When they arrived at the council hall of Changying Mountain, Shen Gurong's face was still burning.
The facts were undeniable, and Mu Zhe couldn't cover for his master's cowardice this time. He remained silent the entire way, to avoid embarrassing Shen Gurong.
Inside the council hall, Xi Guxing was growing impatient, while the Demon Lord remained remarkably calm. He glanced at Feng Yun beside him, a half-smile playing on his lips, and said, "Didn't City Lord Feng say he had business with Wen Liubing? What brings you here?"
Feng Yun elegantly sipped her tea and replied calmly, "I'm merely relaying a few words for the Holy Lord's second disciple. It won't take long. I heard that Young Master Xue accidentally formed a pact with the Holy Lord. Though I am not particularly talented, I do know quite a few pact-breaking formations, and I can offer some advice to the Demon Lord."
The Demon Lord inwardly sneered, but outwardly remained calm, saying, "Then I thank you in advance."
Feng Yun: "You're welcome."
Xi Guxing, irritably crossing his legs, had long been annoyed by the back-and-forth between these two old foxes, but with Su Xiyan watching, he couldn't afford to lose his temper and could only force himself to endure it.
He tapped the jade cartilage with his hand, transmitting a secret message to Su Xiyan beside him using his spiritual power: "I want to go back."
Su Xiyan sipped her tea and replied: "No."
Xi Guxing: "How long are they going to keep exchanging pleasantries? They're all smiling while hiding daggers, every sentence is so roundabout. I think only Shen Eleven's sarcastic tone can get along with them."
Su Xiyan: 'When is Eleven sarcastic? The most sarcastic person on the entire Liren Peak is you.'
But Su Xiyan couldn't say that.
Just then, soft footsteps sounded outside. Xi Guxing looked up and saw Shen Gurong being helped up the steps by Mu Zhe.
Shen Feng Xue's clothes were never the same each day. Even when they were all plain white robes, there were subtle differences. It was said that this was a bad habit he had developed since childhood—he would wear his clothes once and then throw them away, a complete spendthrift.
Unfortunately, Nan Yangjun indulged him completely, letting him nitpick and turn a virtuous cultivator into a spoiled young master.
Shen Gurong wore a long robe with a blue background and ink bamboo patterns today, the wide sleeves layered, further emphasizing his slender figure. If those present didn't know his cultivation level, they would likely mistake him for a pampered young master.
His perpetually pale face finally seemed to have regained some color, making him appear much more energetic.
As soon as Shen Gurong entered, the Demon Lord and Feng Yun also rose and nodded slightly.
"Holy Lord."
Shen Gurong nodded casually, his expression indifferent as Mu Zhe helped him sit down next to Xi Guxing.
"What urgent matter have you summoned me for?"
Su Xiyan tapped her jade pendant: Sit tight.
Reluctantly, Xi Guxing lowered his leg, adopting the air of a sect leader, and said, "As I mentioned to the Holy Lord before, regarding the contract you and Young Master Xue formed by chance, the Demon Lord intends to find a way to break it."
Xi Guxing's words were extremely sarcastic, deliberately emphasizing the words "Holy Lord," "accidentally," and "find a way," making not only the Demon Lord angry but also Shen Gurong uncomfortable.
The Demon Lord thought: Is he deliberately mocking my son for being stupid?
Shen Gurong thought: Is he deliberately mocking me for being assimilated into a little phoenix by Xue Manzhuang back then?
Shen Gurong was already incredibly embarrassed because of what happened on the suspension bridge. He couldn't be angry with others, so he could only be angry with himself, but he couldn't hit himself when he was angry with himself. Now that Xi Guxing had bumped into him, Shen Gurong gritted his teeth and hardened his heart, settling both old and new grudges at once.
"Oh? Is that so?" Shen Gurong said coldly. "The master-servant contract can actually be broken? And with what? By killing one of us? I've been in seclusion for so long, this is the first time I've heard of such a thing. I've learned something new."
Su Xiyan: "..."
He took back his words. His eleventh junior brother's sarcastic remarks were truly infuriating.
