Chapter 44: Feeling a Bit Bored
Bai Xuci was still reeling from the shock when, suddenly, he was smacked on the back.
The force was so great it nearly sent him tumbling.
Bang!
A round, furry ball instantly appeared on the lap.
Fan Yue lowered his gaze to his own palm. The slender wrist was gone; only a rabbit’s hind leg remained in his grasp.
“…”
Startled again?
Bai Xuci had been hiccupping just a moment ago, but now, that was cured. The hiccups had been scared right out of him.
He just sat there, staring blankly at the floor of the Great Hall below.
His rabbit eyes were wide open.
Xuan Li: “…”
Why did I have to come in at this specific moment?
Am I a glutton for punishment?
Reflexively, Bai Xuci tried to jump off Fan Yue’s lap. However, being held by the leg made that impossible. Instead, a spell was cast, and he was forced back into human form.
His wrist was being pinched again.
“Speak.” A faint voice drifted out. Fan Yue’s expression didn’t fluctuate much.
Bai Xuci thought the command was for him, so he turned his head to look. But then, a response came from below.
“Reporting to Zunshang. The Yanyue Fish has been sent off. It should reach Lian Qianzhi’s hands within two days,” Xuan Li reported, cupping his hands in a formal, upright salute.
“Mn.”
Bai Xuci looked down at the hall, then at his own waist, and finally turned back to look at Fan Yue.
His little expression was very aggrieved.
[Zunshang, you can let me go now. Aren’t… aren’t you two discussing important matters?] Bai Xuci tried his best to communicate via telepathy, hoping to salvage the situation.
Fan Yue lowered his eyes to look at the creature in his arms, pondered for a moment, and said aloud, “This is not an important matter.”
He then shifted his gaze back to the hall below, his posture remaining dignified and upright.
That is, if you ignored the snowy white bundle in his arms.
Bai Xuci was instantly rendered speechless. He could only hang his head helplessly and try to transform on his own.
Being in human form was too large; his true form was better. At least it wouldn’t be this awkward.
He held his breath and tried. It didn’t work.
He instantly felt dejected.
Is Fan Yue really going to hold me like this forever?
What kind of logic is this…
Bai Xuci felt a headache coming on. Just a few months ago, wasn’t he living carefree and happy in his rabbit hole?
How did he end up being dangled in front of this great demon lord?
What kind of rotten luck was this?
Down below, Xuan Li was still speaking. Bai Xuci twitched his ears, deciding he might as well listen in.
Since he had nothing else to do, he might as well monitor the progress of the main storyline.
“Lian Qianzhi is still cultivating that blood sacrifice technique. The Qingyun Sect remains relatively peaceful, but that disciple you asked me to keep an eye on hasn’t shown any abnormalities recently…”
Bai Xuci frowned in thought. He figured that disciple must be Xiao Yunhe, since they had just met.
But why keep an eye on him?
Isn’t Xiao Yunhe’s character setting just the loyal and devoted junior brother?
“You are dismissed,” Fan Yue said.
Bai Xuci’s train of thought was pulled back. He turned to look, only to find Xuan Li was already gone.
Not even a shadow remained.
“This Venerable One asks you: is there anyone in the Qingyun Sect you know?” A slightly deep voice resonated.
Bai Xuci shrank back a little, scratching his ear uncomfortably. He felt the airflow from the speech was a bit ticklish. Only then did he turn his head back.
Fan Yue’s expression was normal, his tone impossible to read.
It seemed purposeless, just a simple inquiry.
“No.”
Although Bai Xuci was suspicious, he answered honestly. After all, the main plot had nothing to do with him. Essence-wise, he was a cannon fodder character so minor he couldn’t be any more minor—just a mediocre rabbit spirit.
After hearing this, Fan Yue didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he leisurely looked Bai Xuci up and down.
“You aren’t lying to This Venerable One?” His tone was faint.
The little demon in his arms frowned, as if he had heard something ridiculous, and replied clearly:
“How would I dare lie to you?”
Bai Xuci wasn’t wrong. In this cultivation world, power was the only language that mattered.
It was basically a hierarchy.
For a little demon like him…
Actually, there weren’t many like him. Mostly because he was too useless.
Bai Xuci didn’t know how to cultivate. He really didn’t.
Although he had read the original novel, the author didn’t write a detailed thesis on “How to Guide Spiritual Energy into the Body.”
Lin Mountain was full of grass and trees; there were no reference subjects either.
Back then, Bai Xuci had been extremely introverted and hadn’t gone to ask the frog brother next door how to cultivate.
He just practiced on his own on the hilltop.
He would make hand signs and gestures, wondering if he would suddenly become a peerless great demon.
In the end, nothing changed.
Bai Xuci thought about it and decided he should just stick to eating grass honestly.
There was nothing wrong with being a rabbit. It was better than transmigrating into a toad…
But now—
Bai Xuci pulled his thoughts back, still finding it incredible.
How did I suddenly gain the ability to take human form back then?
Did I suddenly become an “Ethereal Spirit Body”?
It felt like the past three years were fake, and everything was crammed into the present.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Huh?” Bai Xuci looked up quickly, his face still holding a trace of lingering melancholy.
“Oh, oh, I was thinking about why I can’t cultivate…” His brain caught up, and Bai Xuci added an explanation.
He actually really wanted to cultivate. Every time he saw Xuan Li whoosh and disappear?
Bai Xuci was very envious.
How cool is that? That’s what the cultivation world should be like.
What he had been doing before… spending all day in that small patch of wasteland watching carrot seedlings grow, struggling to squeeze out a tiny bit of spiritual power to nourish them.
