Chapter 99 099 Heartbeat
However, it seems Shu Bai has recently spent a considerable amount of money buying treasures for someone. Therefore, he has taken on some family affairs, frequently traveling for the past ten years. This is understandable; supporting a small family naturally requires financial support. It's only right that Shu Bai works hard.
The Mo family was also straightforward; after having tea in the main hall and meeting a few people, they went directly to the main hall.
The Mo family patriarch, Daoist Qingchenzi, personally led the master and his disciple to the family's immortal lotus planting site, the core area of the entire Mo family, to see that immortal lotus.
This immortal lotus, just like the one on Immortal Lord Qiongyu's side, is kept alone in a small, deep pool surrounded by multiple layers of barriers.
The pool was dark blue-green, suggesting it was very deep. Mist rose from the surface, and the spiritual energy was exceptionally concentrated.
The so-called immortal and demonic spiritual root is actually just two small white lotuses growing from the immortal lotus.
In Song Chi's current sea of consciousness, the immortal and demonic spiritual roots of the other seven major families are actually just two plum blossoms, two orchids, two chrysanthemums, and a small pink lotus from Jiang Linyue's family dancing.
Of course, there's also the Immortal Jade Lotus that Immortal Lord Qiongyu obtained, and the demon herb that embodies both immortal and demonic spirits.
The Fairy Jade Lotus and the two small white lotuses looked quite similar, both delicate and beautiful, pure white and flawless, exceptionally tender and full of spiritual energy.
The Golden Scroll hints that the White Jade Immortal Lotus is originally a twin lotus with two stems growing on the same stem, possessing the strongest immortal power, which is why it is the leader of the eight immortal demons.
This immortal lotus, which has restored the ancient immortal charm, actually restores a portion of the ancient immortal and demonic souls. In this way, it is possible to gain a hundredfold power. When she faces the final challenge later, and together with Mo Shubai plays the Azure Sky Zither to shake the earth with its melodies, her chances of restoring ancient spiritual power will be much greater.
In short, it's a great thing.
Now, when these two little lotus flowers see people coming, they shyly hide behind the big lotus flower, which does indeed make them look very spiritual.
"It will probably take another two or three days for the Immortal Lotus to fully mature," said Daoist Qingchenzi after showing them the Immortal Lotus.
He then asked the master and disciple to stay at the mansion for two or three days until the immortal lotus matured before they left.
Even Mo Shubai earnestly tried to persuade him to stay, and Song Chi saw his master think for a moment before nodding in agreement. Then, Master Qingchenzi took his master away to drink tea and meditate on Taoist practices.
Master Qingchenzi has now reached the True Immortal Realm, but he is in the stabilization stage. It is estimated that there are many mysteries that he needs to discuss with his master.
Anyway, the two chatted and laughed and left quickly.
As Song Chi strolled around the courtyard with Mo Shubai, they would hear little girls whispering behind the rockery, at the end of the winding corridor, or behind the lush lotus flowers. Sometimes, when they looked up and bumped into each other, the little girls would immediately cover their mouths, giggle, and then run away hand in hand.
That's true. Of all her rumored boyfriends, Mo Shubai still holds the top spot on the list. Ever since the "Lotus of Love" incident, no one has been able to tie for that number one position.
Both of them are wearing white robes adorned with celestial lotus flowers today, making it difficult for these young girls not to be tempted.
Mo Shubai merely smiled slightly at this, and subtly rebuked the girls for being "somewhat unruly."
Song Chi didn't care about it at all; taking a look wouldn't hurt him.
Mo Shubai quickly escorted her to her residence, a charming little courtyard called Mulianju. Mo Shubai's own courtyard, separated from her by a bamboo grove and a lotus pond, was called Qingliange.
His courtyard was also quite grand, almost identical to Cui Luoying's Zhuying Pavilion, with both buildings being large, magnificent, and exquisite.
Mo Shubai told her to take a short rest, saying he would take her to the back mountain to enjoy the scenery in the evening.
Mo Shubai was originally going to leave after having a cup of tea, but he had become a very busy man lately. In fact, for the past ten years, Mo Shubai had spent about two months of the year on business. Now that he was back at home, things were even more complicated. He hadn't even had a sip of tea when two stewards came to greet him.
Since there were some matters that required the use of the study, Song Chi suggested that he simply use the study in Mulian Pavilion.
Mo Shubai agreed. After that, the steward came and went, at least seven or eight groups of people came and went, and the study finally quieted down.
Song Chi was playing the zither in the small hall next to the lotus pond. Over the years, she had mostly been studying the tunes of the thick volume of Taiqing Immortal Music Palace. Seeing that the study had quieted down, she took her zither and went over to take a look.
Yes, the desk is covered with thick ledgers.
Unexpectedly, even such a pure and beautiful senior brother is often troubled by worldly matters.
She's different; she earns money by gathering herbs in her spare time while doing quests. Those herbs were originally meant as tribute to her master, but he insisted on giving her half of his wealth. So now… she's practically a little rich woman, able to support her entire family in comfort for as long as time goes by.
