Mu Zhe had originally intended to test the waters, but seeing Shen Feng Xue's reaction, he roughly estimated what was going on.
He said softly, "Mu Zhe was being rude," and raised his hand to reach towards the icy depths of Shen Feng Xue's eyes.
This ordinary gesture, however, startled Shen Feng Xue, causing him to recoil backward, exclaiming in astonishment, "Insolence!"
Mu Zhe had never felt afraid when Shen Gurong used the word "insolence" in his usual domineering manner; on the contrary, he found his blustering yet cowardly appearance exceptionally endearing.
But with Shen Feng Xue's soft shout, Mu Zhe's hand froze in place, afraid to reach forward any further.
Only after speaking did Shen Feng Xue realize his slip of the tongue. He turned his head, biting his lip, and whispered, "Mu Zhe, what do you want to do?"
Mu Zhe maintained his outstretched hand and answered truthfully, "I want to see your eyes."
Shen Feng Xue abruptly closed his eyelashes, saying, "What is there to see in the eyes of a blind person?"
His resistance was so strong that Mu Zhe had no choice but to withdraw his hand, saying softly, "Mu Zhe has offended you, Your Majesty, please forgive me."
The word "Your Majesty" struck Shen Feng Xue like a heavy blow. His body swayed slightly, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Enough..."
His voice was too soft for Mu Zhe to hear clearly. He stood respectfully behind Shen Feng Xue and said, "The Sect Leader and Senior Uncle are not wrong."
"Xianzhou is the territory of demonic cultivators. Although your cultivation is only half a step away from becoming a saint, the fog barrier at the outer reaches of Xianzhou can devour one's cultivation. A slight misstep, and you'll die within the fog before even entering Xianzhou."
Just now, Xi Guxing and Jing Zhuchen's attempts to persuade Shen Feng Xue were futile, but hearing the same words from Mu Zhe's mouth, Shen Feng Xue's eyes flickered, as if he had taken them to heart.
He slightly tilted his head, his eyes lowered, perhaps not wanting Mu Zhe to see his eyes.
"I just want..."
"I know," Mu Zhe said softly, "Li Genglan certainly deserves to die, but he's not worth you taking such a great risk."
Shen Feng Xue's eyelashes trembled slightly.
Mu Zhe stepped forward, kneeling on one knee before Shen Feng Xue. He tilted his head slightly, lowered his voice, and said, "Holy Lord..."
Perhaps sensing Shen Feng Xue's dislike of him addressing him as Holy Lord, Mu Zhe hesitated before changing his address, saying, "If Master trusts me, please entrust this to me, okay?"
Shen Feng Xue was taken aback, then asked in surprise, "You're going to Xianzhou?"
Mu Zhe nodded, "Yes, I will kill Li Genglan for you."
"No." Shen Feng Xue immediately said coldly, "Xianzhou is treacherous, and Li Genglan is cunning. You are no match for him."
Mu Zhe chuckled softly upon hearing this, then said, "Then I will find a way for you to enter Xianzhou. We can go together, and you can deal with him, is that alright?"
Shen Feng Xue still didn't want to involve him, and firmly said, "No."
Mu Zhe said, "Master, I am no longer a child."
Shen Feng Xue was stubborn, and no matter how Mu Zhe pleaded, he wouldn't budge.
Finally, after hesitating for a long time, Mu Zhe suddenly asked, "Master, are you so kind to me because I am the reincarnation of your deceased friend?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Feng Xue was unusually stunned.
"I must have died from a plague in my past life," Mu Zhe said. "And yet, you were so kind to me for no apparent reason when I was young. Is it because..."
"No," Shen Feng Xue suddenly said.
Mu Zhe was taken aback.
Shen Feng Xue's lips trembled. He murmured, "No, I didn't want to atone for my sins..."
"I just wanted to save him..."
"The Heavenly Dao... the Records of the Capital..."
Shen Feng Xue spoke words that Mu Zhe couldn't understand, his voice growing softer and softer until it was barely a whisper.
Mu Zhe hesitated for a moment, about to speak, when he saw Shen Feng Xue's body sway slightly, then suddenly fall forward. Mu Zhe was startled and quickly reached out to catch him.
Shen Feng Xue had already fallen asleep, his silk robe drooping slightly, revealing the slightly red corners of his eyes.
Mu Zhe carried him to the bed and went out to Fanjiang Residence.
Xi Guxing and Jing Zhuchen, who were waiting outside, both looked at him.
Xi Guxing asked anxiously, "How is he? What...what did he say?"
Mu Zhe said, "He's asleep."
Xi Guxing was taken aback: "Asleep?"
Jing Zhuchen said thoughtfully, "Has he regained his senses? That's good."
Mu Zhe wasn't sure, but even though Xi Guxing disliked him, he could only reluctantly hold his nose and let him believe him.
Mu Zhe nodded in agreement.
A light drizzle of rain fell from the sky, and soon the rain on the eaves was like beads falling from a broken string.
