Xie Shuci knew these two were difficult to please, but he didn't expect them to be even more difficult than the other.
Seeing Xiao Xun's tense face, as if Xie Shuci had done something terribly wrong, he didn't say anything and just stared at him without moving.
Xie Shuci felt helpless under his gaze, thinking to himself that he was just a little kid now, so why should he bother arguing with him?
So he stepped forward and patted Xiao Xun on the shoulder reassuringly, saying, "How about I go and buy you a new one?"
Xiao Xun pursed his lips, remaining silent, presumably not very satisfied.
With the idea that "a small act of impatience can ruin a great plan," Xie Shuci took a deep breath and said, "Then what do you want? Tell me, how am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?"
Xiao Xun seemed to have been waiting for him to say this, and immediately nodded and said, "Since there's no bell, don't run around."
Xie Shuci was taken aback, glared at him, and said, "When did I run around?"
"If you hadn't been running around, why would you and Xie An each have a string of bells hanging from your ears?"
"I... I like it, is that not allowed?"
Xiao Xun gave a half-smile, "Alright."
After arguing with Xiao Xun for a bit, the matter was finally put to rest.
After noon, Xie Shuci heard a commotion outside the window. He went to the window and opened it to find a crowd of onlookers standing outside the inn, talking all at once. Xie Shuci leaned half his body out of the window, but their voices were too chaotic to hear anything.
"Awooo!" The king jumped onto Xie Shuci's lap, tugging at his clothes and climbing all the way to Xie Shuci's shoulder, wanting to see what was going on. However, the eaves blocked their view, and they couldn't see what was happening downstairs.
"Let's go down and take a look." Xie Shuci lifted the king off his shoulders and turned around to find Xiao Xun sitting at the table, looking at him with a deep gaze.
Xie Shuci was taken aback. Remembering the promise she had made to him, she quickly pulled him up as well, "Come on, let's go together."
Xiao Xun frowned. "No need."
He has never liked joining in the fun.
Xie Shuci wasn't about to give a straight answer, and said sarcastically, "No way, lest you say I abandoned you later."
Xiao Xun glanced at him and said, "I'm watching you from the window."
Xie Shuci: "..."
He snorted coldly and said, "Go if you want, don't go if you don't! Your Majesty, let's go."
"Aww!" the king responded joyfully.
Xie Shuci carried the king to the main hall and found that the hall was densely packed with soldiers. They were gathered together and seemed to be talking to the person in the middle. Xie Shuci tiptoed and peeked inside. It seemed to be several leaders of Songjiu Camp.
"Sir, sir, if you need to go out, please use the side door!" The shop assistant called out to Xie Shuci, who was about to approach, from the back gate.
Xie Shuci carried the king forward and asked, "What are they doing?"
The innkeeper said, "Sir, you may not know this, but these managers don't like the military camp. Whenever there's anything that needs their approval, they have to come to our inn. To be honest, because of these managers, all our guests have already checked out and gone to other inns. Only you and the young master are still here."
"Oh." Xie Shuci nodded, then looked towards the entrance of the inn and asked, "What's going on outside? Why are so many people gathered there?"
The shopkeeper said, "Oh, did you see that red snow wolf this morning? It was guarding the door. I think its name is something like Xing, Xing, Xing..."
“Ironwork,” Xie Shuci added.
"Yes, yes, yes! Let's call it Xing Tie! It's said that this Crimson Snow Wolf is intelligent, comparable to a spirit beast. It has always accompanied the leader of Songjiu Camp in battles across the land, fierce and invincible. Now that we have this opportunity, the people naturally want to see what this fierce and invincible Crimson Snow Wolf looks like." "Awooo!" The king roared in dissatisfaction. What do you mean by comparable to a spirit beast? I am a genuine spirit beast, how can it compare to me!
Sensing its restless urge to slip out of his arms, Xie Shuci gently patted its head to signal it to stay still. "Aww..." But the baby is really curious.
Xie Shuci was also a little curious about this beast, and it was the same kind as the king. The king had never seen his own kind since birth, so it should be allowed to meet it.
"Where is the side door?" Xie Shuci asked.
The shopkeeper said, "Please follow me, sir."
Led by the innkeeper, Xie Shuci carried the king out of the inn through the side door.
Xie Shuci circled around and returned to the entrance of the inn. He subconsciously glanced at the window of the pavilion and saw Xiao Xun standing there watching him.
Xie Shuci waved to him, and the latter nodded slightly with no expression on his face.