The Demon Lord said with a forced smile, "The Holy Lord has been in Liren Peak for too long, it's understandable that he doesn't know some secret techniques."
Xi Guxing was somewhat displeased. Liren Peak was known for its protective nature; he could be sarcastic towards Shen Gurong, but he couldn't tolerate anyone else saying anything negative. He immediately said coldly, "Is that so? Then, junior brother, you'd better go out and see the world, lest others say you're a country bumpkin who's never left the mountain."
The Demon Lord: "..."
The Demon Lord had gone to great lengths to prevent Shen Gurong from leaving Liren Peak, and these words were like stabbing him in the back.
The three exchanged sarcastic remarks, while Feng Yun sipped tea, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Su Xiyan coughed, interrupting Xi Guxing's barrage of cold insults: "Has the Demon Lord truly found a secret technique to break the master-servant bond?"
The Demon Lord nodded: "Yes."
Su Xiyan asked: "Then may I ask if this secret technique will cause any harm to my junior brother?"
The Demon Lord was taken aback, not expecting Su Xiyan's first question to be this.
Xi Guxing also said: "Secret techniques often carry risks. My junior brother's body is already weak. If there is any danger, it's better not to break the bond."
The Demon Lord: "..."
The Demon Lord thought to himself, 'It wasn't your son who was branded as a servant!'
At this moment, the Demon Lord's sleeve twitched slightly, and a small, fiery red phoenix emerged from it.
Xue Manzhuang, probably just woken up, looked around groggily and suddenly sensed a familiar scent. He leaped out of the Demon Lord's sleeve, landed, and transformed into a young human, joyfully rushing towards Shen Gurong.
"Beauty!"
Everyone: "..."
Shen Gurong inwardly cursed. His spiritual meridians were sealed, preventing him from easily swatting Xue Manzhuang away as before. If he were caught by Xue Manzhuang in public, where would his dignity as a Holy Ruler be?
Although he didn't have much left.
Xue Manzhuang whimpered and pounced, but before even touching Shen Gurong, he crashed into a soft barrier, whimpering and stumbling back several steps.
The ethereal spiritual energy at Mu Zhe's fingertips twitched like tentacles. He gently clenched his fist, withdrawing the energy, and bowed slightly, saying politely, "My master dislikes others getting close. I apologize for offending you, Young Master."
He didn't go too far, merely using his spiritual energy to repel Xue Manzhuang. He wouldn't be hurt or in pain, so even if the Demon Lord wanted to pursue the matter, he wouldn't have a reason.
The Demon Lord pulled his foolish son aside, glaring at him with exasperation, before saying calmly, "Cultivator Su should also be proficient in the arts of Qimen Dunjia. Could you and City Lord Feng take a look and see if this formation is feasible?"
Su Xiyan stood up and took a yellowed silk scroll from the Demon Lord's hand. Feng Yun also curiously joined in.
The two glanced at the extremely complex formation. Feng Yun, touching the silk scroll, asked in surprise, "This formation...where did the Demon Lord obtain it?"
The Demon Lord replied, "The people of the Sword Pavilion found it in the Lonely Goose Secret Realm. I bought it at a high price."
For someone as wealthy as the Demon Lord to use the word "high price," the price must have been considerable.
Su Xiyan examined it carefully and said, "This formation seems feasible, but one thing is missing."
The Demon Lord frowned: "The Cold Turbid Lotus? I've already had it found..."
Su Xiyan said, "No."
She looked at Feng Yun with a troubled expression, saying with difficulty, "This matter involves the secrets of Liren Peak. Could I trouble City Lord Feng..."
Feng Yun, being a clever person, stood up neatly before Su Xiyan finished speaking, gave a slight curtsy, and smiled, "Then I'll take my leave."
Su Xiyan returned the curtsy and saw her out.
After Feng Yun left, Xi Guxing casually conjured a barrier. Su Xiyan then said, "To be honest, my junior brother shielded Mu Zhe from heavenly lightning during the tribulation a few days ago, incurring the wrath of Heaven and receiving divine punishment. His spiritual veins are now sealed, rendering him unable to use his spiritual power."
