By the time Mu Zhe had completely calmed down, it was already dark.
Shen Gurong held Mu Zhe, who had gone limp against him, and shook his shoulder: "Mu Zhe?"
Mu Zhe didn't respond. Shen Gurong listened carefully for a while, then touched his tear-streaked face, only to find that he was breathing evenly and had fallen asleep sometime earlier.
Shen Gurong paused for a moment, then gently patted his forehead, muttering softly, "You little devil."
He'd slept enough these past few days, so he simply gave up the bed and gently placed Mu Zhe on it.
Shen Gurong got up, intending to go out to sit in the courtyard for a while, when Mu Zhe, who had fallen asleep from exhaustion, suddenly whimpered and grabbed his hand.
“Master…” Mu Zhe frowned, as if experiencing a despairing nightmare. He murmured, “I'm not leaving.”
Shen Gurong frowned and, taking advantage of Mu Zhe's deafness, mumbled incoherently, "You've taken over my bed, and you still want Master...you want...you want? You little brat, dream on."
He tried to pull away, but the brat’s hand seemed glued to his, impossible to shake off.
Helpless, Shen Gurong could only sit back on the bed with a cold face.
He thought, “This kid has been kneeling outside for two days with a stubborn head; his body must be exhausted by now. Fine, I’ll let him sleep for a while…”
Suddenly, Shen Gurong froze, a chilling coldness creeping up his fingertips and spreading throughout his body. He opened his eyes wide in horror, groping for Mu Zhe’s shoulders and shaking him frantically.
Exhausted from two days of kneeling and the overwhelming memories and emotions flooding his mind, Mu Zhe had barely fallen asleep in a warm embrace when he was forcibly awakened.
The surroundings were strangely familiar. Mu Zhe didn't open his eyes when he awoke, and was about to speak when his master abruptly pulled him from the bed, his voice deep and stern: "Mu Zhe!"
Shen Gurong's voice was too solemn. Mu Zhe opened his eyes blankly, meeting his unfocused gaze.
"Master?"
"I'm asking you, did you really kneel outside for two days?"
Mu Zhe was weary and sleepy, his mind not quite clear. He tilted his head slightly, and it took him a while to process the question.
His eyes drooped slightly. Although his face was expressionless, he looked incredibly pitiful to others, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
"Yes, Mu Zhe caused Master's injury, he deserves a thousand punishments..."
Before Mu Zhe could finish his pitiful act, he heard his master coldly say, "So, you haven't bathed for two days, and haven't even changed your clothes?"
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe was completely unable to follow Shen Gurong's train of thought, and blankly uttered a "Yes."
The next instant, Shen Gurong's face turned ashen, and he kicked him off the bed.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe struggled to get up, holding onto the edge of the bed, and saw his master casually take off the outer robe that was covered in his tears and throw it aside, wearing only a thin inner garment, his eyes cold, carrying an aloofness that looked down at the... bedpost beside him.
Shen Gurong coldly said, "Go and bathe."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe stammered, "Master, I'm here."
Shen Gurong froze. Shen Gurong slowly turned around. In his vision, everything around him was a blur of ink-like colors, making it impossible for him to distinguish anything.
A faint blush rose to his ears, and he almost angrily retorted, "Go...take...a...bath!"
Mu Zhe quickly scrambled to his feet, wiping the grime from his face, and said, "Yes."
He turned to leave, but Shen Gurong called after him.
"Stop."
Mu Zhe turned back and whispered, "What are your orders, Master?"
Shen Gurong stared intently at the slight movement. He tried to hold back, but finally couldn't resist, gritting his teeth as he reminded him, "You want to bathe? Doesn't your dirty Master need to bathe too?"
Does this brat have any sense?!
Shen Gurong was furious.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe finally reacted and hurriedly stepped forward, raising his hand: "I'll support you, Master."
Shen Gurong then slightly raised his chin, his expression aloof as he groped for his hand and placed it in Mu Zhe's palm. Even in his blindness, he maintained a final shred of dignity, allowing Mu Zhe to help him to the backyard.
