Half-Tried Deity
Chapter 3: Determined Not To Live In The Straw Hut

“Great Senior Uncle, you are back.” As soon as Xu Kong took Qi Huan to the gate of Qing Yun Mountain, he saw a crowd raise their heads and looked at them. Obviously, they weren’t there to welcome them, Qi Huan knew it well.

The man that stood at the forefront was a pale-faced scholar lookalike. His thin lips pressed tightly under his straight nose, sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes. Although his expression was a little serious, he was still a beautiful man. He wore a blue robe and looked like a celestial. Compared to Xu Kong beside her, that man looked more like a celestial.

“Little Feng Zi, hehe, why did you come here personally?” Seeing the middle-aged man, Xu Kong lowered the huge gourd, and dragged Qi Huan down as well.

“Great Senior and Great Senior Uncle are looking for you everywhere!” Ling Feng Zi sighed helplessly. His Great Senior Uncle was good at everything, he had a mild temper, and he was also very generous, but he had a child-like attitude, he always liked to play hide and seek.

“Okay, I’ll go to your Great Senior, hehe. By the way, this is my apprentice, please help me take care of her.” Xu Kong Zi pushed Qi Huan to Ling Feng Zi, and then flew away irresponsibly.

Qi Huan blinked her eyes. She was still pointing tremblingly at his figure in the sky as it got smaller and smaller. She couldn’t believe that someone like him was her teacher.

“Apprentice…” Xu Kong Zi’s irresponsible words not only almost angered Qi Huan, but also surprised Ling Feng Zi.

Just like that he had another Senior Uncle?!

While Ling Feng Zi was looking at Qi Huan, Qi Huan also returned the gaze, just that she did it more bluntly. She didn’t care about how a woman should behave, she was so close to him that she had almost put her small face on his face.

“Ahem, S-Senior Uncle.” Ling Feng Zi was frightened by Qi Huan’s enthusiasm that he retreated a few steps before speaking slowly. His tone was quite calm, but Qi Huan was certain that she felt a strong resentment.

Through these two or three days of rushing to come here, Qi Huan understood that Taoist Xu Kong had an extraordinary status. At least she had seen that when they met some other cultivators, those cultivators would stop in their steps and bow to the old Taoist from afar, while the old Taoist merely nodded and left.

She just didn’t expect that this old Taoist was actually to be the senior of Qing Yun Mountain. It was really high status. She had just gotten here and people were already addressing her as Senior Uncle. She chuckled silently.

Besides, this convenient Junior Nephew was very in line with her aesthetics, not only was his face beautiful, he even had a model figure! Qi Huan ignored his words while she patronized and admired the beauty of her Junior Nephew.

“Uncle Master.” Qi Huan’s hungry eyes frightened Ling Feng Zi so much that he took several steps back.

“Ah? Oh. What is it?” She wiped her mouth smoothly, making sure that she was not drooling. Qi Huan smirked and looked at Ling Feng Zi.

“Great Senior Uncle wouldn’t be back for a while, I will take you to rest first.”

“Oh, thank you.” Qi Huan smiled, patted Ling Feng Zi’s shoulder, and even squeezed it conveniently. Hmm, he has good muscles, it seems that he exercises regularly.

Ling Feng Zi shivered, being squeezed by Qi Huan. His eyes became more alert as they stared at Qi Huan. He knew that for a strange person like his Great Senior Uncle, his apprentice must also not be a normal person… He silently warned himself that it was better for him to stay away from this Senior Uncle, the farther the better.

“You all go back first.” Ling Feng Zi instructed the other disciples, before leaving with Qi Huan.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“…” He’s the Sect Leader..hmm… Qi Huan looked at Ling Feng Zi more seriously.

Ling Feng Zi was responsible, at least he was much more responsible than Xu Kong that old man. Ling Feng Zi didn’t immediately bring Qi Huan to a room to rest, instead, he took Qi Huan around the entire Qing Yun Mountain and got her acquainted with everyone else so that they knew the arrival of a new Senior Uncle.

In the end, Ling Feng Zi took Qi Huan to the top of the hill where Xu Kong lived, and arranged for her to live in the most luxurious straw hut on the top of the hill. That’s right, a straw hut!

Looking at the straw huts all over the mountains and plains, Qi Huan felt that she must be dreaming, why did she see palace-like buildings on other people’s hills, but hers was just a straw hut!

Seeing Qi Huan’s shocked expression, Ling Feng Zi explained in a serious tone, “Great Senior Uncle is the only one in our sect that practices ascetical cultivation.”

Ascetical cultivation meant that the practitioner eats the worst food, lives in the worst place, does not use herbs and medicine, and practices based on his capabilities. This is why among several masters under Dacheng in the cultivation world, Xu Kong is considered the first among them all. Xu Kong’s realm was indeed very admirable, but Qi Huan had never wanted to accompany him in practicing ascetical cultivation.

“This, this is abuse! This is inhumane, I want to apply for human rights!” After entering the straw hut, Qi Huan couldn’t help demanding berserkly after glancing around.

What the heck is this? Alright, fine, she has to live in this straw hut, but how is there only a rope in the entire house! Did they think she was Xiao Long Nu? TN: A fictional female protagonist of the wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong who uses webs and strings as part of her combat skills.

Ling Feng Zi bowed his head and coughed twice, but judging from his shaking shoulders, Qi Huan was sure he was gloating. It took a long time for him to explain slowly, “This is Coil Dragon Rope. It is very good to concentrate on your ling qi if you practice on it.”

“So you are saying that you also sleep on the Coil Dragon Rope?” Qi Huan looked up suspiciously.

“That’s right.” Ling Feng Zi said affirmatively. Then, seeing Qi Huan’s questioning eyes, he explained further, “But…I sleep on a Coil Dragon Rope that was woven into a mat…”

“…I want to exchange with you.”

“…” He silently protested.

Only

“If you refuse to exchange with me, I will hang myself with the rope. When I become a ghost, I will complain to the shifu and say that you have abused me.” Qi Huan threatened frankly.

Ling Feng Zi looked at Qi Huan’s shameless attitude with disappointment, but that did not stop Qi Huan from blackmailing him. She was used to doing shameless things anyway.

Unfortunately, this was just the beginning. A woman could never be offended. This was the first lesson Qi Huan taught Ling Feng Zi.

Qi Huan spent two hours and twenty-three minutes convincing Ling Feng Zi that she was just a weak woman and it was very dangerous for her to live in a dangerous house. In the end, she successfully moved into a luxurious palace on the top of the mountain where Ling Feng Zi lived.

On the other hand, Ling Feng Zi had no choice but to live in this straw hut and sleep on the rope until the day Qi Huan could accept this hut.

It wasn’t until Qi Huan happily left that Ling Feng Zi finally understood why Great Senior Uncle would throw his apprentice to him, he must have already known the horror of his apprentice since the beginning.

He made up his mind that when he saw that Senior Uncle in the future, he must definitely avoid her, and if he couldn’t, he must at least escape.