Chapter 19: He Suddenly Missed the Little Black Cat…

Inside the Spider Cocoon was a red-haired youth with sword-like eyebrows and bright, starry eyes. Unfortunately, he was currently scared out of his wits by the sword tip hovering right in front of him.

Logically, Lin Chuyun shouldn’t have recognized this youth. Yet, the moment he saw that flamboyant red hair, his gaze instinctively drifted downwards.

As expected, a scimitar was tucked at the youth’s waist.

Lin Chuyun raised an eyebrow and asked, “Yan Sha?”

The red-haired youth’s gaze was still glued to the tip of the Azure Wood Sword. Unfortunately, his hands were bound behind his back by spider silk, and he’d been poisoned, unable to use his spirit power. He could only carefully inch backward bit by bit. “Y-y-y-yes, it’s me. B-b-b-brother, let’s talk this out, okay? Could you put the sword away first?”

Lin Chuyun hadn’t expected it really was him. He glanced sideways at Feng Xixing, and only after Feng Xixing nodded did he retract the sword.

The red-haired youth finally breathed a sigh of relief and had the presence of mind to look up at his saviors. “Many thanks to you t-t-t-two…”

Lin Chuyun couldn’t help but frown. In the original book, this guy wasn’t a stutterer!

Indeed, this Yan Sha was also one of Bai Linghan’s harem members in the original novel, the direct disciple of Peak Master Zhu Yan of Spirit Fire Peak. The novel described Yan Sha’s appearance most often by his red hair and the Crescent Moon Scimitar at his waist, which was how Lin Chuyun recognized him.

In the original book, this guy was incredibly enthusiastic towards the beloved Mary Sue, giving even more gifts than the original host. However, the book never detailed why Yan Sha fell for Bai Linghan, only saying that Bai Linghan saved Yan Sha’s life during a trial, and from then on, he was utterly devoted to him.

So how did this guy always manage to get himself into such miserable situations?

Lin Chuyun couldn’t help but glance at Yan Sha a couple more times. What he didn’t notice was that, because he kept staring at Yan Sha, Feng Xixing’s gaze towards Yan Sha had grown increasingly cold.

Yan Sha finally came back to his senses, blinking over a dozen times to make sure it wasn’t an illusion before his face lit up with surprise. “Junior Brother Feng, what are you doing here?! And this is…?”

Yan Sha’s gaze shifted to the other young man before him.

The young man wasn’t wearing the disciple robes of any peak, and his outfit looked like a low-grade magic treasure. Although he didn’t recognize the Spirit Sword in his hand, it had to be at least a mid-grade magic treasure. Someone who could bring so many treasures into a trial couldn’t possibly be an ordinary disciple. But Yan Sha was familiar with most of the inner disciples at Star Point Sect, and he had never seen this youth before.

But… why did that sword seem somewhat familiar?

Unfortunately, Yan Sha only had time to glance at it before the young man put the Spirit Sword away.

Hearing Yan Sha’s question, a flicker of surprise crossed Lin Chuyun’s eyes. He hadn’t expected these two to be on such good terms. No wonder Yan Sha had managed to survive until the very end after Feng Xixing entered the Devil Path later on.

He couldn’t help but scrutinize Yan Sha a bit more, wondering how such a foolhardy person had earned his little disciple’s special regard.

On the other side—

Feng Xixing didn’t know what was going on with him. From the moment Lin Chuyun had blurted out Yan Sha’s name, an irritable restlessness had settled in his heart, especially when Lin Chuyun stared at Yan Sha’s face.

Could Lin Chuyun possibly have taken a liking to Yan Sha now?

His hands clenched slightly at his sides. Feng Xixing stared at Yan Sha, already starting to mentally calculate how to drive this person away.

Yan Sha suddenly felt a chill down his spine. For some reason, the looks those two were giving him were incredibly eerie.

One looked like he wanted to dissect him bit by bit with a sword; the other… looked like he was about to chop him into mincemeat with a sword!

Junior Brother Feng’s glare was way too fierce!

Yan Sha racked his brain but couldn’t figure out how he’d offended Feng Xixing. He could only chalk it up to Junior Brother Feng being in a bad mood today. After resting for a bit, the poison in Yan Sha’s body had dissipated significantly, and his suppressed spirit power finally began to respond.

