I wasn’t caught off guard; I gripped the tree trunk, dodging his cherry by rotating under it.
“Ah—who sneak attacked me?”
We both paused and then burst into laughter.
It turned out Xiao Zizi was picking cherries behind me and was ambushed by Feng Qingyin!
Hearing our laughter, Xiao Zizi poked his head out from the leaves, his furrowed brow relaxing into a brilliant smile that made us stop laughing, looking at him warily. He raised his hand, holding a few cherries, poised to flick them.
I exhaled, knowing he couldn’t muster any internal energy and was too far to hit us. Looking back, I saw Feng Qingyin had also exhaled. We exchanged glances and grinned at Xiao Zizi.
Provoked, Xiao Zizi whooshed out a cherry. “Hehe, didn’t hit me. What about you?” I asked Feng Qingyin, who shrugged, indicating the same.
In our moment of triumph, Meng Yu suddenly shouted, “Ah—ya! My cherries!” I immediately sensed something was wrong; Xiao Zizi was ruthless! He didn’t hesitate to frame an innocent person.
Xiao Zizi pointed at us: “They’re afraid of him picking too many.”
Then, the entire cherry orchard became a battlefield. Wu Chen patted Shi Ran on the shoulder, pulled Yi Qing out of the action, and kindly gave Mu Jiyu and the servants a handful of cherries while eating and watching the show.
When Mu Jiyu called us to eat, we counted one-two-three and stopped, walking out of the forest together, bursting into laughter.
I wasn’t laughing at them, but they looked adorable. Feng Qingyin had two rows of red marks on his cheeks, curved like cherry-sized tears, contrasting with his loud laughter and a big red dot on his forehead—a result of me deliberately cutting a cherry and placing it there. He didn’t know yet. Xiao Zizi, aware of his insufficient martial arts, focused on dodging and fell from a tree while avoiding hidden weapons, ending up with a blue mark on his face, resembling the blue-faced warrior Yang Zhi. The funniest was Meng Yu—he had a cherry stuck in his nostril! I was dying of laughter!
“Okay, stop laughing at each other,” Wu Chen approached, gently rubbing the red marks on my face, which was also peppered with them.
“Let’s go eat,” Meng Yu finally noticed his muffled speech, felt his nose, discovered the cherry, and helplessly removed it, stomping on it in frustration, ruining his alliance leader image.
Suddenly, my head spun, and I stumbled.
Mu Jiyu promptly supported me: “Flower Sect Leader…”
“I’m fine,” I shook my head, “Where’s Wang Zai?”
“Huh? Seems like he didn’t come out earlier,” Wu Chen looked around, confirming Wang Zai’s absence, and waved to us, “You go ahead, I’ll find Wang Zai and catch up.”
Supported by a beauty, I was in her embrace, so beautiful I almost forgot everything. I quickly stepped back to avoid awkwardness and volunteered, “I’ll go.”
Mu Jiyu looked at his suddenly empty hands, a bit disappointed, and asked, “Are you okay?”
“Never better,” I raised both arms, trying to pose like a fitness model, then realized I had no muscles and switched to, “One-two-three-four, two-two-three-four…” pretending to do radio gymnastics while walking into the forest.
In the cherry orchard, I sought the most heavily laden branch. Each time this little fellow ate, he’d stuff himself round like a ball before stopping.
On a bent branch almost touching the ground, a black ball was perched.
I quickly approached, slapping it: “Little fatty, let’s go back! Making me come find you…” My words stopped mid-sentence. I stared wide-eyed at Wang Zai, who had rolled to the ground, motionless. I anxiously pushed: “Wang Zai, stop playing!”
He remained stiff, neither calling nor making a fuss.
My heart sank. I clawed deep marks on the ground, tears falling. I wanted to howl to the sky but was overwhelmed by sudden dizziness.
My body floated vaguely, surrounded by whiteness. I sensed something was wrong. Damn, I wasn’t going to die like this!
I immediately started digging with all four limbs, trying to burrow back.
Accidentally, my eye caught something that changed my mind: a black, furry, round mass floating ahead.
I anxiously called out and waved, but Wangzai just floated forward without any reaction, as if he didn’t see me at all. I hurriedly followed, trying to keep up. As a soul, I couldn’t use lightness skills, only running desperately.
After what felt like an eternity, I was exhausted and stumbled. Lifting my head, I saw him still moving quickly away. Tears fell from my eyes; he was right in front of me, and I felt powerless to reach him.
Through my tear-blurred vision, the black mass expanded into a human shape, and its speed suddenly slowed down. He was heading towards me!
Filled with hope, I scrambled up and rushed forward.
Yes, I heard him! He was calling me!
I wiped my tears and ran forward. He was flailing his limbs towards me, but there seemed to be a force pulling him back.
Disregarding the misty mansion around me, I lunged forward with all my might and managed to grab Wangzai’s hand. Instantly, that suction force became overwhelming, pulling us both in!
Emerging from the dark chaos, I found myself in a study filled with bookshelves, small tables, slender-legged chairs, and desks, including a large writing desk with a somewhat familiar bag. However, there was no trace of Wangzai.
Just as I started to grow anxious, I heard an unbearably coy voice: “Good brother~~ Don’t be like this~~ I’m so pitiful~~ Just let him go~~” It had the hallmarks of Chang’e, but it was coming from Li Bai.
Rolling up my sleeve, I felt goosebumps; I didn’t dare smooth them down, afraid of getting pricked.
Two people entered: Li Bai and a dignified immortal I recognized as Taishang Laojun. With pure silver-white hair, white eyebrows, a serene demeanor, and an ethereal white robe adorned with silver embroidery, he was truly transcendent. Notably, cloth strips on his hairpiece read “Taishang” and “Laojun.”
“Ahem! Oh~ If it isn’t little Xin!” Li Bai exclaimed, pouncing on me and winking frantically behind Taishang Laojun’s back, mouthing words faster than I could lip-read.
Wang is in his hand.
I quickly understood: Wangzai was in his hand! No wonder I died so quickly—Li Bai brought me here to save Wangzai. At least you have some conscience!
Turning to Taishang Laojun, I put on a flattering smile: “Well, Old Lord…” I got stuck, thinking for a long time without finding a good opening line, so I blurted out, “Have you eaten?”
Taishang Laojun froze mid-sit at my words, staring at me. Finally, he plopped down with a thud, muttering, “Already eaten.”
“Well…” I was stuck again! Taishang Laojun’s presence was truly intimidating.
“What’s a vajra?” Taishang Laojun suddenly scanned me with a sharp gaze, making me shudder.
“Not bad, didn’t collapse from fear,” he said with a hint of a smile.
“This vajra, let me tell you…” Li Bai quickly seized the opportunity to speak.
I shrank to the side, my legs twitching. I wasn’t collapsing from fear—my legs were trembling from terror.
I’m about to cough up blood. You’re just chatting, playing cards, and watching movies, so why pretend to know CAD, PS, and C language? But forget it, I don’t want to argue with an immortal.
Especially since my little Wangzai’s life is in his hands.
“Cough, brother, look there…” Taibai read my thoughts and reminded Taishang Laojun.
Taishang Laojun was apologizing to MMs he hadn’t contacted for a long time, waving his hand: “Handle it yourself.”
“Yeah!” Taibai cheered and ran out.
“Hey, Taibai—” I wanted to warn him but it was too late. Taibai crashed into the door.
Then there were two creaking sounds, one from Taibai and one from the door, both falling to opposite sides. Immortals, after all, can also break doors!