He withdrew his gaze and led the king through the crowd.
"Is this the Xing Tie, known as the fiercest beast in the State of Qi?"
"Really? It doesn't seem like one at all; it's as docile as a dog."
"Awooo!" The king bared its teeth angrily at the passersby upon hearing this, but its puppy-like appearance had no intimidating effect whatsoever. The passersby even thought it was cute and wanted to reach out and rub it.
"Ouch!" Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! I won't let you touch me!
Xie Shuci patted its head and scolded, "Don't move around."
"Aww..." The king immediately deflated and lay motionless on Xie Shuci's arm.
Xie Shuci, thick-skinned and ignoring the disapproving looks from others, squeezed his way to the front row. There he saw a Crimson Snow Wolf in its original form lying listlessly on the ground. The red fur on its right ear was not as shiny as the king's, probably because it had not cultivated its inner core. At this age, it was already old for an ordinary Crimson Snow Wolf, and it looked listless.
"It doesn't resemble the legends at all. Is it really the most ferocious beast in the State of Qi?"
"Perhaps it's just Song Jiu's pet. As everyone knows, although the Crimson Snow Wolf is the strongest in the wolf clan in terms of fighting ability, it is also the most docile in the wolf clan. Its aggression is even less than that of a domestic dog."
"I thought it looked fierce, but it's not even as good as a domestic dog."
...
A murmur of disapproval arose from the crowd, but Xing Tie simply lay on the ground, focused on licking his own fur, paying no attention to those around him or what they were saying.
"Awooooo!"
Nonsense! You're the one who's like a dog! Your whole family is like dogs! I could bite ten of you to death in one bite!
Upon hearing the king's voice, Xing Tie, who had remained unresponsive, finally raised his calm eyes and looked at the king.
"Ouch!" What are you looking at! They're talking about you, not baby! When baby gets angry, they'll be dead.
However, Xingtie completely ignored it, only glancing at it before casually looking away and continuing to lick its paws.
Xie Shuci also felt that the Crimson Snow Wolf in front of him was too docile, and perhaps due to its old age, it looked very weathered.
Having grown accustomed to the majestic presence of the Great King in his true form, Xie Shuci felt a pang of unease upon seeing the aged and frail Red Snow Wolf.
“It’s just old,” Xie Shuci said.
Because of its age, its fur has become dull and covered with dirt that cannot be washed off. It also looks listless, like a caged pet that has lost its aggressiveness.
"Awooo!" The king wagged his tail proudly. Baby is still young. Baby will not be like you. Even when baby is old, he will be majestic and make mother no longer be able to say that he is a dog.
"Aww!" Since you and I are the same kind, I'm willing to take you in as my little brother. As long as you call me big brother, I will definitely protect you and not let anyone bully you.
"Aww!" Can you hear me? Baby's talking to you!
The little king was very talkative, and since it was the first time it had met another of its kind, especially one that looked so unambitious, it couldn't help but become arrogant.
Xie Shuci sighed and pinched the dog's head, saying, "What's wrong? Can't you see that the senior doesn't want to talk to you?"
"Awooo? Awooo!" Senior? It's not my senior at all. I'm stronger than it. I'll be its big brother and protect it. From now on, no one will dare to call it a dog!
The king's roar attracted the attention of many people, who couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"How come the most ferocious beast in Qi is afraid of even a little puppy?"
"After all, it is the most docile breed."
"Aww!"
You're the dog! Baby isn't a dog! It's a spirit beast! A spirit beast!
Xie Shuci patted its head. "Alright, stop fooling around."
"Ouch!" But it's so pitiful, I want to protect it.
Just then, Xing Tie, who was lying on the ground, raised his eyes and looked at the king in Xie Shuci's arms.
The king stared at it with his round eyes, "Awooo!"
What's wrong? I just think you're too useless...
"Aww—"
The silent Crimson Snow Wolf suddenly opened its blood-red maw and let out a deafening howl, creating a shockwave that pounced on Xie Shuci and the passersby behind him with unstoppable force. The ancient and powerful wolf howl seemed to awaken the fear of wild beasts deep in the human soul. Birds on the roof scattered and fled for their lives, while domestic dogs tucked their tails between their legs and trembled in their kennels.
It was just a wild wolf howl, yet it seemed to conjure up an image in everyone's minds of themselves, like a wild beast tearing open its chest and bleeding profusely. Instantly, a chill ran from the soles of their feet to their heads, and the entire street fell silent.
