Perhaps the porcelain bottle still carried Xie Shuci's warmth, for he subconsciously clenched his fingers, gripping it even tighter.
He should tell Xie Shuci that he doesn't need it.
He never trusts anyone, and he despises such behavior.
Such intimate behavior will hinder his path of spiritual cultivation.
Rather, Xie Shuci's existence would hinder his path of cultivation.
Connecting with others spiritually can cause cracks in his Dao heart.
However, perhaps, after he first suppressed his murderous intent and first used the Qiankun Mirror to rewind time for others, cracks had already appeared in his Dao heart.
He should cut his losses in time and prevent anything from happening that could affect him.
Seeing that the blind boy remained silent for a long time, Xie Shuci glanced at him cautiously and noticed that his lips were tightly pressed together and his expression was gloomy. Xie Shuci's heart skipped a beat, and he tentatively asked, "Xie An... do you not like it?"
Xie An tightened his grip, nearly crushing the porcelain bottle.
"No." He slowly shook his head and put the porcelain bottle into his pocket.
Xie Shuci nodded, half believing and half doubting.
Xie An neither agreed nor refused.
He would not be able to communicate with Xie Shuci's spirit, because they would not be able to wait for the startled bird to return to its nest today.
The startled bird will not return to its nest, the startled flower will not bloom, and he will not be able to communicate with Xie Shuci's spirit.
A gentle breeze was blowing on the mountaintop as the sun gradually rose, casting golden sunlight onto the bare ground.
Before anyone knew it, more and more people gathered on the mountain. Xie Shuci lay comfortably on the ground, chewing on sweet and sour dried fruit, squinting at the sky.
The sky was cloudless and clear.
The bustling crowd around him gave him a sudden feeling of "climbing high," a feeling he quite missed.
The warm sunshine felt pleasant on my skin, not scorching, but rather brightening my mood.
The crane, enjoying this rare moment of leisure, lay on the ground and dozed off.
The king transformed into a puppy, nestled in Xie Shuci's arms, lazily stretched, and drifted off to sleep.
Xie Shuci crossed one leg, humming a little tune, and was in a very good mood.
Xie An, on the other hand, leaned quietly against a tree behind them, looking thoughtful with his head down.
It is said that the startled birds return to their nests around noon. The people in the mountains each found a place to wait patiently, and groups of friends gathered together to play. Some even brought chessboards and agreed to play games together.
What's even more amazing is that Xie Shuci was enjoying himself with plenty of food and drink, which made the other unprepared people very envious. So, some people saw a business opportunity and soon started selling candied hawthorns and other snacks in the mountains, creating a lively and bustling scene.
But as noon passed, apart from the increasingly scorching sun in the sky, there was no sign of any startled birds returning to their nests.
Those waiting on the mountaintop couldn't help but become anxious.
"Isn't it said that the startled birds return to their nests at noon? It's already past noon, and there's not a trace of them."
"The startled bird always returned to its nest at noon the last few times, and was never late."
"Let's wait a little longer."
Just then, Xie Shuci saw a familiar figure sitting in a convertible carriage next to him.
The man calmly waved his folding fan and put the clean, translucent grapes that the maid had brought to his mouth into his mouth.
Xie Shuci looked closely and realized that this person was the same playboy who had chatted up the little blind man on the way here.
The man seemed to have also caught sight of Xie Shuci and Xie An, his gaze lingering on Xie An with an ambiguous look before he raised the corners of his lips in a malicious smile.
Xie Shuci immediately became alert. He sat up and called to Xie An, "Xie An, come here. Don't stray too far from me."
Xie An was taken aback, raised his eyebrows slightly, and without asking why, slowly walked towards him.
Xie Shuci patted the seat next to him, "Come sit here."
His tone was serious, and Xie An sat down next to him.
As Xie An entered his safe zone, Xie Shuci immediately glanced at the纨绔 (wan ku, a spoiled, dissolute young man), who was leaning against the low table, looking at him meaningfully.