"Senior Brother, you've worked hard!" Song Chi patted Mo Shubai, the office worker, on the shoulder.
Then he leaned closer to take a closer look at the account books. "So, Senior Brother, you're in charge of the family's clothing shop. No wonder the styles of the clothes you've made have been exceptionally elegant these past few years. The clothes you made for me are simply superb."
Song Chi gave a thumbs-up to express his high appreciation for Mo Shubai's aesthetic art.
Mo Shubai simply smiled at this. Next, Song Chi, worried about interfering with his earning money, wanted to go next door to continue playing the zither, but Mo Shubai said her music would help relieve his fatigue.
Then it wouldn't hurt for her to stay with him by the window in the study.
The two of them ate lunch together at Mulian Pavilion. Mo Shubai even asked if it was too simple to not have a family banquet.
No way! If I were to eat with the whole Mo family, I'd probably get indigestion. It's not about enjoying food; it's a social activity, and it'd be exhausting.
The small feast for the two of them was anything but lavish, featuring all sorts of delicacies. Two plates of fresh herbs were particularly tender and refreshing, and the wine was exceptionally fragrant. Of course, there was also a plate of lotus root… When Song Chichi saw this, she couldn't help but wonder why Mo Shubai, if they knew she was a descendant of the immortal demon race, would find it so…unspeakable. Of course, the immortal demon race had been intermarrying with humans for over two million years, and strictly speaking, they were now entirely human. Anyway, the lotus root was incredibly delicious, and she thoroughly enjoyed it.
She ate so much that she even dozed off for a while while playing the piano in the afternoon.
Then, in the afternoon, the women who came to explain things to Mo Shu were all the stewardesses. Each of them looked very clever, and their clothes were exquisite and beautiful. It's likely that many of those fine clothes were designed by them.
Song Chi continued playing her zither by the window, her fingers tinkling softly, until they finished their business and left. A series of light laughs echoed as they slowly walked away along the winding corridor in the courtyard.
One or two people were speaking quite loudly, saying things like, "This must be the young master's bride." and "The interaction between the senior and junior brothers is so sweet."
Song Chi glanced at Mo Shubai without realizing it. She was about to leave when Mo Shubai whispered that it was alright.
Now look what's happened! He's in a mess no matter which river he jumps into!
Mo Shubai simply smiled and continued reading his account books. He had probably accumulated this workload over ten years; in short, he read through volume after volume.
It wasn't until late afternoon that people from the Ziyan Divine Palace came to discuss matters related to the sacrificial ceremony with him. Because the Mo family was also involved in some important matters of the ceremony, Mo Shubai needed to go and see for himself.
He said he would be back in no more than half an hour before he left.
But actually, as soon as she left, her master called her over. Although there wasn't much to talk about with those two old men, playing the zither all day and strolling around the hundreds of miles of the Mo family's back mountains with them was indeed a relaxing experience.
However, putting aside the mountains and rivers along the way, Qingchenzi, the patriarch of the Mo family, kept talking about Mo Shubai's youth.
It wasn't until he heard the old man tell the story that Song Chi learned that Mo Shubai had lost his father at a young age and had been raised by the ancestor Qing Chenzi. His mother had died young when he was two or three years old due to a kind of immortal disease. His father, a romantic, died a year or two after his mother's death, consumed by grief for his deceased wife.
The golden scroll hints that the so-called "Immortal Syndrome" is actually a disease affecting both immortals and demons, a condition caused by the depletion of spiritual energy in heaven and earth, leading to the withering of the meridians of immortals and demons. If she and Mo Shubai cannot reawaken the spiritual energy from the earth this time, it is feared that more and more members of the immortal and demon race will gradually contract this disease and disappear from the mortal realm. In short, it seems that restoring spiritual energy is extremely important.
"Perhaps it's because that child grew up with this old man like me since he was little, his temperament is always a bit more aloof than others. I've been thinking about it lately, and I feel that it's because I haven't taken good care of this child."
When Master Qingchenzi spoke of this, he couldn't help but wipe away his tears with his handkerchief.
At this moment, Song Chi saw his master glance at the old man and think he was being too sentimental.
Could Venerable Xueqiao not give Qingchenzi a sidelong glare? He wondered what the old man was up to; he just wanted Song Chi to feel sorry for Shu Bai, so he brought up these old stories.
However, he really didn't expect that the girl was unaware of these things.
But thinking about it, the Mo family is different from others; their family traditions are indeed much more low-key and strict. They almost never publicize family matters. He hadn't thought to mention this to Song Chi. Mainly, Shu Bai's personality, if she were a bit too aloof in her teens, is now elegant and natural in her dealings with others, her inner world rich and profound; even that aloofness has gradually been replaced by the tenderness in her eyes.
Even that tenderness seemed to be somewhat difficult to suppress this time.
Otherwise, look at this kid. The plaque for his third junior sister's residence, "Mu Lian Ge," was probably rewritten last night after the original board was taken down. The paint is too clean... Just one character, "Mu," reveals his heart.
