Chapter 21 Who is the Most Dramatic Little Fox Spirit

Chapter 21: Who’s the Biggest Drama Queen Little Fox Spirit?

The guy stared at him for a good long while, then left without a word.

Xie Huanxiang didn’t give it a second thought.

But when he saw Meng Zeshu outside the wooden cabin again the next night, he couldn’t be bothered with him and went to shut the door.

“Huanxiang?” Meng Zeshu approached, a smile on his face, his hand stuck in the door gap. “What’s with the long face seeing your senior brother?”

Xie Huanxiang gave him a dirty look, crossed his arms, and turned his back. “What do you want now, Senior Brother?”

“I’m here to say goodbye,” Meng Zeshu said. “The Tonghua Secret Realm entrance opens tomorrow, so I gotta head out tonight.”

“Tonghua Secret Realm?” Xie Huanxiang’s ears perked up, cracking the door open and sticking his head out. “The one where you walk in and get free loot and lucky breaks?”

Meng Zeshu nodded. “The Tonghua Secret Realm only opens once every hundred years, with a north and south entrance. The north entrance is controlled by demons now, and a bunch of cultivators are waiting at the south one. It’s only open for an hour tomorrow, so I gotta sword-fly over there tonight.”

“Oh.” Xie Huanxiang dropped his head, his eyes shifting all over.

“Huanxiang, I stashed a few jars of your favorite grape wine in the cabin. If you want some, just help yourself,” Meng Zeshu said, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “Seven days tops—I’ll be back in a week.”

“Can you wait till I’m asleep before you go?” Xie Huanxiang tugged at his robe, trying to force out tears but coming up dry, so he just fake-wiped his eyes with his hand. “I just had a nightmare, and I’m really scared.”

The kid’s acting was terrible; anyone with eyes could see the guilt in his shifty little eyes.

Xie Huanxiang, spoiled rotten since he was a kid and used to getting his way, would never bother to put on a good act to trick a guy.

Sure enough, after a few seconds of Meng Zeshu not saying anything, Xie Huanxiang turned away in a huff and pouted. “If you’re in such a hurry, just go already. I’ll find someone else to hang out with.”

He stepped inside and shut the door behind him. Inside, just one lamp was lit, making Meng Zeshu’s scholarly face flicker in the light. “Senior Brother’s staying with you.”

Mission accomplished, Xie Huanxiang obediently lay back down, wrapped in the blanket with only his big round eyes showing. “Second Senior Brother, who’s stronger, you or the eldest senior brother?”

As a spy, stirring up trouble among these humans was part of his job too.

Meng Zeshu tucked in the blanket he’d kicked off at his feet and said with a warm smile, “Well, in Huanxiang’s heart, who matters more, me or the eldest senior brother?”

“…” Xie Huanxiang was stunned.

How could he do that! I asked first!

Cool as a cucumber, Xie Huanxiang slowly said, “Of course you’re more important, Second Senior Brother. The eldest senior brother won’t even let me have a drink.”

He paused, then couldn’t help adding, “If only you wouldn’t act so weird like last night, that would be even better.”

“Last night?” Meng Zeshu narrowed his eyes.

Xie Huanxiang nodded. “Second Senior Brother, you were so fierce last night.”

His voice was soft, and complaining about being fierce in the dim night was bound to get people thinking.

“If it happens again, Huanxiang should just beat me out without holding back,” Meng Zeshu said with a faint smile, a chill rising in his eyes. “Better yet, scratch my face so I won’t show my face again.”

Xie Huanxiang asked, confused, “Second Senior Brother, are you angry?”

“That’s my line,” Meng Zeshu said gently. “Isn’t Huanxiang angry?”

Xie Huanxiang smiled. “Well, just a little.”

Xie Huanxiang grew drowsy, but whenever he sensed the man by the bed about to get up and leave, he would immediately wake up crying and fussing.

Helpless, Meng Zeshu stayed by his bedside the entire night.