Xie Shuci and the other person declined.
Xie Shuci immediately looked back, forbidding anyone from making a move on the little blind boy!
The playboy pouted and dismissively looked away.
The discussion among the audience was exceptionally lively. The playboy casually remarked, "The Frightened Feather Birds are destined by Heaven. If their destiny encounters any trouble, they will naturally find it difficult to return to their nests."
Xie Shuci curled his lip upon hearing this and muttered, "Playing hard to get!"
Everyone glanced at him, but seeing his nonchalant attitude, they didn't listen to what he said.
The playboy didn't seem to care much. He shrugged, took a bite of the grape offered by the maid, and didn't forget to tease her a bit. He only stopped when he had made the maid blush and her heart race. Then he looked in the direction of Xie Shuci and the other man.
His gaze held a hint of disdain, which Xie Shuci disliked. He frowned, picked up a piece of candied fruit, and held it to Xie An's lips. "Eat!"
His tone was almost commanding.
The playboy's gaze immediately deepened.
Xie An raised an eyebrow, not taking his tone to heart, and opened his mouth to put the candied fruit into his mouth.
Upon seeing this, the playboy was stunned for a moment, then his expression turned to one of mixed emotions.
Although the startled birds did not return to their nests, it was still a scene that was rarely seen in ten years, and everyone held onto a sliver of hope and did not leave.
Xie Shuci naturally didn't leave either; he wanted Xiaoxianlan and Xie An to see what the Jingyu Flower looked like when it bloomed.
So everyone continued to wait on the mountaintop. The Great King slept comfortably and, upon waking, pestered Xie Shuci to play throwing stones. No one knew what it was thinking; a dignified Red Snow Wolf, why did it have to imitate the behavior of a dog?
Perhaps bored while waiting in the stands, Luo Xianyu and the others found Xie Shuci's spot in the afternoon and sat down together.
Luo Xianyu wore a veil, obscuring her face, while Xiao Lian and Xiao Xianlan followed on either side of her.
"Brother Xiao Ci, we were so bored up there, we came to play with you," Xiao Xianlan said with a smile.
Xie Shuci waved his hand, beckoning the others to sit down, and joked, "You want to play with me? Are you looking for me, or for the King?"
The little girl and Xie Shuci didn't stand on ceremony, hugging the king into their arms and rubbing its neck, "Your Majesty!"
The king, being very polite, stuck out his tongue and fawned over the little girl's neck.
Xiao Lian glanced at the pile of snacks laid out on the ground and scoffed, "You certainly know how to enjoy yourself."
Xie Shuci smiled and said, "Of course."
The appearance of Luo Xianyu and Xiao Lian attracted the attention of many passersby, so they looked at Xie Shuci with even more curiosity. In particular, when they saw that there was a man sitting next to Xie Shuci who was even more otherworldly than Luo Xianyu, they stared at him with wide eyes.
"This kid doesn't look like someone who's rich or powerful, so why do all the good-looking people like to surround him?"
"Alas! You can't judge a book by its cover. Didn't you see that even Miss Xianyu treated him with great courtesy?"
"Don't you know? He was wearing the Hehuan Sect's token yesterday."
"The Hehuan Sect? The sect that Miss Changxuan belongs to? But didn't I hear that the Hehuan Sect only has female disciples?"
"Are you stupid? The person who can make Miss Xianyu and Xiaolian treat you differently must be Miss Changxuan's... you know what!"
The passersby were discussing the matter with gleam in their eyes when they suddenly noticed the silent boy next to the young man looking up at them.
It was clearly just an empty look in their eyes, yet it rendered them speechless. They reluctantly shut their mouths and turned their heads away.
The playboy in the carriage watched Xie Shuci and his companions with great interest.
He leaned against a maid's lap, looking utterly decadent, and said with a half-smile, "When the Helian family head of Luofang City fell, Ye Changxuan was also involved. I heard that a mysterious alchemist from the Floating Pagoda Realm appeared in the city at that time. Although there was no portrait of him outside, it was said that he was dressed plainly, had a dignified appearance, and was accompanied by an exceptionally handsome young man, who addressed others as brothers..."
