Section 3

As Xingyun turned his head, he saw a man in his thirties holding a fortune-telling banner, presenting himself as a semi-divine figure, and was incessantly talking while holding another person's hand: "From the cross lines, it appears to be a sign of great fortune; young master, you have blessings coming your way..." After a moment of silence, Xingyun suddenly stepped forward: "This brother." He directly interjected, "At noon today, there may be a fire at your home; if you do not return now, you will surely regret it in the future"

Ha! So you are going to challenge me, are you? Ah, good!" The fortune teller swore an oath, "I, Wang Bansian, have been in this business for so long, and I still don't believe you! If he doesn't come back or if you don't get it right, you..." He glanced at Xingyun, "You will give me that meat chicken!"

Shen Li shook the water off her two meaty wings and glared at him warily: "What do you want?"

"Foolish chicken," Xingyun muttered to herself, as she took out an oiled paper fan from the basket behind her and slowly approached Shen Li step by step. Shen Li was too weak to escape and had no desire to flee. Although she did not know what exactly Xingyun was, for Shen Li at this moment, the worst outcome would merely be being stewed. At least with Xingyun, she could enjoy a decent meal before her death.

The two words "too decisive" startled Shen Li, who looked up at Xing Yun, who was also gnawing on a steamed bun, and scrutinized him from head to toe: "Is it really impossible to have a meal with meat occasionally? You may not look wealthy, but you shouldn't be that poor, right?"

"What can be done?" Xingyun asked her with a smile, "You are as dirty as something just dug out of the ground. I can help you wash yourself clean along with them, otherwise, do you still prefer to play in the pond?"

The clouds drift silently, no longer speaking. A paper fan completely shields the rain from above, not a single drop falls on Shen Liguan's smooth body

Are you selling this type of ginseng

What troubled Shen Li was the uncertainty of when her magical powers would be restored, when she would regain her human form, when she could leave this place, and when the pursuers from the demon realm would arrive. However, it was fortunate that time in the heavens always passed more quickly than in the mortal realm, granting her a considerable amount of time.

Unbeknownst to Shen Li, who was wholeheartedly focused on a stone, there were a pair of eyes behind the dark door of the small room, always filled with a smile, observing her every move. After Shen Li had failed for what seemed like the umpteenth time, the figure in the green attire flicked the hem of their garment and turned to enter the inner room

Shen Li harbored a lingering sense of anger, but upon seeing Xing Yun with his head bowed, she began to ponder whether she had been too harsh. How should she proceed to elicit a response from him? Moreover, what if he intended to deal with her current self? Shen Li fell silent

After being tired for most of the day, Shen Li followed the bumpy arc of his backpack and soon fell asleep. However, she was awakened not long after by a sudden chill. Instinctively, she shivered all over, extended her claws, and opened her mouth to bite.

Shen Li cast spells all the way but to no avail, while Xing Yun remained unfazed by her commotion, calmly continuing on her path. Upon reaching the market, she heard from a distance the butcher calling out the price of meat for the day. ... After some contemplation, Xing Yun realized that the price of meat had indeed risen again, and she could not afford even two taels ... ... This chicken has a big appetite, and it surely won't be satisfied; she would have to grumble about it later, not knowing how long it would take to deal with this burden ... ... This chicken has a big appetite, and it surely won't be satisfied; she would have to grumble about it later, not knowing how long it would take to deal with this burden ... ...

Shen Li glanced into the dark house, the night breeze carrying a hint of medicinal fragrance from within. She flapped her wings twice, mustered her strength to stand up again, and continued to gaze up at the moonlight, holding her breath in concentration. This Xing Yun had shown her kindness, and she understood the principle of gratitude and repaying kindness. However, although Shen Li was a prince, she held a military position; she was skilled in fighting and defeating enemies, but not in healing and treating illnesses. Since she could not cure this sickly person, she would ensure that he lived a better life during his remaining years.

"It's time to eat." With a call from Xingyun in the room, Shen Li hopped over and sat down at the dining table

Looking at Shen Li's outstretched fleshy wings, Xing Yun was momentarily stunned, and then suddenly smiled. He actually bent down and picked Shen Li up, allowing her to nuzzle against him for quite a while. Eventually, she found a comfortable position to lie down, and then he instructed, "Be careful while walking, don't jolt too much"

Is it not tasty

Shen Li had absorbed the moonlight all night, but to no avail. In the morning, feeling listless, she rested her head on a stone to sleep, only to suddenly hear the sound of the courtyard door opening. She perked up and ran to the front yard, where she saw Xing Yun about to leave, without a backpack or any bundles. She was puzzled and asked, "Aren't you selling ginseng today?"

