Chapter 59 Blatantly Misrepresenting a Donkey as a Horse
Who comes here?
A moment of silence fell over the room as everyone scanned the outsider who had broken the deadlock.
Xiao Su Pavilion and the Shen family were particularly vigilant. They greeted the gray-robed girl from the Beast Taming Sect with their first words. They recognized her as Ji Mingran, the leader of the Dingsheng Sect, who was merely a Qi Refining cultivator and nothing to fear.
The man standing beside her possessed considerable cultivation. Shen Ningzhuang narrowed her eyes, wanting to get a better look.
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, although he and Ji Mingran stood at the intersection of light and shadow, he was a few steps behind Ji Mingran. Therefore, Ji Mingran was bathed in light, while he was in shadow.
The man remained silent, head bowed, seemingly watching Ji Mingran speak.
Therefore, all people could see was that he was tall and slender with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, but they could never see his face.
Judging from his attire, is he a disciple of the Unnamed Sect?
The previously dejected and sullen Princess Xingyang shook off her dejection and greeted him with a loud and energetic voice.
Ji Mingran replied with a smile: "Little chick."
Shi Jinle, who was thoroughly mocking Ye Wentang, suddenly realized something, and upon hearing this, he was shocked. He raised his hand and slapped Ji Xingyang on the head: "Don't make up relatives randomly!"
Though she cursed aloud, she was actually filled with anxiety, and she strained to look across at the other side.
Why didn't she deny being "mother" this time?
And, no way, no way, could the man next to Mingran be the "father" that the blond kid was talking about?
Why are they standing together? Is there really a story behind it?
Ahhh, Mingran is the future cultivation partner she has her eye on!
Frustrated inside, Shi Jinle maintained a composed facade, flashing a bright smile at Ji Mingran. "We meet again! Mingran, my little sister." As she spoke, she observed the man's reaction.
Ji Mingran: "Oh, you're here too."
The man remained silent with his head bowed.
But nothing escaped Shi Jinle's eyes. She strained to see, and actually managed to spot something.
The man's gaze remained fixed on Ji Mingran from beginning to end, not even glancing at the cultivators on this side.
"Fine." Shi Jinle gritted his teeth, certain that this person was his mortal enemy.
The kind that steals someone's partner.
Shi Jinle's mood had already gone through great highs and lows, while the two Void Sect disciples standing not far from her were still in a daze.
Fu Daolan stared blankly at the two who had suddenly appeared, then looked at Ji Xingyang beside him.
Next to Mingran, who was being called "Mother," stood a man in the shadows being called "Father," and he looked strangely familiar.
Who else but the Tianxing brothers could be so cold, listless, and yet so eager to stay by Mingran's side?!
So, Mingran is the "mother" of the blond-haired boy, and his "father" is Tianxing.
Fu Daolan suddenly realized, and smacked Shao Qing with his elbow, excitedly saying, "I knew it! Little Sister Mingran is definitely not the type to be fickle. They're doing great! They're back together again! You really need to change your suspicious nature."
Suddenly struck by his companion's attack, Shao Qingshang clutched his arm and gasped, "I was just making a reasonable guess. You're the one who's wavering and blaming me. However," his eyes flickered slightly, "that's for the best."
Seeing that the Shen family was trying their best to persuade Shen Qingluo of Dingsheng Sect to join their team and break the stalemate between the three parties, if Shen Qingluo agreed, the Shen family's faction of Yushou Xiaosu would become powerful, and their temporary alliance would be in jeopardy.
However, things didn't go as planned, and Ji Mingran's intrusion completely reversed the situation.
Ji Mingran was on good terms with the Void Sect and also had a close relationship with the Nameless Sect. She was also inexplicably favored by the Hehuan disciples. Their hastily assembled team not only became more cohesive because of her appearance, but also created an opportunity for them to form an alliance with the Dingsheng Sect because of her.
The other side must have realized this as well.
Shen Ningzhuang frowned immediately and stood in front of her sister to block Ji Mingran's gaze: "Sister, this person cannot distinguish right from wrong, you should ignore her."
Shen Qingluo turned around, took a step to the right, and wanted to walk towards Ji Mingran: "She is not that kind of person."
Shen Ningzhuang grabbed Shen Qingluo's arms with both hands and pleaded, "Sister, I have heard that Yingxue is dead and Mother's only keepsake is gone. I have no other thoughts. We have depended on each other since we were little. Please don't abandon me again. Come back, come home. Let's go back to how we were before."
Shen Qingluo stopped in her tracks, her gaze falling on Shen Ningzhuang's hand. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly as she whispered, "There's no going back."