In the backyard hot spring, Shen Gurong took off his clothes and immersed himself completely. Mu Zhe, dragging his weary body, busied himself, finding clean clothes for both of them and placing them on the bank before wading down to the icy spring.
Shen Gurong casually tied his long hair back, splashing water on his neck before letting out a long sigh.
In the icy spring not far away, Mu Zhe submerged himself completely in the water, only his fluffy head and dark eyes remaining fixed intently on Shen Gurong.
With Shen Gurong completely blind, Mu Zhe gradually grew bolder, his gaze shifting from initially peeking out of the corner of his eye to openly staring.
As Shen Gurong scooped up water, glistening droplets slid slowly down his jade-like neck. Because of his slightly tilted head, the water pooled in the hollow of his collarbone, and with a slight sway, it nearly blinded Mu Zhe.
Mu Zhe shuddered and quickly buried himself deeper, unable to look any longer.
After washing himself, Shen Gurong said to Mu Zhe, who was not far away, "Why are you still standing there? Aren't you cold?"
Mu Zhe responded with a mumbled reply.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Mu Zhe quickly stood up from the water, wiped the water from his face, and whispered, "Not cold."
After thinking for a moment, he added a phrase that was extremely likely to elicit sympathy: "I'm used to it."
Sure enough, Shen Gurong wouldn't believe anything else, but he was easily swayed by this, and his heart softened at the sound of it. He beckoned to Mu Zhe, saying, "Come here. This isn't cultivation time; there's no need to be so hard on yourself."
Mu Zhe hesitated for a moment before getting up and wading across the water, quickly arriving beside Shen Gurong.
Shen Gurong casually gestured for him to sit down.
Mu Zhe watched his gesture, his eyes flickering slightly.
Since Shen Gurong woke up, no matter how Mu Zhe manipulated his spiritual power, he couldn't hear Shen Gurong's voice in his sea of consciousness. He initially thought it was because his Nascent Soul realm wasn't yet stable, but seeing Shen Gurong's current state, Mu Zhe realized something was wrong.
Anyone with even a little cultivation could use their divine sense to detect the presence of those around them. Even a truly blind person wouldn't be in such a state as his master, seemingly completely unfamiliar with everything around him, groping around like an ordinary mortal.
Mu Zhe sat obediently three steps away from Shen Gurong, hesitating for a long time before finally asking, "Master, your spiritual power..."
Shen Gurong leaned contentedly against the shore, looking towards the source of the voice, and said calmly, "This has nothing to do with you, it's just a side effect of the lightning punishment, it will heal soon."
"Lightning punishment?" Mu Zhe had a thousand questions he wanted to ask Shen Gurong, but didn't know how to broach the subject, so he carefully concealed them, asking softly, "Why was Master subjected to lightning punishment?"
Shen Gurong said softly, "Probably because he did too many bad things and suffered retribution from the Heavenly Dao."
Mu Zhe froze, staring at him in astonishment.
Shen Gurong was only being self-deprecating, with a hint of mockery towards Shen Feng Xue, but to Mu Zhe, it sounded completely different.
His master had always been a gentleman of pure and noble character, tainted by the filth of the world.
Even if Heaven were to punish him, it would be Heaven's fault.
Mu Zhe recalled the memory of Shen Feng Xue dying alone on the icy plain so close to Heliren Peak, and his eyes reddened again.
"It's not like that," Mu Zhe retorted in a hoarse voice, "Master is the best person in the world."
Shen Gurong was taken aback, then suddenly laughed. He tilted his head and said calmly, "Do you remember when you were little, every time you saw me you ran away like a rabbit, as if you were afraid I would devour you alive?"
Mu Zhe choked, probably recalling his extremely immature behavior back then, and his face flushed.
Sweat dripped from his forehead, slowly running down his cheek to his chin, before falling into the water with a soft splash.
"Master, I'm sorry," Mu Zhe murmured. "I was ignorant when I was young and misunderstood your good intentions."
Shen Gurong, with his sharp ears, heard the sound of a drop of water. He looked at Mu Zhe in astonishment, almost afraid of him: "You...you're not crying again, are you?"