That's fine, but what's next is that he deliberately used the excuse of drinking tea to stay in the study of Mulian Pavilion and handle some business. This little trick is just beyond words.
Furthermore, she kept Song Chi in the study, saying that listening to her zither could relieve fatigue. But the zither music she played was just a few simple tunes from martial arts exercises that she had practiced hundreds of times. How could it possibly be melodious and relieve fatigue?
He simply wanted his third junior sister to accompany him.
Look at this, it truly feels like three autumns have passed since we last met. We've only been apart for two or three months, and I already miss you so much.
As for Song Chi, Venerable Xueqiao found it somewhat perplexing. If you said she was affectionate, her playing the zither was done with utmost seriousness, as if she were studying magic, her expression utterly natural. She still maintained that quiet, seemingly heartless demeanor. But if you said she was heartless, every time her senior brother turned his head, she would exchange a smiling glance with him.
The unspoken understanding between the two made Qingchenzi, an old man who was observing them with his divine sense, stroke his beard and click his tongue, probably thinking that the couple was already very affectionate.
They still needed to discuss and set a wedding date with him, but Venerable Xueqiao declined.
Shu Bai is a strong-willed person, and he felt it was safer to follow Shu Bai's pace. Most importantly, although Song Chi has reached the Nascent Soul stage, his experience is limited, and he has such a pure appearance that even Venerable Xue Qiao felt it was too early for this child to consider marriage.
Especially since Qingchenzi brought it up, even if he, as the woman's elder, were to consider his modesty, he would have to refuse seventeen or eighteen times before it would work.
Song Chi followed his master and the others over several mountains, slowly making their way along a path hidden by trees.
When they reached a mountain pass, the view suddenly opened up before them.
The vast expanse of reeds and rushes on the hillsides immediately caught the eye.
Autumn is the season when cattails and reeds are in full bloom. The ears of cattails spread out like the fluffy tails of foxes, with light pink, golden and white colors intertwined in a well-organized manner, swaying and rolling freely with the wind.
Looking into the distance, a dozen or so hilltops were covered with reeds. These were all planted by Mo Shubai's father, one by one, in memory of his deceased wife. He had been planting them for two years when he tragically went mad and died.
According to Master Qingchenzi, when Mo Shubai was young, he loved to sit by the blooming reeds under the setting sun every autumn, gazing into the distance until the last rays of the setting sun faded away.
The master also said that he actually took Mo Shubai as his disciple here. Mo Shubai was fourteen years old when he touched the old man's heart with a song here, and thus he took him as his personal disciple.
In short, this is a place with a story.
The scenery was so beautiful that it brought a sense of peace to my entire being.
Song Chi sat alone on a large rock halfway up the mountain, gazing at the sea of reeds and rushes.
Busy Mo Shubai also arrived slowly as the sun set. He first went to greet his master and the others before walking over, where he stood leaning against a rock beside her, quietly gazing at the distant sea of reeds and flowers.
The sunset today was like a blazing fire, churning up a vibrant crimson that made everyone's face blush.
Master and the others said over there that the fiery sunset clouds have arrived, and it's likely that there will be a downpour tonight.
At this moment, Song Chi's large black rock was half-hidden by the tall reeds. In the shadows cast by the setting sun, she thought of these reeds, which were planted as if they had been planted with tears of blood, and the scene of her eldest brother, who was just a little boy, standing at the end of these reeds looking at this sea of fluffy flowers.
She couldn't help but sigh softly. In both her lives, her parents were loving and doting on her. She had never experienced this kind of suffering.
At that moment, she reached out and gently touched Mo Shubai's hand, seemingly with a touch of emotion. It was mostly meant to comfort him, this little lonely man.
But somehow a phrase popped into my head: "The reeds are as resilient as silk, the rock is immovable."
This revelation caused quite a stir, leaving both Master and Daoist Qingchenzi in a state of shock.
Saying that is no different from shouting "I will love you for all eternity" through a loudspeaker in modern times.
But Song Chi felt that he really suffered from a lack of education. As soon as he saw reeds, he thought of the peacock flying southeast. The conditioned reflex left by memorizing textbooks made this sentence immediately pop into his mind at this moment.
And she was moved by the passionate love of Mo Shubai's parents.
But...you see, no one would ever imagine that she could have this kind of thought process. And so, a misunderstanding was brilliantly created.
Fortunately, Mo Shubai was only slightly startled. When she jumped down and landed on the path among the reeds, he just looked at her with a faint smile and didn't think much of it.
As Venerable Xueqiao watched Song Chi's small white-clad figure quickly disappear into the reeds, he was speechless.
This brat, you can't even be a little discreet when you confess your feelings.
That kind of vow, oh my! I don't know how she had the nerve to say it.
Well, that old fellow Qingchenzi is proposing marriage again. Venerable Xueqiao remains unmoved; these two are still a long way off. They should wait until the great event of unsealing the Flying Immortal Platform is completed before allowing them to marry. After all, Shubai is a protector of the Dao, and Venerable Xueqiao can't be sure that this young man won't fall for the Cui family's daughter under the pull of fate. In short, good things are still a long way off.