Shen Ningzhuang froze, her pupils trembled, her eyes gradually reddened, and her fingers unconsciously tightened: "Sister, it's alright if you act impulsively for a moment, but please don't say such things."
He whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Do you really not like him? Then I'll tell Grandmother that if she insists, you should be patient for now. Once I become the head of the Shen family, you can do whatever you want."
“Ningzhuang… I can’t explain this to you.” Shen Qingluo sighed, her eyes filled with complex emotions, hesitant to speak, seemingly reluctant yet helpless.
The four-legged beast beneath Ji Mingran huffed and puffed, its front hooves scraping the ground.
Shen Ningzhuang's body stiffened. The memory of being knocked to the ground was still fresh, and her face and buttocks still throbbed with pain.
If he were to be knocked over again in front of everyone this time, he would have no face to show his face to anyone.
But... Shen Ningzhuang looked down at the silent person.
When I returned home that year and heard the devastating news that my sister had left the Shen family, the shock and panic I felt returned.
He doesn't want to go through it again.
Shen Ningzhuang made up her mind, "When you left, I wasn't there, and they didn't care about you, so no one stopped you. But this time I am," Shen Ningzhuang stood in front of Shen Qingluo, determined to block her figure, "I won't let you go."
The heavy pillar stood like a wall in front of Shen Qingluo. Ji Mingran shrugged: "I've already warned you, so I won't interfere."
Ji Mingran grabbed the animal's long ears with both hands, ready to strike. Seeing this, Yu Tianxing, who was quietly standing by, moved slightly, about to follow.
Ji Mingran turned his head and instructed, "Yu Tianxing, wait for me, I'll be right back."
Yu Tianxing, who was about to lift his foot, put it down again: "...Okay."
He took a few steps back, retreating to the dense foliage, distancing himself from the cultivator in front of him, and leaned against the tree: "I'll wait for you here."
Ji Mingran nodded and called out again, "I'm here! I'm here!"
Zhu Shibai and his disciples silently retreated, distancing themselves from the Shen siblings.
Ye Wentang and the Beast Taming Sect members were puzzled. Why did they have to announce it so many times?
Judging from her posture, it seemed like she wanted to rush towards the Shen siblings.
The Shen siblings were still arguing, but for some reason, Shen Ningzhuang's expression showed a hint of tension.
Are you really afraid of being hit?
Ye Wentang looked at him with disdain. It was just a Qi Refining stage cultivator and a beast with a stupid face. Why should his future brother-in-law be worried about it?
His cultivation level at the peak of Foundation Establishment was achieved through elixirs, but his foundation was extremely shallow.
What was that sound? Ye Wentang asked in surprise. Just as he turned his head, a gray whirlwind swept past with lightning speed, rushing straight towards him and kicking up dust that covered his face.
Immediately following was a shout from Chen Ningzhuang: "Ouch!"
Ye Wentang hurriedly looked over, but in the blink of an eye, Shen Ningzhuang had fallen to the ground, and Shen Qingluo in front of him was picked up and snatched away.
Chen Ningzhuang panicked, lay on the ground and shouted back, "Ji Mingran! Be careful, my sister hasn't even settled in yet!"
Ji Mingran gripped Chang Er tightly with one hand and held Shen Qingluo tightly with the other, sitting upside down and swaying precariously. Even in such a disheveled state, she still turned around and shouted recklessly, "Your sister's riding skills are unmatched in the cultivation world."
As soon as she finished speaking, the person in her arms reached out and placed a hand on the back of the gray-blue fur coat. In a swift motion, the woman in red turned over and sat down steadily with ease. She also reached out and helped Ji Mingran, who had fallen to one side, to sit upright.
The two of them ran away without a care in the world, leaving only their dashing departing figures in the eyes of those present.
Those remaining at the scene looked around in surprise and were astonished to find that the two women had left, and the three parties were once again locked in a stalemate.
********
The green shadows of branches and leaves gradually recede from view.
"Thank you for taking me away." Shen Qingluo's brows were still furrowed with melancholy, and the knot in her heart had not yet been untied. She could not yet extricate herself from her sorrowful mood.
She desperately needed someone who could understand her situation and empathize with her, someone to whom she could confide her sorrows and hold onto hope. Shen Qingluo asked, "Mingran, do you have any close relatives or siblings?"
Before Ji Mingran could answer, Shen Qingluo continued, "My younger brother and I grew up together. He would never dare to contradict me. He is kind and innocent, and he is completely sincere towards me. He truly cares for me. However, he may never understand what I want."
