Chapter 23: “Expelled from the sect,” he said, fuming, fuming…
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Whenever Shen Gurong felt he had already embarrassed himself enough, something even more embarrassing would happen, catching him off guard.
Awkward.
It was the most awkward moment ever in Feilu, even the usually lively Yu Xinghe dared not make a sound.
Sanshui was still respectfully saying, “A few days ago, I received an order from the Sect Master to bring the spirit medicine prepared by Senior Martial Uncle from Xianyun City. I was delayed for a day on the way due to investigating the Dongting Water Demon. I hope Master will punish me.”
Shen Gurong told him to get lost.
Mu Zhe glanced at him but remained silent.
At Shen Gurong’s feet lay the sticky rice cake he had just dropped while holding it, with a sesame seed stuck in the fuzz on his cheeks. He looked adorable, quite different from the cold and aloof Sage everyone knew.
He felt utterly miserable, wanting nothing more than to jump out the window and into the lake, to end it all.
The members of the Zhuxie Sect were the first to react. They hurried forward to support the swaying figure of Wen Liubing. “Lord, Lord, it’s just a spiritual pet, you’ve made a mistake! Let’s get off the boat first.”
Wen Liubing felt heavy-headed and light-footed, unable to think straight anymore.
All he wanted now was to get off the boat with his master and find a place to settle his stomach. He had no spare brainpower to think about other issues.
Like why his master had turned into a phoenix.
“It doesn’t matter,” Wen Liubing thought groggily. “Master must have his reasons for everything he does, and as a disciple, I shouldn’t interfere.”
Brushing off the support from the members of the Zhuxie Sect, he raised his head slightly and addressed Shen Gurong, “Master?”
His tone was full of confusion, as if wondering why his master wasn’t speaking.
Shen Gurong almost ground his teeth to bits, inwardly wishing he could just expel him from the sect. But outwardly, he put on a façade of innocence, tilting his head slightly and obediently emitting a soft “chirp.”
He looked just like an unenlightened spiritual pet.
The only way to deal with this embarrassing situation was to play dumb, giving them the illusion that “Shen Fengxue, the pride of the sect, could never behave like this,” in order to extricate themselves.
The members of the Zhuxie Sect continued to persuade, “Lord, you must be confused…”
Wen Liubing suddenly turned around, his eyes sharp as he looked at Shen Gurong, and coldly stated, “Even if I were confused, I wouldn’t mistake my master.”
The member of the Zhuxie Sect was taken aback, exchanging a glance with his companions.
Indeed, since its establishment only twenty years ago, Wen Liubing had risen from an insignificant Golden Core stage cultivator to the leader of countless members of the Zhuxie Sect across the Nine Provinces and Three Realms, relying on iron-handed methods.
Over the years, his decisions had never been wrong, let alone such a foolish mistake of mistaking his master.
The group exchanged glances, struggling painfully for a while, but they couldn’t reconcile the image of the clueless little phoenix pecking at food with the dignified and aloof Sage Shen.
Seeing that Wen Lubing remained serious, without a hint of jest, they gritted their teeth and hesitated for a while before bowing as well.
“G-Greetings, the Sage.”
Shen Gurong: “…”
Just scram already!!!
Shen Gurong had originally thought he could bluff his way through, but now, it seemed like even more people believed it.
Li Suo and Yu Xinghe widened their eyes in horror, looking at him with disbelief, their expressions more terrifying than if they had seen a ghost.
Li Suo’s pale lips trembled slightly. “This… is the Sage? No, it can’t be…”
His instinctive denial was quickly overtaken by a sudden realization. His unwavering trust in Wen Lubing almost eliminated any further thought. Li Suo hastily bowed to Shen Gurong.
Shen Gurong: “…”
The situation was almost out of control.
A dead silence fell over the entire Feilu. Everyone’s thoughts were racing, but their faces betrayed no hint of their inner turmoil.
Shen Gurong took a deep breath and, under everyone’s gaze, casually hopped onto the window sill.
“Chirp!”
[I’ll go die first!]
Mu Zhe: “…”
With a flap of his wings, he leaped into the lake. Mu Zhe hurried to catch him, but just as Shen Gurong jumped, the boat suddenly docked.
The window on the second floor brushed against the branches on the shore and slammed shut with a loud “bang.”
