BW Chapter 107

After discussion, Chu Jun still spent some time carving another flying boat. Though rushed and not as exquisite, it was spacious enough for the children to play around in.

Cui Yuanbai, probably because he had been confined in the Purple Flame Knife for too long, particularly enjoyed running around everywhere, chasing Big Yellow and Little Black up and down.

Ning Xiu excitedly wanted to join in, but his Brother Huan Huan wouldn’t play with him, instead being especially keen on dragging Feng Zizhang along.

Feng Zizhang lay on the ground panting and sweating profusely, waving at Cui Yuanbai, “I… I can’t go on, let me rest for a while.”

Cui Yuanbai pulled his arm, “Big brother, play with me for just a little longer.”

“Ah~” Ning Xiu wobbled as he stood up, patting Cui Yuanbai’s arm.

Brother Huan Huan, let’s play together~

Cui Yuanbai patted his head, “You’re too short and can’t walk yet, just sit and watch us play.”

Ning Xiu wouldn’t give up, swaying as he followed behind Cui Yuanbai, “Ah da~”

I’m very capable too~

I can run… very fast~

However, in his hurry, he fell down after just two steps, bumping his forehead. Due to his short arms and legs, he couldn’t get up no matter how hard he tried.

Yang Lingzhu, who was closest to him and meditating to heal, reached out to help him up.

Ning Xiu still had two teardrops hanging from his eyelashes as he looked up at her while holding her arm.

Yang Lingzhu didn’t know whether to smile or speak, so she just stared at him expressionlessly.

But then Ning Xiu gave her a sweet smile, patting the small sachet hanging around his neck, “Ah~ yi ya~”

Yang Lingzhu realized she actually understood his meaning and nodded at the little child, “You’re welcome.”

Ning Xiu tilted his head and pointed at her tassel earrings, “Ya~ ah?”

They’re so pretty~ Can I touch them?

The little child looked at her with bright sparkling eyes, appearing so well-behaved and cute that Yang Lingzhu hesitated for a while before reaching out to pick him up.

Ning Xiu gently touched her earrings and happily talked to her. “Ah ya~”

Soft and fluffy~

Yang Lingzhu looked down at her storage ring, which contained only medicinal herbs and medical books – rather boring things not suitable for children. Just as she was feeling uncertain, she noticed Ning Xiu had already nestled in her arms playing with a palm-sized wooden doll, which he pointed out to her, “Ah~”

Sister Ling Ling, let’s play together~ He’s my good friend~

Yang Lingzhu looked down at the wooden doll. Though she couldn’t tell what material it was made from, its bone joints were remarkably lifelike, and even its facial features and hair were identical to a real person’s. Even though it wore cute duck-themed clothes, it looked… particularly eerie.

It made people very uncomfortable.

Yang Lingzhu frowned and held out her hand to Ning Xiu, saying, “May I take a closer look?”

Ning Xiu hesitated but finally placed the small wooden doll in her palm, “Da~”

Can’t gnaw on it~

Yang Lingzhu held the doll and sent some spiritual power into it, only to discover it had complete internal organs. In her shock, the doll’s eyes suddenly narrowed, startling her and causing the doll to fall from her hand.

The doll landed right on Ning Xiu’s round little belly. He hugged the small doll and patted its head, “Aiya~”

Don’t be scared, don’t be scared~

Yang Lingzhu pressed her lips together and carried Ning Xiu straight outside.

Just as Jiang Yizheng pushed open the door to enter, she saw Yang Lingzhu carrying Ning Xiu with a serious expression, “Lingzhu, what’s wrong?”

Yang Lingzhu glanced at the doll and said: “This wooden doll isn’t right. Where is the de- where is Ning Xiu’s father?”

Jiang Yizheng was startled. Though he couldn’t see anything wrong with the doll, she didn’t dare take it lightly, “Father and the Venerable seem to be sealing some kind of contract. They’ve set up a barrier next door and aren’t allowing any disturbances. We can wait outside their door.”

Yang Lingzhu nodded.

Feng Zizhang had finally escaped the torment of Cui Yuanbai and Little Black, walking over with an exhausted face, “What’s wrong? Xiao Jiang, where did you go just now?”

“I just went outside for some fresh air,” Jiang Yizheng scratched her head, “Zizhang, Lingzhu says there’s something wrong with Xiao Shan’s wooden doll.”

“Ah!” Feng Zizhang slapped his forehead, “Right, Huan Haun mentioned this to me before. We were planning to tell the Venerable, but then someone attacked, and we both forgot about it!”

