LABMY CH106
The rejected Mu Xin’er, unable to save face, ran off crying. After all, she was just a young girl with thin skin, and she had always been pampered. Being rejected so bluntly made it impossible for her to stay any longer.
Mu Jingzhuo, on the other hand, showed no emotional fluctuation. He paid no mind to her tears as he squatted by the pond, reaching out to hook a lotus flower near the shore.
“Second Young Master, you certainly have quite the romantic luck.”
Just as Mu Jingzhuo was carefully trying to hook the lotus flower, a voice echoed from the center of the lake, startling him. He lost his balance and was about to fall into the water when, suddenly, a figure flashed by. By the time Mu Jingzhuo regained his senses, he was already standing on the bamboo raft in the middle of the lake.
Looking at the unfamiliar man before him, Mu Jingzhuo couldn’t help but be secretly amazed. So tall… Standing next to him felt particularly oppressive.
Mu Jingzhuo steadied himself and asked with a cold expression, “Who are you?”
“Were you eavesdropping just now?”
Jian Yuanbai smiled faintly, “I wouldn’t call it eavesdropping. If we’re talking about who arrived first, I was here before you.”
“Your master calls you Little Spoon, right?” Jian Yuanbai reached out and pinched Mu Jingzhuo’s face. Mu Jingzhuo tried to dodge, but the man’s hand was too fast, leaving him no chance to avoid it.
Having his cheek pinched, Mu Jingzhuo’s expression darkened even more. “None of your business.”
It was Jian Yuanbai’s first time seeing Mu Jingzhuo show him such a black face, which he found rather amusing. His desire to tease the boy only grew stronger, so he said, “It’s not good to get involved in romantic matters at such a young age. In the future, if someone confesses their feelings to you, remember to reject them as mercilessly as you did today.”
He stroked his chin and added with a smile, “At least wait until Little Spoon becomes an Iron Ladle before dealing with such things.”
Little Spoon, Iron Ladle… What nonsense was this? Mu Jingzhuo frowned in annoyance. “Who exactly are you?”
Jian Yuanbai had concealed his aura perfectly. With Mu Jingzhuo only at the mid-stage Qi Refinement, he naturally couldn’t see through Jian Yuanbai’s Nascent Soul-level cultivation. However, from the earlier display of speed, he could vaguely guess that the man was at least at the Golden Core stage.
A Golden Core cultivator appearing at the Mu family estate… Although Mu Jingzhuo was far from being a match, he didn’t feel much fear.
Jian Yuanbai said, “I was hired by your father to escort you to Wuwang Peak.”
Mu Jingzhuo had heard that his father had hired a Nascent Soul cultivator for this task, but he hadn’t expected it to be this man. A Nascent Soul cultivator was far beyond a Golden Core. Taking a deep breath, Mu Jingzhuo forced a polite smile. “Senior, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
“It’s getting late. I hope you rest well, Senior.”
Jian Yuanbai had only ever seen Mu Jingzhuo act obediently before, so this reaction intrigued him even more. Temporarily shedding his usual dignified demeanor as a master, he revealed a more mischievous side. “Is that so?”
“Go ahead then. I’ll watch you swim back.”
With that, he lounged comfortably on the bamboo raft and leisurely watched Mu Jingzhuo.
The young boy’s expression stiffened. In his anger, he had forgotten that he had been brought to the center of the lake. Looking at the distant shore, Mu Jingzhuo turned back to the man, only to see the teasing amusement in Jian Yuanbai’s eyes.
If this had happened in the past, with Mu Jingzhuo’s temper, he would have jumped into the water without hesitation. However, considering that he would be traveling with this man for a long time, it would be unwise to create conflict now.
A Nascent Soul cultivator was not someone he could offend. Even if his father had paid for his services, Mu Jingzhuo couldn’t afford to provoke him.
Clenching his fists, Mu Jingzhuo thought to himself: One day, when I have enough strength, no one will be able to humiliate me like this again.
Meanwhile, Jian Yuanbai secretly communicated with his system:
“Little Spoon just clenched his fist.”
