Chen Zhou shook his head helplessly.
He pressed his hand against the dragon carp's forehead, pushing its restless body back into the water.
"I know you want to go. There is something in the east that can help you transform."
"But I cannot take you with me right now."
Chen Zhou’s tone was calm, coaxing it as if it were a child.
"I am currently an incarnation using Jiu'er's body. If I take you to the provincial capital, what do you think will happen to Jiu'er's body?"
"He is just a mortal with no cultivation. If any accident happens, our City of the Wrongfully Dead will lose the spiritual rhythm of an Auspicious Noble."
Jiu'er was now the most precious treasure of the City of the Wrongfully Dead; Chen Zhou did not want any harm to come to him.
The dragon carp blew a string of aggrieved bubbles, its eyes dimming as the black clouds beneath it dispersed significantly.
Its intelligence was already quite high, and it knew that what Chen Zhou said was the truth.
It wasn't just Jiu'er; the fish itself was a major source of trouble.
The flesh and blood of an Auspicious One were great tonics for demons and spirits.
If the outside world were safe enough, the Unaging Pine and the Wanshou Tortoise wouldn't have flocked to the City of the Wrongfully Dead and refused to leave after arriving.
"But don't worry, that opportunity won't run away."
Chen Zhou smiled as he looked at its dejected appearance. Perhaps feeling that since this fish he had raised for so long was finally showing promise, he should give it some encouragement.
"If it's the dragon vein qi you need, the temple won't run away even if the monk does. It's staying right there."
"Once Jian Huaishuang finishes his secluded cultivation, I will send word to him. He will bring you along to meet my main body in the provincial capital."
"Jian Huaishuang has a sword; he can protect you."
Having received a promise, the previously dejected dragon carp was instantly revitalized.
With a cheer, it let out a low roar resembling a dragon's cry that sent ripples through the pond. Satisfied, it plunged into the water, creating a massive splash and even using its tail to flip a heart shape toward Chen Zhou.
With everything arranged, Chen Zhou prepared to dispel the incarnation within Jiu'er and return to his true body.
But just as his consciousness was about to withdraw, he suddenly remembered what Song Zi'an had mentioned earlier.
The Nine-Age Crane.
The cook was an honest man. Since Chen Zhou had boasted in front of him that the crane was living well here, he couldn't very well lie to him.
Chen Zhou looked up.
There, under the eaves of the Gathering Fortune Pavilion, next to the Unaging Pine.
A crane with shiny feathers but a withered spirit was standing listlessly beside the earth stove.
Its head was tucked into its wings, and it radiated an aura of hopelessness, as if it were ready to 'ride a crane to the West' tomorrow.
Seeing Chen Zhou approach, it didn't hiss or panic as it usually did, nor did it try to fly away in caution.
The Nine-Age Crane merely pulled its head out from its wings wearily and glanced at Chen Zhou.
Then, it extended a wing and spread it out before Chen Zhou.
The meaning was clear: 'If you want to pluck feathers, just pluck them. I don't want to resist anymore. I'm tired.'
It even shook its body proactively, letting a few of its most beautiful feathers stand out—looking exactly like a 'dead pig' resigned to its fate.
Chen Zhou couldn't help but laugh.
This crane was indeed very spiritual.
"What is it? Do you miss your master?"
Chen Zhou stepped forward and gently patted its head.
Hearing the word 'master,' the Nine-Age Crane's body trembled, and an incredible light instantly erupted in its eyes.
It jerked its head up, stretching its neck long as it stared fixedly at Chen Zhou.
"Do you know Song Zi'an?" Chen Zhou asked softly.
"Cry! Cry!"
Hearing the name of its familiar friend, the old crane let out a series of hurried cries, nodding its head frantically as its wings flapped excitedly, stirring up a breeze.
Chen Zhou asked again, "You were raised by his master, the Heavenly Chef, right?"
The Nine-Age Crane stared intensely at Chen Zhou and continued to nod.
It was too lonely.
In this city where ghosts, demons, and humans lived together, although the child named Jiu'er was good to it, although the old pine tree always tried to bully it, and even with the old tortoise for company, it always felt like an outsider.
It missed that kitchen that was always filled with smoke and fire; it missed that clumsy Song Zi'an who was always being scolded by his master.
But its master had sent it away, and when it flew back to Zhenlong Mountain, it couldn't find Song Zi'an either.
Chen Zhou comforted it, "Alright, don't be so down."
"I met your master's apprentice—that Song Zi'an."
"He's in the provincial capital now, working for me. He's doing well, and he's still carrying that ancestral black pot on his back; he hasn't lost it."
"He even asked me to give you his regards. He says he misses you very much and even asked if you've been stealing food."
Hearing news of Song Zi'an, the Nine-Age Crane circled Chen Zhou several times in excitement, its neck held high as it let out clear, melodious cries.
Chen Zhou continued, "As for your master... although his exact whereabouts haven't been found yet, since Song Zi'an is here, there is always hope."
"Before long, I will have Song Zi'an return to the City of the Wrongfully Dead to see you."
"When that time comes, I'll let him cook the first dish for you and even build you a new stove."
"Don't be so gloomy. Be happy and keep your spirits up. You wouldn't want to look like a plucked chicken when you meet your old friend, would you? That would embarrass the Heavenly Chef."
The Nine-Age Crane understood.
It was happy.
Truly happy.
It nuzzled against Chen Zhou's palm and let out a clear, resounding cry, its previous lethargy swept away.
Then the old crane suddenly took flight, circling once in the air with extreme elegance before landing on a branch of the Unaging Pine.
The Unaging Pine was still comfortably absorbing the rich spiritual rhythm of the Gathering Fortune Pavilion, its branches swaying in the wind.
After such a long period of nourishment, combined with Jiu'er watering it daily with Fortune Spring Water, the Unaging Pine had grown many crystal-clear pine cones.
Although one had been taken by Chen Zhou before, it now had a plentiful stock. Over the past few days, it had secretly hidden several mature pine cones deep within its densest foliage, feeling very smug about it.
The Unaging Pine felt like it was about to break through!
One had to know that auspicious beings could only cultivate by absorbing spiritual rhythm; they couldn't take shortcuts by consuming flesh like demons.
All this hard work in cultivation was the result of its own effort and sweat.
Seeing its old friend fly over, the Unaging Pine didn't pay it much mind.
This silly crane usually did nothing but daze out.
As long as that hateful evil spirit didn't get close, it was very tolerant of other living beings.
Life was truly peaceful and beautiful.
Just as the Unaging Pine was sighing over how wonderful life was, the Nine-Age Crane took advantage of its lapse in attention. The crane zeroed in on the most mature and plumpest pine cone hidden in the thickest part of the tree and snatched it in its beak.
"Cry!"
Having succeeded, the Nine-Age Crane let out a triumphant cry and immediately flapped its wings, fleeing behind Chen Zhou like an arrow from a bow.
The Unaging Pine: "???"
It froze for a full three seconds before it felt the lightness in its canopy.
The Unaging Pine instantly exploded with rage.
Every single pine needle stood on end, and its trunk shook violently. It was both shocked and furious.
It had actually been backstabbed!
You can guard against a thousand things, but you can't guard against a thief within the house!
That shameless old crane usually pretended to be half-dead just to covet its lifeblood, and it even found the evil spirit to be its backer!
Rate on N.U.
