CH 13

In the end, Feng Ci still accepted the task.

First, it’s because Xiao Que’s pleading expression was truly a bit pitiful. Second, his family’s little black snake was also very pitiful being fumed by the smell of realgar. Not to mention, just looking at the completely chaotic state outside, Feng Ci was able to tell that the little black snake’s Divine Consciousness has not spent the last few days very well. With Feng Ci here, it could at least feel a bit more at peace. 

Xiao Que had a certain amount of authority inside LangFeng City. After receiving Feng Ci’s consent, he immediately went to make arrangements.

Since Feng Ci needed to accompany the little black snake for a while, he couldn’t remain in the Divine Conscious state the entire time. It’s not really because of his cultivation or anything. The main reason was….. He had left Lu JingMing’s body behind in CangJing Pavilion.

While he stayed over here, Lu JingMing might end up nothing but a non-breathing dead corpse over there.

Therefore, Feng Ci spent an entire hour untangling the clingy snake off of his body before sneaking out of LinXian Terrace. 

Under the strict control of City Master Pei QianYue, the disciples of LangFeng City were diligent and hardworking to almost an unnatural degree. Even bright and early in the morning, CangJing Pavilion was packed with people.

Inside the five-stories tall pavilion, bookshelves stood next to each in rows. Disciples traversed between them.

Or conversed quietly with each other. Or studied and read on their own. The atmosphere was very studious.

But within this studious atmosphere, there’s one person who was hugging a broom and leaning against the corner of a wall outside CangJing Pavilion, sleeping peacefully.

“Lu. Jing. Ming!”

Feng Ci just returned to his physical body when he was kicked right in the chest. Caught off guard, he flew backwards and rolled down the stone steps in front of CangJing Pavilion.

As soon as he raised his head, sure enough, he saw Cheng Bo standing at the door of CangJing Pavilion, glaring furiously at him.

Feng Ci: “……” 

Does this person do nothing all day but watch him deliberately to find trouble with him?

Cheng Bo berated: “Why did I tell you to come here? So you can sweep CangJing Pavilion. Yet you’re here sleeping? If you love to sleep so much, why don’t you leave the mountain and go home to sleep?”

Feng Cu rubbed his chest and said to himself: His entire family and sect were killed and destroyed by evil creatures 3000 years ago. What home was he supposed to return to?

He smiled and was about to reply when a pair of hands extended over and helped him up. 

“Bright and early in the morning, what are you guys arguing about over here?” The new arrival asked.

This voice sounded familiar. Feng Ci turned his head and looked. It was actually Xie WuHan.

Xie WuHan was the head disciple of the Discipline and Enforcement Elder and the chief representative of LangFeng City disciples. During this period, he was the one investigating the disaster of the cultivation sects.

Even though this person was still young, his cultivation base was very good. It’s only unfortunate that he was somewhat proud and arrogant. In the past, he has never given outer disciples a proper glance before. 

Therefore, after being helped up by him, Feng Ci actually felt somewhat flabbergasted.

“Xie, Xie-Shixiong!” Cheng Bo immediately cowered before him and said hastily: “It’s nothing. This kid was being lazy so I am teaching him a lesson.”

Xie WuHan frowned: “That’s not right either. Getting all physical here inside CangJing Pavilion, how inappropriate.”

Mfcu Jl qgjmalmjiis atbeuta Wlf QeLjc kjr qbrrfrrfv. 

Ktf ijra alwf atfs wfa, Wlf QeLjc kjr ralii bgvfglcu tlw jgbecv ifoa jcv gluta. Ktf qgfnlber alwf yfobgf atja, tf fnfc qblcafv j rkbgv vlgfmais ja Mfcu Jl.

Lbk ibcu tjr la yffc? Lbk mbwf atlr qfgrbc revvfcis mtjcufv qfgrbcjilalfr jcv kjr fnfc rqfjxlcu eq obg tlw?

