novelThe Return Of Mascot (1)
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Chapter 87: The Return Of Mascot (1)
The imprint was a deep black colour. Shen Jingbin tried rubbing it and found that she wasn't able to scrub it off.
"Hahaha, there's no point in trying to rub it off, gorgeous. You can't get rid of it that way."
"I was only trying."
Shen Jingbin still needed to look for Song Yuqing at White Cloud Temple once their quest was completed, so the two of them didn't waste any time hanging around and said their goodbyes to 002.
002 looked reluctant to part with them."Hey, I had to wait for a really long time before finally being able to meet the two of you. Can't you guys stay and chat for a little while longer?"
As the two of them watched the generous and kind looking face of the elder morph into a pitiful expression, they felt a shiver run down their spines.
Apologies! There's nothing for us to talk about!
002 was left feeling helpless upon seeing the determined looks on their faces. He pretended to sniffle and said, "Alright. Since you guys aren't willing to stay, then there's nothing to it. Gorgeous, I'll frequently take control of other NPCs, so I'll look for you again when the time comes! Of course, I haven't forgotten you either, handsome."
Quiet And Steadfast:...
Shen Jingbin:...
After ditching 002 and his unrelenting attempts at getting them to stay, the two of them retraced their steps and found 001 waiting for them at the same place they'd left him.
001 was a little astonished when he saw them."How'd the two of you manage to finish so quickly?"
Shen Jingbin was taken aback by how embarrassing 001's ancient accent sounded. She wasn't affected when she thought that it was an NPC's setting, but now that she knew 002 was controlled by a real person, she felt that there was something a little odd with the way he spoke.
"Just speak normally, your cover's been blown."
001's expression instantly distorted."F*ck. It must have been 002! He was the one who revealed it to you guys, right?! I'm going to report him to the group Leader!"
Quiet And Steadfast silently looked up to the heavens."The world of NPCs sure is complicated."
Shen Jingbin: "I agree."
001 reverted back to his innocent childlike appearance from before. He was utterly discomfited as he brought the two of them out of the Illusory Spirit Realm. It looked as if he was in a huge rush to get back and settle the score with 002.
Which was understandable. Having his embarrassing persona suddenly exposed like this was truly shameful!
Their vision blurred and they felt dizzy once again. Shen Jingbin and Quiet And Steadfast found themselves back in Poison Toad's secret room when they reopened their eyes. Seeing this, Poison Toad stood up and walked over to them.
"Stretch out your arms and let me take a look."
The duo raised their arms and rolled up their sleeves, revealing the seal that 002 had placed on them. Poison Toad swept a glance over it, revealing a smile of satisfaction.
"Everything contains a certain degree of danger, but it looks like the two of you have pretty good luck and have managed to succeed."
Quiet And Steadfast stood up. He was taller than Poison Toad by about half a head, so he had to look down when he spoke to Poison Toad."Master, since we've succeeded, does that mean you can tell us about the Black Tortoise now?"
Poison Toad lifted his head and eyed Quiet And Steadfast.
As an NPC of the Demon race, Poison Toad's appearance was especially alluring. Till now, apart from Baihua, he was the most graceful NPC she'd ever seen.
It was only a brief glance, but his eyes overflowing with charm had caused the nearby Shen Jingbin to go weak in the knees. Who knew what Quiet And Steadfast, who was the focus of his attention, would feel.
However, it'd be quite a problem if Quiet And Steadfast did'feel' something from Poison Toad's gaze.
"Tch. It was really difficult for me to get my hands on a disciple. But after getting one, it turns out he'd rather favor an outsider than me, " After helplessly eyeing Quiet And Steadfast for several seconds, Poison Toad suddenly looked away and casually said, "I don't know why you're in such a rush to know. Do you really think that I, as the glorious Sect Leader of the Lich Palace, would renege on my word? I'll definitely deliver what I promised."
He turned around and returned to his previous position in front of the small desk, before pouring himself a cup of tea.
"What the f*ck, you're even sipping tea?" Shen Jingbin thought to herself as she stared at the cup of tea in his hands
"Strictly speaking, my Lich Palace isn't really a part of the Demon race, " While holding the teacup in one hand, he used his other hand to remove the lid and gently shift the surface of the tea 1 before continuing, "In the beginning, we were also a part of the Human race. Unfortunately, our method of doing things didn't sit well with the Humans and Celestials, so we were chased to Beiming where we settled down in the Demon's territory."
Liches were experts in concealing themselves and conducting assassinations. To attain complete mastery of these skills, children within the sect would be subjected to merciless training from a young age. This was far too cruel of a treatment in the eyes of the prestigious sects of the Humans and Celestials. In addition, to make ends meet, the Lich Palace frequently accepted assassination requests regardless of who the target was or what the implications of said assassination might entail. When they acted, all of their attacks would be killing blows that were incomparably merciless. In the eyes of the other upright sects, the actions of the Lich Palace were naturally seen as reprehensible.
And all of this originated from the backstories of the sects within <<Legends of Celestials and Demons>>.
"Demons were violent and ruthless by nature, which led to a certain amount of friction with the other two races. In the end, the animosity generated from that was diverted to us; we who were formerly Human. Before coming over to Beiming, our Lich Palace suffered a great deal at the hands of Mara Hall."
"Fortunately, us Liches have believed in the Black Tortoise since ancient times and the Black Tortoise itself is the Divine Beast that guards the north. After it made an appearance, Mara Hall ceased causing trouble for us, " Poison Toad took a sip of his tea."Although us Demons may be bloody and cruel, we make a clear distinction between our friend and foes. After ridding us of Mara Hall's animosity, the Black Tortoise took it upon itself to bring us to the Beiming Sea, where the Black Tortoise was rumoured to have slumbered. Once there, it helped us to build up the island and sect before leaving us with the task of protecting it."
"So I guessed right, " Shen Jingbin quietly side by Quiet And Steadfast's side.
Quiet And Steadfast cast a sidelong glance at her."Mm, you're very clever."
Poison Toad continued on, "In the past when the Shinra Sect still had it's eye on the mortal realm, an enormous tsunami suddenly appeared in Beiming Sea. I sent some people down into the sea to investigate, but they all came back empty handed. Thinking back, what kind of creature is a Divine Beast? I definitely wouldn't be able to come across one on a whim. I may have recounted this tale to you today, but ultimately, whether or not you guys are able to find it is up to your own fate."
Quiet And Steadfast cupped his hands and bowed to Poison Toad."Thank you, Master."
"Don't mention it. I have my own request in exchange for telling you this."
"I knew things wouldn't be so simple, " Shen Jingbin said.
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The purpose of this is to cool the tea down and to move the tea leaves around so that it's easier for the tea's fragrance and flavor to come out. Here's a pic of it in action ↩
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