Chapter 65

“Heitan, you look really cool now!” Yin Xiaoxiao gazed, starry-eyed, at Mo Laoda. “Dazzling was so last year ¹ ! These scales, with the void-devouring darkness of a black hole ² , are those a king!”

Mo Laoda had already become used to Yin XIaoxiao’s occasional nonsensical remarks. But there was one thing that Mo Laoda was certain of, which was that Yin Xiaoxiao was very satisfied with the appearance of his scales now, so Mo Laoda was very pleased with himself. As expected, he was right to decide to take the Mo grass!

…Hey, hey! Please Mo Laoda! The reason why you took the Mo grass was to protect Yin Xiaoxiao not to show off to Yin Xiaoxiao the sucking void-like blackness of your scales!

Cough, cough. But anyway, Yin Xiaoxiao was very pleased with Mo Laoda’s coloration, and Mo Laoda was now very pleased with his strength, so it was a happy ending for all.

“These days, Xiaoxiao has inconvenienced you. Thank you for your consideration towards Xiaoxiao.” Mo Laoda, with a solemn and respectful expression, turned towards the seven strange snakes present and humbly bowed his head to each to express his gratitude.

“Don’t speak like this. For this past half year, Xiaoxiao has kept us company. It was very much our pleasure!” Feiyi said with a smile, referring to, for instance, changing into a small snake by restraining the qi in his body, slithering under a lion and then suddenly releasing the suppressed power, scaring the lion so much it peed, and other such things that were very amusing!

“Aiyaya, expressing too much thanks means you’re not sincere!” Xionghui’s nine human heads smiled like nine chrysanthemums ³ . “Little Hei snake, make sure, when you return to the bottom of the cliff in the future, that you bring lots of treasure!”

….Well, actually that last sentence was its main point, wasn’t it!

Mingshe turned around to hide its face, as though to indicate that he didn’t know this snake. But Mingshe’s red face showed that it was bashful and happy.

“Hey, that hare half a year ago was really too small. Next time, bring back a tiger!” Mabanshe was very energetic. It seemed that, as far as the Mabanshe was concerned, it still had a lot of resentment since it lacked the insight to realize that it was really the size of the food that was to blame!

Mo Laoda: “…”

“Be careful.” Goushe suddenly said. “Recently I’ve been ill at ease. I fear that something disastrous will occur. You must be more careful.”

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Mo Laoda looked suspiciously at Goushe. He really didn’t understand those who had been bound in the middle of the boundary. What so-called disaster?

Contrary to what might be expected, Yin Xiaoxiao very diligently made sure to remember Goushe’s words. In ancient China, Goushe was what was called an ancient mythical beast. Surely the premonition of a god-like whatever was very accurate and very powerful. In any case, there was nothing wrong with being a little more careful.

“Bound inside this barrier, I am the one who causes clouds to spread and rain to fall.” Heili said. “Recently in the past years, the clouds and rain from the outside world have made me uneasy. Although I do not know what is happening in the outside world, it is unlikely to be anything good. Goushe’s words have saved me from having to speak.”

Since Heili also said this, Yin Xiaoxiao had no choice but to be careful. This matter was buried in Yin Xiaoxiao’s mind. Even if Goushe’s premonitions weren’t accurate from having been trapped here for so long, what Heili said couldn’t be wrong, right? There was something wrong with the rain and clouds from outside. Whatever was happening outside…the rain inside the barrier was so regular because all the clouds and rain inside were produced by Heili! Hey, hey! Yin Xiaoxiao, your thinking is askew!

“Could it be that there’s fighting again outside?” Bashe suddenly asked. “Could it be that Nuwa and Da Yu are once again beginning to fight? If so, then they must have lots of free time. They have nothing to do but stir up trouble, cause disturbances and whatnot.”

“Unlikely,” Heili said. “The clouds and rain don’t appear to be influenced by magic. I cannot say what is happening, only that it is making me uneasy.”

Yin Xiaoxiao gazed at the sky. Should he tell them that Nuwa and Da Yu and the others had already faded into history? Heavens only knew if they had died, went missing or left the earth!