Cheng Bo clearly also never imagined Xie WuHan would actually defend Feng Ci. However, he didn’t dare to talk back and only answered with gritted teeth: “Yes, Xie-Shixiong. Thank you for your lesson.”

Xie WuHan ignored him and turned his head to ask Feng Ci: “Are you alright?” 

“……” Feng Ci really couldn’t get used to this person’s sudden concern: “I’m fine. Many thanks, Shixiong.”

Xie WuHan nodded and almost looked like he still wanted to say something; however, he was interrupted by a voice.

“Lu JingMing!” Behind him, a disciple hastily ran over: “LinXian Terrace sent someone to find you. They want you to head over to serve the City Master personally from today onwards, starting right now.”

Xiao Que was really very swift, and to summon Feng Ci over there directly in the name of LinXian Terrace. 

He must be very scared that Feng Ci might renege.

“Serve?” Cheng Bo pointed at Feng Ci, extremely flabbergasted: “Someone like him?”

Although the entire LangFeng City were afraid of Pei QianYue to death, no one would want to miss out on the opportunity to serve him personally. This was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get close to the higher echelons of the cultivation world. Not only was there the opportunity to become noticed and accepted as someone’s disciple, even receiving some random pointers here and there was an endless benefit to one’s cultivation.

Unfortunately, Pei QianYue has never asked anyone to serve him personally despite controlling LangFeng City all these years. 

Occasionally, elders from other cultivation sects would come to visit and discuss Dao. If a person was needed to fetch water and bring tea, the opportunity would fall completely on the inner sect disciples, not outer sect disciples like them.

Moreover, just look at Lu JingMing’s extraordinarily lazy personality. Normally, it practically killed him to merely sweep the floors. He’d only move reluctantly when he’s watched closely. Move your eyes off him for a brief second, and he’d end up sleeping in some unknown corner.

This kind of person… no matter how you look at it, has nothing to do with the words of ‘serving someone personally’.

Why did such a big piece of bread have to fall on his head today? 

“Did you hear wrong? They’re really looking for Lu JingMing?” Cheng Bo still felt incredulous: “Didn’t the City Master send orders a few days ago that no one is allowed near LinXian Terrace? Why does he suddenly need a personal servant now?”

“I don’t know either, Cheng-Shixiong.” The messenger was only an ordinary outer sect disciple, how could he answer that: “However the other person said it very clearly. They want Lu JingMing. Also they said for him to not dally and head over immediately.”

Cheng Bo fell silent for a moment, not knowing what to say. In the end, he only sent Feng Ci a vicious glare.

He wasn’t the only person who felt it was strange. To the side, Xie WuHan also controlled his expression carefully and looked rather pensive. 

Feng Ci stood close to him and didn’t miss his brief moment of abnormality. However, the latter covered it up very quickly and said: “Since the City Master has summoned you, you should hurry up and head over, Shidi.”

…… Strange.

But the exact reason for this strangeness, Feng Ci didn’t have time to consider it.

If he took any longer to head over to LinXian Terrace, his little black snake might end up tearing down the house. 

Feng Ci stepped into the palace hall of LinXian Terrace once again. This time he was holding the passage token, and walked inside properly through the big front gates.

Feng Ci originally thought he’d receive a warm and enthusiastic welcome from his little snake. However, unexpectedly, the little black snake didn’t come searching for him at all.

Xiao Que had told him previously, Pei QianYue had set restrictions near this palace hall to ensure that while he was in the coma, his Divine Consciousness wouldn’t leave LinXian Terrace.

Therefore, the little black snake should still be inside. 

However, the big hall was very dim. The Divine Consciousness can hide its tracks anytime. Adding the fact that this LinXian Terrace also had restrictions set up inside that affected people’s ability to sense spirit energy, Feng Ci searched all over the entire palace once, but still didn’t manage to even see a hint of the snake’s shadow.

……where did it go?

Feng Ci stood in the palace hall and pondered for a moment before yelling: “Pei QianYue, are you here?”

There was no response. 

