CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 62: THIS IS VERY GOOD, YET NOT WHAT HE WANTS

Within the ruins of the shrine, inside a stone chamber.

Chen Xu listened to Master Jiu speaking, his heart stirring with faint waves of contemplation.

The white-furred rat unexpectedly asked Chen Xu to forget it and the little mouse.

This turn of the topic was truly unexpected at first, yet upon careful reflection, it seemed quite reasonable.

Chen Xu knew that Master Jiu and Ah Shi had extraordinary origins, with enemies behind them that were terrifyingly strong.

This was an unfathomable mire!

Theoretically, at this moment, Chen Xu should follow the most sensible approach, guard himself, and politely bid farewell to the two Mouse Demons.

From now on, he would treat the experience of encountering the Mouse Demons as merely a dream—

Or perhaps he should not even have a dream, but simply choose to forget straight away.

The past would disappear, and he would have his promising future.

Isn’t that... good?

There’s actually nothing wrong with it.

But if he really did so, Chen Xu would feel unhappy, displeased, and unsatisfied.

In the past, he had nothing, and had to succumb to the mundane; now that he had the Food Cauldron Celestial Book, should he still compromise with the mundane?

In this lifetime, if one could only be rational at all times and never let their energy surge through their heart in a moment of impulse, wouldn’t that be a waste of one’s youth?

Chen Xu felt countless words surging in his chest; at this moment, he had so many things he wanted to argue with Master Jiu.

But in the end, all those words converged into a single sentence: "Master Jiu, but I don’t want to forget."

The white-furred rat’s lips moved slightly.

It looked at the young man opposite, who had always possessed an elegant demeanor, much like a gentleman with a righteous bearing.

This scholar sometimes appeared very mature and sophisticated.

But at certain moments, it had witnessed with its own eyes the scholar rising in anger to kill the enemy, his hand wielding the blade with decisive sharpness.

Some people, you think they are mature and worldly, yet you don’t realize that the wildness in their bones has never ceased.

Perhaps it could believe once more.

"My fellow Daoist," the white-furred rat spoke with a slightly deep and slow voice, "Since you don’t wish to forget, are you willing to protect me and Ah Shi in the future?"

Chen Xu replied, "Not impossible."

"In fact, there is a technique that can temporarily protect us."

"What technique?"

"If you can become a Scholar, with this title, you would be able to hide our presence with literary fortune by absorbing Spiritual Objects into the ruins, albeit temporarily. This is the first point.

In the future, when you become an Advanced Scholar, the literary fortune will grow stronger, and perhaps you can summon Ah Shi out of the ruins, so it doesn’t have to be trapped here like me, this is the second point.

Further down the line, if you attain the status of Advanced Scholar, and your name is etched in gold.

The literary fortune becomes powerful enough to reach the Celestial Son Gate, and with your help, I might be able to suppress this Pill Furnace in my abdomen.

However... though this is theoretically feasible, the actual implementation involves considerable risks.

Thus, I dared not request this of you from the start, fearing that you would be tainted by our aura, and instead our involvement would hinder your literary fortune, becoming a sin of ours instead."

Here, the white-furred rat paused slightly.

Chen Xu, on the other hand, laughed, "What Master Jiu speaks of is also my desire, yet it is not my fear."

"It’s challenging," said the white-furred rat.

"So what?"

Master Jiu fell silent for a moment, then sighed, "My fellow Daoist, although you have a profound intention to help us, we may not necessarily be able to repay you in the future."

Chen Xu laughed heartily, "In this life, can’t there be a time when one acts not for profit, nor for worldly reasons, but for the fulfillment of one’s heart, for joy, for happiness?"

Just then, Little Mouse Ah Shi finally filled a kettle with spring water.

It joyfully came over to the stone table with the teapot, looking curiously at Chen Xu and asked, "Scholar, what makes you happy? What makes you joyful?"

Chen Xu smiled at it, "I am happy because I can still often see Ah Shi in the future. Ah Shi is somewhat cute, and I am joyful when I see you."

"Ah..." The little mouse was shocked; it had never heard such delightful words before.

Chen Xu’s simple word "cute" left the little mouse completely stupefied.

Its two ears atop its head stood upright with a whoosh, its large round eyes widened, and its mouse legs couldn’t help but take a small step back.

Chen Xu almost reached out to pat its head.

Unfortunately, Ah Shi retreated too quickly, and Chen Xu, after all, exercised restraint, his hand didn’t reach out.

Yet Master Jiu said, "Ah Shi, come over, drop a drop of Golden Jade Spirit Blood into this kettle."

Ah Shi was still somewhat dazed by Chen Xu’s compliment of "cute," but upon hearing this, it obediently stepped forward and indeed bit the tip of one of its claws as Master Jiu instructed.

Then it stretched out its little paw, hovering it over the stone table’s teapot.

Drip—

A drop of what seemed like golden liquid, yet also shining with the brilliance of jade, fell from Ah Shi’s tiny paw.

The Spirit Blood crossing the short distance to the teapot created an inexplicable sense of distortion around it.

It was as if what was dripping wasn’t one drop of blood, but some inexplicable thing traversing through mystery—

To describe it as "inexplicable" truly means it is beyond description.

Even stranger, as Chen Xu sat by the stone table, he clearly saw Ah Shi’s actions, yet in a trance, he seemed to have seen nothing.

The instant the Spirit Blood fell, Chen Xu felt as if he had been isolated into another strange time-space.

Not until the Spirit Blood completely entered the teapot, causing the water inside to ripple gently, did Chen Xu suddenly snap back to reality.

He focused his gaze, only to see Ah Shi standing by the stone table, once again holding up the teapot.

The little mouse’s face puffed slightly, as if it was sulking for some strange reason.

Chen Xu found it odd; it seemed like something had happened just now, but he vaguely felt like he had forgotten.

No, not right, what had he forgotten? He clearly hadn’t forgotten anything.

Isn’t it just... Ah Shi filled a kettle with water and came over to pour tea for him and Master Jiu?

Yes, there was a teacup in front of both Chen Xu and Master Jiu.

Little Mouse Ah Shi, cheeks puffed out, first poured tea for Chen Xu, then filled a cup for Master Jiu as well.

Master Jiu raised his hand to invite him, "There is nothing I can offer to repay your kindness, only this simple tea to express my intentions, and I hope you won’t find it beneath you."

Chen Xu lifted his teacup, and the text on the cup revealed itself:

[Golden Spirit Jade Liquid Tea, consumption can open Spiritual Wisdom, with a thirty percent chance to gain an Innate Divine Power within ten days.]

Chen Xu was astonished; what simple tea could grant anyone an Innate Divine Power?

He looked closely at the tea in the cup—

The so-called tea, at first glance, appeared to be just a cup of clear water.

With mere naked eyes, no secrets could be discerned.

If it weren’t for Chen Xu’s ability to discern textual details about food, how could he have known that what Master Jiu termed "simple tea" was actually the Golden Spirit Jade Liquid Tea that offered a chance to gain Innate Divine Power!

He held the teacup with a sense of daze.

He saw the white-furred rat opposite him raise its teacup and drink it all, then Master Jiu repeated, "Why don’t you drink the tea?"

Chen Xu immediately raised his teacup and drank it all in one go.