Ch 133: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

Yao Wushi did not ask Mu Xing why his life had been difficult.

He set down the medicine basket he had been carrying and said slowly, “You know my rules. Favors don’t work with me. Medicine Peak doesn’t keep useless people.”

Xue Wuya, knowing his senior brother’s temper, quickly interjected, “He has dual water and wood spirit roots. He’s very suitable for cultivating the methods of Medicine Peak.”

“Oh?”

Yao Wushi became a little interested. He beckoned Mu Xing over. “Come here.”

Mu Xing walked over. Yao Wushi took his hand and probed. “Indeed, dual water and wood roots. Good bone foundation. If you’re willing, you can stay at Medicine Peak first as my registered disciple…”

Before he could finish, rustling suddenly came from the nearby herb fields.

Mu Xing saw Yao Wushi’s expression change dramatically as he hurriedly let go of him and called toward the herb patch, “Lingbao, my ancestor! That’s my finest Starpoint Lotus—spare it!”

Mu Xing grew curious about what kind of creature could make Yao Wushi lose his composure.

From among the knee-high herb stalks emerged a round bundle of white fur.

It looked somewhat like a spirit cat, but far fatter, more like a fluffy ball. Its long, plume-like tail was several times the length of its body, and on its chubby face, a pair of ruby-like eyes gleamed with mischievous intelligence.

When it heard Yao Wushi call its name, the little beast lazily stretched out a paw, plucked a stalk of spirit grass, and chewed on it leisurely—clearly toying with him.

Yao Wushi’s face twisted in agony, as if the herb were his very heart being torn away.

Mu Xing couldn’t help but want to laugh.

But the little beast suddenly dropped the Starpoint Lotus it was chewing, lifted its delicate nose to sniff the air, as though it had caught some scent. Then, step by step, it waddled toward…the little child whom Xue Wuya had brought over.

It stopped at Mu Xing’s feet, circling him several times as if confirming something. Its chubby face broke into a very humanlike joy. It stretched out a paw to tug at his robe, clearly wanting to climb into his arms.

But it was simply too fat. After struggling for a long time, its short paws couldn’t hoist up its round body, and it let out impatient little cries.

Mu Xing found it unbearably cute. He crouched down and scooped the chubby beast up in his arms.

Heavy.

That was Mu Xing’s first impression—the weight was solid.

The second was that its fur felt exquisite, like the finest silk: smooth, soft, and cool. Clearly, it lived a pampered life here on Medicine Peak.

The little beast, nestled in his arms, seemed thoroughly content. It mewled sweetly, rubbing its face against Mu Xing again and again—as if it would have stuffed its great fluffy tail into his arms too, had there been space.

Mu Xing happily petted the fluff for a while before realizing belatedly that this was Medicine Peak…

And he was supposed to be here to formally seek apprenticeship.

He froze, then looked up, only to meet Yao Wushi’s dumbstruck stare.

Mu Xing felt a little awkward. “Peak Master, this disciple…”

Yao Wushi snapped back to his senses, his gaze burning into Mu Xing. “Good child, what’s your name?”

Xue Wuya answered from the side, “He is called Mu Xing.”

“Mu Xing, a fine name!” Yao Wushi clapped his hands. “Excellent. Mu Xing, would you be willing to become my personal disciple?”

Mu Xing: ?

A personal disciple? Just like that?

If he remembered right, hadn’t the man just said he could start as a registered disciple?

When the child hesitated, Yao Wushi grew even more anxious. One glance at the obedient little Lingbao nestled in Mu Xing’s arms, and he urged, “What’s wrong, child—too happy to think straight?”

Xue Wuya too returned from his shock, glancing meaningfully at Mu Xing and the beast in his arms. He knew this was fate.

He pressed him, “Mu Xing, what are you hesitating for? Hurry and greet your master.”

And so, holding the fat little creature whose long tail trailed on the ground, Mu Xing—strangely smoothly and by odd fortune—became the personal disciple of Medicine Peak’s master, Yao Wushi.

After Xue Wuya left, Yao Wushi’s eyes were full of affection as he looked at Mu Xing.

“Good child, I’ll call your senior brother over to take you to your quarters.” He tossed out a communication talisman.

Then he asked Mu Xing, “How did you end up on Crescent Moon Peak? Why was your time there so difficult?”

Before, he hadn’t asked because he wasn’t interested.

Now it was different.

This child was his personal disciple.

So Mu Xing told him about his background and his experiences on Crescent Moon Peak.

Yao Wushi’s brows furrowed. “Crescent Moon Peak has fallen into such disarray? My junior brother… ever since his youngest child went missing, I fear his Dao heart has been in turmoil.”

But regardless, as a peak master, if he couldn’t govern his own peak, couldn’t even protect his disciples, then he was at fault.

Yao Wushi resolved to find a time to speak with his brother about it.

He patted Mu Xing’s head and said earnestly, “Good child, you’ve suffered. But now you’re a disciple of Medicine Peak, and you don’t need to dwell on the past. We don’t have that kind of nonsense here. From now on, if you run into Crescent Moon disciples outside and they dare bully you again, just hit back!”

He finished speaking, then looked at his little disciple and thought to himself this child probably couldn’t beat anyone at all. His words seemed a bit imprecise, so he quickly added, “If you can’t win, call your senior brothers and sisters, let them help you fight!”

