Chapter 72 Golden Eyes 3 Disciple Pays Homage to Master
Xu Xing felt as if she had a long dream. In the dream, she was trapped in a stiff body and watched a young man take care of "her" day after day for six years.
Day after day, that person fed her, washed her clothes, and taught her to speak...
"Xu Xu, a hunter in the village caught a few wild rabbits today and gave one to Daddy. How about Daddy roasts some rabbit meat for you tonight?"
"Xu Xu, it's summer now. Summer is a hot season, so everyone is dressed lightly. What does it mean to be hot? It's like the feeling you get when you're near a fire..."
"These are herbs used to treat wounds. We're all healthy now, so we can't just eat them randomly!"
"Xu Xu, I've heard that demons are born with knowledge. Do you still remember what your mother looked like? Your father misses her..."
The man whose features were obscured was a doctor. Besides treating the villagers, the thing he did most every day was to talk to "Xu Xing" tirelessly, even though he never received a response.
His "child" had a pair of strange golden eyes, which were dull and lifeless. Its movements were stiff, and it only knew how to mechanically open its mouth to eat. It even stumbled when it walked and could not speak. It was completely unlike a normal child.
In her dream, Xu Xing tried her best, but no matter what she did, she couldn't speak or move. She could only passively experience everything that this body had felt. Her vision was also very blurry; the whole world seemed to be veiled by a thick layer of gauze, making it difficult to see clearly. She could only barely make out, through the gentle voice, that the person who fed her was probably a very young man.
In her dreams, she could occasionally hear other people's voices...
"Dr. Xu, thank you. These are homegrown vegetables. Please try them."
"Dr. Xu, please don't take offense, but I'm afraid this child won't survive. It's better to..."
"That's right, how can such a small child have such a big appetite!"
"Dr. Xu, this child is definitely not your biological child. These eyes are terrifying. Maybe it's a mountain spirit in disguise. You should just throw it away!"
Xu Xing only heard a few of these unfriendly words at the beginning. Then, the man seemed to do something, and fewer and fewer people came. The small room remained quiet for a long time before patients returned. But this time, they all tacitly kept quiet, until that day...
"Quick! Go and fetch a doctor!"
"What nonsense are you talking about! Isn't Dr. Xu himself a doctor?"
"Carry Dr. Xu to the bed, what a terrible thing to do! We haven't seen a snake in the mountains behind here for years!"
"Dr. Xu, do you have any snakebite medicine at home?"
Amidst the chaotic footsteps and the noisy crowd, many people carried the young doctor, whose face was ashen, onto the bed. No one paid any attention to "Xu Xing," who huddled blankly in the corner. She silently watched everything, her eyes showing no anxiety or fear, only cold indifference.
She was unaware that the man who gently called her "Xu Xu" was about to die, and she would never understand what life and death meant.
"There's no snakebite medicine..."
"Please, please go out first. I want to be alone with Xuxu for a while..."
The snake venom took effect very quickly, and no one knew better than Xu Zhen, the doctor, that there was nothing he could do to save him.
After the villagers left, Xu Zhen laboriously gestured to his daughter in the corner, "Xu Xu, come to Daddy."
But he was destined to receive no response. With a bitter laugh, Xu Zhen murmured, "Was it because I didn't take good care of you that she..."
His pupils, which always held a gentle smile, gradually widened. With his last bit of strength, he crushed something hidden under the headboard. Then, his hands fell limply to his sides, and the shadow of death clouded his eyes.
"Don't, don't be afraid...she will definitely come to get you..."
But Xu Zhen, who died from the poison, did not know that he and his "daughter" would never see that great demon again.
Without his father's care, Xu Xing, who already had an enormous appetite, lived in a daze for two more years, fed by some kind villagers, before finally succumbing to his life force. Two years later, the soul from another world awakened again in this body...
"Xu Xing! Xu Xing!"
Waking from a long dream, Xu Xing's gaze was somewhat unfocused. After a long while, she finally came to her senses and recognized the face of the person in front of her. "Senior brother?"
Shen Duhuan's hand on Xu Xing's shoulder tightened slightly, and he said in a hoarse voice, "You're awake."
"I..." Xu Xing rubbed his forehead, puzzled, "I think I had a dream, no, two dreams!"
