劍問蒼天 - 第104章 問訊 - 清風書屋

With that, he turned around, and saw that Xiaowan was holding Little Gray and teasing it in play.

Xiaowan caught Ming Li's gaze from the corner of her eye and could not help laughing. "Your little monkey is so adorable! By the way, why has it suddenly grown so much heavier? And look—a deep gray mark has opened on its forehead, as if it has grown another eye. Heh, isn't that so, monkey?"

As she spoke, Xiaowan pulled a face at Little Gray, and Little Gray grinned back with chattering cries of "zhi zhi, zhi zhi," its tail swinging to and fro behind it.

Something stirred in Ming Li's heart. Ever since that day in the Heaven Emperor's Treasure House, when Little Gray had drunk that cup of mysterious liquid and swallowed that strange stone, it had been as if drunk, sleeping a full two days and two nights. When it woke it showed no interest in eating, yet its weight had suddenly increased greatly, and its appearance had slowly begun to change: its fur grew ever more lustrous and bright, and the gray mark on its forehead in particular became more and more distinct.

Beyond these things, however, Little Gray showed no other changes, and remained as fond of play and food as ever. At first Ming Li had worried somewhat, but seeing that Little Gray exhibited nothing unusual, he gradually set his mind at ease.

At this moment Ming Li paused, and shifted his gaze to the Wild Wolf Daoist. The Wild Wolf Daoist glanced at him, and could not keep a certain fear from showing in his eyes.

Ming Li said flatly, "Do you mean to follow them from now on?"

The Wild Wolf Daoist was silent for a moment, then said, "Yes."

Ming Li said, "Do you still remember what I once told you—that Elder Nian and his lot may come for you at any time?"

The Wild Wolf Daoist's face darkened, but he looked at Xiaowan and still said, "I know. I do not care. They were the ones who betrayed the sect—do they still have the face to come before me?"

Ming Li glanced at Xiaowan, whether by design or not, then withdrew his gaze and said, "Since that is what you want, so be it."

The Wild Wolf Daoist started, and raised his head, as though he had not expected Ming Li to be so agreeable. But Ming Li paid him no further mind; he walked off to one side and called out to Little Gray. In a flash Little Gray darted from Xiaowan's arms and, with two or three bounds, leaped onto Ming Li's shoulder.

Xiaowan was taken aback, and somewhat reluctant to part with it. "You are leaving already?"

Ming Li nodded, cupped his hands in salute to Zhou Yixuan, and at once a blue radiance surged beneath him, transforming in an instant into brilliant azure light that shot straight up into the heavens, vanishing beyond the horizon in a short while.

Watching Ming Li's figure disappear, the Wild Wolf Daoist suddenly let out a long breath, as though Ming Li's mere presence there had carried an invisible authority that pressed upon him and left him unable to breathe.

Xiaowan saw it and was about to tease him a little when she heard a sudden stir of wind behind her, and a soft, alluring voice spoke gently at her back: "Sister, so we meet again."

Xiaowan started, and before she even turned around she was already smiling. "Sister Ping'er."

She looked back, and there indeed stood Jin Pingyue, all grace and charm, of matchless beauty, smiling behind her—when she had appeared, there was no telling.

The Wild Wolf Daoist, being after all a man of the demonic sect, felt considerable fear of Jin Pingyue, and his expression turned rather uncomfortable. But Xiaowan and Jin Pingyue were truly close, and seeing her, Xiaowan was overjoyed, seizing her hand and laughing without cease.

Jin Pingyue, like an elder sister, stroked Xiaowan's head with great affection, then glanced at the sky, whether by design or not, and said, "Sister Xiaowan, the reason I sought you out today is that I actually wish to ask your grandfather a few questions."

Xiaowan, Zhou Yixuan, and even the Wild Dog were all startled.