Shen Gurong turned to look at him expressionlessly.
Wen Liubing didn't even consider the possibility that 'Master couldn't avoid the splattered blood,' and looked back with a puzzled expression.
Shen Gurong gently wiped away a drop of blood from his cheek and said calmly, "Sanshui, where is your second junior brother now?"
Wen Liubing thought for a moment, "Second junior brother should still be in Fenglu City. Does Master have something important to discuss with him?"
Shen Gurong said coldly, "Tell him next time you see him that from now on, he is the eldest senior brother."
Wen Liubing: "..."
Wen Liubing was too straightforward. It took him a few difficult steps to understand why Master wanted to expel him from the sect. He was horrified and said in a deep voice, "What did Sanshui do wrong?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
What the hell didn't you do wrong?!
Shen Gurong was so angry that his chest ached. Seeing Wen Liubing still pleading, "Master, please tell me, Master," he almost spat blood in his face.
Shen Feng Xue hasn't expelled Wen Liubing from the sect yet; he really has a good temper.
Shen Gurong took a deep breath and silently recited the first three lines of the Clarity and Stillness Sutra—because he only remembered the first three lines, he recited them many times before calming his emotions.
Wen Liubing was completely puzzled and could only whisper, "Master, Second Junior Brother's cultivation hasn't reached the Nascent Soul stage yet; he can't shoulder the responsibility of the eldest senior brother. Master, please reconsider."
Shen Gurong glanced at him, not discussing this further. Instead, taking advantage of the fact that the water ghost barrier hadn't dissipated and he could still speak in human form, he asked, "What is the hundred-year agreement the water ghost mentioned?"
Wen Liubing's straightforward nature and his complete lack of dissent towards his master's words made him perfectly suited to probing for information that Shen Feng Xue didn't have in his memories.
Wen Liubing gave him a strange look, but unsurprisingly, without giving it much thought, answered truthfully, "Thirty years ago, Master subdued a demonic cultivator, sealing him in the Burial Mound on Liren Peak with the Linxia Spring..."
That demonic cultivator possessed a divine artifact and had reached the pinnacle of cultivation, but had committed many evil deeds due to his violent nature.
When Shen Feng Xue subdued him, a strange phenomenon occurred in the sky.
In his youth, Shen Feng Xue's spiritual vein talent was weak; it was almost as if Nan Yangjun had forcibly piled it up with countless rare and precious materials. Therefore, he was ridiculed by people throughout the Three Realms as a mere pretty face with no substance, and some even maliciously called him Nan Yangjun's lover.
However, when Shen Feng Xue unleashed a terrifying sword strike with overwhelming killing intent in full view of everyone, completely subduing the demonic cultivator, those who had previously cursed him behind his back all praised Shen Feng Xue for his heroism and righteousness.
Shen Feng Xue's reputation as a near-saint spread throughout the Nine Provinces at that time, finally shedding the label of a mere figurehead hiding under the wing of Nan Yangjun.
When the demonic cultivator was sealed in the Burial Mound by Shen Feng Xue, the people of the Three Realms discovered that the legendary divine artifact was no longer on him.
Lin Xia Chun was embedded in the demonic cultivator's chest; his black robes were soaked in blood, and his limbs were forcibly bound to a corner by countless chains, unable to move an inch.
When questioned about the whereabouts of the divine artifact, the demonic cultivator smiled wryly and said, "The divine artifact, isn't it right there?"
His gaze fell upon Shen Feng Xue, tall and elegant in white robes.
The Three Realms were astonished.
Shen Gurong suddenly interrupted Wen Liubing: "What divine artifact is the demonic cultivator talking about?"
In Shen Feng Xue's memory, there were at most three divine artifacts in the Three Realms and Nine Provinces: the demonic cultivator's Hooked Pearl, the Nine-Layered Jade of Fenglu City, and the Flower-Supporting Sword possessed by the mortal royal family. Where did this demonic cultivator get another divine artifact?
Wen Liubing shook his head: "No one knows. They only know it's a heaven-defying artifact. He insisted that Master had taken the artifact from him, and everyone else believed him."
Shen Gurong: "And then?"
