Chapter 121: The Cause
His voice was filled with joy and excitement as he carefully poked half his body out.
The moment their souls resonated, Feng Shi realized Shen Songhe’s state was off. Hearing that soft, small voice now made his heart sink further.
“Xiao He, move back a bit first.”
After he spoke, spiritual energy flowed from his fingertips, enveloping Shen Songhe.
Shen Songhe obediently moved back.
Feng Shi’s index finger moved slightly, tapping on the rock wall outside the crevice.
A white light shimmered, and the stone wall cracked like a crisp biscuit, forming intricate spiderweb patterns. With a snap, it turned into a pile of rubble.
The opening was widened, revealing Shen Songhe curled up inside.
Feng Shi immediately saw the bleeding wound on his fair arm, the blood slowly staining his snow-white sleeve red.
That usually clean little face was also covered in dust, with several small scratches added.
Feng Shi’s breathing hitched. He reached out and pulled the boy into his arms.
Shen Songhe obediently called him “Shixiong,” then coughed twice in his embrace. His cheeks were flushed with an abnormal redness.
The spiritual energy barrier protecting him popped like a bubble.
Feng Shi touched his burning skin and then felt his forehead. Indeed, something was wrong.
He had been caught in the torrential rain and was injured; he had developed a high fever.
Feng Shi secretly gritted his teeth, cursing the two little monkeys Xu Yan and Qiu Changzhou thousands of times in his mind, as he carried the boy away on his sword.
The spiritual beasts at Banyue Peak were now under control, but many disciples were still active below. Zhu Chen’s true body was also there. After handling the relevant matters, he followed Feng Shi back to the Banyue Peak hall.
The four youths were still kneeling in the same spot. Since they hadn’t changed their wet clothes, they were now shivering from the cold.
Feng Shi had already given Shen Songhe a medicinal pill on the way back, but with Shen Songhe’s current cultivation, he couldn’t absorb such powerful medicinal properties. The safest thing was to have Zhu Chen look at him.
The Sect Master and other elders had also learned of the two major events today and had sent stewards to handle the situation.
Trespassing into a restricted area and disregarding sect rules would normally warrant severe punishment. However, since the four were still young and no major disaster had occurred, their punishment was slightly lessened.
Even so, it was estimated they would be beaten so hard they wouldn’t be able to get out of bed for months.
Feng Shi looked at the pitiful Qiu Changzhou and the tightly pursed lips of the fearful Xu Yan. He, who was famous for doting on his Shidi, did not speak up for them.
It wasn’t entirely because of Shen Songhe; after all, he wasn’t so biased to that extent.
It was truly because these two monkeys were too reckless. If he couldn’t bring himself to discipline them now, it would be too late when they committed even greater disasters in the future.
After the four were taken away by the stewards, Feng Shi asked Zhu Chen to check on Shen Songhe. Once it was confirmed there was nothing serious, he took him back to Songtao Peak.
As they neared, the person in his arms woke up.
Shen Songhe’s eyes were hazy as if he hadn’t fully woken. He grabbed Feng Shi’s lapel, his voice a bit muddled, “Shixiong… it hurts…”
Feng Shi pulled back his thoughts. He landed, withdrew his sword, and lowered his head to nuzzle Shen Songhe’s forehead. He frowned and asked, “Where does it hurt?”
A faint pink flush appeared on Shen Songhe’s originally pale face. He became much more awake upon hearing the question but shook his head and said nothing. He just climbed onto Feng Shi’s shoulder and tilted his head to lean against his neck, looking sickly and weak.
He had just dreamed of the scene when he was knocked down.
Feng Shi felt a wave of heartache and quickened his pace.
Although he didn’t have any untoward thoughts about the current Shen Songhe, the boy was a soft, cute little thing he had raised himself; he was definitely the apple of his eye.
Carrying him back to the room and tucking him into bed, Feng Shi began to ponder how to make something delicious to coax him.
In his busyness, he completely ignored the fact that he had just undergone a Lei Jie and was currently in a very weak state.
Searching for Shen Songhe had been done solely by holding his breath in a surge of adrenaline. Now that the surge had passed, Feng Shi’s vision blurred, and his body swayed, his face turning pale.
“Shixiong!” Shen Songhe’s gaze had been glued to him, so he naturally couldn’t ignore it. He immediately jumped off the bed and supported him.
Feng Shi sucked in a breath. He hurriedly took out two pills, swallowed them, and refined them. Only then did he feel a bit better.
Feeling the strong grip on his hand, Feng Shi subconsciously wanted to say he was fine.
Looking down, however, he saw the little ball biting his lower lip, his brows furrowed tightly. He was looking at him with an expression as if the sky had fallen.
The crane mark on his brow was bright, echoing the hot crimson at the corners of his eyes. His eyes were already veiled with a mist of tears.
Feng Shi felt a lump in his throat.