Yang Lingzhu: “?”

This “big brother” was indeed…completely unreliable.

****

Although some things had been clarified, Ning Buwei still felt it was better to seal the Dao contract, after all, having someone able to freely enter his sea of consciousness anytime and even be “mentally connected” when thinking certain things… was very inconvenient.

Chu Jun didn’t object, though his gaze at the time was somewhat inscrutable.

This sealing of the Dao contract went smoothly, and since they weren’t in a hurry to travel, it took some time. When the two opened the door in the evening, they saw several children of various sizes crouching at the door, staring at them expectantly.

Ning Buwei: “…………”

Although he and Chu Jun hadn’t done anything inappropriate, being stared at so intently suddenly made him feel inexplicably guilty.

“What is it?” Chu Jun remained quite composed.

“Huan Haun and Lingzhu both say there’s something wrong with Xiao Shan’s wooden doll,” Feng Zizhang pointed at the small wooden doll Ning Xiu was hugging.

Seeing everyone’s serious expressions, Ning Xiu seemed to sense something and hugged his little doll tighter.

“There’s a very dangerous, very unpleasant aura,” Cui Yuanbai could only describe his feelings, but couldn’t be more specific.

Yang Lingzhu spoke up, “This doll’s bones, muscles, and joints are all identical to a real person’s, and when I probed it with spiritual power, it had complete internal organs, though the meridian paths were completely opposite to a human’s. It even blinked its eyes when I was holding it earlier.”

Ning Buwei knew about this small doll. Previously, Chu Jun had told him it was a meeting gift from Shang Nuanwei to Ning Xiu. Shang Nuanwei was Hao Zheng’s junior sister, and Chu Jun seemed to have some connection with her. Besides this, when he was at Wanxuan Academy, his talisman studies were personally taught by Shang Nuanwei, making her one of his teaching mentors.

After hearing Yang Lingzhu and Cui Yuanbai’s words, he exchanged a glance with Chu Jun and crouched down in front of Ning Xiu, using a coaxing tone, “Will you let Father take a look?”

Ning Xiu looked at him, then at Chu Jun, then at all the brothers and sisters around him, and hugged the small wooden doll even tighter, “Da!”

Ning Buwei raised an eyebrow and made an exaggerated promise to his son, “I’ll just take one look, I won’t break it.”

Though if it was some malicious evil object, it would be better to crush it into wooden fragments.

Unfortunately, Ning Xiu was too sensitive to his father’s emotional changes and looked at his father protestingly, “Ah~”

Father can’t kill him~

Chu Jun’s palm produced a plump little bird, and he said to Ning Xiu, “Trade this for it.”

The little bird had fluffy, beautiful feathers with a gradient of sky-blue color that shimmered. It stood obediently on Chu Jun’s finger and gently nuzzled Ning Xiu’s cheek, “Tweet tweet~”

Usually, Ning Xiu loved these beautiful small animals, but this time, for some unknown reason, he firmly refused, even stepping back, shaking his head vigorously, “Da!”

I only want my little doll!

Ning Xiu even rarely threw a tantrum, sitting on the ground with his back to everyone, tightly hugging the little doll and refusing to let go, his round back radiating stubbornness.

Ning Buwei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, gently poking his shoulder, “Let Father take a look, just one look.”

“Hmph~” Ning Xiu shuffled his little bottom forward without responding.

Ning Buwei clicked his tongue, preparing to use magic to switch out the small wooden doll, but was stopped by Chu Jun.

“It won’t be easy to console him if he cries,” Chu Jun said, “Let’s wait until he falls asleep tonight.”

Ning Buwei looked at Ning Xiu’s stubborn and persistent back, “This stubborn temperament, who knows who he takes after.”

Chu Jun gave him a light glance, and even without the effect of the Dao contract, Ning Buwei understood his meaning and righteously said, “I’ve always known how to adapt to circumstances.”

Amusement flashed in Chu Jun’s eyes, “Mm.”

By nighttime, Ning Xiu finally couldn’t hold on anymore, nodding off while hugging the wooden doll, nearly falling into Ning Buwei’s arms several times.

“Go to sleep, go to sleep, we won’t touch it,” Ning Buwei poked his cheek, “If you’re worried, hide your treasure, we won’t look.”

Ning Buwei covered his eyes, “Quick, hide it.”

Ning Xiu drowsily looked at Chu Jun.

Chu Jun unhurriedly turned his back.

