Xi Guxing pushed him for an answer, saying with a strange expression, "You went to the burial mound?"
Shen Gurong opened his eyes, got up from the bed, casually draped a cloak over his shoulders, coughed lightly, and said without batting an eye, "No, Mu Zhe got lost and accidentally wandered in."
If Mu Zhe heard this, he would probably blush for his master.
Xi Guxing glanced at him, then sat down beside him, casually brewed a pot of tea like an ordinary person, and asked indifferently, "Why did you decide to reinforce the barrier of the Burial Mound?"
Shen Gurong, pulling his cloak tighter, walked over and sat opposite Xi Guxing, truthfully stating, "Because he said he would kidnap me to use as a furnace."
Xi Guxing: "..."
Xi Guxing's hand trembled, nearly spilling the scalding tea. His expression turned grim, and he coldly said, "He dares!"
Shen Gurong took the teacup from Xi Guxing's hand, gently swirling it, then looked down at the single tea leaf in the cup, saying calmly, "What wouldn't he dare?"
From his brief conversation with the demonic cultivator, Shen Gurong roughly understood that the man was undoubtedly arrogant, vengeful, and ruthless. Shen Feng Xue had imprisoned him in the Burial Mound for so many years; if he were to ever escape, he would surely make Shen Feng Xue suffer excruciating torment until he died, just as in the original story.
Shen Gurong didn't want to suffer, didn't want to die a tragic death; he just wanted to go home.
Xi Guxing's face was grim. He said coldly, "You don't need to see him anymore. I'll discuss with my senior sister about strengthening the barrier around the Burial Mound."
Shen Gurong nodded in agreement.
Xi Guxing was probably in a terrible mood. He brewed tea but didn't drink a drop, sitting to the side with a cold face, lost in thought.
Shen Gurong asked, "By the way, why did you call me back?"
Xi Guxing snapped out of his reverie, took a deep breath, and forced a reply, "The demons sent a message; they should arrive soon."
Shen Gurong remembered he needed to break his contract with Xue Manzhuang. He nodded, "Yes, I know."
Xi Guxing didn't want to linger. He casually gave Shen Gurong a few instructions and quickly left.
Passing Lotus Lake, Chao Jiuxiao poked his head out from the shore, raising an eyebrow and saying, "Xi Guxing, want to fight again?"
Xi Guxing ignored him, walking past him with a gloomy expression. Chao Jiuxiao: "..."
Enraged, he transformed into a gigantic demon and continued his rampage at Lotus Lake.
In the center of Fanjiang Residence, Shen Gurong drank a cup of tea, glanced at the completely darkened sky, and, as if remembering something, got up and went to the side courtyard.
In the evening mist flower bushes, little Xiwu was squatting by the flowerbed, staring blankly at the flowers.
As Shen Gurong approached, she reached her soft, scarred hand into the flowers, casually touching it, seemingly pulling out something.
Shen Gurong: "Xiwu?"
He drew closer and discovered that Xiwu was holding a bright red snake.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong wasn't particularly afraid of snakes, but he didn't like them either, and he certainly didn't dare touch the creepy thing. He casually rubbed his arm, took a deep breath, and then softly asked, "What are you doing, Xiwu?"
The red-banded snake was flicking its tongue at Xiwu, seemingly planning to bite her. Xiwu looked at it expressionlessly, her eyes showing none of the fear or apprehension a typical child might have towards a snake.
Hearing Shen Gurong's voice, Xiwu was startled, glanced at him, and then quickly stood up, instinctively slinging the red-banded snake behind her back, a glint of light in her eyes.
"Your Majesty."
Shen Gurong glanced subtly behind her.
Since she could remember, to survive, Xiwu had to learn to read people. Even though Shen Gurong's glance was only out of the corner of his eye, and it was almost invisible in the darkness, she still managed to catch it.
She nervously extended her hand, stammering, "Xiwu...Xiwu just wanted to carry it out."
Shen Gurong quickly said, "I'm not blaming you."
Xiwu looked at him blankly, her beautiful phoenix eyes glistening with tears, a truly heartbreaking sight.
Shen Gurong's heart softened instantly. He reached out and stroked Xiwu's head, saying gently, "I told you before, you don't need to call me Holy Lord. Call me Senior Brother or Brother."
Xiwu's small body trembled. She said fearfully, "Xiwu doesn't dare."
Shen Gurong encouraged her, "It's alright, just call me whatever I say. No one will dare say anything."
Xiwu hesitated fearfully for a moment before timidly calling out, "Brother."
Shen Gurong: "Hmm, good girl."
Seeing that he really wasn't angry, but rather his face softened, Xiwu mustered her courage and called out again, "Brother."
Shen Gurong: "Hmm."
"Brother."
"Hmm."
Xiwu gradually relaxed. She showed her first smile in two days, rushed forward, and threw herself into Shen Gurong's arms, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Brother!"
This time, Shen Gurong didn't just say "Hmm," he said "Ah."
Ah—ah!! Snake! The snake was clinging to me! Ah, ah, ah!
After Xiwu left happily, Shen Gurong was left with goosebumps from the snake coiled around his waist, barely alive.
Seeing his pale face, Xiwu's joy faded, and she stammered, "Brother?"
Shen Gurong painfully averted his gaze from the writhing snake in her hands. He had initially wanted to spend more time talking with the child, worried she might be uncomfortable, but the lingering sensation of the soft, twisting thing behind his back made him want nothing more than to go back and take a bath.