And finally carrying them back to his cave in his mouth.
Just living day by day.
“…” Thinking about it made Bai Xuci feel even worse.
Maybe I really am just trash.
Fan Yue lowered his eyes to look at the little demon, noticing the visible depression radiating from him. He was slightly surprised.
“You want to cultivate?”
“Yeah.”
Bai Xuci hung his head, fully immersed in the sorrowful atmosphere he had created for himself, completely forgetting to question the other party’s motive for asking.
“This Venerable One can teach you.”
“Oh.”
About three seconds passed.
“What did you say?!” Bai Xuci jerked his head up violently, asking in excitement.
He even unconsciously leaned closer.
Fan Yue’s eyes shifted slightly as he continued to speak nonchalantly:
“This Venerable One can teach you.”
“Okay! Thank you, Zunshang!” Bai Xuci’s eyes lit up, looking eager and excited.
Fan Yue’s expression didn’t change much. He merely lifted his eyelids slightly, as if he had found something interesting again.
“Mn.”
His tone was faint and somewhat relaxed.
It seemed he had been pleased by the answer just now.
The Side Hall
Bai Xuci looked down and tugged at his robes, then looked at the dried carrots in his hand, a bit confused.
Is this a snack given to me?
He had wanted to ask more about the previous topic, but the other party refused to speak further and simply carried him to this side hall.
“Wait a moment.”
At the time, Bai Xuci wanted to ask something, but just as he reached out to grab the other’s sleeve, a handful of dried carrots was stuffed into his hand.
“…”
So, he obediently waited here.
Though it was a bit boring.
“Xiao Bai?” A somewhat familiar female voice called out, accompanied by a wave of fragrance.
Bai Xuci turned his head and saw that it was indeed Fu Ling.
“Sister Fu Ling, long time no see.” Bai Xuci stood up from the chair, casually hiding the handful of dried carrots behind his sleeve.
Mainly because he felt a bit awkward.
Fu Ling naturally noticed this small movement and largely guessed who had given him the items, though she didn’t point it out.
“Zunshang asked me to take you to your new residence.” Her tone was soft, giving a very comfortable feeling.
Bai Xuci frowned. Didn’t I just change places once?
I was living with Ah Shan…
And the tortoise spirit in the courtyard.
Moving again?
So weird. I don’t want to move.
“Can I not go?” Bai Xuci tilted his head and spoke his mind.
Truthfully, his favorite place was still the rabbit hole. That was his happy home.
Fu Ling gave a sweet smile, then said gently:
“No.”
Bai Xuci: “…”
Can you not say such cold words with such a gentle face?
In the end, Bai Xuci followed her, though he was a bit wilted.
He was sleepy. He hadn’t slept much last night and had been scooped up early in the morning.
“Awoo—” He reached out, yawned, and patted his face.
Fu Ling led the way. Her expression remained peaceful, but she harbored a sliver of curiosity inside.
“Are you sleepy?” She tilted her head slightly, asking gently over her shoulder.
Bai Xuci replied, “A little, but I’m okay.”
The simple conversation came to a halt.
They had just exited the side hall. Bai Xuci looked around left and right, his gaze suddenly converging on one spot.
— Chenyuan Hall.
Seeing Bai Xuci stop, Fu Ling began to explain:
“Curious about this place?”
“It is actually Zunshang’s—” Her tone was very gentle.
Bai Xuci: “I understand the logic, but why is Xuan Li there?”
He pointed in that direction, his face full of disbelief.
A large group of beautiful ladies, and mixed in the middle was a monkey demon, hugging left and right. It was a bit weird.
Fu Ling’s originally gentle face instantly cracked. However, her good breeding prevented her from shouting curses immediately.
Instead, she turned her head gently toward Bai Xuci:
“Xiao Bai, please wait for me a moment. I need to handle a matter.”
With that, she stormed off toward the hall, sleeves flapping in the wind. Bai Xuci watched her retreating figure and inexplicably felt an imposing aura.
Like she was going to seek revenge.
Bai Xuci didn’t go over to join the fun. he just crossed his arms and looked at the plaque.
“Chenyuan Hall…” he muttered to himself.
He had no expression.
He looked away, feeling a bit bored.
“Xuan Li! What are you doing here? When did this old lady give you permission to come?” Fu Ling stood with hands on hips, completely shedding her usual gentle demeanor, looking furious.
This was her territory; what was this damn monkey doing here?
“Why can’t I come? I’m here to deliver cosmetics to the pretty little demons. What business is it of yours, old lady?” Xuan Li bent forward at the waist, smiling in a way that looked very ask-for-a-beating.
But looking closely, the hands behind his back were indeed holding several jars and pots.
They looked like rouge and powders from the mortal realm.
“You went to do missions in the mortal realm again?” Fu Ling asked with suspicion, pausing her sleeve-rolling action.
Xuan Li glanced at her and said lazily, “That’s right.”
He actually looked somewhat proud.
“…”
Fu Ling waved her hand, dismissing the surrounding female demons, and prepared to turn and leave.
Why bother arguing with an idiot.
“Hey, why leave? Old lady, this is for you.” Xuan Li lazily tossed something over, then strode past Fu Ling with large steps.
His target pointed directly at the snowy white lump squatting on the ground.
Because he was bored, Bai Xuci had resorted to squatting on the ground and drawing circles. But after a moment, a shadow covered him.
He looked up.
Ah, it’s the monkey again.
He dropped his head back down.
Continued drawing circles.
Xuan Li: “…”
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