Chapter 31: A Fat Little Bird Arrives

“Master-servant contract.” The three words came out of Chen Xi’s mouth effortlessly, but for the immortals present, it was like throwing a deep-water bomb.

A master-servant contract, literally, means losing one’s freedom and becoming a slave to another. Although these low-ranking immortals had been doing similar work on Beast Island, it was still difficult for them to admit that they were slaves and pledge loyalty with a seal. After all, it felt like tearing away a curtain to expose the most shameful scene in front of the public.

“Respectable one…” The immortals’ faces showed some hesitation.

But Chen Xi didn’t force them. He pointed to the nearby teleportation array and said, “If you want to stay, you must sign the contract. If you’re unwilling to submit, I understand. The exit is over there. You can make your own choice.”

“I’ll wait for your responses, no more than three days.”

After speaking, Chen Xi hugged the Moonlight Celestial Beast and left, leaving the immortals outside, still confused and uncertain about their future.

The more difficult the choice, the harder it was to decide. However, despite this, most of them were still moved. After all, although Chen Xi was decisive, he wasn’t cruel. It was far better than going back to die under Sect Master Lingyun’s hands. At the same time, another event that was happening also made their previously leaning hearts towards Chen Xi become even more determined.

The current head of the Phoenix Clan, Vermilion Bird, the Lord of the Four Immortal Palaces, actually expressed his intention to visit Beast Island.

—

The next morning, the teleportation array vibrated violently, and soon, Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird appeared with a few close attendants.

Instead of waiting for Chen Xi to greet him, Vermilion Bird took the initiative to ask someone to guide him and went directly to find Chen Xi.

“Master Chen,” The person standing before Chen Xi was a young man, who looked incredibly handsome. His phoenix eyes, especially affectionate, seemed to have hidden hooks, easily drawing people in.

Chen Xi was first startled but quickly let go of his doubts. He had originally thought the one coming would be the original form, but to his surprise, it was a living person. However, thinking again, Vermilion Bird was a divine beast, and its original form was also magnificent, so it made sense for him to appear in human form with such beauty. He quickly returned the courtesy, “Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird, you’re too kind.”

Then, his gaze nervously shifted to the chubby little beasts behind him. After the incident with the moth spirit, in Chen Xi’s eyes, although Vermilion Bird was a divine beast, he was still a bird. The result of a cat meeting a bird was easy to imagine, most likely similar to what had happened with the moth spirit.

But since Vermilion Bird was unfamiliar and of high status, Chen Xi feared his chubby little ones would be at a disadvantage, so he was extra cautious. In the end, he found his worries were all unnecessary.

Vermilion Bird, after all, wasn’t a small demon like the moth spirit. Not only did Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird have no fear of the Moonlight Celestial Beasts, but he also took out a long tail feather and started to play with the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, teasing them until they were tired. Only then did he pull out a red furball from his collar and gently say, “This is my son. He will be staying with you for a while from today. Please take good care of him!”

As expected from a divine bird, even a simple request sounded sweet and pleasant coming from his lips. Plus, he looked so good, a real beauty, with a big tail to boot. Several Moonshadow Celestial Beasts immediately stood upright, patting their little chests, promising that there would be no problem.

Chen Xi shook his head helplessly, then turned his attention to the red furball, wanting to see what the legendary Vermilion Bird really looked like.

“The Classic of Mountains and Seas – South Classic, Second Volume”: “There is a bird, its shape like an owl but with human hands, its sound like a vibration, its name is Zhu Bird. Its name is self-appointed, and when it appears, it is known for releasing many scholars.”

But in reality, the red furball standing among the chubby little creatures… was just a fat little bird.

“Chirp~ Chirp chirp chirp?” Still half asleep, the little Vermilion Bird, suddenly placed in front of everyone by its father, made a confused sound, curiously looking around with its small head, its little black bean eyes full of questions.

Well, it seemed like it wanted to swat with its paw.

Unlike adult birds, the chick didn’t have smooth feathers but only a layer of short fluff covering its body. Moreover, the little Vermilion Bird had been pampered so much that it was round and plump. To the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, it looked like the yarn balls Chen Xi had made for them before.

