Master's Request
1672 Words
Fragrant meat buns, roasted meat dripping with golden fat, roasted chicken with crispy skin and tender meat - Ban's mouth was watering as she looked at the food. She turned her head from time to time to look at the master walking in front of her. Didn't he say he would treat her to a meal? Why hasn't he done that yet?
There was a stall selling snacks in front. The aroma of the dumplings that had just come out of the steamer wafted in the air. Ban wiped the corners of his mouth and glanced at his master sadly. He walked past the stall calmly without even moving his eyelids.
"Master..." She couldn't help herself and called out softly.
Mu turned around with an innocent look: "What's wrong?"
"...Nothing." She couldn't say it, so she could only follow him dejectedly and continue to walk through the busy streets.
Finally, they came to a bookstore. The man who was looking after the store was a simple-looking young man who seemed to be an old acquaintance of Mu. When he saw him, he nodded slightly and whispered, "The sixteenth book from the left on the third shelf of the Gengmao shelf on the second floor."
Mu said "thank you for your hard work" and then turned to Ban and said, "Wait here for a while. I will buy a book for you and come down right away. Don't run around and don't talk to strangers. OK?"
Having said that, he went upstairs leisurely.
What do you mean by inviting her to eat? The master is lying!
Ban squatted at the door of the bookstore in a depressed mood, staring at the old cat lying on the window basking in the sun. The aroma of food from the street next door occasionally drifted over, from a long distance away, so dense that it made her hungry.
It was all Master's fault. If he hadn't insisted on treating her to a meal and pulling her out, she wouldn't have been so greedy. The fasting training finally showed some results, but it was crushed in his hands.
The honest young man who was watching over the shop was flipping through an old book with an expressionless face. Halfway through, he suddenly said without even looking up, "Are you Mu's new disciple? You're not from the Ten Continents, are you?"
Ban looked around and finally confirmed that he was talking to him.
“Yes, yes…”
The man finally raised his eyes from the book and stared at her for a while. After a moment, he said, "You look unlucky. I'm afraid you have offended an honorable person."
Got it right! Ban smiled bitterly. The person she offended was not an ordinary person. Ordinary people would not be as lucky as her. She offended a living god.
"You are not from the Ten Continents of the Sea. It is fate that you can come here. It is even more fate that you can become Mu's disciple. It is even more fate that you can meet me today. Since it is destined, then I must see this photo for you. Little girl, come closer."
He waved at her.
Ban looked at him suspiciously and said, "Master told me not to talk nonsense to strangers." She has always been a good and obedient disciple.
The man chuckled: "That's right, I didn't ask you to talk to a stranger. But you can talk to me."
His eyes were dark, but emitted an eerie green color in the shadows. The back of his clothes suddenly fluttered up, and three long furry tails emerged from it.
It was a fox! A real live vixen was sitting right in front of her!
The man immediately revealed his true identity, and sat there with a book in his hand. He looked like an ordinary person. Ban remembered that when he read those strange legends, most of the fox spirits were enchanting and beautiful, bewitching people. How come this one looked so ordinary?
"The fox fairy has read your fortune. It is a blessing that you cannot ask for. Why are you hesitating? Come here." He waved his hand again.
Ban walked over doubtfully and spread his hands on the table.
The man took a quick glance, then raised his eyes to look at her forehead, followed her nose down, and finally to her toes.
"Good luck." He came to a four-word conclusion at once.
Ban was delighted: "Really? Will I be able to go home soon?"
The man just smiled and said nothing. After a while, he slowly said, "Try to avoid going to the south in the future. We will know the outcome in five years."
"Five years? Are you saying that I have to wait another five years before I can go home?" Ban was anxious. "Why does it take so long? Is there any faster way?"
The man smiled calmly: "It's up to you. I can only read faces, so I can't give you any advice."
Ban was about to say something when he suddenly heard Mu coming down from upstairs, holding a book in her hand and stuffing it into her sleeve.
"Why, are you starting to read people's fortunes again?" Mu came over and put a silver ingot on the table. It looked like it weighed five taels. What kind of book did he buy? It was so expensive! Five taels of silver could support Ban's family for a long time!
The man quickly put away the silver and whispered, "No, only the destined person can see it. How about I help you take a look?"
Mu smiled and said, "When you were my spirit beast, you always wanted to read my fortune. You haven't changed your habit until now. I'll read it for you. Can you really tell anything?"
The man really looked at it intently for a while, then shook his head: "... Never mind. Let's go, come back anytime, I'll help you with everything."
Mu thanked him and led Ban out of the bookstore. Seeing that Ban kept looking into his sleeves, as if hesitating to speak, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with my sleeves?"
Ban hesitated for a long time before he said, "Master... is five taels of silver a book? What book is it? Can you show it to me?"
Mu said "Oh", patted his sleeves, and smiled mysteriously: "Of course it is... a rare and valuable thing, good children can't see it."
Ban remained silent.
Mu said softly with a hint of apology: "By the way, I originally wanted to treat you to a meal when I came down the mountain, but I just spent all the money on buying books. I will put this meal on my account for the time being, and I will pay you back next time."
As expected! The master is indeed a liar! Ban pouted and nodded sullenly.
"Also, Ban." Mu suddenly stopped, turned around and looked down at her, "Master wants you to promise two things. Don't forget them."
It was the first time that Ban saw him look serious and even stern. He was shocked and nodded slowly.
"First, don't tell anyone except me about your life story and why you came to the Ten Continents. Second, if you meet True Lord Qing Ling, no matter what he says to you or what he asks you to do, you must tell me. Don't hide a single word. Do you understand?"
Ban cried out, "But...but I've already told Second Senior Brother...and Master...what does True Lord Qing Ling mean by his request? Don't I just have to apologize to him?"
Mu glanced away and looked at the distant outline of Taoyuan Mountain. After a while, he whispered, "Just say it, but don't mention it to anyone again. As for Master Qingling, just remember what your master said, don't doubt it."
Seeing Ban's puzzled look but not daring to ask, he smiled warmly, tidied up her wind-blown hair, and said softly, "Silly child, Master won't harm you, don't worry."
She was afraid that she would never understand the rules of this strange world. Everyone was trying to cover up the truth, not telling it quickly, which made people guess wildly and exhausted.
Ban whispered, "Master, I'm not stupid."
Mu looked at her with a little surprise.
"I'm not a puppy who barks when I'm told to and keeps quiet when I'm not told to." Ban lowered his head and didn't look at him.
Mu was silent for a long time, then he suddenly clapped his hands and asked, "Are you blaming the master for not treating you to food?"
"Of course not!" Ban blushed and quickly explained.
Mu smiled and said, "Okay, Master is wrong. Master will take you to dinner right now, so that Ban won't say that I lied to her."
"I, that's not what I meant..." Ban grabbed his sleeve anxiously. The originally very clear question was made into a mess by him, and he had no idea how to explain it.
Mu smiled and pulled her forward: "I remember there is a restaurant nearby, the pear blossom wine is quite good, let's go there and take a look."
Ban was so anxious that she wanted to jump. She was dragged by him for several steps. Unexpectedly, he stopped suddenly. She bumped her head against his shoulder. She covered her nose in pain and couldn't speak for a long time.
"It seems something has happened." He whispered, and turned his head with a serious expression to look at Taoyuan Mountain in the distance.
Ban looked in the direction he was looking in confusion, only to see that the demon-subduing seal covering the outer layer of Taoyuan Mountain was rippling, as if a giant hand was stirring it.
In just a moment, the barrier dissipated like smoke, leaving no trace.
"Go back!" Mu grabbed her hand, flew up into the sky, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
- Writer
