The clouds after the rain were not thick at all, and just a light breeze scattered them to every corner of the sky.
Yun Mu walked slowly on the blue bricks, still leaning on that cane as he made his way down the mountain.
The Technique that Tu Shan Yunxi had woven into the white satin had unknowingly weakened quite a bit, so the further he walked, the more difficult it became, and the more cautious he had to be.
His pace inevitably slowed considerably.
So by the time he reached the foot of the mountain, the sun was already climbing high, and the clouds were drifting far away.
The temperature at the foot of the mountain was far from cool.
Other than relying on the wild branches growing on either side to shade him from the sun, he had no other means to keep cool.
“Even though these starlight dumplings have helped me recover my strength, as expected, walking without being able to see the road beneath my feet is still too mentally exhausting.”
He raised his hand and knocked on a low stone beside him, then turned and sat down.
“The weather at the foot of the mountain really can’t compare to the summit. After all this walking, I’m all sticky. I’d better sit and rest for a bit first.”
He muttered to himself, gently setting down the branch he used as a cane with his left hand.
His right hand opened slightly, forming the shape of a “bowl.”
In his palm, that mysterious Milky White Scale glimmered with a lustrous shine.
Yun Mu had no idea what this thing was.
After obtaining it inexplicably, he had already felt both sides thoroughly, but aside from descriptors like smooth and cool, he simply couldn’t think of anything else.
“It does look a bit like a fish scale, but it’s much bigger than any fish I know.”
He gently stroked the scale again, and in his mind, the image of the dragon-like figure he had seen before surfaced unconsciously.
“Could it be? Was that just now not an illusion? Did I really encounter the legendary dragon?”
Guessing to himself, yet unable to convince himself, he could only sigh deeply and tuck the scale into his chest again.
According to his nature, for such a mysterious object, he would normally just throw it away.
After all, from past experience, no matter if something he encountered by chance was good or bad, it rarely brought anything good for him.
If it was bad, naturally there was no need to say more.
Given the item itself was dangerous, as an ordinary man, he would have little way to deal with it.
If it was good, then it was simply the saying:
“An innocent man gets into trouble for holding a treasure.”
Yet, this time, he didn’t immediately throw it away.
Instead, he took great care to keep it safe, even hiding it in the inner pocket closest to his heart.
He didn’t know why, but he had a feeling that this thing appearing in his hands was a destined encounter—one that would bring only benefit and no harm.
“It’s cool and pretty comfortable, but… After sweating, for my body to cool down so quickly, won’t I catch a cold or fever?”
Feeling the chill gradually seeping back into his body, he asked himself with some worry, and prepared to continue down the mountain.
But in his mind, Eleven’s words at the peach grove hot spring echoed, making his steps falter.
“As a mortal, to wander the rivers and mountains of the world in search of old friends—isn’t that just a fool’s dream?”
Hot on the heels of that thought, another phrase appeared:
“I can teach you to cultivate, let you do whatever you want. I won’t restrict your freedom.”
“Could it be? Was that just now not an illusion? Did I really encounter the legendary dragon?”
Guessing to himself, yet unable to convince himself, he could only sigh deeply and tuck the scale into his chest again.
According to his nature, for such a mysterious object, he would normally just throw it away.
After all, from past experience, no matter if something he encountered by chance was good or bad, it rarely brought anything good for him.
If it was bad, naturally there was no need to say more.
Given the item itself was dangerous, as an ordinary man, he would have little way to deal with it.
If it was good, then it was simply the saying:
“An innocent man gets into trouble for holding a treasure.”
Yet, this time, he didn’t immediately throw it away.
Instead, he took great care to keep it safe, even hiding it in the inner pocket closest to his heart.
He didn’t know why, but he had a feeling that this thing appearing in his hands was a destined encounter—one that would bring only benefit and no harm.
“It’s cool and pretty comfortable, but… After sweating, for my body to cool down so quickly, won’t I catch a cold or fever?”
Feeling the chill gradually seeping back into his body, he asked himself with some worry, and prepared to continue down the mountain.
But in his mind, Eleven’s words at the peach grove hot spring echoed, making his steps falter.
“As a mortal, to wander the rivers and mountains of the world in search of old friends—isn’t that just a fool’s dream?”
Hot on the heels of that thought, another phrase appeared:
“I can teach you to cultivate, let you do whatever you want. I won’t restrict your freedom.”
He felt his heart waver a little.
“Given my current state, just going down the stone steps is already quite a struggle. If it weren’t for the Technique of Her Majesty Tu Shan reinforcing me, I’d probably be covered in bruises by now.”
“As for cultivation… I’m honestly tempted… but as for Miss Luoyi…”
As he pondered this reflexively, his body suddenly sank.