Mu Zhe: "..."
He had only cried like this once in his life, yet it left Shen Gurong with the impression that he was a crybaby.
Mu Zhe had a premonition that this stain would likely follow him for life.
Just as he was about to deny it, he felt a gentle ripple in the water around him, and then Shen Gurong, feeling his way along the hot spring wall, came to his side. Perhaps afraid of getting Mu Zhe's tears all over his face again, he didn't get too close, tentatively reaching out to gently touch Mu Zhe's damp hair.
Shen Gurong said helplessly, "Don't cry. A real man doesn't easily shed tears, does he?"
Although it was a reproachful remark, Shen Gurong's touch was so gentle that Mu Zhe was momentarily stunned.
For a fleeting moment, Mu Zhe wanted to grab his hand and ask the series of questions that had been nagging at him:
"Was the yuandan within me given to me by you?"
"Those memories, were they real, or just illusions?"
If those memories truly existed, then…do you remember them?
But the words caught in his throat, and Mu Zhe realized with a start that he was too terrified to ask, for he didn't know what answer he truly desired.
Did he not remember?
If his master didn't remember, then why did he give him his yuandan when he was young, forcing him to enter the Dao to prevent him from being possessed by the plague demon, and leading to the subsequent tragic end?
If he did remember…
Even though he was in the hot spring, Mu Zhe felt a bone-chilling cold.
If his master also remembered those memories, then it was a divine opportunity, a second chance at life.
Did Shen Feng Xue harbor even a trace of resentment towards the culprit who caused that tragic end in his previous life?
Without Mu Zhe, Shen Feng Xue would still be the revered, stern, and majestic Holy Lord Shen, admired by countless beings across the Three Realms. He wouldn't have bravely stormed the bonfire alone, cradling a filthy, universally hated child in his arms, soiling his magnificent robes. He wouldn't have incurred Yu Xinghe's jealousy for favoring him, nor would he have been dragged unarmed from his divine altar by demonic cultivators, dying from spiritual exhaustion.
Mu Zhe even cruelly thought, if his master truly possessed those memories, why didn't he simply let him burn to death on the bonfire from the beginning, thus averting this tragic end?
Mu Zhe gritted his teeth, barely managing to refrain from asking the question that was already on the tip of his tongue.
Even if he did ask, what would be the point?
Mu Zhe considered it from a different perspective.
Regardless of whether those memories were real or false, the present moment was the most real. His master was still alive and well before him, not yet a cold corpse.
That was enough.
A deep, dark glint flashed in Mu Zhe's eyes as he stared almost menacingly at his long, slender fingers submerged in the water.
In this life, everything had changed, but the most significant change was in his hands, now capable of wielding a sword.
In his memory, at this moment, he should still be in the burial mound, practicing those laughable sword techniques day after day, his body devoid of spiritual power, merely a mortal with a lifespan of only a hundred years, a child who needed his master's protection in everything.
But now, he had learned a sword technique capable of slaying demons and monsters for ten years, and his cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul stage, a level beyond the reach of ordinary people. If he had any sense, he wouldn't allow things to develop as he remembered.
Mu Zhe's eyes were deep and unfathomable, his mind calculating something unknown.
Shen Gurong, still worried that his disciple had cried again, asked in confusion, "Mu Zhe?"
Mu Zhe tilted his head slightly, his mind entirely focused on how to eliminate the danger from his past life for his master. Since Shen Gurong couldn't see him, he didn't feign a gentle smile as usual.
He expressionlessly rubbed his head against Shen Gurong's warm palm, softly saying, "Master, I'm not crying anymore."
Shen Gurong then gently slapped his head, smiling faintly, "What's there to be so smug about not crying? Who are you going to ask for a reward from?"
Mu Zhe pursed his lips, remaining silent.
After it was completely dark, Shen Gurong stretched, put on his clothes, and emerged from the hot spring.
Mu Zhe silently dressed him and tied his belt, as if he were used to serving others, doing so with practiced ease.
When the two returned to the front courtyard of Fanjiang Residence, refreshed, Yu Xinghe was sitting on the wooden steps, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, bobbing up and down, seemingly having waited for quite some time.
