Chapter 41: Do You Want to Lie Down?
When Xiao Yunhe emerged, the rain on the mountain had mostly ceased.
Though it remained biting cold.
The wisp of black mist leading the way deftly conjured a spectral flame lantern for itself, then looked back.
It seemed to be urging him on.
Xiao Yunhe had intended to follow immediately, but his thoughts drifted back to his Senior Brother.
He scanned the surroundings, his brows furrowing as he sensed something amiss.
Where is he?
The man was no longer on the ground. There were only signs of a struggle and tearing on the dry leaves.
It seemed wild beasts had visited.
Xiao Yunhe’s expression remained unchanged. He paused for a moment, then turned and followed the black mist.
It could only be called karma.
The mountain forest returned to its deep silence.
Inside the cave, Bai Xuci sat cross-legged on his little bed, gnawing on a piece of dried carrot with great relish.
“Mm, all done.”
He shuffled, huff-puff, to the edge of the bed, dusted off his hands, and smoothed out his clothes.
The stray crumbs fell neatly into a small woven container set to the side.
It seemed specifically designated for trash.
“You are quite tidy,” Fan Yue remarked, standing to one side as he observed the process.
Bai Xuci wiped the corner of his mouth and looked up, a hidden pride in his eyes.
He kept this cave very clean!
He swept the floor every day and aired his little quilt regularly.
He had a strong sense of ceremony in his life!
Bai Xuci licked his lips, scooted a bit closer to Fan Yue, and extended a clean, fair hand.
“I want more.”
Fan Yue looked away slightly, avoiding those watery red eyes, but reached out and dropped a few more dried carrot slices into the waiting palm.
Crunch, crunch. The sounds started up immediately.
He seemed to be enjoying them immensely.
Fan Yue couldn’t resist looking back.
The little head was buried in its snack, making quiet munching noises.
How is he so easy to raise?
“Is it very delicious?” Fan Yue asked, genuine curiosity in his brow.
After all, it was just ordinary dried carrot. Nothing special.
Just dehydrated vegetable.
The creature buried in his snack looked up at the question, actually pondering it seriously.
Then…
He scooted closer again with tireless enthusiasm, holding up a whole dried slice.
“Mn, I don’t know, My Lord, but it’s very crunchy!” Bai Xuci nodded, offering to share the delicacy.
His eyes were bright with a hint of anticipation.
Fan Yue looked at the upturned face of the little demon, feeling a rare hesitation.
Should I have fed him more back in the town?
“Mn, let This Seat see.”
Surprisingly, he didn’t refuse. He took it and examined it closely.
Bai Xuci puffed out his cheeks and inched forward again, watching like a curious baby.
Fan Yue noticed the small movement and glanced at him.
Bai Xuci blinked and looked back.
As if to say: What’s wrong?
It was a small carrot slice, cut very uniformly, with no oxidation in its color.
This little demon actually uses spiritual power to preserve food…
Fan Yue closed his eyes briefly, unsure what to say. The boy couldn’t even maintain a basic human transformation, yet he was pumping spiritual power into a pile of dried carrots every day.
“You—” His tone wasn’t exactly complimentary.
Bai Xuci: “Ah?”
He blinked his red eyes automatically, signaling he was listening purely.
“…”
Fan Yue ultimately said nothing. He broke the small carrot slice in half and fed it directly into the open mouth.
The little demon paused for a second, then crunch-crunch, chewed it up, accepting it readily.
After finishing that one, Bai Xuci buried his head to pick a new one from his palm and tossed it into his mouth.
Eating very happily.
Seeing the heartless, carefree look on the little demon’s face, Fan Yue felt a sudden helplessness.
Did he grow up eating this stuff?
Bai Xuci had initially been sad about handing over all his hoarded dried carrots, but now he didn’t mind as much.
He knew Fan Yue wouldn’t eat such plain food.
So, it was all still his!
It was just stored in a different place, and a safer one at that.
Mn, no loss, no loss!
Just as Bai Xuci was thinking this, he suddenly felt a tug on his arm, causing him to tip uncontrollably to the side.
His head bumped against Fan Yue’s waist.
“Don’t move.”
Bai Xuci felt a familiar warm current and realized he was being “recharged,” so he obediently stayed still.
Fan Yue lowered his gaze to inspect him and found the white yaodan (demon core). He couldn’t help but want to laugh.
How can it be so small?
“My Lord, what are you laughing at?” Bai Xuci’s voice came muffled through the fabric of the robes.
Fan Yue suppressed the curve of his lips and said casually:
“Nothing.”
Bai Xuci wanted to move his head away, but since the other party was examining him, he couldn’t shift.
He could only stay propped up like this.
Because the other person was the Big Boss, Bai Xuci kept his head hovering slightly, not daring to actually lean his full weight against him.
“Oh.”
A tone of distrust.
Fan Yue looked down and, sure enough, saw those two big spectral ears drooping slightly. They really did reflect their owner’s emotions.
He reached out and smoothed them.
The ears perked up a bit, seeming to want more petting.
Bai Xuci was still waiting for the “charging” to finish, completely unaware that his ears had betrayed him.
Fan Yue’s lips curled up. He didn’t say anything, turning his attention back to the demon core.
Although small, it was quite white and clean.
Like an egg.
Fan Yue injected some spiritual power into it. Looking down, he saw the little demon close his eyes in comfort, just as expected.
“…”
His spiritual power runs out constantly, but it’s barely enough to get by.
Fan Yue withdrew his hand, thinking that the contract from earlier was indeed useful. It wasn’t limited to the single function those cultivators spoke of.
At the very least, it made it convenient for him to…
“Done?” The little demon beside him looked up and asked, as if a task had been completed.
Fan Yue’s train of thought was interrupted. He looked down. “Mn.”
Receiving the affirmative, Bai Xuci stretched lazily, relaxing, and prepared to scoot back.
To rest a bit.
But before he could move, his arm was caught.
Bai Xuci: “??”
What now? I handed over all the carrots!
“You want to sleep?”
Bai Xuci was confused for a moment, then answered slowly:
“But I’ve been up all night. The sun will be up soon. Can’t I sleep?”
He tilted his head, feeling he hadn’t done anything wrong. hadn’t he been allowed to sleep the past few days?
Fan Yue suddenly felt a sudden urge to tease the demon. He spoke in an indifferent tone:
“You sleep on the bed, and let This Seat stand?”
Bai Xuci fell into a daze at these words.
Huh?
But doesn’t the venerable old man not need to sleep?
Bai Xuci didn’t think too deeply on this issue. Instead, following his instincts, he scooted toward the inner side of the bed and asked very earnestly:
“Then, My Lord… do you want to lie down?”
He patted his little cotton quilt invitingly.
Fan Yue could no longer suppress the smile on his lips. He really hadn’t expected the little demon to be so—
Poof!
The boy on the bed vanished, replaced by a small ball of “yarn.”
Bai Xuci nimbly hopped to the inner corner of the head of the bed, arched his rabbit back, and stretched out his body.
Finding his most familiar corner.
He lay down flat.
All in all, the area he occupied wasn’t even as big as a pillow.
He even tilted his rabbit head, looking over in confusion.
Aren’t you going to sleep?
Fan Yue: “…”
Being too obedient isn’t always a good thing.
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