Just when Shen Gurong felt he had already embarrassed himself enough, something even more humiliating would happen, catching him completely off guard.
Awkward.
The entire Feilu was more awkward than ever before; even the usually cheerful Yu Xinghe didn't dare to breathe.
Sanshui was still respectfully saying, "This disciple received the sect leader's order a few days ago to bring back the spiritual medicine prepared by my master from Xianyun City. The journey was delayed by a day due to the pursuit of the Dongting Lake water ghost; 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 glutinous rice cake he had just dropped, still dangling from his cheek fur from his earlier struggles. His appearance was endearingly clumsy, completely different from the aloof and sage-like figure everyone knew.
His face was filled with despair; he only wanted to jump out the window and into the lake, to end it all.
The members of the Zhuxie Clan were the first to react, rushing forward to support the swaying Wen Liubing: "My lord, my lord, that was just a spirit pet! You've mistaken it for something else! Let's disembark first."
Wen Liubing was dizzy and lightheaded, his mind completely blank.
His only thought now was to disembark with his master and find a place to clear his stomach; he had no spare brain to think about anything else.
For example, why his master had turned into a phoenix.
"It's not important," Wen Liubing thought dazedly. "Whatever my master does, he has his reasons. As his disciple, I shouldn't presume to comment."
He brushed aside Zhuxie's support and slightly raised his head to look at Shen Gurong, saying, "Master?"
His tone was full of doubt, as if wondering why his master hadn't spoken.
Shen Gurong almost ground his teeth to powder, inwardly wishing he could expel him from the sect, but outwardly feigning ignorance, he tilted his head and obediently chirped.
It truly looked like a spirit pet that hadn't yet developed sentience.
The only way to deal with this awkward situation was to play dumb, giving them the illusion that "the aloof and unattainable Shen Feng Xue wouldn't act this way," thus escaping their predicament.
A Zhuxie disciple tried to persuade him again: "My lord, you're truly confused..."
Wen Liubing suddenly turned around, giving him a sharp look, and coldly said: "Even if I'm confused, I wouldn't mistake my master."
The Zhuxie disciple was taken aback, turning his head to exchange a glance with his companion.
Indeed, Zhuxie had only been established for a short twenty years, and Wen Liubing had risen from an insignificant Golden Core cultivator to become the leader of countless cultivators across the Nine Provinces and Three Realms through ruthless methods.
Over the years, his decisions had never been wrong, let alone such a foolish act as mistaking his master.
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, then looked at the little phoenix, its head tilted as it pecked at its food, its face blank with confusion. They struggled for a long time, unable to reconcile this chubby little bird, its feathers covered in sesame seeds from pecking, with the aloof and noble Lord Shen.
Seeing Wen Liubing's serious expression, devoid of any hint of jest, they gritted their teeth and, after much hesitation, followed suit with a bow.
"Greetings, Lord Shen."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Get lost, you lot!!!
Shen Gurong had initially thought he could get away with it, but now, even more people believed him.
Li Suo and Yu Xinghe stared at him in horror, their expressions more terrifying than if they had seen a ghost.
Li Suo's pale lips trembled slightly: "This... Lord Shen? No, impossible..."
He instinctively denied it, but quickly regained his composure. His unwavering trust in Wen Liubing made him almost stop thinking, and he hastily bowed to Shen Gurong.
Shen Gurong: "..."
The situation was almost out of control.
A deathly silence fell over the entire Feilu. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts, their hearts churning with turmoil, but their faces remained impassive.
Shen Gurong took a deep breath and, under everyone's gaze, casually hopped onto the window sill.
"Chirp!"
I'll die first!
Mu Zhe: "..."
He flapped one wing and leaped into the lake. Mu Zhe rushed to help him.
But just as Shen Gurong jumped, the pleasure boat suddenly docked, and the second-floor window swept past the branches of the shore, slamming shut with a "bang."
Shen Gurong crashed headfirst into the window sill, his body jolting back, bouncing twice on the ground before landing beside Mu Zhe.
