Morning.
Star-Moon Great Domain, Xiao Zhe Manor.
Gu Qingfeng lay reclined in a hammock, basking in the sun. His eyes were slightly closed as he pondered a matter.
He had always known the Little Turtle was no ordinary spirit beast.
He had known from the very first moment he laid eyes on the little fellow in Yun Nichang's cave abode.
But that was all.
As for what kind of existence the little fellow truly was, he did not know, nor could he imagine.
Last night in the swamp, the Little Turtle's sudden roar had not only startled him but had also shaken his very mind and spirit.
One must know that his mind and spirit were so strong that not even heavenly might could shake them. Yet now, they had been somewhat shaken by a single roar from the Little Turtle. This truly surprised Gu Qingfeng.
He still remembered clearly: that roar was filled with a kind of ancient, primordial, and overwhelmingly domineering power.
Forget spirit beasts.
Forget mystic beasts.
Even immortal beasts, demonic beasts, heavenly beasts, or earthly beasts could not possibly contain such a terrifying, ancient, and domineering power.
The feeling was like that of the legendary Primal True Spirits born at the dawn of creation. Although Gu Qingfeng had never seen a so-called Primal True Spirit, for some reason, that was exactly the feeling.
Could the little fellow really be a so-called Primal True Spirit?
That couldn't be possible, could it?
Ancient texts recorded that all manner of True Spirits had long gone extinct with the end of the Primordial Era. What remained were merely their descendants, generation after generation.
Although the current era was one of revival for all things, no matter how much things revived, the True Spirits of the Primordial Era couldn't possibly return, could they?
He shook his head.
Gu Qingfeng couldn't figure it out for the moment. With a thought, he summoned the little fellow from his storage bag.
The Little Turtle was still the Little Turtle.
Only, it no longer had its previous arrogant air. Its body lay limp on the table, utterly listless, unable to even lift its head properly. Its little eyes were half-open, half-closed, as if on the verge of death.
Even so, it was enough to amaze Gu Qingfeng.
One must know that what he had unleashed earlier was the Nine Underworlds Fire. Although it wasn't his life-bound Nine Underworlds True Fire, it was definitely not something just anything could withstand.
And yet, after being burned by the Nine Underworlds Fire for so long, aside from being completely drained of energy, spirit, and vitality, the little fellow didn't seem to have suffered any other ill effects.
"Master Gu... Ancestor Gu...
This lowly one is scared...
I submit...
I submit completely..." the Little Turtle said weakly, its words broken. "I don't dare anymore...
This lowly one...
won't dare anymore...
You...
Please spare this lowly one, I don't dare anymore..."
Clearly.
After being burned by the Nine Underworlds Fire, the Little Turtle was thoroughly terrified.
Gu Qingfeng wore a playful smile. "Letting you off this time isn't impossible, only..."
"Only what...
Master, please speak...
Speak freely...
This lowly one...
will do anything..."
"Do you know that roar you let out earlier gave me quite a fright? Come on, roar again for me to hear."
"Master!
This lowly one...
This lowly one doesn't dare!"
"I don't mean anything else, I just want to hear it."
"This lowly one...
really doesn't know what you're talking about!
This lowly one has forgotten too...
I don't even remember roaring!"
"Really forgotten?"
"What happened then, this lowly one truly doesn't know now!
If you, venerable one, don't believe me, this lowly one can swear...
This lowly one only wanted at the time...
to...
to...
You...
The rest, this lowly one truly doesn't know."
Gu Qingfeng could tell the little fellow wasn't lying. He just couldn't figure it out. Could it be that the little fellow's true soul or bloodline had manifested at that moment?
He thought for a while longer but still couldn't come to a conclusion. He considered whether to test it again, but after some thought, he decided against it. The little fellow was already exhausted to the bone. He shouldn't risk tormenting it to death.
"I'll let you off for now. Behave yourself in the future. If you dare to get uppity again, I'll stew you!"
"This lowly one...
This lowly one will obey..."
The Little Turtle felt like crying but had no tears. It was aggrieved, so aggrieved it wanted to weep.
"Alright, you look pretty worn out too. Go back and rest for now."
Just as Gu Qingfeng was about to send the Little Turtle back, it suddenly cried out with effort, "Wait!"
"What is it?"
"Master, don't misunderstand...
This lowly one...
has no other meaning. This lowly one just wants to bask in the sun a little longer..."
"You little rascal, you know how to enjoy yourself. Fine, bask a while longer then."
Gu Qingfeng couldn't be bothered and continued lying in the hammock, sipping his wine. The Little Turtle lay limply on the table, watching him drink. The more it watched, the more its mouth watered, drool almost dripping out. It extended a claw, wiped its drool, swallowed, and tentatively asked.
"That...
that...
Master, what wine are you drinking? It looks delicious..."
"What?
Want some?"
The Little Turtle's spirits instantly lifted. It abruptly sat up from its prone position on the table, nodding its head vigorously, its eyes full of anticipation.
"Look at you, so pathetic."
Gu Qingfeng casually tossed a cup over.
The little fellow picked up the cup and, without another word, downed it in one go. The motion was smooth and decisive. After drinking, it wiped its mouth with a claw and said, "Good wine!
Top-grade good wine!
As expected of Master, to get your hands on such fine wine. This lowly one's admiration for you is like a mighty river, flowing endlessly..."
"Well now, little guy!
You've been out less than a month and learned quite a bit, even damn well learned how to flatter!"
Gu Qingfeng laughed and scolded. "Not bad, I must say, that flattery was pretty decent! Good!
For the sake of that flattery, I'll reward you with a jar of fine wine."
With that, Gu Qingfeng took out a jar of peach blossom wine and tossed it over.
The little fellow held the jar of wine with both claws, extremely excited. It immediately launched into another round of flattery, then leaped straight into the jar, gulping down the wine with gusto. As it drank, it kept praising the wine.
The little fellow had a great capacity for wine, and it seemed to have a bit of an addiction.
After finishing one jar, it wanted another.
Gu Qingfeng wasn't a stingy person. He gave the little fellow as much as it could drink. After all, he had tormented it for so long earlier; this could be considered compensation.
And so, the two of them drank jar after jar, one for you, one for me. They didn't know how many jars they drank until the sun began to set in the west. The little fellow, probably full, crawled into a wine jar and fell sound asleep, snoring. Gu Qingfeng also lay in the hammock and fell into a deep slumber.
In his drowsiness, he seemed to hear someone calling him. He groggily opened his eyes to see a beautiful face.
It was Ouyang Ye.
"I say, Sister Ouyang, what's the matter?"
As he spoke, he yawned again, closed his eyes, and continued dozing.
"I asked you to impersonate Gu Qingfeng, not to actually become him! Why have you started acting just like him now, spending all day drinking, sleeping, or sunbathing?"
Ouyang Ye looked at the wine jars scattered on the ground and couldn't help but frown. "You have time to drink and sunbathe, but you can't cultivate a bit?"
Gu Qingfeng stretched lazily. "What a waste of good times to spend them cultivating..."
Ouyang Ye shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You're truly hopeless!"