However, having just promised its father to look after it, the paw that was originally meant to swat came down instead as a gentle pat.

The soft paw pads of the little milk cat were just as dangerous as they were adorable. The little Vermilion Bird, still somewhat confused, immediately became fond of the sensation, eagerly sticking out its head to nuzzle against the milk cat.

Thus, the friendship between the young ones was easily established. Feeling spoiled, the chubby little beasts eagerly took their new little companion, a fat Vermilion Bird, to the garden to play, even enthusiastically recommending their favorite toys and introducing the moth spirit.

“Good-looking,” “can fly,” “leaps really high,” the orange little ones waved their arms excitedly, speaking with great joy. Originally indifferent to the scratching post and balls, the fat Vermilion Bird’s eyes gradually brightened when hearing about the moth spirit, and it even cooperatively chirped, “Chirp chirp chirp,” joining the discussion.

Seeing the fat Vermilion Bird finally becoming lively, the orange little ones grew even more excited. When they saw Chen Xi coming from the cave, they slapped their little chests with a “pa pa” sound, indicating that this new little one was easy to manage and that there was no need for him to worry.

Chen Xi, seeing this, could only shake his head helplessly and secretly send a message to the moth spirit. From Chen Xi’s point of view, the reason the fat Vermilion Bird was excited wasn’t because of a shared interest with the orange little ones but simply because it was happy to see food. That was all.

Indeed, whether it was moths, grasshoppers, or birds, they were all enemies of the Moonlight Celestial Beasts. This was even more terrifying than cats.

—

Meanwhile, inside the Zefeng Cave, just after Chen Xi left, the atmosphere between the Moonlight Celestial Beasts and Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird grew a bit subtle. The palm-sized little milk cat disdainfully glanced at Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird. Before he could even explain, the immortal technique was already in the cat’s paw.

Seeing it was serious, Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird hastily used a teleportation move to dodge, but still, the Moonlight Celestial Beast leaped and grabbed his tail feather.

“Don’t rush, don’t rush, let me explain. The Heavenly Dao Rankings are about to expose Chen Xi to the public, and Beast Island has already acknowledged its master. The immortals in the immortal world have tacitly accepted that he has inherited the legacy of Immortal Xi Chen. Whether the rumors are true or not, in the future, more people will focus on him. So, you can’t hide him forever. Rather than being passive later, I’ll take action now and bring him over to our side, it’s better than being fooled by the old fools in the Three Upper Immortal Realms later.”

Quickly pulling back his tail feather, Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird glanced at the door. Seeing that Chen Xi had yet to return from the garden, he subtly reminded the Moonlight Celestial Beast, “Besides, your Majesty, you can’t keep hiding him like this. Some things need to be made clear. I see this Chen Xi, though good-looking, he’s probably a bit dull.”

The increasingly ambiguous tone made the Moonlight Celestial Beast, whose expression had softened, narrow its eyes dangerously again. As for the faraway Emperor Qing Yang in the Immortal Palace, he also angrily made a hand gesture and sent a transmission, “You fat idiot, shut up!”

Thus, half a minute later, the faint smell of roast chicken wafted from the Zefeng Cave.

—

Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird came quickly and left just as hurriedly. Chen Xi, who had just gone to the garden to check on the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts and the fat Vermilion Bird, returned to the cave and immediately heard from the puppet that Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird had already left.

“Was there something urgent?” After scanning the room and noticing several storage rings and a note from Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird asking him to look after the fat Vermilion Bird, Chen Xi walked over to the Moonlight Celestial Beast.

However, as soon as he got closer, the already sleepy Moonlight Celestial Beast bumped into him, making it impossible for him to do anything other than hug it and go to the garden to bask in the sun. As for the earlier question, it was quickly forgotten.

What could be better on such a leisurely afternoon than hugging the cat master and taking a nap?

—

While everything was as usual on Chen Xi’s side, things were worsening on the Sect Master Lingyun’s side.

