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Neither Feng Chulian nor Song Lin are particularly impressed…
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Ch. 21 | Auld acquaintances
He hastily patted his own face.
Wake up! Stop imagining things! Song Lin is here to look for me only because of my great spiritual power — I’m valuable that way. What the House of Song can’t obtain, they won’t let others have either. Song Lin doesn’t really miss me, and there’s no way he’ll make a pact with me.
Just then Feng Chulian said, ‘There’s a mountain sprite on sentry duty at my temple and not anyone can just stroll in. If the spirit beast you’re referring to really is here, there’s no way I would be unaware of it.’
Song Lin motioned for Styx to come over who did so and unrolled a map on the table.
‘Your Excellency, according to the Soul Tracking Technique, the spirit beast we’re looking for is very near here.’ He showed Feng Chulian the blue energy on the map.
From his spot behind the servant girls, Dandan also peeped at the map and only saw something blue and shining spinning there.
Is that… me?
Dandan shuffled a few steps to the left and the shining pinpoint of light followed suit. Undeterred, Dandan shuffled to the right and the blue light also did the same. This time, Dandan did not dare move any more — the Soul Tracking Technique was really… unfairly precise!
Song Lin noticed the minute changes to the spiritual energy on the map and how it first moved left, then right. The corners of his mouth turned up suddenly. ‘Looks like the little thing is here.’
Styx: ‘??’
Feng Chulian: ‘??’
Bi An: ‘??’
Dandan: ‘??’
Song Lin rested his head on one hand while gently waving the tea cup lid back and forth over his tea. ‘Are you coming out yourself or do I have to drag you out?’
Dandan squatted down hastily and hugged his knees, huddling into a ball while telling himself: Song Lin can’t possibly have discovered where I am. He must be making a mystery of things on purpose¹ to bluff me out of hiding. Ha, I’m too clever to fall for that.
Song Lin waited for a while and when nothing else happened, took an elegant sip of his tea before announcing, ‘In that case, I’m going to do it.’
Dandan: W-wait a second! Do it? Do it to what? Do what to it? ( °Д°)
All he saw was Song Lin holding his index finger and middle finger together before his lips in a silent incantation. Dandan suddenly felt something turning hot inside his body, all the blood quickening…
Th-this kind of familiar feeling… don’t tell me it’s…
Dandan’s pupils began to dilate.
H-hey… for real?
The next moment, Song Lin’s Blood Weapon suddenly shot out of Dandan’s chest.
Dandan: Mewmewmew?² It even does that?
‘Ahh!!!’ Unnerved by this sudden turn of events, the servant girls scattered helter-skelter while Dandan, holding up the long sword and looking flabbergasted, was revealed to the audience.
Bi An facepalmed. That’s it… it’s over…
¹ 故弄玄虛 gùnòng-xuánxū. If you’re not reading this chapter at hiding in plain sight, it has been stolen and reproduced by novelscraping sites.
Feng Chulian’s face hardened in a flash and he practically gritted out his next few words, ‘How did you get in here?’
Dandan continued holding the sword up awkwardly for a few seconds before standing it on the ground and leaning on the hilt, while doing his best to look casual. ‘Oh, y’know… I was just… passing by… yeah, passing by!’
Feng Chulian’s expression was thunderous. Dandan? This dratted rabbit again, why do you keep turning up like a bad penny? When Yu Huan was alive, the two of you gave me no end of trouble together. Now that he’s dead, you’re doing it single-handedly³?
‘I wonder if Your Excellency and my little rabbit are acquainted?’ Song Lin asked blandly. ‘If you are indeed old acquaintances, then I must thank Your Excellency for looking after him so well.’
Dandan was really afraid that Feng Chulian would expose his unsavoury past and hurriedly denied it first, ‘Not at all! Not at all! His Excellency is such a superior being and incomparably respectable. How could he possibly be acquainted with a humble little spirit beast like me?’
Feng Chulian’s gold irises surveyed him coldly for a moment. After a long pause, he said, ‘No, I don’t know him. I suppose one of my mischievous disciples let him in.’
