Chapter 64 Overflowing Affection

Hao Meili sat inside Ma Zengsan's carriage.

Ma Zengsan had lost his ox and donkey, but had somehow managed to procure a horse. Still grieving his lost livestock, he muttered unceasingly from the carriage, "Gao Dagao refused to return my donkey and ox. I had better take the young miss home early to avoid any further complications. Boss Hao keeps a few flying cranes and geese at home; once we return, the young miss can help me ask for one, so I can fly about to handle matters more easily in the future."

Hao Meili's thoughts were far from the donkey and ox; troubled by another matter, she said, "Uncle Ma, I'll ask for one for you when we get home. Xiao Bugui is truly a demon, and he is also the son of Shi Yuhuan. Since ancient times, the paths of mortals and demons, of righteousness and evil, have been irreconcilable. I fear we may no longer be able to remain friends in the future."

Ma Zengsan replied, "Mortals have the virtuous and the wicked, and demons have the righteous and the corrupt. Not all demons in the pugilistic world are villains; it is simply that mortals and demons can never have a true ending. My lady, just consider him a passing acquaintance met by chance."

Hao Meili only voiced half her thoughts: "Last time he left without a word, my parents said he was a demon. I did not wish to disobey my parents, but deep in my heart, I knew Brother Xiao would never harm me. And now, we are once again parting without a word."

Upon reaching the designated rendezvous point, Ma Zengsan gazed up at the azure sky, stepped down from the carriage, and said, "In a moment, a flock of wild geese will descend. If we mount them, we can fly straight home."

Yet Hao Meili's eyes swept across every visible corner of Demon Mountain, longing for a farewell with a certain demon, while the surrounding woods carried an air of chilling hostility.

The sheer magnitude of internal energy generated intense bodily heat, causing Xiao Bugui's tail to ignite in flames. To alleviate the scorching sensation of the spearhead, he caught sight of a rabbit darting from the grass, lashed his tail, and hurled the spearhead like a flying dart. It incinerated the leaping rabbit, transforming the fresh ingredient into a savory roast. The spearhead then flew back to his tail, bringing the cooked rabbit meat along with it.

Appetite robust, Xiao Bugui chewed the rabbit meat heartily. Catching sight of wild geese flying across the sky, he tossed the rabbit into the Azure Lion's gaping mouth, leaped into the air, caught a live goose with both hands, and plummeted back down.

The captive goose wailed in distress, prompting its mate to circle around Xiao Bugui in frantic despair. Parched with thirst, Xiao Bugui bit straight through the goose's neck and drained its blood to the last drop, then discarded the carcass into the lion's mouth. The solitary goose circling above began to wail, its mournful cries echoing endlessly. Annoyed, Xiao Bugui raised the Seven-Searing Spear in one hand and hurled it, capturing the grieving bird as well.

Shouldering the spear with a wild goose dangling from its shaft, Xiao Bugui continued joyfully on his ride atop the lion.

When Ma Zengsan witnessed the geese meet such a violent end, his hope turned to despair. To be trapped with no way to leave was excruciatingly painful. Meanwhile, Hao Meili gazed at the formidable Xiao Bugui, her face blooming with an admiring smile.

Crossing paths with the two, Xiao Bugui asked, "What are you doing here?"

Hao Meili answered, "I am going home."

Xiao Bugui said, "It is already this late. Wait until tomorrow morning to leave."

Hao Meili said, "It truly is impossible to leave today now that the geese coming to fetch us have been killed by you."

Xiao Bugui said, "My apologies, I was hungry and wanted some game."

Ma Zengsan sighed and said, "Immortal cranes will fly by tomorrow. We have no choice but to wait until tomorrow."

Xiao Bugui declared, "Tomorrow I shall travel with you. I wish to collect the Pugilistic World Tokens."

Believing that he had acquired earth-shattering power, they expected Xiao Bugui's personality to change and his values to be renewed, yet his mind was still set on returning to the Immortal Island. Ji Qingcheng descended from the sky, looking at Xiao Bugui with maternal affection, and commanded, "You are not allowed to go anywhere from now on. You must stay by your mother's side and protect Demon Mountain."

Still harboring lingering fear toward his stern mother, Xiao Bugui timidly muttered, "I wanted to venture into the pugilistic world."

Ji Qingcheng dared not scold the biological son she had only just reunited with, but she felt free to vent her displeasure on the two outsiders: "It's all because of this eldest miss of the Hao family that my son was seduced into suffering in the mortal realm. I see no reason for you to leave; you shall stay right here as my son's maidservant."

