At Mirror Cloud Residence, Li Luoning pondered over the events of the past few days on the long corridor behind his room.
"First, Yanding Dragon King fell ill, and then Xingzhe was poisoned when I went to visit him. Moreover, O Shinan coincidentally came to deliver a gift at this time. All of this seems too coincidental, and both incidents seem to be related to O Shinan."
"Considering our usual interactions, I have had no dealings with O Shinan. If he truly intended harm against Xingzhe, what could be the reason?" Li Luoning muttered to himself, his hand unconsciously rubbing the jade pendant around his waist as he contemplated.
"Junior Brother, why so free today?" Senior Brother Muhan leisurely walked in.
Upon hearing his senior brother's voice, Li Luoning turned around to greet him, welcoming Senior Brother Muhan with a bow before inviting him to sit aside.
"Senior Brother, I have a rather urgent matter to discuss with you and hence asked you to come to my Mirror Cloud Residence," Li Luoning apologized.
"Junior Brother, don't mention it. Your residence here is serene and elegant. I'd be glad to come more often to appreciate the beauty. Besides, we're fellow disciples; we should visit each other more often. There's no need to talk about 'trouble'," Senior Brother Muhan replied with his clear voice, his deep blue robe adding to his dignified demeanor.
"Senior Brother, I called upon you today because there are some pressing matters I need to discuss. I asked you to come to Mirror Cloud Residence because Qingyi has activated the array here, making it easier to talk," Li Luoning nodded solemnly.
"Poisoned? Your disciple Xingzhe has only recently arrived at The Liao Yin Immortal Realm, yet he's already been poisoned? Have you identified the culprit?" Senior Brother Muhan was surprised at first, then asked with a serious expression.
"As for the specific identity of the poisoner, I dare not jump to conclusions yet. However, it seems that the poisoner didn't intend to take Xingzhe's life. Perhaps the poison was meant to cloud his mind. But Xingzhe's inner power seems to instinctively protect his body upon encountering this poison, resulting in an excessive collision that depleted his internal energy," Li Luoning explained.
"That's rather strange. Setting aside Xingzhe's inner power, the fact that the poisoner didn't aim to kill raises questions. If it's merely jealousy, this drug that clouds one's mind doesn't seem like a good choice. What could the intention of the poisoner be? If he's been rejected by Xingzhe, why resort to such means? It's puzzling," Senior Brother Muhan also found it strange.
"I've been pondering over this but haven't found an answer yet. Thankfully, I returned in time that day, and Xingzhe is now out of danger. Oh, by the way, Senior Brother, how much do you know about O Shinan?" Li Luoning paused for a moment, then asked.
"O Shinan?" Muhan rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment.
"It is said that when the Medicine King accidentally spilled blood on a fairy herb while treating an injured spirit beast in the Ice Bamboo Forest, the herb transformed into a child. Unable to leave him to fend for himself in the forest, the Medicine King brought him back to The Liao Yin Immortal Realm and adopted him," Muhan recounted.
"In terms of daily interactions, he is very courteous and hasn't had any disputes with anyone. Moreover, O Shinan's handsome appearance has attracted many admirers in The Liao Yin Immortal Realm. Although he has rejected the advances of many immortals, he seems to handle it very tactfully, and there have been no reports of resentment due to rejection. So, in terms of behavior, he seems quite considerate. However, he spends most of his time with the Medicine King in the alchemy room, occasionally stargazing at night, and enjoying tea in the peach blossom forest during the day. His interests seem quite singular. In this aspect, he's quite similar to you, Junior Brother," Muhan teased.
"In that case, O Shinan seems to have a similar routine to other immortals." Li Luoning fell into thought.
"Junior Brother, why are you suddenly so interested in this person?" Muhan asked with some confusion.
"Oh, nothing much. Just a few days ago, he came to deliver some things for Xingzhe as a token of acquaintance. I was just curious and asked casually. Senior Brother needn't worry about it," Li Luoning replied, not wanting to make a fuss about the matter until it was thoroughly investigated.
"Senior Brother, it's been a long time since our master last traveled to the mortal realm. Do you know why she has returned?" Li Luoning inquired.
"Our master is a divine being. She could have transformed into anyone and experienced hardships in the mortal realm without us knowing. If our master doesn't want others to know something, who would? Why suddenly mention our master, Luoning? Could it be that you miss her?" Muhan sipped his tea and said casually.
"It has indeed been a long time since I last saw her. I just have some matters I want to consult her about," Li Luoning replied.