For some reason, Shu Bai couldn't help but clench his right hand after hearing the vow, yet he pretended to be nonchalant.
After his third junior sister went into the reed forest, he glanced at the autumn scenery with a little shyness before putting his hands behind his back and choosing another path.
However, upon reaching the foot of the mountain, the two quickly met by the stream. They then naturally crossed the stream together, slowly treading along the path overgrown with creeping vines, and went to the opposite hillside.
The two basked in the gentle autumn breeze, bathed in the glow of the sunset, and admired the scenery for a while. They were truly a picture of perfect harmony, even making Venerable Xueqiao somewhat wistful. If this didn't work out, perhaps Heaven was blind. That old fellow Qingchenzi then launched his eighth marriage proposal. Venerable Xueqiao ignored him.
Then, Song Chi suddenly pulled out a flute from his sleeve, and Xue Qiao Venerable saw Qing Chenzi's eyes light up. He couldn't help but think to himself, "These old guys are all waiting for that kid's new piece to please their hearts."
In fact, the next note played on the flute was indeed a new piece. However, the melody was lingering and filled with beautiful memories of the past. As one listened, it felt as if one were in another world, and a sense of sadness welled up within one.
This was probably done to clear the name of those lovelorn parents.
When the song ended and Shu Bai inquired about it, the song was indeed titled "Staying Together".
"Let's have something more cheerful," Song Chi said with a smile, then brought out his zither and conjured up two versions of himself, one holding a flute and the other a pipa. He was planning something big. Even Venerable Xueqiao couldn't help but feel a little excited.
The next piece was indeed cheerful, sweet, melodious, and possessed an extraordinary artistic conception. Like the clear blue waters of a spring field, a scene of human joy unfolded before our eyes like a painting.
Shu Bai must have loved this piece very much. He played it once at Song Chi, and then set up his zither to begin playing. This way, his third junior sister could hold the green flute he had given her, lean against his zither, and provide accompaniment for him.
Venerable Xueqiao felt that such a sweet scene was what these two children deserved. Their previous companionship was too sorrowful and melancholic, and not suitable for them.
Once this song is over...
Song Chi, seemingly caught up in a playful mood, lazily slumped over and played a tune again. Usually, when he acts like this, the piece he's playing is probably not a famous one.
When the piano music began, it was indeed a unique minor key, but this piece had a sweet, confessional feel to it, as if it were conveying emotions through music.
So when the piece ended, Shu Bai asked for its title. Song Chi, who had just opened his mouth to speak about the previous piece, probably hadn't decided on a name yet, so he didn't say anything.
This time, she said it with a smile. "I will love you a thousand times over in my life!" After saying this, she propped herself up on her piano with her elbow, laughing so hard that her stomach hurt.
Shu Bai couldn't help but chuckle quietly, as if he hadn't thought much of it.
But Venerable Xueqiao was willing to bet that this kid would play this tune seventeen or eighteen times when he got back. He was acting all nonchalant now! Venerable Xueqiao still felt that Shu Bai's reserved nature deserved criticism.
Look at that brat... "I'll love you a thousand times in my life"—that's way too blatant.
So Qingchenzi, that old fellow, launched his ninth marriage proposal. Xueqiao Venerable, with the dismissive remark that the two children were just playing around, continued to ruthlessly reject him.
That evening, the Mo family held a grand banquet.
As the eldest of the younger generation, Shu Bai was arranged to sit to the left of her uncles. As for the Mo family, it was probably Qing Chenzi who made the arrangement; Song Chi was seated at the same table as her senior brother. This seating arrangement at the family banquet undoubtedly paired Shu Bai and Song Chi together.
Seeing the blissful state of mind on Shu Bai's face as he led Song Chi to his seat, Venerable Xue Qiao ultimately did not stop them.
Perhaps fearing Song Chi might not be comfortable in such a setting, Shu Bai waited until the banquet ended before immediately leading his third junior sister away. The two then strolled around the vast lotus pond and winding corridors, admiring the lanterns and lotus flowers that had been lit up. The Mo family had probably given some instructions, so no one disturbed the two as they enjoyed the scenery. However, the whispers and laughter from all sides were quite loud, as everyone was quietly discussing the couple.
However, a strong wind soon swept in, carrying the scent of a storm. This caused the lanterns everywhere to rattle and bang, making it impossible for anyone to enjoy the scenery, and they had no choice but to disperse.
The guest courtyard of Venerable Xueqiao was separated from Mulian Residence by only one mountain, and it was located halfway up the mountain, allowing them to see Mulian Residence from afar. Venerable Xueqiao thought to himself that he wasn't watching that girl like a mother hen watching her chicks; the Mo family was overthinking things.
When Song Chi returned to Mu Lian Residence, Mo Shubai only gave him a brief instruction at the door, telling him to remember to close the windows when the storm came, before returning to his Qing Lian Pavilion next door.