Before he could finish his self-talk, he felt as if something small but powerful had slammed into him, and then he was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, tumbling straight into the grass beside the road.
But it didn’t really hurt—his head had landed on something soft.
“Miss Huaizhi?”
Familiar fox fur tickled his ear, and the girl’s name slipped out instinctively.
“Shh, Benefactor, don’t say a word just yet.”
A soft, milky voice sounded, and the girl’s little hand clamped over his mouth.
Just like that, the youth was inexplicably “kidnapped.”
He lay hidden among the shrubs, the scent of earth and crushed leaves wafting at his nose.
On top of him… the girl was gently trembling.
What was she doing?
With the help of Technique, he could more or less “see” the girl—a small head scanning the surroundings.
Both ears pressed flat against her head.
Had she run into trouble?
Clearly, Tu Shan Huaizhi’s sudden actions left him at a loss.
Still, he didn’t ask questions, just obediently lay there, letting the girl pin him down.
Only after she exhaled a long sigh and released her hand did he finally speak up.
“Miss Huaizhi, are you… hiding from your mother’s punishment?”
“Mother’s punishment… No, that’s not it, why would you think that? I’m not that kind of bad child, ow… that hurts…”
She rushed to explain, and in her fluster, having just propped Yun Mu up with her tail, she toppled over and landed on her tail again.
The little pink ears that had been pressed flat to her head sprang up instantly.
Thus, her face—already red from the effort—turned even redder.
“Uwah… Lie down properly…”
But before the girl could marvel at his hard-headedness, she seemed to sense something, quickly raised a hand to cover her mouth, and her whole body leaned forward, pressing down on Yun Mu.
By his ear, he heard the chaotic, stuffy breaths of the little fox demon atop him.
Against his cheek, her tiny fox ears trembled ever so slightly.
Yun Mu quietly lay still, his left hand gently soothing the girl’s head, while his right hand pinched some earth from the ground.
Then, he began to channel about half the remaining starlight power in his body, focusing his eyes and assisting with the Mystic Technique to probe the world within a dozen meters’ radius, centered on himself.
A familiar, faintly glowing jade-green silhouette surfaced in his mind.
“That’s… Miss Luoyi…?”
“En, Benefactor, y-you know Qin Luoyi?”
He murmured unconsciously, which drew a timid response from the girl still curled up atop him.
Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
“Miss Huaizhi, are you… hiding from your mother’s punishment?”
“Mother’s punishment… No, that’s not it, why would you think that? I’m not that kind of bad child, ow… that hurts…”
She rushed to explain, and in her fluster, having just propped Yun Mu up with her tail, she toppled over and landed on her tail again.
The little pink ears that had been pressed flat to her head sprang up instantly.
Thus, her face—already red from the effort—turned even redder.
“Uwah… Lie down properly…”
But before the girl could marvel at his hard-headedness, she seemed to sense something, quickly raised a hand to cover her mouth, and her whole body leaned forward, pressing down on Yun Mu.
By his ear, he heard the chaotic, stuffy breaths of the little fox demon atop him.
Against his cheek, her tiny fox ears trembled ever so slightly.
Yun Mu quietly lay still, his left hand gently soothing the girl’s head, while his right hand pinched some earth from the ground.
Then, he began to channel about half the remaining starlight power in his body, focusing his eyes and assisting with the Mystic Technique to probe the world within a dozen meters’ radius, centered on himself.
A familiar, faintly glowing jade-green silhouette surfaced in his mind.
“That’s… Miss Luoyi…?”
“En, Benefactor, y-you know Qin Luoyi?”
He murmured unconsciously, which drew a timid response from the girl still curled up atop him.
Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
“I do. Why? You sound like you’re quite afraid of her,” he lowered his own voice to match hers, “Did she do something?”
“She—she’s super fierce! When Mother was present just now, I didn’t even dare speak to her. I kept feeling like she’d eat me up. And, and she’s here to take you away from me! I—I have to protect you!”
Feeling the trembling in her voice and her body, Yun Mu’s hand on her head grew even gentler.
Her soft little fox-demon declaration of resistance painted an image of Qin Luoyi arguing with a crowd in his mind, and he couldn’t help but laugh quietly.
A girl who often bit her tongue while speaking, yet in truth was a sharp-tongued troublemaker ready to challenge the world—
Such a persona, to him, was both novel and amusing.
This time, he finally believed that she was indeed a force to be reckoned with when speaking.
He felt the approaching presence but didn’t alert the little fox demon on top of him.
At this moment, it didn’t seem appropriate to side with either of them.
So, he decided to let Qin Luoyi find them, and then let the two of them have a good talk—and perhaps decide his fate in the process.
“Clatter, clatter,” light footsteps drew near, and Tu Shan Huaizhi, already nervous, felt her fur stand on end.