He stopped moving.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Everyone: "..."
Shen Gurong's inner collapse was like a flood bursting its banks; he simply closed his eyes and pretended to be dead.
Heaven is unjust! Unjust! Someone, kill me with one blow! Even a bolt of lightning will do!
Where's that water ghost? Come quick, come eat me!
Shen Feng Xue, your lifelong reputation is ruined…
Mu Zhe: “…”
The members of the demon slaying clan were startled; their previously firm belief that “this bird is indeed the Holy Lord” crumbled once more.
Wen Liubing strode forward and slammed his hand on the table. The force was so great that even Shen Gurong, who was lying on the table pretending to be dead, was jolted.
Wen Liubing shouted sharply, “Insolence! Who plotted against my master?!”
Shen Gurong: “…”
I’m tired of saying “get lost.”
Perhaps seeing Shen Gurong’s pitiful and miserable state, Mu Zhe, who had remained silent until now, finally couldn’t bear it any longer.
He sighed silently, gently cradling Shen Gurong in his palm, and said to Wen Liubing, "Senior Brother, you've mistaken him. This isn't Master."
Wen Liubing was taken aback, looking down coldly at him: "You dare question Senior Brother?"
Shen Gurong screamed silently: You dare offend Master?!
"Mu Zhe wouldn't dare, I'm just telling the truth," Mu Zhe said neither humbly nor arrogantly. "Master had already gone into seclusion before I went down the mountain with Senior Brother Li Suo, as everyone on Liren Peak knows."
Wen Liubing was startled, looking at Li Suo.
Li Suo seemed to have discerned something, knowing that even if this spirit beast was truly Holy Lord Shen, this matter couldn't be publicized in public. The smooth sailing of Li Ren Peak over the past ten years was closely related to Holy Lord Shen, who had become a half-step saint.
If people knew Holy Lord Shen looked like this, who knew what kind of chaos would ensue.
“Exactly,” Li Suo said. “This spirit beast has been raised by Mu Zhe for a long time; it shouldn’t be the Holy Lord.”
Wen Liubing was now somewhat puzzled. He raised his hand and conjured another butterfly-like disciple contract, which again landed accurately on the little phoenix.
Wen Liubing’s thoughts slowly came to a halt, and he remained stunned for a long time, unsure how to react.
Shen Gurong: “…”
Hope suddenly descended upon Shen Gurong, who was flattered.
Seeing the confusion in the eyes of the Zhuxie disciples and the others, Mu Zhe added, “This spirit beast was given to me by my master before he went into seclusion. He probably wanted it to protect me in case my cultivation was too low.”
One of the Zhuxie disciples whispered, “Could this little bird be Holy Lord Shen’s natal spirit beast?”
That’s why the disciple contract found him.
Li Suo finally found a reasonable explanation and hurriedly said, “Exactly.”
Shen Gurong thought to himself, 'You guys are really good at making things up.'
But I like it very much.
Shen Gurong, initially visibly embarrassed and sweating profusely, looked at Mu Zhe with a gleam in his eyes as he saw Mu Zhe salvage Shen Feng Xue's image with just a few words.
Truly worthy of being the main character.
With things said to this extent, the Zhuxie members, who hadn't entirely believed him to begin with, dismissed all his doubts upon hearing this.
Wen Liubing, still unwilling to give up, walked to the table, knelt on one knee, and looked at the little phoenix: "Master, is that you? Is that you?"
Shen Gurong struggled to his feet, angrily slapping him across the face with his wing.
Look at your junior brother, and then look at yourself!
Seeing this, a Zhuxie disciple quickly stepped forward and pulled Wen Liubing up.
"My lord, my lord, let's get off the pleasure boat first."
Wen Liubing's face turned ashen, his legs swayed, and he was dragged and pulled down.
Li Suo, carrying a little dumpling in each arm, followed them off the pleasure boat.
On the way back to the inn, Yu Xinghe noticed a small bulge in Mu Zhe's robe and timidly asked, "Is this spirit beast really Master?"