Ning Xiu looked east and west with the small wooden doll, finally carefully placing it inside the small bell on his wrist, before sighing in relief and tugging at Ning Buwei’s sleeve, “Ah~”

Father, Mother, I’ve hidden it well~

Ning Buwei lowered his hands, “Hidden it well?”

Ning Xiu drowsily nodded once, then yawned several times in succession, crawling into Chu Jun’s arms, “Yi~ da~”

Want Mother to put me to sleep~

Chu Jun had just picked him up when the little child closed his eyes and fell into deep sleep.

Ning Buwei took a warm cloth to wipe his hands, chuckling softly. “Little fool, there are only so many places to hide things.”

Chu Jun took the cloth to wipe his sweat and smiled. “Let’s take it out and look.”

Ning Buwei openly pulled out the small wooden doll from Ning Xiu’s bell. The doll tried to run the moment he touched it, but was pinned in place by Chu Jun’s finger.

Ning Buwei’s gaze darkened, “So it has actually gained sentience.”

The wooden doll was only half a palm size, struggling desperately under Chu Jun’s hand, even trying to bite Chu Jun’s finger, its wooden joints making slight cracking sounds.

Ning Buwei grabbed it in his hand, with the broken Suzaku Knife pressed against its thin wooden neck, “Let’s cut it open and see what it is.”

The wooden doll immediately struggled more violently, and Ning Buwei heard sounds that made him worry it would twist itself apart.

Chu Jun wrapped the doll in spiritual power to examine it thoroughly, “It’s not an evil object, has no soul or blood essence, not a living thing.”

Without life force and soul, it wasn’t like Big Yellow and Little Black who had been transformed by Ning Xiu’s influence.

“Someone else’s controlled puppet?” Ning Buwei instantly thought of Pei Heguang, his expression immediately darkening.

After saying this, he thoroughly examined the doll inside and out but found no traces of formations or talismans.

Chu Jun and Ning Buwei examined the constantly struggling doll for a while, but no matter how they looked at it, it was just an exquisitely made piece of ordinary wood, which was why they hadn’t noticed anything unusual about this doll from the beginning.

A piece of wood, without life force, and not controlled by anyone – even if it could run and jump, it was still just an inanimate object.

“Shang Nuanwei knows some mechanical arts, so it’s not strange that it can move,” Chu Jun said, “Yuanbai and Lingzhu felt uncomfortable probably because this wooden doll somehow picked up some corpse energy from somewhere.”

It was perfectly normal for dead objects like wood to pick up corpse energy, and since Ning Xiu had been carried around everywhere, who knew where it had picked it up from – it would be fine once cleansed.

Chu Jun placed a dot of cinnabar on the doll’s forehead.

The small wooden doll began desperately trying to wipe its forehead, and after finding it couldn’t wipe it off, the whole piece of wood lay dejectedly in place.

Ning Buwei, seeing its vivid expressions – at least vivid enough for a wooden doll – was startled for a moment.

But during this slight distraction, the small wooden doll kicked his thumb joint.

Ning Buwei winced in pain, his grip loosening, and the small wooden doll took the opportunity to jump onto Ning Xiu, vigorously shaking his collar.

“Tch,” Ning Buwei grabbed it back into his hand and said sinisterly, “For a piece of broken wood, you’re quite fierce. Since you like my son so much, why don’t you serve as firewood to cook him some porridge?”

The small wooden doll was held in his grip, its wooden arms braced against his tiger’s mouth trying to pull itself out hard, but after Ning Buwei finished speaking, the entire doll suddenly stopped moving and hung its head lifelessly.

Ning Buwei wore a successful sinister smile, but when he looked up, he saw Ning Xiu staring with shocked wide eyes, his little face full of disbelief.

Ning Buwei’s whole body stiffened, and he looked at Chu Jun. “…When did he wake up?”

Chu Jun said helplessly, “When you mentioned using firewood to cook porridge.”

Probably woke up reflexively at the mention of rice porridge, only to find his precious toy being held with murderous intent by his father.

Ning Buwei shook the pretending-to-be-dead small wooden doll in his hand and gave a dry laugh to his son. “I… just found this, do you believe me?”

Tears were welling up in Ning Xiu’s eyes, clearly not believing his father’s nonsense. He reached out to take his small wooden doll, but Ning Buwei instinctively dodged and didn’t let him touch it.

Ning Xiu’s little mouth trembled.

Heartbreaking cries instantly filled the entire flying boat.