Gu Yunjue felt Mu Chen's killing intent; he put the tea on the table with a smile, inclined his head, blinked his eyes, and asked, "Master, what's on your mind?"
Mu Chen's eyes widened and all his anger disappeared at hearing the childish voice, "Master". Mu felt for the baby's soul and confirmed it was Gu Yunjue. "How did you become a baby?" Mu Chen was stunned and walked over. Mu stuck out a finger at baby Gu's face, and kind of missed the feel. When his disciple was a child, Mu found him so cute and adorable beyond Three Realms.
Mu Chen then held Gu Yunjue up into his arms, and instantly Mu's restlessness was smoothed.
Gu Yunjue smiled and rubbed against Mu Chen's face. "Master seems to miss me very much when I was a baby. Do you like it?"
Mu Chen shook his head, "Just so so."
Gu Yunjue snorted, took Mu Chen's pale face with his supple hands and kissed it, then Gu kissed Mu on the thin lips. After the kisses, Gu asked gently, "What was on your mind? I felt you want to kill me."
Mu Chen sat down, put Gu Yunjue on his lap, and faintly said, "I thought you were taken away by a wolf."
"Which wolf? The stupid Jing Ming?"
"..."
"Why would Master want to kill me for someone took me away?"
"..."
In the silence, Mu Chen lifted Gu Yunjue up and slapped Gu three times in his buttocks. Regardless of Gu Yunjue's response, Mu Chen said in anger, "How dare to talk back! Behave yourself!"
Without giving Gu Yunjue a chance to speak up, Mu Chen pinched Gu's face and said seriously, "Keep what you are right now and don't change back. As your Master, I shall educate you and show you how to respect a master!"
Gu Yunjue was speechless. What Mu Chen did was quite contrary to what he had expected. Mu didn't kiss him, nor did Mu reward his surprise.
*
Next day, Feng Jiuli saw Mu Chen sauntered around with a child in his arm and exclaimed when he saw Gu Yunjue's appearance. Feng jokingly asked, "Who gave birth to the baby among you two?"
Mu Chen stayed cool while his ear tips suddenly flushed. Mu looked at Feng awkwardly and said with embarrassment, "How could two men deliver babies? People of your race are so strange."
Feng Jiuli was stung by Mu's words and asked in amusement, "Why do you think it's strange?"
Mu Chen raised his eyebrows and said, "Isn't strange for a man to lay an egg?"
Feng Jiuli's mouth got twitched at Mu Chen's remarks and Feng didn't want to talk about laying egg with Mu. As a matter of fact, there was only one phoenix in the universe, and Holy Place would foster an egg only when Feng were dead. As for how the egg would come out, Feng didn't know either. With a close look at the cute baby in Mu Chen's arms, Feng Jiuli found something wrong with it and couldn't help but smack his lips. Feng's eyes rolled and he suddenly figured it out, "Human beings' taste is so unique."
Feng Jiuli shouldn't be blamed for not finding it out at its first place, as Gu Yunjue put on a jade that could hide his breath. Shouldn't there be partner contract between Mu Chen and Gu Yunjue, Feng wouldn't be able to find out that Gu Yunjue could become what he was now.
Black Egg, who was forced to chat with his natural enemy for a night, now flew out and caught a glimpse of Gu Yunjue. Seeing the baby Gu, Black Egg silently stretched his wings and covered his face. "In order to take advantage of Palace Master, Master Gu was quite hard-working."
Gu Yunjue didn't explain it and instead stretched his hand to touch Mu Chen's face. It was never enough for him to take advantage of Mu Chen.
Mu Chen's thoughts were pulled back with Gu Yunjue's touch, and held Gu to stroll on. Mu planned to go back and prepared his baby disciple some food. Baby Gu had many merits. He won't harass Mu, and couldn't monkey around; moreover, he was exceptionally adorable.
Half a month later, the group finally arrived at the legendary Lost Land of the East, or Feng Jiuli's Phoenix Valley.
Even though it was called Lost Land, the place was not as lifeless as imagined. Instead, the entire valley was full of towering trees. The iron-gray trunks seemed to be covered with scales and their leaves were golden, whose golden veins could cast shadows on the ground in sunshine. If you looked closely, you could see spirits flowing inside those veins. All these were presented as incomparable scenery that couldn't be seen anywhere else.
Feng Jiuli stood in front of the Valley, waved his sleeve, and opened a passage out of the thin air. Feng took the lead and walked in.
Mu Chen followed and was amazed to find a hidden world in the Phoenix Valley.
Colorful wild flowers dotted the land, and brought a touch of fragrance into the wind. Rich fire power filled the Valley, which was quite suitable for the growth of fire plants. Under numerous enormous trees that couldn't be named, colorful flower vines hung down entangled, like swings.
When Mu Chen arrived here, he suddenly felt that his soul power was so active that a cluster of Nine Yang Dark Fire danced at his fingertips and then transformed into a white butterfly, which perched on Mu Chen's hair. The butterfly fluttered and absorbed fire power around.
Gu Yunjue saw it and smiled at Mu Chen, "Phoenix Valley deserves its name."
Mu Chen looked at Gu and found the baby disciple lovelier.
Gu Yunjue leaned over and whispered, "I will change into a baby later."
Mu Chen quickly grasped Gu's unsettled hand and said seriously, "Behave and stand up."
