Chapter 36: Why Haven’t They Changed Back! Part 1

The fright caused the two fluffy cat ears to flatten, nearly blending in with Lin Chuyun’s hair. Feng Xixing’s gaze followed Lin Chuyun’s long hair downward, unconsciously drifting behind him.

Was there a cat tail…?

Lin Chuyun was completely unaware that his well-behaved disciple was harboring thoughts tantamount to betraying his master. He was frowning in distress at his shrunken stature, feeling this was worse than turning into a cat!

After being flattened for a while, the cat ears finally perked up, aggrieved.

Feng Xixing forcefully suppressed the impulse in his heart. He had just taken a step forward and hadn’t even opened his mouth when he saw the cat ears on Lin Chuyun’s head instantly turn alertly in his direction.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before asking, with an expression of concern, “Shizun, can’t you retract your ears?”

Lin Chuyun nodded in distress, the ears on his head trembling slightly along with the motion.

His transformations were never under his control. Forget pulling the ears back, he couldn’t even turn back into a cat now. The unformed Demon Core in his qi sea was being strange too; it suddenly stopped absorbing spiritual power and was just sitting there quietly, twinkling like a star.

“Sigh…” Lin Chuyun let out a breath.

Not only that, because his body had shrunk, his voice had changed too. His usually somewhat cold and clear tone now sounded somewhat soft and cute instead.

Like he was acting spoiled.

Lin Chuyun fell silent and shut his mouth.

Feng Xixing half-knelt down and carefully tidied Lin Chuyun’s somewhat messy hair. When he withdrew his hand, his fingertips brushed over the ear tips without leaving a trace.

Fine and fluffy, softer even than the softest spirit silk. Feng Xixing unconsciously rubbed his fingertips together.

Feeling strange, Lin Chuyun flicked his ear and looked at his disciple, then silently covered his ear tips and shuffled backward.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his little disciple, it was just that this pair of ears was simply too sensitive. That light brush from Feng Xixing just now had nearly made his knees buckle and sent him to the ground!

Now that he had turned into this form, the only thing left was to prepare to return to the sect. Lin Chuyun turned around helplessly, but his little short legs had only taken a single step before Feng Xixing scooped him up.

“Wha-wha-what are you doing!” Lin Chuyun was so startled that the fur on his ears instantly puffed up.

Feng Xixing, however, didn’t touch his ears. He carefully tucked Lin Chuyun into his cloak, wrapping him up meticulously. The fact that Lin Chuyun’s current figure was small actually allowed him to be completely hidden.

Seeing this, Lin Chuyun slowly relaxed. Resigned, he grabbed Feng Xixing’s lapel. “Why are you hiding your teacher away?”

Feng Xixing’s answer, however, brought up a different matter. “This disciple saw Bai Linghan just now.”

Lin Chuyun had almost forgotten that name. Hearing it brought up so suddenly, he was stunned for a moment before he reacted and remembered who that person was. Speaking of which, when he was asleep earlier, he did seem to vaguely hear Bai Linghan’s voice.

No wonder he thought that was a nightmare!

“What is he doing here?” Lin Chuyun frowned, trying hard to recall the original plot.

According to the original story, the original host should have started closed-door healing by now. After Bai Linghan obtained the Purple Ice Soul Stone, he begged Xu Quanfeng to ask his master to refine his Green Water Sword. At this point in time, Xu Quanfeng was at the peak of his infatuation with Bai Linghan and naturally agreed wholeheartedly.

But Jiang Fengmo didn’t like Bai Linghan, especially since Xu Quanfeng had broken off his engagement with Jiang Fengmo’s daughter because of this disciple. Yet Xu Quanfeng disregarded their master-disciple bond and insisted on persuading Jiang Fengmo to agree.

Because of this matter, Xu Quanfeng’s relationship with his own master became very strained. He even failed to rush back to save his master during the later invasion of the Devil Realm.

Now, the Purple Ice Soul Stone was in his hands. Xu Quanfeng didn’t seem as enamored with Bai Linghan anymore. Jiang Fengmo, on the other hand, had agreed to forge a Spirit Sword for Feng Xixing…

So, what was Bai Linghan doing at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion? Could it be that the plot had some kind of auto-correct feature?

Lin Chuyun became lost in his own thoughts, not noticing that Feng Xixing’s arms, holding him, were tightening with increasing force.

Feng Xixing stared at the Lin Chuyun in his arms, his gaze deep and dark. For a fleeting moment, he really wanted to bite the cat ears atop his head, to let him know the consequences of thinking about another man right in front of him.

But… recalling that just a light touch from him had elicited such a strong reaction from Lin Chuyun, if he actually bit down, Lin Chuyun might hurt so much he’d cry.

With that thought, Feng Xixing softened. But he was also unwilling to just watch Lin Chuyun think about Bai Linghan. He could only speak up, his voice carrying a hint of grievance. “What is Shizun thinking about?”

“I’m thinking… what Bai Linghan is doing at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion?” Lin Chuyun, however, didn’t notice anything wrong with Feng Xixing. He was still seriously pondering the plot issue.

After all, if the plot was changing, he needed to make some adjustments too. At the very least, before Bai Linghan could, he had to help his little disciple snatch a few more opportunities.

Feng Xixing’s heart clenched with frustration at Lin Chuyun’s undisguised words. His gaze darkened, and his voice took on a dangerous edge. “Why is Shizun thinking about him? Could it be Shizun…”

“Alright, alright.” Lin Chuyun helplessly raised his hand and rubbed the ends of his own proud, easily-jealous little disciple’s hair. “Your teacher is just worried he might be disadvantageous to you.”

His little disciple was good in every way, except he always lacked confidence, constantly worried he’d take a liking to other disciples.

