon. With Xue Manzhuang on his head, holding Li Suo’s hand, he happily cooed.
“Senior Brother Li Suo, do you think Master will like this kind of spirit beast?” Yu Xinghe couldn’t go three sentences without mentioning his master. “After Master comes out of seclusion and sees me raising a little pet, will he think I’m neglecting my duties?”
Seeing him genuinely troubled, Li Suo smiled gently and reassured him, “The Sage will like it.”
Shen Gurong sulked in Mu Zhe’s arms and couldn’t help but angrily retort, [The Sage won’t like it!]
The Sage definitely wouldn’t like that little phoenix which caused him to end up like this!
Xue Manzhuang, with a blank expression, nestled on Yu Xinghe’s head. Hearing the voice, he turned around dazedly and met Shen Gurong’s angry gaze.
He didn’t know if Shen Gurong had knocked him back to his infancy, but he no longer acted as boldly and arrogantly as before. Instead, he seemed like a newborn child, tender and innocent.
Yet, deep down, he still harbored an obsession with Shen Fengxue. Despite being beaten just now, he couldn’t help but instinctively like Dango Shen when he saw him.
Xue Manzhuang softly chirped.
[I like you.]
Shen Gurong: “…”
Shen Gurong became furious. [How dare you—]
Mu Zhe didn’t understand why Shen Gurong was causing trouble again. Seeing him struggling to break free from his arms, he quickly caught him, preventing him from falling.
“Don’t make a scene.”
Shen Gurong was extremely anxious. Ever since encountering Xue Manzhuang, he had been constantly thinking about how to persuade him to withdraw the phoenix spirit power from his meridians. But every time he attempted to approach Xue Manzhuang for a “friendly exchange,” Mu Zhe would always hold him back, not allowing him to leave his side.
After several failed attempts, Shen Gurong had no choice but to use his wings and claws to climb onto Mu Zhe’s head, meeting Xue Manzhuang’s gaze, intending to negotiate in this manner.
[Can you withdraw the spirit power from my meridians?]
Xue Manzhuang, with his entire head resting on Yu Xinghe’s bun-like head, tilted his head in confusion. “What?”
Shen Gurong exclaimed, [Spirit power! Your phoenix spirit power!]
After another moment of confusion, Xue Manzhuang’s round eyes widened in realization. [Ah! So I really am a phoenix!]
Shen Gurong: […….]
Shen Gurong was so angry that he buried his head in Mu Zhe’s hair.
Seeing Xue Manzhuang’s foolish expression, it was clear he didn’t even know how to control his own spirit power, let alone accurately withdraw the phoenix spirit power from his meridians.
Shen Gurong felt despairingly hopeless. What should he do now? Was he really destined to wait for the spirit power to dissipate in a month before he could transform back into human form?
It had only been two days since he transformed into a phoenix, but Shen Gurong already felt his thoughts leaning towards bird-like tendencies. If he were to transform back into human form after a month, would he even know how to drink water without pecking at it?
The more Shen Gurong thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed. He couldn’t help but shiver, his feathers ruffling.
Xue Manzhuang looked at him and earnestly praised, [You’re really handsome.]
Shen Gurong: […]
Shen Gurong grinned maliciously. [Once I pluck all the feathers from your body, you’ll look even better.]
Xue Manzhuang trembled and timidly shrunk beside Yu Xinghe’s bun-like head, only daring to steal glances at him.
The main street of Fuxian City was bustling with people. Li Suo was afraid of losing the two, so he held their hands and led them towards the riverbank.
The snowy night river was dotted with starlight, reflecting the pristine moonlight like a vast snowy plain with fire lotuses blooming. The boat carrying various flowers echoed with melodious music, while people tossed farewell grass onto the riverbank.
Yu Xinghe obediently asked Li Suo, “Senior Brother, shall we go and ride the big boat too?”
