Chapter 131

Chapter 131

He had actually become an honored guest.

Man Yu looked around, his steps faltering slightly as he was led into the main peak’s courtyard.

Compared to his previous dwelling, the spiritual energy here was far more abundant. The courtyard was filled with rare, top-grade spiritual plants, their intoxicating fragrance permeating the air. In ordinary sects, such high-grade spiritual plants would be carefully stored in treasuries, yet here they were scattered everywhere, too numerous to count at a glance.

He had initially thought their former residence was quite clean and tidy, but the buildings of the main peak were adorned with intricate carvings and painted beams, their soaring pavilions glowing like molten cinnabar. Standing atop the tower and gazing into the distance, he could barely make out the main gate of the complex, making his old place look like a chicken coop in comparison.

Even his requests were handled effortlessly—he only had to mention them to the attending Cloudtop Sect disciples, and they would promptly deliver whatever he requested.

Before long, as Man Yu was still exploring, Cloudtop Sect disciples brought in several fellow cultivators from Nanshan Sect.

"Man-ge, you called us here in such a hurry—did something happen?"

Man Yu had originally been worried that his newly acquainted friend might be bullied, so he had sent a message to his sect brothers, asking them to come and lend support.

In a daze, he shook his head. "It seems... the matter is already resolved..."

The Nanshan cultivators: ?

……

Yunxi Peak.

As the foremost main peak of the Cloudtop Sect, Yunxi Peak pierced straight into the clouds, its snow never melting year-round. Around the Snowfall Hall, mist hung endlessly, making it seem as though the heavens, frost, and mist had merged into one.

Luo Ci immediately recognized the figure waiting for him outside the Snowfall Hall. He sniffed the air to confirm he wasn’t mistaken. "Little mudman!"

Back when he had sent the little mudman to the mortal realm, he had imagined what it might look like after taking human form. Now, he was surprised to find that the reality wasn’t far off from what he’d imagined.

Still, he wasn’t quite used to it. The little mudman, once no bigger than his palm, now stood so much taller—he had to tilt his head up just to see Yunxi’s face.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Yunxi dropped to his knees before him.

The Cloudtop Sect Leader was also startled. The Cloudtop Sect’s current position as the top sect in the immortal world was largely due to Yunxi Immortal’s protection. He had only vaguely known that both Yunxi Immortal and the Little Fox Lord came from the primordial realm, but he hadn’t realized Yunxi Immortal would show such reverence to the Little Fox Lord, even going so far as to kneel.

Shocked, the Cloudtop Sect Leader and the elders hastily followed suit, falling to their knees with bowed heads, not daring to look up.

Luo Ci knew Yunxi was kneeling to express gratitude for the physical form he had been granted, so he waved a hand to signal him to rise. "No need to kneel. Let’s go inside and talk."

Only then did Yunxi stand. He glanced at the Cloudtop Sect Leader and sent a silent message, instructing them to wait at the foot of the peak.

The Cloudtop Sect Leader quickly understood—the Immortal wished to entertain the Little Fox Lord alone and didn’t want them intruding. He immediately led the others away from the Snowfall Hall, though he remained concerned that the Immortal might have further instructions later, so he and the elders stationed themselves at the base of Yunxi Peak.

Luo Ci, holding Yunxi’s hand, entered the Snowfall Hall. Glancing at the height difference between them, he noted that he only reached Yunxi’s shoulder. When standing beside Lu Yun, he had only come up to his chest—so Lu Yun was even taller.

But Yunxi’s skin was pale, his ink-black hair cascading like a waterfall, making his complexion appear even fairer. Dressed in snow-white robes with billowing sleeves, his figure was slender yet not frail. A frost-white sword hung at his hip, giving him an aura of cold elegance, like silver snow under moonlight.

Luo Ci blinked, marveling at how the little mudman he had painstakingly molded had turned into such a striking person.

Pleased, he said, "As expected, my taste is impeccable."

What struck him as odd, however, was that Yunxi hadn’t spoken a word, quietly leading him deeper into the inner hall.

