Wen Liubing strode forward and bowed respectfully, "Sect Leader."
Xi Guxing stared intently at Shen Gurong, who was fast asleep on Wen Liubing's shoulder, his expression somewhat strange, as if he were suppressing something.
He nodded slightly, "You're back."
"Yes."
Xi Guxing coughed and raised his hand, saying, "Give him to me."
Wen Liubing handed Shen Gurong over.
Shen Gurong didn't need to climb the mountain steps; Wen Liubing had carried him all the way back. His injuries hadn't fully healed, and he was lethargic, drowsy, and extremely sleepy. He quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Xi Guxing took him, gently cradling him in his arms, and said to Wen Liubing, "Since you're back, stay a few more days. Your other junior brothers haven't returned for years; Liren Peak is quite deserted."
Wen Liubing respectfully replied, "Yes."
"Let's disperse for now." After saying this, Xi Guxing expressionlessly turned and left, carrying Shen Gurong.
Only after Xi Guxing's figure disappeared around the corner did Li Suo mutter softly, "I think I saw Master..."
...After turning around, he pinched Holy Lord Shen's cheek.
Was it an illusion?
Xi Guxing was a rough sword cultivator, completely inept at holding a child. Before he even reached Baishang Mountain, Shen Gurong was abruptly jolted awake.
"Ugh, brother..." Shen Gurong was still half-asleep, clinging softly to Xi Guxing's shoulder and snuggling against him, whining in a low voice, "Don't shake me, I'll get up and copy the book right away, just a little longer... just a little longer."
Having grown up in luxury, Shen Gurong's greatest worry in life was simply copying books and practicing calligraphy.
Xi Guxing frowned and said, "Stop being so cute."
Shen Gurong continued, "Brother, brother, brother loves me the most..."
Xi Guxing: "..."
Xi Guxing flicked Shen Gurong's forehead with his finger, jolting him awake.
Xi Guxing looked at him, a half-smile on his face, and said, "Awake?"
Shen Gurong rubbed his aching forehead with his chubby little hands, looking around blankly for a long time before realizing he was being held in Xi Guxing's arms.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Seeing that he was awake, Xi Guxing slowly began to fiddle with the Azure Jade Marrow in his hand.
Shen Gurong was completely dumbfounded.
Before, when he absorbed the phoenix's spiritual energy, he only let out a chirp, and Sect Leader Xi could announce it throughout the entire sect. Now that he had transformed into a phoenix cub and then into a human dumpling, what would happen to his inhuman senior brother...?
Before he could finish his thought, Xi Guxing burst out laughing.
Shen Gurong: "..."
He felt utterly hopeless.
Xi Guxing still searched for his second senior sister first.
"Hmm? I didn't see him transform into a phoenix... No, it's not a pity. Now he wants to use the phoenix's spiritual power to become a human, but he knocked Xue Manzhuang back into his cub stage."
Second Senior Sister: "Hahaha, how's Eleven doing now?"
Xi Guxing: "I don't know if he's doing well, but I'm in a good mood right now."
Shen Gurong: "..."
"Fourth Junior Brother, are you indulging in lewdness again? You'll die in bed one day..." Xi Guxing said, "Tsk, no, I already said I wouldn't lend money. Didn't I tell you a few days ago that Eleven absorbed the phoenix's spiritual power into his body? Now he..."
Fourth Junior Brother: "Hahahaha, he really deserves it."
Xi Guxing: "Yeah, now he can't even reach the leg of a chair."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong really wanted to know if the way the other disciples in this world interacted was as insane as that of Liren Peak.
"Junior Brother has gotten into trouble, and you all didn't even offer a word of comfort, just mocking and kicking him while he's down, and deliberately doing it right in front of him!"
Shen Gurong was so angry he almost snatched Xi Guxing's Azure Jade Marrow and smashed it.
After Xi Guxing told his fellow disciples about Shen Gurong's humiliating performance, everyone happily ridiculed Shen Gurong. The two had just arrived at Baishang Mountain.
Xi Guxing had just finished connecting his spiritual sense with his Ninth Junior Brother's Azure Jade Marrow when he stepped into Lou Bugui's courtyard, calling out, "Bugui, Bugui, Tenth Brother!"
Lou Bugui was drying herbs. Hearing this, he looked up and exclaimed, "Ah!"