Shen Gurong’s head collided with the window sill, causing his body to bounce back and land on the ground beside Mu Zhe.
Motionless.
Mu Zhe: “…”
Everyone else: “…”
Shen Gurong felt as if his heart had collapsed like a dam breaking, so he simply closed his eyes and played dead.
[Justice in this world is unjust! Unjust! Who will come and end me with a single stroke? Let lightning strike me and end it all! AHHHHHH]
[And where is that water demon? Come, come and devour me!]
[Shen Fengxue, your lifetime of glory, destroyed in an instant…]
Mu Zhe: “…”
The members of the Zhuxie Sect were startled, their firm belief that “this bird is indeed the Sage” once again shattered.
In swift strides, Wen Liubing approached and slammed the table hard, causing even the feigned-dead Shen Gurong on the table to jolt from the impact.
Wen Liubing sternly declared, “How dare you! Who dares to plot against my Master?!”
Shen Gurong: “…”
I’m tired of saying ‘get lost.’
Perhaps witnessing Shen Gurong’s profound desolation for too long, Mu Zhe, who had remained silent, could no longer bear it.
He sighed silently and gently cradled Shen Gurong in his palm, then addressed Wen Liubing, “Senior Brother, you’ve made a mistake. This is not our Master.”
Wen Liubing was taken aback, then he glanced down at Mu Zhe coldly, “You dared to question Senior Brother?”
Shen Gurong silently screamed, [It’s you dump sh*t dared to disrespect your master!]
“Mu Zhe dares not. I’m just stating the facts,” Mu Zhe replied calmly. “I accompanied Senior Brother Li Suo down the mountain after Master went into seclusion, everyone in the sect knew about this.”
Wen Liubing was startled and looked at Li Suo.
Li Suo, sensing something, knew that even if this spirit beast truly was the Sage Shen, he couldn’t publicize it in front of everyone. Liren Peak had enjoyed smooth sailing for nearly a decade, and its relationship with Sage Shen, who was on the verge of becoming an immortal, was crucial.
If it were known that the Sage Shen looked like this, Li Suo feared it would cause a major uproar.
“Exactly,” Li Suo nodded. “Mu Zhe has raised this spirit beast for quite some time. It shouldn’t be the Sage.”
Wen Liubing was now somewhat puzzled. He raised his hand again and transformed it into an disciple token, this time landing accurately on the little phoenix.
Wen Liubing’s thoughts slowed down, and he stood there in a daze for a while, unsure how to react.
Shen Gurong: “…”
Hope suddenly descended, and Shen Gurong was pleasantly surprised by the favor shown to him.
Seeing the doubt in the eyes of the members of the Zhuxie Sect, Mu Zhe added, “This spirit beast was given to me by the Sage before his seclusion. Perhaps he was worried about my low cultivation level and wanted to ensure I had protection in case of any emergencies.”
One of the disciples of the Zhuxie Sect whispered, “Could this little bird be the Sage’s lifebound spirit beast?”
So that disciple token found him.
Li Suo finally found a reasonable explanation and quickly said, “Exactly.”
Shen Gurong thought to himself, You guys sure can come up with stories.
But I like it very much。
Shen Gurong was originally embarrassed, feeling cold and sweaty all over. But seeing how easily Mu Zhe restored Shen Fengxue’s image with just a few words, he noticed a gleam in Mu Zhe’s eyes.
Truly deserving of being the protagonist.
With everything said to this extent, the members of the Zhuxie Sect, who initially had doubts, also let go of their suspicions upon hearing Mu Zhe’s explanation.
However, Wen Liubing still couldn’t let go of his doubts. He approached the table and knelt down, looking at the little phoenix. “Are you really our Master? Are you?”
Shen Gurong struggled to get up, enraged by the wing that brushed against his face.
[Look at yourself before you accuse your junior!]
Seeing this, the members of the Zhuxie Sect hurriedly pulled Wen Liubing away.
“Lord, Lord, let’s get out of the boat first.”
Wen Liubing’s face was pale, and he seemed unsteady on his feet as he was dragged away.
Leaving Shen Gurong behind, they quickly descended from the boat.
Hurriedly, Li Suo carried a dango and followed down from the pleasure boat.
On the way back to the inn, Yu Xinghe looked at Mu Zhe as he nervously played with a small piece of his clothing. “Is this spirit beast really our Master?”
