Mo Tianliao stared perplexedly. “Master, is the tea not to your taste?”
Qingtong ignored him, a layer of white mist condensed at his fingertips, the tea instantly froze into shards, he raised his hand to drink again.
“Wait!” Mo Tianliao grasped his Master’s hand in a flash, the cool hand seemed like warm jade, smooth and silky to the touch. He couldn’t help caressing it secretly with the tips of his fingers. Before his Master realized, he took back the cup. “Master doesn’t like hot drinks?”
Cold gorgeous eyes looked at him quietly. Qingtong didn’t speak nor move.
That look was giving him ideas… Mo Tianliao coughed softly, pinched himself secretly, and started to brew the tea again. Using two cups, he transferred the steaming liquid from one to the other until the temperature was just right, before handing it over again.
In the past, when he didn’t have a cold jade bowl, this was how he had brewed tea for Lord Kitty. Mo Xiaozhao didn’t like mountain spring water, he preferred to drink tea from a cup. If he got burned, he would lose his temper.
Master was like a cat… Mo Tianliao’s eyes curved in a smile. Looking at the delicate, pale pink lips slowly drinking the tea, he somehow felt inexpressibly content.
During his previous life, once he became powerful, Mo Tianliao never again tried to ingratiate himself with anyone except Lord Kitty, his cat who was "The one and only ruler of this world." Now, in the face of such a Master, he could not help but want to win his favour.
The Demonic path focused on following one’s own inclinations. If you wanted to do something then you did. What use was there holding back?
“The hell are you looking at?!”
Mo Tianliao, who had been staring in a daze, was suddenly slapped on the back of the head. He fell forward, touched the place that had been hit, and finally reacted. It was very disrespectful to stare at Master.
“Disciple was disrespectful, Master, please don’t be angry…” Mo Tianliao served him another cup of tea, then picked up the roasted fish, warmed it up in his palm using his fire magic, and handed it to his beautiful Master.
Qingtong couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to this disciple’s evil ways, he tore another piece of cold spring fish.
“Disciple Yu Li has met shishu,” a quivering voice sounded just as the bit of fish was entering Master’s mouth.
Mo Tianliao looked back and saw a pale and thin young man bending down to salute his Master, he seemed very nervous. He recalled the names of the disciples from each abode, if he was not mistaken, this should be Xuanji Zhenren’s third direct disciple, Yu Li shixiong.
Qingtong raised his eyes, swallowed the fish, then the tip of his pink tongue peeked out to lick a bit of seasoning staining his thin lips.
When young Yu Li saw his shishu’s action, he couldn’t help shaking even more, his da-shixiong and second shixiong were afraid of shishu, so they sent him every time, they ignored the fact that he was the one most afraid of shishu!
“What?” Qingtong watched his shizhi with great interest.
“Uh, um…” Yu Li swallowed, took a deep breath, and said without looking up, “Sect Leader’s disciple, Mo Xiong shixiong, and shishu’s disciple, Meng Hu shixiong, have just returned to the sect. They are meeting with Sect Leader at Wotian Abode, Master sent xiaozhi to inform you.”
“I see,” Qingtong lightly replied, motioning with his hand to let his emotionally exhausted shizi leave.
Yu Li felt as if he had been granted amnesty, he saluted again, took a few steps back, turned around and ran. From beginning to end he had acted as if he did not see Mo Tianliao, he didn’t even care that Mo Tianliao hadn’t greeted him.
Mo Tianliao was intrigued, he wondered why this Yu Li was so afraid of his Master.
“Disciple will go to Wotian Abode to meet da-shixiong.” Mo Tianliao saw that his Master didn’t mean to go, so he took the initiative to mention it. He had to get along well with his da-shixiong if he wanted to stay in Woqing Abode safely until his strength was restored. After all, Meng Hu was already a late stage Golden Core cultivator and would soon be able to advance to Nascent Soul.
“No need.” Qingtong raised his hand and ate the last piece of fish. He took a white napkin from a maidservant dressed in white and wiped off his fingers. “He will arrive back here before you get there.”
His da-shixiong was already a Golden Core cultivator, he could ride a sword to cross the rainbow bridge and arrive in a moment. By the time Mo Tianliao’s legs reached Wotian Abode, he would probably not only be back but would also have had time to give Master an extended foot massage.
Mo Tianliao scratched his head and accompanied his Master in relaxation, sitting quietly. The servant took back the napkin, tidied up the fish bones and leaves, and then disappeared as quickly as she’d come.
Sure enough, in less than a quarter of an hour, a man came rushing through the bamboo grove.
The man was tall, with regular facial features and big round eyes, he walked with great poise and had a dignified air, he looked a bit fierce. This must be Meng Hu da-shixiong.
