CH 27.1

The hall echoed with the joyous and soft voice of the Gingseng child.

Abu threw the gift box into the air and dashed towards the teenager who was eating in the corner. “Daddy! It’s Daddy!”

His eager call gradually got closer.

Shen Liuxiang realized something was amiss and looked up, looking confused.

A chubby little rice ball with a few swaying golden leaves on top and a bulging bellyband came running, panting with excitement. The baby’s face was filled with joy as he threw himself into Shen Liuxiang’s arms.

“It’s really Daddy!”

Abu grabbed Shen Liuxiang’s clothes with both hands, burying his face into the thin neck and rubbing it while the golden leaves on his head scattered faint light, sweeping across the bewildered face of the young man.

“Abu has missed you so much!”

Shen Liuxiang: “······”

Others in the hall: “······”

The faces of the Sword Sect disciples turned grim as they couldn’t help but look towards Senior Uncle Ning, their eyes filled with green envy and their mouths too bitter to speak.

Senior Uncle Ning, there are beautiful things everywhere, and this child is already three years old!

After the initial shock, other sect disciples looked at Senior Uncle Ning first, then at Zhou Xuanlan, and then at Shen Liuxiang and the little Ginseng in his arms, imagining a sensational and melodramatic drama unfolding before their eyes.

As all eyes fell on him, Shen Liuxiang felt like he was in deep trouble. He held on to the Gingseng child who was clinging and rubbing all over him, and said, “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

Abu turned his head and sniffed Shen Liuxiang’s face, saying, “You’re my daddy.”

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I am not!”

“Yes, you are.”

Shen Liuxiang was infuriated. “How can you tarnish someone’s innocence like this!”

In unison, everyone thought, “Innocence? We all saw it with our own eyes. They thought that stepping on two boats was the limit, but little did we know that when the fog cleared, there was a third foot one underneath!”

Abu was momentarily stunned and pouted, feeling wronged.

He carefully assessed Shen Liuxiang’s expression and then persisted softly, “You are my daddy.”

Why wouldn’t Daddy recognize him?

Abu blinked his big eyes, his tender ten fingers fidgeting together, and his little brain trying to figure it out. After a while, tears began to fill his eyes.

Daddy must not like him anymore.

Wuwawa~

As Abu was about to let out a wailing cry of sadness, a hand reached out from behind and picked him up.

The golden leaves on top of his head were pinched by slender fingers as the youth’s gaze turned cold. He asked Abu in a low voice, “Who is your mother?”

Shen Liuxiang looked at his disciple, thinking, “???”

What does this mean? There is no mother! Even if there was, it has nothing to do with him!

Abu looked at Zhou Xuanlan for a while, his little eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He then leaned closer and sniffed his neck, making a bewildered soft sound.

“Why do you smell like Daddy? Did you sleep together at night?”

“Wow-!”

The hall erupted in uproar.

“So, they are indeed a pair of cutsleeves! Senior Uncle Ning really has terrible taste!”

“Sword Sect, why are you all speaking so rudely? Our Qingling Sect’s two disciples have fallen in love, what does it have to do with you?”

“Being in love? Then who is this Gingseng child calling ‘Daddy’? I think everyone has been fooled by Shen Liuxiang.”

Zhou Xuanlan looked puzzled and glanced at Shen Liuxiang.

The latter stared at the back of the Gingseng child’s head, grinding his teeth, and reached out with a cold and ruthless grip.

“Kids say the darndest things,” Zhou Xuanlan smiled, then explained to Abu, “It’s because of a scratch. He helped me apply medicine.”

Others: A scratch???

Did they get it on in bed?

Abu clapped his hands and laughed, “He helped big brother apply medicine, Daddy is really kind.”

“Call him Uncle,” Zhou Xuanlan corrected, then asked again, “Who is your mother?”

Abu wrinkled his face, showing a look of confusion.

He was dug out from behind a big mountain by Daddy, where would he get a mother?

But he couldn’t let others know about this.

“Xiang Xiang, Mama’s name is Xiang Xiang.”

Zhou Xuan Lan frowned and looked at the innocent-looking youth beside him. “Who is Xiang Xiang?”

Shen Liuxiang replied, “She’s the flying snow of June.”

Having learned a lesson from Ning Runxin, Shen Liuxiang didn’t dare to be too sure if the Gingseng child in front of him was related to the original body.

If it turned out to be someone else’s child…

Shen Liuxiang’s vision darkened, and the little person in his heart spit out a mouthful of old blood.

“Nonsense!” The leader of the Gingseng Mountain shouted angrily, blowing his beard and staring, “You are a fruit growing on a tree, how can you have a human daddy!”

Shen Liuxiang’s face brightened, but before he could be happy, Abu slipped into his arms and pouted coquettishly, “I’m not a fruit of your Gingseng Mountain, I belong to Daddy! Don’t call me Abu, call me Shen Bu Bu!”