Mu Zhe glanced at him. "It's just Master's natal spirit beast; it carries Master's spiritual power."
Li Suo added, "Exactly. Don't say things like that again, Xinghe."
Xinghe pouted, feeling wronged, and nestled against Li Suo's neck, not daring to say another word.
Because of the water ghost's disturbance at Snow Night River, the Flower Festival was forced to end. The noisy crowds on the official road had dispersed, leaving only a mess of fallen flowers.
Li Suo carried Mu Zhe and Yu Xinghe to the inn. Wen Liubing had already booked a room, which happened to be next door.
Li Suo exchanged a few polite words with the Zhuxie disciples and the others, then led the two back to their room.
Shen Gurong was exhausted, as if he had just survived a life-or-death ordeal, and listlessly nestled in Mu Zhe's arms, falling asleep.
Upon entering the room, Li Suo closed the door tightly and, after a moment's thought, set up a protective barrier.
He turned to Mu Zhe and Yu Xinghe, looking at them seriously, and instructed them, "Don't divulge a single word of today's events to anyone else, understand?"
Yu Xinghe nodded obediently.
Mu Zhe paused for a moment before nodding, "Yes."
Knowing they were always obedient, Li Suo silently breathed a sigh of relief. He patted their heads and praised, "So good."
Li Suo stayed with them for a while longer. A knock came at the door, and he stood up, saying to Mu Zhe, "Mu Zhe, could I borrow your spirit beast for a moment?"
Mu Zhe instinctively protected Shen Gurong in his arms, but this instinct was fleeting; reason returned instantly.
He looked at Li Suo blankly, then remembered that the little phoenix in his arms wasn't some ignorant spirit beast, but rather his master, whom he had always avoided like the plague. Neither the spirit beast nor his master belonged to him.
Mu Zhe's fingers trembled slightly as he forced himself to take Shen Gurong from his arms and silently place him in Li Suo's palm.
Li Suo smiled gently at him, "Good boy, tomorrow your senior brother will take you to eat candied hawthorns."
Mu Zhe forced a smile but didn't speak.
Yu Xinghe, who had been feeding Xue Manzhuang, quickly brought him over, tiptoed, and handed her to Li Suo, his eyes sparkling, "Senior brother can borrow my spirit beast too!"
Li Suo chuckled, seeing his expectant face, and simply took Xue Manzhuang as well.
"Rest early," Li Suo instructed them, then returned to the next room with a red dumpling in each hand.
In the room, Wen Liubing had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Li Suo return, he immediately stepped forward and accurately took Shen Gurong from him.
He was a force to be reckoned with once he disembarked. After meditating and regulating his breathing for a while, he recovered completely, his dazed state on the pleasure boat instantly clearing.
Wen Liubing rummaged through his storage bag and pulled out a silk cushion, respectfully placing Shen Gurong on it.
Shen Gurong was fast asleep, unaffected by the commotion. He gave a soft squeak against the cushion, then buried his head and continued sleeping.
Wen Liubing knelt on one knee, observing him for a long time before turning to Li Suo, frowning and saying disdainfully, "What's that ugly thing in your hand?"
Li Suo: "..."
Li Suo looked at Xue Manzhuang, then at Shen Gurong, who was practically a carbon copy of him, thinking to himself, 'Is your master ugly, then?'
"Most likely... he's the culprit who turned the Holy Lord into his current state, though I'm not entirely sure."
Li Suo, cradling the bewildered Xue Manzhuang, walked over hesitantly and said, "A few days ago, the young master of the demon race, Xue Manzhuang, came to challenge the Holy Lord to a duel. After being defeated, he disappeared. The Holy Lord then went into seclusion, and Mu Zhe found this spirit beast. After we went down the mountain, we encountered the little phoenix that the Flower and Bird Pavilion had sold off cheaply."
He recounted the events of the past few days to Wen Liubing in detail.
Wen Liubing stared coldly at Xue Manzhuang: "He is Xue Manzhuang of the demon race. I saw his true form a few years ago; there's a white mark between his eyebrows."
