Shiwu was standing outside, unsure if he should knock.
Usually by this shichen, shizun should long be up, either advising on sword training, or teaching them to write, even for the duration of the time when Yan-zongzhu was here this was the norm, the pattern uninterrupted, it had never been like this, where he had not even left his room.
"Shizun, are you awake?" Shiwu had stood a long while, hearing no noise from the inside, he started to worry and finally called out.
A crash, a muffled noise from the inside, it sounded like someone falling.
Shiwu no longer hesitated, he pushed the door open and rushed inside.
"Shizun, are you ok…"
Once he rounded the screen, and saw the scene in the bedroom, his face was momentarily frozen in shock, he couldn't even finish his sentence.
There was no shizun on the bed, on the floor there was only a struggling, enveloped-by-robes…boy?
"Who are you!" Shiwu choked out.
The small boy was wearing only a single shirt and pants, it looked like he wanted to put his body into these clothes, but failed.
Shiwu's arrival also caused him no less of a scare, he stared at the other for a moment, tried very hard to appear calm, only his child voice shook slightly, so the effect was not preserved.
"This one is Shen Qiao, who are you? Where is this?"
What, you are Shen Qiao? Then where is my shizun?
Shiwu stared blankly back at him, they looked at each other, the boy still wearing those oversized clothes, almost trapped in them, not moving.
Last night, Shiwu remembered clearly, it had been Qi-lang's birthday, everyone was in good spirits, shizun had had people from the town bring up several dishes, the disciples had drunk plenty of wine, parted ways after thoroughly enjoying themselves, so everyone had gone to bed a bit late.
But Shen Qiao hadn't given them a holiday today, Shiwu and Yuwen Yong and the rest had all gotten up as usual, but they had waited and waited without any sign of Shen Qiao—
Shiwu would never have expected to find this kind of farce.
He calmed himself, walked forward a few steps, and the boy hurried back a few steps, but tripped over his clothes, his whole body falling backwards.
Shiwu reacted fast enough to grab him.
"Don't be afraid, I'm not a bad guy, I'm a Xuandushan disciple, my name is Shiwu!"
The boy opened his eyes wide: "You're also a Xuandushan disciple? How come I've never seen you?"
Shiwu directly skipped this question: "Do you know where my shizun has gone?"
The boy: "Who is your shizun?"
Shiwu: "Xuandushan's zhangjiao."
The boy opened his eyes even wider: "My shizun is also Xuandushan's zhangjiao!"
Shiwu: "My shizun is Shen Qiao."
The boy, unassuming: "I am Shen Qiao."
Shiwu: "…"
He had no energy to bring a hand to his forehead: "Then who is your shizun?"
Although the boy was young, he wasn't dumb: "You say you are a Xuandushan disciple, how would you not know who my shizun is?"
Shiwu slowly came to an unlikely conclusion: "Qi Fengge?"
The boy's expression indicated that Shiwu's answer was correct.
Shiwu wanted to cry, he asked carefully: "Then, then how old are you?"
Who knew, although the boy didn't recognize Shiwu, the other gave him a sense of familiarity: "I'm almost seven."
That means he was still six years old.
Heavens, my shizun turned back to a six year-old overnight!
Could he go back to normal, if not, then what!
This lightning strike on a clear day shocked Shiwu so much he wasn't able to recover, could only look stupidly at the boy.
Shiwu had also considered the possibility that it was all an elaborate prank, but his shizun would never joke about this sort of thing, and with shizun's wugong, there were very few people in the world who could kidnap him without a trace from Xuandushan, and this boy's face really did resemble his shizun's.
All this to say, he clearly was a shrunken mini version of shizun!
Xiao-Shen Qiao saw that he still hadn't said anything, started to panic, he yelled: "I want to find shizun!"
Then he ran towards the exit.
Shiwu stopped him, Xiao-Shen Qiao struck out a fist, but as of now he was no match for Shiwu, in short order Shiwu sealed his meridians.
Xiao-Shen Qiao was terrified that he did not recognize this person at all, but his moves and stances definitely came from Xuandushan.
His small mouth narrowed into a thin line, his round black grape eyes started to well up: "I want to find shizun!"
Shiwu also wanted to cry: "I want to find my shizun too, give me back my shizun!"
