Liu Rutai didn't immediately catch the hidden meaning in Yao Cang's laughter and was still pleased with his "sharp eye for talent."
Yao Cang, calm and composed, said, "Since this horse was injured by the spiritual beasts brought by my disciple, we will take responsibility for it. I would trouble Peak Master Liu to invite the horse's owner here so we can discuss the matter further."
"Certainly, certainly."
Hearing Yao Cang's willingness to compensate, Liu Rutai breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, he wouldn't know how to continue shamelessly asking Mo Lanyi to lend them Bai Ze.
While Liu Rutai went to summon the horse's owner, Yao Cang called his disciple, Lu Xingzhou, into the room. Casting a faint glance at him, Yao Cang's calm demeanor made Lu Xingzhou nearly bow his head like a quail. Then, he unexpectedly heard his master say, "You handled this matter well. Now, go and invite Xiao Wushuang and the Sect Leader here."
Lu Xingzhou: "???"
What? Was he hallucinating? How had he just been praised?
On the other hand, Lian Yuan wasn't so lucky. After receiving several firm smacks on the back of his head from his master, Mu Ziqi, he looked utterly dejected.
Mu Ziqi hadn't even agreed to let Lian Yuan go to Ji Wushuang in the first place. It was Peak Master Chen Qing who had tearfully begged him, clutching his leg, until he reluctantly gave in.
Who would've thought it would lead to such a mess?
And who knew if Mo Lanyi would demand an outrageous price?
After giving his disciple a stern scolding, Mu Ziqi sent him off. Outside the Spirit Beast Garden, Lian Yuan and Lu Xingzhou met up. Upon learning that one had been scolded while the other had been praised, both were left bewildered.
Lian Yuan, fuming, said, "I don't accept this! Why were you praised while I got scolded?"
Lu Xingzhou handed over the little black cat and the tiny phoenix chick to Lian Yuan and said, "…I have no idea. But you take care of them for now. I still need to fetch someone. Farewell."
Lian Yuan, now holding a cat in one hand and a chick in the other, endured the furious glares coming at him from all directions.
There was no helping it. The little phoenix had already gained a notorious reputation for "punching Qi-refining spirit beasts and kicking Foundation Establishment spirit beasts." Many disciples had come seeking justice for their injured companions.
Lian Yuan: "…"
Shivering, he dared not move.
Meanwhile, Ji Wushuang had just emerged from seclusion when they heard about the "uproar" caused by their two little ones. Stunned, their first reaction was denial.
"Impossible. My little ones are very well-behaved."
In Ji Wushuang's eyes, aside from being a bit gluttonous, their little companions were utterly harmless.
Hurting other beasts? Out of the question.
They were so obedient, so adorable.
Lu Xingzhou: "…"
Now he understood why those two were so brazen—it was all because of his junior sister's spoiling!
Helplessly rubbing his forehead, he said, "In that case, Junior Sister, please accompany me. The Sect Leader will also be there."
"Alright."
Ji Wushuang agreed without hesitation and returned to their room to retrieve a neatly organized booklet.
Seeing how tidy the booklet was, Lu Xingzhou assumed Ji Wushuang intended to return it to them. Just as he reached out to take it, Ji Wushuang refused, saying, "No need. I'll hold onto it."
"…Alright."
The two rode a white crane to the main peak of the Beast God Summit, where everyone had already gathered—including Mo Lanyi.
The moment Mo Lanyi saw Ji Wushuang, they instinctively let out a sharp cry: Immortal Ancestor! Immortal Ancestor! Why is this nemesis here too?! This… This won't lead to trouble, will it?
Even the old ghost immortal was taken aback. Why was Ji Wushuang everywhere?
A bad feeling crept over him, but he maintained a calm facade, saying, What are you afraid of? No one in this world has ever seen Bai Ze. Who could possibly know your spirit beast isn't genuine? Besides, you didn't fake anything. Your spirit beast absorbed Bai Ze's blood. If Bai Ze no longer exists, your beast is Bai Ze.
After descending from Tianhen Peak that day, Mo Lanyi had absentmindedly wandered into a strange pathway and found themselves transported to a bizarre valley.
The valley was barren, save for a conspicuous blood pool that immediately caught their attention.
Startled, Mo Lanyi had been about to tear open a teleportation scroll to leave when the old ghost immortal stopped them.
The ghost informed them that the water in the blood pool carried the aura of the Beast God, suggesting it might belong to Bai Ze.
Overjoyed, Mo Lanyi had wanted to claim the pool, but touching the water caused searing pain throughout their body.
Only then did the old ghost explain that divine beast power could only be absorbed by beast clans.
"What should I do, then? Let it go to waste?"
"Don't you have a spirit beast egg? Bai Ze is a light-element divine beast. I've examined the egg—it's also light-element. Try placing it in the pool!"
"Of course!"
Mo Lanyi had a light-element beast egg in their contract space and quickly placed it into the blood pool.
Thus, the unicorn pegasus was born.
The unicorn pegasus was already a descendant of the light-element divine beast, Radiant Nightmare. Having absorbed Bai Ze's blood at birth, it became confused and naturally believed itself to be Bai Ze.
Relieved, Mo Lanyi thought, Exactly. We didn't lie. Bai Ze no longer exists, so my Bai Ze is the rightful Bai Ze.
Ji Wushuang first greeted everyone, then raised their gaze to Mo Lanyi with a faint smile. "Senior Sister Mo, are you here to accept my challenge?"
Mo Lanyi froze. They had never met anyone as petty as Ji Wushuang—calculated to the smallest detail!
Awkwardly, Mo Lanyi said, "We're all fellow disciples. There's no need for violence…"
Ji Wushuang sneered. "Oh, so it's fine for you to spread lies and tarnish my and the Battle Peak Master's reputations, but we're not allowed to seek retribution?"
Mo Lanyi's face stiffened. "I… I've already apologized to you, Junior Sister. I only misunderstood the truth and spread it unintentionally. Can't you… be magnanimous and forgive me?"
Ji Wushuang replied coldly, "You apologized, but I don't accept it."
Mo Lanyi glanced around at the gathered crowd, forcing their eyes to glisten with unshed tears.
To the onlookers, it seemed Ji Wushuang was being unreasonably harsh.
Ji Wushuang narrowed their phoenix eyes and suddenly stepped forward, delivering a resounding slap to Mo Lanyi's face.
Smack!
The blow left Mo Lanyi's mouth twitching. Ji Wushuang, mimicking Mo Lanyi's earlier pitiful expression, said sweetly, "Oh dear, my hand slipped. Surely Senior Sister Mo will forgive me, right?"
Mo Lanyi, clutching their cheek: "???"
You wretched scoundrel! Scoundrel!!!
Ji Wushuang smiled serenely. "You will, won't you? Senior Sister Mo? Someone as magnanimous as you?"
Mo Lanyi swallowed hard, choking down a mouthful of blood. "O-of course…"
But before the words had fully left their mouth, Ji Wushuang slapped them again.
Smack!
"Oh no, my hand slipped again! Surely Senior Sister Mo will forgive me? You're so magnanimous."
"…"
Smack!
"Oh my, it happened again! Such a generous Senior Sister will surely forgive me, right?"
"…"
Smack! Smack! Smack!
"I'm terrible, truly. I just can't seem to control my hand. Forgive me, magnanimous Senior Sister…"