The system responded faintly, “I feel like he’s about to say some classic protagonist lines.”
“I wasn’t that excessive, was I?” Jian Yuanbai chuckled awkwardly, but then agreed, “Actually, I think so too.”
Neither of them knew that at this moment, Mu Jingzhuo was indeed thinking exactly that.
After a brief hesitation, Mu Jingzhuo cupped his hands and bowed respectfully. “I humbly request Senior to escort me back to the shore. If I have offended you in any way, I apologize.”
Jian Yuanbai rubbed his nose, feeling a little guilty for teasing the boy too much. “You haven’t offended me. Don’t overthink it.”
In the blink of an eye, Jian Yuanbai appeared on the shore and gently placed Mu Jingzhuo back on solid ground.
Mu Jingzhuo said, “Thank you, Senior.”
Then, without wasting another second, he turned and left, his pace growing angrier the further he walked. Nascent Soul cultivator, so what? My master is in the Great Ascension stage, and he never treated me like this.
Back in his room, Mu Jingzhuo was about to take off his outer robe for a bath when he suddenly noticed something in his arms. In his rush earlier, he hadn’t realized that a beautiful white lotus flower had been slipped into his robes. The petals swayed gently with his movements, with droplets of water rolling along the surface.
Mu Jingzhuo took the lotus flower and replaced the wilting one in the vase on his desk with this fresh, pristine bloom. At some point, the frown on his face had softened into a faint smile.
Lotus flowers were his late mother’s favorite. It was because of her that the Mu family estate had such a large, ever-blooming lotus pond. Mu Jingzhuo would pick a lotus every few days to place on his desk in her memory.
This would be the last time he replaced the flower. By the time he returned, who knew how long it would be?
Meanwhile, Jian Yuanbai, having finished reading The Records of Ninefold Continent, casually traced a few runes in the air. With a flash of spiritual energy, the words disappeared into the void as he sent a message to Wangyun Sect, informing them that he had taken on a disciple. This way, when word eventually spread that he had accepted Mu Jingzhuo as his disciple, the sect wouldn’t deny it outright.
Lying on the bed, Jian Yuanbai couldn’t help but speak, “Say, what if I keep teasing Little Spoon until he actually spouts some classic protagonist lines?”
“I shouldn’t have put that lotus flower in his arms,” Jian Yuanbai said, but as he saw Mu Jingzhuo’s angry and sullen expression, he knew he would still secretly pick a flower and slip it into Little Spoon arms next time.
After all, before Little Spoon grows into an Iron Ladle, he couldn’t help but want to spoil him.
The system’s tone was complicated: “I don’t recommend you try that.”
Jian Yuanbai: “Why? It seems quite interesting.”
The system replied earnestly, “Don’t court death.”
At this point, the system had no idea—or rather, couldn’t even imagine—that if Jian Yuanbai didn’t do something that would backfire on himself, he wouldn’t be called Jian Yuanbai.
The night passed quickly. Jian Yuanbai woke up early and greeted Mu Chuan in the main hall.
He expected a large crowd to see them off, but surprisingly, only Mu Chuan was there.
Before long, Mu Jingzhuo arrived as well.
“Jingzhuo, come here,” Mu Chuan waved at his son and introduced the person beside him, “This is Senior Mo, who will escort you to Wuwang Peak.”
Mu Jingzhuo had met him the night before, but in the daylight, the man looked even more striking. He had seen good-looking people before, but this was the first man who left him so stunned.
As handsome as an immortal.
“I greet Senior Mo,” Mu Jingzhuo cupped his hands and said, “I will be in your care for the journey ahead.”
Jian Yuanbai pretended not to know him and replied politely, “It’s nothing.”
“Mo Ye, the beginning and the end,” Jian Yuanbai had come up with a new fake name for himself. Since “Mo” means “the end,” it perfectly contrasted with “Ye,” which means “the beginning.”
In the system’s eyes, it was just a classic “edgy protagonist” picking a fake name that sounded like an underdog. But in some ways, it suited Jian Yuanbai perfectly.
