Under the hood of darkness, a cloaked figure flitted by and arrived in front of Mu Changshou who was standing by leaning against a tree.

"You're here." Mu Changshou said, looking at the cloaked figure. "Are you prepared?"

"Yes." The cloaked figure answered. The voice belonged to that of a girl. But it sounded dull and bland, lacking the energy one would normally expect.

"Then let me see." Mu Changshou said with a frown, discontented at the lack of enthusiasm from the opposite party.

The girl lowered her hood, and undid the fastenings around her waist, sliding the cloak off.

Mu Changshou eyed the girl from head to toe. Underneath the cloak, she wore a thin white veil, and a white robe with delicate patterns of flowers embroidered on it. Her black glossy hair draped over her shoulders and was long enough to reach her waist. Part of her bosom was exposed revealing her pink white flesh.

"Nice," Mu Changshou said, "but it's lacking." He smirked and the next moment the girl fell on her knees, her body began to shiver.

"Ah...aaah!" The girl gasped. Her body began to convulse uncontrollably. The trembling increased, and the girl couldn't even maintain her balance on her knees and curled up in a fetal position, her body twitching.

Mu Changshou watched the girl suffer without betraying any hint of pity. After a while, the girl stopped moaning but continued to gasp and breathe heavily.

"W―why?" The girl gasped. Her face had turned pale white, her body was still shivering. Her hair was disheveled and the dress she had worn had been sullied by the mud on the ground.

Mu Changshou didn't answer, instead, he raised his hand and pointed at the girl with his index finger. A black gooey blob of substance appeared at the tip of his finger. It writhed forming weird shapes as if alive. Mu Changshou flicked his wrist and the black blob landed on the exposed bosom of the girl. It sprang into action and immediately crawled down her cleavage. The girl shuddered but didn't resist. Mu Changshou was satisfied and gave a nod.

"Your target is the old guy. Seduce him, and plant this gu." Mu Changshou said, his voice cold. "I won't tolerate any failure. Do you understand?"

"Y–yes." The girl gasped.

"Let's go." Mu Changshou shrugged, "We have a big fish to hunt."

The girl quietly followed Mu Changshou. Mu Changshou led the girl through winding pathways within the trees towards a clearing. A small and humble cottage was situated in the clearing. A powerful formation protected the cottage. Mu Changshou stopped at the fringe and took out a token.

"I will do the talking, just follow my lead." Mu Changshou said and activated the token. The formation rippled and a doorway appeared. Mu Changshou and the girl crossed the barrier. Mu Changshou told the girl to stand aside and walked towards the door.

"Great-Grandfather!" Mu Changshou shouted as he knocked heavily on the door. There was no response, but Mu Changshou continued to hammer at the door.

"Great-Grandfather, please open up!" Mu Changshou cried out loud banging his fist on the door.

The door was finally opened, and Chen Ning came out, his face disgruntled.

"Great-Grandfa―" Mu Changshou began but stopped abruptly. "Sir Chen?!" Mu Changshou looked stunned for a moment but recovered, "Greetings, Sir Chen! I was looking for my Great-Grandfather."

"Your ancestor isn't here." Chen Ning scowled.

"Isn't here?" Mu Changshou was surprised. "But I came all the way here to see him. If he is not here, where is he?"

"How would I know?" Chen Ning said, "Go, contact him. Don't disturb me." Cheng Ning shut the door. But Mu Changshou knocked on the door once more.

"Didn't I tell you to not disturb me?" Chen Ning opened the door once again and frowned at Mu Changshou. "How did you get past the formation anyway?"

"Forgive me, Sir Chen." Mu Changshou bowed with his hands cupped. "But I already tried contacting Great-Grandfather, but he won't answer. So I came here―I used the token he had left me. Sir Chen, can you help find him? It's urgent!"

"I don't know where he is." Chen Ning shook his head.

"D–don't know?" Mu Changshou's face turned extremely worried. "I―what do I do?!"

"Why, what happened?" Chen Ning asked, suppressing his frustration. Although he was not happy because of Mu Changshou's interruption, he couldn't get angry at him.

"I―" Mu Changshou raised his head and looked at Chen Ning hopefully. "You―come here!" Mu Changshou beckoned and the girl dressed in white approached him and Chen Ning.

"She is my adoptive sister, Mu Jia." Mu Changshou said, pulling the girl closer. "She was cultivating at the Mu Family's base when the tide occurred. Unfortunately, she was at a critical period of breakthrough when the beasts broke in. She had no choice but to force the breakthrough, and now her dantian has cracked! I―I tried to help, but pills won't work. I thought Great-Grandfather might have a solution…"

Chen Ning looked at Mu Jia, who had her head lowered, and sighed. "Only a heaven grade pill or above can restore a broken dantian. But if the damage to the dantain isn't big, someone at Heaven Opening realm can help mend the cracks..." Chen Ning trailed off, realizing the implication.

"Sir Chen! Y―you are Heaven Opening realm expert!" Mu Changshou's face brightened. "Please help my sister!"

"I―" Chen Ning looked at Mu Changshou and the girl with a troubled expression. Currently, he was incapable of performing even the most basic feats, but he wouldn't admit it, especially to someone from a younger generation. But the Mu Family had treated him quite well for the past few weeks, he couldn't just drive Mu Changshou away either.

"Sir Chen! Please help her!" Mu Changshou noticed Chen Ning's hesitation and began to plead. "Look at her! How pale she is. If―if she isn't treated soon, she might lose her cultivation."

"Sir Chen, please help me." Next to Mu Changshou, Mu Jia also bowed.