"They all used the name of the world's well-being to force Master to hand over the artifact, and no one listened to Master's explanations." Wen Liubing frowned, seemingly extremely disgusted with those who had pressured Shen Feng Xue back then. "In the end, it was Grandmaster who intervened, ensuring Master didn't obtain the artifact, and made a hundred-year pact with the Demon Lord. If you were to leave the mountain midway, it would be considered an admission of possessing the artifact."
Shen Gurong: "..."
What kind of scamming logic is this?
The demonic cultivator Wen Liubing mentioned… must be the culprit who bewitched Yu Xinghe into demonic possession in the book.
Originally, Shen Gurong thought that in this book, as long as he diligently raised the two little brats on Liren Peak to be upright and good children, preventing Mu Zhe from making mistakes and Yu Xinghe from becoming demonic, that would be enough. Why did someone suddenly appear possessing a divine artifact?
What does Shen Feng Xue want from him after bringing him here?
Shen Gurong was somewhat confused, with a premonition that he might not be able to leave this world easily.
After Wen Liubing finished speaking, he suddenly realized: “Master, you… why did you come down the mountain?”
Shen Gurong: “…”
Shen Gurong said softly: “I'm bringing all your junior brothers back. Anyone who can beat you up can replace you as the eldest senior brother.”
Wen Liubing was horrified: “Master, Master!”
Shen Gurong was so startled by his calling him 'Master' that he immediately emerged from the water ghost barrier.
The first thing Shen Gurong did upon waking was to plunge into the inn's basin of water and splash around taking a bath.
When Wen Liubing's Lanting Sword pierced the water ghost's chest, Shen Gurong was right there. He not only met the water ghost's unseeing eyes but was also splattered with the blood of the ghost he feared most.
The touch of the water ghost's blood on his skin felt like a chilling wind, sending shivers down Shen Gurong's spine. He wished he could pluck every feather from his coat.
Mu Zhe was the first to wake up and went to call Li Suo. The two entered to find Shen Gurong splashing around in the basin, muttering and cursing.
Mu Zhe hurriedly got up and went over. Seeing that his master still had the energy to curse, he knew the water ghost had been dealt with. He breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Master, do you want to take a bath?"
Shen Gurong glanced at him and suddenly felt a pang of grievance. He thought to himself: Disciple, I misunderstood you. It turns out you're not the one who gives Master the biggest headache; it's your second-rate, foolish senior brother.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe didn't know what Shen Gurong had gone through, but seeing him scrubbing his feathers so hard in the water, he had no choice but to roll up his sleeves and help him wash.
At first, Shen Gurong was a little awkward, but Mu Zhe's movements were so gentle that Shen Gurong soon completely changed. He leaned back against Mu Zhe's palm, comfortably letting his disciple wash his feathers, occasionally kicking his little clawed feet.
Mu Zhe endured it for a long time, but finally couldn't resist and gently squeezed Shen Gurong's little feet.
Shen Gurong was enjoying himself when he was suddenly pinched. He opened his eyes blankly, looking at him with complete lack of wariness: "Chirp?"
Mu Zhe pinched him a couple more times before saying calmly, "Master's claws are dirty."
Shen Gurong looked down and realized he was too fat to see his feet even when he looked down, so he believed his little disciple and even proactively raised his feet and waved them for Mu Zhe to wipe.
Mu Zhe: "..."
This is...too obedient.
Wen Liubing woke up and exchanged a few words with Li Suo before coming over, still asking, "Master, what you said earlier was just a joke, right?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Gurong's barely suppressed anger exploded again. He was soaking wet and struggled to peck Wen Liubing, but Mu Zhe hurriedly held him down.
Shen Gurong: "Chirp chirp chirp!!!"
Mu Zhe relayed his message.
Wen Liubing then realized why his master was covered in blood. He was puzzled: "Master has the protective barrier of Grandmaster. Logically, this kind of attack should be blocked outside the barrier."
Shen Gurong was stunned. So the protective barrier that suddenly appeared during the battle with Xue Manzhuang was actually placed on Shen Feng Xue by Nan Yangjun.