Inside, he saw numerous spirit eggs, far superior in quality to those in the Lavender Purple Garden, each radiating a rich, luminous glow.

"Spirit eggs..." The scent alone made Luo Ci’s mouth water. So many eggs—they smelled delicious.

But why was Yunxi showing him all these eggs?

Puzzled, he asked, "Are they all for me?"

Yunxi nodded.

They were all prepared for the little fox.

Luo Ci’s happiness bubbled over, his little ears popping out. "Wow, thank you! I love them..."

Those fluffy little ears were utterly irresistible. Yunxi’s fingers twitched slightly beneath his sleeves, but in the end, his hand only rested lightly on Luo Ci’s back. *[As long as the Little Fox Lord is pleased.]*

Luo Ci flicked the tips of his ears. Finally, he heard Yunxi’s voice—cool and steady, though not spoken aloud. It was more like a spiritual transmission.

"Is this telepathy?" Then it occurred to him that Yunxi hadn’t spoken at all since they met. A thought struck him. "Can you not speak?"

Yunxi: *[Clay beings lack the organs needed for speech, including vocal cords.]*

Luo Ci frowned. "Why is that?"

Yunxi: *[Clay beings are born without internal organs, including a heart. So speaking isn’t possible. But the Little Fox Lord need not worry.]*

He’d always preferred quiet, choosing to reside atop Yunxi Peak precisely to avoid disturbances. Whether or not he could converse with others held little significance to him.

If there was ever a need for communication, mind-speech worked fine.

Luo Ci, however, didn’t see it that way. He glanced at Yunxi, then at the empty, silent Snowfall Hall.

He loved to chatter all day long. For Yunxi to keep all his words locked inside must be unbearable. How could he not worry?

He’d have to ask Lu Yun if there was any solution. But until he had a clear answer, he kept the thought to himself.

Luo Ci slipped his hand into Yunxi’s palm.

Perhaps because his true form was a mudman, Yunxi’s hand was large and cool, while the little fox’s was warm. Though Yunxi didn’t feel cold, he found himself unwilling to let go.

Luo Ci, bursting with curiosity, asked, "Tell me, what have you been doing in the immortal realm?"

So Yunxi recounted his experiences after descending to the mortal world.

Formed from Xirang and Prosperity Stone by Luo Ci, he had taken human form with an immortal body but no cultivation. When he first entered the mortal realm, many sects saw him as a prize. Thanks to the Cloudtop Sect’s founder, he was able to seclude himself in a quiet blessed land to cultivate.

Born with an innate immortal physique, he absorbed spiritual energy faster than ordinary immortals. Having once perused countless ancient texts in the divine realm’s archives, he refined the Prosperity Stone into his bonded spirit sword and swiftly ascended to the rank of Immortal.

At that time, the demon realm invaded, throwing the immortal realm into chaos. Many sects were devastated under the Demon King’s assault, and fewer than one in ten Immortals survived. Remembering the Cloudtop Sect founder’s kindness, he battled the Demon King for three months until the Demon King retreated to the demon realm, ending the immortal realm’s calamity. Under his protection, the Cloudtop Sect gradually rose to become the leading immortal sect.

Luo Ci listened with rapt attention, his ears twitching excitedly. Previously, he had only heard such tales from storytellers, but this was actual history. He wished he could have witnessed it himself and sighed regretfully. "Too bad I drank that godly wine and got drunk—otherwise, I could’ve watched it all through the Prosperity Stone."

*[I have a gift for the Little Fox Lord.]*

Yunxi drew the frost-white sword at his hip. Forged from the Prosperity Stone, it was his other self. With a thought, the blade sliced open a passage in the air.

Luo Ci followed him inside and found himself in a stunning valley, its spiritual energy even denser than that of the Cloudtop Sect. Bewildered, he asked, "Where is this?"

Yunxi: *[This is the Blessed Paradise, the most spirit-rich place in the immortal realm. From now on, it belongs to the Little Fox Lord.]*

After the great calamity, many sects had never regained their former glory. The hierarchy of immortal sects had been reshuffled, and blessed lands were redistributed. The Blessed Paradise, richest in spiritual energy, was a place Yunxi had specially reserved for the Little Fox Lord.