"Alright!" Chen Ning said after thinking for a while. "Let her stay―I will see what I can do." He just needed a couple of days to recover his strength. He could just let the girl stay here and treat her after he had recovered. This way his image would be preserved.

"Thank you, Sir Chen!" Mu Changshou bowed again, looking happy and relieved.

"You can go back, don't disturb me again." Chen Ning waved his hand. "You," Chen Ning turned to Mu Jia, "follow me." Chen Ning entered the cottage.

Mu Jia looked at Mu Changshou, who gave a curt nod. Mu Jia entered the cottage and shut the door behind.

Outside the cottage, Mu Changshou looked at the closed door, his lips curling into a twisted smile.

#

"...his house was destroyed during the beast tide. From now on, he will stay with us and take care of trivial chores of the house―" They were in the courtyard and Mu Chen had just finished telling Ma Hong's tale to Grandpa Wu and Grandma Jie.

"Big Brother!" Ningxue cried and rushed towards Mu Chen."Where were you? I missed you―eh?!" Ningxue, who had long since forgotten her grudge, wanted to hug Mu Chen but a little white head poked its head out of his robes and hissed at her. "B―big Brother! What's that?!"

"Ah! I forgot!" Mu Chen smiled at Ningxue as he pulled the reluctant little fox out of his robes. "I found this fox on my way back. It will be staying with us too."

"Kyaaa! Big Brother, it's so cute! Can I hug it?!" Mu Ningxue was immediately smitten by the fox and tried to grab it, but the little fox dodged her attacks as it twisted and turned sideways.

"Mu Chen! You're back!" Zhou Mei had also arrived. "Are you alright?" She looked at Mu Chen with concern.

"Alright? Why wouldn't Big Brother be fine?" Mu Ningxue paused as she looked at Mu Chen and Zhou Mei. The little fox took advantage of her momentary distraction and slipped back into Mu Chen's robes.

"Of course I'm fine. What could happen to me? She was just asking out of habit. Mei'er?" Mu Chen said.

"Yes." Zhou Mei understood Mu Chen's cue and nodded.

"Oh!" Mu Ningxue didn't think much. "Big Brother, that little fox?! Why is it hiding from me?"

"I think it's just shy." Mu Chen said, pulling the fox out again. He tried to hand the little fox to Mu Ningxue, but it kept resisting.

"Big Brother, it―it...doesn't it like me?" Mu Ningxue's eyes began to water seeing the little fox trying hard to stay away.

"That―" Mu Chen frowned looking at the little fox.

"Haha! How can anyone not like our little peach?" Grandma Jie who had been quiet, moved forward and took the fox out of Mu Chen's hands. The fox tried to escape but was caught. The fox froze, its hair standing on its ends, but it didn't try to escape and let Grandma Jie hold it. Grandma Jie stroked the little fox and it relaxed.

"Here. You can hold it now." Grandma Jie handed the little fox to Mu Ningxue. This time the fox didn't resist and Mu Ningxue was able to grab it.

"Aiyaa~! It's so fluffy!" Mu Ningxue raised the fox high with both hands and did a three-sixty-degree turn before hugging it close to her chest and buried her face into it. "Big Brother! Are we really going to keep it? What's its name?"

"Huh? A name?" Mu Chen was a bit taken aback by the sudden change in the little fox's behavior. "I haven't thought of one. But since it's so small and white―let's call it Xiao Xue."

"Big Brother, you are so lazy―you didn't even put any effort?!"

"Since you've been so hardworking, why don't you tell me how much progress you've made during the time I was gone?" Mu Chen raised his brow.

"B―big Brother, y―you must be tired." Mu Ningxue took a few steps back. "I―I won't disturb you anymore." Mu Ningxue stammered and ran away with the little fox.

"This little girl..." Mu Chen almost facepalmed. " Grandpa, Grandma...you didn't pamper her too much while I was gone?"

"I didn't do anything." Grandpa Wu looked sideways, causing Mu Chen's face to twitch.

"She is trying. Don't work her too hard." Grandma Jie said.

"Yes, Mu Chen." Zhou Mei said. "These things can't be rushed."

"Just don't get too easy on her." Mu Chen sighed. "Otherwise she will never learn."

"She will grow up, don't worry too much." Grandma Jie smiled. Zhou Mei also nodded. Mu Chen wanted to argue but was interrupted by Ma Hong.

"Young Master!" Ma Hong said, trying to stifle a yawn. "I―where do I sleep?"
 
"You can stay at the servant quarters." Mu Chen pointed out. Since Ma Hong was tired, Mu Chen dismissed him.

"Brat! You said the tide destroyed the outer city?" Grandpa Wu asked with a frown, after watching Ma Hong leave.

"Old man, you are lucky you are here." Mu Chen smirked."I've been telling you to move out for ages―that broken house couldn't even withstand the shocks and crumbled at the first moment."

"Brat! How dare you lie to me?!" Grandpa Wu's face twitched.

"I'm telling the truth." Mu Chen shrugged.

"Then why do you have those pots from my cellar?" Grandpa Wu pointed at the jars that were placed on the table.

"Old man, don't make false accusations―those pots are mine!"

"Brat! Look at them! They even have my handwriting on them! Tell me―what did you do with my wine?" Grandpa Wu cried out.

"Old man! You must be getting sleepy―you call those squiggly lines, handwriting?! Even a three-year-old can write better than that!"

"Brat, how dare you mess with my wine?!"

"Old man, I did you such a big favor and you are eyeing my wine?" Mu Chen said. "Mei'er, let's go. Otherwise, this old man will entangle us all night."

Mu Chen grabbed Zhou Mei and made a gateway leaving Grandpa Wu fuming and Grandma Jie chuckling.