Separation

By now, the afternoon was more than half gone. The sun slanted westward, and a thin mist rose again through the mountain woods.

His chest felt warm. Xiang Ling occasionally kicked her feet and hummed twice, as though she had gotten drunk.

Meng Yuan kept one hand on his saber hilt and hurried back along the way he had come.

After a mad dash through the mountains, Meng Yuan again sensed that something about himself had changed.

His strength had not increased by much, but it had become more enduring. His eyes and ears had grown sharper still, while Blood Qi circulated freely through every limb and bone, leaving him lighter on his feet.

His dantian seemed broader, and the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens seemed to have expanded by several degrees as well. It was like a riverbed growing wider, allowing its waters to flow more smoothly.

"From the looks of it, Green Fruit can improve one's physique. No matter which path one cultivates, that would be of immense benefit."

"My Lower Thirty-Three Heavens are fully opened, and most of the nutrients were taken in by the essence flame, so my improvement was not all that great. But for an ordinary person, or a little spirit creature like Xiang Ling, the gains should be enormous."

Meng Yuan reflected as he made his way back.

In less than half an hour, he had left the mountains. Only when he saw the ranch and village in the distance did Meng Yuan relax slightly. He took Xiang Ling out again and held her against his chest as though cradling a child.

The little thing was limp and boneless. Her body was slightly warm, her nose damp, and her eyes shut. She muttered hazily, though he could not make out what she was saying.

Meng Yuan had eaten Green Fruit himself, so he naturally knew it was not poisonous. It also contained a certain spiritual aura that greatly benefited whoever consumed it.

The reason he was fine was certainly because his Lower Thirty-Three Heavens were fully opened and his sinews and bones were strong, but it was also because the essence flame had absorbed most of the nutrients.

Xiang Ling was different. She was an ordinary spirit creature. Other than being able to chatter away with that mouth of hers, she had no other abilities.

Xiang Ling's current state was like someone too weak to take such rich nourishment, stuffed to bursting.

Meng Yuan had no experience dealing with this sort of thing. Master Nie was absent too, so he truly had no one to ask how it should be handled.

"Xiang Ling?" Meng Yuan felt that her godmother ought to have taught her what to do after consuming Green Fruit.

"Ah?" Xiang Ling answered hazily.

"How are you feeling?" Meng Yuan asked close to her little ear.

"I'll be fine after I sleep." Xiang Ling's voice was exceedingly lazy. Without even opening her eyes, she wrinkled her little nose upward. "Hold me tight, okay?"

"Okay." Meng Yuan's heart settled completely. He immediately tucked Xiang Ling back inside his clothes and covered his chest with one hand.

When he returned to the ranch, Zhao Datou saw the blood on Meng Yuan and was quite curious.

He knew Meng Yuan had gone to find Grandmother. He had thought that at most Meng Yuan would lose his virginity on this trip, yet blood had been drawn as well.

Still, Meng Yuan did not look as though he had been sucked dry. On the contrary, his face glowed with health. He kept pressing a hand to his chest too, as if hiding some treasure there.

"Little Meng, your future is boundless. It's fine to have a taste of something new, but you must know when enough is enough," Zhao Datou advised.

"I know." Meng Yuan smiled and did not explain further. "Do not speak of this matter to anyone."

"I understand!" Zhao Datou hurriedly agreed, then asked, "Are you going back to the city today?"

"I'll stay another day." Little Xiang Ling had yet to wake up, and Meng Yuan did not dare take her into the city. He planned to wait another day and see after Xiang Ling awoke.

"That works too." Zhao Datou gave it no further thought. "Since you're not in a hurry to leave, we've got some newly born calves and lambs in the ranch. Help us geld them."

"Hasn't the ranch hired another veterinarian?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"He's hired from outside and lives in Clearwater Town. He doesn't stay at the ranch." Zhao Datou sighed. "He only comes when he has business here, and we have to pay cash on the spot. It's inconvenient, all told. Since you're here, I thought you could lend a hand and save Princess Consort some money, right?"

Meng Yuan had to look after a child right now, but that did not stop him from cutting off testicles, so he agreed.

The two found Manor Head Sun. Seeing Meng Yuan's sincere willingness, Manor Head Sun naturally agreed.

Meng Yuan did not waste words and immediately got to work. From cattle and sheep to chickens and ducks, he removed testicles one after another. Those of chickens and ducks were like grains of rice, while those of cattle and sheep resembled fingertips. Every last one was gelded cleanly.

His skill was practiced and deft; clearly, he had not lost the craft that put food on his table.

Seeing this, Manor Head Sun pulled his son aside and whispered endlessly, "I can see it now. He's hanging around with Xun Mei these days. He looks like a fish in water at the Prince's Manor, but his heart is actually terribly ill at ease. Whenever he has nothing to do, he wants to geld a couple! Remember this—if he comes again, get us some pigs, dogs, chickens, and ducks so he can satisfy that itch!"

