Chapter 34: Ceng Shushu

After the drawing of lots was completed, the crowd of Disciples began to return to rest to prepare for tomorrow's martial arts matches; several Peak Masters remained behind with Daoxuan Zhenren.

Daoxuan swept his gaze over the other six people present and said to them indifferently: "Now that only the six of us are left, there are some matters I wish to discuss with you."

"Senior Brother, is it about the Spirit Venerable's agitation?"

Sitting to the side, Zhaoyang Peak Master Shang Zhengliang frowned and asked Daoxuan.

Daoxuan Zhenren nodded, and with an expressionless face, he said slowly to everyone: "I have just met with the Spirit Venerable, and I have also asked the Spirit Venerable about some things."

Once these words were spoken, everyone's expressions changed.

Su Changqing, having left the main hall, was walking on the path back to the living quarters assigned to Xiaozhu Peak when suddenly someone jumped out and blocked his way, looking at Su Changqing with a malicious smile.

The person who arrived was a young Qingyun Sect Disciple with delicate features, wearing a cyan long robe; he was about twelve years old, a few years older than Su Changqing, and held a landscape folding fan in his hand.

Su Changqing frowned slightly; he felt this person was very familiar, but he could not remember who to associate him with.

"Fellow Daoist Changqing, I, Ceng Shushu, offer my greetings!"

Just as Su Changqing was puzzled, that person bowed politely first to greet Su Changqing.

"Ceng Shushu?"

Su Changqing was slightly surprised.

Once this name was mentioned, he remembered who this person was.

This person was none other than the son of Qingyun Sect Peak Master Ceng Shuchang; he had read books since childhood, was widely learned, and was an encyclopedia-level figure.

In the story, he was also one of the crucial characters; because of the Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey, he became friends with Zhang Xiaofan, and the two formed a deep friendship. In the end, when Zhang Xiaofan was judged by the people of the Qingyun Sect, Ceng Shushu stood out resolutely to speak for him, proving himself a true bosom friend.

But what was he doing blocking Su Changqing now?

While Su Changqing was searching his memory, Ceng Shushu kept staring at Su Changqing's right arm, then asked Su Changqing very politely: "Fellow Daoist Changqing, forgive my presumption! May I take a look at that dragon-snake you have hidden in your sleeve?"

"Little dragon-snake?"

Su Changqing finally understood; this kid had come for the little dragon-snake, just as he had become friends with Zhang Xiaofan for the sake of the Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey in the story.

"Yes, it is exactly that little dragon-snake that cheated for you."

A cunning smile rose on the corner of Ceng Shushu's mouth.

"Cheated?!"

Hearing him say this, Su Changqing was immediately startled.

Seeing that there was no one around, Su Changqing leaned in close to Ceng Shushu and asked him hurriedly: "How did you know I cheated? Have you told anyone else?"

"Uh, very few people know about this matter."

Ceng Shushu answered Su Changqing truthfully.

"That's good! That's good!"

Su Changqing finally felt relieved; although he did not care about the ranking in the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament, it would not sound good if the matter of cheating were spread around.

"But the people who know are the Sect Leader and several Peak Masters."

Ceng Shushu added immediately afterward.

"Huh?!"

Su Changqing felt as if he had been turned to stone at that moment.

Afterward, Ceng Shushu explained the matter to Su Changqing. It turned out that the wooden box was not only protected by a Forbidden Seal, but the side facing the Peak Masters' seats was completely transparent; any movement of someone reaching into the wooden box could be seen clearly, including the dragon-snake picking the slips of paper inside.

"Great! Now I'm done for!"

Su Changqing had never expected such a trick; now that he knew his actions were all clearly visible under everyone's eyes, he felt like a clown.

"That's not necessarily true; I see that the Sect Leader and the various Junior Uncles have no intention of holding you accountable."

Ceng Shushu said to Su Changqing with a gentle smile; although he did not know why the Sect Leader Daoxuan Zhenren would let Su Changqing off the hook, that was the fact.

"By the way, little dragon-snake?"

Su Changqing knew this kid was knowledgeable and of good character, so he felt at ease releasing the little dragon-snake, intending to ask Ceng Shushu if he knew what species or what kind of demon beast it was.

The little dragon-snake, with its ink-black scales, a lightning-shimmering horn on its head, and two white feathered wings, slowly crawled out from Su Changqing's hand; in an instant, it attracted all of Ceng Shushu's attention, and he stared at the little dragon-snake with a look of obsession.

And when the little dragon-snake saw Ceng Shushu staring at it with a foolish expression, it seemed to dislike this kind of gaze, became slightly angry, and let out hisses.

"Senior Brother Ceng, Xiao Mo does not like strangers looking at it like that."

Su Changqing also sensed the little dragon-snake's reluctance and immediately reminded Ceng Shushu.

"Oh, oh, it is my rudeness."

After being reminded, Ceng Shushu finally came back to his senses and wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.

"Senior Brother Ceng, do you know what kind of demon beast Xiao Mo is?"

Su Changqing asked Ceng Shushu curiously.

There was not a single record in the books, and it could even make the Water Qilin kneel and obey it; the little dragon-snake's origin was definitely extraordinary.

Ceng Shushu first lowered expectations before raising them: "I! I don't know!"

"I, Ceng Shushu, if nothing else, truly live up to my name in my love for reading; I have read countless books on strange tales and supernatural wonders, including many that record various demon beasts, divine beasts, holy beasts, and exotic beasts, enough to encompass all the myriad demon beasts under heaven, and I remember them all without forgetting a single detail."

"But I have never seen, read, or heard of a creature like this little dragon-snake; it has spirit horns on its head and feathered wings on its back, which is extremely strange."

Ceng Shushu stared at the little dragon-snake without moving his eyes, frowning and saying to Su Changqing in all seriousness.

Su Changqing did not find this result strange; if he had been able to identify the little dragon-snake's identity, that would be the strange thing. If it were not a mysterious identity, how could it match the special traits the little dragon-snake had been showing?

"Junior Brother Changqing, why don't you let me have this little dragon-snake? As long as you speak, I am willing to trade everything I have for it."

Ceng Shushu said to Su Changqing with a glint in his eyes.

"That won't do; the little dragon-snake is my companion and friend, so I cannot hand it over to anyone no matter what. Senior Brother Ceng need not mention such things again in the future."

Su Changqing refused without even thinking, even adding a trace of cultivation-based majesty.

Ceng Shushu quickly felt the pressure coming from Su Changqing and was secretly shocked in his heart.

This is Foundation Establishment Stage 1?!

How could the faint pressure released make even him, at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Fourth Realm, feel such dread? "Junior Brother, I did not know you two were on such good terms; had I known, I would not have spoken such rude words. I will not say them again in the future."

Ceng Shushu also knew he had touched Su Changqing's sore spot, so he apologized repeatedly.

The atmosphere finally eased up quite a bit.

Afterwards, the two chatted for a few more moments before returning to their respective dwellings; Su Changqing was thinking about where he should go to gain experience and seek treasures, while Ceng Shushu hugged a few books of strange tales and began to read, secretly swearing that he must figure out the identity of the little dragon-snake.

(End of this chapter)