As he spoke, he casually plucked a handful of small, bright red fruits from the tree beside him, each the size of a thumb, and stuffed them into Mu Xing’s hand. “Good stuff, strengthens the body, clean, you can eat them directly.”

Mu Xing, his hand suddenly full of fruit, felt the kindness in this man’s gesture. Almost unconsciously, he popped one into his mouth.

Sweet.

The little beast in his arms smelled the fragrance. It lifted its head, blinking pitifully at Mu Xing, and whined softly.

It wanted to eat too.

Mu Xing hesitated and looked at Yao Wushi. “Can it eat these?”

Yao Wushi’s gaze lit with surprise and joy. “It can. It can eat anything.”

“Good child.” He circled Mu Xing twice, clicking his tongue in wonder. “Are you really just a child from the mortal world? Why does Lingbao like you so much?”

“It’s called Lingbao?” Mu Xing stroked the smooth fur of the chubby creature in his arms, a smile of delight on his face. “I’ve always been liked by small animals.”

“Good, very good.” Yao Wushi was so pleased he rubbed his hands together in excitement.

Just then, a figure approached quickly from the distance.

It was a tall, broad-shouldered young man, handsome and spirited, with a white gourd hanging from his waist.

He strode over. “Master, you summoned your disciple for what matter?”

As he glanced at Mu Xing beside Yao Wushi, and especially at the little beast in his arms, his eyes widened in shock. “Ah! That’s Lingbao? Today it’s actually this well-behaved?”

Yao Wushi beckoned him closer. “Come meet your little junior brother. I just accepted him as my personal disciple. His name is Mu Xing.”

Then he turned to Mu Xing. “This is your eldest senior brother, Li Xuanyao. For anything you need, you can ask him. You also have a senior sister, Yu Hongyao. She’s not on the mountain now, so you’ll only meet her when she returns.”

At the introduction, Li Xuanyao’s tiger-like eyes widened, his joy hard to hide. “Little junior brother? Master, our Medicine Peak finally has a little junior brother!”

His master’s eccentric temper meant he disliked taking disciples. Heaven knew how long Li Xuanyao had envied the other peaks with their soft and adorable junior brothers and sisters!

Yao Wushi nodded. “Take your little junior brother to his lodging and help him get familiar with Medicine Peak.”

“Alright!”

Full of enthusiasm, Li Xuanyao led Mu Xing forward while introducing him to the mountain.

Medicine Peak was divided into the main peak and twenty-eight smaller peaks. The main peak was where the peak master, Yao Wushi, lived and also where he lectured and guided his disciples.

The personal disciples and inner sect disciples of Medicine Peak lived on the three mountains closest to the main peak.

The other peaks—two of them housed service disciples, who managed all the chores across Medicine Peak.

The rest were mostly herb fields and pill refinement chambers.

Li Xuanyao’s frame was tall and his temperament fiery and straightforward.

Mu Xing, after all, was only six years old. His short legs already struggled to keep up, and with the solid, heavy Lingbao stubbornly curled up in his arms, he quickly grew tired.

“Ah, look at me!” Li Xuanyao slapped his forehead. “Careless.”

Although he looked big and imposing, his nature wasn’t rough. He quickly realized his mistake.

Since Yao Wushi was obsessed with alchemy and cared little for mundane affairs, most matters on Medicine Peak fell to him, the eldest disciple, to manage.

“Sorry, I haven’t taken care of little children in too long.” Before Mu Xing could react, Li Xuanyao walked over, bent down, and scooped him up in one move.

Mu Xing: ?!

Feeling the soft, warm weight in his arms, Li Xuanyao laughed heartily. “The mountain road is long, and flying with tools is forbidden within the main peak. Little junior brother is young and easily exhausted, so your senior brother will carry you there!”

Lingbao wrinkled its little nose, not particularly fond of this big oaf’s scent. But after glancing around and realizing it was still tucked against its Little Xing’s chest, it decided it could tolerate it and kept quiet.

All along the way, Li Xuanyao chattered to Mu Xing about Medicine Peak.

For instance, their master had only ever accepted three disciples—Mu Xing being the youngest. Yet the peak wasn’t desolate; there were many elders and inner disciples.

He explained that the little beast in Mu Xing’s arms was the true little ancestor of Medicine Peak.

It was a medicine spirit beast.

Medicine spirit beasts were exceedingly rare. They were born feeding on all kinds of spiritual herbs, and the essence of those herbs would be absorbed into their bodies. The more they ate, the more precious they became.

Their entire body was treasure: their fur was impervious to fire and water, immune to all poisons. Their eyes could shatter any illusion. And their flesh and blood were unbelievably precious.

Lingbao had already lived on Medicine Peak for over five hundred years, ruining countless of Yao Wushi’s treasured herbs. Just a single drop of its blood, refined into a pill, could detoxify a hundred poisons.

Every time Yao Wushi was angry, he swore he’d slaughter it to make pills—but it was only talk. No one spoiled the little beast more than him.

Lingbao knew it too. Beasts like it could sense good and evil better than anyone, which was why it dared to act so arrogant on Medicine Peak.

Li Xuanyao said, “Lingbao likes spiritual herbs the most. The richer and rarer the spiritual energy, the more it craves them. It barely bothers with the rest of us.”

He clicked his tongue in amazement. “I don’t know why, but it seems to really like you.”

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