The only missing element in that formation was Shen Gurong's spiritual power.
Without spiritual power, he couldn't even grasp the contract in his sea of consciousness, let alone break it.
The Demon Lord frowned slightly: "Spiritual veins sealed? Is there a way to restore them?"
Su Xiyan said, "My junior brother has already diagnosed it; he needs mermaid tears, but these are extremely difficult to find..."
Xi Guxing and Shen Gurong listened silently, showing no change in expression even after Su Xiyan revealed that Shen Gurong's spiritual veins were sealed.
Hearing this, Xi Guxing thought, "Could it be that Senior Sister plans to use the Demon Lord to find the Mermaid's Tear? Tsk, as expected of Senior Sister, her methods are truly extraordinary."
However, the next moment, he heard Su Xiyan's gentle voice say, "I just asked my sixth junior brother, and it seems he still has one drop at his clinic. Moreover, he's the only one in the entire Three Realms who knows the method to untie the spiritual veins. As you know, Shuhe's health is too weak for long-distance travel, so it will be difficult for him to make the trip on the eleventh."
The Demon Lord frowned, and Xi Guxing frowned as well.
Su Xiyan smiled gently and said softly, "If the Demon Lord is in a hurry, why not have Young Master Xue accompany my junior brother to Xianyun City? Once Eleven's spiritual power recovers, the contract can be broken immediately."
Demon Lord: "..."
Xi Guxing: "..."
The Demon Lord has always been unwilling to let the divine artifact on Shen Feng Xue fall into the hands of others. Su Xiyan knew this perfectly well. Even if Shen Gurong went anywhere in the Three Realms after leaving the mountain, the Demon Lord would have to be constantly vigilant to prevent him from being kidnapped and forced to reveal the artifact's whereabouts.
Furthermore, Xue Manzhuang's life was intertwined with Shen Gurong's, and he would also go along. Given the Demon Lord's doting nature, he would undoubtedly send a group of people to secretly protect him.
At that time, even if the Three Realms used all their power to hunt down Shen Gurong on the road, the Demon Lord's powerful demon guards would protect him flawlessly.
Free guards, why not take them?
Xi Guxing: "..."
Xi Guxing was amazed.
Just when you think your senior sister is simply setting a trap, she's actually already planning to dig up someone's ancestral grave.
Senior sister is indeed senior sister.
Finally, the Demon Lord abandoned Xue Manzhuang and left with a grim expression.
Xi Guxing clicked his tongue in amazement, watching his retreating figure, and asked, "Senior sister, why do you think he's so afraid of the divine artifact falling into someone else's hands? He's actually this afraid?"
Su Xiyan said calmly, "It has nothing to do with us. We'll use it if we can, what does the reason matter?"
Xi Guxing: "That's true."
Shen Gurong had been completely bewildered the whole time. Only after the two finished talking did he tilt his head and ask blankly, "I'm going to Xianyun City? When did this happen? How come I didn't know?"
Su Xiyan smiled: "It was just decided."
Shen Gurong: "Huh? Why? Wasn't it said I couldn't leave Liren Peak?"
"Now you can." Su Xiyan said gently. She smiled, her smile utterly sincere. "And there are free guards too."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Xi Guxing sat back down in his chair, put his feet on the table, and explained irritably, "The Mermaid's Tears and the method used are known only to Sixth Junior Brother, that's a fact. Besides, your ice silk is ruined like that, Sixth Junior Brother wants to make you a new one, but he doesn't know if your eyes have improved over the years, so the magic array is difficult to carve; you need to go there yourself."
Shen Gurong shuddered, trying to say, "Can I... not go?"
Xi Guxing said, "No."
Shen Gurong could only lower his head, feeling that if he went, his Sixth Senior Brother would definitely tear him apart alive.
After all, he had recently added such a large debt to Lin Shuhe's account at the Sword Pavilion.
Su Xiyan walked over and patted his head, saying softly, "Go out and see the world for once, Eleven."
Hearing the Demon Lord's mockery of Shen Gurong, Su Xiyan was already seething with anger, but being gentle by nature, she suppressed it.
...Then, without batting an eye, she tricked the Demon Lord.