The gentle morning light streamed into the room, awakening Mi Xingzhe on the bed. After a few days of rest, Mi Xingzhe's body had recovered quite a bit.
In a thin and loose cotton robe, with slightly disheveled hair, Mi Xingzhe looked even thinner after these days of turmoil. The sunken cheeks and deep eye sockets made him appear like a refugee who had just crawled out of a mass grave.
Struggling to get up from the bed, Mi Xingzhe slowly walked to the table. He reached out to pick up a teacup, intending to pour himself a cup of tea. However, with a moment of carelessness, the teapot slipped from his hand and crashed to the ground.
"Oops, can't even hold onto a teapot. Mi Xingzhe, you really are useless," Mi Xingzhe self-deprecatingly shook his head, then bent down to pick up the ceramic shards on the floor.
As Mi Xingzhe stooped to pick up the shards, Li Luoning happened to walk in. First, he glanced at the empty bed, wondering where Mi Xingzhe had gone. Then he heard the noise from behind the table, so he took a few more steps inside and saw Mi Xingzhe squatting on the floor.
"Why are you squatting on the floor?" Li Luoning asked casually, then placed the things he was holding on the table.
"Master, it's nothing. I accidentally dropped the teapot just now," Mi Xingzhe replied.
After cleaning up the shards on the floor, Mi Xingzhe stood up. Suddenly, he felt a wave of dizziness, and his body swayed uncontrollably.
"Be careful." Li Luoning stepped forward and supported Mi Xingzhe, who was swaying with his eyes closed, helping him to sit down.
These past few days, Li Luoning could clearly feel that Mi Xingzhe had something on his mind, but despite asking him several times, he didn't say anything. Even when food was brought to his room, he only took a few bites and claimed to have no appetite.
"Master, did you come to see me about something?" Mi Xingzhe asked after regaining his senses.
"It's nothing special. I just wanted to see how you were recovering and also to give you something." Li Luoning said as he checked Mi Xingzhe's pulse.
"I've been feeling much better these past few days, Master, no need to worry. But, Master, what do you have for me?" Curious about what Li Luoning had brought, Mi Xingzhe asked.
Li Luoning took out a book and a delicate box, handing the box to him first.
With a puzzled expression, Mi Xingzhe reached out his right hand to take the box, then looked up at Li Luoning. Seeing his master's eyes, he understood that he was supposed to open the box.
The brand-new carved sandalwood box emitted a faint fragrance, and the slightly orange box clearly showed extremely fine grain lines. Mi Xingzhe raised his hand to open the box, revealing a translucent and exquisitely crafted gold-thread jade pendant lying inside.
"I obtained this Zhi Shou gold-thread jade pendant when I went to treat Yanding Dragon King. Since you're my disciple, I decided to give it to you as a token." Li Luoning explained.
"What a beautiful jade pendant, Zhi Shou gold-thread." Mi Xingzhe murmured the name of the pendant.
"Do you like it?" Li Luoning smiled gently, his eyes filled with warmth, as he asked.
Mi Xingzhe indeed couldn't bear to part with this jade pendant that radiated light even in the sunlight. He reached out his left hand to pick it up and play with it for a while. Then, seemingly remembering something, he slowly placed the jade pendant back in the box, closed the lid, and pushed the box back in front of Li Luoning.
Seeing his action, Li Luoning was puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"Master, this gift is too precious, I can't accept it," Mi Xingzhe muttered softly.
"Why can't you accept it?" Li Luoning asked, puzzled.
"Master treated my illness, took me in, provided me with food, and gave me a place to sleep. I already owe Master a lot, and I don't know when I'll be able to repay it. This jade pendant looks very precious," Mi Xingzhe said weakly.
Hearing his words, Li Luoning couldn't help but smile. So, that was the reason.
"I told you to accept it, so you should. It's my command. Besides, now that you're my disciple, you need a representative token. You don't need to feel uneasy about it. When your Senior Brother joined the sect, I also gave him a similar jade pendant," Li Luoning said with a gentle tone but with a hint of authority.
"Oh." Seeing Li Luoning's explanation, Mi Xingzhe could only respond softly.
"There is a protective barrier set by me on this jade pendant. Since your cultivation is still shallow, carrying this jade pendant with you can ensure your safety. Moreover, if you ever get injured, this jade pendant will emit a sound that only I and your Senior Brother can hear. From now on, you must always carry this jade pendant with you, understand?" Li Luoning instructed.