Mu Zhe glanced at him. “It’s just Master’s lifebound spirit beast, infused with Master’s spiritual power.”
Li Suo added, “That’s right. Stop talking about it, Xinghe.”
Xinghe pouted in frustration and didn’t dare say anything else, nestling against Li Suo’s neck.
Because of the disturbance caused by the water demon in the Snow Night River, the Flower Festival was abruptly halted. The noisy crowd on the official road had dispersed, leaving behind a scene of scattered flowers and debris.
Li Suo carried Mu Zhe and Yu Xinghe to the inn, where Wen Liubing had already arranged rooms, conveniently next door.
After exchanging pleasantries with Li Suo and the others, they all went back to their rooms.
Shen Gurong felt utterly exhausted, as if he had just survived a life-threatening ordeal, and he fell asleep in Mu Zhe’s arms, looking limp and weary.
Once in the room, Li Suo closed the door firmly and then cast a protective barrier. Turning serious, he looked at Mu Zhe and Yu Xinghe and reminded them sternly, “What happened today must not be mentioned to anyone else. Do you understand?”
Yu Xinghe obediently nodded.
Mu Zhe remained silent for a moment before nodding as well, saying, “Yes.”
Knowing that both of them were obedient by nature, Li Suo breathed a sigh of relief silently. He patted their heads affectionately and praised, “So well-behaved.”
After spending some time with them, Li Suo got up when a knock sounded at the door. Turning to Mu Zhe, he asked, “Mu Zhe, can you lend your spirit beast to Senior Brother for a moment?”
Mu Zhe instinctively protected Shen Gurong in his arms, but this instinct lasted only a moment as rationality quickly took over.
He looked at Li Suo blankly, realizing then that the little phoenix in his arms wasn’t just any ordinary spirit beast but his master, whom he had always avoided like the plague.
Neither the spirit beast nor the master belonged to him.
Mu Zhe’s fingers trembled slightly as he forced himself to lift Shen Gurong from his embrace and silently placed him into Li Suo’s hands.
Li Suo smiled gently at him and said, “So well-behaved. Tomorrow, Senior Brother will take you both to eat candied hawthorns.”
Mu Zhe forced a smile but remained silent.
Yu Xinghe was originally feeding Xue Manzhuang. When he saw the situation, he hurriedly carried Xue Manzhuang over and tiptoed to hand him to Li Suo, his eyes sparkling with anticipation as he said, “Senior Brother, can you also borrow my spirit beast?”
Li Suo chuckled, seeing the eager expression on his face, and accepted Xue Manzhuang as well.
“Rest early,” Li Suo reminded them, before returning to the adjacent room with a red bundle in each hand.
In the room, Wei Liubing had been waiting for a while. As soon as he saw Li Suo return, he promptly and accurately took Shen Gurong from him.
He was a different person once he got off the boat, quickly recovering after a brief period of meditation. His hazy consciousness on the ferry instantly cleared up.
Wei Liubing rummaged through a storage bag and pulled out a silk cushion, respectfully placing Shen Gurong on it.
Shen Gurong was sound asleep, undisturbed by all the commotion. He let out a soft chirp, burying his head deeper into the cushion to continue his deep slumber.
Wei Liubing knelt down and stared at him for a while before turning to look at Li Suo, furrowing his brows in disgust. “What ugly thing is that in your hands?”
Li Suo: “…”
Li Suo glanced at Xue Manzhuang, then at Shen Gurong, who looked almost identical to him, and couldn’t help but wonder: Isn’t your master ugly too?
“Most likely… he’s the one responsible for turning the Sage into his current appearance, but I’m not entirely sure.”
He walked over to Xue Manzhuang, who looked bewildered, and hesitated before saying, “A few days ago, the young master of the Yao Clan, Xue Manzhuang, came to spar with the Sage. After being defeated by the Sage, he disappeared without a trace. Later, when the Sage went into seclusion, Mu Zhe found this spirit beast. After we left the mountain, we encountered this little phoenix that was being sold cheaply by the Flower and Bird Pavilion.”
He then recounted the events of the past few days to Wei Liubing in detail.
Wei Liubing stared coldly at Xue Manzhuang. “He is indeed Xue Manzhuang of the Yao Clan. I’ve seen his true form a few years ago, and there was a white mark on his forehead.”
