“Dongfang Jing, it is dangerous out here. One must be cautious when traveling the world. I think it’s best if you return to your sect,” Li Xue cautioned one last time before turning to fly onto Zi Feng’s back.
“I’m not going back! I have nowhere to go. I want to follow you!” Dongfang Jing hurriedly took to the air to catch up, nearly grabbing Li Xue’s sleeve to shake it like a pouting child.
Li Xue felt a massive headache coming on. She knew that once she got involved with him, things would become troublesome.
“Mistress, Mistress, let’s take him along! He’s so pitiful, and the more the merrier!” Zi Huang chirped from the side.
“Shut your mouth!” Li Xue shot a sharp, piercing glare at the bird, and Zi Huang immediately went quiet, not daring to make another sound.
“Yes, yes! I am very pitiful, I have nowhere to go!” Dongfang Jing cast a grateful look at Zi Huang before pleading again.
Li Xue felt incredibly frustrated. She truly wanted to knock Dongfang Jing down with a single palm strike and leave him behind. “I am going to the Bai family of East Beast Mountain as a guest,” she said crossly. “It isn’t convenient to bring others along. Either return to your sect or go play somewhere else!” *And stop bothering me!* she added mentally.
Dongfang Jing’s eyes lit up. “I’m going to the Bai family too! Why don’t we go together?”
“Hey, do you actually have friends in the Bai family?” Li Xue recalled Zi Feng saying he carried the scent of a Green Warbler. Perhaps he really did have connections there. If that were the case, traveling together would be fine; she could simply dump him once they arrived.
“I do, I do!” Dongfang Jing promised, looking at Li Xue with eyes full of sorrow and entreaty.
*Good grief,* Li Xue thought. *If this were the world of Danmei, this kid would definitely be a perpetual bottom!* In the end, she could only sigh. “Fine, let’s go together.”
Dongfang Jing beamed with joy. He performed a quick hand seal, and a sharp cry echoed through the air as a Green Warbler appeared before him. Dongfang Jing patted the bird’s head. “Qingqing, let’s go!”
Li Xue’s eyes widened. The boy really did have a Green Warbler. It was a beautiful creature with azure feathers and three shimmering teal plumes at its tail. It was clearly a Rank 3 beast, but its tail feathers were twice as long as Zi Feng’s. *Could this be a late-stage Rank 3 spirit beast?*
The Green Warbler chirped a few times, nuzzling Zi Feng and Zi Huang in a friendly manner before increasing its size. Dongfang Jing hopped onto its back and called out, “Sister Li, let’s go!”
“Why are you calling me ‘Sister Li’? Just call me ‘Fellow Daoist Li’.” Li Xue had no intention of becoming close with him.
Dongfang Jing looked at her with those watery, mournful eyes again. Li Xue merely snorted. *Nice try, kid. I’m not into guys like that; that look won't work on me.*
“Then can I call you Li Xue?” Dongfang Jing compromised when he saw she remained unmoved.
“Whatever.” As long as he didn’t act overly familiar, Li Xue didn’t mind him using her name.
With Dongfang Jing tagging along, Li Xue was even less inclined to dally on the road. As they neared East Beast Mountain, she sent a transmission talisman to Ji Rufeng.
Dongfang Jing watched Li Xue, looking as though he wanted to say something but hesitated.
“What is it now?” Li Xue asked helplessly.
“Well... Purple Warblers are extremely rare even within the Bai family. There are only about a dozen in the entire cultivation world. Aside from the Golden Core Elders, only the most talented juniors of the Bai family possess them. Everyone else only has Green or Yellow Warblers. However, my Qingqing is top-grade among Green Warblers!” Dongfang Jing said, a hint of pride creeping into his voice at the end.
Li Xue understood his meaning immediately. If she flew into the Bai estate with two Purple Warblers like this, the Bai family members would likely flay her alive with their glares.
“Thanks for the warning,” Li Xue said gratefully. This earned her several more "starry-eyed" looks from Dongfang Jing, making her shake her head in exasperation.
Ji Rufeng arrived quickly. Upon seeing Li Xue, he said happily, “Sister Li, you arrived so fast! I thought if you were riding Zi Feng, it would take at least another two days.”
“Ha, well, there was a bit of a situation.” Li Xue gestured toward Dongfang Jing with her chin.
Ji Rufeng had noticed Dongfang Jing long ago and was wondering how Li Xue had ended up with this guy. He gave Dongfang Jing a complicated look, while Dongfang Jing simply arched an eyebrow in response.
“Alright, Dongfang Jing, we’ve reached the Bai family. If you’re looking for your friend, you can ask Xiao Feng to call them for you,” Li Xue said, feeling relieved that she could finally rid herself of this "Dongfang Bottom."
“Sister Li, he is technically a junior of the Bai family. Didn’t you know?” Ji Rufeng’s tone implied his confusion—how could she have come all this way with him without knowing that?