Even after experiencing life and death, Xie Shuci still couldn't help but shudder when he heard that wolf howl again.
No matter how docile a wild animal may appear, it is still a wild animal at heart. Humans' fear of them has been deeply ingrained for tens of thousands of years. It's just that too many wild animals kept in cages have gradually made humans forget their primal fear of them.
Only when they escape from their cages and bare their fangs once more will people feel that deep-rooted, indelible fear.
The king was stunned, dumbfounded by the roar.
As a member of the Red Snow Wolf family, it could more clearly and directly feel the oppressive feeling of the howl.
It had never heard such a terrifying sound before. It didn't need to have a majestic appearance or be a spirit beast; just a roar was enough to make its legs go weak.
An overwhelming sense of fear gripped the king's heart, and tears instantly streamed down his face. He turned and grabbed Xie Shuci's sleeve, trying to burrow into his arms, sobbing softly as he did so.
"Waaah..."
I'm so scared... I'm terrified...
How terrifying, how imposing!
Behind the fear lies a sense of awe.
Xie Shuci was startled by the sound, let alone the king and the others.
Xie Shuci gently pulled the king into his arms, stroking its head. He then turned to look at the others around him. They were still reeling from the cries, and many of them were so frightened that they burst into tears.
Even after they came to their senses, their expressions towards Xing Tie were no longer the disdain they had shown before, but rather a look of fear and awe.
Fang Xunxue heard the commotion and came out from inside the door. Seeing the scene, she roughly understood what was going on.
With slow, deliberate steps and a gentle sway of her hips, she walked to Xing Tie's side, looked up at the crowd, and said with tender affection in her almond-shaped eyes, "Please be careful, everyone."
When they first learned that the leader of Songjiu Camp was neither male nor female, many people viewed him as they would the seemingly docile Xing Tie. But now that they have witnessed Xing Tie's intimidating side, no one will underestimate this seemingly effeminate man anymore.
Everyone looked at him with the same unwavering gaze, a mixture of fear and awe.
No matter how dangerous they are, they are all there to protect ordinary people.
Fang Xunxue stretched out her slender fingers and gently stroked Xing Tie's head, her eyes becoming vacant again.
He looked up at Xie Shuci, his lips, adorned with vermilion, parted slightly, "Is Young Master Deng alright?"
Xie Shuci was stunned for a moment, almost forgetting the name he had made up. He lowered his head to cover up his embarrassment, rubbed the king who was curled up in his arms, and said, "I'm fine, the king was just a little frightened."
Xing Tie squinted at the king in his arms and let out a soft snort.
Fang Xunxue looked at him meaningfully and said, "Although the Red Snow Wolf is friendly, its aggressiveness is no less than that of other wild beasts. The child in your arms is too weak in aggression, which may not be a good thing for it."
Xie Shuci fell silent, understanding the implication behind his words.
The Great King is too affectionate and has almost never shown aggression towards anyone. As a born spirit beast, countless people want its inner core. If this continues, the Great King will lose its aggression and become a real pet.
Even if Xie Shuci is capable of protecting it, for the king of the wolf clan, completely losing its aggressiveness would definitely not be a good thing.
Moreover, Xie Shuci doesn't have that ability.
The king noticed Xie Shuci's emotions and, with tears welling in her eyes, lifted her head from his embrace. "Aww..."
Father...
Xie Shuci looked at it with a complicated expression, rubbed its head, and asked softly, "Are you scared?"
"Aww..."
The king nodded, thought for a moment, and then shook his head.
Afraid……
But the baby also wants to be as majestic as it.
The king nestled in Xie Shuci's arms and secretly glanced at the ironwork on the ground.
Waaaaah, I was wrong, senior is so scary.
Xing Tie raised his eyes and gave it a nonchalant look, at which the king immediately pulled his head back and pretended to be dead.
"Young Master Deng, please." Fang Xunxue bowed and said.
Xie Shuci nodded. "Thank you."
He carried the king past Xing Tie. The king lay on Xie Shuci's arm, tears still glistening in the corners of his eyes, looking timidly at Xing Tie.
The people gathered by the roadside also looked at the railway tracks, but their eyes had become filled with awe.
The king noticed that the way they looked at Senior Xing Tie was different from how the older brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandfathers, and grandmothers he had met along the way looked at him. They treated the king like a harmless puppy, liking to pet and tease him, but the way these people looked at Senior Xing Tie was both fearful and respectful.