She seemed to dream of this body's father, Xu Zhen, and of those eight strange years, but now, all the images in the dream were fading and becoming blurry.
And before that, she seemed to have...
Remembering the monster she saw in the water mirror, Xu Xing quickly touched her face and head. The skin was smooth, with no trace of scales or horns. She breathed a sigh of relief. "I actually dreamed that I grew horns! Ah! I also dreamed of Senior Fu Shuang!"
"The first part was a dream, the second part isn't." A cool voice rang out from not far away.
Xu Xing sat up from Chen Du's embrace and saw the person beside her with a white silk cloth covering their face. She exclaimed in shock, "Senior Fu Shuang! It really is you!"
"It's me." Fu Shuang nodded slightly. "How are you feeling now?"
Xu Xing felt the spiritual energy flowing through his body, somewhat bewildered. "It seems like nothing's wrong, so how could that have happened just now..."
"You are about to come of age. The molting period will cause large fluctuations in your demonic spirit, but it's nothing serious. Just rest for a few days and you'll be fine. Once you come of age, your demonic spirit will be even more abundant."
"So that's how it is..." Xu Xing was still shaken. She had almost thought she might be a hybrid of a snake and some kind of demonic beast, like Nan Ye. Thank goodness...
"Senior brother, I was so scared at the time that I randomly crawled into this island to try and hide. How did you find me?"
Shen Du, who had been watching Xu Xing intently, remained silent for a moment before taking out the Xuan Yue Sword. "It's this one."
Outside the deserted island, Mei Zihan stared helplessly at the suddenly appearing thick fog. The fog seemed harmless, but he couldn't get in no matter what he did. Even Yunxi and Yunlan, who rushed over after receiving the news, were unable to enter the island.
Yunxi's face was as cold as ice. She had just vowed to protect His Highness, but now His Highness had disappeared right under her nose. If she really couldn't find His Highness, how could she face returning to the Snake Clan?
Yunlan carefully discerned the surrounding aura. "There is indeed her aura around this island, but this fog seems strange. I can't sense whether she is on the island at all."
Yunxi asked anxiously, "Mei Zihan, did you really see Chen Du go in?"
“That’s right. If Fellow Daoist Shen wasn’t confident, he wouldn’t have acted rashly. Fellow Daoist Xu must be on this island.”
Even with their combined efforts, they were still unable to break through the thick fog. Just as Mei Zihan decided to ask his master and elders for help, a clear sword cry was heard, and the fog finally began to dissipate slowly.
The group hurriedly flew onto the island and saw three figures standing there unharmed in the distance, not looking like anything had happened.
Yunxi rushed to Xu Xing's side, and only after confirming that she was alright did she breathe a sigh of relief, saying with a face full of shame, "I...I'm late!"
Mei Zihan looked at Xu Xing's unfamiliar face and golden eyes with suspicion, "You are... Fellow Daoist Xu?"
"I'm sorry, I've been taking the Illusion Pill." Xu Xing awkwardly touched her nose. The people on Lanze Island had treated her so well, yet she hadn't revealed her true face. It was really unreasonable.
Shen Du also took the opportunity to remove his disguise, revealing a clear and handsome face. "We did not intentionally hide it. Since we saw it this way at first, we just went along with it."
Yunxi's heart skipped a beat; she had miscalculated! She had long suspected that Shen Du was also in disguise, but she hadn't expected him to be so handsome, not at all inferior to Tian Li. Even in the demon realm, where beauties abound, his face would not be out of place.
"It's alright, fellow Daoists, there's no need to worry about it."
Mei Zihan was somewhat surprised, but he didn't care. After all, they came from the Eastern Pole and were unfamiliar with the Southern Territory and the Demon Realm, so it was only natural for them to be on guard.
Looking at the elegant and unfamiliar woman beside him, Mei Zihan asked in confusion, "Who is this...?"
Before Xu Xing could speak, Fu Shuang said calmly, "Their master is Fu Shuang."
Fu Shuang? That name...
Yunxi's eyes widened immediately. She glanced at Fu Shuang a few times, her face growing paler and paler. Could it be that Sword Master from many years ago?
Master? Xu Xing looked bewildered. Had her senior brother already become a disciple while she was unconscious? Senior Fu Shuang was a sword cultivator, so it was only natural that she would take a liking to her senior brother. But why was she also taken as a disciple by the senior?
