When Sesshomaru returned to his human form once more, the outside world had already reached mid-autumn...
On this day, after finishing his daily training, young Xiao Xiangyi tucked away a portion of breakfast intended for Sesshomaru and prepared to return to his room. As soon as he pushed the door open, he saw a familiar figure sitting on his bed. Sesshomaru was completely naked, with only a single tail concealing his waist. Hearing the door push open and seeing the human staring at him with his mouth agape in surprise, Sesshomaru let out a cold laugh before standing up. The familiar hexagonal plum-blossom haori draped over his entire body, and he slowly walked toward the human standing frozen in the doorway, picking him up by the collar with one hand...
Xiao Xiangyi only felt a wave of dizziness before finding himself being carried, empty-handed, to the Yun Lake atop Yunyin Mountain...
Xiao Xiangyi blankly raised his head to look at Sesshomaru, his eyes filled with confusion... only to find a flash of amusement in Sesshomaru's eyes. Before he could wonder why he was so happy, he felt a sense of weightlessness wash over him as Sesshomaru released his grip on his collar...
Seeing this human clumsily thrashing about in the lake water, trying to swim up but trapped in the water because of the barrier he had set up, the corners of Sesshomaru's mouth rose into a rare, pleased arc...
The White Dog Clan detested their true forms getting wet the most, and this hateful human had repeatedly offended him. Hmph! Considering that he had saved his life, mere petty punishment like this was already the greatest mercy this young master could show him...
After trying several times and sensing an invisible boundary restricting him from reaching the shore, Xiao Xiangyi stopped struggling. He simply relaxed his body and floated flat on his back in the middle of the lake, looking at Sesshomaru standing suspended in the air. Seeing the pleased curve of his mouth, it dawned on him in an instant...
So this was payback for giving him a bath...
Could it be that such a powerful Great Yokai also had such a petty, childish side? At this thought, he suddenly felt much closer to him, and Xiao Xiangyi began to chuckle secretly...
After letting the human soak in the lake for nearly half an hour, Sesshomaru finally showed mercy and lifted the barrier. Standing on the bank, he watched the human laboriously crawl ashore, only to find that instead of using internal energy to dry his clothes as he had done for his true form back then, the human just collapsed onto the ground as if he had no strength left, tilting his head up slightly and looking at him with a aggrieved expression...
Sesshomaru could not help but sigh at the weakness of humans, thinking to himself what a bother it was. Though expressionless, his right hand flicked slightly, and a wave of Demonic Power instantly washed over Xiao Xiangyi's entire body, drying him off in an instant...
Xiao Xiangyi chuckled and nimbly sprang to his feet...
Seeing the human get up and confirming he was unharmed, Sesshomaru turned, walked over to a large boulder by the lake, and sat down. Xiao Xiangyi hurried after him and took a seat just below him.
Xiao Xiangyi tilted his head up slightly to look at Sesshomaru, and finding that he was also looking at him, he broke into a brilliant smile and asked, "Sesshomaru, now that I'm speaking with that protective seal in place, can you understand everything I say?"
Sesshomaru looked at the human's smile, as brilliant as ever, and still somewhat unaccustomed, turned his head away. Hearing the question, Sesshomaru uttered an "en" and nodded lightly.
Receiving his reply, Xiao Xiangyi continued, "Are the injuries on your body all healed now? Is there anywhere that still feels uncomfortable?"
Sesshomaru had expected him to ask about his origins or the lightning strike from before, but never imagined that the human's first priority would be to care for him. He paused for a long moment before speaking in a low voice, "Nothing..."
Realizing that he was capable of "getting back at" him just moments ago, Xiao Xiangyi let out a sigh of relief and pressed on, "Sesshomaru, are you a yokai or an immortal? Weren't you leaving that day? Could it be that some enemy was hunting you down?"
Hearing his question, and recalling what he had verified over these past few days—that the human's family could not see him, and that when he used the Meido Zangetsuha, no animals could heed his summons—Sesshomaru had to admit that the conclusion was indeed that he was no longer within his own world. What the sword spirit had said was something he truly had to consider seriously.
However, Tenseiga... the sword of the Netherworld, the path connecting this world and the next, a sword that cannot kill—what is its true meaning...
Is it again trying to make me understand that ridiculous meaning of protection?
I, Sesshomaru, have nothing to protect!
Seeing Sesshomaru lost in thought, his golden eyes gradually turning sharp and ruthless, Xiao Xiangyi waved his hand in front of his eyes to snap him out of it.
Sesshomaru collected himself and looked down at him proudly, "I am a pure-blooded Great Yokai. Human, aren't you afraid I'll kill you by getting close to me?"
Instead of answering the question, Xiao Xiangyi earnestly said to him, "Li Xiangyi! We've exchanged names! My name is... Li Xiangyi!"
