Ice Phoenix

"Thank you, Master!"

Feng Wuhen's voice was a little choked. Chu Moqing was puzzled when he heard it, and his heart ached a little as well.

"What is it? Did I say something wrong? Why are you about to cry?"

Feng Wuhen felt a little embarrassed. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, then looked up at Chu Moqing happily. "It has nothing to do with Master. It's just me. When I heard Master say that I should treat Nine Heavens Peak as my home, I was too moved."

Upon hearing Feng Wuhen's words, Chu Moqing understood. He reached out and lovingly rubbed his head. "Not only is Nine Heavens Peak your home, but Mount Grand Mystery will also be your home. And we are all your family."

Feng Wuhen nodded heavily to show that he would remember it.

Seeing his reddened eyes and nose, Chu Moqing found him adorable. But when he saw the tattered clothes Feng Wuhen wore, they became an eyesore.

"You only became my disciple today, so you will not be able to claim your monthly allotment until next month. I did not expect to take in a disciple today and did not prepare anything for you. Make do with some of my old clothes for now."

Chu Moqing found some clothes from his youth for Feng Wuhen. Holding the clothes Chu Moqing had given him, Feng Wuhen was in a very good mood.

He also felt that his current attire was quite improper. Standing beside his master, he looked even more out of place. So, from among all those clothes, he picked out a green robe and changed into it.

After changing, Feng Wuhen emerged from his cave dwelling. Hearing the movement, Chu Moqing turned to look over.

Seeing Feng Wuhen dressed in his clothes, Chu Moqing nodded in satisfaction. Now that he wore such elegant garments, Feng Wuhen looked like the young master of some noble household.

It was just that his hair...

Chu Moqing conjured a comb and walked over to Feng Wuhen. Raising his hand, he began combing his hair.

Originally, Chu Moqing had wanted to tie Feng Wuhen's hair into a high ponytail like his own. But after tying it, he felt Feng Wuhen looked better with his long hair loose. So he removed the hair ribbon and merely tied back two strands to keep them from blocking his vision.

After his hair was done, Chu Moqing felt that a hair ribbon alone was too plain. Remembering a hair ornament he had once obtained in a secret realm that could withstand damage from the Nascent Soul Realm, he found it in his storage ring and put it on Feng Wuhen.

It was a green, bell-like hair ornament. Chu Moqing pinned it beside Feng Wuhen's temple. Feng Wuhen gently shook his head, and the bell-like ornament chimed sweetly, sounding playful and lively.

Once he had changed clothes and arranged his hair, Chu Moqing took out a cultivation manual from his storage ring. "Wuhen, you have a Wind Spirit Root. This Supreme Carefree Art suits you very well. Keep it safely for now. I will guide you through drawing qi into your body."

As he spoke, Chu Moqing handed him another storage ring. "Once I guide you through drawing qi into your body, you can use the spiritual energy within you to leave your mark on this ring. From then on, no one but you will be able to use it—unless you die!"

Feng Wuhen put the storage ring on his index finger first. Hearing how useful it was, he could hardly wait to draw qi into his body.

"Then, Master, let's begin quickly!"

Chu Moqing had him sit cross-legged. Then he raised his hand and circulated spiritual energy, pressing together the index and middle fingers of his right hand as they moved across Feng Wuhen's back in a rhythmic pattern.

"Remember the path through which the spiritual energy circulates within your body. Follow my starting point to absorb spiritual energy and circulate it through your body. Remember, it is better to be slower than to take the wrong path."

Chu Moqing guided Feng Wuhen through one circulation of qi. Just as he was about to lead him through a second, Feng Wuhen had already memorized the pattern of the spiritual energy's movement and began absorbing and circulating it on his own.

Seeing this, Chu Moqing withdrew his hand and stood to the side, his face full of smiles.

His disciple truly was impressive. His comprehension was even better than Chu Moqing's had been back then. When his own master had guided him, it had taken him two rounds before he could absorb qi on his own. He was nowhere near as capable as his disciple.

As he thought this, Chu Moqing noticed that his disciple had entered meditation. He could enter meditation during his first cultivation session—Chu Moqing found his disciple even more impressive. On the spot, he sent out several message talismans to boast properly to his senior brothers and sisters.

After boasting, Chu Moqing thought that Feng Wuhen would not wake anytime soon. But they were supposed to go to the main peak that afternoon, and there would probably be no time for him to eat in between.

He could not let his disciple go hungry. So he let out a call, and an ice-blue bird flew over from behind Nine Heavens Peak.

When it flew before Chu Moqing, it tilted its head at him. "Momo, did you call me over for something? And who is that person sitting on the ground? The clothes he is wearing look like yours!"

Chu Moqing reached out and rubbed the bird's head. "Bing Ling, this is the disciple I just took in, Feng Wuhen. He has just begun cultivating and is currently meditating. He has not eaten yet, and I need to stay here and watch over him, so I would like to trouble you to go to the Dining Hall and bring back some food."

Upon hearing that the youth sitting on the ground was Chu Moqing's disciple, Bing Ling circled him once with great interest. "Your disciple is not ordinary. He absorbs spiritual energy very quickly. I think that once he finishes meditating, he will be at least at the Qi Refinement Third Layer.

"You humans have so many geniuses. Our Demon Race cannot compare."

As Bing Ling spoke, he transformed into a youth about Feng Wuhen's age. "Remember to introduce me to him. I'll go get food from the Dining Hall first. Oh, and give me your token.

"I already spent all the contribution points in my token."

Chu Moqing pulled a square token from his waist. The front was engraved with the three characters Mount Grand Mystery, while the back bore Chu Moqing's name and the name of his peak.

"Once Wuhen wakes from meditation, I will naturally introduce you to him. When you go, do not run off to play with others again and forget this matter."

Remembering the foolish things he had done before, Bing Ling rubbed his head awkwardly and said with a grin, "Don't worry. I definitely won't this time!"

This time, Bing Ling truly did not fool around. After going to the Dining Hall and selecting several nourishing dishes, he paid the contribution points and returned carrying a food box.

Worried that the food would grow cold on the way, he even used spiritual power to keep it warm.

After buying the food, Bing Ling squatted before Feng Wuhen, propping his chin in his hand as he watched him. "Your disciple is rather good-looking. He is as pretty as a little girl. His complexion is a little sallow and he is a little thin, but once he cultivates and eats more good things, he will soon become a great beauty."

Chu Moqing glanced at him upon hearing that but said nothing. This little Phoenix had no particular hobby besides liking beautiful people.

When Feng Wuhen finished meditating and woke up, he saw a white-haired youth with ice-blue eyes squatting before him.

"Where is my master?"

Seeing that the first thing Feng Wuhen asked about was Chu Moqing, Bing Ling pointed at himself in surprise. "Aren't you going to ask who I am?"