Chapter 21 When did the mole on the back of the neck appear?

In Fangze Mountain, spring arrives and winter comes later than in other places.

Therefore, the creatures living here have the same temperament as the mountains; they are either old men enjoying their twilight years or innocent children who are unaware of the ways of the world. Even the immortals are carefree immortals who have lived for hundreds of years.

Yi Jinxiang felt that she was the only person on Fangze Mountain who cared about the future of this mountain.

Since the sound of human voices went into seclusion, the mountain god and Mu stayed with him in the back mountain barrier. The temple became much quieter without the two noisy people.

At first, Yi Jinxiang planned to return home after seeing them off, but when she passed by the library she frequented and saw the pile of unattended scriptures, she found herself unable to move on.

As Wenrensheng's mentor, she decided to stay for a while and clean up this mess for him one last time.

This stay lasted for five years.

In the end, she simply stayed with Wenren Jing and took care of the temple for the mountain god.

Snakes and rabbits are bound to bicker. Yi Jinxiang was unhappy that Wenren Jing always led his rabbits and their offspring to the temple, and Wenren Jing also disliked her always waving her snake tail to deliberately scare the rabbits. For the past two years, they had been arguing incessantly about this.

Several times, Yi Jinxiang was so angry that she almost ate the old rabbit alive, but she forcibly restrained herself because she was bound to kill living beings after she had completed her merits.

In the following two years, they moved to the southeast and northwest corners of the temple respectively. Yi Jinxiang could no longer hear the rabbits running around at night, and Wenren Jing's people were no longer frightened by the snake tails. The war ended.

It was bustling for two years, then quiet for two years.

In the final year, the two finally reconciled and moved into a house at the back of the mountain. She would come during the day and he would go at night, waiting to receive news of Wenrensheng's departure from the pass as soon as possible.

And so it went until the end of the fifth year.

"It shouldn't be like that."

Yi Jinxiang snapped her fan shut and suddenly stood up.

"Cang Yu said he was going to come out of seclusion today, but it's almost sunset and he still hasn't come out?"

Wenren Jing wasn't very calm either. He held a palm-sized rabbit and spun it around several times, almost making it dizzy.

Upon hearing Yi Jinxiang's words, he stammered out a suggestion:

"How about we go in and take a look?"

Yi Jinxiang waved her fan in a mock-sounding gesture and shook her head, saying, "No one can enter Cangyu's barrier. For now, we can only wait."

She knew how much He Mu valued this seclusion. He not only set up a barrier on the back mountain, but also personally accompanied Wen Rensheng, rarely appearing in public for the past five years.

"ah--"

Upon hearing this, Wenren Jing immediately plopped back into his chair and began to sigh.

"Oh dear, if I wait any longer, I'm going to freeze to death..."

Yi Jinxiang didn't like listening to his long sighs. She glanced at Wenren Jing and interrupted, "Since we've already waited, waiting another hour or two won't hurt. What's the rush?"

Wenren Jing, clutching the rabbit in his arms, muttered, "Pretending again."

Yi Jinxiang heard everything clearly and glared at him fiercely.

"Old man, what did you say?"

Wenren Jing shrank back and said, "You've clearly stood up and sat down here hundreds of times, why are you only saying I'm anxious..."

"you……"

Yi Jinxiang was so angry that she kicked Wenren Jing off the chair.

"You'd have to be halfway to the grave to dare talk to me like that!"

Despite his advanced age, Wenren Jing was surprisingly agile. By the time Yi Jinxiang kicked him, he had already tumbled and scrambled several miles away.

He was extremely timid and terrified that Yi Jinxiang would transform into that giant python again to frighten him, so he quickly trembled and hid to the side, not daring to provoke her.

Yi Jinxiang was too lazy to argue. She rolled her eyes, reopened her fan, and fanned herself irritably a couple of times.

"She's clearly a rabbit spirit, but her personality is like a mouse's."

After muttering this, her gaze returned to the direction of the back mountain, and she was filled with sorrow again.

"I can hear voices," she sighed softly. "I hope nothing bad has happened to you and that you'll come out soon."

*

On the other side.

Mu sat with his legs crossed at the stone table by the cold pool, toying with the small wooden sword Wen Rensheng had given him, but his gaze remained fixed on the calm water.

How much longer are you going to stay?

He asked with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the surface of the pool seemed to respond, with a few small bubbles rising to the surface.

"oh……"

A gentle voice responded softly to He Mu's words.

After a moment, a soft splashing sound was heard, and a long-haired boy slowly rose from the center of the hazy pool.

He had his back to He Mu, and the water level just reached his lower back, making his fair skin appear even whiter and more delicate.

The boy had a thin frame and a slender waist. His long hair almost covered his entire back, and only a few water droplets could be seen falling silently down his shoulders and back into the pool.

Although he is still a tiny little guy to the mountain god, he has grown quite a bit in size compared to five years ago.

Mu Pingbai felt a little awkward, so he awkwardly looked away and continued:

"I'm fine with it, but your master and your clan leader are waiting for you outside. Don't you really want to see them?"