The king stared at them in a daze, wanting to be as majestic as the senior iron-wielding master.
Xie Shuci was worried that the king might be frightened, so he took it back to his room without lingering in the hall.
As soon as he entered the room, the king slipped out of Xie Shuci's arms.
It walked dejectedly and silently to the corner, then lay down with its back to Xie Shuci.
Xiao Xun walked over from the window, glanced at the king who was curled up in the corner and seemed extremely depressed, and said, "It seems Xie An treats you quite well. Under his nose, you can still be so useless."
The king froze, let out a sob, and buried his head even lower.
Xie Shuci glanced at Xiao Xun with a hint of disapproval, but did not refute him.
Xiao Xun was right. Xie Shuci had kept it too non-aggressive, while Xie An, out of consideration for Xie Shuci, treated it well, even though he didn't seem to have a good attitude towards the king.
"It has nothing to do with Xie An." Xie Shuci's eyes dimmed considerably when Xie An was mentioned.
Xiao Xun glanced at him and said, "It's his fault. He knew your nature, and he knew that this dog liked you. He saw you as a reflection of himself, but he never intended to give you the ability to protect yourselves."
Xie Shuci: "..."
As expected, it's you again; you never hold back when you insult yourself.
“However—” Xiao Xun’s tone shifted, his eyes fixed on Xie Shuci, “He probably thinks he has the ability to protect you. Although I don’t know what happened that forced him to the point of soul separation, I’m afraid it was his arrogance that implicated you.”
Xie Shuci lowered her eyes. "No one can protect anyone forever. I used to think too simply, thinking that hiding would help me avoid some things. But in fact, many things are predetermined and cannot be avoided."
Just as Xie Shuci was destined to meet Xie An, destined to experience these things, destined to almost die at his hands, and destined to die in the Immortal Sect Selection.
Xiao Xun stared at him without saying a word.
Xie Shuci's trip to Tianzhu City was not only to return the Flower Queen Token to Miss Luo before his calamity, but also to keep the King in Tianzhu City.
There are still two spirit beasts in Tianzhu City, and it is a place under the jurisdiction of a country. Leaving the king there should be the safest option for him.
Xie Shuci wasn't sure if his actions constituted entrusting the young king to someone else, but he couldn't continue keeping the king by his side.
"What are you thinking about?" Xiao Xun took a step forward, his dark pupils fixed on Xie Shuci's face, his sharp gaze almost able to see through Xie Shuci.
As he approached, an invisible pressure enveloped Xie Shuci, making him afraid to look him in the eye.
"I wasn't thinking about anything, I'm just a little dazed," Xie Shuci said, trying to appear calm.
Fortunately, Xiao Xun only remembered his memories before he was nine years old and was unaware of his argument with Xie An. Otherwise, Xie Shuci would not know how to face him.
Before the Immortal Sect Election began, Xie Shuci decided not to visit Xie An for the time being, otherwise Xie An would definitely stop him when he woke up.
Xiao Xun pursed his lips, his face inexplicably turning gloomy, and looked at Xie Shuci without saying a word.
This guy has always been exceptionally smart, both as a child and now. Xie Shuci didn't want him to notice anything unusual, so he stretched and walked to the bedside, saying, "I'm so bored. I wonder when Dongli will withdraw its troops. I miss Xiaoxianlan and the others so much."
Xiao Xun followed him to the bedside, frowned upon hearing this, and asked, "Who is Xiao Xianlan?"
Seeing how easily he had been distracted, Xie Shuci chuckled to himself, thinking that he was indeed much easier to fool than the older one.
Xie Shuci said, "Luo Xianlan is the younger sister of Luo Xianyu, the most beautiful woman in the cultivation world."
Xie Shuci lay down on the bed, covered her eyes with her hands, and didn't dare to look at Xiao Xun's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, for fear of giving herself away.
In fact, Xie Shuci had been in a very, very bad mood ever since he left the cabin.
Xiao Xun walked to the bedside, his dark eyes looking down at Xie Shuci with a depth that was completely different from that of his peers.
He seemed not to hear Xie Shuci's words, lowered his upper body, knelt on the edge of the bed with one leg, and grasped Xie Shuci's slender wrist with his hand. Only then did he notice that Xie Shuci's body was trembling slightly.
Xiao Xun grabbed his wrist, trying to pull his hand off his eyes, but Xie Shuci wouldn't let him. He tried to break free from Xiao Xun's hand, but dared not make any big movements.