Tonight's grand banquet is a social event, and Song Chi actually feels a little tired.
So she went back inside intending to lie down and relax. It's during storms like this that people feel most relaxed. She even wanted to listen to the storm play its melody.
Before she could even sit by the window for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and before she could even take out her zither...
The gold scroll moved at that moment.
"Urgent Mission: Rescue the Divine Soul of Immortals and Demons!"
Below is a line of small print that says: "It turns out that when Mo Shubai took them to see the spiritual root of the immortal lotus this morning, the demon soul that had regained its ancient immortal charm was mischievously following Mo Shubai and is now residing in his bath."
The current situation is that the little demon soul has come, but it can't go back. Because it has almost used up all its demon soul power in one day, it is currently on the verge of death in Mo Shubai's bath.
She needs to use the Immortal Jade Lotus to retrieve the little demon soul so that it can return to its mother.
And the way this is connected...
"It needs to be soaked in the bath for at least fifteen minutes in order to transfer the power of immortals and demons into the body of the immortal lotus demon soul and help it return to its original form."
Seeing the golden scroll's hint, Song Chi was speechless. "Look at you, a little demon spirit, how can you be so mischievous?"
And the destination was still the bathhouse—Mo Shubai's bathhouse!
Damn it. Here we go again!
At least this time she only needed to take a bath, albeit in Mo Shubai's bathhouse, instead of the infuriating shared bath incident from last time.
But what excuse do you expect her to use to go to the bathhouse? Are you suggesting she run off to Mo Shubai and say, "I need to borrow your bathhouse for a soak, Senior Brother, is it convenient for you?"
Mo Shubai's worldview would probably be shattered. The two residences are simply too close together. If his cultivation level were low, it wouldn't be so bad, but now that he's at the Nascent Soul stage, he could literally turn around and exchange blows dozens of times in an instant.
How could she possibly find an excuse? There was simply no way she could have an excuse!
There's really only one way: to use shamelessness to intimidate Mo Shubai's values...
In short, having gone to such lengths to accomplish the task, the little demon's soft sobs were even heard through the golden scroll.
Song Chi glanced at it speechlessly, then got up.
Fortunately, glancing at the chaotic scene of the wind whipping through the trees before the downpour outside the window, she felt somewhat relieved.
Getting wet is a valid excuse, though not quite. At this level of cultivation, one can easily deflect raindrops with spiritual energy, preventing them from wetting one's clothes unless one intentionally gets soaked.
But "deliberate" is also an excuse!
"Clatter!"
As the raindrops began to pound, Song Chi steeled her resolve. She'd do it! She rushed into the rain, afraid that even this flimsy excuse would vanish.
She ran out of the courtyard and into the bamboo grove, still running like a naive and innocent girl, spreading out a fan to cover her head.
But as he ran, he deliberately let the bursts of rain that were carried by the wind wash over him. As he passed through the bamboo forest and turned onto the path by the lotus pond, there happened to be a small, muddy lawn. Song Chi was about to slip and roll into the mud.
In that case, borrowing the bathhouse would make even more sense.
But at that moment, a wisp of refreshing spiritual energy lifted her up, ending her plan to fall... It was Mo Shubai's spiritual energy!
Song Chi was speechless. Senior Brother, sometimes, you don't really need to be so protective.
Although tears welled up in her heart, she still held up her fan, crossed the lotus pond, and arrived at the entrance of Qinglian Pavilion.
Mo Shubai had already come to the door to greet him. Actually, there were two little gatekeepers with big, blinking eyes following him, but Mo Shubai swept them away with a flick of his sleeve.
It would be great if there were no audience.
"Third Junior Sister, what urgent matter could you be in such a hurry?"
Mo Shubai also seemed to have rushed over; his body was still damp, suggesting he had been bathing. The little demon spirit must have fallen into the bath while he was bathing.
Amidst the rumbling thunder, Song Chi jumped under the eaves. She didn't want to block the heavy rain that was flying at an angle, but Mo Shubai quietly blocked it for her with his spiritual power.
"It wasn't anything urgent, but I couldn't figure out some of the musical notes related to magic, and it made me feel uneasy, so I rushed over to ask my senior brother for advice. As a result, it started raining heavily on my way here. I was thinking about the melody and for a moment I forgot that spiritual power could block the rain."
That's really true.
Not to mention that Song Chi felt his acting was terrible, even Venerable Xueqiao, who was playing the zither by the window, couldn't help but close his eyes when he saw it from afar.
Well, these two are really getting more and more lovey-dovey.
He simply changed the window. He didn't want to be embarrassed for that brat's clumsy excuse!
After that, Venerable Xueqiao sealed off the matter of his two disciples with his spiritual power and truly stopped interfering.
At the entrance of Qinglian Pavilion, Mo Shubai seemed to believe these words and immediately invited Song Chi into the house, saying...
"Third Junior Sister is soaked from the rain, why don't you go change your clothes first? I'll come back later to discuss the magic with you."