Although he had anticipated this, Li Suo was still startled. He stared at Xue Manzhuang in his palm, feeling uncertain about what to do with him, as if he were holding a hot potato.
Wei Liubing stepped forward and rudely grabbed one of Xue Manzhuang’s wings, shaking it roughly.
Xue Manzhuang, feeling unstable from the shaking, chirped nervously upon sensing the man’s killing intent.
Wei Liubing casually examined him and frowned. “He seems to have reverted to his juvenile stage due to being overwhelmed by his own Phoenix Fire.”
Li Suo seemed to understand, his gaze shifting to the limp Shen Gurong on the cushion, his eyes flickering. “Then… the Sage…”
When Xi Guxing asked him if he had seen a small red bird before, Li Suo had a vague idea of what was going on, but he didn’t dwell on it much – after all, the idea of the revered Sage of the Liren Peak being assimilated by the Yao Clan into a demon was so outrageous that even the most audacious stories wouldn’t dare to portray it this way.
Recalling the behavior of the chubby bird over the past two days, if it were just an ordinary spirit beast, Li Suo would find its antics adorable and endearing. But if it were related to Shen Fengxue…
Li Suo suddenly shivered, but his lips couldn’t help but curl up into a smile.
“No, I can’t laugh,” Li Suo tightly held onto the palm, exerting all his restraint to suppress the curling of his lips. “Xue Manzhuang has regressed to infancy, and if the Sage has been assimilated, then he must have lost his consciousness as well. It’s all because of Xue Manzhuang, the Sage hasn’t…”
A suppressed chuckle escaped.
Wen Liubing didn’t pay attention to Li Suo’s odd behavior and continued, “There’s phoenix energy inside the Master, assimilated by the Yao Clan into this form. Now Xue Manzhuang can’t use any energy and can’t extract it either. We can only return to the Liren Peak and ask the Fifth Senior Martial Uncle if he can help.”
Li Suo forced back his smile and asked, “The Fifth Senior Martial Uncle? Isn’t he in seclusion?”
“Just hibernation,” Wen Liubing sneered as he casually tossed Xue Manzhuang to Li Suo, adding, “It’s already spring, he should be awake by now.”
Li Suo caught Xue Manzhuang, who complained pitifully and rubbed his teary eyes against Li Suo’s palm.
Li Suo shuddered again, feeling both horrified and terrified as he stroked Xue Manzhuang’s head.
Being able to stroke the esteemed bird head of the Yao Clan’s young master was something Li Suo had never imagined in his life. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Li Suo continued to stroke with even more vigor.
Wen Liubing wasn’t as disrespectful as Li Suo. Even though Shen Gurong had taken on this soft and vulnerable appearance, Wen Liubing still respected him, holding no disrespect or mockery in his heart.
Xue Manzhuang grew annoyed by the stroking, struggling to fly out of Li Suo’s palm and timidly settling next to Shen Gurong.
Wen Liubing sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Shen Gurong to wake up. He cast a cold glance at Xue Manzhuang, his eyes spelling out four words – “Red-cooked Phoenix.”
The little phoenix trembled in fear, seeking comfort instinctively as it snuggled close to Shen Gurong.
“Chirp, chirp!”
[Fengxue! Beauty! Help!]
Xue Manzhuang’s cries were so sharp and desperate that they managed to wake up the seemingly unshakeable Shen Gurong.
Still half-asleep, Shen Gurong raised his wing and, without even opening his eyes, swatted Xue Manzhuang away with a single motion.
Xue Manzhuang let out a squawk as he was sent flying to the side.
Without even sparing a glance at him, Wen Liubing acknowledged Shen Gurong’s awakening with a nod. “Master.”
Shen Gurong stretched his wings and rubbed his eyes, looking up in confusion at the sound.
Wen Liubing’s face, magnified several times, suddenly appeared in front of him, nearly startling Shen Gurong out of his feathers.
He flapped his wings forward, causing Wen Liubing to take a half-step back, nodding respectfully. “Sanshui acknowledges his mistake.”
Shen Gurong immediately jumped up and chirped at him.
[Don’t call me Master, you’ve been expelled from the sect!]
Wen Liubing interpreted his master’s meaning to himself, “Master means ‘no harm done,’ right?”
Shen Gurong: “…”
This senior disciple, his brain probably isn’t working too well.
Shen Gurong bounced around for a moment before realizing that Wen Liubing seemed to really believe that this little chubby bird was Shen Fengxue.