Xi Guxing grabbed Shen Gurong by the back of his collar with one hand, carrying him like a spirit beast, and casually shook him, raising an eyebrow. "Look, I found something fun."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Ahhh, Sect Leader Xi, I'll kill you!
Lou Bugui tilted his head left and right, looking around for a while, before suddenly saying, "Ah, it's the eleventh junior brother."
Xi Guxing smiled mischievously, "This guy surnamed Shen has never been so humiliated in his life. Second Senior Sister is already planning to come back and watch the show."
Surnamed Shen: "..."
Lou Bugui nodded, raising his hand to take the lifeless Shen Gurong.
Unlike Xi Guxing, Lou Bugui's walnut-sized brain couldn't hold much; he often acted on instinct, doing whatever came to mind.
At this moment, he wanted to pinch Shen Gurong's cheeks, so he did just that.
Lou Bugui seemed to be pickled in herbs; every movement exuded a strong medicinal fragrance. Shen Gurong hated taking medicine, and felt like his cheeks were being pinched and rubbed by a medicine pot.
His cheeks puffed out, and he ran backwards in strong resistance, but after only two steps, his short legs bumped directly into Xi Guxing's leg.
Xi Guxing grabbed him by the back of the collar, clicked his tongue, and said, "Why are you running?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
If I don't run, am I supposed to be subjected to both physical and psychological torture by you two?!
But there was no other way. At this moment, Shen Gurong desperately needed Lou Bugui's diagnosis and Xi Guxing's spiritual power, so he could only endure Lou Bugui's rubbing, pinching, and hugging with a humiliated expression, his little face turning slightly red.
Xi Guxing watched him suffer while drinking tea, treating it all as a side dish.
Lou Bugui, after rubbing him for a while, reluctantly stopped his tormenting clutches and began to take his pulse for diagnosis.
Four-quarters of an hour later, Lou Bugui: "Ah."
Shen Gurong, nestled in Xi Guxing's arms, was almost asleep. Seeing Lou Bugui finally come to his senses, he yawned, tears welling in his eyes, and forced himself to look at him expectantly.
Xi Guxing, who was stretching his leg to indicate how far Shen Gurong was from him, replied decisively, "Tell me, how long can I keep laughing?"
Meaning: How long can Shen Gurong maintain this appearance?
Shen Gurong: "..."
Lou Bugui didn't understand his meaning and truthfully explained, "Having formed a master-servant contract with the phoenix and transformed into a phoenix cub, to break free, either Xue Manzhuang must revert to adulthood; or other demons must help refine the phoenix's spiritual power within him for his own use. This way, Eleven's cultivation can improve slightly."
Xi Guxing pondered, "Other demons? Are there any demons who can easily refine phoenix spiritual power?"
Lou Bugui said, "Yes."
Shen Gurong quickly asked, "Who?"
Lou Bugui: "Fifth Senior Brother, Chao Jiuxiao."
Shen Gurong was somewhat bewildered. Who?
He flipped through Shen Feng Xue's memories and quickly found the memory of Chao Jiuxiao, but this time, this memory seemed somewhat special.
Chao Jiuxiao, birds of a feather.
Shen Gurong was puzzled. What did he mean by "birds of a feather"?
Did it mean his despicable behavior was in cahoots with those Shen Feng Xue despised, or did it simply mean that Chao Jiuxiao's demonic form was something like a raccoon?
In this world, even lotuses could become spirits; Shen Gurong could no longer easily make judgments based on the common sense of his own world.
Besides, a raccoon becoming a demon cultivator was quite exciting to think about.
He wanted to broaden his horizons.
While Shen Gurong was lost in thought, he heard Xi Guxing coldly say, "No."
Shen Gurong was taken aback, looking at him questioningly.
Xi Guxing said, "Jiuxiao is narrow-minded. Because of Master's favoritism over the years, he seems to want to devour Shen-shidi alive every time he sees him. How could he possibly help him refine the Phoenix's spiritual power?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
So Shen Feng Xue really did have a bad relationship with his other senior brothers.
But it should be fine. It's just a raccoon; even with its big mouth, it couldn't swallow him whole.
Before he could even catch his breath, Lou Bugui slowly said, "But Fifth Senior Brother is the only Jiaolong in the Three Realms. He's the only one who can refine the Phoenix's spiritual power."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong: "!!!"
Jiaolong?!
That...that legendary divine beast?!
Farewell.
Shen Gurong suddenly felt that his current small form was quite nice.
Xi Guxing frowned: "I still disagree."