But then another question arose: Shen Feng Xue was the number one person in the Three Realms. Logically, no one should be able to easily harm him. Why would his master go to the trouble of placing such a complicated barrier on him?
Mu Zhe, listening nearby, roughly understood why Shen Gurong was in such a hurry to bathe. He spoke up for his master, saying calmly, "Was that ghost blood an attack?"
Wen Liubing glanced at him, knowing that Shen Gurong doted on this child, and surprisingly didn't argue with Mu Zhe in front of his master.
He thought for a moment, then realized his mistake.
"This disciple knows his mistake. I won't repeat it next time."
Shen Gurong glared at him. Mu Zhe gently groomed his feathers, stroking the downy fur on his chest to soothe him.
Half a day later, Shen Gurong nestled comfortably on the soft cushions, letting Mu Zhe wipe the water droplets from his body with a cloth.
Dawn had broken outside.
After finishing wiping Shen Gurong's body, Mu Zhe suddenly seemed to remember something and took a bamboo slip from the bed.
Shen Gurong glanced at it lazily: "Chirp?"
Mu Zhe said, "This is the boat pole that Master got. I don't know why it turned into a bamboo slip after it came out."
Shen Gurong glanced at it. The bamboo slip was about the length of his palm, thin, with a line of small characters carved on it, looking like it was casually carved and completely illegible.
Wen Liubing took it and glanced at it, his brows suddenly furrowing: "This is the writing of a demonic cultivator."
Shen Gurong: What does it say?
Wen Liubing: "The elders only taught me a little bit about the demonic cultivators' writing, so I don't recognize much. But I remember these last three characters appearing at the place where the demonic cultivators were sealed on Liren Peak."
He pointed to the three characters at the bottom of the bamboo slip.
"Buried Bone Tomb."
Shen Gurong was stunned.
Wen Liubing stroked the three characters "Buried Bone Tomb" on the bamboo slip, pondering for a moment: "Perhaps... the water ghost escaped from Dongting Lake not to find Master, but was guided by the Buried Bone Tomb..."
Shen Gurong frowned: "A ghost cultivator, guided by a demonic cultivator?"
Wen Liubing wasn't quite sure either. He took the bamboo slip and said, "Have Li Suo take Master back to Liren Peak at dawn. Let Sanshui investigate the rest."
Shen Gurong felt that although his eldest disciple seemed reliable, he always caused trouble at crucial moments. He looked at Wen Liubing suspiciously, his eyes full of distrust.
Wen Liubing had finally found a way to regain his master's favor, so naturally he wasn't willing to give up.
He raised his hand and cast a series of protective barriers around the inn room. Thinking that Shen Gurong was protected by Nan Yangjun's protective barrier, even if everyone in the Three Realms arrived, they wouldn't be able to harm him, he finally felt completely relieved and rushed out with the bamboo scroll.
Shen Gurong had no choice but to follow him, continuing to nurture his spiritual veins within the spirit-gathering array.
Shen Feng Xue's body seemed like a bottomless pit; no matter how much spiritual energy was available, it couldn't stay in his spiritual veins for long, especially with this phoenix shell…
Hmm? A phoenix?!
Shen Gurong suddenly opened his eyes and said to Mu Zhe: "Call Xue Manzhuang."
Mu Zhe didn't ask any questions, got up and went next door, quickly bringing Xue Manzhuang over. Yu Xinghe followed behind, yawning as he entered.
Yu Xinghe said in a childish voice, "Mu Zhe, you and Senior Brother are up so early!"
Mu Zhe thought to himself, 'We didn't sleep at all.'
Xue Manzhuang, who had been being carried by Mu Zhe by his wings, brightened up at the sight of Shen Gurong and immediately struggled to fly up, fluttering to his side and snuggling affectionately against the cushion, chirping softly.
Shen Gurong had been clinging to a last shred of hope, believing that the phoenix's recognition of its master within the water ghost barrier was invalid. However, as Xue Manzhuang drew near, a thin thread seemed to connect them in his sea of consciousness.
That was a contract.
Shen Gurong tried saying to Xue Manzhuang: "Come on, roll around."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Xue Manzhuang, with innocent and bewildered clear eyes, obediently rolled around on the cushion, then immediately hopped back, snuggling close to Shen Gurong, looking like he wanted praise.