Upon hearing voices, it slowly bent down and squatted back into the pool, as if throwing a tantrum.

He Mu didn't know what he had done wrong.

In fact, Wen Rensheng had already woken up an hour ago.

But this little rascal, having just woken up, became unhappy again, refusing to come out of the water like a shy little fish.

He Mu rested his chin on his hand and pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked, "You're not going to leave?"

Hearing voices, she turned around, half her face submerged in the pool, spitting out two bubbles, looking at He Mu with a very resentful gaze, her cheeks still flushed.

"I know, I want to go out too."

He Mu spread one hand: "Then why won't you get up?"

"..."

After a long silence, Wenren sighed and muttered softly, "I'm not wearing anything."

He Mu: "..."

This time, it was He Mu's turn to remain silent.

He had prepared clothes, but he hadn't left the barrier in the past few days, focusing on waiting for the voices to come out of seclusion, and for a moment he forgot about it.

He opened his mouth, hesitated for a long time, and finally couldn't say anything.

A moment later, he stood up, said "Wait," and disappeared.

Wen Rensheng, who was completely naked in the cold pool, finally felt a little relieved. He swam to the shore, put his arms over his head, and sighed softly.

"well……"

"Why is the mountain god still so unreliable?"

An hour ago, he awoke from the pool and found that he had regained his human form, and the Heavenly Spirit Root that he had held in his palm before falling asleep had vanished.

He tried to mobilize the spiritual energy in his body to confirm that the Heavenly Spiritual Root had been integrated into his body before he confidently emerged from the icy pool.

He thought that Mu would put his clothes by the pool, but when he heard voices and looked around, he couldn't find a single piece of fabric. Mu had completely forgotten about it!

Thus, the scene unfolded where, upon hearing voices, he stood up from the pool and then squatted down again, subtly hinting to Mu to find him some clothing to cover himself.

Unfortunately, in the end, he still didn't understand anything.

Five years have passed, and the mountain god is still so unreliable. Even hearing people's voices makes me a little worried about him.

However, Wenrensheng is more concerned about his own changes right now than this.

"Fifteen..." Wen Rensheng leaned his face against his arm, tracing circles on the ground with his fingertips, "It seems, not much older."

For the past five years, although he and his Heavenly Spiritual Root have been sealed in the Cold Pool, his body and mind have not stopped growing.

Through the Heavenly Spirit Root, he could perceive the world in another way, just like when he first swung his sword. It was as if his soul had left his body. He could hear people's voices, see his own body, see Fangze Mountain, and even see what other people on the mountain were doing.

He was asleep, but he was constantly growing, and his soul drifted to many places across the world.

So for Wenrensheng, these five years didn't just pass by in the blink of an eye; he was now a genuine fifteen-year-old boy.

Hearing voices, he straightened up and looked down at his reflection in the water.

He felt that his appearance hadn't changed much, except that his features were clearer and his bone structure more refined than when he was a child, and his eyes had a beautiful curve at the corners.

Aside from that, there's not much difference; everything is the same as before.

Thinking of this, Wen Rensheng's worries dissipated considerably.

He lay back down by the pool, cupped his face, and swam around in the water, happily waiting for He Mu to bring him clothes that fit.

He Mu didn't keep him waiting long. Soon, he returned to the back mountain with two stacks of clothes in a hurry.

Upon entering the barrier, he found Wenrensheng sitting obediently in the water, blinking and staring at him.

“I’ve looked for a tailor for you a few times, but I haven’t taken your measurements, so I really don’t know what size you should wear,” He Mu said, placing the two stacks of clothes by the pool. “They were made to my size when I was fifteen. Try them on.”

Upon hearing the voice, his eyes lit up immediately. He hurriedly picked up the top layer of his outer robe and carefully unfolded it to take a look.

"It looks just like the one I wore when I was a kid!" Wen Rensheng exclaimed in surprise.

He Mu nodded and said matter-of-factly, "Yes, there are other colors too. We'll try them out after you leave."

Hearing voices, she put down her clothes and hurriedly waved to urge He Mu, "Then the mountain god, turn around quickly, I need to change my clothes."

He Mu was displeased. He put his arm around Mu's shoulder and questioned, "Why didn't you let me turn around when you were changing clothes as a child?"

Upon hearing the voice, her face immediately turned bright red: "W-what? I told you to turn away and not look when I was little too! Mountain God, don't talk nonsense!"

Seeing that he was so anxious that his hair was about to stand on end, He Mu quickly waved his hand with a smile and said, "Hey, don't be angry, I was just teasing you. I'll turn around right now."

After saying that, he turned around on the spot, giving Wenrensheng some space to change his clothes.

Hearing voices, she quickly got up and dried herself off. She hurriedly put on her inner and outer garments, covering herself completely.

He Mu listened for a few sounds, but there was no further movement, so he asked, "Are you dressed?"

Hearing a voice say "Mmm," she took He Mu's hand and shook it, saying, "My hair is too long, could the Mountain God help me tie it up?"