"Senior Brother, I'd better take a shower first. It's uncomfortable to change clothes while I'm all wet."
"Very well then, let's go to the guest room in the west wing for a bath."
Mo Shubai was about to call for help. But he couldn't go to the west courtyard; he lived in the east courtyard!
Song Chi sniffed slightly. "Senior Brother, where do you usually live?"
"East Courtyard Qulian Pavilion".
"Oh, Senior Brother, I'll just use the bathhouse in the East Courtyard... that's more convenient." Convenient my foot! This logic was so absurd that Song Chi wanted to shout in his heart that he was shameless.
“Over there…” Mo Shubai hesitated.
Song Chi immediately said, "Senior Brother, is it inconvenient?" Isn't that obvious? Bah, Song Chi felt ashamed of himself.
Mo Shubai smiled upon seeing this. "In that case, Third Junior Sister, why don't you wait a moment? I'll have someone change the water in the bath, and then you can take a bath."
Song Chi was worried that changing the water would wash away the little demon soul, but Jin Juan reminded him that it didn't matter, as the demon soul wasn't that fragile.
She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Otherwise, insisting on going to the bath where Mo Shubai had soaked would have been really... too much.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Senior Brother." She immediately agreed.
Mo Shubai immediately ordered someone to change the water in the bath. However, after glancing at her, he guessed that she had been waiting for too long, still soaking wet, so he invited her to a side hall and went to the bath himself.
Not long after, they changed the water and invited her over.
Mo Shubai's bathhouse was quite elaborate; it was a proper palace with the words "Lotus Soup" written on the plaque.
"Senior Brother, I'll go take a bath now."
"I'll be waiting for you in the library."
Mo Shubai's study was not far away, just in the exquisite house hidden among the flowers and trees in front.
The two parted ways immediately, and Song Chi entered the lotus soup room and closed the door. Mo Shubai had even secretly set up a seal around her outside; he was truly a gentleman.
This bath was extremely luxurious and elegant. It was located in the center of the hall, surrounded by walls on all four sides, with a hollowed-out roof in the middle, inlaid with a smooth, mirror-like surface. If it were a clear, moonlit night, one might be able to see the moonlight and starlight simply by looking up while bathing.
To be honest, it's a very enjoyable and romantic hot spring bath.
Furthermore, fragrant flower petals were scattered in the bath, both white and yellow, which are beautiful and nourishing flowers that can moisturize the skin.
Song Chi couldn't help but smile upon seeing this. "Senior Brother, you seem to value the quality of life quite a bit in private."
But where is that little demon soul?
When Song Chi walked to the edge of the bath, he realized that the soul of the immortal lotus was actually a small white lotus emitting a faint light. At this moment, it was hanging tremblingly on the edge of the pool, and it did look rather pitiful.
But look how shameless she's become just because of her little bit of mischief.
As soon as she entered the bathhouse, she noticed that Mo Shubai's face was indeed slightly flushed. Even the thick night couldn't hide it. But oh well, the mission was more important.
Splash! Song Chi jumped into the water.
She could sense that Mo Shubai paused slightly in front of the courtyard gate before quietly leaving, locking the gate, and instructing people not to come and serve him.
She couldn't help but think to herself, "My senior brother is so considerate! What a kind person!"
Next, all she had to do was wait fifteen minutes. Then, she could shamelessly go out and ask Mo Shubai for guidance. As for what to ask, well, there weren't any difficult questions lately. Song Chi quickly thought of something, otherwise she was afraid she wouldn't be able to make up an excuse.
She had been pondering this for a quarter of an hour when Jin Juan reminded her.
"No, this Immortal Lotus Demon Soul doesn't trust you and refuses to accept the spiritual power of the Immortal Jade Lotus. You must lure the Immortal Lotus Child here, and the two of you must bathe together to transfer the power of the Immortal and Demon."
Song Chi: "..."
Look at you, is this even human language?
Mo Shubai is very good to her, but dragging her to bathe together is, frankly, too much! Don't you know that?
Song Chi stared at the golden scroll. The golden scroll was a crafted artifact; what kind of reaction could it produce?
At this moment, Song Chi actually missed his junior brother, Zuiyun Sanren, because he could argue with him now and learn that one should have principles.
But Jin Juan not only didn't argue with her, she also used her spiritual power to target the pool wall.
Yes, yes, that little white lotus demon soul is indeed pitiful. It's hanging on the pool wall right now, and it's even materialized into the shape of a teardrop. And in just a short while, the halo of its immortal lotus seems to have faded a lot... It's definitely in a critical moment.
“It’s alright. If the Immortal Lotus Child is nearby, it will only take thirty to fifty breaths,” Jin Juan explained.
That means it can be completed in less than a minute.
But... Song Chi couldn't help but sniffle speechlessly just thinking about the scene of bathing together. She herself wasn't really bothered; in later generations, wearing a bikini and bathing in the sea was a piece of cake. She was just afraid of shattering Mo Shubai's worldview.