A gust of autumn wind blew by, lifting a few fallen leaves in Shen Liuxiang’s heart.

He felt cold, really cold.

Even his surname was known now, and even if he jumped into the Yellow River, he wouldn’t be able to wash it off.

A figure flashed by, and someone in the hall finally couldn’t sit still.

Ning Runxin squatted down, touched Shen Bu Bu’s face, and then took out a fist-sized East Sea bright pearl, dazzling everyone’s eyes with its brilliance.

“I’m Uncle Ning, here, take this as a marble to play with.”

The disciples of the Sword Sect looked at him with expressions as if they had eaten feces, wishing they could shout at Ning Runxin: Wake up, Master! Please wake up!!

“Daddy said we can’t accept other people’s things,” Shen Bu Bu said with a straight face, imitating his father.

Others: Well taught.

Shen Liuxiang: I can tell it’s not me who taught him.

Ning Runxin didn’t insist, about to retract his hand, but Shen Bu Bu hurriedly reached out with both hands, holding the pearl and hugged it in his arms without allowing any refusal.

“Daddy said we can’t accept other people’s things,” he paused, trying to remember and added, “unless we can’t resist.”

Others: ······

Shen Liuxiang’s heart skipped a beat.

The leader of the Panax Mountain couldn’t stand it any longer, walking over with a huff, he pulled Shen Bu Bu away. “We’ll talk about your Daddy’s matter later. First, deliver the gift as the Elder instructed.”

Shen Bu Bu reluctantly took off the gold leaves from his head and pouted, sulking, “I wanted to give them to Daddy, I hate it!”

He handed a piece of gold leaf to the leader of the group, “Little Golden Powder, you can sprinkle it yourself. Don’t look for me these few days, I want to be with Daddy.”

So, for the second half of the banquet, Shen Liuxiang had a little sticky rice ball by his side.

Unable to bear it any longer, he picked up the clingy Shen Bu Bu and handed him over to Zhou Xuanlan, saying, “I just remembered an important matter. I have to leave. Please take care of him for me.”

Zhou Xuanlan furrowed his brow, still pondering where Shen Bu Bu came from. He turned to ask, “Where is Master going before the Dao Assembly?”

The second half of the banquet was the main event of the day. The Daoist Jianzhen, who had advanced to the Mahayana Realm, would talk about the scriptures and the Way on the Five Elements Round Platform. It was a rare opportunity, and even the leaders of various immortal sects would humbly listen on the sidelines.

For Shen Liuxiang, a junior disciple, not to be present would be overly arrogant.

Shen Liuxiang could only go along with everyone, followed by his little tail.

In the center of the round platform, a virtual figure sat cross-legged, surrounded by a faint white light. His face seemed to be obscured by a thin mist, only vaguely visible, with a handsome appearance.

The discussion lasted for several hours until noon, and the virtual figure dissipated. Whispers started to fill the air, and many disciples looked serious, discussing their insights with each other.

Sitting in a prime location among the disciples, Zhou Xuanlan had a great position, being closest to Daoist Jianzhen.

Ling Jinye furrowed his brows and after a while turned to the person beside him, asking, “Xuanlan, what do you think…?”

“Hush—”

Ling Jinye was taken aback. He finally noticed that Shen Liuxiang, sitting to the right of Zhou Xuanlan, had his head tilted, resting on Zhou Xuanlan’s shoulder. His long lashes drooped, and soft breaths rhythmically rose and fell.

Shen Liuxiang was dozing off, and Shen Bu Bu was also leaning on his lap, his two gold leaves hanging softly, and he was half-opening his mouth to snore.

Ling Jinye was incredulous; he mouthed, “Are they asleep?”

Sleeping while a Mahayana Realm cultivator discussed the Dao, this big one and small one were simply amazing.

Zhou Xuanlan nodded, gesturing for him to keep quiet, but the surroundings were already bustling with voices, and the buzzing chatter grew louder.

A slender, fair hand gently moved.

Shen Liuxiang unconsciously furrowed his brows; he was almost awakened by the noise. Zhou Xuanlan noticed this and extended his warm finger toward him.

Shen Liu Xiang’s ear was immersed in the night breeze, and it was especially cold. Suddenly, a warm hand covered it, and he leaned his face slightly, rubbing against the palm that was emitting warmth.

The soft earlobe accidentally touched Zhou Xuan Lan’s thumb, feeling the warmth. Without realizing it, he began to gently rub against it.

It seemed so comfortable.

So comfortable that he involuntarily showed an endearing posture.

Zhou Xuanlan’s fingertips tightened slightly, and his eyes darkened.

At that moment, shouts of surprise came from where the disciples of the Sword Sect were gathered. “Senior Zhao!”