Chapter 237

Chapter 237

It wasn't new for Xuan Ting and Bai Hezi to be at odds with each other.

Whenever they met, they inevitably bickered, and occasionally their disagreements would escalate into full-blown arguments. However, before things got heated, there was usually a chance for others to mediate.

Yet, for Xuan Ting to lose his temper so suddenly, smashing things and yelling, was unprecedented. Thus, everyone was taken aback, including a baffled Bai Hezi.

A few seconds later, Bai Hezi, being an outgoing and straightforward person, retorted, "Did you even hear the nonsense you spouted? Reflect on who should really stay silent!"

With a laugh of sheer frustration, Xuan Ting replied, "You started by asking if I went thieving, and you're asking me to reflect?"

"Ha!" Lily sneered with folded arms. "Was the focus of my question really about whether you'd been thieving? Did you flunk elementary school language class, or are you genuinely a night prowler in reality? Did I hit a nerve, and that's why you're so upset?"

In fact, Xuan Ting was indeed a thief in real life, having dabbled in petty theft numerous times and even having been detained for it. Lily wasn't wrong, and it was precisely because of this history that the term "thief" was a sore point for him. With her continuous jabs, Xuan Ting's eyes turned bloodshot, and he raised his hand to slap Lily. "You wretched bi..."

"Enough—!"

Thankfully, Chu Yi Yang stepped in just in time to block him.

"Xuan Ting, did you eat gunpowder today?" Chu Yi Yang, frowning deeply, gripped Xuan Ting's wrist. "Why are you so furious?"

Xuan Ting's eyes bulged, still seething. Even when speaking to Chu Yi Yang, he couldn't keep his voice down: "Little Brother Yang, do you think I'm at fault too?"

"I just think this incessant bickering is a waste of time." Chu Yi Yang released his grip, signaling for Xuan Ting to calm down and sit. "Besides, you do look rather off today. Didn't sleep well last night? Or did something else happen?"

Xuan Ting responded, "Nothing happened. After my nosebleed yesterday, I felt exhausted. Every part of my body felt weak. I went to bed and only woke up this morning. What could've happened? Plus, all of you look just as drained."

That was indeed the truth.

Yesterday, all the participants had suffered intense abdominal pain and nosebleeds. They had taken healing pills to recover, but the symptoms persisted: fatigue, exhaustion, pallor, and a greenish tinge. Their faces now lacked the vitality they had a couple of days ago.

Liu Fei commented, "Are these the after-effects of the explosion by the Shan Xa army?"

Chu Yi Yang replied, "Likely so."

After ensuring nothing unusual had happened to Xuan Ting the previous night, Chu Yi Yang turned his attention to Xie Yin Xue, intending to inquire about the mythical beasts from "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" that cause droughts. But before he could utter Xie's name...

Xuan Ting interjected, directing his comment at another, "Speaking of thieves, he looks more the part than I do, doesn't he?"

"Me?"

Liu Bu Hua, noticing Xuan Ting's accusing finger pointing at him, raised an eyebrow, "How do I look like a thief?"

Xuan Ting answered, "The mud on your boots. Where've you been?"

The garments the participants wore in this scenario had a self-cleaning property. Any dirt, blood, or damage would auto-repair by the next day. Despite the bloodshed from the explosion the day before, everyone appeared pristine today, except for Liu Bu Hua. His white boots were speckled with mud, as if he'd been walking through dirt.

The group followed Xuan Ting's gaze and, at a glance, could see the muddy stains he mentioned.

"I..."

Liu Bu Hua hesitated, stealing a glance at Xie Yin Xue. He saw the young man also silently observing him. Those calm, indifferent eyes seemed as if nothing in the world could disturb them. But Liu Bu Hua knew the owner of those eyes understood him all too well. Faced with this realization, he admitted, "At dawn, I went to the inn's back garden."

Wu Yu, perplexed, asked, "Why did you head out so early in the morning?"

The others seemed equally puzzled. Especially judging from Liu Buhua's words, it appeared he went unnoticed, doing so discreetly. What was he being so cautious about?

Liu Buhua chuckled awkwardly, "…I was being a flower."

Everyone: "?"

On hearing this, Xie Yinxue closed her eyes, pressing the bridge of her nose with her fingertip. She comforted herself internally, "Well, this scenario must be related to Buhua's past life. Perhaps in that life, he truly was a peony flower spirit. Revisiting those memories now might be affecting him. We just need to continue his medication when we get back."

But Liu Buhua's words were incomprehensible to the others.

Yu Jiayi inquired, "What do you mean by 'being a flower'?"

Liu Buhua vividly described the scenario to her, "I dug a hole and buried myself as if I were a flower."

Yu Jiayi: "???"

Why did his explanation only make things even more confusing?

Tan Fanyi couldn't hold back any longer, "Do you even realize what you're saying?"