Although he had already suspected something, Li Suo was still startled. He stared at Xue Manzhuang in his palm, unsure whether to hold him or drop him, feeling as if he had placed a hot potato in his hand.
Wen Liubing stepped forward and, quite unceremoniously, grabbed one of Xue Manzhuang's wings and shook it.
Xue Manzhuang was shaken and lost his balance. Sensing the murderous intent of the man before him, he chirped in fright.
Wen Liubing casually checked him, frowning. "He must have been briefly reverted to his cub stage due to the backlash from his own phoenix fire."
Li Suo seemed to understand, his gaze fixed on Shen Gurong, who was sprawled on the cushion. His eyes flickered. "Then... Holy Lord..."
When Xi Guxing asked him if he had seen a small red bird, Li Suo had a rough idea, but he hadn't thought about it much—after all, the Holy Lord of Liren Peak being assimilated into a demon form by the demon race was something even the most treasonous novels in the Three Realms wouldn't dare to write.
Recalling the little fat bird's behavior these past two days, if it were just an ordinary spirit beast, Li Suo would find it endearing and lovable, but when it came to Shen Feng Xue...
Li Suo suddenly shivered, but the corners of his lips involuntarily curled up.
'No, you can't laugh.' Li Suo clenched his fists tightly, using the last of his willpower to suppress the corners of his lips from turning up. "Xue Manzhuang was forced back to the cub stage, and the Holy Lord was assimilated and must also be without mind. It's all Xue Manzhuang's fault. The Holy Lord didn't..."
Pfft.
Wen Liubing, oblivious to Li Suo's odd behavior, continued, "Master possesses phoenix spiritual power within him, which has been assimilated by the demon race, transforming him into a demonic form. Xue Manzhuang can't use spiritual power now and can't extract it. We can only return to Liren Peak to find Fifth Uncle and see if he has any solutions."
Li Suo forcibly suppressed a laugh and asked, "Fifth Uncle? Isn't he in seclusion?"
"Just hibernating." Wen Liubing dismissively tossed Xue Manzhuang to Li Suo, casually adding, "It's spring now; he should be awake."
Li Suo caught Xue Manzhuang, who cried out in distress, tears welling in his eyes as he rubbed against Li Suo's palm.
Li Suo shuddered again, stroking Xue Manzhuang's head with a mixture of trepidation and fear.
To be able to stroke the noble bird head of the demon race's young master was something Li Suo had never even dreamed of in his life; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Li Suo stroked even more enthusiastically.
Unlike Li Suo, Wen Liubing wasn't rebellious. Even with Shen Gurong in this vulnerable state, he still respected him, harboring no disrespect or mockery.
Xue Manzhuang, annoyed by being touched so much, struggled to fly away from Li Suo's grasp and timidly landed beside Shen Gurong.
Wen Liubing was sitting by the bed waiting for Shen Gurong to wake up. He gave him a cold look, his eyes filled with the words "Braised Phoenix."
The little phoenix trembled with fear, instinctively seeking security and clinging tightly to Shen Gurong.
"Chirp chirp!"
Feng Xue! Beauty! Help!
Xue Manzhuang's screams were so shrill and pitiful that they actually woke the usually unmoved Shen Gurong.
Before he even opened his eyes, he groggily raised a wing and swept Xue Manzhuang away.
Xue Manzhuang chirped and rolled to the side.
Wen Liubing didn't even look at him. Seeing Shen Gurong wake up, he nodded and said, "Master."
Shen Gurong stretched out his wings and blinked, looking up blankly at the words.
Wen Liubing's handsome face, magnified several times, was right in front of him, startling Shen Gurong so much he almost bristled.
He swooped down with one wing, forcing Wen Liubing to take a half-step back and respectfully nod, "Sanshui knows his mistake."
Shen Gurong immediately jumped up, chirping at him.
Don't call me Master, you've been expelled from the sect!
Wen Liubing, presumably interpreting Master's meaning, said, "Master means 'it's nothing serious,' right?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
This eldest disciple probably isn't very bright.