Previously, the reason Qingyun Sect became the top sect in the Lower Three Immortal Realms was largely due to the Sect Master Lingyun’s role as an arbitrator. However, the most important factor was the backing of Shangyun Sect, one of the Eight Great Sects of the Middle Three Immortal Realms, which stood behind Qingyun Sect.

For Shangyun Sect, Qingyun Sect was their probe sent into the Lower Three Immortal Realms to recruit talented immortals. Over the millennia, both Qingyun Sect and Sect Master Lingyun had done exceptionally well, which satisfied them, and they were happy to allocate some of their superior resources to them. But recently, everything had changed. Due to the mistakes made by Sect Master Lingyun, he had not only lost Beast Island but also became embroiled in a bitter rivalry with Chen Xi.

Listening to the cold remarks from his superiors, Sect Master Lingyun stood by the communication rune, looking apologetic, yet his heart was filled with growing anger. His hatred for Chen Xi also deepened. But he had no choice but to calm down and let his superiors cool off first.

“Forget it.” Seeing his expression, his superior didn’t bother with him and simply left a message: “I’ll send someone to help you in the Lower Three Immortal Realms soon,” before cutting off the communication.

—

That night, in the Zefeng Cave.

The young ones, who had been so lively during the day, had just finished their dinner and were now struggling to fall asleep on the soft couch. Even the fat Vermilion Bird, left behind by Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird, didn’t go to the little nest Chen Xi had prepared for it, but instead lay down with the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts.

“Chirp~” The fat Vermilion Bird, who had been asleep for an unknown amount of time, sleepily opened its mouth, trying to call its father, but was startled awake when there was no response.

Looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings, the fat Vermilion Bird felt a little sad being left alone in an unfamiliar place by its father. It looked around at the chubby little ones lying next to it. Although they looked similar to it on the outside, round and plump, they had two extra legs, and their fur was warm, but they didn’t have the security of its father’s large wings.

“Chirp, chirp chirp.” Vermilion Bird was a divine bird, and its voice was naturally soft and melodious. Now, though the fat Vermilion Bird was still a young bird, with just a few chirps, it was enough to evoke sympathy from anyone who heard it.

Chen Xi, who had been sleeping inside, heard the sound and looked down. He saw the round little fat Vermilion Bird, with its short wings, standing in the middle of the soft cushion, looking lost and helpless. It seemed pitiful no matter how he looked at it.

“What’s wrong?” Gently moving the Moonshadow Celestial Beast, which was sprawled across his neck, to the bed, Chen Xi got up and walked over to the fat Vermilion Bird.

“Chirp~” It was calling for its father, feeling lonely and scared.

The little eyes, as dark as black beans, stared up at Chen Xi. Its little head, covered in soft fur, nuzzled weakly into his palm. Seeing its pitiful appearance, Chen Xi’s heart softened, and he quickly comforted it in a soft voice.

“Don’t be afraid, I’ll stay with you for a while.” Gently stroking the fat Vermilion Bird’s body, Chen Xi felt the little thing trembling slightly in his palm. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to bring the fat Vermilion Bird back to bed with him.

By the long lifespan of the Vermilion Bird clan, the fat Vermilion Bird was still just a little one, newly learning to walk and talk. Every day, it ate delicious food, hid under its father’s large wings to sleep and play. Now, suddenly being in an unfamiliar place and separated from its family, it was bound to be scared.

The more Chen Xi thought about it, the more he felt he couldn’t leave it alone tonight. At the very least, he would stay with it tonight.

Meanwhile, on the other bed, the Moonshadow Celestial Beast, which had just lost its cushion, sat up with its greenish cat eyes half-closed, its face a little displeased. This displeasure turned into outright disdain when it saw Chen Xi bringing the fat Vermilion Bird to the bed.

“Shedding fur!” The Moonshadow Celestial Beast raised a paw, revealing sharp claws.

“Wait, hold on.” Chen Xi quickly stopped it, then gently placed the fat Vermilion Bird on the blanket before picking up the Moonshadow Celestial Beast and cuddling it. He tried to reason with it first: “It’s too small to be alone at night, it’s scared. Not to mention that Immortal Lord Vermilion Bird promised a lot of benefits before. Looking at its age, it shouldn’t just be left like this.”