Yan Sha brought two fingers of his right hand together behind his back, flicking them upward. The scimitar at his waist instantly flew out of its sheath, soared behind him, and sliced through the spider silk binding his hands. Then, he flipped his grip and caught the blade, cleanly dealing with the spider silk around his feet.

Clean and efficient.

Yan Sha stood up, returning the scimitar to its sheath at his waist. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and laughed heartily. “Many thanks to Junior Brother Feng and this little Junior Brother for saving me. May I ask how to address you, little Junior Brother?”

Lin Chuyun was speechless.

He was of the same generation as Zhu Yan! Yet here was Yan Sha calling him ‘little Junior Brother,’ which effectively placed Yan Sha in his teacher’s generation. If Zhu Yan ever found out about this…

Lin Chuyun looked at Yan Sha with a complicated expression.

Yan Sha was completely baffled.

Feng Xixing finally couldn’t take it anymore. He stepped forward, shielding Lin Chuyun, and replied coldly, “His surname is Lin.”

Lin…

Hearing that surname, Yan Sha instantly frowned, as if thinking of someone he disliked.

But he wouldn’t blame an entire family name for one person’s actions. He quickly became enthusiastic again, patting Lin Chuyun heartily on the shoulder. “Many thanks to Junior Brother Lin for saving my life. A great favor cannot be repaid without…”

Lin Chuyun’s mouth twitched. “You’re not going to follow that with ‘pledging myself to you in marriage,’ are you?”

Yan Sha nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Of course! Don’t worry, Junior Brother Lin, if you ever have trouble in the future, this Senior Brother will definitely help you.”

“…” Lin Chuyun was speechless. So in this guy’s mind, ‘pledging himself in marriage’ meant personally helping out later on?

He suddenly had a guess. In the original book, had Yan Sha been latched onto by Bai Linghan because of this exact phrase?

“Who taught you that saying?” Lin Chuyun asked curiously.

Yan Sha answered with complete confidence, “My Shizun!”

Lin Chuyun wasn’t surprised in the slightest. The way he looked at Yan Sha turned kindly, like looking at the neighbor’s foolish son. In comparison, his own little disciple was simply too wonderful.

Talented, highly intelligent, mild-mannered, respectful to his Shizun… except for always getting upset for no apparent reason.

Seeing that Feng Xixing’s expression was turning sour again, Lin Chuyun sighed helplessly to himself.

After rescuing Yan Sha, the group cut open the other Spider Cocoons, but there was nothing left inside.

According to Yan Sha, he had also gone to that village, witnessed the massacre, and then, when he discovered something suspicious here and came to investigate, he fell into the Female Demon Spider’s trap.

But for some unknown reason, the Female Demon Spider hadn’t eaten him directly, instead trapping him in a Spider Cocoon, which allowed him to survive until the two arrived to save him.

The three of them searched the cave again and actually found another hidden stone chamber, piled high with Low-grade Spirit Stones collected by the Female Demon Spider.

Yan Sha refused the share Lin Chuyun tried to give him. According to him, if the two hadn’t saved him, he would have met his end here, so how could he possibly accept the Spirit Stones?

Lin Chuyun didn’t push further. He knew how wealthy Yan Sha was. In the original book, Yan Sha gave Bai Linghan spirit stones by the pile, and all of them were High-Grade Spirit Stones!

Then, looking at Feng Xixing, who was also a direct disciple…

Lin Chuyun felt a pang of guilt. Silently, he poked his pouting little disciple and whispered, “You take them all. Your teacher doesn’t need them.”

Feng Xixing gave him a complicated look and placed the Spirit Stones into his Storage Bag.

Once they exited the Female Demon Spider’s nest, they could see the previous battlefield at the base of the mountain. The Male Demon Spiders were mostly dead, with only a dozen or so barely holding on. Yan Sha decisively acted, finishing off these Demon Beasts to vent some of his anger.

“Where should we go next?” Yan Sha asked.

Lin Chuyun discovered another one of this fellow’s traits: he was overly familiar. From start to finish, Feng Xixing had barely responded to Yan Sha, yet Yan Sha could talk on his own for nearly half an hour without stopping.