After jumping around for a while, Shen Gurong realized that Wen Liubing seemed to genuinely believe this little fat bird was Shen Feng Xue.
Thinking this, Shen Gurong immediately pretended to be dead.
Fortunately, only Li Suo and Wen Liubing remained in the room. If it had been a scene like before, Shen Gurong would probably have been mortified.
He never imagined that his thick skin would be useless; a few glances were enough to break through his defenses.
Wen Liubing asked a few more questions, but seeing that Shen Gurong didn't answer, he stopped.
Li Suo said from the side, "The Holy Lord must be tired."
Wen Liubing nodded, unceremoniously picking up the cushion, and said, "Yes, I'll take him back to my residence to rest."
Li Suo was taken aback, then quickly called out, "Senior Brother Sanshui."
Wen Liubing turned around: "Hmm?"
Li Suo said, "The Holy Lord is still nominally Junior Brother Mu Zhe's spirit beast, you..."
Wen Liubing frowned: "The Dongting Water Ghost hasn't been subdued yet. Master is in a very dangerous state in this condition. What can that kid accomplish with his cultivation?"
Li Suo was somewhat troubled.
Wen Liubing casually tossed Li Suo a storage bag, saying, "Give this to Mu Zhe; he can choose whatever's inside."
With that, he took Shen Gurong and left.
Li Suo: "..."
Shen Gurong, who had been grumbling as Wen Liubing led him away, immediately fell silent upon arriving at Wen Liubing's residence.
Wen Liubing, as the leader of the Zhuxie Clan, was incredibly wealthy and generous. He actually used spirit stones to construct a small spirit-gathering array on the table in the inn and respectfully placed Shen Gurong inside.
Ever since transmigrating into Shen Feng Xue's body, Shen Gurong had felt as if his spiritual veins were parched, like a dry well, making him feel extremely uncomfortable. This was the first time he had experienced spiritual energy like a vast ocean.
Countless streams of spiritual energy, like sweet rain, gradually filled his parched spiritual veins. The slowly flowing spiritual energy was instantly activated, rapidly circulating along his core.
This feeling was even more exhilarating than when absorbing the phoenix's spiritual energy.
Shen Gurong immediately submitted to the spirit-gathering array, comfortably rolling over on the soft cushion, enjoying the invigorating sensation of the spiritual energy washing over his body.
Wen Liubing sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, a talisman between his brows slowly glowing.
The night was deep and still.
Shen Gurong didn't know when he had fallen asleep. When he regained consciousness, his body was swaying slightly, his feet not touching the ground, as if floating on water.
He opened his eyes in confusion and looked around.
For some reason, he was now on a small boat on the Snow Night River, surrounded by a vast expanse of white mist, only able to vaguely make out the densely packed boats in the distance.
Shen Gurong tilted his head, only then belatedly realizing that he was in human form.
"Am I dreaming?"
Thinking this, Shen Gurong pinched himself.
"Hmm, it doesn't hurt. It really is a dream."
But in a dream, can his consciousness be so clearly aware that he's dreaming?
Shen Gurong was still wondering when suddenly he heard a scream from not far away.
In the stillness, the scream was extremely piercing, like a mournful howl from the road to the underworld, causing Shen Gurong to instinctively shudder.
The sound stopped abruptly, followed by the sound of something falling into the water. Ripples spread, making the boat Shen Gurong was in rock slightly.
Shen Gurong's mind was incredibly vivid; just from those two sounds, he automatically conjured up a story of murder and body disposal, scaring himself half to death.
He instinctively wanted to row the boat away to find the shore, but quickly remembered that he was dreaming.
It was all fake. Escaping or not was pointless; he would wake up eventually anyway.
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.
At first, the first scream seemed quite far away; the ripples only reached him a while after the splash. But moments later, a second scream followed.
Then came the third, and the fourth.
The sounds grew closer, and the intervals between the splashes and the ripples reaching Shen Gurong's boat became shorter.
It was as if… someone was gradually approaching him.
