Chapter 138

Chapter 138: Zhu Miao’s Little Schemes

Shen Sang Ruo sighed softly, then said: “At this rate, how am I supposed to explain things to the Old Shaman?”

She could not let the little Bamboo Bear keep holding her back, so she decided to treat it coldly. She forced herself to keep a stern face at the silly, cute little thing.

The little Bamboo Bear stared at Shen Sang Ruo, who had always spoiled it, only to find she was now ignoring it.

When it reached out to her again and she still did not pick it up, the little one stomped its feet in anger.

[Old Shaman, huh? Hmph.] A deep glint flashed in the little Bamboo Bear’s eyes.

Then it pumped its short legs and shot out like a tiny cannonball.

Fang Yu came in from the doorway, surprised, and said: “Sister Sang Ruo, the little Bamboo Bear ran off. It actually left.”

Shen Sang Ruo thought her cold shoulder had worked, and she said: “It should be going back to the depths of the Phantom Mirage Domain. Let’s go. We should leave too.”

Fang Yu nodded, packed up their things, and set out with her to leave the Phantom Mirage Domain.

After they had gone only a few miles from Wuqing Stockade, a figure rushed after them, shouting: “Wait, wait!”

Shen Sang Ruo turned and saw the Old Shaman. In only half a day he looked visibly haggard. If not for the mask on his face, she and Fang Yu might have gotten to admire the little Bamboo Bear’s “masterpiece.”

On his head stood a proud, puffed black and white dumpling.

The contrast in their presence could not have been sharper.

She asked, her gaze flicking to the little Bamboo Bear on his head: “Old Shaman, why did you chase after us?”

The little one shot her a smug look.

Shen Sang Ruo had a bad feeling.

The Old Shaman cleared his throat and said, embarrassed: “Well, I would like to trouble you to look after it for a while.”

His sudden change of mind left Shen Sang Ruo stunned, and she started: “Old Shaman, didn’t you say—”

He cut her off right away, his eyes saying not to bring that up.

He pressed a storage pouch into her arms like he feared she would refuse, and said: “If you agree, I’ve prepared a thank you gift. You won’t be helping for nothing. Inside are some treasures from the Phantom Mirage Domain. Once you mark it with your Divine Sense, they are yours.”

Shen Sang Ruo sent her Divine Sense into the pouch, clicked her tongue, and wondered if most of the Old Shaman’s wealth was in there. He had really gone all in.

The Old Shaman looked like his heart was bleeding, and he said: “I already talked to it. It will listen to you and won’t cause trouble. When it has played enough, it will come back on its own.”

Shen Sang Ruo looked at the little Bamboo Bear on his head. So it had not “come to its senses.” It had gone to “persuade” the Old Shaman.

That look made the little Bamboo Bear give a guilty smile. It reached a paw toward her, testing the waters.

This time Shen Sang Ruo also reached out her hand. The little Bamboo Bear leaped into her arms with delight. Its eyes squinted with joy.

There was no helping it. He had given too much.

She kept her face stern and said: “Don’t laugh yet. If you can’t behave, I will ignore you again.”

The little Bamboo Bear nodded hard like pounding garlic and even raised its paw to swear.

The Old Shaman finally let out a breath. He had at last sent this Little Ancestor away, but his face soon grew sad again.

His own Mountain God had gone off with someone else.

Even though the land and mountains were linked and the little Bamboo Bear would never lose its bond with the Phantom Mirage Domain no matter where it went, he still felt a stab of loss.

After she had settled things with the little one, Shen Sang Ruo looked to the Old Shaman and said: “Please don’t worry. I will take good care of it.”

He waved them on, eyes holding the soft reluctance of an old father, and said: “Alright, then I’ll leave it to you. You two go on.”

Fang Yu glanced at him and asked in a low voice: “Old Shaman, are you sure you’re alright?”

The Old Shaman took a deep breath, pressed down his feelings, and said with effort: “Go on, go on.”

Only then did they turn to leave.

After they had walked a bit farther, the Old Shaman shouted after them with a sob in his voice: “Will we meet again, Zhu Miao? When we do, please be happy, alright?”

He cried louder: “Zhu Miao, Zhu Miao, how will the Phantom Mirage Domain get by without you?”

Shen Sang Ruo and Fang Yu both fell silent.

Fang Yu lowered his voice and asked: “Sister Sang Ruo, is the Old Shaman really okay?”

She sounded unsure as she said: “He should be… I guess? Forget it, let’s go.”

She turned to the little Bamboo Bear and asked: “Your name is Zhu Miao?”

The little one stood at ease on her shoulder and nodded. Pride filled its tiny face.

Fang Yu asked: “Sister Sang Ruo, what identity does this little guy have to make the Old Shaman treat it like that?”

She said calmly: “Its identity doesn’t matter. I only need to do what I promised the Old Shaman.”

Even so, she had her guesses.

Shen Sang Ruo tied a cloak-like item around Zhu Miao’s thick, short neck. It was something the Old Shaman had given her separately, called a Magic Cloak.

She thought it looked just right on Zhu Miao.

But after they walked a while, Shen Sang Ruo felt Zhu Miao on her shoulder was too eye catching.

She patted the little one’s rear and said: “Can you do some Miniaturization?”

Zhu Miao thought for a moment, then seemed to get an idea. It stretched out its paw and motioned for her to put her finger against it.

Shen Sang Ruo did so. A faint light flashed where finger and paw touched.

In the next instant, Zhu Miao turned into a streak of light and slipped into the space between her brows.

She had asked it to Miniaturize, but it disappeared instead.

She called softly: “Zhu Miao?”

After getting a response from the little one, she relaxed.

Fang Yu asked: “Sister Sang Ruo, where did it go?”

Shen Sang Ruo answered, uncertain: “It seems to be in my sea of consciousness?”

“Oh,” Fang Yu said, and he did not ask more.

The problem was solved, so she did not dwell on it. It was also much safer for Zhu Miao this way.

It was lucky neither of them knew anything about the Beast Mastery Technique. The little one had gotten its way.

They kept moving without stopping toward the edge of the Phantom Mirage Domain.

Meanwhile, inside Wuqing Stockade:

After a few days of rest, the Old Shaman decided to reopen the Floating Cloud Tower and choose another slot for entry.

The main reason was that the Little Ancestor’s sudden appearance had made him stop early last time, so he had not “shown off” enough.

He decided to do it again to relax his mood.

In the crowd before the Floating Cloud Tower, Feng He Yun hurried over carrying Lu Shi Qing on his back.

He said with joy: “I thought I missed the chance to enter the Floating Cloud Tower. Heaven really does leave a path. It’s open again. Third Junior Brother, you’re saved!”

Looking closely, Lu Shi Qing’s lips were even more purple than before, and he was completely unconscious.

By rights, Master Ling Xiao had stabilized his condition, so it should not have gotten this bad.

Shen Sang Ruo’s emotional outburst triggering the Gu insect was one reason, but the bigger reason was Feng He Yun, this foolish Senior Brother.