Xiao-Shen Qiao: "…"
News of the sect leader turning into a six year-old child soon spread throughout Xuandushan.
Everyone after going through the same tumultuous reaction as Shiwu, finally were able to accept this strange reality.
Xiao-Shen Qiao however could not accept this reality, he was hugging a rabbit that Gu Hengbo had found for him on the mountain, his expression unassuming, the only thing out of his mouth was asking for shizun.
Apart from that, Xiao-Shen Qiao behaved extraordinarily well, not wailing and not demanding people's attention.
Because he was too cute, the people of Xuandushan after their shock, also didn't want to miss this chance to "be acquainted with the young zhangjiao", they all somehow found an excuse to come take a look Xiao-Shen Qiao, some of them even bringing various gifts.
Of course, they were also wracking their brains, thinking about possible ways to get Shen Qiao to recover, the elders tried to infuse Xiao-Shen Qiao with nieli, but the strange thing was, Xiao-Shen Qiao's body was like a bottomless pit, pouring in zhengqi was like dirt sinking into the ocean, rendered traceless.
"Shishu, why did you give shi-…Xiao-shizun a rabbit, did shizun like rabbits when he was young?" Shiwu asked Gu Hengbo.
Gu Hengbo: "When me and Si-shixiong entered the sect, Er-shixiong was already much older than this, his personality was different too, he could even teach us in shizun's place, naturally he wouldn't spend all day cuddling small animals, on this matter I've only heard shizun speak of, he had previously given a rabbit to Er-shixiong, Er-shixiong liked it so much, even when sleeping he had to hold onto it."
On the other end Xiao-Shen Qiao was seated quietly, his hand stroking the big white rabbit, seeing them chat, he didn't come over to bother them, he only glanced over curiously.
But how can things continue like this!
Shiwu held his forehead, and asked Gu Hengbo: "Shishu do you have a plan?"
Gu Hengbo hesitated: "I've already sent a letter to Liuligong to inquire into this matter, Liuligong's disciples have a broad knowledge base, maybe they'll know, but Liuligong is faraway, there won't be a response for quite some time, why don't we send a letter to Yan-zongzhu?"
Yan Wushi had departed for Chang'an from the mountain only a few days ago, Shiwu shuddered to think what the other's reaction to this might be.
Maybe he'll fly into a rage, and blame them?
Shiwu was a little worried, but he was more afraid that his shizun would stay like this forever, never to recover.
"I'll write the letter straight away!"
Yan Wushi's reaction was different from all of their expectations.
Completely different.
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When he first saw Xiao-Shen Qiao, he also paused for a long while, but a grandmaster was a grandmaster, he recovered right away: "If it's not the result of anyone's actions, it may well be a stroke of fate, when the time comes, he will return as before."
Shiwu, dumb: "But what if he doesn't recover?"
Yan Wushi gave him a look: "Your shizun taught you for so long, as the eldest disciple, you can't even carry out the duties of the sect?"
Shiwu, embarrassed: "Thank you for the lesson Yan-zongzhu, Shiwu knows now."
Yan Wushi gave a satisfied en, then walked towards Xiao-Shen Qiao.
Xiao-Shen Qiao naturally did not recognize Yan Wushi, he saw this handsome man walk closer step by step, his gaze held the usual wariness reserved for strangers, as well as some curiosity.
"I am Yan Wushi." Yan Wushi cut straight to the point, he didn't expect Xiao-Shen Qiao to open his eyes wide.
"Shizun said before, he fought you before." Xiao-Shen Qiao said.
Yan Wushi: "That's right."
Xiao-Shen Qiao tilted his head and looked at him, a little perplexed: "But, but shizun clearly said Yan Wushi was a very young person…"
Yan Wushi: "Am I not a young person, you forget just a couple of days ago how you grumbled in bed about me being too energetic, imploring me to not go on for so long?"
This was said right next to Xiao-Shen Qiao's ear, even Shiwu didn't hear.
Xiao-Shen Qiao, a face of confusion, completely not understanding: "???"
Yan Wushi suddenly felt there was nothing bad about Shen Qiao's temporary transformation, at least he was fun to trick and fun to tease, after he recovered and remembered, he'd probably flush to his ears and jump into a crack in the floor.
