Ancestor Yuan's True Body

Xu Yi's perception was exquisitely keen, almost reaching the point of noticing the tiniest details. As he approached, he clearly sensed Auspicious Duck's pulse suddenly quicken and its breathing grow faintly heavier. Seeing its plump body and golden crown restored to their former glory, how could he not know that this lazy rascal was pretending to be unconscious?

No sooner had Xu Yi finished speaking than the duck, which had been asleep for days, suddenly flapped up out of the basin. Its fat body beat the air for a good while before it finally steadied itself. Its gorgeous feathers stood on end, and its tiny, fava-bean-sized eyes gathered all the murderous fury it had ever possessed as it glared at Xu Yi. Its little beak opened and closed, unleashing a furious tirade like popping beans. "I'll be damned, you Xu! Quack, quack, you quack! You're a heartless, ungrateful beast, worse than an animal! After I risked my life—no, my little life—to save you, you actually dared to sell me out! Are you even human? Did a dog eat your conscience? No, even a dog wouldn't eat it. If it ate your conscience, even a wild dog would grow a little human face..."

Auspicious Duck truly lived up to its reputation as a well-read scholar, packed with learning. Once it started cursing, words poured from its mouth like a river in flood. Even more remarkable, its language was vicious, yet its comparisons were vivid. It cursed for the time it took to drink half a cup of tea without repeating itself once.

After cursing for a good while, much of the anger in its heart had drained away. It also realized that the shameless scoundrel's face had remained faintly smiling the whole time, with no sign that he was angered—not to