Shen Gurong no longer cared about dreams; his instinct was to escape. However, he couldn't find an oar anywhere on the boat, so he stretched out one hand and rowed desperately.
After rowing for a long time, the boat didn't budge.
Shen Gurong: “…”
Shen Gurong was tired, exhausted, and gave up.
Just then, another scream came from nearby.
But this time it seemed different from the first, because after the splash, a sinister voice suddenly spoke in a low, eerie tone.
"A pair of eyes."
"I just want a pair of eyes."
"I can't find any anywhere..."
Shen Gurong: "..."
If Shen Gurong were still in his phoenix form, even his downy feathers would stand on end.
He recognized the voice—it was the very water ghost he'd seen reflected in the water during the day!
Shen Gurong nearly choked, struggling to jump into the water to escape, but reason returned for a fleeting moment.
A water ghost…
Wouldn't it be easier to catch it in the water?
Another scream rang out, close at hand, and the water ghost said eerily, "I can't use these eyes either."
Shen Gurong: "…"
This water ghost has captured so many people; is it gouging out their eyes one by one to see if it can be used?
Shen Gurong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, the more he thought about it, the colder it became.
He froze on the spot, just as despair was setting in, his boat sank slightly, water slowly seeping in and soaking Shen Gurong's ankles.
—It felt like someone was clinging to the edge of the boat.
Shen Gurong almost jumped up, turning sharply to see someone standing at the stern of his boat.
It was Mu Zhe.
Shen Gurong: "???"
Mu Zhe appeared out of nowhere, standing there blankly, seemingly unsure of where he was.
Mu Zhe looked at him with confusion, probably still fearful, and 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 arms.
Mu Zhe's eyes widened, staring at him in horror.
Shen Gurong took a deep breath. Although he didn't know why Mu Zhe was here, having a familiar face beside him at least lessened his previous fear.
Shen Gurong feigned composure and said, "Be careful."
Mu Zhe stiffened, nodding vaguely.
The water ghost continued gouging out eyes, the sound growing closer.
Mu Zhe was quite clever; he understood from the sound and the water ghost's words what they were about to encounter.
He trembled, filled with fear, and was about to move closer to Shen Gurong for safety when he heard Shen Gurong's voice in his mind's eye.
"Ahhh! Mother! I want to go home!"
"Don't kill me! Don't kill me! I'm blind! Even if you gouge out my eyes and put them in your own, you still won't see anything!"
"I'm scared, I'm scared!"
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe suddenly stopped being afraid.
In this eerie environment where life and death were uncertain, Mu Zhe actually wanted to laugh out loud.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that his master's hand in his sleeve was trembling slightly, but his face still maintained a cold and noble appearance. Mu Zhe pursed his lips, slowly raised his small hand, and gently grasped Shen Gurong's cold, sweaty palm.
Shen Gurong was startled, looked down at Mu Zhe, saw his pale face, bent down and whispered, "Afraid?"
Mu Zhe thought to himself, 'You're the one who's more afraid.'
Shen Gurong grasped his hand, pulled him close, and comforted him, "Don't be afraid, Master is here."
Mu Zhe tilted his head slightly, seeing for the first time someone who, despite being terrified and with pale lips, still bravely comforted others.
For some reason, all of Mu Zhe's previous resentment and grudges towards Shen Feng Xue vanished in an instant.
He wrapped his arms around Shen Gurong's arm, nodded, and said, "Mm."
Shen Gurong felt the soft touch on his arm and suddenly perked up.
What's there to be cowardly about! You are Holy Lord Shen, the number one person in the Three Realms! If you can't even protect a child, you don't need that title. Shen Gurong's mind wandered; the title of the most beautiful man in the Three Realms wasn't bad.
Mu Zhe: "..."
For the first time, Mu Zhe found his master's cold and aloof exterior, coupled with his cowardly heart, incredibly endearing. He finally understood why all the senior uncles on Liren Peak treated his master so well.
As the two huddled together, shivering, a dilapidated wooden boat slowly drifted in from the thick white fog.