Luo Ci ran happily under the green canopy, then noticed a snow sculpture under an ancient tree, crafted from snow. "What’s this... Is this me?"

The ice sculpture stood thirty feet tall, like a living fox curled up under the tree, dozing.

He approached and touched the fox's head, finding the snow wasn't cold and didn't melt, much like the snow in the Snowfall Hall.

Luo Ci lay on the fox's back, propping his chin with one hand, his eyes full of curiosity. "Did you make this ice sculpture?"

Yun Xi gave a silent nod.

Years ago, he had carried a handful of snow to this hidden realm and carved the sculpture with the *Nuwa Sword*.

When he missed him... he would come to see it.

It was clear the little clay figure missed him too, and the little fox's tail couldn't help but perk up happily.

Luo Ci transformed into a small fox, frolicking joyfully in the grass. The pure white fox, with crystal-blue eyes and a snow-white tail that flowed like falling snow, dashed about until he had his fill of play. Then, returning to human form, he hugged his tail and sat atop the snow fox, sighing. "Ah, giving me this paradise is wasted—I can't stay in the immortal realm for too long."

Yun Xi also knew the Little Fox Lord wouldn't remain in the immortal realm for long.

Having once lived in the divine palace himself, he understood the Ancient God's deep regard for him.

In fact, because he had once been a clay figure, he saw some things even more clearly than he did—

Clay figures had no heart-mind, so they knew nothing of emotions or desires. But the little fox had given him life, forging the deepest bond between them. Yet, what of the Ancient God? A god's love was fickle, yet the Ancient God showed the little fox unparalleled indulgence. How had the seed of their karmic connection been sown?

A thoughtful ripple passed in Yun Xi's ice-pale eyes before vanishing like a ripple on a lake.

[When does the Little Fox Lord plan to return to the divine realm?]

Luo Ci fiddled with the tip of his tail. "Nine years and eleven months from now."

Yun Xi nodded.

For mortals, this span of time was long, but for immortals, it was but a fleeting moment.

Though the Yunshang Sect Leader had sealed the news, the spectacle at the Glistening Violet Garden had drawn too many onlookers, and word had leaked out of the Little Fox Lord's visit in small circles.

During this time, Luo Ci accompanied Yun Xi through various hidden realms. Unlike others who sought rare materials and treasures, he was simply curious, wandering through to admire the scenery.

Thus, anyone entering these realms during that period would see Yunxi Immortal accompanied by a strikingly handsome youth. Additionally, Luo Ci attended a few auctions at the Treasure Pavilion but quickly lost interest when nothing caught his eye.

Many well-informed sect leaders sent invitations, asking Luo Ci to visit their sects. Out of curiosity, he accepted a few, but once they learned he hailed from the divine realm, they treated him with awed deference.

Wherever he went, crowds prostrated themselves, ready to worship him. Every time he tried to strike up a conversation, he was met with bowed heads, and gradually, he stopped accepting such invitations.

Luo Ci noticed Yun Xi held an extraordinarily high status in the immortal realm. Whenever major sects had important matters to discuss, they sought his impartial judgment. Yun Xi always ruled with fairness, never swayed by personal bias—like an upright enforcer of justice.

This made him happy. If Yun Xi had remained in the ancient realm for his sake, forever just a clay figure, he would have regretted it. Now, in the immortal realm, he was an arbiter of justice, and he was genuinely glad for him.

This only deepened his regret that Yun Xi couldn't speak, prompting him to ask Lu Yun if there was any way to resolve it.

Lu Yun awoke from a nap to another message lantern drifting down from the immortal realm.

Lately, he had been hesitating, his emotions growing increasingly tangled. Even for him, it was difficult to sort through them all at once. It was clear the Little Fox Lord was happy in the immortal realm, so as the elder, he had been restraining these feelings.

The pages he had sent had been read over and over.

This time, the message was especially brief.

No childish doodles, no playful paw prints.

The question remained the same—was there any way to help the clay figure speak?