"Ye Changxuan is a woman who is impervious to both gentle persuasion and force, yet she was willing to hand over the token to a man who is otherwise unremarkable except for his appearance. His identity is quite obvious," the maid behind her chimed in.
The playboy chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Leaving aside him, the extraordinary young man beside him is truly remarkable."
The maid frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Soul and body separated."
"Possession?"
"It doesn't seem like it. I can't figure out why, it just means that his cultivation level is far above mine."
Upon hearing this, the maid paused, her expression immediately turning serious. "Among the younger generation, who can far surpass you? You mean that one from the Xiao family..."
"No, although I have never met Xiao Xun, I know that even if his cultivation is far superior to mine, it should not be this high at his age."
This place felt unfathomable to him.
But the more this happened, the more interesting he found it.
"I went through so much trouble to get out of the Floating Pagoda Realm, but it wasn't all for nothing. This trip was worth it."
Xie Shuci didn't pay much attention to the conversations around him, as he was chatting casually with Xiao Lian.
After hesitating for a long time, he asked, "I heard before that your Dongguan Brothel is still looking for male prostitutes?"
Upon hearing this, both Xiao Xianlan and the king in her arms turned to look at Xie Shuci.
Xie Shuci smiled awkwardly and said, "To be honest, I'd like to give it a try."
"you?"
Xie An's lips curled into a sneer, "Xie Shuci!"
"Hey, listen to me first. I just want to experience it. I'm not selling my body, I'm just performing. Seriously, my talents are absolutely unheard of and unseen by you!"
Luo Xianyu couldn't help but glance at him in surprise, then said to Xiao Xianlan, "Xianlan, take the King to play somewhere else."
Little Fairy Orchid didn't understand, but she still obediently nodded and left with the king in her arms.
"Huh?" The king looked at Xie Shuci in confusion from her arms.
What are you selling? What are you selling? Can I buy it, baby? Even though I don't have any money.
Faced with the strange looks from the group, Xie Shuci chuckled and said, "Didn't they say that some difficult customers had come to Wanhua Tower? Let me go, and I guarantee I'll take good care of you."
Xiao Lian looked at him strangely, "You're a pill refiner, why aren't you focusing on refining pills? What are you doing here at our Wanhua Pavilion?"
"I was just thinking of experiencing life and making some money on the side. Besides, your Guanhualou has people from all over the country, so who knows, I might be able to sell a few pills."
Are you short of money?
"I don't lack anything, but I have to support a family of four: me and Xie An, the King and the crane. Xie An and the crane are easy to take care of, but the King is a different story. He has a huge appetite, so I need to prepare for the future."
"No need," Xie An decisively shook his head in refusal.
Xie Shuci wouldn't listen to him this time: "If I don't make money, we'll all starve."
"I……"
"Don't tell me you're rich. If you were rich, would I not know? Unless you're deliberately hiding it from me and don't trust me."
"..."
After saying that, Xie Shuci blinked, "And I think it's quite fun."
Xiao Lian and Luo Xianyu exchanged a glance.
"You really want to try?"
"Uh, why would I lie to you?"
How long do you plan to stay?
"One or two months, by the way, I heard you also provide meals and accommodation."
"yes."
Luo Xianyu couldn't listen any longer and sighed, "Young Master Xie, I've decided to listen to you and take the Spirit Gathering Pill with Xianlan. How about this, I'll buy the Spirit Gathering Pills you refine, thirty taels of silver per pill, and I'll buy as many as you refine."
"Ah..." Xie Shuci didn't seem happy after hearing this. "But I really want to try."
And alchemy is really tiring.
Luo Xianyu: "..."
Xie An: "..."
Tell me the truth, are you really doing this for the money?!
Xiao Lian clapped her hands and made up her mind: "Okay, room and board included, monthly salary of fifty taels."
