[Lan Yue: Look at those familiar markings, those little feathers black as charcoal. It's definitely him! Sure enough, no matter where or when, the male and female leads are bound to meet!]
Lan Yue's description left everyone else looking stunned. The legendary male lead actually had feathers? Didn't that mean he was a member of the Demon Race?
A member of the Demon Race suddenly appearing in the Southern Spirit Sect was a serious matter!
It wasn't that members of the Demon Race were unwelcome, but they rarely interacted with humans anymore. Most lived in the Eastern Region, and very few came over on their own.
Where was the person-no, the demon?
Li Bai was deeply shocked, and he never relaxed his guard for a moment.
A demon who could pass through the Southern Spirit Sect's formations and tear through Spirit Moon Peak's mountain-protecting formation might well be some ten-thousand-year-old great demon.
Great demons that old generally had bad tempers. If he heard Lan Yue's thoughts, wouldn't he be furious enough to die?
They had an Immortal Artifact protecting them, but what if? What if this great demon had some special ability and stole the Immortal Artifact? Wouldn't they all be finished?
Li Bai felt as though he was worrying himself to pieces. Being the eldest senior brother was no easy job!
If the other senior brothers hadn't all been busy with their own affairs, how could that title possibly have fallen to him?
Li Bai wanted to cry but had no tears.
Under everyone's bewildered gazes, Lan Yue nearly laughed herself breathless.
[Lan Yue: So this is what happens when the male and female leads meet ahead of time! If it weren't for the power of the plot, wouldn't anyone overlook this "mottled chicken"?]
A m-mottled chicken?
Li Bai's pupils contracted. He looked toward Yun Xi in shock and found her holding a Black-and-Yellow Thing, looking just as stunned.
On closer inspection, the little black-and-yellow creature really did resemble a mottled chicken. If he fell on the ground, someone might even mistake him for a clump of weeds.
Yun Xi pressed her lips together and held up the little ball. "I think I found a mott... no, no, a little chicken!"
She had nearly followed Lan Yue's thoughts and called the thing in her hands a mottled chicken. Fortunately, she caught herself in time.
Only then did Lan Yue walk over with a show of solemnity. She lifted the little creature's eyelids, smacked his bottom twice, then cleared her throat.
"Yun Xi, this spirit beast is destined to be with you. Keep him. He might become another source of support someday."
Lan Yue's words sounded perfectly lofty and proper. If she hadn't secretly given him those two smacks, it would have been flawless.
[Lan Yue: Hmph, hmph, I finally caught my chance, didn't I? In the original novel, I died horribly in the jaws of a demonic evil because you ordered me around, making me deliver messages for you and the others. Now I've finally found a chance to give you a beating!]
The three beside her: "..."
Yun Xi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Compared with the male lead she had barely met, she was far more inclined to protect Lan Yue.
This man had actually sent Junior Sister Lan Yue to her death. Should she get rid of him, then? She certainly didn't need some predestined male lead.
For that instant, Yun Xi truly felt the urge to kill.
The poor, unconscious male lead had no idea that not only had someone stolen his wife away, but his wife even wanted his head.
Otherwise, he would surely have sprung up in fury.
"Chirp?" Meanwhile, the rootless fruit sapling had appeared at some point. Holding a wooden stick, it curiously poked the unconscious little ball as well.
"Little Fruit, you absolutely mustn't provoke this one, or your head might end up completely bald." Afraid the little fellow would do something outrageous again, Lan Yue hurriedly scooped it back up.
Even those two sneaky acts of revenge had left her heart hanging in her throat. She feared that if Yun Xi told him someday, she would die without even a place to be buried.
Even Lan Yue herself was this frightened, let alone a spirit-fruit sapling that knew nothing and had only just gained intelligence.
Seeing the other two looking over curiously, Lan Yue inwardly cried out in dismay. She had actually revealed things ahead of time. Wouldn't that wreck the plot?
"Actually, I just used Divination and discovered that his potential is tremendous. He might become a powerful spirit beast someday. That's why I said that." Lan Yue took out the tortoise shell her master had given her and muttered a few mystical-sounding phrases.
The others all nodded very cooperatively.
Everything had been divined, anyway. They understood. They understood perfectly!
"Why don't we dig Er Dan's home first? Er Dan's getting impatient." Yun Xi unobtrusively set the ball in her hands on the ground and made her suggestion to everyone.
"Right, dig the home!" Behind them, Yuan Shuo clenched his fists tightly.
With that, they earnestly swung their shovels, huffing and puffing as they hammered and dug away.
Only Lan Yue stood behind them, watching in utter disbelief.
*[Lan Yue: That's not right. I remember that when the female lead met the badly injured male lead before, she cared for him so carefully, terrified he might be cold or hungry. She even made his home herself, and it was incredibly exquisite.*
*Why is she leaving him on the ground to fend for himself now?]*
Across from her, Yun Xi stiffened and adjusted her hair rather awkwardly.
"Why don't you give him a few spirit stones? With some energy to replenish himself, he'll wake up soon," Lan Yue suggested.
[Lan Yue: Whatever happens, we still need the male lead. His abilities are just too useful! They're incredibly convenient for saving people. Why don't you give him a few more looks, Nü E?]
Only then did Yun Xi seem to remember something. She picked up the black, mottled ball and placed a few Low-Grade Spirit Stones beside him.
And then there was no then.
Lan Yue: "..."
Forget it. Who said the original novel's male and female leads had to get together? This was fanfiction to begin with!
My Nü E was beautiful all on her own!
They dug all morning. The spirit tortoises were overjoyed and even brought them plenty of lively, wriggling spirit fish in their mouths.
At the sight of those familiar spirit fish, Lan Yue's eyelids twitched wildly. She feared the Second Elder might leap out the next moment and shout, "Your life is mine!"
Yet she couldn't bring herself to ruin such a lovely scene, afraid of hurting the spirit tortoises' tender little hearts.
Ah, she truly bore so much all alone!
Lan Yue sighed deeply and tugged Little Fruit's short legs, deciding to give the Second Elder some more leaves from the rootless fruit sapling later.
"Chirp?" Little Fruit glanced at her and let out a puzzled call.
It tugged her finger and showed her the top of its head.
Lan Yue answered without a moment's hesitation or a shred of guilt. "Very lush! You're the prettiest spirit plant!"
Little Fruit was delighted and even started swinging from her shoulder.
Li Bai: "..."
What staggering self-deception!
Unable to watch any longer, he spoke up. "Why don't we go to the Four Arts Hall next? Senior Sister Qing Zhu was asking me about you yesterday."
"Oh, right! I forgot Senior Sister Qing Zhu!" Lan Yue's expression changed in alarm.
A few days ago, she had said she would make her choice soon and would definitely seek out Senior Sister Qing Zhu then. Instead, she had completely put her out of her mind!
"Come on, come on! Let's go to the Four Arts Hall!" Lan Yue climbed onto Er Dan's back, ready to rush off in a whirlwind.
Li Bai, who had just made the suggestion, grew worried instead. "Why don't I stay with Yuan Shuo? He only just came from the Four Arts Hall. I'm afraid..."
"It's fine. I'm going too!" Yuan Shuo's snowy-white ears twitched. Hearing that he was about to be left behind, he immediately raised his hand.
He absolutely refused to be left behind!
"All right, then everyone's coming!"
"Chirp!"
Only after everyone was standing on their Spirit Swords did Yun Xi belatedly remember the black, mottled ball on the ground. She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately hung him at her waist.
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