“I’m scared alone, can I sleep with my senior brother?”
Of. Course. Not.
Mu Congyun looked at him expressionlessly.
Even though his junior brother was pitiful, sharing a bed with another person was completely beyond his tolerance.
Just thinking about it made him suffocate.
Absolutely! Not! Happening!
Never had Mu Congyun refused anything so firmly.
He silently watched Shen Qi, who once again wore the expression of a stray puppy, pitiful and pleading.
Not giving him another chance to say anything that might shake his resolve, Mu Congyun struck like lightning, pressing on the acupoint at Shen Qi’s neck.
This reaction was completely outside Shen Qi’s expectations.
His expression froze momentarily as he forcibly suppressed his instinct to resist.
Closing his eyes, he collapsed limply into Mu Congyun’s arms.
Mu Congyun caught him and secretly sighed in relief.
Indeed, a silent junior brother was much more endearing.
Leaning against his chest, Shen Qi gnashed his teeth in frustration as his plan failed.
This stupid rabbit actually knows how to ambush!
He had underestimated him.
Mu Congyun half-carried, half-supported Shen Qi back to his room and thoughtfully tucked him in with a thin blanket.
Satisfied with his work, he smiled slightly before returning to his own room in high spirits.
Finally, he could get a good night’s sleep.
After he left, Shen Qi sat up with a dark expression.
Pointing at the falcon on his wooden bracelet, he questioned, “To share a bed with this lord is an honor countless in Fengdu City would kill for. How dare he refuse?”
Not only did he refuse, but he even had the audacity to try knocking him out.
“…”
The falcon brothers sensed the restriction being lifted but weren’t happy about it.
They weakly flapped their featherless wings.
This was a no-win question-better to remain mute.
Besides, no one here knows you’re Fengdu City’s Wily Celestial!
If Profound Ridge were to discover your true identity, we’d all be doomed, spending years together in the Western Frontier’s Demon Prison.
Compared to visiting the Demon Prison, watching this madman fail in his courtship was far more entertaining.
Though they thought this, the falcon brothers didn’t dare show a hint of it.
Elder Brother Hong Feng declared firmly, “He’s blind to your greatness!”
Younger Brother Hong Yun wasn’t to be outdone, flattering with a wing flap, “This fool doesn’t know what’s good for him! Your Excellency can just find another! The Western Frontier is full of beauties-the next one will be even better!”
Shen Qi let out a cold laugh.
“What do you birds know?”
Across two lifetimes spanning a century, he had scoured the Western Frontier and never encountered another rabbit like this one.
Pleasant to touch, delightful to smell, and always a joy to tease when in a foul mood.
How could ordinary fools compare?
“…”
Having their flattery backfire, the falcon brothers seethed silently.
If you already know everything, why even ask us?
Shen Qi didn’t need their answers anyway.
Silencing the brothers again, he muttered to himself,
“Never mind. A bird’s brain is too small- shouldn’t have asked you two idiots in the first place. This lord will figure it out himself.”
Dispelling the barrier, he rubbed his fingers nostalgically, as if he could still catch the crisp scent of grass and trees.
*
Perhaps because someone was sleeping next door, Mu Congyun didn’t sleep well that night.
Before dawn the next day, he rose early, practicing two sets of sword forms at Wind and Rain Cliff and meditating for half a shichen to regain some energy.
After bathing and changing, he stepped out just as Shen Qi emerged from the neighboring room.
Shen Qi had dark circles under his eyes and was rubbing his neck, clearly not having slept well either.
Mu Congyun’s gaze lingered on the side of his neck for a moment, feeling a twinge of guilt.
Fortunately, Shen Qi didn’t press the matter.
Upon seeing him, his eyes brightened, and he greeted, “Good morning, Shixiong.”
Mu Congyun gave a slight nod.
“After freshening up, I’ll take you around to familiarize yourself with the place. Then we’ll go to Tianlu Peak to select a suitable cultivation method for you.”
Perhaps because they had opened up to each other the night before, Mu Congyun noticed that Shen Qi seemed livelier in his presence-no longer the silent, brooding figure he had been before.
At last, he resembled a boy of fifteen or sixteen.
Hearing that they would be selecting a cultivation method, Shen Qi’s eyes immediately lit up with a smile.
He quickly tidied himself up and obediently followed behind Mu Congyun.
Mu Congyun led him out, intending to first have breakfast at Wuwei Zhai.
“Wuwei Zhai is Profound Ridge’s dining hall, serving meals morning, noon, and evening. According to Jinni, the variety is rich, and the taste is quite good. Since you haven’t reached the stage of fasting yet, you can go there for meals in the future.”
Mu Congyun himself disliked crowded places and would rather take fasting pills than visit Wuwei Zhai.
Shen Qi nodded obediently but then hesitated.
“But I don’t know how to fly on a sword yet. It’ll be inconvenient to come and go from Unforeseen Peak.”
“…”
Mu Congyun faltered.
Having stayed secluded for so long, he had forgotten that Unforeseen Peak’s steep terrain made travel difficult.
In truth, Unforeseen Peak was the only exception in all of Profound Ridge.
The other halls had many disciples, not all of whom could fly on swords, so they would apply for flying puppets as transportation for ordinary disciples.
But Unforeseen Peak had few disciples, and all of Mu Congyun’s fellow sect siblings could already fly on swords, so there had been no need to apply for one.
Just as he was about to say they could apply for a flying puppet when they went to Tianlu Peak, Shen Qi spoke again.
“Until I learn to fly on a sword, could Shixiong accompany me?”
The boy lowered his eyes slightly, lightly grasping Mu Congyun’s sleeve, his expression filled with unease about the unfamiliar environment.
Recalling the bustling noise of Wuwei Zhai, Mu Congyun instinctively wanted to refuse.