But time waits for no one, and the little demon's aura dimmed considerably, its cries weakening. "Save me!" it cried pitifully.
But you can cry, and you do trust me. How awful!
"Hurry up!" Jin Juan urged relentlessly.
Song Chi closed his eyes speechlessly, then spread his fingers, staring at the insect-attracting pill in his hand. Senior Brother, this time I'm really going to thoroughly ruin you; your worldview will probably be shattered from now on.
But as the saying goes, in urgent situations, one must act expediently. For the sake of the entire cultivation world and the future of all immortal and demon races, you could continue to endure it... Honestly, such an exciting thing as bathing together would mean marriage is inevitable in a conservative cultivation family like this. If she were a man, it would be even more so; not marrying her would make him an absolute scumbag. Fortunately, she has some advantages due to her gender.
Next comes the saying "practice makes perfect," and this time we'll need the insect-attracting pill to help again. However, since this is the Mo family's usual residence, we probably won't attract any decent insects.
A moment later, she let out a sweet, startled cry; it really put her acting skills to the test…
So Song Chi thought for a moment, then took out two and scattered them on the bank of the pond. He hoped to catch some decent insects, but not too many.
Then, thinking about how she looked with her outer clothes on, that wouldn't do either. It would completely reveal that she came here for something, not just to take a bath.
Immediately, Song Chi quickly took off his outer robe, but as for his inner and outer garments... well, to avoid causing Mo Shubai too much of a shock to his values, it was better to keep them covered up.
After she finished tidying up, she closed her eyes and counted the time in the steam of the hot water.
It would take at least fifteen minutes for the insect-attracting pill to take effect. Therefore, she closed her eyes to rest for a while and mentally rehearsed the next scene of her delicate scream.
Then.
"Swish swish swish!"
"Swish, swish, swish!"
That familiar sound gave Song Chi a bad feeling. No, please, I hope it's not those horrible golden bamboo worms again. She wasn't exactly terrified of them, but their sticky appearance was just too much to bear.
However, the moment she opened her eyes...
The scene that greeted him made Song Chi almost forget about acting skills.
"Ah—!" Of course, there was still some acting involved, but he did crack a note.
This time, the golden bamboo worm was as big as her, and two of them came at once, jumping directly into the bath. This kind of worm is said to possess a mysterious spatial magic, allowing it to teleport silently.
At this moment, they were swimming towards her from several feet away, their mouths wide open, large enough to swallow her head whole.
If it weren't for the mission, she would have climbed out of the bath immediately and used her spiritual power to throw the other person away as far as possible.
As the visual impact drew ever closer, she could only huddle in the bathtub.
"Senior Brother! Help—!" Song Chi wasn't acting this time. Come here quickly! She didn't want to be bitten on the head by this bug again. Although it didn't eat people, it was really... disgusting.
"Third Junior Sister, what happened?" Mo Shubai rushed over quickly, his voice urgent.
A gentleman like him probably wouldn't even glance at it with his divine sense.
Song Chi could only cover her head and scream, "Come quick, come save me! Waaaaah!" The two "waaaah" sounds were genuinely because the two golden bamboo worms were now only a foot away from her. The impact of their gaping, dark maws was truly overwhelming. Help...
Mo Shubai was probably startled by her, so he used his spiritual power to open the door and came in, instantly landing next to her.
"Don't be afraid, the golden bamboo worm won't hurt anyone." He immediately pointed his spiritual energy to chase the worm away.
If we just drive him away like that, how can we drag him down with us?
Without a word, Song Chi gritted his teeth, turned around, and grasped the hand that was channeling his spiritual power. As they pulled Mo Shubai down, the two exchanged a brief glance in the dim light.
With a splash, Mo Shubai fell into the bath. Song Chi bit her lip slightly, feeling a little awkward. But she didn't care, dragging Mo Shubai into the water, then hiding her arms and legs in his chest like a truly frightened little girl. "Save me, Senior Brother."
The hand that was around her shoulder stiffened for a moment before relaxing slightly, its fingertips lightly touching the shoulder blades on her back.
Then, spiritual energy slowly drove away the golden bamboo worm.
"These golden bamboo worms are currently pregnant, so we can only drive them away slowly. Third Junior Sister, please wait a moment."
That's good, she needs time too. Song Chi, nestled in Mo Shubai's arms, gave a muffled "Mmm."
Then the rustling sound slowly retreated from the pool, then slowly climbed ashore, followed by another rustling sound from the corner of the house, and finally the insect suddenly moved slightly and disappeared into the air.
The house was extremely quiet at that moment, with only the sound of the heavy rain and the pattering of leaves in the wind coming in clearly.
Song Chi gritted her teeth, raised her face, and met Mo Shubai's gaze. His eyes softened as he looked at her. She unconsciously bit her lip, then lowered her head to his chest, unable to resist chuckling softly to ease the awkwardness. Mo Shubai's chest also trembled slightly, and his fingertips pressed a little harder on her back than before.
"Senior Brother, I'm really scared of this bug."
"Yes, I know," Mo Shubai said gently.