Sesshomaru looked into his earnest eyes and narrowed them slightly. A human name—did he actually expect me, Sesshomaru, to remember it?
Undeterred by his sharpening aura, Xiao Xiangyi stubbornly stared right back at him...
Recalling the care this human had shown him over this period, the noble Great Yokai, Young Lord Sesshomaru, pressed his lips together, and after a long silence, said coldly, "Li Xiangyi, answer my question!"
Hearing his own name called, Xiao Xiangyi detected a hint of exasperation in it, and his expression finally blossomed with delight. After pondering for a moment, he said, "I saw that you were hurt, and you needed help, and I was able to help, so I did it... Besides, you didn't kill me, did you?"
Hearing this answer, Sesshomaru looked at Li Xiangyi once more, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny, "Just because of that ridiculous naivety and kindness of heart?"
Hearing this, Xiao Xiangyi was overjoyed. He excitedly asked, "Hey—Sesshomaru, are you praising me for being kind?"
Seeing the human react in a way that always exceeded his expectations, Sesshomaru closed his eyes slightly in mental exhaustion. Ceasing to pursue the matter, he turned his head away...
The corners of Xiao Xiangyi's mouth lifted as if he had achieved his goal. Restraining his emotions, he thought for a moment and continued to ask Sesshomaru, "Sesshomaru, are you facing some kind of trouble right now? Are you unable to leave this place?"
Sesshomaru was silent for a long time before slowly making a decision in his heart. He replied, "I cannot return to my realm for the time being. Until I find the way back, Li Xiangyi, you shall follow me!"
Without arguing with him over who was following whom, Xiao Xiangyi asked very happily, "Then we're friends now!"
Sesshomaru stood up, looking down at him from above with a cold voice, "I, Sesshomaru, never make friends with humans! Li Xiangyi, don't do anything superfluous. During this time, I will ensure your life is safe!"
Thus, Sesshomaru's decision to stay was settled. He did not return to Yunju Pavilion with Li Xiangyi, but instead found a large tree by Yun Lake to serve as his dwelling.
Knowing that Sesshomaru had recovered, Xiao Xiangyi did not press the matter further. Every day, he would run over to Yun Lake with meals, pastries, or candies to find Sesshomaru, just as he would forage for wild fruits and hunt game to roast for him to eat, and Sesshomaru did not refuse...
On this day, Qi Mushan stopped Xiao Xiangyi just as the boy was about to dash off into the mountains, "Xiangyi, get ready, pack your bags, we're going down the mountain..."
Xiao Xiangyi paused in his tracks and turned to ask, "Master, where are we going? How long before we're back?"
Qi Mushan took a sip of wine, "Just like when we went to the Nangong family, this time I'm taking you to the Qi Family in Jiangnan. The head of the Qi Family always used to lose to your master when I was young. Heh, that old fellow's son has been hailed as the number one among the younger generation these past few years. In the span of a year, that old fellow wrote over twenty letters inviting your master and his disciple to be guests. Do you think your master doesn't know what he's up to? Xiangyi, get yourself ready; your master is going to take you to meet this number one of the younger generation!"
Hearing that they were going out to travel and spar, Xiao Xiangyi was quite excited. However, thinking that this trip would likely last over a month, he needed to give Sesshomaru a heads-up first. With that thought, Xiao Xiangyi immediately bolted toward Yun Lake.
Seeing his disciple sprint off toward the mountains instead of packing his things, Qi Mushan figured he probably still had unfinished chores. He took a sip of wine and nodded in gratification—the brat even knew to finish his chores first; not bad, not bad at all...
When Xiao Xiangyi arrived at Yun Lake, a huge, mighty white dog was lying on the ground. Hearing footsteps, it lifted its eyes to glance at him with a gaze full of pride.....
Ever since Sesshomaru had discovered a small wooden dog carving made by Xiao Xiangyi half a month ago, the Great Yokai still maintained his usual expressionless face, but after several months of getting along, Xiao Xiangyi had long since learned to precisely spot his moments of annoyance.
And so, for the past half and month, whenever Xiao Xiangyi came to see Sesshomaru, he would always be greeted by this mighty and arrogant posture......
How clever was Xiao Xiangyi? How could he not know what this awkward Great Yokai was thinking? Therefore, every time he saw it, he would always marvel and exclaim with admiration, "Sesshomaru, your true form is so majestic.... Sesshomaru, your human form is so handsome, and it turns out your true form is just as awesome~" And whenever Xiao Xiangyi uttered such praise, the Great Yokai's tail would invariably wag involuntarily......
Xiao Xiangyi kept the small wooden dog carving in his bedroom and never brought it out, carving it only in secret at night. He had taken a piece of wood and would carve the Great Yokai's majestic true form right in front of Sesshomaru by Yun Lake every day. Sure enough, at times like this, Sesshomaru's mood would always be exceptionally good, and the white fur ruff formed by his tail would flutter in the breeze...