Feng Ci continued to yell: “If you don’t want to see me, then I’ll be heading back now.”

As soon as he finished saying this, on the main table at the center of the palace hall, under the huge, messy pile of books, there was a sudden slight movement, like something flashing by briefly.

Feng Ci pretended he didn’t see anything, and continued to speak as if he were talking to himself: “Looks like he’s really not here. Then I should just go back and sleep.”

Although he said this, he didn’t move. Therefore, he clearly observed the snake tail poking out from under the pile of books, waving left and right slightly, and then retracting immediately. 

Waiting for a moment and seeing that Feng Ci didn’t respond, the tail tentatively poked itself out once again.

This repeated several times.

Feng Ci couldn’t hold back: “Pfft.”

Oh, throwing a little tantrum with him. 

How old was this snake? Still playing such a childish game.

Feng Ci walked forward and moved the pile of books over. Sure enough, he saw the black snake curled up underneath, its head still buried inside its body.

Looking huffy and fuming.

Feng Ci asked: “Angry? 

The snake tail patted the table gently.

Feng Ci then asked: “The anger is not because I went out for too long, right?”

The snake tail patted the table again.

Feng Ci couldn’t help but laugh: “But I went out for not even an hour.” 

The snack tail smacked the surface of the table heavily.

“Okay, I was wrong, I was wrong.” Feng Ci wasn’t exactly worried that the snake would harm itself, but if it kept on smacking like that, the table would end up breaking in half. He hastily picked up the black snake and stroked the snake’s scales: “It was all my fault. I promised I’d come back in one incense stick of time, but I was delayed for almost an hour. I recognize my mistake. Don’t be angry anymore.”

The black snake laid in his arms, not moving anymore.

Feng Ci was exasperated. 

Even in its youth, the little black snake was very dependent on Feng Ci. Feng Ci thought about it later; perhaps this was because when Feng Ci saved it back then, he had once fed it a drop of his blood.

Feng Ci was blessed by the Heavenly Principles. He was immortal and timeless. Naturally, his blood accumulated spirit energy as well.

This blood, which contained spirit energy, had not only given the little black snake supernatural intelligence accidentally; it was also the first thing that entered the snake’s mouth after its birth. Xiao Hei remembered this taste, that’s why it’d feel extremely close to him.

However, as the snake gradually grew older, that deep rooted intimacy and dependency slowly became replaced by wisdom and reason; that recognition has already become extremely weak. 

That’s why the little guy didn’t recognize Feng Ci when he was awake and clear-head but, on the contrary, now that his awareness was muddled, he’s able to recognize Feng Ci through pure instincts.

Although the black snake was petty, he was still very easy to coax. Feng Ci only needed to stroke it on the head for it to stop being angry. It even actively used its tail to nuzzle Feng Ci’s wrist.

To make things easier, Feng Ci simply squatted down next to the table and played with the snake for a while.

Back then, when Feng Ci needed to leave this world, it was also something like this. At that time, the little black snake, who was still a baby, clung to him just like it was doing today, not letting go no matter what he said. 

Feng Ci remembered, at that time, he also coaxed the snake for a very long time.

What was it that he said back then again?

—”I’m only taking a look and then coming back. It won’t be very long.”

—”I will come back. You wait here obediently for me, alright?” 

—”Don’t fuss, you have to be good.”

Recalling this, the smile on Feng Ci’s face slowly faded.

So after he left that day, did the little black snake wait for him like this the entire time?

Carrying the hope that he’d definitely return, staying inside that pitch-black cave alone for a long, long time, just waiting. 

Waiting until it started to seethe silently.

Waiting until it no longer believed in his words.

Waiting…… for 3000 years.

Feng Ci looked up. Next to his hand was the little black snake, rubbing against his fingers. In front of him were those paintings of the faceless person. 

He finally understood why Pei QianYue said ‘that’ the first time he visited LinXian Terrace.

Feng Ci released a soft sigh.

Pei QianYue was right.

He really was a complete and utter liar.