He probably saw through her little trick of trying to drag him into the mess, but he didn't call her out on it. What a kind person.
I wonder what he'll think.
Honestly, even Song Chi felt that things were getting a little too ambiguous.
"You can tidy up first. Don't worry, the golden bamboo worm won't come back. I'll also stay outside the door and won't leave."
Fortunately, Mo Shubai quickly dispelled the awkwardness. He dried himself off quickly and quietly went out. After closing the doors and windows, he indeed stood guard outside. Probably afraid she would worry, he was still flipping through a book, making a loud turning sound.
Song Chi breathed a sigh of relief. She definitely didn't need a bath anymore; she climbed ashore, dried herself off, quickly changed her clothes, and went out.
Upon reaching the doorway, a gust of wind and rain blew in, and a few raindrops brushed against his cheeks. The cool sensation made Song Chi instinctively touch his face. So hot!
She glanced at Mo Shubai, who was flipping through a book in the corridor, but luckily he was too engrossed in his book to notice.
She quickly scanned her face with her spiritual energy. Fortunately, she recovered immediately. Song Chi then hurriedly bid farewell to Mo Shubai. Having suffered such a 'fright,' it was only natural not to ask for his guidance. She needed to hurry back; for now, she was still incredibly embarrassed and needed some time to recover.
This time, Mo Shubai actually escorted her back to Mulian Pavilion. And when she returned from her bath, she could still sense his spiritual energy in the bamboo forest.
He figured he wouldn't go back until she returned to her room.
Song Chi breathed a sigh of relief. Mo Shubai seemed unconcerned this time, so she was at ease. But this mission had truly revealed their involvement. After all, only someone with a brain could pull something like this. She wondered what Mo Shubai would think. But he figured there were still two destined people, and she was the poor, unfortunate worker in the shadows. So she decided to ignore it.
Lying in bed, Song Chi watched the various celestial beings bustling about in his mind, especially the celestial lotus demon soul. He thought, "Look what I've sacrificed for you." Oh, no, strictly speaking, it was Mo Shubai who sacrificed…
Speaking of this, the image of Mo Shubai's face when she dragged him into the water and the look in his eyes at that moment are vividly imprinted in his mind.
That eye contact was just a fleeting glance. It really wasn't a big deal.
His expression was even quite calm.
But those strangely quiet eyes appeared three times when Song Chi tried to look up the Taiqing Immortal Sound Technique.
Song Chi nearly threw the scroll three feet away, but thankfully, she focused and managed to read it. By late at night, she had completely calmed down. However, Song Chi was determined to leave as soon as possible. Mo Shubai's situation… seemed to be toxic.
Fortunately, the next day, Song Chi received a hint from the Golden Scroll that the Immortal Lotus Spiritual Root had grown and he only needed to take it with him to leave the Mo residence.
She immediately breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The master also received the news quickly. It is unknown whether he was impatient with the solemnity of the cultivation family. In any case, after hurriedly taking her to retrieve the immortal lotus spiritual root, the master and disciple took their leave early that morning.
Venerable Xueqiao actually felt that the two were being too affectionate. Now that the immortal and demonic spiritual roots had been taken, they should leave the Mo residence as soon as possible. That old man Qingchenzi had proposed marriage for the tenth time this morning. He probably knew about that brat's visit to his senior brother last night.
You see, this kind of thing happens right here in the Cloud Sea Pine Mountain Holy Land; it's not a big deal for the two of them to be a little ambiguous. Venerable Xueqiao felt that he still needed to observe Shu Bai's situation. These two, no matter what, he would only feel at ease letting them truly become husband and wife after the matter of the Flying Immortal Platform being unsealed was settled.
I just don't know what happened last night. Although Song Chi acted no different from usual this morning, with a clean little face and quietly following by my side, he was also very proper in taking the immortal demon spiritual root, and he was polite and respectful in bidding farewell to the Mo family.
Even when she looks at her senior brother, she always slightly tilts her eyes away to look away.
And as soon as he got on the bike, he immediately sat up straight.
As for Shu Bai, he had actually said before that they would return to the guild hall together after obtaining the Immortal Lotus Spirit Root.
But today, after glancing at his third junior sister twice at the gate, he lowered his eyes slightly, maintaining his usual calm and aloof demeanor. Even so, the tenderness in his eyes was truly hard to hide; in fact, his whole being seemed to be glowing, yet he forced himself to suppress it.
"Master, I still have some matters to attend to at home, so I can only return to the guild hall in a couple of days." He went back on his word and said this.
At that moment, Venerable Xueqiao felt that Song Chi breathed a slight sigh of relief, while Shu Bai seemed to purse his lips slightly and smile with his eyes lowered.
To be honest, he didn't know what riddle the two were talking about, and he felt something was off, but he didn't ask. He just nodded and urged the carriage to move forward.
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Author's Note: [Please] I revised this chapter three times, but none of them were as emotionally resonant as this one, so I had to post it. It's a bit melodramatic, so please be gentle. [Please]
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