Xiao Xun seemed not to want to disturb Xie Shuci, so he did not forcibly pull his hand away. However, during the pull, a warm tear rolled down Xie Shuci's arm.
Upon seeing that tear, Xiao Xun's pupils contracted sharply, and he called out in a deep voice, "Xie Shuci."
Xie Shuci's Adam's apple bobbed, and he clenched his teeth, trying to stop the tears from falling, but he couldn't. One tear after another slid down his arm, disappeared into his hair, and vanished.
"Xie Shuci!" Xiao Xun's voice deepened, and his breathing became somewhat disordered. He forcefully pulled Xie Shuci's hand off his face.
Xie Shuci didn't want him to see his current state, so he turned around, pulled up the blankets, and buried his face in them. But his body was already trembling uncontrollably. He gritted his teeth to keep himself from making a sound.
This time, his weeping was different from all before.
Whether he was crying or laughing, Xie Shuci never hid anything, but this time, he seemed to be desperately trying to swallow back his tears and the sobs in his throat.
Especially in front of Xiao Xun.
The commotion by the bed attracted the king's attention.
The king raised his head in a daze. His perception was far superior to that of ordinary people. Even from such a distance, he could still feel endless sorrow emanating from his father, as if he was about to be dragged into despair.
"Aww..."
The king's eyes almost instantly turned red.
It scrambled up from the floor, ran to the bedside, and without caring whether its mother would scold it, jumped onto the bed, trying to snuggle into Xie Shuci's arms, wanting to comfort its father and make him less sad.
But Xie Shuci used his hand to block it from getting any closer.
The king was so anxious that tears fell from his eyes. He nuzzled Xie Shuci's hand with his soft head and licked Xie Shuci's fingers with his tongue, hoping to ease his grief.
Xie Shuci's heart had long been filled with a gaping hole that could never be filled.
Xiao Xun remained kneeling stiffly by the bedside. Looking at Xie Shuci, a strange emotion spread through his chest, tearing at his internal organs, causing him more pain and helplessness than any torture he had ever endured.
"Xie Shuci..."
He was still young, and he didn't know how to comfort Xie Shuci at this moment.
But compared to Xie Shuci's tears, these silent, inexplicable tears felt even more suffocating to him. Apart from calling out Xie Shuci's name, he didn't know what else to say for a moment.
Xie Shuci had endured it for a long time, forcing himself not to think about it, but when the tears finally broke free, he could no longer control himself.
He felt cold from head to toe, as if he had been thrown into a frozen wasteland, his limbs were icy cold, and he could not feel anything except the pain spreading through his heart.
Xiao Xun leaned down and placed his palm on Xie Shuci's back. Something seemed to be stuck in his throat, making it difficult for him to speak.
Xie Shuci's body was still trembling. He turned his back to Xiao Xun, not letting the king get close, and locked himself in a lonely place.
Xiao Xun slowly slipped his hand under the covers. In the warmth of the blankets, a scalding tear fell onto his fingertip. His finger felt as if it had been pricked by a needle, and he slowly pulled his hand out again.
He stared blankly at the transparent teardrop on his fingertip, lost in thought. He pressed his fingertip against the corner of his eye, and the teardrop slid down his cheek, as if he too were crying.
"Xie Shuci..." His voice trembled, and perhaps he understood the meaning behind Xie Shuci's tears, he said in a hoarse voice, "Xie Shuci, I made you angry, didn't I?"
Xie Shuci was speechless, unable to speak.
Xie Shuci is a person who cannot endure anything. He cannot endure pain, he cannot endure discomfort, and he cannot endure tears.
Despite his best efforts to restrain himself, he couldn't hold back this time.
He didn't know how to face Xiao Xun, nor did he want Xiao Xun to see his tears.
He's too cowardly, too cowardly.
He loved Xie An so much that he hoped to be with him forever, in this life and the next.
Even if he dies, he can still find himself.
But he never considered whether Xie An would come looking for him.
In the dimly lit cabin, Xie An leaned against the headboard, gripping Xie Shuci's wrist with one hand, looking at Xie Shuci with a cold and resolute gaze.
Xie Shuci tried to pull his hand back forcefully. Xie An's gaze frightened him and made him feel like a stranger. But what frightened him even more was the words Xie An spoke slowly but resolutely as he looked at him.
"Xie Shuci, if you die, I will not come looking for you."
"Death is death. I only recognize this life and don't care about the next."
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