"I do. I have a condition, a delusion. I often believe I'm a peony flower, but don't worry about me," Liu Buhua waved his hands in a calming gesture, "I only buried my foot. I was very restrained."

Everyone: "..."

They found it hard to believe Liu Buhua's absurd explanation, but his demeanor didn't seem like he was lying. Even Xie Yinxue came to his defense, "Buhua is indeed unwell. Please be patient with him."

Xie Yinxue was a living encyclopedia of the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas'. Everyone relied on him to recite the list of creatures that, when seen, would cause drought. Naturally, they wouldn't disregard his plea and chose to let the matter go.

Chu Yiyang took the opportunity to speak up, "Brother Xie..."

"Ah, ah, ah—!"

But before Chu Yiyang could finish, he was interrupted again by three sighs. However, this time was a slight improvement from before – he got out an extra word.

The one who had interrupted him previously was someone Chu Yiyang could scold. But this time, he didn't even dare show the slightest hint of annoyance in his gaze, fearing the interrupter might notice his displeasure.

Cai Lele turned to the newcomer, "Master Qin, did another fungal servant run into trouble last night?"

Nearly every morning when Qin He visited, it was to report the death of a mycelial servant, always lamenting their tragic ends. When he sighed heavily upon arrival today, everyone assumed it was the same story. Unexpectedly, he negated their assumption, "No, last night no mycelial servant encountered mishap. Not even a scratch on any."

"Isn't that good news?" Cai Lele followed up, "Why the heavy sighs then?"

Qin He revealed, "This morning, I found all the plants and flowers I've painstakingly nurtured in the backyard completely withered. How can I not be disheartened?"

Everyone immediately turned to Liu Buhua in unison, as if he were the culprit responsible for the garden's decimation. After all, he had admitted to visiting the backyard and digging holes. Perhaps he unintentionally severed the roots of those plants?

"It wasn't me!" Liu Buhua hurriedly defended, "By the time I went to the backyard this morning, they had all already withered."

Xin Tianhao raised an eyebrow, "Withered?"

Liu Buhua nodded, "Yes, withered as if they hadn't been watered for a whole year."

"It wasn't just the plants," Qin He feigned wiping tears with his sleeves, "The fish in my pond also perished. For some unknown reason, the pond's water dried up overnight. My once vibrant fish are now drier than dried salted fish!"

Chu Yiyang's brows furrowed even more after hearing this, "Drying land and depleting ponds indicate that the beast causing the drought is escalating its impact. If we don't identify the creature responsible for 'causing a great drought upon sight', who knows what tomorrow might bring?"

Xie Yinxue gently lifted his eyelashes, his profound black pupils focusing on Chu Yiyang, his voice soft and even, "You believe it's a drought?"

Chu Yiyang seemed slightly affronted by the question, replying with a hint of unnoticed irritation, "What else could it be?"

The young man leaned back, an easy posture with a hint of a smile on his lips, "Well, if you say it's so, then it must be."

Few can maintain composure under such provocative words, but a wise person hides their anger.

Chu Yiyang, usually a master of composure and tact, found himself repeatedly off-balanced today. For instance, after hearing Xie Yinxue's words, his immediate impulse was to retort, "What do you mean by that?"

He even began to voice the word "What", but regained his composure the next moment, adjusting his response to, "What... is your perspective?"

Xie Yinxue shifted his gaze, no longer meeting Chu Yiyang's eyes. He focused on a lily and began listing names, "Su, Fei Yi, Bing Bing, Bo Fish, ? Fish, Peng Snake, Ming Snake... There are numerous creatures in the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas' that signify an impending drought. They vary in appearance, traits, and preferences. Even if I enumerated them all, you might not retain them. Fortunately, I—"

"Who says we can't remember?!"

Chu Yiyang, having been interrupted multiple times himself, finally cut someone else off.

Seizing Xie Yinxue's words, he began to recite from the first name, flaunting his superior knowledge and memory, "Su, a bird, resembling an owl, with a humanoid form, four eyes, and ears. Its call is its own name, and its appearance signifies a vast drought. Fei Yi, with six legs, four wings..."

Yet, before the living encyclopedia could continue for more than a few seconds, he was again interrupted: "That's unnecessary."

"Because I was about to say, I already know which beast has caused the drought at the inn. So why not just hear the answer directly?" The young man with a high ponytail said, his tone vengeful. "You just told Xuan Ting that there's no need to waste time."

No need to waste time listening to you recite irrelevant records.

— Though the youth didn't voice this, it was quite evident what he meant, just expressed in a more "polite" manner.

However, even with such tact, Xuan Ting understood the underlying message. He stood up abruptly, pointing at Xie Yin Xue's nose, exclaiming, "Watch your tone! Who do you think you're looking down on?"

Author's note:

①: Yù, a bird, shaped like an owl, with a human face, four eyes, and ears. Its call is like its name. When seen, a severe drought occurs. — "Classic of Mountains and Seas"