He said with difficulty, "Okay, I...I'll go back first. You should release this snake quickly, or it might bite you."
Xiwu nodded.
Shen Gurong went back, his steps unsteady.
Xiwu watched his retreating figure with some reluctance, remaining silent for a long time before finally turning her gaze to the long snake in her palm.
"He's gone," Xiwu said softly, staring at the snake. "You scared him away."
The red-banded snake was writhing happily, trying to escape the child's clutches, when suddenly it felt a sharp pain throughout its body, followed by its abrupt limpness and loss of sensation.
Xi Wu casually tossed the limp, crimson snake from her palm into the Xiwu flower garden and turned to go back to her room.
Shen Gurong wasn't frightened, but rather disgusted by the snake's touch. Being extremely fastidious, he threw away the cloak that Liren Peak had just sent and quickly grabbed a change of clothes before rushing to the hot spring in the backyard.
However, when he arrived, he found someone already in the hot spring.
The hot spring in the backyard was almost the size of two rooms, its surface shrouded in mist. Only in the center was a very clear line dividing the white mist in two, preventing them from merging.
Mu Zhe was sitting in the left side of the hot spring with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating.
Shen Gurong didn't disturb him. He took off his clothes and entered the water from the other side.
The warm spring water enveloped his body, and Shen Gurong finally felt the strange sensation on his lower back subside somewhat.
Shen Gurong sighed contentedly, leaning against a rock on the shore, half-asleep, his mind still wandering to random thoughts.
"Xiwu, such a young child, isn't afraid of snakes. Hmm, she must have suffered too much in Fenglu City."
"I wonder how much time has passed in the outside world during my ten years in the book? If it's also ten years, then I'll perish together with Shen Feng Xue."
"That demonic cultivator dared to covet Shen Feng Xue's body. Tsk tsk, it seems demonic cultivators are quite shameless. How can I, the Holy Lord Feng Xue, a celestial being, be so easily swayed by those rude and reckless men?"
"Ah, maybe I should write a story about a celestial lord and a demonic lord when I get back."
"No way! My teacher or brother would definitely kill me if they found out. A sleeve can't be cut so easily. I can't even write about it."
He was conjuring up a grand drama in his mind, even more exciting than any storybook.
Finally, Mu Zhe, who was diligently cultivating, was awakened by his incessant chatter.
Mu Zhe frowned, opening his eyes to find himself directly facing Shen Gurong, naked and half-asleep, leaning against a rock.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe remained expressionless, subtly drawing in a sharp breath.
The shock was immense; he stared at Shen Gurong in near horror, trying to get up but instead tumbled into deeper water, choking on a mouthful.
The sound of the water jolted Shen Gurong back to reality. His vision was blurry; he gently wiped the dampness from his eyes, clearing the icy fabric, and his vision returned.
Seeing Mu Zhe clutching his chest and coughing incessantly, Shen Gurong raised an eyebrow slightly: "Awake?"
Mu Zhe nodded awkwardly: "Mas...Master."
Shen Gurong asked: "Why are you so frightened?"
Mu Zhe just shook his head, coughing as if he couldn't speak.
Seeing how uncomfortable he was, Shen Gurong got up and walked over from the hot spring, wanting to pat him on the back. But as soon as he reached the center of the hot spring and crossed the clear boundary, he felt a chill creep up from his toes.
Shen Gurong froze, standing there stiffly for a while before suddenly realizing—the spring in the backyard was actually a hot spring on one side and an icy spring on the other.
Where Mu Zhe was, was the icy spring that emitted bone-chilling cold.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong silently pulled his feet back into the hot spring, shivering as he returned to the shore and continued sitting.
"It's nothing serious, you should rest a bit."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe coughed even more violently.
His cultivation for the day was over. After calming his breathing, he whispered, "Disciple will take his leave," wrapped a robe around himself, and quickly ran away.
Shen Gurong watched his retreating figure, feeling a strange pang of sadness: "To remain so composed even in an icy spring, this child is ruthless."
Shen Gurong could never achieve that in his lifetime, so he could only envy him and continue to enjoy the warmth of his hot spring.
The spring water was too warm, and Shen Gurong was reluctant to leave, soaking in it for almost half an hour. Finally, Mu Zhe couldn't resist and ran in with his head down, calling him. Only then did he reluctantly dry himself, put on his clothes, and return to the front courtyard.
Back in his room, Shen Gurong was about to sleep when he suddenly felt a prickling sensation on his bed. He spread his divine sense but found no one, so he didn't think much of it and went to bed.
Just a wall away, in Mu Zhe's room, a young boy was tightly bound to a pillar with a binding rope and silenced by a spell, only able to make muffled noises.
It was Xue Manzhuang, the boy who had cultivated into human form.
Mu Zhe sat to the side, coldly watching him, and said, "You think you can just pounce on your master's bed like that?"
Fortunately, Shen Gurong hadn't returned to his room. If he had been asleep, Xue Manzhuang could have easily entered the Fanjiang Residence's barrier using his bond with his master and pounced on him as before…
Mu Zhe's expression grew even colder, his gaze towards Xue Manzhuang like that of someone looking at a roasting bird.
Tears welled in Xue Manzhuang's eyes. Even with a silencing spell cast on him, he still managed to cobble together, "Ugh... Beauty!"
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe slowly rummaged through the bookshelf, starting to look for ways to kill the phoenix.
Xue Manzhuang: "..."
Xue Manzhuang immediately fell silent, tilting his head and pretending to be dead.
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