Li Suo casually scanned the crowd as if searching for someone, then chuckled and replied, “You want to ride it, Xinghe?”
Yu Xinghe nodded. “There are so many people, it looks lively.”
Li Suo then asked Mu Zhe, “Do you want to ride, Mu Zhe?”
Mu Zhe replied, “Either way is fine.”
Knowing Mu Zhe’s passive nature, Li Suo bent down and hugged them both, one on each side, and boarded a painted boat amidst the crowd.
Shen Gurong, still fearful of the water demon he had seen during the day, had been grumbling at Xue Manzhuang. But as soon as they stepped onto the boat, he immediately turned timid, bouncing back into Mu Zhe’s robes. He didn’t even dare to peek his head out, fearing he might see something he shouldn’t.
The boat had two levels, and since Yu Xinghe wanted to see the flowers, Li Suo led them to the second floor pavilion.
Opening the intricately carved windows, they could see the scenery on both banks and in the distance, a panoramic view spread out before them.
Mu Zhe glanced around and could tell that Li Suo had spent quite a few spirit stones for their seats. However, seeing Yu Xinghe so happy, he swallowed the words he was about to say.
The pavilion wasn’t very spacious, and the small compartment where the three of them sat was separated by hanging bamboo curtains, allowing them only a glimpse of the shadows of people next door.
After they sat down, Mu Zhe cradled Shen Gurong and placed him on the table, then selected a few pieces of snacks and crushed them for him.
Shen Gurong didn’t want to eat and turned his head, about to bounce off to find Xue Manzhuang.
But every time he moved a few inches away from Mu Zhe, Mu Zhe would forcibly pull him back, encircling him with his arm to prevent him from running around.
Shen Gurong, puzzled, could only pretend to be obedient and lowered his head to peck at a few bites of pastry.
As a phoenix, everything tasted like wax to Shen Gurong. After pecking at a few bites of the pastry, he suddenly found the roasted sesame flavor of a pastry called “Snowball” quite enjoyable.
He flapped his wings happily and pecked away.
Mu Zhe glanced at him, and his cautious posture relaxed slightly.
After pecking for a while, the boat suddenly swayed slightly, as if it had docked to pick up other passengers.
After a short while of cruising, fireworks from Fuxian City began to bloom one by one in the sky.
Mu Zhe had never seen fireworks before, and he was startled by the sudden explosion of noise. It took him a while to react.
While Mu Zhe was watching the fireworks outside the window, Shen Gurong sneakily slipped out from the arm Mu Zhe had encircled him with. He was about to dart off to find Xue Manzhuang beside Yu Xinghe.
But before he could take more than a few steps, his body was suddenly grabbed by a small hand, and then he found himself suspended in the air, caught once again by Mu Zhe.
Shen Gurong was about to feign innocence when he suddenly felt a slight force from the hand holding onto his body.
Before, Mu Zhe had been afraid of accidentally hurting Shen Gurong, so he had never exerted much force. But now, it seemed like he had no reservations. He tightly grasped Shen Gurong’s entire body, his gaze heavy as he looked at him.
Fortunately, Shen Gurong was covered in fur, so being held didn’t hurt.
Shen Gurong looked at Mu Zhe, surprised, not understanding what was going on with him.
Mu Zhe took a deep breath, then lifted his other hand to gently stroke Shen Gurong’s little head. His voice was soft and tender, with a hint of childish innocence.
“You belong to me.”
It was like a child asserting ownership over a toy, but as Shen Gurong listened, he inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine.
Seeing Shen Gurong freeze, Mu Zhe loosened the grip of his palm and gently stroked Shen Gurong’s head with lowered eyes.
“Don’t always think about running away. If you try to escape again, I’ll have to use a chain to lock you up.”
Shen Gurong: “…”
Shen Gurong looked at him quietly, thinking to himself, “If I were in human form right now, you’d definitely be expelled from the sect as well.”