As if that would ever happen. Having one such excellent disciple was enough!

With just that single sentence, Feng Xixing was actually coaxed into a better mood. Watching Lin Chuyun’s worried expression for him, Feng Xixing silently swallowed down the matter of Bai Linghan asking to buy his Spirit Medicine.

He naturally knew what Bai Linghan was doing at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

Counting the days, it had been a month since Bai Linghan emerged from Thunder Echo Grotto. The effects of the Devil Luring Stone should have started to show.

The Devil Luring Stone wouldn’t, of course, let one detect the presence of Devil Qi right away. It would only secretly accelerate your cultivation speed. Someone unaware of the truth would treat the Devil Luring Stone as a treasure.

But soon, the Devil Qi drawn in by the Devil Luring Stone would start to trigger the Heart Devil within the cultivator. However, by that point, most people would already be unable to sever their reliance on the cultivation speed granted by the Devil Luring Stone and would only seek other ways to solve the Heart Devil problem.

Spirit Medicine was naturally one method of alleviation.

Feng Xixing hadn’t expected Bai Linghan to notice the Devil Luring Stone’s abnormalities so quickly. But judging by Bai Linghan’s attitude, he was probably unwilling to abandon the stone either. Otherwise, given the degree he’d been affected so far, just throwing the Devil Luring Stone away would solve the problem.

No… if it had been before today, throwing the Devil Luring Stone away might indeed have solved it. But just now, the Devil Luring Stone had unexpectedly absorbed Feng Xixing’s Devil Qi as well.

The Devil Qi of a Devil Lord, even just a wisp, was not something the current Bai Linghan could resist. Unless Bai Linghan went to beg Gu Jingshan now, he was fated to completely Enter the Devil Path before long.

“Shizun, rest assured.” Feng Xixing secured the cloak and said as he held Lin Chuyun, “He didn’t recognize Xixing. But this disciple worries he might still be waiting at the entrance. If he were to see Shizun’s appearance…”

Hearing this, Lin Chuyun decisively burrowed deeper into Feng Xixing’s arms. Although he was currently a child, who knew if Bai Linghan could recognize him as Immortal Lord Lin.

Seeing that Lin Chuyun no longer objected, a trace of amusement flickered in Feng Xixing’s eyes. But soon, his gaze became tinged with regret.

No tail.

…

Just as Feng Xixing had expected, Bai Linghan was waiting right outside the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Feng Xixing didn’t know how Bai Linghan managed it, but in just this short while, his face had gone pale, and his eyes were red-rimmed as if he had just been weeping bitterly.

A crowd of people surrounded him, all comforting Bai Linghan, a few voices particularly loud.

“Fellow Daoist Bai, don’t be afraid, there are so many of us,” that person soothed. “That Senior will surely be willing to part with the Spirit Medicine for you.”

“That’s right, that’s right, Fellow Daoist Bai, don’t worry, your Senior Brother will definitely be fine.”

“Fellow Daoist Bai is so kind-hearted. Surely that Senior will also be moved by you.”

Listening to these people’s words, Lin Chuyun’s mind was filled with question marks. What Spirit Medicine, what Senior Brother? What had happened before this? Why didn’t he have a recap?

Bai Linghan lowered his head and forced a smile at the surrounding people. Pity there was still a trace of melancholy between his brows, making even a smile seem bitter and heart-wrenching.

Just then, someone walked out from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Bai Linghan looked up, his eyes instantly brightening. He stepped forward and was about to speak when he felt a surge of spiritual power attack, swiftly sealing his voice.

A flash of panic crossed Bai Linghan’s eyes; he hadn’t expected this Senior to be a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.

Feng Xixing glanced surreptitiously at Lin Chuyun in his arms. Seeing him huff angrily and withdraw his hand, a smile unconsciously surfaced in his eyes.

However, when he raised his head again, the smile in his eyes was gone.

He cast a cold glance at Bai Linghan, but he knew this wasn’t the place to make a move. He merely gave him a warning look, then turned, intending to leave.

But the surrounding people’s attention was all focused on Bai Linghan. Seeing his expression change differently, they naturally all looked over and immediately spotted Feng Xixing, who was preparing to leave.

A tall, thin man among them was quickest, stepping in front of Feng Xixing. “This must be the Senior who just won the Spirit Medicine at auction, correct?”

The others, seeing him act first, wore expressions of slight regret and also crowded around. These people didn’t understand the full situation; they had only heard Bai Linghan’s one-sided account and were already demanding Feng Xixing give up the Spirit Medicine to him.

Feng Xixing’s expression turned completely cold. The shadow at his feet stirred silently. Just as he was about to make a move, a slightly aged voice rang out from within the Myriad Treasures Pavilion behind him.

“Insolent noise!”

A Spiritual Pressure no weaker than Lin Chuyun’s pressed down. The surrounding people instantly retreated a step, leaving only Bai Linghan and Feng Xixing unmoved. A layer of Spiritual Light appeared around the former, clearly the effect of some Artifact, while the latter simply stood there calmly.

The aged voice seemed somewhat surprised and couldn’t help giving a soft “Huh?” of curiosity.

Once the Spiritual Pressure receded, Lin Chuyun carefully retracted his own spiritual power. However, suddenly using spiritual power twice in such a short time was quite draining on him too; even the color of his lips had faded slightly.

Feng Xixing frowned. His fingertip swiftly condensed an Ice Crystal. Using the moment of turning around, he quickly pressed it to Lin Chuyun’s lips. Lin Chuyun didn’t ask questions, obediently biting down on it.

An old man walked out from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. He surveyed the people around sternly and said coldly, “Are you all unaware of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s rules?”

The faces of the surrounding people all changed.