"Thank you, Sister Xiaolian. I'll be reporting to Guanhualou in a couple of days."
"Xiao Lian." Luo Xianyu frowned disapprovingly. Leaving aside the fact that Young Master Xie was the eldest...
Xuan's friends, and those guests were extremely difficult; besides, Young Master Xie was their benefactor, how could they let him...
"It's alright." Xiao Lian winked at her. "Young master just wants to have some fun. Whether you stay or leave, Wanhua Pavilion will not force you."
Having convinced Xiao Lian and the others, Xie Shuci turned to persuade Xie An.
"Little blind man?"
Seeing that he didn't look well, Xie Shuci tentatively called out to him.
Xie Anli ignored him, her lips tightly pressed together.
"Oh dear, what are you angry about now? I can't just do nothing all day and play with you guys, can I? I have a family to support, I have to support you, the king, and the cranes. I need money for all of that."
Xie Shuci sat down next to him and nudged his shoulder.
Xie An's lips twitched. "You're doing this to make money?"
“Of course!” Xie Shuci said matter-of-factly. “Of course, there might be a tiny bit of a reason for wanting to broaden my horizons, but my main purpose is definitely to make money.”
"Do you know what the male prostitute is going to do?"
"I know, it involves eating and drinking with them and performing a show or something."
What if there are other possibilities?
"What else could it be? I'm performing, not selling my body."
Xie An pursed his lips. "Don't you want to be with Luo Xianyu?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Shuci's expression turned slightly strange, and he gave Xie An a puzzled look. "Why would you think that?"
"Isn't she willing to offer herself to him? Perfect, you stay here with her, and I'll take the king away."
Xie Shuci: "..."
Good grief, you heard all of that.
"Didn't you hear it all? She's just grateful to me, she doesn't really want to marry me."
"If she wants to marry you, will you marry her?"
Xie Shuci was helpless: "Didn't I already say that I want to seal my heart and lock away my love? You are enough for me, I don't need anyone else."
Xie Shuci had ulterior motives when he said that last sentence.
After he finished speaking, he carefully observed Xie An's expression, trying to discern any clues from his face.
Xie An's eyelashes, as thin as cicada wings, trembled slightly. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then stopped himself.
Xie Shuci was also taken aback for a moment, then added casually, "I have you, the king, and the crane, that's enough. You and the king are difficult enough to take care of, we can't afford to support another person."
Xie An frowned sharply, his expression showing some displeasure.
Xie Shuci pretended not to see it and said, "Alright, I know what I should and shouldn't do."
He lowered his eyes, turned his head away, and sat back down opposite Luo Xianyu.
Xie Shuci really wanted to slap himself. His words just now were far too obvious. What if the little blind man noticed something? This would be humiliating!
Xie Xiaoci, can't you control your own thoughts, can't you even control your own mouth?
However, those irrational hopes always inexplicably pop up.
The little blind man is the same; he always says and does things that are easy to misunderstand!
"Young Master Xie?"
Seeing that Xie Shuci's expression was not good, Luo Xianyu asked in confusion.
Xie Shuci snapped out of his daze and looked at her blankly.
Luo Xianyu chuckled, shook her head, and remained silent.
"Oh." Xie Shuci nodded, but his emotions were usually on his face, making it easy for others to see through his thoughts.
"By the way, the book says that the low-grade Spirit Gathering Pill doesn't need to be taken in advance; it takes effect in an instant, but the effect lasts for a very short time, less than a quarter of an hour," Xie Shuci said.
Luo Xianyu nodded. "That's enough."
Before long, Xiao Xianlan returned to the group with the king in her arms.
Xiao Xianlan sat dejectedly next to Xie Shuci and muttered, "I heard them say that the Startled Feather Bird won't be coming back."
"Let's wait a little longer."
As time passed, the sky grew darker and darker, with only half the sun visible above the horizon. The clouds on the horizon churned like flames, and the beautiful sunset glow resembled the blushing cheeks of a young girl. Meanwhile, the people on Jingyu Mountain were disappointed.
