"Gu Tou! Are you alright?"
Tang Bao finally heaved a sigh of relief as she climbed beside Hua Qian Gu and patted her small face. Tang Bao looked at how she was entirely dazed and wondered if she was had received too much of a shock. Luckily, she had run into Bai Zi Hua. If had been a hot tempered deity like Lie Huo Xing Jun, she would have been squished a long time ago.
“I……” Hua Qian Gu moved her lips and felt as though neither her body nor her throat belonged to her and could not speak for a long time. She fought to recover her “lost soul” and finally felt her eyes focus. She realised that the person was Tang Bao and not the immortal who had smiled so alluringly at her earlier.
“Bao, I, I think I am a little drunk. I am so tired……” Hua Qian Gu’s eyelids were fighting with her.
“Ah, Gu Tou, don’t sleep. If you get drunk on Wang You wine, you will be in dreamland for three to four years! I can’t wake you then!” as she said this, she aimed a few pinches at Hua Qian Gu. It was so pain that Hua Qian Gu kept wincing.
She shook her head hard and tried hard to regain consciousness. She still had important things she had not done and couldn’t just fall sleep. But, she really wanted to sleep soundly in his palm for a lifetime!
“So he is Bai Zi Hua? I thought that he was an old grandfather like Priest QingXu.”
“Typically, whatever an immortal looks like when they become an immortal, is what they will look like forever, unless the person is willing to age further.”
“Tang Bao, I, I suddenly am a bit afraid. I would find it much easier to get close to him if he was a kindly old grandfather. Will he reject taking me in as a disciple?”
“I don’t know either, Stop worrying. If he refuses, we will pester him until he agrees.”
“Keke, now that everyone is here, should I transform back and go down to explain why I am here?”
“Don’t be rash first. Let’s wait until they start discussing this matter before deciding.”
“Oh.” Hua Qian Gu used two feet to support her chin. She completely did not listen to what the surrounding immortals were discussing. The only thing she was looking at was Bai Zi Hua who was sitting under the tree. Each and every gesture he made tugged tightly at her hearts.
“I agree with what everyone has said. The portals that have been forcefully opened between the demon, monster and nether world and the human world will be sealed by the 20 Zhu Tian. The only thing that is slightly worrying is that Priest Qing Xu has yet to arrive.” the Jade Emperor stroked his beard as he looked at the immortals as though he was hoping that someone would step out and explain this.
Given the chaos and unending strife in the world now, there were many immortals absent without reason from the Immortal’s Feast. Why did he only asked solely about the Leader of Mt Mao? Most of the immortals gave a bewildered expression. Only a small minority knew that Priest Qing Xu was one of the guardians of the Instrument of the Gods and they had been uneasy from the start of the feast.
The leader of Mt Lao suddenly stated: ” Since Your Majesty mentioned it, the disciple that was sent by me to send a letter to Mt Mao has yet to return. Could something have happened at Mt Mao?”
“Has Yun Ying arrived?” the Jade Emperor looked around anxiously.
“No. He sent a message saying that he was midst in exterminating demons and cannot excuse himself.”
“Not a single disciple from Mt Mao Sect has arrived?” the Jade Emperor knitted his eyebrows. Typically even if a sect leader is busy, he will send some disciples to come to the feast.
Tang Bao gave Hua Qian Gu, who was still looking smittenly at Bai Zi Hua, a good kick.
“Quick! It’s time for you to make your entrance!!”
Tang Bao silently chanted as Hua Qian Gu rolled down the the tree. Hua Qian Gu transformed into her human form in mid-air and crashed pathetically on Bai Zi Hua’s table. Hua Qian Gu inwardly sighed at her failed entrance. If only she had fallen into his embrace.
All the immortals flew into a great panic. How could a mere mortal suddenly appear at the Immortal’s Feast! It was precisely because she was too ordinary without any powers that nobody noticed her presence.
Hua Qian Gu flusteredly caught the topped wine cup, afraid that she would accidentally stain the white clothes of the person in front of her.
A lot of things are falling from the sky today, Bai Zi Hua thought wordlessly to himself.
He looked at the red faced child who had crashed all fours on the table before him. The child was dressed shabbily, her messy hair like a bird nest. Nonetheless, even though an object with strong powers has suppressing it, he could still feel the unique and strange aura emanating from her. He really, really did– not, like, it.
The child’s jet black pupils were glistening as though it was the brightest crystal encompassing the entire starry sky. At this moment, she was flusteredly looking all around. Even though her nervousness was written all over her face, there was no fear even under the scrutiny of the various immortals.
