BW Chapter 106

“Lingzhu, this tastes good.” Jiang Yizheng gave her a sweet potato.

Yang Lingzhu took it. The golden flesh of the sweet potato was steaming in the warm sunlight, as the gentle breeze blew the vapor towards her face.

She lowered her head and took a small bite. It was sweet.

Jiang Yizheng crouched by the ashes using her sword to rake the sweet potatoes. Feng Zizhang accidentally threw a peeled skin onto Big Yellow’s nose, scalding the dog who yelped loudly. He stepped on the tail of Little Black who was busy licking a sweet potato. The little black dragon got scared and swished its tail, hitting Cui Yuanbai’s leg, who then grabbed its whiskers.

Ah. Yang Lingzhu crouched in the corner and took another bite of her sweet potato. It was really lively.

When she was at the Medical Immortal Valley, she often trained and attended classes with her senior brothers and sisters. Sometimes it was noisy and lively too, but mostly with discussions about medical arts, with underlying competition. It wasn’t the same kind of liveliness as now.

These people didn’t seem very enthusiastic about cultivation, but were instead interested in food, entertainment, and all sorts of peculiar things.

She occasionally saw Feng Zizhang pick up a heaven-grade treasure and casually give it to Jiang Yizheng. Jiang Yizheng gave him some roasted meat as thanks. Cui Yuanbai traded a large pile of spirit stones for Little Black’s scales. Big Yellow traded its dog fur with Jiang Yizheng for a jade spirit pill…

In her sect, such unequal exchanges would never happen. If they did occur, there would definitely be traps and schemes involved. So when they were very enthusiastic towards her, her first reaction was to be vigilant and scared, then try to escape.

Although the escape failed, she gradually discovered that she might have misunderstood. These people weren’t as scheming and calculating as she thought, nor were they plotting against each other. They were actually a bit… silly.

They didn’t seem very clever.

She had only given a small soul-calming sachet, yet that murderous great demon had very seriously thanked her, and her storage ring mysteriously gained a small piece of red wood.

That cold and serious-looking Venerable had given her an entire bag of rare bone-growing pills.

When she felt cold at night, Jiang Yizheng had covered her with a small blanket. When Feng Zizhang made roasted meat, he remembered to save a portion for her little red snake.

Some things were completely unnecessary and meaningless, but they all seemed to take them very seriously. For example, even though they only roasted five sweet potatoes, they made sure everyone including the spirit pets got their own piece, even though it was food that even ordinary people wouldn’t care about…

What a strange group of people.

Yang Lingzhu thought this, but still followed their example and carefully finished the sweet potato in her hand. In the past, she would never have done such a meaningless thing.

But now it felt particularly grounding – although she still hadn’t figured out why these completely unrelated people would gather together, and their relationships were hard to comprehend.

They all had different surnames, yet…why did they look like a family from the mortal realm?

“Sister Lingzhu, can I trade this for that big bell?” Cui Yuanbai crouched in front of her, holding a plump ginseng root that was at least five hundred years old.

Yang Lingzhu was startled and looked at the medical bell at her waist, quickly refusing, “This- this is just an ordinary bell. Your ginseng… is too valuable, it could buy thousands of bells like this.”

Cui Yuanbai blinked his eyes, “But there aren’t any for sale right now, and Dad said you’re still weak from severe injuries, ginseng would be good for you. I have lots of ginseng, but no bells.”

Yang Lingzhu said helplessly, “But…”

Cui Yuanbai tugged gently at her sleeve, “Sister Lingzhu, please.”

Yang Lingzhu untied the medical bell, “If you like the bell, take it to play with, but I can’t accept the ginseng, it’s too valuable–ah.”

Cui Yuanbai stuffed the ginseng into her arms, smiling, “Thank you Sister Lingzhu. Then add two strings of candied haws too, remember to buy them for me when we get out!”

He ran off with the bell after saying this.

Yang Lingzhu looked at the plump ginseng in her hands, feeling a bit dazed.

Trading an ordinary bell and two strings of candied haws for a five-hundred-year-old ginseng – if her senior brothers and sisters knew, they would probably die of envy and jealousy.

Ah, she almost forgot, they were already dead.

Yang Lingzhu’s gaze dimmed as she fingered her storage ring containing the Medical Immortal Valley’s sect leader seal and sect emblem.

“Clean up and get ready to leave,” Ning Buwei came out from the cave. Seeing the children in chaos with both humans and beasts mixed together, he called out.

Those who were still busy trying to put a bell on Little Black immediately stood properly.

Ning Buwei held a small strip, looking puzzled. “Why are you trying to put a bell on this thing with a big head and thin body? What were you thinking? Too much free time?”

Yang Lingzhu nodded silently. Indeed, it was too boring.

Cui Yuanbai looked up seriously, “Dad, Little Black is too black all over and very naughty, running everywhere. With a bell, we’ll know where it goes.”

Ning Buwei nodded, “Makes sense.”

“It’s just that Little Black isn’t behaving, we can’t catch it,” Jiang Yizheng said, “I even made it a seven-colored rope.”