Thinking of this, Shen Gurong immediately played dead on the ground.
Fortunately, now there were only Li Suo and Wen Liubing in the room. If there were another scene like earlier, Shen Gurong would probably be utterly embarrassed.
He never expected that one day his thick-skinned nature would be of no use, and just a few glances could render him speechless.
Wen Liubing asked a few more questions, but seeing Shen Gurong remaining silent, he had to stop.
Li Suo chimed in, “The Sage must be tired.”
Wen Liubing nodded, unabashedly lifting the cushion, stating, “Yes, I’ll take him back to my place to rest.”
Li Suo hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly called out to him, “Senior Brother Sanshui.”
Wen Liubing turned around, “Yes?”
Li Suo continued, “The Sage is still technically Mu Zhe’s spirit beast, so you…”
Wen Liubing frowned, “The Dongting Water Demon has not been subdued yet. With the Sage in this state, he is vulnerable to danger. What can that kid achieve with his cultivation level?”
Li Suo was somewhat perplexed.
Wen Liubing casually tossed a storage bag to Li Suo, saying, “Give this to Mu Zhe. He can pick whatever he wants from inside.”
With that, he took Shen Gurong and left in long strides.
Li Suo stood there, speechless.
As Shen Gurong was taken away by Wen Liubing, he initially grumbled but fell silent as soon as they arrived at Wen Liubing’s residence.
Wen Liubing, as the leader of the Zhuxie, was wealthy and generous. He had even set up a small gathering formation on the table in the inn using spirit stones. With great respect, he placed Shen Gurong inside.
Since inhabiting Shen Fengxue’s body, Shen Gurong had always felt uncomfortable, as if his spiritual veins were dried up like a well in a drought. However, this was the first time he experienced the surging sensation of spiritual energy, akin to waves in the sea.
Countless streams of spiritual energy filled his desolate spiritual veins like refreshing raindrops, gradually replenishing them. The slow-flowing spiritual energy was instantly activated and swiftly circulated along his meridians.
This sensation was even more exhilarating than when he absorbed the phoenix’s spiritual energy.
Shen Gurong immediately surrendered to the gathering formation, comfortably lying on the soft cushion, reveling in the refreshing feeling of spiritual energy cleansing his body.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Wen Liubing meditated, a talisman glowing softly on his forehead.
Deeper into the night, the silence enveloped everything.
Shen Gurong didn’t know when he had drifted off to sleep. When he became conscious again, his body was gently swaying, his feet not finding solid ground, as if floating on the surface of water.
He blinked in confusion, looking around.
For some reason, he found himself on a flat boat in the Snowy Night River. All around him was a vast expanse of white mist, with just faint glimpses of the densely packed boats not far away.
Shen Gurong tilted his head, realizing belatedly that he was currently in his human form.
“Am I dreaming?”
As he pondered, Shen Gurong pinched himself.
Hmm, no pain. Definitely a dream.
But in the dream, could he be so aware of himself dreaming?
Shen Gurong was still puzzled when he suddenly heard a distant scream.
The silence was shattered by the piercing scream, sounding like the wails of the damned souls on the road to the underworld, causing Shen Gurong to shiver instinctively.
Abruptly, the scream ceased, replaced by the sound of a splash as something fell into the water, creating ripples that rocked the boat Shen Gurong was on, causing it to sway slightly.
Shen Gurong’s mind was vividly imaginative, and just from those two sounds, he automatically conjured up a scenario of murder and disposal, scaring himself silly.
Instinctively, he wanted to paddle the boat towards the shore, but then he remembered he was dreaming.
It was all fake, and whether he fled or not wouldn’t matter, as he would eventually wake up.
Shen Gurong sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, waiting for the dream to end, but the longer he waited, the more uneasy he felt.
Initially, the first scream seemed distant, and the ripples from the splash took a while to reach his side of the boat. However, in less than a moment, the second scream echoed through.
Then came the third, and the fourth.
Moreover, the sounds were getting closer to him, and the intervals between the splash and the ripples reaching Shen Gurong’s boat were becoming shorter.
It was as if… someone was gradually approaching him.
Shen Gurong couldn’t care less about whether it was a dream or not anymore. Instinctively, he wanted to flee, but after searching the entire boat, he couldn’t find the oars. He had no choice but to extend one hand and paddle desperately on his own.