The boat had clearly been neglected for years; its hull was rotten and broken, as if a small wave could blow it away.
A man dressed in black stood on the boat, his long, seaweed-like hair cascading down to the stern, creating ripples on the water.
Shen Gurong's pupils contracted, and he pulled Mu Zhe into his arms, covering his eyes with his hand.
Mu Zhe felt the warmth of his body and vaguely recalled the touch of the little phoenix in his palm.
The water ghost's eyes were white; like Shen Gurong, he was blind. He slowly broke through the fog, his hands dripping blood from the pole.
Shen Gurong kept his lips tightly shut, fearing that if he opened them, he would die again.
Unlike the minor plague demons of the past, these were real ghosts.
The water ghost approached in a boat. As it drew near, it tilted its head slightly, frowning, and said, "Are you the phoenix who knows the art of soul transference?"
It then contradicted itself, adding, "No, you're a human cultivator."
Shen Gurong maintained Shen Feng Xue's cold and aloof demeanor, saying indifferently, "So what if I am?"
The water ghost didn't answer, but asked again, "Are you Shen Feng Xue?"
Shen Gurong's pupils contracted.
The water ghost had a bizarre appearance and a sinister aura, but was surprisingly easy to talk to: "I don't wish to be enemies with human cultivators. If you're not Shen Feng Xue, I'll let you go."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Feng Xue actually had a grudge with this person?
Was he really that unlucky?
Shen Gurong feigned composure: "So what if I am Shen Feng Xue?"
The water ghost frowned slightly: "Do all humans speak so sarcastically? Why do you always like to ask me questions instead of answering them directly?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
This was the first time Shen Gurong had been called sarcastic, and he was furious.
Can't you see I'm pretending to be profound?! Such a clueless ghost.
Mu Zhe pursed his lips, nestled in Shen Gurong's arms, and couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile.
The water ghost was probably traumatized by Wen Liubing and didn't dare to attack a human cultivator rashly. He said, "I've been trapped in Dongting for thirty years, reduced to this state of being hated by everyone, all thanks to Shen Feng Xue. Tell me, if I caught him, how would I treat him?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
I see.
Shen Gurong said calmly, "That's quite unfortunate. Although my surname is Shen, my given name is Gurong."
In short, you continue looking for Shen Feng Xue; I, Shen Gurong, will take my leave!
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe chuckled softly.
Water Ghost: "Shen Gurong, Gu Qian You Rong, a fine name."
Shen Gurong shamelessly nodded: "Exactly."
Mu Zhe: "..."
"Why are you chatting?"
The water ghost, true to its word, raised its pole and tapped it against Shen Gurong's small boat.
Just then, Shen Gurong's boat sank again, and a fiery red figure appeared out of thin air.
It was Xue Manzhuang, now in human form.
Shen Gurong: "..."
The water ghost: "..."
Even the water ghost didn't know why only Shen Gurong was staring at him, when two more people had appeared on the boat out of nowhere.
This small boat could only carry two people at most; even a slight movement could capsize it, let alone adding an adult.
Everyone was completely bewildered.
Even in human form, Xue Manzhuang still looked like a child. He looked around blankly, finally fixing his gaze on Shen Gurong, his eyes lighting up.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Suddenly, Shen Gurong's face filled with terror, a sense of foreboding washing over him.
Xue Manzhuang, you...you can't be...can you?
The next instant, Xue Manzhuang exclaimed his name joyfully, "Feng Xue! My beauty! I love you!"
Shen Gurong: "..."
The water ghost: "..."
Shen Gurong immediately tried to cover Xue Manzhuang's mouth, but it was too late. He watched helplessly as Xue Manzhuang called out his name with a beaming smile.
Shen Gurong's face showed utter despair as he tentatively looked at the water ghost.
The water ghost must have tapped their boat's hull with his pole earlier; the surrounding fog was slowly dissipating, making even the Water Ghost's face and the boat difficult to see clearly.
Only his eerie voice could be heard coming from the thick fog.