"I'll bring you down the mountain to have fun."
Xiao-Shen Qiao shook his head: "I want to stay here."
These days although he hadn't seen anyone he was familiar with, but at least he knew this place was Xuandushan, the people on the mountain were also very kind to him, —no bad intentions, naturally he wasn't willing to leave.
Yan Wushi smiled: "This isn't up to you."
He wasn't like Shiwu and Gu Hengbo in their approach, placating words and gestures, he directly knocked the person unconscious.
Shiwu: "…"
Seeing Yan Wushi pick up the person intending to leave, he rushed forward: "Yan-zongzhu, where are you bringing shizun!"
Yan Wushi's gaze swept past him: "The time has arrived for your test, don't let your shizun's teachings go to waste, this venerable one is bringing him to town to play, once he recovers I will bring him back."
That he was willing to give this explanation to Shiwu, was already giving Shen Qiao a lot of face.
Xiao-Shen Qiao didn't expect that when he woke he would no longer be on the mountain, he looked at his unfamiliar surroundings, plus the one-time-encounter Yan Wushi, confusion and terror welled up, in a moment he was on the brink of tears.
Yan Wushi, calm: "If you cry, I will never bring you back, you know that I fought your shizun and that I am a bad guy."
Xiao-Shen Qiao fought back his tears, he no longer dared to cry, but couldn't help from retorting back: "Shizun didn't say you were a bad guy, he said your calibre was extraordinary, that in the future your martial arts accomplishments were certain to be exceptional."
Yan Wushi didn't expect the other to be so young, and still be able to speak so eloquently in front of him.
He liked Shen Qiao so much, but this like was spent most of the time teasing and bullying the other.
This time was no exception.
Seeing Xiao-Shen Qiao's tears well up, Yan Wushi held him close in his arms, said softly: "It's going to be fine, we're here to have fun, after two days I'll bring you back."
Xiao-Shen Qiao through his tears, pitifully pulled on his sleeves: "Yan-zongzhu, can you, you bring me to see shizun, I miss him."
Yan Wushi: "Sure."
Xiao-Shen Qiao was delighted, his little face radiated joy that was clearly visible.
The two of them got off the carriage, outside was the marketplace, people weaving back and forth, the streets bustling.
A kid was a kid, with new things to look at, they'll forget what made them sad temporarily, Xiao-Shen Qiao looked left and right, full of curiosity.
Yan Wushi carried him to a stall that made tangren.
"We'll mold a shizun for you?"
Xiao-Shen Qiao looked at the lifelike, colourful tangren, and nodded in delight.
The stallowner smiled: "The person Xiao-langjun wants to shape, what do they look like, how tall, wearing what clothes?"
Xiao-Shen Qiao demonstrated earnestly: "This tall, likes wearing blue robes, on his back he carries a sword…"
The stallowner was very skilled, quickly completed the tangren: "Look Xiao-langjun, does this look like him?"
Xiao-Shen Qiao nodded his head continuously, his eyes unable to move away, in his hands he was unwilling to part with it.
Yan Wushi laughed: "I didn't trick you right, I brought you to find your shifu."
Xiao-Shen Qiao froze, his mouth slightly ajar, he looked at him, and then at the tangren, his brow twisted, he appeared to think this over for some time, looking almost wronged, but was able to hold it in.
Even Yan Wushi couldn't help but admire his self-control, after all this wasn't ten year-old Shen Qiao, not fifteen year-old Shen Qiao, he wasn't even quite seven, in one night he had arrived in this strange world, not a familiar face in sight, and yet he was still able to maintain his basic judgment, it was not an easy feat.
No matter how well he held it in, when Xiao-Shen Qiao spoke next he sounded a little nasally: "Yan-zongzhu, you know where my shizun is don't you, can I trouble you to help me find him?"
Yan Wushi: "He left you in my care for now, when the time is right he will naturally appear, he is that strong of a person, no harm will befall him."
His comforting reassurances abated some of Xiao-Shen Qiao's fears, the latter wrinkled his nose, arms around Yan Wushi's neck, and nodded.
But in the next moment, Yan Wushi bent his head and opened his mouth, chomping off the tangren's limb on one side.
Xiao-Shen Qiao was dumbstruck, he could no longer hold it in, he wailed!