“I will be careful.” Mo Laoda’s voice was serious and he glanced at Yin Xiaoxiao, who was staring at the sky. No matter the difficulties, he would still stay by Xiaoxiao’s side and wouldn’t allow Xiaoxiao to come to harm.

After some more chit chat, Mo Laoda and Yin Xiaoxiao left the bottom of the cliff. At first, Mo Laoda was prepared to stay several days at the bottom of the cliff, but Yin Xiaoxiao was eager to return home. Not to the home of Mother Mo and Father Mo, and not to the home of Yin Dabai and Hua Xiaohua, but rather simply their, Mo Laoda and Yin Xiaoxiao’s, home.

“I don’t know how the Yan Snake Grass and the Yan Grass have been doing this past half year. I hope they haven’t died!” Yin Xiaoxiao was quite garrulous as he slithered alongside Mo Laoda. “And I haven’t visited Ji Kang for half a year. Ji Kang is sure to be very lonely! Also, we have to go back and visit Dad and Pop. I hope that this time they can accept our relationship! But even if they don’t, it doesn’t matter! Dad and Pop love me too much to force me to leave you.”

Yin Xiaoxiao chattered like this continuously. Mo Laoda smiled while listening and occasionally responded to Yin Xiaoxiao. The sun shone warm on Mo Laoda and Yin Xiaoxiao’s bodies, and the dazzling silver and void-like blackness unexpectedly looked very harmonious.

It was really good to see such a lively and happy Yin Xiaoxiao. Really good. The corners of Mo Laoda’s mouth hooked up as he looked at Yin Xiaoxiao’s warm rejoicing.

Taking the Mo Grass was an incomparably dangerous affair. Even for the strong and heroic Mo Laoda, it was not certain to go smoothly. Mo Laoda still remembered the pain that had been carved into the marrow of his bones by the Mo Grass. Over and over, it had felt as though the flesh was being stripped from his bones before being reattached, making him wish for death. It had to be said that Mo Laoda’s willpower was not ordinary. Under these circumstances, each time, Mo Laoda had grit his teeth and borne the pain ⁴ .

The only time there was a mishap was the seventh time taking the Mo Grass. Each time Mo Grass was taken, the pain was twice as painful as the previous time. The amount of pain that Mo Laoda needed to endure that seventh time taking Mo Grass couldn’t be imagined. Just as Mo Laoda thought that he was going to die, Yin Xiaoxiao’s face suddenly appeared before Mo Laoda’s eyes. Yin Xiaoxiao didn’t speak. He didn’t even weep. He only stared with two large eyes at Mo Laoda. There was hopelessness and despair in those two eyes, which shocked Mo Laoda’s heart. No! He absolutely would not die like this! The Little Idiot was still waiting for him! He wouldn’t allow the Little Idiot to make that kind of face! In that instant, Mo Laoda felt his body gradually move away from death until it was brimming with vitality. Because of that surge of willpower and resolution, Mo Laoda successfully endured.

Now being able to listen to Yin Xiaoxiao cheerfully speak and being able to enjoy the feel of sunshine on his body, Mo Laoda felt incomparably happy. ‘Thank you, Xiaoxiao, for bringing me hope in the midst of my despair.’

“What is it?” Yin Xiaoxiao, having noticed Mo Laoda’s absentmindedness, asked, baffled.

“No, it’s nothing,” was all Mo Laoda said, then he suddenly leaned over and kissed Yin Xiaoxiao on the mouth.

Redness burst across Yin Xiaoxiao’s face.  No, no, no, not only the face, but from his head to the tip of his tail, his whole body turned red. After Mo Laoda’s mouth left, Yin Xiaoxiao stammeringly asked, “Wh-what are you doing?!”

Mo Laoda’s mouth pursed into a smile, and he said, “Xiaoxiao, I love you. When you reach adulthood, do you want to become partners for life and never leave each other?”