After exerting himself for a while, the boat didn’t budge an inch.
Shen Gurong: “…”
Exhausted and weary, Shen Gurong gave up.
Just then, another scream, this time much closer.
But this time, it seemed different from before because after the splash, a gloomy voice suddenly spoke out.
“A pair of eyes.”
“I just want a pair of eyes.”
“Nowhere to be found…”
Shen Gurong: “…”
If Shen Gurong were still in his phoenix form, he would probably be bristling with feathers.
He recognized the voice; it was the water demon he had seen in the water during the day!
Shen Gurong nearly lost his breath, struggling as he was about to jump into the water to escape, but his rationality returned just in time.
The water demon…
Wouldn’t it be easier to catch him in the water?
Another nearby scream echoed, and the water demon whispered, “I can’t use these eyes either.”
Shen Gurong: “…”
Had this water demon been capturing people to try and use their eyes for itself?
Shen Gurong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, growing increasingly horrified with each passing moment.
Frozen in place, on the brink of despair, his boat dipped slightly, water trickling in to dampen Shen Gurong’s ankles.
It felt like someone was clinging to the boat’s edge.
Shen Gurong nearly jumped up, then spun around to see someone standing at the stern of his boat.
It was Mu Zhe.
Shen Gurong: “???”
Mu Zhe appeared out of nowhere, his face filled with confusion as he stood there, seemingly unsure of where he was.
Looking at him in bewilderment, perhaps still harboring some fear, Mu Zhe instinctively took a step back.
Shen Gurong’s pupils contracted, and he quickly stepped forward, grabbing Mu Zhe’s slender wrist and pulling him into his embrace.
Mu Zhe’s eyes widened in shock as he looked at him.
Taking a deep breath, Shen Gurong, although unsure why Mu Zhe was here, felt relieved to have someone familiar by his side, at least alleviating some of his previous anxiety.
Shen Gurong pretended to be calm and cautioned, “Be careful.”
Mu Zhe stiffened all over and nodded vaguely.
The water demon continued to dig eyes, its voice getting closer and closer.
Mu Zhe, very smart, understood from the sound and the demon’s words what they were about to encounter.
He trembled all over, full of fear, and was about to approach Shen Gurong for a sense of security when he heard Shen Gurong’s voice in his mind.
[AHHHH! Mother! I want to go home!]
[Please don’t kill me! I’m just blind, even if you dig out my eyes, you won’t be able to see anything!]
[I’m afraid, afraid, afraid.]
Mu Zhe: “…”
Suddenly, Mu Zhe wasn’t afraid anymore.
In this eerie environment of life and death uncertainty, Mu Zhe felt the urge to laugh.
He noticed his master’s hands trembling slightly in his sleeves, but his face still held a cold and dignified expression. Mu Zhe pursed his lips, slowly raised his small hand, and gently grabbed Shen Gurong’s cold and sweaty palm.
Shen Gurong was startled, he lowered his head to look at Mu Zhe, seeing his pale face, he bent down and whispered softly, “Are you scared?”
Mu Zhe thought to himself, it’s actually you who’s more scared.
Shen Gurong held his hand back, pulling him closer, comforting him, “Don’t be afraid, Master is here.”
Mu Zhe tilted his head slightly, it was the first time he saw someone who, despite being clearly frightened, still tried to comfort others.
For some reason, all of Mu Zhe’s resentment and grudges towards Shen Fengxue seemed to vanish in an instant.
He clasped Shen Gurong’s arms with both hands, nodding, and said, “Hmm.”
Feeling the soft touch on his arms, Shen Gurong suddenly felt energized.
[What are you hesitating for! You are the Sage Shen, the number one figure in the Three Realms! If you can’t even protect a child, then that title is not worth having,] Shen Gurong thought to himself, “[Being called the number one beauty in the Three Realms wouldn’t be bad though.]
Mu Zhe: “…”
Mu Zhe couldn’t help but feel tender towards his Master, who appeared cold and aloof on the outside but was actually quite hesitant and timid inside. He finally understood why all the senior brothers and sisters at the Liren Peak treated his Master with such care.
While the two of them trembled together, a dilapidated wooden boat slowly drifted through the vast white mist.
The boat looked like it hadn’t been repaired for years, its hull decayed and battered, as if a gentle breeze could blow it apart.