More and more people returned, and in the end only Xie Shuci and a small number of others stayed behind.
Xiao Xianlan and the others were called back to the stands. A few scattered groups of people remained around Xie Shuci, none of them holding much hope for the return of the startled birds to their nests today.
After speaking with Xie An, Xie Shuci seemed to be avoiding him, feeling somewhat depressed and unwilling to talk to him.
Although Xie Shuci knew that his thoughts and actions were wrong, he just couldn't control himself and became unhappy when he didn't get a response.
The crane lay behind them, and Xie Shuci leaned against the crane's horse's belly, staring blankly at the sky without saying a word.
The king guessed that he was tired from playing with Xiao Xianlan, and he fell fast asleep in Xie Shuci's arms.
Xie An sat on the other side, and perhaps noticing Xie Shuci's low spirits, he looked in Xie Shuci's direction.
Sparse voices could be heard from the surroundings, and the cool evening breeze gently caressed their cheeks.
"Are you unhappy?" Xie An suddenly asked.
Xie Shuci was taken aback for a moment, glanced at him, and couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. The little blind man usually liked to beat around the bush when he was angry, so why was he being so direct at this moment?
Xie Shuci gave a weak "hmm".
Xie An pursed her lips slightly, "Did I make you unhappy?"
Seeing Xie An's serious expression, Xie Shuci's feelings became complicated. Fundamentally, Xie Shuci was unhappy because he didn't get the emotions he wanted from the little blind boy, but this had nothing to do with him and didn't require him to change anything.
So Xie Shuci shook his head, "No."
"Why is that?" Xie An asked.
Xie Shuci didn't want him to overthink, so she propped herself up on her knees, elbows against them, and chin in her hands, and mumbled, "We came here to see the Jingyu Flower, but we didn't see anything. I even specially made Spirit Gathering Pills for you and Xiaoxianlan so you could see them too. Now that we can't see anything, of course I'm not happy."
Xie An paused for a moment, lowered his eyes, and said, "Perhaps what that person said is true. The Frightened Feather Birds are destined by Heaven. Now that Heaven's destiny has encountered a little trouble, they are temporarily asleep and will not appear."
"What trouble could destiny possibly encounter?" Xie Shuci muttered, glancing at the sky. "It is the Heavenly Dao, the ruler of the world. Could there be any problem it cannot solve?"
"some."
Xie An lowered his eyes and gently stroked the peach branch at his waist. "Wait a little longer. Perhaps they will come if you wish."
Xie Shuci was amused by him, "My ideas aren't that accurate."
If he were that accurate, I would have stopped being a content creator and just gone to buy lottery tickets instead.
Even words meant to cheer him up improved Xie Shuci's mood considerably, prompting him to quip, "Sincerity brings results?"
Xie An smiled and said, "You don't need to be sincere. If you want to see it, it will come naturally."
"You, how come you've suddenly become so sweet-talking?"
Xie An smiled but didn't say anything.
"Let's wait a little longer," Xie An said.
After saying that, he must have gotten tired of sitting, so he got up and leaned against a big tree not far behind Xie Shuci.
Xie Shuci didn't take his words too seriously. He wasn't a child who thought he could get whatever he wanted. What if he wanted the little blind girl...?
However, Xie An said this to make him happy, and Xie Shuci was indeed quite happy to hear it.
Then let's wait a little longer.
Xie An walked to the tree, his right palm cut by the distorted air currents, blood gushing out. He looked up at Xie Shuci in front of him, who was half-lying on the crane's belly, unaware of the movement behind him.
Xie An knelt down, blood splattering onto his robes.
The sleeping king was instantly awakened by a sweet scent. It instinctively tried to stand up and look at the source of the fragrance. The crane, like it, was also startled and was about to turn its head when a cold yet powerful voice rang out from the void: "Don't move."
The king and the crane both stopped turning their heads at the same time.