As she clumsily tried to salvage the mess on the table, it was as though she was purposely hiding from his gaze and did not dare to look himself at all.
“Where did this wild child come from!” Lei Yin suddenly gave a great shout and strode forward. Her voice was so loud that Tang Bao nearly fell off the tree. Crap! Gu Tou Mama, quickly speak, quickly speak!
Hua Qian Gu raised raise her head and stared at his two heads stunned. Was this person an immortal or a demon?
Suddenly, she felt her entire body being lifted into mid-air. He had grabbed her collar and lifted her like he was lifting a tiny chick. She struggled as hard as she could, but she merely looked like she was swimming in mid-air. Her posture and actions were hilarious.
“You are too bold. To think you actually dare to cause trouble on the Heavenly Feast!” Both mouths on both heads shouted out at the same time.
“I…..I was asked to come by Priest Qing Xu!” Hua Qian Gu shouted out loudly.
“Old Priest Qing Xu?” the surrounding people were stunned. Lei Yin was shocked as well, “Why did he ask a small rascal like you to come?”
“Lei Yin, quickly put that child down and listen to what she has to say.” Queen Mother reprimanded.
Only then did Lei Yin throw Hua Qian Gu on a patch of grass at the side. Hua Qian Gu rubbed her aching back. She climbed up and stood straight. It was still easier to communicate with immortals compared to demons.
“This is what happened……” Hua Qian Gu explained in detail how she kept meeting ghosts, went to Mt Mao to learn skills, how she obtained the Heaven’s Droplet from Yi Qiao Ge because she unable to enter the mountain, and went up the mountain to find that the entire Mt Mao Sect had been massacred. She then went on to explain how the dying Priest Qing Xu tasked her with bringing a letter to the feast. When she reached the part on how the Quan Tian Chain was snatched, everyone present drew a deep breath.
Bai Zi Hua’s brows tightened. It looks like the demon and monster realms have already joined hands in order to bring about the birth of the Demon God.
"What you are trying to say, is that you, a little rascal are now the leader of the Mt Mao Sect?” Lei Yin was fuming while another head of his laughed loudly.
"En……" Hua Qian Gu looked awkwardly at the kindly Queen Mother, “What I can do is limited, can I please request that Your Majesty helped me gather the members of the Mt Mao Sect so I can help to restore the sect?”
“This is natural. You deserve great credit for traveling vast distances and going to great lengths to deliver this letter to the Heavenly Feast despite your young age. Priest Qing Xu sacrificing himself to protect the God Instrument really pains me. We must snatch the Quan Tian Chain back so that Priest Qing Xu and his disciples did not die in vain. You do not need to worry about anything that happens after this. We will make appropriate arrangements.”
“Thank you your majesty!” Hua Qian Gu did not expect it to be so simple. She quickly turned and ran in front of the Mt Lao Sect leader and said. “Priest, on my way up to the mountain, I met your disciple Lin Sui Yi’s spirit. He even asked me to bring a letter to you. His body was destroyed by Chun Qiu Bu Bai. The item that you tasked him with carrying has been snatched as well. He asked me to seek forgiveness and regrets not training hard usually. His soul is currently trapped on Mt Mao while his body has been buried on the side of the road the road that leads towards the Peak of Mr Mao. Please bring him his body back to Mt Lao.”
A tear glimmered in the eye of the elderly white haired man in front of her. He gave a soft sigh. He wished that Lin Sui Yi delayed returning to the mountain because of his usual playful nature. However today when he saw that Priest Qing Xu had failed to arrive, he knew that something had gone wrong.
“Thank you.”
" This Chun Qiu Bu Bai doesn’t give any regard the people of the Immortal Realm at a;;! He must have participated in the theft of the Quan Tian Chain. Your majesty, please give a warrant of arrest! ” the leader of Mt Wang Wu was livid.
The Jade Emperor nodded, but Tai Shang Lao Jun said “I think that the greatest threat now is the the demon with the fire red eyes, Sha Qian Mo. That demon’s powers are so powerful that he stole divine medicine from the Jiu Xiao palace as though there was no one guarding it. Even in the past few great battles, we couldn’t trap him and instead, he totally played out all the heavenly generals and soldiers as though they were monkeys. Furthermore, he is the leader of the demons and monsters. If we can kill him first, the strength of the demons and monsters will be greatly weakened.”