Mu Zhe sat on a wooden chair in the corridor, stroking the wooden beads in his hand while staring blankly at the rain.
Was Shen Feng Xue's aversion to others touching the ice silk a way of concealing something? For example… the demonic eyes of the inner demon?
His little master was utterly naive and innocent, probably still unaware of why he had come to this world, and what he said… that Shen Feng Xue would send him home—he had no idea if it was true or not.
As he was lost in thought, a voice suddenly came from inside the room: “Stop fighting! Stop fighting!”
Mu Zhe: “…”
He recognized the voice instantly; his little master had returned.
Mu Zhe didn’t even want to go through the door; he simply climbed in through the window and rushed to the bedside, pulling the flailing Shen Gurong into his arms.
Shen Gurong was still half asleep, still calling out with his eyes closed, “Let’s talk this out, don’t fight.”
Mu Zhe’s eyes were already a little sore, and he almost laughed out loud at this.
Shen Gurong was a bit fussy before finally waking up.
He rubbed his eyes, looking blankly at Mu Zhe, and mumbled, "Mu Zhe?"
Mu Zhe tidied his messy white hair, then straightened the ice silk, and nodded, "Yes, it's me."
Shen Gurong was helped off the bed by Mu Zhe to change his clothes, and asked, "What happened just now? Three swords were fighting?"
Mu Zhe smiled.
So Shen Gurong's earlier "Stop fighting!" was referring to Lin Xia Chun and the others. He nodded, "Yes, the Duan Jing Sword and the Azure Scale Sword were fighting Lin Xia Chun."
Shen Gurong tilted his head, thinking for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise, "Lin Xia Chun? It came out of the Burial Mound?"
That means… Li Genglan also came out?
Shen Gurong quickly asked, "Did Li Genglan run away too?"
Mu Zhe nodded, and seeing that Shen Feng Xue didn't seem to intend to recklessly rush to Xianzhou anymore, he silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Before he could even catch his breath, Shen Gurong snatched the outer robe from his hands. The hem arced through the air before landing hastily on Shen Gurong's thin shoulder. He urged, "What are you standing there for?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Zhe immediately obediently reached out to hug Shen Gurong.
Before his hands even touched him, he heard Shen Gurong say, "Hurry up and go to Xianzhou to kill that stupid beast!"
Mu Zhe: "..."
His little master's insults were still so unconventional.
Mu Zhe sighed helplessly, withdrawing his hands, and said, "Xianzhou isn't easy to get into."
Shen Gurong asked in confusion, "So?"
Mu Zhe patiently answered, "So we can't go for now."
Shen Gurong looked at him strangely, "But if we stay on Liren Peak and wait, will we be able to easily enter Xianzhou later?"
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe was speechless for a moment.
"What's the point of just standing here staring and saying we can't get into Xianzhou?" Shen Gurong hastily fastened his clothes and casually said, "Whether we can get in or not, we'll only know once we get to Xianzhou."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe was horrified, because he suddenly realized that what his master said actually made a lot of sense!
Shen Gurong, now fully dressed, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Going?"
Mu Zhe immediately forgot Xi Guxing's task of stopping his master from going to Xianzhou and nodded, "Going."
When Xi Guxing found out, he almost spat out blood again. He roared, "You're not allowed to go! How many times have I told you?! And you, Mu Zhe! I told you to stop him, and you're messing around with him too?!"
Shen Gurong was rendered timid by Xi Guxing's scolding, but Mu Zhe remained calm.
He said, "Master is right. Even if we stay on Liren Peak, there won't be any trouble in Xianzhou."
"Why change things? It would only give Li Genglan a chance to recuperate. That's not right."
Hearing someone agree with him, Shen Gurong feigned composure and said calmly, "Exactly."
Xi Guxing didn't believe them: "You're definitely going there to your deaths! You're not allowed to go!"
Shen Gurong looked at him strangely: "Senior brother, I'm not stupid. How could I knowingly rush into danger to my death?"
Xi Guxing: "..."
Xi Guxing paused for a moment before frowning and asking, "What did you call me?"
Shen Gurong: "Oh, oh, oh,"
"Sect Leader."
Xi Guxing: "..."
Get lost!! Xi Guxing knew that Shen Eleven would become a completely different person when it came to Li Genglan, but seeing him acting normally again, he felt relieved this time.
Xi Guxing said firmly, "Anyway, you can't go. Your spiritual power is bound by Master; you can't even leave Liren Peak."
Shen Gurong tugged at the red rope around his wrist and said calmly, "Why don't you just ask Master to untie it?"
Xi Guxing scoffed, "Do you think Master will be easily swayed?"
A moment later, Xi Guxing's face was expressionless, and he almost spat out blood from jealousy.
Nan Yangjun actually untied the Spirit-Binding Rope for him!
Xi Guxing: "Master! You said before..."
Nan Yangjun replied, "He has regained his senses and won't willingly die."