Only after a while did he find his voice. He patted the boy’s head, “Alright, I’m really fine now…”
Shen Songhe blinked. The small hand gripping his didn’t loosen but instead pulled him toward the bed.
Was he… asking him to sleep together?
Feng Shi looked at the bed nearby, raised an eyebrow, and understood.
“Alright, I’ll sleep with Xiao He for a bit, okay?”
Speaking of which, he truly hadn’t had a good sleep in several years. It wouldn’t hurt to rest this time. So, he led Shen Songhe back to the bedside, picked him up and put him in first, then lay down on one side himself.
Having been struck by lightning for half the day, his muscles and bones were aching. He closed his eyes the moment he lay down.
Shen Songhe looked at him from the side. Sniffing the familiar scent, he felt his heart truly settle.
Before long, Feng Shi fell asleep, his breathing steady.
Listening to his shallow breaths, Shen Songhe also closed his eyes and lay down properly. He placed his small hands neatly on his abdomen. But after lying there for a long time, he couldn’t fall asleep. Finally, with a red face, he quietly tucked himself into his Big Shixiong’s embrace. Only then, with his dizzy head, did he slowly fall asleep.
When they woke, it was already dark.
After the torrential rain, Songtao Peak was cool and pleasant. A steward sent a message saying that Xu Yan and Qiu Changzhou had already been punished and sent back, and were currently in the disciples’ quarters.
Songtao Peak had few disciples; aside from the four of them, no servants were kept. Feng Shi couldn’t truly ignore these two Shidi, so he took some medicine and went to see them personally.
Before he even reached the quarters, he could hear the sound of bone-chilling wails coming from within.
Feng Shi let out a chuckle, walked to the door, and kicked it open.
Two teenage boys were lying on the floor, crawling toward the bed in twisted postures. They both looked at him upon hearing the movement.
“Big Shixiong! You’re finally here!” Qiu Changzhou’s eyes lit up.
Feng Shi strolled in. With a wave of his hand, he sent them onto the beds. He asked coldly, “Have you learned your lesson this time?”
Qiu Changzhou hugged the warm brocade quilt and nodded frantically.
He had cried until his eyes were swollen, his cheeks were red and smeared with sticky sweat, and the clothes at his rear were beaten to shreds. He looked utterly wretched.
Next to him, Xu Yan, despite his attempt to stay calm, wasn’t faring much better.
Feng Shi sighed. He reached into his Qiankun bag, pulled out wound medicine and nourishing pills, and tossed them to the two.
Seeing this, the two hurriedly swallowed the pain-relieving pills. After resting for a moment, they began to ask about Shen Songhe.
“Little Shidi is fine. Otherwise, even if your rears were beaten raw, you couldn’t atone for it.” Feng Shi shot them a glare and said irritably.
These two brats were carefree now, but they would undergo major changes in the future.
Feng Shi knew the ending but was powerless to change the story’s conclusion. After all, he himself was someone destined to die. Thus, he could only be better and even better to the people around him now.
But Xu Yan and the others were different; they understood nothing and knew nothing.
Feng Shi turned to look at the grey sky outside the window. The wind shook the pine forest, sounding like waves.
How much longer could such wonderful times last…
When he returned to his residence, Shen Songhe had also woken up. He was sitting on the bed, rubbing his eyes in a daze.
Feng Shi’s heart softened. He went forward to feed him and give him medicine. Finally, he asked the reason for his trip to Banyue Peak.
Shen Songhe wasn’t someone who liked excitement, and he was usually obedient. Why would he go out and play wildly with those two for no reason? There must have been a cause.
Unexpectedly, upon being asked, Shen Songhe lowered his head. A hint of annoyance appeared in his eyes, and his little face turned red. He actually stuttered a bit, “I… I was…”
Feng Shi: “It’s alright. Shixiong won’t blame you.”
Shen Songhe secretly gripped the corner of the quilt, his eyes darting. His voice was very low, “Second Shixiong said… said that Second Martial Uncle had medicinal pills… I, I thought… Shixiong could use them after the Lei Jie…”
Feng Shi was stunned.
He never would have imagined it was for such a reason.
Shen Songhe… did it for him?
Coming to his senses, Feng Shi felt a pang in his nose. He hugged the little ball and rubbed his face hard, laughing amidst his tears, “Dummy! Shixiong can refine them himself. Why would you need to go ask for them?”
It was a coincidence; after Shen Songhe arrived, his alchemy had been put aside. He hadn’t touched it much, so no wonder the boy didn’t know.
Shen Songhe’s face turned pale, his eyes filled with panic and helplessness.
But when he looked up, he met Feng Shi’s soft gaze.
Shen Songhe was dazed.
Shi—he isn’t angry.
Realizing this, his tensed fingertips slowly relaxed. Before long, a bashful smile appeared on his jade-white face.
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