“Hmph, weren’t those fat ones left like this too?” The Moonshadow Celestial Beast looked at the soft cushion on the floor and seemed quite firm in its stance.

However, Chen Xi quickly understood the core of its thoughts. The bed and you, are both mine—that was the real reason the cat master was so unwilling to accept this. It was the typical possessiveness of a cat. But for Chen Xi, a professional poop scooper, this was nothing too hard to deal with.

“Don’t be angry.” Gently smoothing the Moonshadow Celestial Beast’s fluffed-up fur, Chen Xi kissed the tip of its nose. “After all, it’s a guest, and we’re the hosts. We can’t be too rude, can we?”

“Guest?” The word “guest,” which clearly referred to an outsider, somewhat eased the Moonshadow Celestial Beast’s earlier displeasure. Turning its head to look at the fat Vermilion Bird, now curled up in the blanket and forming a little ball, it felt that the little thing wasn’t that hard to tolerate after all.

“Chirp?” The fat Vermilion Bird, looking up at the Moonshadow Celestial Beast, which was much larger than itself, gazed at it with a hint of confusion in its black bean-like eyes. But soon, the familiar scent of the ancient divine beast bloodline on the Moonshadow Celestial Beast caught its attention, instantly making it feel fond of the creature.

There’s a scent similar to Father’s… I like it.

Waddling on its little legs, the fat Vermilion Bird fluttered its tiny wings and moved closer to the Moonshadow Celestial Beast, nuzzling its small leg in a show of affection.

Seeing this, Chen Xi quickly took advantage of the situation and made an unofficial “deal” with the Moonshadow Celestial Beast, promising to make its favorite crab roe soup dumplings the next morning.

Hmm… Looking at the round, chubby little Vermilion Bird, the Moonshadow Celestial Beast nonchalantly swatted it with a paw. After seeing the fat Vermilion Bird respond by nuzzling even more happily, the Moonshadow Celestial Beast decided to define it as a harmless, silly Vermilion Bird. Then it lay back down on the pillow.

It was still a while before dawn, it could sleep for a little longer.

Chen Xi, seeing this, quickly placed the fat Vermilion Bird beside the Moonshadow Celestial Beast and then lay down himself, covering with the blanket to sleep as well.

As the early morning hours neared, Chen Xi woke up by chance. His first instinct was to turn around and check on the fat Vermilion Bird, which had been so pitiful the previous night because it missed home. He wondered if it had been thrown onto the floor by the jealous, sulking cat master. However, what he saw when he looked made his heart melt.

The silver-gray-furred Moonshadow Celestial Beast was lying sideways on the pillow, its head arrogantly resting on Chen Xi’s arm, while its paws were tightly holding a red furball slightly smaller than itself. The little red furball, which was the fat Vermilion Bird, seemed to rely on the Moonshadow Celestial Beast, with its wings, which were even shorter than Chen Xi’s fingers, resting on the Moonshadow Celestial Beast’s front paws. However, its round, soft belly was so full that it prevented it from fully spreading its wings and hugging the world.

Looking at the sky, it was time to get up and make breakfast. He had promised to make crab roe soup dumplings the night before. If he didn’t do it now, the Moonshadow Celestial Beast would likely throw a tantrum.

But being sulky was one of the cute traits of the cat master. Struggling to resist the urge to sneak in a kiss, Chen Xi gently pinched the warm ear of the Moonshadow Celestial Beast sleeping next to him, feeling his heart soften. He then kissed the Moonshadow Celestial Beast’s forehead before getting out of bed and putting on his clothes. He completely missed noticing that, after he left, the Moonshadow Celestial Beast’s ears turned a shade of red.

There’s… someone else around, and yet you dare steal a kiss like that? This contractor is getting more and more bold lately. Irritated, the Moonshadow Celestial Beast licked the fat Vermilion Bird’s head a couple of times, changed position, and then slowly drifted back to sleep.

—

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time for those low-ranking immortals to decide whether to stay or leave. On that day, Chen Xi got up early as usual, but just as he left the cave, a group of people surrounded him…