She realized Qin Luoyi was almost upon them.
She quickly sat up, looking frantically left and right for an escape route.
She was about to use her demon power to lift Yun Mu and run, when her ears reflexively pressed flat against her head and she felt a chill behind her.
“It’s over, Benefactor, I think she’s found us.”
Spinning around, the little fox demon locked eyes with Qin Luoyi, who had appeared without them noticing.
On one side, blank, harmless, even dim-witted fox eyes; on the other, cold killing intent and deep, icy jade-green phoenix eyes.
Who was stronger was clear at a glance.
“No! You can’t take Benefactor away!”
But Tu Shan Huaizhi did not shrink back.
She stood up, looked up at the terrifying princess of Lixun, and spread her arms wide to shield the young man behind her.
Her body trembled, but her heart held her firm.
“What if I insist on taking him?”
Qin Luoyi stepped forward, her tone icy cold.
She was already in a foul mood from Yun Mu being snatched away midway.
Now, having found him, and yet the other side was still defiant—how could she speak kindly?
“Move aside. I don’t want this to escalate to a matter between two nations.”
She reached out to push the little fox demon aside, but the girl caught her wrist.
“No! Mother said she wants to take him in as her adopted son! He’s going to be my Brother—you can’t take him!”
“Adopted son? Brother? What nonsense are you spouting, you little fox? I’ve never heard of your demon tribe adopting humans.”
“That was before! But… after Brother Yun Mu came, it changed!”
“Tch, what does that have to do with me? Am I supposed to just hand him over because you people set a precedent? Ridiculous—he’s mine.”
Qin Luoyi had lost her patience. She yanked hard.
The fox-demon loli, petite as she was, couldn’t withstand the sudden force and tumbled right back into Yun Mu’s arms.
The girl, now looming above him, held him with apparent intimacy, her eyes growing colder.
“Get off him, now.”
“No! Anyone but you people from Lixun! No way!”
Tu Shan Huaizhi clung to Yun Mu, almost in tears.
“I saw it! You’re all bad people! All of you from Lixun are bad people!!”
“Brother Yun Mu didn’t do anything wrong… But you, you hurt his parents! And not only that… You kept beating him, insulting him—he never did anything wrong! And you—you and that old man wanted to dig out his eyes! Bad people… bad people…”
The more the girl spoke, the more her voice choked up, the more agitated she became, trembling all over.
She spoke of things Yun Mu himself didn’t know.
He felt the girl’s trembling in his arms, but his mind was spinning.
My parents?
Weren’t they killed by demonic cultivators?
What does she mean by this?
He reflexively reached out, directly grabbing Qin Luoyi as she drew close again.
“Xiao Yun, let go first.”
“Miss Luoyi, if you’re going to hurt her, I won’t let go.”
“You’re taking her side now? Are you so quick to turn your back on me for another girl?”
“Not really, it’s just that fighting here won’t do you any good. Besides, I have a few things I want to ask her.”
His tone was calm but firm, his expression unreadable, which made Qin Luoyi unable to hold back a laugh.
She raised her left hand, which hung naturally at her side, and gently pinched his cheek, her voice tinged with spoiled affection.
“Relax, I don’t actually intend to do anything to her. On the contrary, I want to help her stabilize her power.”
“Stabilize her power?”
“That’s right. I’m very interested in what she just said—she said she saw it. I don’t think it’s as simple as just ‘seeing.'”
She glanced down at the little fox demon curled up in Yun Mu’s arms, unconsciously comparing their heights, then clicked her tongue.
“Damn it, if only I were a bit more petite, I could be held like that too! So unfair.”
“It’s fine. Just eat more and cultivate well—you’ll grow taller.”
“Ah?”
“Ah, my foot! Put her down. If you keep holding her, all the starlight power I use to stabilize her will get sucked up by you!”
Qin Luoyi snapped, giving his head a light slap.
He was left a little dazed, but not hurt—the strength was just right.
“Uh… got it.”
Seeing the girl meant no harm, Yun Mu stopped arguing.
He gently picked up the little fox demon, brushed the grass before him to make sure it wouldn’t poke her, then set her down.
Afterward, he automatically scooted back to avoid interfering with Qin Luoyi’s treatment.
The girl’s gentle look made her roll her eyes.
“Tch, you philanderer.”
“Ah?”
“Nothing! Shut that mouth of yours!”
At the foot of Qingqiu’s main peak, a dozen meters away under a pavilion, Li Changyi was sitting and drinking tea, cup after cup, brows furrowed.
“Strange… Did that brat Yun Mu get eaten by Eleven or something? He’s been gone this long. That shouldn’t be…”
He downed another cup, completely baffled.
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