Chapter 152: Fire Glaze Forced to Change Her Name

"Bi Fang, are you hungry?" Bai Mu asked, sitting idly beneath the plum tree and turning his head slightly.

"Not hungry."

Bi Fang gave a brief reply, then looked at Bai Mu in puzzlement and slowly said, "I never would have imagined that a strapping young man like you would actually shed tears. Truly a rare sight."

"Hehe."

Bai Mu grinned awkwardly and muttered to himself, "After just a few days apart, the once endlessly glorious Senior Fansheng had fallen into such a desolate state. Anyone in my place would feel a pang of heartache, especially since, in my heart, he is an elder who is both a teacher and a father to me."

"A teacher, I agree. But a father? That I don't quite understand!" Bi Fang perched on a branch of the plum tree, asking in bewilderment.

"Is it really that hard to understand?"

Bai Mu shrugged helplessly, his tone filled with emotion as he replied, "Ever since I can remember, I have lived on Mount Dongwang with my master, Baize. As for my biological parents, I have never laid eyes on them.

"For the longest time, I didn't hold any particular view on the concept of a father.

"It wasn't until the very moment I first met Senior Fansheng that I suddenly felt an ideal father should be just like him—refined yet untainted by worldly vulgarity, handsome with a touch of scholarly grace. His towering, majestic presence naturally made one equate him with the very image of a father..."

"Hahaha."

Just as Bai Mu's voice trailed off, Fansheng's hearty and robust laughter rang out from inside the small wooden house.

Before the young man and the two birds could react, Fansheng had already transformed into a streak of azure smoke, drifting down into the clearing before the plum grove.

Sparse starlight twinkled in the sky behind him, pale moonlight spilled over his midnight-blue robes, and his handsome, refined face appeared exceptionally captivating against the backdrop of the plum trees.

His bearing at this moment formed a sharp contrast with the decadence of the daytime; to Bai Mu, it was as if he were an entirely different person.

"Sen... Senior, has your cultivation fully recovered?"

Bai Mu leaped up from beneath the plum tree with a blushing face, hurrying over to where Fansheng stood.

"Mn."

Fansheng nodded lightly, then cast his wise gaze toward Bai Mu, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he said, "Through thousands of years of time, today is without a doubt the most honored moment of my life. To think that in your heart, the image of a father is none other than myself?"

"Y-Yes..."

Bai Mu gave an awkward reply, a blush instantly spreading across his face.

"It seems your life has been quite winding. When there is an opportunity in the future, I would actually love to sit down and listen to you recount your experiences over these past years."

Fansheng smiled genially at him, the affection in his eyes plain for all to see.

"Hehe."

Hearing this, Bai Mu felt a warmth in his heart and immediately chuckled, "Senior, please don't make fun of me. There is nothing worth discussing about my wretched past. Let's talk about your injuries first."

"Oh..."

Fansheng murmured thoughtfully, "My injuries healed automatically after being nourished by the chilling Qi within the Ice-Flame Pool. For bodies like ours that have endured for millennia, ordinary forces can no longer harm us, so the injuries are secondary.

"It's just that Zigui's nether evil energy and the Azure Wood spiritual energy of the Eight Trees of Guilin were rather troublesome to deal with.

"However, after consuming the Ten-Thousand-Year Fiery Red Lotus you brought back, all the evil energy has been completely expelled from my body. Should we encounter people of the Southern Wilderness evil clan again in the future, I believe we no longer need to fear their evil miasma invading us."

"That is wonderful."

Bai Mu scratched his head happily, standing to the side and looking somewhat at a loss for what to do.

Seeing his deeply relieved and earnest expression, Fansheng couldn't help but find it rather amusing. He never expected that this sensible and articulate young man would also have such an honest and endearing side.

He smoothly changed the subject and asked with concern, "Bai Mu, did you have any unexpected gains on this trip to the Southern Wilderness?"

"Indeed, there were some unexpected harvests."

Bai Mu proudly pointed to the Fire Glaze perched on the tip of the plum tree branch, saying with uncontainable joy, "Senior, look at this. It's called a Fire Glaze, and it's the offspring of the fire-birds from within the Crimson Flame Ancient Cave. This time, its parents asked me to bring it away from the Crimson Flame Ancient Cave."

"Oh?"

"Is that so?"

As if having discovered a new world, Fansheng cast his gaze toward the Fire Glaze. After observing it carefully for a moment, he couldn't help but utter clicks of admiration.

"In my nearly ten thousand years of wielding the Myriad-Domain Divine Flute, I can say I have commanded countless spirit beasts. But a spirit beast like the Fire Glaze before me is truly a first; how strange and wondrous."

"Is there something wrong with this Fire Glaze?" Bai Mu asked anxiously and hurriedly upon hearing this.

One had to know that before leaving the Crimson Flame Ancient Cave, he had sworn oaths to the fire-birds that he would take good care of the Fire Glaze.

If anything were to happen to it, leaving aside whether his own conscience would trouble him, those two fire-birds back in the Crimson Flame Ancient Cave with their almost freakishly terrifying strength would likely never let him off.

Seeing the strange look on Bai Mu's face, Fansheng quickly explained, "Rest assured, there is nothing wrong with this little fire-bird. It's just that, judging from the wounds on its wings, it appears to have been struck by the Celestial Primordial Qi of the Ruins.

"However, it is extremely bizarre. Its body seemingly suffered no ill effects whatsoever, and it is able to soar freely even after being struck by the tyrannical Celestial Primordial Qi of the Ruins—truly something I have witnessed only once in my life.

"Of course, the most peculiar thing is that its cultivation base appears to be exceptionally high, but due to physical constraints, it has not yet fully manifested."

"Chirp, chirp, chirp..."

Upon hearing Fansheng's commentary, the Fire Glaze joyfully fluttered its wings and swooped down to perch on his shoulder, showing not a shred of fear toward the overwhelming imperial majesty emanating from Fansheng.

Bai Mu was not nearly as calm and collected. Seeing his own pet actually fly onto Fansheng's person, he immediately scolded loudly, "Liuli, you have no manners at all! How dare you perch on Senior Fansheng's shoulder? Get down here this instant!"

"Chirp, chirp, chirp..."

The Fire Glaze glanced dismissively at Bai Mu and stubbornly remained on Fansheng's shoulder, looking completely unruffled and at ease.

"It's fine, it's fine."

Fansheng waved his hand hastily and said, "This little fire-bird is exceptionally adorable, and its cultivation has already reached over a millennium. If I'm not mistaken, it must have consumed the Ten-Thousand-Year Fiery Red Lotus and established a contract with you, am I right?"

"Yes, Senior. In order to obtain the fire lotus within the Crimson Flame Ancient Cave, I formed a contract with it." Bai Mu recounted every single detail and event that had transpired inside the ancient cave.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Fansheng nodded in praise and said, "That being the case, this must be a destined affinity in fate between you and the little fire-bird.

"However, there is one thing I must remind you of.

"Although this little fire-bird is called a Fire Glaze, you must never address it by the name 'Liuli', otherwise it will certainly invite unnecessary trouble upon you in the days to come."