The king looked at Xie Shuci and realized that apart from himself and the crane, no one else could hear the voice.
Xie An pressed the wound on his palm against the rough earth, and the blood was swallowed up silently by the earth, drop by drop.
"Bang--"
A sound similar to a human heartbeat rang out.
A slight tremor ran through the ground beneath my feet.
The few people remaining on the mountaintop, along with the pedestrians traveling halfway up the mountain and not far from the foot of the mountain, all looked up at the same time.
A strange wind blew up the sand and gravel on the ground, forcing everyone to shield their eyes with their sleeves. The gale whipped up a cloud of dust that floated in the air like a thick fog.
What's going on?
"Oh my god..."
In this chaotic scene, only Xie An, like a rock, pressed his palm to the ground, the blood in his palm being continuously swallowed by the earth, and a faint golden light flickered at the point where his palm connected with the earth.
The more blood the earth swallows, the more rampant the winds become.
Xie Shuci couldn't open his eyes because of the strong wind, and the earth seemed to come alive, trembling like a heartbeat.
On the mountaintop where the wind raged, an extremely powerful spiritual force surged from the ground. This spiritual force possessed awe-inspiring power, like a heavy mountain standing before everyone, inspiring awe in all who beheld it.
That powerful spiritual energy formed a golden film that covered the ground, appearing and disappearing intermittently.
The fierce winds on the mountain suddenly stopped, and the mountaintop returned to calm.
Xie An withdrew his hand, his face deathly pale, cold sweat trickling down his forehead. After using his spiritual power to heal the wound on his palm, he swayed for a moment, then raised his eyes and saw Xie Shuci in front of him. He wanted to walk over, but his body had no strength left.
He sat down against the tree trunk, took out the small porcelain bottle Xie Shuci had given him from his bosom, poured out the pitted and uneven pills inside, and swallowed them.
Just as everyone was filled with doubt, a melodious and distant bird call came from underground.
A large bird, its body enveloped in fiery feathers, burst through the golden light on the ground and appeared out of thin air, soaring into the sky.
The towering flames illuminated half the sky. It spread its wings, and its fiery feathers left two streaks of light on the horizon. It uttered a sound that seemed to come from ancient times, full of the marks of time, striking everyone's heart.
"It's a startled bird!"
"The startled bird is back!"
"Oh my god! The startled bird is really back!"
The second startled bird flew out from the golden spiritual energy.
Their feathers seemed to be burning with flames as they hovered around the mountaintop, illuminating the night sky as bright as day.
Xie Shuci stared at the scene in disbelief, then slowly stood up from the ground.
Before anyone could react, the third startled bird flew into the sky again.
The high-pitched birdsong could be heard exceptionally clearly even in the distant city of Tianzhu.
In the stands, everyone seemed to only then realize what was happening.
Luo Xianyu took out a pill from her bosom and gave it to Luo Xianlan to eat.
Although Luo Xianyu didn't understand why, she still obediently ate it.
With the appearance of the startled bird, the parched earth seemed to come back to life, with clumps of green grass sprouting from the ground and quickly spreading over everyone's feet. In the blink of an eye, the ground was lush and green.
A constant stream of startled birds circled overhead, trailing trails of firelight. Wherever they passed, withered trees came to life, unfurling tender green branches that withered and fell in an instant, forming blossoms reflected in the firelight.
One by one, the trees on the mountain were lit up, and the firelight in the sky and on the ground reflected each other, as if bathing in a sea of fire.
The flowers were blown by the wind and fluttered down.
It's so beautiful it's like a dream.
Looking at the beautiful scenery before him, Xie Shuci felt a chill run down his spine.
It's so beautiful, indescribably beautiful. Whether in real life or online, Xie Shuci has never seen anything more beautiful than this scene before him.
"Little blind man..."
Xie Shuci turned around to look at Xie An behind him, and his voice suddenly stopped.
Xie An leaned against the blooming Jingyu flower tree, his eyes closed, fast asleep.
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