A white light flashed and Gu Yunjue changed into a baby again. He raised his hand and said sweetly, "Master, my legs hurt."
Although knowing that his disciple was deliberate in saying so, Mu Chen couldn't help but hold him up and gently slapped baby Gu's butt. Mu said with a touch of fondness, "What a lazy child!"
Since they were in the phoenix territory, they weren't in a hurry. They planned to take a break today and look for Earth Bell tomorrow.
Jing Ming held his notebook, waved to Mu Chen and said, "Master, I'm reading your notes and won't join you. Please come back early with Senior Martial Brother." Jing Ming looked at Gu Yunjue with anger. Then he clenched his fists in silence. "When I return, I shall make Jing Ting look at me with new eyes. The medicine I create shall make Jing Ting scream."
Mu Chen held the deliberate disciple as well as his little partner, and strolled around to enjoy the beauty of Phoenix Valley.
There was a lake called Phoenix Singing Lake in the Valley. In the lake grew many fire-red plants, and they gathered by the lake, which made the lakeside crimson. The further it was to the lake center, the deeper the water, and the lighter the red color. They stood on the shore and looked up, and saw the water wore colorful ribbons when wind blew.
Mu Chen was absorbed in the view and was oblivious that baby Gu in his arms was watching him, and similarly absorbed.
The sun was bright, the sky blue and the water clear. Against such a beautiful nature environment was a charming face, which made Gu Yunjue feel that time paused whenever Mu Chen was with him. Gu Yunjue stretched out his fingers and touched Mu's silky skin, which was as smooth as a best jade with warmth.
Mu Chen looked down curiously at Gu Yunjue moving, while Mu's long eyelashes twitched, like small fans, and casted shadows in his charming eyes.
Gu Yunjue was aroused by Mu's focused look, as if all the gullies and gorges in his heart were filled up by this very one gaze. Gu couldn't help but approached Mu's face and gently kissed Mu Chen's eyes and smiled, "Master, put me down."
Mu Chen followed Gu Yunjue's request, and saw his disciple change back into an adult in a magical flash. And the charming disciple looked at him with extreme tenderness.
Mu Chen was a bit at a loss under Gu's scorching look and thus turned to look at the lake again.
Gu Yunjue reached out and grabbed Mu Chen's hand, with ten fingers interlocked in silence.
The two quieted down and could hear each other's breathes. Mu Chen blushed, turned around, walked to a flat grass and sat down. Gu Yunjue followed. They sat on the lake, enjoyed the breeze, smelled the mild moisture and the flora scent, and felt the unforgettable breathes of each other.
"…"
In a while, Mu Chen glanced at Gu Yunjue and found he was looked at. Then Mu curled his lips and patted Gu Yunjue's leg.
Gu Yunjue subconsciously stretched his long legs, and Mu Chen lay down with satisfaction, and pillowed on Gu Yunjue's thigh. Feeling the sureness of his company, Mu Chen closed his eyes.
Feeling a big hand stroking his hair, Mu Chen patted the hand in dissatisfaction, only to hear Gu affectionately saying, "Master, I am happy with you."
Mu Chen didn't open his eyes, and faintly mumbled a yes while his face burned.
While Gu Yunjue wanted to speak more, Mu Chen rolled over, left Gu with a side face, and said in a cold voice, "Shut up!"
"…"
*
After a day-and-night rest, the group was ready to go. Because of the uncertainty, Mu Chen left Jing Ming and Black Egg to wait in the valley.
Gu Yunjue summoned Heaven Bell, threw it into the air. As it's quite near Earth Bell, Heaven Bell made a circle and dashed out with full speed to Earth Bell's direction. It disappeared with a blink of the eye.
Mu Chen looked doubtfully again at Feng Jiuli and asked, "Why are you following us?"
Feng Jiuli smiled and said, "You see, there is only me in Phoenix Valley. I have nothing else to do. It's better to follow you to have some fun."
Mu Chen pouted, "You could go out and find a few birds to be your companies."
Feng Jiuli snorted, and looked at Mu Chen with ridicule. "Won't that pollute my pure land?"
Mu Chen turned his face in silence. "There is something wrong with his mind, and it's cureless."
With Heaven Bell leading the way, the three hurried without stop. Heaven Bell had no sign of stopping when they arrived at the Holy Place.
They overlooked a giant red tree reaching the sky, the top of which was unperceived. And they could feel the scorching temperature even though they were far from the tree. Heaven Bell tried to fly to the holy tree but was bounced back when it approached. As a result, the Bell circled Gu Yunjue in a hurry and tried to get help from its owner.
Gu Yunjue waved Heaven Bell away, curled his lips and teased, "Earth Bell knew you came to Demon Realm and only slightly exposed its location. Then there was no response. Look at you. Why are you so anxious?"
Mu Chen reminded in a cold face, "Maybe its partner adopted a reserved temperament."
Gu Yunjue suddenly got it and said in empathy, "Master's explanation makes sense. If it doesn't catch up, it might end up losing its partner. What an infatuated bell."
Mu Chen nodded, and that was about what he intended to express. But there seems to be some other meaning in Gu's words, which Mu didn't catch at the moment.
Feng Jiuli looked up at the holy tree and interrupted Mu Chen's contemplation. "The phoenix families were born on this tree. I forget what it was up there. You might go up to check it up by yourself."
Mu Chen blurted out, "How come you don't follow us?"