Mei Ze smiled and said, "So it's Senior Fu. You two have been staying on Lanze Island for a while now. If you don't mind, why don't you come and stay on Lanze Island with us?"
Seeing the rather enthusiastic Mei Zihan, Yunxi was startled and even quietly took a step back. Mei Zihan probably didn't know Fu Shuang's identity, but she did! Back then, several powerful figures who dominated the demon realm were almost killed by Fu Shuang! If it weren't for that, after the Demon King's death, the demon race wouldn't have been without a single powerful figure who could rise to prominence.
How could such a god of war be the princess's master? What if the king finds out? The demon realm certainly won't accept Fu Shuang. If another war breaks out, will the princess side with the snake clan?
"Let's go."
Seeing that Fu Shuang had actually agreed to go to Lanze Island, Yunxi broke out in a cold sweat, her hand gripping the spear trembling slightly. Terrified, she couldn't help but send a telepathic message to Yunlan, "Oh no! What should we do?! She's Fu Shuang! The Frost Sword Master!"
Yunlan was confused. "Wow! That sounds amazing! So what?"
Yunxi: "Are you stupid! Do you even know who she is?!"
"Back then, she swept through the demon realm single-handedly with her sword! Hundreds of years have passed, and her cultivation has only improved. What will we do if Your Highness is with her?"
"Boss, it's a good thing that His Highness has such a powerful master! Besides, that happened hundreds of years ago, it's all in the past." Yunlan glanced at Fu Shuang's aloof and ethereal back in front of her, then looked at her boss who had suddenly become silly. "Moreover, she's so powerful, can't she hear our telepathic communication?"
"..."
Yunxi froze, then chuckled dryly twice, grabbed Yunlan, and scurried away in the opposite direction from Lanze Island without looking back.
No, she needs to slow down!
Lanze Island.
Upon hearing that Xu Xing and Shen Du's master was visiting, Mei Ze was exceptionally enthusiastic. If Fu Shuang weren't so aloof and unfathomably powerful, he would have dragged her fishing with him to strengthen their bond.
"Xu Xing is already a guest elder of Shuiyun Immortal Capital. As her master, you are naturally also an honored guest of the Immortal Capital. However, Lanze Island is simple and unrefined. If there is any inadequacy in our hospitality, please forgive us, senior."
Fu Shuang nodded slightly, saying nothing more, her icy aura inspiring awe. Mei Ze didn't dare say much either. He brought his disciples over, briefly recognized them, and then tactfully left, leaving the three of them alone.
"Han'er, in the future, you and your junior brothers and sisters should treat those two young friends with more sincerity, but there is no need to flatter them. Just treat them with sincerity. You are all good children, so your teacher doesn't need to worry about you."
"Master, rest assured, I have long regarded Xu Xing and Shen Du as friends."
"Great! Great!" Mei Ze patted Mei Zihan on the shoulder with a cheerful smile and then leisurely left.
Xu Xing is already an unparalleled master of both alchemy and weapon crafting, while Shen Du and Mei Ze have never seen a cultivator as young as him with such sword intent. It is not surprising that these two prodigies could become disciples of a powerful figure like Fu Shuang, whose cultivation is so profound. In this light, it is truly a blessing for his four disciples to have met them.
"Senior, did you come here for the Guixu Secret Realm?" Xu Xing took out the snowflake crystal from his bag. "This was left to me by Senior Weisheng. Do you see, isn't this the key to the Guixu Secret Realm?"
Although Xu Xing was somewhat reluctant, he still confessed, "By the way, we also discovered a medicine valley in the Exploration Realm. Senior Wei Sheng seems to have mistaken me for you, so he gave me the medicine valley. I only used a few spiritual herbs, so please take it back now."
“She wouldn’t mistake you for someone else. Since she gave it to you, it’s yours.” Fu Shuang’s long eyelashes under her white silk robe fluttered slightly. She faced Xu Xing and said calmly, “The Guixu Secret Realm is the same. Just go and get it.”
"But……"
"What, you're unwilling to accept this gift from your master as a disciple?"
"You're not joking?" Xu Xing asked in surprise. "I thought you were just making up an excuse when you said it was my and my senior brother's master..."