“En, what you say makes sense. The remaining immortals who are guarding the Instruments of the Gods need to be extra careful. There must not be another tragedy like what happened at Mt Mao. I don’t think anyone is in the mood to continue with the feast. If there is nothing else, today’s feast shall end here. Everyone should offer up an incense for Priest Qing Xu when they return. Everyone return to your respective matters. Leader (Zun Shang), is there anything else you want to say?” The Jade Emperor looked at Bai Zi Hua. His eyes were filled heavily with an expectation that he could entrust everything to Bai Zi Hua.
Bai Zi Hua understood the Jade Emperor’s expectations of him: “Nothing else.”
“That’s good. Everyone you may leave now.”
The immortals were all in a gloomy mood. They understood that the massacre at Mt Mao was only the beginning. The rounds of killings over the Ancient Instruments of the Gods to bring about the birth of the Demon God would soon continue to replay itself over and over again. At this point, the only thing to do was to build up their own respective strengths.
The Queen Mother bestowed some divine items on Hua Qian Gu and comforted her, telling her to go back to Mt Mao first. If there anything, someone would be sent to inform her.
At the edge of the Immortal Pool, the immortals quickly left. This could be described as a happy entrance and dejected exit.
Hua Qian Gu walked somewhat unnaturally in front of Bai Zi Hua. She did not have the eloquence she demonstrated in front of the immortals previously when she was explaining or answering queries.
“Bai, Bai……” what should I call him? Elder Bai? Teacher Bai (Bai Shi Fu)? Immortal Bai? *Puke….
“Priest Qing Xu said that this was very important and told me to hand it over to you. Al……Also, can you please take me in as your disciple!”
Ah, she finally said it out! Hua Qian Gu lifted the Sound Transmitting Conch in front of Bai Zi Hua and kneeled down.
Bai Zi Hua knitted his brows. This gesture made him seemed even more ethereal and otherworldly. However that expression seemed to be here yet not yet there. His expression reflected the calmness and coolness that was gained from years of experiencing many bloody scenes and battles. It was completely different from the expression and smile that she saw when she was a worm.
” I never take in any disciples” He uttered these few simple words as he took the conch, just before he turned around with a sweep of his sleeve and left.
“Bai, Bai……” Hua Qian Gu broke into a small run as she chased after him. Tang Bao also quickly descended onto Hua Qian Gu’s shoulder from a tree in a tiny leaf boat.
“Please, I beg you. I have nowhere to go. Priest Qing Xu said that I could perhaps become a disciple of your sect.”
“Priest Qing Xu?” Bai Zi Hua stopped and Hua Qian Gu pointed at the conch.
Bai Zi Hua placed his hand on the topmost portion of the conch’s spiral. First Luo He Dong’s lion like roar transmitted in through Bai Zi Hua’s fingertips. Then he heard Priest Qing Xu’s dying words, the secrets about the Quan Tian Chain and so on. And finally, he heard Priest Qing Xu repeatedly beg him to take in this child in front of him, who was only a high as his waist, as his pupil.
“Luo He Dong, Priest Qing Xu, and next me. You really know how to push yourself from one person to the next.” Bai Zi Hua did not have a choice. He examined Hua Qian Gu. Born with this kind of fate and a girl at that.
“What is your name?”
“Hua Qian Gu!” Hua Qian Gu excitedly grinned at him, flashing her tiny white teeth.
“Even your name is so inauspicious……”
“The fortune teller said that my name must be as inauspicious as possible. Father tried to find people to change my name and fate, but all these ended in heavy casualties. After this there wasn’t any other solutions. Hence I want to learn skills under a master so as not to cause trouble for those around me!”
Bai Zi Hua was silent for a moment before saying ” From now on, I will call you Xiao Gu (Little Bone).”
As he said this, he turned around and continued walking forward. His robes fluttered in the wind. At that moment, he was so dashing that words could not describe it.
Hua Qian Gu was so spellbound that she was rooted to the spot and did not react for a long while. Only when Tang Bao pinched her hard, did Hua Qian Gu ecstatically quicken her steps to catch up.
“Thank you, Shi Fu (means teacher in chinese)!!!”
“I din’t say that I would take you as my disciple.” Bai Zi Hua did not even look at her.
“Then……”
“You can return with me to Mt Chang Liu as an ordinary disciple. As for becoming my disciple, you have to follow the rules. Within a year, if you can learn well and perform well at the Xian Jian Da Hui ( roughly translated as a pugilistic meet between the immortals), and meet my expectations, then I may consider taking you as my disciple.”
“One year?” Is Shi Fu testing her?
“Ok! That’s a deal! I will do my best!” Hua Qian Gu happily promised. She will definitely become Bai Zi Hua’s disciple!