Mu Zhe usually had a calm and steady demeanor, with a touch of disagreeable sullenness at times. Compared to Yu Xinghe, who was almost always vibrant, Mu Zhe’s presence could be considered faint. Sometimes, even Li Suo, who prided himself on being fair, would instinctively favor the more lively Yu Xinghe.
Shen Gurong had initially thought of Mu Zhe as a complacent and obedient child, only becoming somewhat withdrawn after being “mistreated” by Shen Fengxue. But now, after hearing Mu Zhe’s words, he realized that Mu Zhe hadn’t been passive before; he simply didn’t bother competing for things that he deemed meaningless.
And as for this bird…
Mu Zhe had poured an excessive amount of attention into it since he first found it, harboring even more emotions towards it than Shen Fengxue.
Since accompanying Shen Fengxue to Liren Peak, everything in Mu Zhe’s hands had been given to him by Shen Fengxue’s unilateral decision—spiritual objects, status, even his cultivation level. He felt like an empty shell, forcibly filled with things that didn’t truly belong to him.
Yet, he never felt satisfied, only fear in his heart.
For the sake of survival, Mu Zhe had learned to read people’s expressions and moods from a young age. Despite being only six years old, he was more insightful than some adults. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t see through Shen Fengxue, who seemed to be cloaked in frost and snow.
His master, with his green robes and white hair, seemed to exude an endless chill between his brows. When he suddenly raised his eyes, just one glance could make Mu Zhe feel a chill run down his spine, even in the scorching sun.
Everything Mu Zhe possessed depended on Shen Fengxue’s decisions, even his own life was not under his control.
Perhaps, this small spirit beast that had inadvertently entered his life was the only evidence he had to prove that he still belonged to himself.
Mu Zhe lowered his eyes and gently stroked Shen Gurong. Seeing him quiet down, he let him go.
This time, Shen Gurong didn’t dare to run away again. If Mu Zhe really used a chain to lock him up, it would ruin Shen Fengxue’s reputation forever. Even if he had to die, he would probably find a way to take Shen Gurong down with him.
The crowd on the riverbank was bustling, and the boat servants respectfully welcomed the group of people who came to board the boat. Inadvertently, they glanced up and their faces changed instantly.
The group consisted of six individuals, their dark red cloaks embroidered with intricate patterns of dragons and phoenixes, clearly visible even in the candlelight.
“Lord Zhuxie…” the boat servant’s face turned pale as he forced a smile, “We have protective talismans from Liren Peak on this boat, so there shouldn’t be any demonic disturbances. However…”
Zhuxie’s entourage usually carried an imposing presence. If there were really any demons causing trouble, it was likely that the entire river would be in chaos.
The man at the forefront was tall, his features obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. His voice was deep. “There are no evil spirits on the boat; we are merely here to search for someone.”
The boat servant breathed a sigh of relief and respectfully escorted them on board.
Once aboard, the Zhuxie man whispered to the man beside him, “Lord Wen, the water demon of Dongting Lake have unpredictable abilities. Once they enter the Snowy Night River, they will be like fish in water. If we don’t capture them early, it may cause trouble.”
Wen Liubing remained indifferent, as if he hadn’t heard a word.
Seeing that Wen Liubing was solely focused on finding someone and knowing his autocratic nature, the other person sighed silently, deciding not to press the matter further.
Another member of Zhuxie glanced at the extravagantly decorated boat, unsure, and asked, “My lord, would the Sage really be in a place like this?”
This time, Wen Liubing spoke, his voice heavy, “The disciple token shouldn’t be wrong.”
“But, sir…”
Wen Liubing furrowed his brow, turning to look at him, his demeanor imposing without anger, “Yes?”
Zhuxie hesitated before asking, “Sir… don’t you suffer from seasickness?”
Wen Liubing: “……”
Author’s note:
Wen Liubing: Oh, right. Excuse me, I need to get off the boat.
*Barfs*
[Shen Gurong, alias, danger.]
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