“And it will happen sooner or later.” Her face fell. “He and I are destined to be at odds. Unless I give up my ideals.”
Ji Mingran simply replied, "I have no family, so I can't understand what you've been through."
"I'm sorry, I..." Shen Qinglu stared at the back of the head of the person sitting in front of her, feeling a little annoyed. She shouldn't have asked the question so rashly.
With her family and friends all around, it was really too pretentious for her to complain and whine to Ji Mingran.
"There's nothing to apologize for." Ji Mingran didn't care at all. She looked around and patted her mount with satisfaction, saying, "This place is nice. You're good at leading the way!"
The galloping momentum came to a halt, and Shen Qingluo, who was immersed in sorrow, looked up upon hearing this and realized that they had left the forest and come to a meadow at some point.
The grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see.
Ji Mingran said eagerly, "I asked it to take us to a place where we could talk properly, and it brought us here. Don't you think it's very intelligent?"
Shen Qingluo was confused, but honestly replied, "Indeed."
Ji Mingran then asked, "It also runs extremely fast, even Foundation Establishment cultivators have difficulty catching up with it, don't you think?"
Shen Qinglu recalled the scene just now: "It was indeed as fast as lightning."
"You think it's great too? That's wonderful!" Hearing her affirmation, Ji Mingran smiled happily: "Qingluo, this is a little pony for you."
Shen Qingluo was taken aback: "Give it to me?"
Ji Mingran nodded vigorously: "It's yours."
"A horse?" Shen Qingluo asked hesitantly, her gaze lingering on the gray-blue, long-eared, long-faced, short-legged animal.
If she's not mistaken, isn't this a...donkey?
The girl with bright eyes and white teeth smiled and said, "That's right, Little Ma! I made your little horse disappear, so this is your compensation. It's yours from now on!"
Her foal, Yingxue, perished in the battle against the Golden Elixir Purple Scale Red Python.
It was indeed the only keepsake her mother left her.
Shen Qinglu recalled Shen Ningzhuang's words and said with mixed feelings, but still earnestly to Ji Mingran, "I said, Yingxue wasn't killed by you, it was an accident, don't take it to heart. Besides, without you, none of us can survive."
Without waiting for a reply, Ji Mingran shoved the long ear into her hand. "It's yours, it'll be yours from now on. You name it!"
“But…” Shen Qingluo wanted to refuse.
Ji Mingran's expression was sincere as he said softly, "Qingluo, I have been happy every moment since I came to this world. The sky is high and the earth is vast, and there are countless things for cultivators to experience. Back then, you rode Yingxue and brought me to spiritual cultivation. Now that you have lost Yingxue, I hope it can take your place, carrying you forward and galloping across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers."
Continuing forward... Shen Qingluo's eyes widened slightly, and her furrowed brows gradually smoothed out.
“You name it,” Ji Mingran said again.
“Let’s call it…” Shen Qingluo gripped the reins in her palm, looked at the gray-blue donkey, and smiled: “Little Horse!”
The donkey stared at her longingly.
Shen Qingluo confirmed: "Little Horse." Since she considers you a horse, from now on you are a horse.
The donkey turned its head in despair.
"What a good name! What a good name!" Ji Mingran said sincerely. "So simple and elegant!" Mingran truly believed that a donkey was a horse.
A gentle breeze brushed against my cheek.
Shen Qingluo paused in her smile, then looked up at the sky. The sky was clear and bright, the blue sky was azure, and the white clouds drifted lazily by.
She hadn't even noticed how beautiful and expansive the sky was.
The gloom in my heart was swept away.
Shen Qinglu patted the gray donkey: "Let's go! Let's wander around some more."
"good!"
********
The weather is really nice.
Ji Xingyang withdrew his gaze, his heart filled with anxiety.
His parents finally managed to get together, how could they be separated so soon?
On such a beautiful day, where are Mother and that woman in red going?
Is it really just a matter of never coming back?
How long are they going to stand here like idiots?
No, if Mom and Dad can't stay together, then no one else can either!
He might as well go all the way and cut off another illusion! In the next illusion, he was determined to reunite his parents!
"Ah, what's that?" Ji Xingyang shouted, pointing in the direction Ji Mingran had left.
The attention of the group, whose minds were in turmoil and whose emotions were unstable, was indeed diverted.
See, sometimes breaking the deadlock is that easy.
Seizing the opportunity, Ji Xingyang exerted his strength and charged fiercely towards the demon wolf.
The wolf's head fell to the ground.
The figures of the group blurred, and the illusion's vital point was broken.
Author's note: As a South China F3, Qingming really went through mountains and valleys, charge, charge, charge!
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