A man dressed in black stood on the boat, his seaweed-like long hair covering the entire stern of the boat, trailing into the water, creating ripples as it moved.
Shen Gurong’s pupils contracted, and he pulled Mu Zhe into his arms, lifting a hand to cover his eyes.
Mu Zhe felt the warmth of his body and was reminded of the sensation of the little phoenix in his palm.
The water demon’s eyes were glazed over, like Shen Gurong, he was blind. He slowly emerged from the mist, propelling the boat with an oar. Both his hands were covered in dripping blood, which slowly dripped down the oar.
Shen Gurong tightly sealed his lips, afraid that if he spoke, his soul might leave his body.
Unlike the playful specter from before, this was a real demon.
As the water demon approached, he tilted his head slightly and frowned. “Are you the phoenix who can transfer souls?”
He spoke, then contradicted himself: “No, you are a human cultivator.”
Shen Gurong, maintaining Shen Fengxue’s cold demeanor, replied indifferently, “So what if I am?”
The water demon didn’t answer, but asked again, “Are you Shen Fengxue?”
Shen Gurong’s pupils constricted.
The water demon had a strange appearance and a sinister aura, but surprisingly, he spoke reasonably: “I don’t want to be enemies with human cultivators. If you are not Shen Fengxue, I will let you go.”
Shen Gurong: “…”
Shen Fengxue actually had a grudge with this person?
Could things get any worse?
Shen Gurong pretended to be calm: “So what if I am Shen Fengxue?”
The water demon frowned slightly: “Why do you humans always speak in such a cryptic manner? When asked a question, just answer it. Why do you always like to reply with another question?”
Shen Gurong: “…”
Shen Gurong was taken aback by being called cryptic for the first time, feeling quite annoyed.
[Can’t you see I’m just being straightforward?! You ghostly thing with no foresight.]
Mu Zhe pursed his lips, leaning against Shen Gurong, unable to help the corners of his mouth from lifting slightly.
Perhaps the water demon was intimidated by the shadow cast by Wen Liubing and didn’t dare to act recklessly against human cultivators. He said, “I’ve been trapped in Dongting for thirty years, and all this plight I’m in now is thanks to Shen Fengxue. What do you think I would do to him if I caught him?”
Shen Gurong: “…”
So it’s like this.
Shen Gurong said calmly, “Well, that’s unfortunate. Although my surname is Shen, my name is Gurong.”
In any case, you continue your search for Shen Fengxue, and I, Shen Gurong, will take my leave!
Mu Zhe: “…”
Mu Zhe chuckled softly.
The water demon remarked, “Shen Gurong, what a good name.”
Shen Gurong shamelessly nodded, “Indeed.”
Mu Zhe: “…”
Why are they still talking?
True to his word, the water demon lifted his oar and struck Shen Gurong’s small boat.
Just then, Shen Gurong’s boat lurched again, and a fiery figure appeared out of nowhere on the boat.
It was Xue Manzhuang, now in his humanoid form.
Shen Gurong: “…”
Waterdemon: “…”
Even the water demon couldn’t fathom why he was only making eye contact with Shen Gurong, but now there were suddenly two extra people on the boat.
The boat could only accommodate two people at most, and even slight movements could capsize it, let alone adding another adult.
Everyone looked bewildered.
Xue Manzhuang, even in human form, still looked childish. He looked around in confusion, but his gaze finally settled firmly on Shen Gurong, his eyes lighting up.
Shen Gurong: “…”
Suddenly, Shen Gurong’s face filled with fear as an ominous premonition surged through his mind.
“Xue Manzhuang, you… you wouldn’t, right?”
In the next moment, Xue Manzhuang joyfully called out his name: “Fengxue! Beauty! Love!”
Shen Gurong: “…”
Water Demon: “…”
Shen Gurong was about to cover Xue Manzhuang’s mouth at the first opportunity, but he was too late. He watched in horror as Xue Manzhuang joyfully called out his name.
Shen Gurong’s face was filled with despair as he cautiously glanced at the Water de,pm.
It seemed that the Water Demon had just knocked on their boat with the pole. The surrounding fog was slowly dissipating, making it difficult to see the Water Demon’s face and the boat clearly.
Only the eerie sound of his voice could be heard emanating from the thick fog.
“Shen Fengxue, you actually deceived me.”