For a long while, Yin Xiaoxiao was embarrassed before suddenly recalling the pledge he’d made from the bottom of his heart half a year ago that he would tell Mo Laoda that he liked him. Now, his entire body was so red it was as though he were bleeding. “I, I like you! And also, I want to become your partner.”

At this moment, all the cells in Mo Laoda’s body became excited. ‘Xiaoxiao said that he liked me! Xiaoxiao wants to be my partner! This time I didn’t need to force Xiaoxiao to say this, these words are from Xiaoxiao’s heart. Xiaoxiao really likes me!’ Mo Laoda finally understood what Yin Xiaoxiao had meant when he’d spoken of tears of joy. Right now, Mo Laoda also wanted to cry. Mo Laoda wound himself tightly around Yin Xiaoxiao, so happy that he was unable to speak.

“Okay, good!” Yin Xiaoxiao shouted, “Let’s go, quickly! Hurry up, get a move on! And I want to eat cooked bird eggs and roasted hare, and also some honey!”

“Yes, okay.” Mo Laoda released Yin Xiaoxiao. “If that’s what you want, I’ll get them for you.”

Yin Xiaoxiao’s body, which had finally lightened to pink, once again exploded with red.

After half a year, Mo Laoda now was even stronger, bigger, faster and more venomous than the Mo Laoda from before. But after half a year, Yin Xiaoxiao was still the same as Yin Xiaoxiao half a year earlier. Oh, not entirely the same. If anything, he was more fat ⁵ , more lazy, more affectionate, more spoiled and more awkward ⁶ .

And so, after the break at noon, after the meal and after wanting to continue the journey, Yin Xiaoxiao’s laziness reared its head. “Ah, so tired, so tired, so tired!” This guy ⁷ still remembered that last time Mo Laoda had carried him back wrapped up in his tail!

Mo Laoda wasn’t angry and only said, “This time you lie on my body. Like ths, it will be more comfortable than last time.”

…While Yin Xiaoxiao obediently lay on Mo Laoda’s body, he was silent, with grief and indignation in his heart. Your sister ⁸ ! Mo Laoda what were you doing for this half year?! You returned with such a larger body! At this time, Mo Laoda was about twelve meters long ⁹ and as wide as a thermos. Yin Xiaoxiao looked at himself. From shoulders to bottom, he was about five meters ¹⁰ , give or take. Although he had gained weight this past half year, his body wasn’t as thick as a Pepsi bottle but a Pulse ¹¹ bottle, but he was still a long way from looking like Mo Laoda!

Yin Xiaoxiao climbed onto Mo Laoda and wound around him so that his head rested below Mo Laoda’s ¹² to maintain balance. Actually it wasn’t needed. How could Mo Laoda allow Yin Xiaoxiao to fall?! Mo Laoda began to slither forward and quickly gained speed, but Yin XIaoxiao didn’t feel even the slightest discomfort – it appeared that Mo Laoda had a very good sense of balance.

From this we could see that from now and for a very long time, Mo Laoda’s back will be Yin Xiaoxiao’s when on trips. But Mo Laoda was very happy to do this.

In the late afternoon of the next day, Yin Xiaoxiao and Mo Laoda had finally returned to the home they had left for half a year.

T/N:

Footnotes

<ol>弱爆: literally means weak explosion; used to describe things that are outdated and ineffective the raw just said seeming like a black hole and I’m assuming the author was referring to the blackness of MLD’s scales and not that his scales have a dense mass that pull things into its center. As such, for the sake of clarity, if there’s any mention of scales like black holes, I’m going to replace it with void-like or sucking blackness 笑朵菊花: to smile in an insincere and/or exaggerated way. Like this added for clarity 胖: can mean fat but can also mean healthy. For YXX, it’s probably both meanings since he was underweight for most his life due to his picky eating habits 别扭: stubborn, disagreeable, cautious. I’m translating it as awkward 这货: slang for this guy. Literally means ‘these goods’ 你妹: internet slang which is usually joking in nature and takes the place of swear words about 40 feet long about 16 ft 脉动: a type of vitamin-enriched water bottled by Danone added for clarity</ol>