He Mu then turned around and his gaze fell on Wen Rensheng's hair.

The cold-repelling bead he gave Wenrensheng also had the function of repelling moisture. Wenrensheng's hair was still wet just now, but it was completely dry now. It was just a little frizzy, with a few curly tufts on the top of his head sticking up unruly.

Her hair has grown quite a bit; I reckon if she tied it up in a ponytail, it would reach her waistline.

Can hair grow this long in five years...?

As He Mu pondered this, she gathered Wen Rensheng's hair to one side and watched him put on the remaining outer robe.

He heard someone say that he was dressed very carefully, but unfortunately he was too clumsy. After trying to tie the belt several times without success, he couldn't help but start muttering to himself.

"What is this thing... why is it still so hard to tie!"

Seeing his anxiety, He Mu couldn't help but smile, thinking to herself that this child hadn't grown up much and still threw tantrums.

As he was thinking, his gaze unconsciously drifted to the back of Wen Rensheng's collar.

The clothes that Mu had cut for him still didn't fit quite right; the collar of his undergarment was a bit loose, revealing his slender, slightly slender neck.

It was at this glance that He Mu first noticed a faint mole on Wen Rensheng's right shoulder near the back of her neck, its location extremely subtle.

Did you have a mole in this spot when you were a child?

As He Mu pondered, he stared at the pale ink dots, and before he knew it, he had been looking at them for quite a while.

He only snapped out of his daze when he heard someone say "It's done."

"Oh..." He Mu withdrew his gaze and let Wen Rensheng's hair fall down again. "Would you like to tie it up?"

Hearing the voice, he shook his head, smiled at He Mu, then put his hands under He Mu's arms, took the initiative to hug him, and even rubbed his face against him.

"I miss you so much," he said softly. "It's been such a long time since we last met."

Although one can occasionally speak with the mountain god through the bracelet at the bottom of the cold pool, it is ultimately invisible and intangible, and the limited time one has each day to be conscious is far from enough.

Now that I've seen my beloved family again, hearing their voices makes all the longing in my heart flutter like butterflies about to take flight.

"Does the mountain god miss me?"

He Mu, caught in his breath, was suddenly embraced by him.

The two were standing too close, and Mu felt a faint orchid fragrance emanating from the person, which smelled very pleasant.

It took him a moment to realize what was happening. He quickly rubbed the hair of the man who had heard the voice and then bent down to hug him back.

“Of course,” He Mu said softly, “I miss you so much too, Sheng Sheng.”

Hearing this, Wen Rensheng's eyes stung a little. He pulled his arms closer and clung tightly to He Mu, wishing he could jump up and let him hug him like when they were little.

Of course, the mountain god could easily pick him up now, but Wen Rensheng felt that he didn't look like a grown-up at all, and was still like a little kid.

He's fifteen years old now, old enough to be a great hero, he absolutely cannot do this.

As dusk approached, the two embraced for a long time before reluctantly letting go of each other, just as darkness was about to fall.

Hearing voices and feeling content, he looked up and smiled at He Muyang, jumped up and down excitedly, and asked, "Where are Master and the Clan Chief? Are they still waiting for me outside?"

He Mu then remembered that there were two other people waiting outside.

He suddenly realized, "Oh, I almost forgot."

"...I almost forgot?" Wen Rensheng said incredulously. "Then, then Master and the clan leader have been standing outside the whole time, haven't they been angry?"

Mu Xin said that Wenren Jing probably wouldn't be angry, but Wenquxing might not be.

However, I suppose she dotes on her apprentice, and her anger vanished the moment she saw Wen Rensheng.

With that thought in mind, He Mu patted Wen Rensheng on the back without any hesitation.

"It's alright, you go ahead and go see them."

Hearing the voice, he nodded vigorously, and without saying a word, he swooped down like a sparrow towards the exit of the barrier.

He Mu did not chase after him immediately. He stood behind and watched Wen Rensheng's back with a smile.

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye, and I can't believe how much I've grown.

But Mu felt that Wenrensheng was still very small, still the same child who could never gain weight, and who would turn into a little wolf when he slept.

He gestured with his hands to show Wen Rensheng's height from his memory, then pressed himself against his own body to show the position where Wen Rensheng had hugged him just now.

"He's grown a little taller," He Mu muttered to himself, "but the difference isn't that big..."

As she read this, almost inexplicably, Mu recalled the faint mole she had seen on the back of Wenrensheng's neck earlier.

This place is often a person's Achilles' heel, and anyone with even a little martial arts skill will deliberately protect it and won't show it to him so openly, like Wen Rensheng did.

But that wasn't what Mu was most concerned about at the moment.

"...Why haven't I seen this before?"

He Mu muttered to himself.

Was it because your body underwent some changes during your seclusion that this happened?

Thinking of this, He Mu felt a little uneasy for some reason. He rubbed his hair irritably, thinking that it was probably because they hadn't seen each other for a long time that he was particularly concerned about those little changes.

He shook his head, trying to banish the thought from his mind.

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Author's Note: I've revised a few ambiguous parts.