Inside the Small Study, Ji Li had nothing to do, so she sat by the bed with her chin propped on her hand, staring at Lu Xun's face for a long while.
She had once wanted to capture this man and make him her Cauldron. Who would have thought that in just a few days, he would become one of the highest-ranking figures in the Demon Sect?
Even now, Ji Li could not understand why he had dared to jump straight off Reception Peak that day.
In truth, if he had died, everyone would only have thought he was a bit of an idiot. But since he had not died, everyone regarded it as courage!
Lu Xun had only been in the Demon Sect for a few days, yet his name had already resounded throughout the entire sect!
Every member of the Demon Sect knew that Mister had taken another disciple.
All manner of discussions sprang up one after another.
"I heard he's incredibly handsome. Even Elder Qiu Shui from the outer sect said, while chatting with the other Outer Sect Elders, that she had never seen a man more handsome than Little Martial Grand-Aunt's nephew!"
"I heard Little Martial Uncle didn't hesitate at all before jumping off the cliff that day—he leaped straight down! Those of us seeking the Great Dao should have such courage!"
"Cultivation depends on fortuitous opportunities. Little Martial Grand-Aunt's nephew must be someone blessed with a tremendous opportunity!"
"I heard Junior Sister Ji Li, who recently joined the outer sect, has excellent aptitude, with eight ripples. I wonder what Little Martial Grand-Aunt's nephew's aptitude is like? It must surely surpass Junior Sister Ji's, right?"
"I wonder when Little Martial Grand-Aunt's nephew will wake up. I really want to see whether he's truly that handsome."
Rumors and discussions spread through the Demon Sect's outer sect and its various Main Peaks. Even Elders and stewards could not help but chat about it occasionally. Only Sect Master Shen Yan remained immersed in his heartache, unable to pull himself free, diligently playing the part of a tragic braised egg.
Now, everyone in the Demon Sect was waiting for Lu Xun to wake up.
"When will you wake up?"
Ji Li sat by the bed and looked at Lu Xun, her right hand supporting her cheek and squeezing her slightly baby-fat face into a curve.
Outside the Small Study, Mao Nanbei had been basking in the sun on her rattan chair for so long that she was nearly asleep. She opened her little mouth and could not help yawning.
A dark yet gleaming figure flashed past her eyes. She raised her eyelids slightly and immediately knew who it was.
Dressed in a Black Robe, with a gleaming bald head and a short stature—who else could it be but the Demon Sect's Sect Master, braised... Shen Yan?
Even the Peak Lords of the Main Peak could not enter and leave the Small Study on Back Mountain at will. However, Shen Yan was an exception as the Sect Master. He had the authority to enter and leave Back Mountain Study, though he did not come often.
"Greetings, Martial Uncle," Shen Yan said with a bow.
Mao Nanbei stretched lazily, looking rather like a little cat that had had enough sun and was stretching its limbs.
"Is something the matter?" she asked.
Shen Yan said, "I came to see how Little Martial Uncle's injuries are recovering."
"That's all?" Mao Nanbei asked again.
"Mm." Shen Yan nodded.
He actually did have other matters to attend to, but it was inconvenient to tell Mao Nanbei directly, and he was too embarrassed to say them.
Shen Yan was a towering figure in the Cultivation World, the renowned Sect Master of the Demon Sect, a top-notch powerhouse whose demonic flames soared to the heavens.
However, this man had one particular trait—he was exceptionally stingy.
A single top-grade spirit pill had caused him unbearable heartache, and he kept thinking of ways to make up for the loss elsewhere.
He racked his brains for several days, until suddenly, inspiration struck!
That was why he had hurried over here.
Shen Yan looked at Mao Nanbei, thought for a moment, and said, "Martial Uncle, I'll stay here for a while longer. You can rest for a bit."
Mao Nanbei's cat ears immediately twitched in the breeze. She sprang from the chair and vanished in a flash.
She still had the temperament of a child and simply could not sit still.
Though she had been sitting outside the Small Study, seemingly sunbathing, she was actually also watching over Lu Xun.
After all, he had been so severely injured before. Although he was recovering well now, it was still better to have someone watching over him.
Ji Li had only just stepped through the gates of cultivation and could only handle trivial chores. If anything went wrong, a cultivator would still need to take action.
Including Lu Xun, Mister had five disciples in total. First Senior Brother and Third Senior Brother had both gone traveling with Mister, leaving only her and Second Senior Sister at home.
Second Senior Sister had a cold disposition, and for certain special reasons, she could not leave that Bamboo Forest for the time being. Mao Nanbei could only come herself.
Making a child sit around doing nothing for several days straight was truly asking a bit much of her.
But Lu Xun was, after all, someone she had brought back, and he had now become her Little Martial Brother. Mao Nanbei still possessed this much sense of responsibility.
With Shen Yan here to watch over him, nothing could possibly go wrong. Naturally, she could run off and stretch her limbs!
Cats were inherently agile, and Mao Nanbei, as a little cat demon, was even more so. She did not fly, merely running wildly across Back Mountain toward that Bamboo Forest.
On the large rock at the center of the Bamboo Forest, the Daoist nun-like woman still sat quietly.
She seemed to have grown from that rock, meditating here day after day.
Even as Mao Nanbei approached her at high speed, she made no sound at all.
Cats naturally made little noise when moving. They could always approach soundlessly before delivering a fatal strike to their prey!
When she was not far from the woman, Mao Nanbei leaped into the air and pounced toward her atop the rock.
Children liked playing pranks, after all.
Just as her little hand was about to touch the Wooden Hairpin tucked into the woman's bun, the woman suddenly moved.
With her back still turned to Mao Nanbei, she flicked her sleeve, and a force of energy enveloped Mao Nanbei.
She beckoned through the air, and Mao Nanbei fell into her hand.
The woman moved swiftly, extending one finger and lightly tapping Mao Nanbei between the brows. White light danced at her fingertip, and with that single strike, she forcibly broke Mao Nanbei's transformation!
With her transformation broken, she was no longer a cat-eared little girl. She directly turned into a Little Black Cat.
The woman hooked her hand backward and placed Mao Nanbei on her crossed legs.
Her right hand, extending from the sleeve of her Daoist Robe, was fair and slender, soft and boneless. Anyone with a hand fetish would surely become entranced at the sight of it.
She reached out, intending to stroke Mao Nanbei's head, rub her cat ears, and smooth her fur.
Mao Nanbei turned around with an indignant look on her face and pressed her chubby little paw against the woman's right hand, refusing to let her touch her.
The woman ignored her, pulled her hand free, and instead reached for Mao Nanbei's little belly.
Mao Nanbei continued pressing down the woman's hand with her paw, stopping her once again.
After this happened three times, she lay resignedly across the woman's crossed legs, narrowing her eyes as she enjoyed the woman's long fingers stroking through her fur.
She was very skilled at petting cats.
Mao Nanbei finally cast aside all her restraint, then narrowed her eyes and let out a faint little cry:
"Meow~"
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