At dawn, Xie Huanxiang sat up and stretched, a hint of tears at the corners of his eyes. “Good morning, Second Senior Brother.”

“Did you sleep well last night, Huanxiang?” Meng Zeshu pulled up the collar that had slipped off his shoulder.

Xie Huanxiang nodded.

Meng Zeshu glanced at the sky, a hint of gravity in his eyes. “Second Senior Brother has to go.”

“Okay.” Xie Huanxiang watched the man leave, then lay back down.

Even if Meng Zeshu rushed over now, he’d probably be too late.

Xie Huanxiang let out a smug hum.

He was so wicked.

By nightfall, Xie Huanxiang was munching on roast chicken at the table, ordering the attendant Wu Liu to feed him wine, when Meng Zeshu suddenly burst through the door in a hurry.

“Second Senior Brother?” Xie Huanxiang hadn’t even wiped the grease from his lips, licking it off with lingering satisfaction. He hid his glee and asked tentatively, “Why are you… back already?”

Ha, he must have missed the secret realm and come back dejected, Xie Huanxiang thought.

“Huanxiang…” Meng Zeshu seemed not to notice Wu Liu beside him, shoving him aside and pulling Xie Huanxiang into a tight embrace, his voice hoarse. “Huanxiang, thank you.”

Xie Huanxiang was even more puzzled. “What happened?”

“The Tonghua Secret Realm collapsed,” Meng Zeshu said with a bitter laugh, his arms trembling slightly as he held him. “None of the cultivators who entered survived. I arrived late and didn’t make it in, so I escaped with my life.

“Huanxiang, you saved my life. No wonder everyone in the sect calls you a little lucky star.”

Xie Huanxiang’s eyes widened in disbelief as he pointed at himself. “I’m a little lucky star again?”

How was he a lucky star again?

How was he… drifting further from his wicked fox demon plan?

“This is a serious matter. The Tonghua Secret Realm was the site of a tribulation-crossing great power from a thousand years ago. Unless someone with cultivation matching that power interfered, no one would have failed to escape,” Meng Zeshu said gravely. “Huanxiang, I must report this to Master immediately.”

What Meng Zeshu didn’t mention was that when the realm collapsed, he had sensed an extremely powerful demonic force.

“So Master will have to come out of seclusion?” Xie Huanxiang pressed.

“Huanxiang doesn’t need to worry,” Meng Zeshu said, patting his head. “No matter what happens, your senior brothers will stand in front of you.”

“Is the roast chicken good?”

Xie Huanxiang nodded.

Meng Zeshu smiled. “Huanxiang just needs to eat and sleep well.”

Meng Zeshu didn’t stay long and soon left.

Xie Huanxiang stared at the chicken bone in his hand. Wu Liu handed him a fresh cup of grape wine, but he suddenly threw a tantrum, knocking the cup to the floor.

“Didn’t you hear? My plan failed again! Aren’t you full of ideas? Why aren’t you helping me think of something!” Xie Huanxiang threw the chicken bone at the man, his tone fierce.

Wu Liu approached calmly, his hand resting on the youth's slender shoulder, which another man had just touched. "Huanxiang, what do you want me to do?"

He leaned down, close to Xie Huanxiang's ear. "How do you want Meng Zeshu to die? Tendons pulled out, bones broken, his corpse fed to dogs—vicious enough? Satisfied now, Huanxiang?"

"..." Xie Huanxiang inexplicably shivered, scooting back on the soft couch.

"You... why are you like this? You're so weird."

"Weird? It's Huanxiang who's weird," Wu Liu said, reaching out to cup his face, his thumb gently wiping the grease from the little fox spirit's soft cheek. "Pretending to be so vicious, yet all you want is to cause Meng Zeshu some trivial trouble—"

The man's deep voice was icy and piercing, making Xie Huanxiang tremble involuntarily. "Huanxiang, are you trying to mess with them, or are you trying to seduce them?"

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