Shen Gurong was overjoyed. He had Mu Zhe bring him a peanut, then flew up and kicked it away with one paw, saying, "Get it back."
Xue Manzhuang, well-trained, chirped and flew off, catching the peanut before it hit the ground, and flew back happily.
He placed the drool-covered peanut in front of Shen Gurong and chirped, "You eat, beauty, eat!"
Shen Gurong didn't eat it. He flapped his wings, "Impressive. May I ask again, can you break a boulder with your chest?"
Xue Manzhuang tilted his head: "Chirp?"
Mu Zhe: "..."
When will his master do something human?
Shen Feng Xue's body had an instinctive aversion to Xue Manzhuang, but the amnesiac cub Xue Manzhuang was much better than the previous speechless and inhumane ghost. Plus, these past few days he'd been sweetly calling him "beauty," so Shen Gurong finally found him somewhat pleasing to the eye.
After playing with Xue Manzhuang for a while, Shen Gurong finally vented his anger at being assimilated into a phoenix.
Yu Xinghe clapped his hands, watching happily, "It seems my spirit pet is more clever; it even caught a peanut! I must give it to Master to play with when we get back!"
Mu Zhe remained silent, thinking, 'Master is already playing with it.'
Shen Gurong and Xue Manzhuang stayed in the spirit-gathering array for a long time before finally feeling spiritual energy surging within their bodies.
He tried to activate his spiritual energy using the bond he shared with Xue Manzhuang and found that his spiritual meridians were functioning normally.
Shen Gurong was overjoyed and immediately recited the transformation incantation, wanting to transform directly into human form.
Because many people died tragically from the water ghosts last night, the Flower Festival in Fuxian City was forced to stop. There weren't many people on the streets outside, and Li Suo was probably doing something next door. Mu Zhe and Yu Xinghe were too young to go out and play by themselves, so they could only look at the flowers outside from the window.
The inn had a good location, and the scenery was quite pleasant.
Upon hearing that Shen Gurong wanted to transform, Mu Zhe immediately stood up, grabbed Yu Xinghe, and tried to push him out.
Yu Xinghe said blankly, "Huh? I haven't seen enough yet!"
Mu Zhe said, "Go back to your room first!"
Yu Xinghe: "But..."
Mu Zhe didn't wait for him to finish his "but," and pushed him out, closing the door behind him.
As soon as Yu Xinghe left, Mu Zhe felt a surge of spiritual energy behind him.
His master had transformed into human form.
For some reason, Mu Zhe suddenly felt a pang of loss.
Bird Shen Gurong was endearingly clumsy, his every move unrestrained; he would peck at anything that displeased him and chirp when happy, completely unable to hide his true self. While Shen Gurong in the water ghost barrier was equally cowardly and carefree, his appearance remained like a flower on a high mountain, unattainable to most.
If only…
Mu Zhe's eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly couldn't help but think: If his master could always remain in his phoenix form… with just a wave of his hand, he could hold the revered and feared Holy Lord of the Three Realms in his palm…
Realizing himself, Mu Zhe immediately felt that this thought was despicable.
How could he, for his own selfish reasons, want his master to live a humiliating life forever in the body of a demon beast?
Mu Zhe took a deep breath, forcing himself to dispel this thought. He turned and bowed respectfully: "Master."
The response was a childish, angry cry: "Xue Manzhuang! Young Master is going to kill you!!"
Mu Zhe: "…"
Mu Zhe looked up and saw a four-year-old child sitting naked on the cushions of the Spirit Gathering Array. White hair covered his milky-white body, and the icy silk covering his eyes had slipped down, drooping loosely on his nose.
His light-colored eyes were empty and vacant as he viciously pinched and shook Xue Manzhuang, his delicate face filled with despair, tears welling in his eyes.
He had originally intended to use the phoenix's spiritual power to transform into human form, but he hadn't expected that Xue Manzhuang had already been reduced to his cub stage.
Shen Gurong had successfully transformed himself into a human cub as well.
Mu Zhe: "…………"
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