By evening, Meng Yuan had finished his work, while Xiang Ling was still sleeping sweetly.

After dinner, Meng Yuan returned to his old quarters. Now that the ranch had no veterinarian, the place had remained empty.

He first took Xiang Ling from inside his clothes. She was still sound asleep, but her body was no longer hot, and her breathing was even.

Meng Yuan wiped her wet little nose, untied her small bundle, and placed her on the bed before going outside to practice his saber.

He had long since mastered the Gale Wind Saber Technique. This time, True Qi flowed more smoothly between his dantian and the various acupoints. As he practiced the forms again and again, Meng Yuan only felt its power grow by several degrees.

Yet that sense of stagnation remained. He always felt that something was missing.

Meng Yuan could not figure it out either. In any case, he could ask Master Nie after returning.

He fetched two buckets of well water and carried them into the room. Meng Yuan removed his clothes and wiped himself down as he pondered the matter of the essence flame.

Now that the essence flame had reached completion for a second time, it had consumed more than it had the first time. Without Green Fruit, it would likely have taken another half month.

But since nurturing the essence flame was so difficult, the body-tempering effects this time should surely be better.

Meng Yuan was not in a hurry over these next couple of days. He planned to speak with Master Nie first, then temper his body again.

"Little Gelder, shame on you, shame on you!"

Just as he was lost in thought, a crisp voice sounded behind him.

Meng Yuan turned and saw Xiang Ling lying prone on the bed, her nose pressed against the pillow. Her two big eyes shone brightly as she watched him.

"Little Gelder, you haven't even gelded yourself. How can you do business?" Xiang Ling asked curiously, staring without blinking.

"..." Meng Yuan put on his clothes and ignored her.

"Why aren't you talking?" Xiang Ling pressed.

"How are you feeling?" Meng Yuan rubbed his brow.

Xiang Ling rolled over on the bed, then flopped back down and said, "I'm so thirsty!"

Meng Yuan brought her a cup of tea. Xiang Ling slurped down several big mouthfuls.

"I'm hungry too," Xiang Ling said.

Meng Yuan had prepared beforehand. Five boiled eggs sat on the table, and he picked them up to peel them.

Xiang Ling watched from the side. When Meng Yuan finished peeling one and fed it to her, she praised him without stopping. "You're really quite nice!"

She crunched through two eggs, then happily bounced twice. "Little Gelder, you're so good!"

"Did your godmother teach you what to do after taking a great medicine like Green Fruit?" Meng Yuan asked.

"She did, she did! Godmother said that after eating great medicine, my brain would work better, I'd remember more things, and I could learn characters and read books! I'd be able to take human form faster too!" Xiang Ling looked at Meng Yuan with great seriousness and asked, "Little Gelder, do you live in the city?"

"Yes. Do you want to go to the city?" Meng Yuan asked with a smile.

"Godmother said I have to wait until I have a human form and can read and write before I can go!" Xiang Ling spoke as though it were perfectly logical. "Big Head Mountain is my home."

She lay down again, blinked her big eyes, and continued, "Once I take human form, take me into the city to play!"

"Okay." Meng Yuan smiled, then simply lay down. "Tell me about your godmother."

Xiang Ling lay beside Meng Yuan's ear and chattered on endlessly.

Before long, perhaps because the medicine's effects had not faded, Xiang Ling fell into a deep sleep again.

When night passed and dawn arrived, Xiang Ling was already sorting through her little bundle when Meng Yuan rose.

"Little Gelder, I have to go home." Xiang Ling glanced at the table.

Three boiled eggs remained on the table. Xiang Ling had eaten two the night before.

"I'll see you out." Meng Yuan gave Xiang Ling the three eggs, and she happily put them all into her bundle.

Meng Yuan went to bid Zhao Datou and Manor Head Sun farewell. Without eating breakfast, he mounted Little Red Horse and tucked Xiang Ling inside his clothes.

Once they had left the ranch, Xiang Ling poked out her head, leaped onto the saddle, and shouted energetically, "Giddyup!"

Little Red Horse ran even faster. Seeing that she was in high spirits, Meng Yuan rode around in several circles before finally stopping at the foot of the mountain.

"I'm going back!" Xiang Ling jumped down from the horse and waved a little paw. "Little Gelder, when are you coming to play with me again?"

"One month from now," Meng Yuan said.

"You're so good!" Xiang Ling grew even happier. She was about to turn and leave when she seemed to remember something. Looking back, she said, "Then bring me some books next time. I want to learn poetry!"

"Okay." Meng Yuan smiled.

Seeing Meng Yuan agree, Xiang Ling gave him a formal bow, then vanished into the mountains in a puff of smoke.