As Xiao Xiangyi approached, Sesshomaru transformed back into his human form. Taking the eggs and meat pie handed to him, he sat down cross-legged and began to eat with elegant posture, only to notice that today the human was uncharacteristically quiet, merely sitting beside him, propping up his head, watching him silently without a word...
Sesshomaru swallowed the food in his mouth and glanced at him, "Speak if you have something to say..."
Looking a bit troubled, Xiao Xiangyi began, "I'll be able to head down the mountain shortly. I'm leaving with my master to go somewhere and will be gone for over a month. Sesshomaru, if you stay here, who is going to make food for you..."
Hearing that the human was worried about such a matter, Sesshomaru felt a trace of warmth bloom in his heart, though he knew not why. He cleansed himself with spells, rose gracefully to his feet, and began to walk forward. Finding that the human had not followed, he turned back to look at him, lifted his chin, and said coldly, "Still not coming?"
Seeing this, Xiao Xiangyi jumped up in surprise and hurried over to stand before him, "Are you coming with me?"
Sesshomaru slightly averted his happy and burning gaze, "Don't be so noisy..."
Xiao Xiangyi got his answer from the other's actions and didn't mind his cold tone. He channeled his lightness skill and dashed back to Yunju Pavilion to pack his things, while Sesshomaru simply vanished in a flash, arriving ahead of time inside his bedroom...
Qi Mushan led Xiao Xiangyi the whole way using only lightness skills to travel quickly. Sesshomaru followed far behind. Most of the time, they would sleep out in the wilderness, during which Xiao Xiangyi would hunt and roast meat for his master and Sesshomaru...
His master had long known that Xiangyi had taught himself how to roast meat—or rather, it was precisely because he knew his disciple possessed this skill that he hurried him along the road with his head down, without making special stops in towns. After all, if not for that old man Qi boasting so excessively about his son in his letters that he wanted to go burst his bubble, why would he abandon the comfort of Yunju Pavilion with barely two months left before the New Year just to see that old man...
After seven days of travel, master and disciple arrived before the gates of the Qi family estate in Jiangnan on the sixth day of the twelfth lunar month...
The Qi family estate was magnificent and imposing, with tall gates and lintels inlaid with exquisite wood carvings, flanked by two mighty stone lions standing proudly with chests puffed out...
Qi Mushan had visited plenty of martial arts sects and grand estates, so he felt no particular wonder at this sight. Instead, he glanced at the trailing Sesshomaru, secretly handed him a paper parcel of plum blossom pastries he had just bought upon entering the city, and said silently without a sound, "After my spar is finished, we'll go shopping for good food."
Over the past few months, Sesshomaru had passively learned the local language. With a Great Yokai's comprehension and learning ability, he could now completely understand what the human was saying. Expressionless, he reached out to take the oil-paper package without showing his emotions, though Xiangyi could tell from his twitching ears that Sesshomaru was incomparably pleased at this moment...
Seeing the leisurely-standing pair of a tall figure and a child dressed like martial artists at the entrance, a Qi family servant hurried forward. The Qi family frequently received all sorts of martial artists, so the doormen did not judge a book by its cover. Rushing up and catching sight of the wine gourd held by the elder, the servant instantly recalled the family head's instructions. Hurriedly, one servant ran inside to announce them, while another stepped forward with a smiling face to greet them...
Giving a deep bow, the servant asked with a smile, "May I ask if the esteemed guest's surname is Qi?"
Qi Mushan let out a ha-ha and asked, "This Qi Tianhu couldn't have been waiting for me for a whole year, could he?"
Without answering the question directly, but confirming from his words that this was indeed the person the master had instructed them to wait for, the servant hurriedly bowed and invited them in, "Hero Qi, please come inside. The master happens to be at the estate today..."
Stepping into the Qi family estate, what met the eye was a wide bluestone path, flanked on both sides by all sorts of flowers and trees that bloomed in competition despite the twelfth lunar month, filling the courtyard with floral fragrance.
Xiao Xiangyi, however, had no leisure to admire it. His gaze was full of worry as he looked at the companion beside him, who was sneezing repeatedly and could no longer maintain his usual noble and aloof composure.
The floral fragrance was simply too heavy, which was undoubtedly a disaster for a dog yokai with exceptionally acute senses who hadn't shielded his olfaction in advance. The corners of his eyes and the tip of his nose were slightly red. Seeing the worried look the human cast his way, a flash of exasperation appeared in his eyes. Yet, unable to destroy the plants and flowers under the circumstances, he could only maintain a stiff expression and teleport instantly onto the roof, slightly emitting his Demonic Power to block out the floral fragrance before sitting against the eaves with a face that clearly read "strangers keep away"...