But then he remembered how, when he had first returned to Profound Ridge, he too had only felt somewhat at ease when following Shizun.
His master had personally taken care of him, staying by his side because he shied away from strangers.
Now, Shen Qi was in a similar situation-it was only natural that he would instinctively rely on Mu Congyun.
With a soft sigh, Mu Congyun relented.
“Only until you learn to fly on a sword.”
Shen Qi pursed his lips into a faint smile, drawing closer to him, his voice lifting slightly.
“Thank you, Shixiong. You’re so kind.”
The corner of Mu Congyun’s mouth curved almost imperceptibly as he walked ahead.
On the way to Wuwei Zhai, they ran into Jinni again.
Having broken the stone earlier, Jinni instinctively wanted to avoid Mu Congyun when he spotted him from afar.
But when he noticed Shen Qi clinging tightly to their eldest shixiong’s sleeve, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.
He flew closer on his sword to strike up a conversation.
“Shixiong, where are you headed?”
“Wuwei Zhai.”
Wuwei Zhai?
Shixiong never went to Wuwei Zhai.
Jinni’s gaze immediately shifted to Shen Qi, and his jealousy flared. It must be to accompany Shen Qi.
Shixiong is so biased!
Grumbling inwardly, Jinni didn’t dare voice his complaints. Instead, he edged closer and said to Shen Qi, “I know Wuwei Zhai well. Shixiong doesn’t like noisy crowds-why don’t I take you instead?”
Shen Qi lifted his eyes to gaze coldly at him.
Normally, he would have refused outright. But since Jinni had specifically mentioned, “The senior brother dislikes noisy crowds,” as his junior brother, he naturally had to appear considerate.
Shen Qi glanced between Mu Congyun and Jinni, his expression hesitant and uneasy.
His grip on Mu Congyun’s sleeve unconsciously tightened.
Just as Mu Congyun turned to tell Jinni, “No need,” he saw Shen Qi press his lips together as if making an excruciating decision.
Slowly, he released his hold on the sleeve and nodded at Jinni, his voice dropping low:
“Then I’ll listen to Senior Brother Jinni.”
“Then come with me.”
Jinni immediately brightened, stepping forward to grab his shoulder and pull him behind himself.
Mu Congyun didn’t even have time to intervene.
Worried, he looked at Shen Qi standing on Jinni’s sword.
Shen Qi kept his head lowered, refusing to meet his gaze, but his hands at his sides were clenched into tight fists-clearly no longer as relaxed and happy as before.
But Jinni had already taken off on his sword, leaving Mu Congyun no choice but to follow.
Flying ahead on his sword, Jinni was in high spirits.
Driven by the thought that if he couldn’t have it, neither should this newcomer-who had arrived later yet somehow managed to get special treatment—he began earnestly lecturing Shen Qi:
“The senior brother is wholly devoted to cultivation. He usually stays secluded in Hidden Herons in Bright Moon, meditating in solitude, and hates noise the most. A bustling place like Wuweizhai is somewhere he would never set foot in. If you ever want to go to Wuweizhai, just come find me. I go there three times a day without fail-I can take you along.”
He rambled on enthusiastically, listing dozens of likes, dislikes, and taboos he had compiled about the senior brother over the years.
Shen Qi endured it patiently until Jinni finally stopped talking, just as they were nearing their destination.
Then, pretending to lose his balance, he grabbed Jinni’s arm-with just enough force.
Jinni suddenly felt his Spiritual Power stagnate.
Panicking, he tried to channel it to steady his sword, but no matter what he did, it wouldn’t respond.
Without Spiritual Power to control it, the sword plummeted straight down, taking its passengers along for the crash landing.
Jinni, at least, was at the peak of the Mortal Shedding stage and had some means of self-preservation. But his abilities were barely enough to save himself—in the rush, he couldn’t spare a thought for Shen Qi behind him.
Shen Qi let out a short cry of “Senior Brother!” before squeezing his eyes shut in fear.
As his body fell, weightless, he was caught in arms that carried the fresh scent of grass and trees.
Hesitantly opening his eyes, he met Mu Congyun’s gaze.
Shen Qi stayed silent, only tightening his grip on Mu Congyun’s sleeve and burying his face against his shoulder.
The crisp, cool fragrance filled his senses, and the satisfaction of physical closeness seeped into the hollow spaces in his heart, making the corners of his lips curl upward.
But remembering how he hadn’t been able to hold this foolish rabbit last night, his smile flattened again.
Lowering his gaze to the pale skin of Mu Congyun’s neck, he suppressed the urge to leave a mark.
No rush. This foolish rabbit would be his sooner or later.
“It’s alright.”
Mu Congyun couldn’t see his expression and assumed he was frightened.
He offered a stiff reassurance while maneuvering his sword to catch Jinni, who was struggling mid-air.
Jinni’s Spiritual Power had returned by then, but his sword had already fallen.
Red-faced and flustered, he awkwardly clung to Mu Congyun’s sleeve.
The three of them landed safely, drawing a crowd of onlookers in the square before Wuweizhai.
Seeing that it was Jinni who had the accident, those familiar with him teased, “Jinni, did you sneak some of Chef Zhao’s wine? Even while sword-riding you managed to fall.”
Profound Ridge cultivates sword techniques, and for its disciples, sword-riding is the most basic skill.
Jinni flushed red, stammering an explanation to Mu Congyun: “That was just an accident.”
He had no idea why his Spiritual Power had suddenly gone out of control!
Mu Congyun didn’t join in the teasing.
As he passed by holding Shen Qi’s hand, he said very seriously, “Practice harder in the future. I won’t mention this to Shizun.”
Jinni, unable to defend himself: “…”
That wasn’t it, he hadn’t.