Mu Chuan led them to the front gate of the Mu family estate and reminded him, “The journey ahead is long. Be cautious in everything you do and listen to Senior Mo’s advice. Don’t act recklessly on your own.”
“The Great Elder suggested that the entire family should see you off, but I refused on your behalf. When you return from Wangyun Sect, we’ll welcome you back with a grand celebration.”
Mu Jingzhuo replied, “Father, I understand. One should not draw too much attention before achieving success.”
Jian Yuanbai chuckled from the side, “Even after achieving success, there’s no need to be so grand. A grand welcome is for a bride, not for you.”
“If anyone should welcome you with grandeur, it should be Wangyun Sect, not your own family.”
“Why don’t you write a letter to your master and ask him to welcome you back in style?”
Mu Jingzhuo couldn’t hold back and shot him a glare. He had already noticed last night that this person had an insufferably annoying personality.
“How my Mu family welcomes me is none of your concern, Senior Mo.”
Mu Chuan also realized that his words earlier were a bit awkward, but he didn’t know how to respond to this Nascent Soul cultivator’s teasing. Yet, hearing his son speak so bluntly, he oddly felt a strange sense of comfort.
He coughed lightly and pretended to scold him, “Jingzhuo, mind your manners.”
However, he didn’t force Mu Jingzhuo to apologize.
At the gate, a carriage was already waiting. Mu Chuan felt that after being interrupted, saying anything more would be unnecessary. So, he simply waved his hand, “Go now, and be careful on the road.”
“You’ve grown up. It’s time for you to experience the world on your own. Just remember, this place will always be your home.”
Although this was meant as a subtle warning to the Nascent Soul mercenary not to mess with Mu Jingzhuo, those words brought a warmth to Mu Jingzhuo’s heart. His eyes instantly turned red.
“Yes, Father.”
Mu Jingzhuo boarded the carriage, and Jian Yuanbai followed. Naturally, neither of them would drive the carriage, as there was a designated driver for that.
Once they left Taishi City and reached Guyue City, they could switch from the carriage to a flying boat.
The carriage was spacious enough that the two of them wouldn’t feel cramped. Yet, Mu Jingzhuo still turned slightly away from Jian Yuanbai.
Seeing this, Jian Yuanbai sighed inwardly.
In the end, he’s still just a kid. So cute. I really can’t resist teasing him.
“What’s wrong? Are you crying because you’ve left home?”
Mu Jingzhuo refused to look at him and replied in a muffled voice, “I’m not crying.”
But his voice betrayed a hint of sobbing.
Jian Yuanbai: “Still denying it? I saw your tears just now.”
“You’re lying,” Mu Jingzhuo snapped, annoyed that he had exposed him, “I turned my back to you. How could you have seen it?”
Jian Yuanbai chuckled, “True.”
“I can’t see it… but the lotus flower can.”
“…What lotus flower?”
Just as Mu Jingzhuo was about to ask, he saw that the tear that had slipped from his eye had turned into a beautiful, pure white lotus flower, gently floating in the air and spinning slowly.
Mu Jingzhuo stared in shock. This lotus flower was far more exquisite than any he had seen in the vast lotus pond at home.
He reached out, and the lotus flower lightly landed on his palm. When he touched it, it felt as soft as a cloud.
Mu Jingzhuo tossed the flower up slightly, and it floated back up. When he turned to ask Jian Yuanbai about it, he noticed that the lotus flower followed his gaze, drifting wherever he looked.
The handsome man leaned against the carriage wall with a smile, “I know you like lotus flowers, so I crafted one from spiritual energy for you.”
Mu Jingzhuo’s emotions were complicated:
This is the first Nascent Soul cultivator I’ve met who has no airs about him. Sometimes he’s annoying, but sometimes… he’s oddly gentle.
“Take it and play with it. Stop crying.”
The momentary warmth Mu Jingzhuo felt instantly vanished. His face darkened.
This guy… keeps treating me like a kid, teasing me, and now trying to coax me.
Annoying.