Xi Guxing: "But..."
"Let him go," Nan Yangjun said softly, "After all these years, it's time to settle things."
***
Shen Gurong had only been back at Liren Peak for less than a day when he had to set off for Xianzhou again. Fortunately, cultivators could travel a thousand miles a day, unlike mortals who had to travel back and forth, so he didn't feel tired.
As Shen Gurong was about to leave, Lou Bugui finally realized what was happening. He dragged the bewildered Shen Gurong to the Wind and Rain Pool, which was filled with poisonous mist, and excitedly exclaimed like a child showing off a treasure, "Look, Eleven! Look, Eleven, look!"
Eleven looked, but all he saw was the endless poisonous mist of Soul Separation.
Shen Gurong said helplessly, "Senior Brother, you've been researching Soul Separation again? If it were Master Brother, he would definitely scold you."
Lou Bugui's eyes were shining: "I'm not afraid of being scolded, Eleven! Soul Separation can finally be used! Eleven, Eleven!"
He seemed extremely excited, constantly calling out "Eleven" unconsciously.
Shen Gurong knew that Lou Bugui wasn't very bright, so he could only appease him for now and deal with it again after returning from Xianzhou.
"Good, Senior Brother is truly amazing! After so many years of research, you've finally mastered the Soul Separation technique!"
Lou Bugui, oblivious to the perfunctory tone, thought Shen Gurong was genuinely praising him. His eyes brightened, and he tugged at Shen Gurong's sleeve, urging, "Use it on Eleventh."
"Use it?" Shen Gurong was somewhat embarrassed. "No, no, I don't want to be stupid for another three days."
Lou Bugui hurriedly said, "No, you won't be stupid. I've thoroughly researched it. Soul Separation can extract your inner demons."
"Inner demons?" Shen Gurong frowned. "I don't have any inner demons."
Lou Bugui was almost in tears: "Eleventh, use it!"
Shen Gurong finally realized something was wrong with Lou Bugui.
Ten years ago, Lou Bugui seemed obsessed with researching Soul Separation, always eager to throw himself into it. And now…
Shen Gurong tried to ask, “Senior brother, what’s wrong with you? Why are you so fixated on Soul Separation?”
Lou Bugui looked up at him blankly, two lines of tears slowly sliding down his cheeks. He urged urgently, “If Eleven uses Soul Separation, he can completely return to the original Eleven. Senior brother… Senior brother doesn’t want you to have inner demons. Soul Separation can peel away your inner demons, it’s true, I’ve been researching it for a hundred years…”
Lou Bugui spoke, then realized he was crying. He touched his face in confusion, looking at the tears on his fingertips, and asked Shen Gurong in bewilderment, “What is this?”
Lou Bugui was so foolish that he didn’t even know what his own tears were, yet he still cared about Soul Separation.
A hundred years—would anyone really waste a hundred years on something useless?
Shen Gurong's heart suddenly pounded. He grasped Lou Bugui's hand and softly asked, "Senior Brother, what exactly is this inner demon you speak of?"
Lou Bugui looked at him blankly, then asked, "Aren't you going to use it?"
Shen Gurong replied, "I don't have an inner demon; using it would be a waste."
Lou Bugui was taken aback. "Are you still blaming me?"
Shen Gurong chuckled. Where did that come from?
Lou Bugui's mind seemed to have been poisoned and dulled. He was already difficult to communicate with on ordinary days, and now, his incoherent speech made it even more incomprehensible.
The Daoist Contract flew over from a short distance and landed on Shen Gurong's shoulder. Mu Zhe urged him on.
Shen Gurong said, "I'll go right away."
He patted Lou Bugui's shoulder and said, "Senior Brother, I'll go to Xianzhou first, and we'll talk when I get back, okay?"
Lou Bugui stared blankly at him, then nodded instinctively.
Shen Gurong smiled slightly, and just as he was about to turn and leave, Lou Bugui seemed to realize something and suddenly said, "Eleven."
Shen Gurong turned around: "Hmm?"
"I don't know..." Lou Bugui murmured.
Shen Gurong didn't hear clearly: "What?"
Lou Bugui seemed possessed, tears streaming down his face: "I didn't know it was the plague."
Shen Gurong was stunned.
Plague?
Lou Bugui murmured, "My senior brother asked me to make that poison for him. I didn't know it was the plague from Youzhou."
Shen Gurong tilted his head slightly. Senior brother? Plague?
What was Lou Bugui saying?
As he spoke, Lou Bugui raised his hand and used all his spiritual power to compress the poisonous mist that had lingered over the Wind and Rain Pool for over a decade, finally condensing it into a black bead the size of a fingertip.
He held the bead out to Shen Gurong, his childlike eyes, still misty with tears, looking at him expectantly.
"Here you go," Lou Bugui said. "Without your inner demons, Eleven will still be the same Eleven as before, okay?" He blinked slightly, and two more tears fell.
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