Lou Bugui tilted his head: "I think it's not bad. Fifth Senior Brother won't kill Eleventh."
Shen Gurong quickly shook his head, agreeing with Xi Guxing's idea for the first time. He stepped on Xi Guxing's knees, hugged Xi Guxing's neck, and refused to let go, fearing that Lou Bugui would take him to be fed to the Jiaolong.
Xi Guxing raised an eyebrow, quite pleased with his clingy gesture. He picked up Shen Gurong and said casually, "It's only a month before he grows up, it's not a big deal."
Lou Bugui still felt Shen Gurong should meet his fifth senior brother: "But..."
Shen Gurong quickly patted Xi Guxing's shoulder, urging him to run, not wanting Lou Bugui to keep saying "but."
Xi Guxing, a decisive man, turned and left with him in one arm, leaving Lou Bugui behind.
After leaving Baishang Mountain, Shen Gurong leaned on Xi Guxing's shoulder, lost in thought.
"Chao Jiuxiao, birds of a feather?"
Chao Jiuxiao's true form is a dragon, completely unrelated to a raccoon. Therefore, this statement can only be understood using common sense.
So, who exactly is Chao Jiuxiao in cahoots with?
What exactly had he done to make Shen Feng Xue, whose temperament was as still as a deep pool, so disgusted that he had even etched such a word into his memory?
Shen Gurong pondered this for a long time, but still couldn't figure it out.
Seeing him still lost in thought, Xi Guxing said, "Don't even think about going to find Chao Jiuxiao. You know his temperament; he'd be more than willing to swallow you whole. Besides, he's currently in seclusion at Fengyu Pool. If you easily wake him, the entire Liren Peak won't be peaceful."
Shen Gurong said "Oh," knowing that his life was more important.
"Your injuries haven't fully healed yet. I could take on two of you with one hand," Xi Guxing said disdainfully, seeing his listless state. "Your priority right now is to recover."
Shen Gurong nodded again.
After crossing the suspension bridge, Xi Guxing suddenly asked out of the blue, "Was this trip down the mountain fun?"
Shen Gurong looked up at him in confusion, but Xi Guxing, for some reason, immediately looked away, avoiding his gaze. Shen Gurong thought for a moment. In just one day since leaving the mountain, he had already embarrassed himself so many times, and then been dragged into the barrier by the water ghost twice—it wasn't exactly fun.
But this was his first time in such a bustling city since arriving in this world, so he was easily satisfied.
He nodded: "Yes, it was fun."
Xi Guxing silently breathed a sigh of relief, his expression still indifferent. He glanced at him and said, "Is that so? Then do you know how much trouble you've caused me by running off like this?"
Shen Gurong remembered the hundred-year promise Wen Liubing had mentioned.
Although it wasn't voluntary, Shen Gurong still left the mountain without informing Xi Guxing. Since the White Crane was a spy sent by the demon race to monitor Shen Feng Xue, it would definitely notify the demon race immediately.
And if the others in the Three Realms knew that Shen Gurong had left the mountain without permission, they would definitely come to question Xi Guxing, the head of Liren Peak.
Thinking of this, Shen Gurong felt a little dejected; he never liked to trouble others.
Xi Guxing saw his little head drooping and smiled wryly, "You know you're wrong?"
Shen Gurong nodded and said softly, "Senior Brother, Eleven knows he's wrong."
Xi Guxing froze, even his feet stiffening, staring blankly at Shen Gurong.
When Shen Gurong, with his childlike face, called him in a soft, sweet voice that everyone found irresistible, Master Xi, who was usually unfazed even by a collapsing mountain, looked as if he'd seen a ghost.
His expression was complicated as he said with difficulty, "How many times have I told you, you...you shouldn't act like a child with me..."
Shen Gurong didn't hear him clearly and tilted his head, "Huh?"
Xi Guxing's head was filled with that childlike voice, and after a moment of stunned silence, he suddenly bent down and put the little dumpling on the ground. Before Shen Gurong could react, he turned and fled in a disheveled manner, as if being chased by wolves.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong called out to his retreating figure, "Senior Brother! Sect Leader Brother! Take...me there!"
Xi Guxing didn't quite hear what came after, only that sweet, childish "Senior Brother," and ran even faster.
Shen Gurong's voice almost cracked as he shouted, "Senior Brother!! Take me back! I don't know the way, Senior Brother!"
"Sect Leader, Senior Brother!!"
"Sect Leader!"
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