Hao Meili cast a pleading look at Ma Zengsan. Reading the situation and knowing that silence was the wisest course of action to effect a quiet rescue later, Ma Zengsan offered an apologetic expression that clearly conveyed his helplessness.

Ji Qingcheng caught every bit of this and treated Ma Zengsan with even less courtesy: "You old wretch, you look untrustworthy at first glance. If you want to keep your life, leave your carriage behind and get out of Demon Mountain immediately."

Daring not to mourn his carriage any longer, Ma Zengsan smiled wryly, threw himself flat onto the ground, and rolled away.

Fearing her parents would worry, Hao Meili called out, "Uncle Ma, tell my father and mother that I am doing very well here and they need not worry!"

"Rest assured, Young Miss!" Occupied with rolling, Ma Zengsan nearly crashed into a tree stump. He offered a clumsy, sheepish smile and resumed rolling until he grew smaller and smaller, finally descending down the mountain.

"Young Miss Hao, from now on you are my maidservant. Follow me." Fearing his mother might harm Hao Meili, Xiao Bugui took her by the hand and helped her mount the Azure Lion.

Hao Meili did not refuse his hand. Her heart had been captured by him on that very Lantern Festival. Though she had resolved to cut ties, fate kept bringing them together, and parting grew harder each time. As the Azure Lion galloped forward and the warm wind brushed her face, Hao Meili sat right behind Xiao Bugui. Frightened of falling, she wrapped her arms around his waist. To shield herself from the sweeping branches, falling leaves, and flying insects, she buried her hair and face against Xiao Bugui's back. Being with the one she loved could only bring happiness; she decided to surrender to this joy, and a smile returned to her face.

Unable to help herself, she asked Xiao Bugui, "No wonder I always felt you were so cold and detached—it turns out you were transformed from a stone. Were you deliberately tricking me all along?"

Xiao Bugui happily replied, "Let me tell you, I am a humanoid rabbit, or to be precise, a humanoid rabbit made of stone. You may call me Young Master Jade Rabbit."

Hao Meili smiled and said, "If you are the Jade Rabbit, then I must be Chang'e."

Not far ahead was Hu Jiao's dwelling. The Azure Lion leaped directly over the wall of the Ancient Moon Pavilion and landed in the courtyard. Hu Jiao and Zhu Xiu were busy with needlework, comparing whose embroidered Mandarin ducks were more exquisite.

"Sister Zhu, your Mandarin ducks are growing prettier by the day."

"Sister Jiaojiao, it is yours that are truly lovely."

Just then, Xiao Bugui returned with Hao Meili in tow. Believing Hao Meili had already departed, Hu Jiao was displeased to see her back, especially looking so intimately close to him. With a trace of mockery, she asked, "Didn't the young miss of the Hao family say she was leaving? Why hasn't she gone?"

Xiao Bugui helped Hao Meili down from the lion's back and said, "Miss Hao cannot leave anymore; the Cult Master will not permit her to go. From now on, she is my maidservant and will live here with you. It is inconvenient for her to stay at the inn."

Hu Jiao might have dared to refuse Xiao Bugui, but she could never defy the Cult Master.

Embracing her newly found maternal instincts, Ji Qingcheng could not bear to be apart from her long-lost son. She pursued them into the courtyard and commanded, "Son, from now on Miss Hao will live in the Ancient Moon Pavilion, and you shall live here as well. You need not return to the inn. Crows are omens of bad luck; you are much better off staying here."

Since Xiao Bugui preferred living with Hu Jiao, he happily agreed, "Understood, Mother."

Seeing the smile on her son's face, and wishing to gratify his every desire, Ji Qingcheng turned to Hu Jiao and ordered, "Hu Jiao, you have been my disciple and have been raised by me since childhood. You have earned my utmost trust, so starting tomorrow, you shall be my son's bedchamber maid."

Thrilled to have Xiao Bugui's company, Hu Jiao replied, "Understood, Cult Master."

Ji Qingcheng longed to spend time alone with Xiao Bugui, but this foolish boy had started wandering off as soon as she handed him the magic box. Worried that the box's immense power might overwhelm him, she had followed him closely, only feeling at ease once she saw he was unharmed. Yet her son's heart seemed made of stone, occupied entirely by a young maiden rather than his own mother. Sighing, she coaxed him as if he were a young child, "Son, come to the grotto tonight to find me. Mother still has wonderful things to give you."