Shen Li was enraged upon hearing this: "How dare you!" She flapped her wings incessantly, "I accompanied you to the market out of goodwill, and out of gratitude, of course you should hold me... hold me! Hurry up, pick me up.

Shen Li let out a sigh, realizing that it was indeed not possible. The energy within her was empty, unable to perform even the simplest spell of turning stone into gold. She sat down beside the stone, feeling somewhat dejected; this sense of helplessness was something she had never experienced in her life before.

The oiled paper fan created a clear space above her head: "Hehe, I thought you had run off and wouldn't come back. It turns out you were here waiting for me to return home." Shen Li hung her head and ignored him. Xing Yun, not minding the dirt, picked her up and placed her into his backpack, "You really have a talent; in just half a day, you managed to make yourself look so disheveled. What a skill."

"If not, which kind is it?" Xingyun held her paw, rubbed it with a nearby loofah, and after cleaning it, grabbed another one. As if recalling something, he paused his movements and smiled at Shen Li, "What do you think it is?"

"Don't make a fuss." Xingyun patted her head, "This is a matter concerning two liang of meat."

The flowing clouds continue to calmly wash the mountain ginseng

Although this statement may sound somewhat unpleasant, it is indeed a fact. Shen Li turned her head and looked at the wild ginseng path he had laid out in the yard, "What about the wild ginseng you are selling? That should be quite profitable, right?"

"Whether it is nonsense or not, the young master will know as soon as he returns home." Xing Yun smiled lightly, "This afternoon, I will still be here waiting for the young master."

Finally, I stood in front of the stone again, continuing to apply the method of turning stone into gold

Shen Li strangely sat down in the wooden basin, for the first time unable to understand a person so completely

Xingyun chuckled lightly: "Yes, everyone listens to the rooster."

In the middle of the night, Shen Li estimated that Xing Yun had fallen asleep. Under the moonlight, she concentrated her internal energy in the courtyard for a long time, then extended her claw to touch the white stone in front of her. A flash of golden light appeared on the stone, as if it had transformed into gold, but in just an instant, the brilliance faded, and it remained an ordinary piece of stone.

This ... ... this is definitely mockery

With a calm smile, Xingyun said: "I am quite poor, yet my demeanor is too refined."

The reference is still basking in the sun. Xingyun bent down and patted Shen Li's head, saying, I am going out to buy some things, so be a good girl and watch the house.

I will go too, wait a moment!" Shen Li turned around and ran towards the backyard, picking up the stubborn stone that had not been successfully ignited last night and holding it in her mouth. She then bounced back and said indistinctly, "Let's go." She thought that since the essence of the moon was ineffective, she might as well try the essence of the sun. If she succeeded in turning the stone into gold, she could buy some good things in return.

Go your own way! Shen Li couldn't help but scold, "Go!" Such nonsense is really excessive

Before the words of the speaker had faded, the fortune teller suddenly threw down the banner and angrily exclaimed: "What is wrong with you! Do you understand the rules of the trade? Is there anyone as unscrupulous in business as you?"

In a fit of anger, Shen Li's wings suddenly burst open, and before she could utter a word, Xing Yun gently pressed her back down, saying: "Rest assured, I am here, and no one can take you away."

Xingyun looked at the stone she was holding in her mouth, momentarily taken aback. Without asking further questions, she simply smiled and said: "How do you plan to go out with me? The market is crowded, and if we get separated, who knows, you might end up as a pot of soup. Instead, how about I put a rope around your neck and lead you along?"

"Silly chicken." Accompanied by this light exclamation, Shen Li looked up, and a wet clump of mud "splat" hit her face. The mud flowed down, blocking Shen Li's small nostrils. She hurriedly opened her mouth to breathe, but the mud and sand crawled into her mouth, causing Shen Li to cough and roll in the basin.

The proximity was too close, and the beauty of the face made Shen Li's heart skip a beat. Looking at the smile at the corner of Xing Yun's lips, she suddenly felt as if she had been teased. The King of Bi Cang, enraged and embarrassed, shouted, "Impudence!" His sharp beak jabbed forward, directly pecking at the tip of Xing Yun's nose. Caught off guard, Xing Yun leaned back, staggering several steps before steadying herself, covering her nose and not daring to lift her head for a long time.

The young man, having come to seek a fortune-telling, was indeed a believer in this practice. Upon hearing the fortune-teller speak with such certainty, he could not help but feel anxious. After hesitating for a while, he finally withdrew his hand from the fortune-teller's grasp and hurriedly walked home. Shen Li gently poked his arm with the tip of her wing and said, "Are you trying to deceive him?"