"Shen Feng Xue, you actually lied to me."
"It's alright, Holy Lord Shen. I will repay you for all the suffering I've endured these past thirty years."
"Wait for me."
"We'll meet again soon."
"Shen Feng Xue—"
Shen Gurong suddenly woke up with a start, letting out a shrill "chirp," nearly falling off the spirit-gathering array.
Wen Liubing heard the sound and immediately flipped over and rushed forward, kneeling on one knee: "Master, what is it?"
Shen Gurong was terrified. He initially thought it was a nightmare, but looking down, he noticed a patch of wetness on his little paw, the smell of which was exactly the same as the river in his dream.
Shen Gurong couldn't care less about anything else and hurriedly flapped his wings, looking at his seemingly powerful disciple.
"Chirp chirp chirp!"
He gestured wildly, struggling to make Wen Liubing understand him.
Wen Liubing tried to understand: "Master said the large painted boat, do you still want to ride it tomorrow?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
"Chirp—"
Expelled from the sect!
Perhaps Shen Gurong's scream was too shrill, because Li Suo next door frowned and knocked on Wen Liubing's door.
"Senior brother, what happened to the Holy Lord?"
Wen Liubing: "I don't understand."
Li Suo walked over, and Shen Gurong gestured at him for a long time.
Anyway, both Li Suo and Wen Liubing felt that he was now assimilated into a phoenix by Xue Manzhuang, and his mind wasn't very sharp, so they simply let him be. Besides, he was about to die, so what did he care about saving face?
When he woke up from the nightmare, the water ghost's words, which seemed to be whispering in his ear, were like death warrants. Shen Gurong was afraid of being dragged back into the water ghost's world.
Given the deep-seated hatred between the water ghost and Shen Feng Xue, Shen Gurong, who would be unfairly blamed, would undoubtedly suffer unimaginable torment.
Li Suo struggled to decipher the message for a long time before suddenly realizing and letting out an "Ah!"
Shen Gurong looked on expectantly.
Li Suo said, "I don't understand at all."
Shen Gurong: "..."
You've been expelled from the sect too! I'll do it on behalf of the sect leader!
Shen Gurong was exhausted and still hadn't been able to tell them what he wanted to say, so he was practically sticking out his tongue in frustration.
Just then, there was another knock at the door.
Li Suo went to open it and saw Mu Zhe standing outside, dressed neatly, his head slightly tilted back, his expression somewhat complicated.
Li Suo said softly, "What's wrong? Why aren't you asleep so late?"
Mu Zhe hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Senior brother, my spirit beast..."
Li Suo paused, then said even softer, "I'm sorry, Mu Zhe, could you lend me it for another night? I'll return it to you when we return to Liren Peak, okay?"
Mu Zhe pursed his lips, hesitating several times before saying, "But I heard him calling me, so I came to see."
Li Suo was taken aback, surprised, "You can understand what he's saying?"
Mu Zhe nodded.
Upon hearing this, Li Suo immediately pulled him inside.
Li Suo looked at Mu Zhe expectantly, "Listen to what he's saying now?"
Wen Liubing frowned, thinking that this child might be trying to attract attention. How could a human cultivator understand the words of a demon cultivator in their true form? Unless he was also a demon cultivator.
Shen Gurong, muttering curses and looking rather dejected, slumped onto the cushions, still grumbling.
Mu Zhe was taken aback, looking at Li Suo with a complicated expression.
Li Suo encouraged him, "It's alright, just say it. It's okay if you're wrong."
Mu Zhe took a deep breath before speaking softly.
"He said, 'I'm going to expel Wen Liubing from the sect, and Li Suo too. Neither of them will escape.'" Mu Zhe dutifully relayed Shen Gurong's words, "He also said, 'I'm about to be dragged into the water and eaten by water ghosts, and you still want me to ride a big ship?' 'I'm so angry, so angry!'"
Wen Liubing: "..."
Li Suo: "..."
Shen Gurong, finally regaining his senses: "..."
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! 🤣
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