Truthfully, Lin Chuyun didn’t mind Yan Sha tagging along. It was just that his own identity was too awkward. What if he transformed back into a cat while they were walking? Lin Chuyun looked hesitantly at Feng Xixing.

Seeing that Lin Chuyun still trusted him more, Feng Xixing’s expression softened slightly. He gave Lin Chuyun a reassuring look and turned, about to speak, when Yan Sha suddenly leaned in and whispered, “Actually… I have a bit of insider information.”

“…What information?” Lin Chuyun asked, his voice instinctively dropping to a whisper as well, caught up in Yan Sha’s manner.

Yan Sha looked a little embarrassed. He cleared his throat. “Before I came in, I overheard a few disciples talking. They said there’s an incredibly powerful treasure in the northwest part of Thunder Echo Grotto, and no one’s been able to take it yet.”

Lin Chuyun blinked and whispered, “You eavesdropped on people?”

“I did not!!!” Yan Sha’s voice suddenly amplified, making Lin Chuyun flinch and cover his ears. “I was just passing by, and they started fighting among themselves while talking…”

Before he could finish, Feng Xixing grabbed him by the back of his collar and tossed him away from Lin Chuyun. Lin Chuyun rubbed his poor ear and glanced at Feng Xixing.

Feng Xixing had no interest in bringing an extra person along and flatly refused. “We’re not going.”

Yan Sha could only sigh, his gaze towards Lin Chuyun full of expectation. “And what about you, Junior Brother Lin?”

“I…” Lin Chuyun, pinned by his stare, felt strangely guilty about refusing. “Where is this northwest area?”

Yan Sha wasn’t entirely sure either. “They didn’t specify, just said it was in the northwest…”

“Why do you absolutely need us to go with you?” Lin Chuyun asked.

Logically, shouldn’t someone with this kind of information keep it secret?

Yan Sha was a bit embarrassed. “From what those people said, a very powerful Demon Beast is guarding the treasure. I was afraid I couldn’t beat it alone…”

Speaking of this, Yan Sha suddenly remembered something. “Right, I recall those people mentioning that the treasure seemed to be in a desert.”

“A desert?” Lin Chuyun was taken aback.

He had been mulling over how to take Feng Xixing to seize that Purple Ice Soul Stone. But in the novel, Bai Linghan had fallen directly into the desert, and the book never specified where the desert was. So, Lin Chuyun had been worrying about how to find the path. He hadn’t expected that the place Yan Sha wanted to go was precisely the desert.

“That’s right. Junior Brother Lin, want to come along? This Senior Brother will definitely protect you!” Yan Sha looked at Lin Chuyun expectantly.

Feng Xixing felt annoyed by his gaze and once again stepped between the two. “He won’t be going. You, on your own…”

“I’ll go.” Lin Chuyun suddenly stuck his head out from behind Feng Xixing and agreed particularly crisply. “I’ll go with you.”

Feng Xixing was speechless.

“Really?!” Yan Sha excitedly reached out, but before he could touch Lin Chuyun, he felt his hair stand on end, as if being targeted by an Evil Beast.

Under Feng Xixing’s glare, Yan Sha slowly retracted his hand.

Feng Xixing withdrew his murderous gaze, but when he turned to look at Lin Chuyun, his eyes were unusually gentle, though tinged with a hint of confusion. “Shi… Junior Brother, why go to the desert?”

Lin Chuyun pursed his lips. He couldn’t tell the truth. Saying ‘I know from a book that there’s a treasure there and I want to snatch it for you’ was out of the question. Thinking for a moment, Lin Chuyun leaned closer to Feng Xixing’s ear and whispered, “To snatch the treasure, naturally.”

The warm breath gently swirled around Feng Xixing’s ear tip, like the tip of a little cat’s tail brushing lightly against it. Feng Xixing swiftly retreated two steps, his fingertips clenching tightly to stop himself from covering his ears right in front of Lin Chuyun.

Lin Chuyun blinked in confusion. “Little… ahem, Senior Brother, why are your ears red?”

It wasn’t cold weather, either.

“…It’s nothing.” Feng Xixing looked at Lin Chuyun. The tingling sensation on his ear was gradually fading. He suddenly missed the Little Black Cat.