Chapter 5 Part 2

Hearing Fang Tianxin, Chen Zhiyuan and Mu Qinglin crowded over, curiously eyeing Lian Yunzhi’s finger.

Chen Zhiyuan flicked open his fan and fanned himself, laughing ambiguously: “Yo, rare sight. A Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator got bitten? Who bit you?”

Lian Yunzhi wiggled his finger nonchalantly: “My demon beast bit me. He wasn’t very obedient before.”

Chen Zhiyuan lost interest and snapped his fan shut.

Mu Qinglin, however, was intrigued: “Brother Lian, you contracted a demon beast? What kind?”

Lian Yunzhi almost said “dog,” but that sounded lame for a contract, so he said, “A wolf.”

But “wolf” didn’t sound exciting either, and Mu Qinglin’s interest waned: “Oh, a wolf.”

Dissatisfied with his attitude, Lian Yunzhi added, “Not an ordinary wolf—a giant wolf. Standing, it’s a head taller than you.”

Mu Qinglin: “That’s definitely a giant wolf. Can you ride it?”

Lian Yunzhi: “Of course, and it’s very intelligent too. Last night when I suddenly advanced, it took me to a safe place. When I woke up, it was even washing my clothes.”

Mu Qinglin was genuinely shocked this time: “A demon beast washes clothes?!”

“Of course,” Lian Yunzhi said proudly. “Not just washing clothes—my demon beast can even set up a Spirit Gathering Array!”

Fang Tianxin turned his head and covered his mouth, coughing violently.

Chen Zhiyuan eyed Lian Yunzhi suspiciously and even sniffed hard, as if checking for alcohol.

Only Mu Qinglin remained shocked, stammering: “A demon beast… a demon beast sets up a Spirit Gathering Array?!”

“Yeah.” Lian Yunzhi said earnestly. “Didn’t you know? High-tier demon beasts usually have wisdom rivaling humans. The one I contracted is a high-tier demon beast—honestly, smarter than you by a lot!”

Mu Qinglin: “Wow…”

Fang Tianxin couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled Mu Qinglin aside and changed the subject: “Ahem… Mu Qinglin, didn’t you want to buy clothes earlier? These are new arrivals in our shop…”

Mu Qinglin was still dazed from the shock until the shopkeeper approached with recommendations, successfully diverting his attention.

He frowned: “Are these the only sapphire blue clothes? No sapphire blue fabric at all?”

The shopkeeper looked troubled: “Young Master Lian took all the fabric in that color. Would you like to look at other colors?”

Mu Qinglin said dejectedly: “Forget it, just these clothes then…”

But before he finished, Lian Yunzhi interrupted.

“Shopkeeper,” Lian Yunzhi said mildly, “Please package those clothes too. I missed them earlier by accident.”

Mu Qinglin’s face flushed green then pale. He asked Lian Yunzhi, “Brother Lian… don’t you never wear this color?”

Sapphire blue was Mu Cheng’s usual color, which Lian Yunzhi loathed. Just looking at it hurt his eyes. Others might not know how much he hated it, but they knew he’d never worn that color.

Lian Yunzhi raised an eyebrow: “Didn’t you used to not wear this color either?”

Mu Qinglin mumbled awkwardly: “Oh… looks like Brother Lian likes it now. I’ll yield it to you.”

Lian Yunzhi smiled faintly: “I don’t like it. My demon beast does. I’m getting it to make him a nest. Shopkeeper, if you get more fabric in this color, please deliver it directly to Lian Mansion. I’ll pay double.”

Shopkeeper: “Yes, Young Master Lian.”

Even if Mu Qinglin was dense, he could tell Lian Yunzhi didn’t like him anymore. His face drained of color as he stood frozen, unsure what to do next.

Fortunately, the Qi Refining Bird arrived at the Relay Station just then. Mu Qinglin hurriedly said goodbye and rushed off.

Chen Zhiyuan didn’t leave with him but looked to Fang Tianxin.

Fang Tianxin asked Lian Yunzhi: “Will you Imperial Sword Flight with me later?”

Lian Yunzhi: “Sure.”

Fang Tianxin clasped his fists apologetically at Chen Zhiyuan, who nodded and left.

With everyone gone and the shopkeeper withdrawn, Fang Tianxin, who had held back for so long, finally spoke: “Did Mu Qinglin offend you? Why are you suddenly at odds with him? Wait—no, that’s not important. It’s Mu Cheng. You took him back last night? He’s not dead? And the demon beast… what does that mean? Real demon beast or fake? I sense a Beast Taming Contract on you.”

Fang Tianxin had too many questions. Lian Yunzhi sat down for a cup of tea before briefly recounting the past two days’ events, omitting details.

When he heard Lian Yunzhi had signed a Beast Taming Contract with Mu Cheng, Fang Tianxin was dumbfounded.

He didn’t know what to say for a long time.

“As for Mu Qinglin?” Lian Yunzhi’s tone was flat. “I didn’t hate him before, but he insulted my thing, so now I kind of do.”

“But…” Fang Tianxin chose his words carefully. “Mu Cheng really isn’t a Mu Family child. If those rumors are true—if he knew and kept quiet, usurping the nest, and after being found out, killed his father and mother to destroy evidence and stay the Mu Family young master… then it’s normal for Mu Qinglin to hate him.”

Lian Yunzhi didn’t think the rumors held much truth. Rumors said Mu Cheng’s Spiritual Root was crippled, but Lian Yunzhi had personally seen in that blood-red world, at the rift, how the Mu Family Head carefully, completely, inch by inch extracted Mu Cheng’s Myriad Absorption Spiritual Root.

But he didn’t tell Fang Tianxin that. He just sipped his tea and said, “Fang Tianxin, do you remember how I once spied on… no, observed Mu Cheng for three whole days?”

Fang Tianxin: “I remember. You said Mu Cheng spread rumors about you, slandering you for hiring storytellers at teahouses to boast about yourself. So when you encountered a Water Mirror in a limited-time secret realm that could scry the entire world, you used three full days to spy… observe Mu Cheng.”

Recalling it made Fang Tianxin exasperated.

Though he was Lian Yunzhi’s friend, he had to admit Lian Yunzhi hadn’t been too smart there—what a huge opportunity, a Water Mirror that could scry the world! And he used it to spy on Mu Cheng!

Lian Yunzhi said, “I watched him nonstop for three days, trying to find dirt to ruin his reputation, but I found nothing. I saw him fighting desperately in a secret realm, always shielding Mu Family juniors including Mu Qinglin behind him when danger came. I saw him sparing a pregnant demon beast out of tears, getting badly injured himself. I even saw him rescue a little bird from a pit and sleep with it on a meadow full of Spirit Capturing Grass…”

Lian Yunzhi lowered his eyes: “Maybe that’s why I hated him more. If he really was some power-hungry, ungrateful villain who even killed his parents, I wouldn’t bother hating him—I wouldn’t spare him a glance.”

…

“Besides.”

Lian Yunzhi paused, tilting his head.

He gave a final reason Fang Tianxin couldn’t deny.

“—Mu Qinglin really doesn’t look good in that color.”