"Okay, I understand. Master, what about the other thing you're holding?" Mi Xingzhe asked, looking at the item in Li Luoning's other hand.
Seeing his question, Li Luoning handed the book to him. His expression seemed to suggest that he already anticipated Mi Xingzhe's reaction.
Mi Xingzhe took the book with his right hand and glanced at it. "Another cultivation manual!" he complained helplessly.
"Master, my body hasn't fully recovered yet. Can I postpone copying the cultivation manual?" Mi Xingzhe started to act a bit spoiled, looking at Li Luoning, flipping through a few pages of the book unconsciously.
"I didn't ask you to copy it. You need to rest and recover these two days, and it's not suitable for you to move around. I'm afraid you'll get bored, so I'll give you some simple and understandable content to read. Just familiarize yourself with it for now," Li Luoning explained with a smile, looking at Mi Xingzhe and then at the book in his hand, his elongated eyes suddenly narrowing.
"Master, what's wrong?" Sensing Li Luoning's change in expression, Mi Xingzhe was puzzled, following his gaze to the book in his hand.
On the right side of the book, where it had been flipped, were bloody fingerprints. Mi Xingzhe then realized that his hand was covered in bloodstains, probably from accidentally cutting himself while cleaning up the teapot shards earlier. He hadn't noticed because the new sandalwood was orange-red in color.
"Maybe I cut myself accidentally while cleaning up just now. It's nothing," Mi Xingzhe said, looking at his hand and slowly hiding his right hand behind his back. These minor injuries were nothing to him, but he felt a bit embarrassed about staining the book.
Li Luoning didn't say much, just stepped forward and pulled Mi Xingzhe's right hand hidden behind his back.
"Does it hurt?" Li Luoning examined the wounds on Mi Xingzhe's hand. They didn't look large, but they were deep. Normally, Mi Xingzhe should have felt pain from such deep cuts.
However, Mi Xingzhe didn't show any intention of avoiding Li Luoning's touch. He shook his head gently, as if the bleeding hand wasn't his own.
Li Luoning sighed. He knew that the numbness Mi Xingzhe was experiencing for the next few days was due to the poison from before. But such complete lack of sensation was indeed inappropriate. He reached out and picked up a piece of cotton cloth from the bedside and placed it on the bloodied palm of Mi Xingzhe's hand.
"Wait here." After placing Mi Xingzhe's hand down, Li Luoning turned and left.
Mi Xingzhe gently removed the blood-soaked cotton cloth and looked at the several small wounds on his palm. He moved his hand and squeezed one of the wounds. As the red blood flowed out, Mi Xingzhe seemed to confirm that it was indeed his blood. He gently held his palm, his eyes lowered, contemplating something.
"It's just a bit of blood, does Master need to be so concerned?" Mi Xingzhe seemed indifferent to the blood on his hand, even squeezing one of the wounds with force.
In a remote fairyland, in a place belonging to O Shinan,
A golden jar was slowly opened, inside lay a black-eyed toad, gasping for breath with its cheeks puffing up and down.
O Shinan held a long bamboo stick, gently approaching the black-eyed toad, and lightly flicked it twice on its skin and behind its ears. Then, she gently placed the bamboo stick into the nearby water, seeming quite satisfied. However, her eyes carried a hint of sinister intent.
Under the gentle sunlight, beside the window was a sky-blue flowerpot, where a particularly beautiful gold-spotted swallowtail butterfly was fluttering its wings lightly, causing the shiny stars to fall softly.
Inside a delicate white flowerpot by the window, black soil with a few white crystals was visible, and in the middle, a touch of emerald green was breaking through the soil.
O Shinan glanced at the flowerpot beside the window, her lips curling up lightly. Her eyes revealed an elusive meaning, from disdain to gradually becoming cold, and then disgust. She suddenly clenched her hand, holding the beautiful butterfly tightly in her palm.
O Shinan then opened her hand again, looking at the dying butterfly, her eyes filled with disgust. She tossed it into the jar next to her, then carefully closed the golden jar. She shook her hand that had just held the butterfly, picked up a handkerchief from the table, and wiped it clean.
At this moment, a tea plum flower floated in from outside the window, landing in O Shinan's hand. As soon as the tea plum flower landed in her hand, it emitted a purple light. O Shinan's hand held the flower, and two lines of words appeared in the air above her hand.
After reading the two lines of words in her hand, O Shinan got up and walked out.