Mu Zhe tied his dark hair high with a ribbon, frowning slightly: "What are you doing here?"
Because of the influence of that memory, Mu Zhe's feelings towards Yu Xinghe were now extremely complex. He clearly resented him to the point of wanting to kill him, yet he was acutely aware that in this life, Yu Xinghe had done nothing wrong, and even at his age, he acted like a fool, spending his days eating, drinking, and having fun, posing absolutely no threat to Shen Gurong.
Yu Xinghe's eyes lit up when he saw them approaching. He scrambled to his feet, bowed, and said with sparkling eyes, "Master!"
Shen Gurong nodded slightly, "Mm."
Yu Xinghe looked at Shen Gurong, who was covered in water vapor, and tilted his head in confusion, "Master went to bathe?"
As he spoke, he pouted and glared at Mu Zhe, muttering under his breath, "You actually bathed with Master again?"
Mu Zhe said coldly, "If you keep thinking nonsense, I'll tear all your storybooks to shreds."
"I'm not thinking nonsense, I'm just very envious," Yu Xinghe immediately waved his hand, saying aggrievedly, "Next time I want to bathe with Master too."
Before Shen Gurong could say anything, Mu Zhe coldly interrupted, "Master never bathes with others. If you want to join, you can, go soak in the ice spring."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Huh? No, the hot spring is so big, there's no need.
"Master's cleanliness isn't that severe, and besides, didn't you just bathe with me?"
Yu Xinghe froze, immediately seeing through Mu Zhe's trick. He shook his head frantically, almost unable to see clearly, "No, no! Xinghe still prefers the hot spring in my yard!"
Mu Zhe chuckled and ignored him.
After his initial shock, Yu Xinghe looked at Mu Zhe with pity and longing, his eyes brimming with "So bathing with Master is this painful! Junior Brother, you must be suffering. I'll never try to steal it again."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Although he said he wouldn't steal it, the prospect of being alone with his master was incredibly tempting for Yu Xinghe, who deeply revered Shen Gurong. Seeing Shen Gurong, sleeves rolled up, groping his way into the room, Yu Xinghe quickly volunteered, "Master, would you like Xinghe to dry your hair?"
Shen Gurong's hair was still wet; he couldn't use his spiritual power to dry it yet. He had originally planned to instruct Mu Zhe after returning to the room. Hearing Yu Xinghe's suggestion, he casually nodded, "Sure."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe had already prepared to dry his master's silky white hair strand by strand, ideally continuing until the next morning, as long as possible. He hadn't expected Yu Xinghe to intercept him halfway.
Mu Zhe practically ground his teeth to powder.
Even knowing Yu Xinghe was innocent, Mu Zhe couldn't bring himself to approach Shen Gurong like this. He took a deep breath and suddenly said, "Yu Xinghe."
Yu Xinghe, bouncing around, turned around in confusion, "Junior Brother?"
Mu Zhe gave a forced smile. His face was grim because of his fear of Shen Gurong, but his tone was very gentle: "I remember when you were bathing the little phoenix, didn't you pluck a few of its feathers?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong suddenly felt a sharp pain in his scalp and turned his head to look at Yu Xinghe with a slight toothache—even though Shen Gurong was blind, he could still vaguely make out Yu Xinghe's bright yellow clothes, which could dazzle even in the dark.
Yu Xinghe said blankly, "But that was when I..."
That was when I was six years old.
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Gurong said calmly, "Xinghe, you should go back and rest early."
Yu Xinghe: "..."
Yu Xinghe glanced at Shen Gurong, then at the gloomy-faced Mu Zhe, seemingly realizing he was superfluous. He covered his face, cried, and ran away.
Mu Zhe watched the defeated one leave the battlefield with a half-smile, then slowly stepped forward, gently taking Shen Gurong's arm, and said softly, "Let me do your hair."
Shen Gurong nodded and followed Mu Zhe into the room.
He sighed, thinking, 'Mu Zhe is definitely more reliable.'
Such a little vinegar jar ^ ^
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