At this point, feeling that since he had been named and shamed, he might as well face up to it, Bi An walked out from a corner. ‘Teacher, I was the one who let him in…’
³ 單槍匹馬 dānqiāng-pǐmǎ. Translation belongs to theresanother(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com.
Feng Chulian said to Song Lin, ‘Everything seems quite clear now. It was my unruly disciple who let your spirit beast into the temple. Since you came to get him back, please take him with you when you leave, Second Master Song.’
The long red sword was blazing hot and Dandan’s arm was starting to sizzle. Song Lin walked over to him, pointed to his arm and stated, ‘It’s cooked.’
Only then did Dandan become aware of the burning sensation — he had almost forgotten that Song Lin’s Blood Weapon was not something any normal being could wield.
With a wave of his hand, Song Lin kept the weapon back into Dandan’s body then turned to Feng Chulian. ‘Since I’ve already found the spirit beast I was looking for, I won’t trouble you any further. I still have some matters to see to,’ he said in a rather sinister tone, one hand resting on Dandan’s shoulder.
Feng Chulian replied with a forced smile, ‘What a coincidence. I also have some little matters to attend to so I won’t be seeing you out.’ He was looking at Bi An as he said this.
Bi An and Dandan gazed at each other from afar, their eyes brimming with emotion.
Bi An: Save me, brat!!
Dandan: Can’t you see that I have problems of my own here⁴?!
Song Lin pinched Dandan’s cheek, forcing him to turn round to face the former. ‘Did you miss me? Little powder puff.’
Dandan thought: The hell I did!!!
The whole episode ended with Styx pinning Dandan’s arms together and stuffing him into the car.
⁴ 自身難保 zìshēn-nánbǎo. Please consider reading from theresanother(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com rather than from novelscraping sites.
‘W-w-where are you all taking me?’
Song Lin said impassively, ‘You’ve been away for so long. Don’t you want to go home?’
…
No, I don’t… I really don’t!!
‘Let’s agree to this first,’ Dandan said, holding up his hands in an attitude of surrender. ‘You can beat me anywhere but just don’t touch my face.’
In the front seat, Styx rolled his eyes.
Song Lin was stroking the pocket watch on his Western jacket as he looked out the window and asked absently, ‘Why should we beat you?’
‘… Because… I ran away… and before doing that, I ate up all the roasted lamb legs in the kitchen…’
‘Well well, you actually have a clear idea of your crimes,’ commented Song Lin.
‘Don’t worry,’ Styx said without turning his head. ‘The House of Song never ill-treats its spirit beasts.’
Dandan stole a sideways glance at Song Lin. From this angle, he could see the latter’s long eyelashes and high nose bridge. There was an idea taking shape in his mind and although he knew he shouldn’t ask, the words came out before he could stop himself, ‘Song Lin…’
‘Hm?’
‘About the Guardians’ Tournament… ahem, have you already decided which spirit beast you’ll take with you?’
Song Lin seemed to be rather startled that he would ask that question and turned round to look at him. A certain look flashed in his icy blue eyes and it was a while before he answered, ‘Mm hm.’
Just as he had expected… Dandan lowered his eyes. After that battle in the Fascinating Forest, Song Lin had really come to appreciate Troy. Dandan abruptly lost all interest in continuing the conversation, but it was rather awkward at the same time just leaving it at that. He racked his brains for a way to end the awkwardness and finally managed a hollow laugh, ‘Then… good luck…’
Song Lin gave him a quizzical look.
While holding his chin, Dandan mused a while later, ‘Actually, there’s no need to take me back with you. Don’t worry, I won’t join forces with the other Four Great Houses. There’s no way that I’ll become a threat to the House of Song so… let me go?’
Song Lin continued to look out at the scenery and it was quite some time before he answered. ‘If I let you go, then whom do I take along to the Guardians’ Tournament?’
(Approx. 1406 words)
12’s notes:
Author says: Don’t ask me why a rabbit would go ‘mewmewmew’. I don’t know why either…
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Translated and edited by 12
hiding in plain sight 
I didn’t think twice about the mewmewmew until the author pointed it out. I wonder if Song Lin’s trick with the Blood Weapon would come in handy later. I’m curious now what kind of trouble Dandan and Yu Huan got up to and how Dandan befriended Bi An. Thanks for the translation!
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