“Master!” As soon as he passed the bamboo bridge and saw his adored and beautiful Master sitting in the rocking chair, Meng Hu couldn’t help crying out. He ran in front of the rocking chair in a few steps, fell on his knees with a thud and knocked his head firmly on the ground three times. “Disciple is back.”
Mo Tianliao got up quickly and dodged to one side.
Qingtong’s cold beautiful eyes swept across the big head beside his feet, he raised his hand slowly and slapped him. He shouted, “You finally remembered to come back!”
“Hehe…” Meng Hu touched the back of his head, looked up and smiled. “Mo Xiong was slightly injured so we were delayed.”
Qingtong glanced at his stupid disciple who smiled foolishly and motioned with his hand for him to get up.
Meng Hu jumped up and turned to see Mo Tianliao standing to one side. He reached out with his long arms and grabbed Mo Tianliao, who was preparing to greet him. Meng Hu thumped him on the back enthusiastically with his big thick hand. “So this is my new shidi, ha ha, he looks very strong!”
Mo Tianliao pursed his mouth, he hit him on the back just to check if he was strong? He looked up and smiled kindly. “Mo Tianliao has met shixiong.”
“Good.” when he heard him, Meng Hu’s round eyes pinched shut with laughter. “My name is Meng Hu, from now on we are brothers. Please don’t hesitate to ask me for anything.”
After waiting for hundreds of years to have a shidi, he was very happy. He took out a small storage bag and shoved it at Mo Tianliao as a gift. “Take it and enjoy.” His shidi looked very cute, so he would need to watch over him later and don’t let those idiots bully him.
Mo Tianliao took the bag and glanced at it with his divine sense. There were many strange things inside it, they must be what da-shixiong obtained while he was out of the sect gaining experience. He looked at his “Big brother will protect you from now on” face in silence. He felt that this da-shixiong was a bit stupid and would probably be easy to bully.
In the evening, Mo Tianliao was watering the peach tree in his courtyard.
It was already autumn; the peach tree was losing its leaves and some small branches had withered. Mo Tianliao grabbed a dead branch with one hand in order to break it off, when he suddenly felt his wood qi moving towards the branch at his fingertips.
Eyebrows slightly raised, Mo Tianliao simply squeezed the dead branch and poured wood qi into it. He had heard that people with heavenly wood spiritual roots could practice the "Spring Comes to the Withered Tree" technique. That is, they could bring withered vegetation back to life, this was because their very bodies possessed the same life force as plants.
However, this technique was not very useful because “Spring Comes to the Withered Tree” could only save common plants, it was not very effective on qi rich spiritual flora.
Sure enough, the dead branch absorbed his wood qi and soon came back to life becoming fresh and dewy. Mo Tianliao became bored and was ready to stop, only to find that the dead branch had not only revived, but also sprouted a few young blossoms along its nodes!
“Huh?” Mo Tianliao was surprised, he leaned over to inspect it. It was currently autumn, even if the branch had revived, it should not have sprouted.
“Shidi!” Before he could understand, he heard a passionate voice coming from behind. Mo Tianliao slowly turned around and saw a big head on the other side of the high fence. It was his recently arrived da-shixiong.
Meng Hu’s courtyard was next door to his, he had learned of this when he moved in, but since nobody had been living there for a time he had almost forgotten.
“Shixiong.” Mo Tianliao tore off the branch, broke it in a couple of pieces, threw it on the ground and walked over to give a light salute.
“Ah, you don’t have to be so stiff all the time. Master doesn’t like formalities, so don’t be so polite with your brother.” Meng Hu motioned with his hand and jumped over the fence. “Come on, shixiong has something to discuss with you.” As he said this, he dragged Mo Tianliao into his house without so much as a by-your-leave.
“What?” Mo Tianliao sat at the table and asked slowly.
“Since Master has accepted you as his disciple, he must trust you, so I will not interrogate you.” With a wave of Meng Hu’s hand the door closed immediately, a barrier was smoothly put in place to isolate the sound inside the room.
Mo Tianliao lowered his hands, a bunch of Submerged Wood thorns appeared in his fingers as if by magic, but he did not let it show on his face. He smiled and said, “Shixiong has something to say. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
Big wet brother: Master, I have a question
Big wet chest: Shidi has no fur, why can he enter Master’s sect?
Master: *stretches claws* stabbitty♪ stab ♪ stab ♪
Big wet chest: *Growls* A scratching post! I also want!
Master: *raises claw* *swats like a bug*
From then on, Carpenter’s and Big wet chest’s relationship changed from acquaintances to friends until death do them part
Unedited, please let me know if there are any mistakes