This guy ... ! ... this guy is just a child! A petty little brat with an excessive sense of vengeance!

Shen Li was convinced that it was the food made by Xing Yun that allowed her to recover her strength so quickly, so she ate everything he made every day without leaving a trace. However... "Why is it steamed buns again?" Shen Li stared at the food on her plate, tapping the edge of the plate with her paw in dissatisfaction. No matter how delicious the food was, eating it every day was enough to make one feel sick of it! Most importantly, she wanted to eat meat!

Xingyun rummaged through the cabinet and pulled out about ten copper coins, weighing them in his hand: "I will go buy two taels of meat tomorrow"

Shen Li decided to temporarily stay at Xing Yun's home for two reasons. First, her physical strength was recovering remarkably fast here; within just two or three days, the injuries left on her by Mo Fang no longer affected her mobility at all. Second, she did not want to be caught and cooked.

You are quite a fierce hen. Xingyun took a small step back while holding the ladle

As soon as these words were spoken, both the fortune teller and the young man were taken aback, and even Shen Li looked up from his arms in confusion. The fortune teller was the first to react; he frowned and, in a bad temper, said: "What nonsense are you talking about! Go away, don't disturb this young master's fortune."

The spring thunder rumbled, and the raindrops fell in a gentle patter. Shen Li struggled to prop herself up, hoping to find a place to take shelter from the rain. As she turned her head, she saw a man in a blue robe and white attire standing on the riverbank with a basket on his back. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Shen Li felt an overwhelming sense of emotion. It was as if she had traversed through the eighteen layers of hell, only to suddenly find solace in the sight of a small yellow flower under the sunlight. Although the man on the bank far surpassed the small yellow flower, and despite the fact that the gaze shared between him and the chicken was not particularly picturesque, it still brought a sense of comfort to her soul. It was as if she had traversed through the eighteen layers of hell, only to suddenly find solace in the sight of a small yellow flower under the sunlight. Although the man on the bank far surpassed the small yellow flower, and despite the fact that the gaze shared between him and the chicken was not particularly picturesque.

At the right moment, I suddenly heard someone nearby say: "Ah, worth ten copper coins of wealth."

In the face of the other party's anger, Xingyun remained calm and said, "I am not trying to take your business; I am speaking the truth. If you do not believe me, you may wait here until the afternoon. If my words come true, you will willingly give me the money that he just charged you for fortune-telling."

No money

At that moment of confusion, Xingyun's shoulders began to tremble slightly. Shen Li looked at him in bewilderment, only to hear him laugh. Shen Li was even more astonished; was her beak poisonous? Had she pecked him into foolishness?

Shen Li took a deep breath, drawing in the essence of the moonlight into her body. She bent down and lightly pecked at the white stone, and as the brilliance surged, Shen Li opened her eyes to see the golden light within the white stone flickering incessantly, yet ultimately fading into nothingness. Anger surged within her, and she kicked the white stone fiercely, exclaiming, "Useless thing!" Before her words had even faded, she curled her claws, letting out a cry of pain, "So painful." She hopped on one foot for two circles, glaring at the white stone, and scolded, "Stubborn stone!"

It is delicious, but I want to eat meat

Unbeknownst to him, there was some strange power in his words, as Shen Li, who had always been at the forefront, was miraculously calmed down and chose—well, I will trust you for now, this option. ... Is it because ... ... he had always been protected by him before, being safeguarded by such a weak mortal ... ...

Shen Li glanced to the side and discovered that she was in a large wooden basin filled with a pile of wild ginseng. She used her paw to dig at the ginseng, which resembled clumps of dirt. Xing Yun grabbed her paw and said, "Be gentle, or it will be damaged and won't fetch a good price"

"Are you trying to kill me?" she asked the heavens, her voice filled with desolation

He casually mentioned that he had exchanged it for medicine with the pharmacy owner, as if he were indifferent to his own illness

Shen Li was taken aback, hesitating for a while without daring to say more, and simply lowered her head in silence to eat the steamed bun

Through the increasingly hazy curtain of rain, Xing Yun gazed at the dust-covered Shen Li for a long time, and suddenly lowered her head, ungraciously covering her mouth as she began to laugh.

Xing Yun set down his hands, with a red and swollen nose, and fearlessly walked over, gently patting her head: "Good skill." He was not the least bit angry and continued to brush the mountain ginseng with a loofah sponge beside her.