Shen Gurong, unaware of his meaning, continued, "But I can't see the world, Senior Sister."
Su Xiyan's smile froze. Looking at him with a loving gaze, as if he were a fool, she said, "Sigh, I don't even want you to go down the mountain like this. What if you get tricked into going to some strange place?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
Do you really think I'm a fool?
If I were so easily fooled, what would become of my reputation as the number one person in the Three Realms?!
Xi Guxing coldly said, "Mu Zhe will go and protect your master. If anything happens to him, you don't need to come back."
Mu Zhe knew that Xi Guxing held a grudge against him because of the half-yuandan, but he didn't care. He bowed and said, "I will protect him with my life."
Xi Guxing's eyes were sharp: "Remember those words."
With that, he turned and left.
Shen Gurong tugged at Su Xiyan's sleeve, asking doubtfully, "When do I leave? Can it be next year?"
Su Xiyan chuckled, "Don't be so afraid. Shuhe won't do anything to you. When you first came to Liren Peak, he was the one who doted on you the most. That ice silk was specially made for you by him, taking two whole years."
Shen Gurong's eyes lit up, then he heard Su Xiyan suppress a laugh and say, "But now, he's also the one among us fellow disciples who most wants to kill you."
Shen Gurong: "..."
He didn't want to go even more.
Su Xiyan chuckled and ruffled his hair, saying, "By the way, let Xinghe come along too."
Mu Zhe's face immediately turned green.
What was supposed to be a pleasant trip for two, now had to be interrupted by an eyesore?
Su Xiyan said, "His home isn't far from Xianyun City; we can take this opportunity to go back and visit."
Mu Zhe was taken aback.
In his memory, Yu Xinghe had stormed into the Burial Mound on the day of the Great Cold; it was only early spring now, about a year away.
Was the massacre of the entire nation that Yu Xinghe spoke of not far off?
While he was pondering this, Shen Gurong had already nodded in agreement.
Su Xiyan: "Go back and pack your things. There will be a spirit boat from Xianyun City tomorrow; you can go with it."
Shen Gurong: "Tomorrow?!"
"Yes."
Shen Gurong was completely dejected; on the way back to Fanjiang Residence, even the hand resting on Mu Zhe's palm had little strength. Mu Zhe knew what he was thinking and gently comforted him, "Since Sixth Uncle has agreed, he won't be too harsh on Master."
Shen Gurong, probably feeling guilty about those eight exorbitant bills, gave a vague reply.
As they walked slowly, a gentle breeze brushed past his ear, and then Shen Gurong heard Mu Zhe say softly, "Master, I apologize for the offense."
Shen Gurong thought to himself, "Another offense?"
His disciple seemed to like acting first and asking questions later. Before doing anything intimate, he would always politely say "I apologize for the offense," and then proceed without waiting for Shen Gurong's reaction.
He did it when he was a child, and he did it when he wiped Shen Gurong's face as an adult.
Shen Gurong clicked his tongue in amazement, thinking, "This child seems quite gentle, but he's actually very assertive."
However, Shen Gurong didn't dislike him; on the contrary, he found this sharp assertiveness, wrapped in a gentle, jade-like exterior, like a hawthorn coated in sugar—inexplicably alluring.
Thinking this, he suddenly realized.
Hmm? Intimate things?
Hands?!
The next instant, Shen Gurong was suspended in mid-air, his thin robes fluttering in layers, a chilling aura, as if wrapped in ice and snow, washing over him, making him momentarily stunned.
When he came to his senses, he realized that Mu Zhe was lifting him by the knees and carrying him horizontally in his arms.
Shen Gurong: "..."
The wide, blue sleeves were layered on his body, one corner hanging down at his wrist, fluttering slightly in the wind.
Mu Zhe walked steadily onto the suspension bridge, his voice soft and forceful—the same alluring, almost sugary, quality that Shen Gurong had just found so captivating—saying, "The wind is too strong, the bridge is unstable. Your disciple should carry you."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong remained expressionless and indifferent.
He roared inwardly, "Damn that alluring voice!! I don't like it at all!"
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