“I never joke.” Fu Shuang’s voice was cold, but her tone softened slightly when she spoke to Xu Xing. “I took notice of you when you entered Yu Xiao back then, but…”
Seemingly recalling some unpleasant events, she paused for a moment before continuing, "But at the time, I still had unresolved karmic debts and had no intention of doing this, which is why I wasted so many years."
Xu Xing recalled the mysterious person who had saved her from danger several times, and the unique, delicate fragrance that belonged only to Fu Shuang. She hesitated for a moment, and subconsciously looked at Chen Du, "Senior Brother, you..."
Fu Shuang then turned to Chen Du, saying, "Although I intend to take you two as my disciples, I will not force you if you are unwilling."
"..."
Shen Du frowned slightly. He felt that Fu Shuang's goal from beginning to end was Xu Xing, but he didn't know why she also wanted to take him in.
Although Li Shuang Sword Master is not well-known, he is undoubtedly the strongest sword cultivator in this world. Every sword cultivator aspires to be like him, and he admires him greatly. However, the fact that Senior Feng Zhun died to save him back then is still a thorn in Chen Du's heart.
"I once intended to become Feng Zhun's disciple, but he..."
Fu Shuang interrupted him coldly, "Feng Zhun has been dead for so many years. Even if you were observing mourning, decades would be enough. It's absurd to use this reason as an excuse not to become his disciple."
"..."
This may be a bit too blunt, but it's true.
Xu Xing thought to herself, Senior Fu Shuang doesn't seem as cold as she appears. She already felt a strange closeness to Fu Shuang, and now she's even more interested in her.
Shen Du could only look at Xu Xing and whisper, "You don't need to consider me. Just ask yourself if you want to become a disciple of a senior."
Xu Xing knew she liked Senior Fu Shuang very much, and she was willing to do so. Fu Shuang was a sword cultivator, so she probably wouldn't interfere with her alchemy and weapon crafting. Becoming Fu Shuang's disciple was a rare opportunity, and if she missed it, Xu Xing was certain she would never meet a better master than Fu Shuang again. But...
Xu Xing said softly, "Senior brother, I want to be with you."
If she and her senior brother both become disciples of Senior Fu Shuang, then they will be even closer senior and junior siblings.
Being from the same master's school and being from the same sect are ultimately different.
Fu Shuang glanced at Chen Du indifferently, and suddenly understood Sheng Qing's words. This sword cultivator had such a great influence on Xu Xing.
Although they couldn't see her eyes, Xu Xing and Shen Du suddenly felt a chill run through them.
Fu Shuang's next words made Xu Xing hesitate without any further hesitation.
"What if I also possessed the five spiritual roots? Would you still be unwilling?"
"I'm willing! I'm willing!" Xu Xing's eyes lit up, and he knelt down with a thud. "Disciple greets Master!"
After becoming an apprentice, it just means I won't be staying at Xuanjian Peak anymore, which doesn't really matter! Anyway, I can still go down the mountain and train together with my senior brother, so it won't affect their cooperative relationship!
Because of Xu Xing's words, Shen Du, who had already made up his mind, was about to speak when he saw Fu Shuang help Xu Xing up, turn to him, and add quietly, "You want to be my junior brother?"
"...Disciple greets Master."
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Author's Note: I added over 500 words to the end of the previous chapter at midnight. Those who read chapter 71 before 1 AM on October 18th can go back and check out the next few pages~
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Shen Du: I have this illusion that my master only took me in as a side job...
Fu Shuang (smiling): It's not an illusion.
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Years later, Xu Xing recalled the day she became a disciple: "Actually, I think I called him 'Master' before my senior brother did. Shouldn't I be the senior sister?"
Shen Du: ...You're mistaken.
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Thank you so much, Yui, for the amazing ticket! [hugs][confetti]
Thank you to the following for providing nutrient solution: Love to eat cream puffs, Stars adorn dreams, Ruby_, Rabbit Demon Osmanthus Cake, Depression, Sheeta, Zhao Zhao, Little Silver, oo, Snow Bamboo, Silver Lord, yaner, Unreachable Dreams, White Garden Warm Wine, Little Round oo, Icher, 27146858, Anonymous, wm Gold, He Xiaotu, Liang Xiao, Changchun, Snow Bamboo, Ling Shaoning, and Weiyan! [Rose]
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