“It doesn’t matter, Shen Shengjun. The pain I’ve endured for thirty years will be repaid to you one day.”
“Just wait for me.”
“We will meet again soon.”
“Shen Fengxue—”
Shen Gurong jolted awake, emitting a sharp “chirp” and nearly tumbling out of the gathering spirit array.
Hearing the noise, Wen Liubing immediately turned over and strode forward, kneeling on one knee. “Master, what’s the matter?”
Shen Gurong was thoroughly frightened. Initially, he thought it was just a nightmare. But when he looked down, he noticed a damp spot on his small paw for no apparent reason. The scent of the water stain matched the aroma of the river from his dream.
Shen Gurong couldn’t care less about anything else at that moment. Frantically flapping his wings, he looked at his seemingly powerful disciple.
“Chirp chirp chirp!”
He gestured frantically, struggling to make Wen Liubing understand his meaning.
Wen Liubing attempted to comprehend. “Master is saying about the boat ride you mentioned earlier, you still want to go tomorrow?”
Shen Gurong remained silent for a moment.
“Chirp—”
[You’re expelled from the sect!]
Perhaps it was because Shen Gurong’s cry was too mournful that Li Suo from next door furrowed his brows and knocked on Wen Liubing’s door.
“Senior Brother, what happened to the Sage?”
Wen Liubing: “I don’t understand.”
Li Suo walked over, and Shen Gurong gestured at him for a while.
Anyway, both Li Suo and Wen Liubing felt that he had now been assimilated into a phoenix by Xue Manzhuang, and his sanity wasn’t very high. So they simply let go of themselves. After all, now that life was about to end, what did face matter?
Upon waking from the nightmare, the words of the water demon, murmuring as if by the ear, felt like spells urging him towards death. Shen Gurong feared being dragged back into the world of the water demon.
Considering the deep enmity between the water demon and Shen Fengxue, Shen Gurong, who would end up bearing the blame for no reason, didn’t know what kind of torture he would face.
Li Suo tried hard to identify for a while, then suddenly realized and exclaimed, “Ah!”
Shen Gurong looked at him expectantly.
Li Suo said, “I completely don’t understand.”
Shen Gurong: “…”
[You’ve also been expelled from the sect! I’m here to expel on behalf of the Sect Leader Senior Brother!]
Shen Gurong was so exhausted that he couldn’t even convey what he wanted to say to them, and he was so frustrated that he was sticking his tongue out.
Just then, there was another knock on the door from outside.
Li Suo went to open it and saw Mu Zhe standing there neatly dressed, slightly tilting his head, with a complex expression on his face.
Li Suo asked softly, “What’s wrong? It’s so late already why aren’t you sleeping?”
Mu Zhe hesitated for a moment before whispering, “Senior brother, my spirit beast…”
Li Suo paused for a moment, then spoke even more softly, “I’m sorry, Mu Zhe. Could you lend Senior Brother one more night? I’ll return it to you when we return to the Liren Peak, okay?”
Mu Zhe pursed his lips, hesitated repeatedly, and then said, “But I heard it calling for me, so I came to check.”
Li Suo was taken aback and asked in surprise, “You can understand what it’s saying?”
Mu Zhe nodded.
Upon hearing this, Li Suo immediately pulled him inside.
Li Suo was full of anticipation and said to Mu Zhe, “Listen and see, what is it saying now?”
Wen Liubing furrowed his brows, thinking that this child might be seeking attention. How could there be human cultivators who could understand the true words of the Yao cultivators? Unless he was also a Yao cultivator.
Shen Gurong grumbled angrily, feeling a bit dejected, and was now lying on the cushion, muttering curses.
Mu Zhe was taken aback, looking at Li Suo with difficulty expressing his thoughts.
Li Suo encouraged him, saying, “It’s okay, just say it. It’s okay if you’re wrong.”
Mu Zhe took a gentle breath before speaking softly.
“He says, ‘I want to expel Wen Liubing from the sect, the same goes for Li Suo, none of you can escape.'” Mu Zhe dutifully conveyed Shen Gurong’s words, “He also said, ‘I’m going to be dragged into the water by the water demon and be eaten, and yet you still want me to board the big ship?’ ‘I’m so angry, I’m so angry.'”
Wen Liubing: “…”
Li Suo: “…”
Finally, Shen Gurong, who had come to his senses: “…”
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