“Father, do you have a way to hold it still?” Feng Zizhang looked at Ning Buwei expectantly.

Ning Buwei: “Let me think.”

Yang Lingzhu watched in disbelief as that ruthless great demon crouched on the ground, seriously discussing with them how to put a bell on a black dragon. “…..”

What happened to the cruel and gloomy great demon?

She had a numb expression until she saw Chu Jun carrying the child out, and finally saw hope.

This Venerable was cold and powerful, looking very reliable. He definitely wouldn’t let them continue fooling around here.

“What are you doing?” Chu Jun walked behind Ning Buwei.

“Putting a bell on Little Black,” Ning Buwei replied without turning his head.

Under his hand, Little Black was being unruly, rolling around and biting his wrist, not letting go. “Ying~”

I’m leaving home! You’re bullying dragons too much!

“Let me,” Chu Jun handed Ning Xiu to Jiang Yizheng beside him and reached out to grab Little Black.

The previously struggling and rolling Little Black instantly became well-behaved, not moving at all. Chu Jun hung the bell on its dragon horn.

Ning Buwei: “…”

Others: “…”

Jiang Yizheng bravely spoke for everyone. “…It looks a bit ugly.”

The little black dragon didn’t dare to wail or get angry at Chu Jun, only drooping its dragon head with tears dropping, wanting to crawl onto Ning Buwei.

Chu Jun pondered for a moment, looking at Ning Buwei, “Use a talisman to fix it?”

Ning Buwei curved his eyes, seriously nodding.

Yang Lingzhu who was watching from the side: “…..”

Young or old, none of these people were reliable.

An incense stick’s time later, Little Black was finally wearing the bell, curled up in a ball hiding under Big Yellow’s belly crying pitifully.

When Yang Lingzhu thought to look at it again, it was already jumping around happily, shaking its head to hear the bell ring, making a lot of noise, until that great demon waved his hand and put a small sound-isolating barrier on the bell, and the surroundings immediately became quiet.

Everyone else also breathed a sigh of relief.

Yang Lingzhu: “…”

So what was the point of all that effort to put it on?

****

Since the flying ship had been reduced to powder, how to take these not-so-well-behaved children away was a problem.

Ning Buwei never thought there would be a day when he would have a headache over such an issue.

“Just put them in a circle on the Heavenly Wave Ruler,” Ning Buwei said.

Chu Jun said, “Not very safe.”

Ning Buwei clicked his tongue. “Let’s buy a house when we get out.”

Chu Jun looked at him somewhat surprised.

Ning Buwei touched his nose, reasoning, “We can’t keep running around everywhere with a group of kids every day.”

For these hundreds of years, he had wandered throughout the seventeen prefectures without settling down, never planning to arrange a place he could “return” to. Whether ascending or perishing, things like houses were useless to him.

But now he suddenly had this thought – though it wasn’t really sudden. These children’s presence was overwhelmingly strong; he couldn’t possibly raise them like cats and dogs.

Chu Jun said, “I have a house in Li City. If you don’t mind, we can arrange them there.”

Ning Buwei was a bit surprised, “You have a house?”

Chu Jun cleared his throat, “In early years when I often traveled to the mortal realm, I arranged a place to rest in Li City.”

Ning Buwei patted his shoulder, teasing, “Didn’t expect that. I thought you liked meditating in caves…”

After saying this, he remembered why Chu Jun was in seclusion and immediately closed his mouth awkwardly.

Chu Jun smiled, then bent down to pick up Ning Xiu who was wobbling over.

“Ah~” Ning Xiu had only walked four or five steps but proudly showed off to Chu Jun, grabbing his sleeve to indicate he had walked a “long way.”

I’m very amazing~

Chu Jun put Ning Xiu in Ning Buwei’s arms, and casually pinched Ning Buwei’s face, “Don’t overthink.”

Ning Buwei was holding his son when his face was unexpectedly pinched, staring at Chu Jun in shock, “What are you doing?”

Ning Xiu looked at his father in confusion, copying Ning Buwei’s expression by widening his eyes, parroting, “Ah~ya~da?”

Chu Jun unconsciously rubbed his hand hidden in his sleeve, lightly coughing, “Time to set off, let’s go.”

He turned and left with a serious expression.

Ning Buwei lowered his head to ask Ning Xiu, “Was he just flirting with me?”

“Ah da~ya?” Ning Xiu tilted his head in confusion.

Father~ when can we eat meat pancakes at home again?

Ning Buwei nodded, “You’re right, he was definitely flirting with me.”

Ning Xiu patted his little belly, “Da~”

I’m hungry again~

“Exactly,” Ning Buwei narrowed his eyes, “He seduced me first.”

“Ai~” Ning Xiu sighed softly.

It’ll be so long before we can eat porridge again~

Ning Buwei patted his little head, saying seriously, “Be good, you wouldn’t understand even if I told you,”

“Da~” Ning Xiu reached out to touch his father’s handsome face full of schemes.

Father looks so happy~

Ning Buwei’s face showed a mischievous smile, “You’re right, I’ll deal with him tonight.”