Ran Away With a Baby After Screwing Up the System Task - Chapter 3

“I just know it.”

Having received a letter from Cen Moyu, the sparrow demon Mai Li arrived with a look of helplessness. He had assumed there was some crisis involving the avian race. “This is it?”

“Why do you need to learn something you are born knowing? Did the heavenly lightning damage your wings?”

“There is a problem. I cannot control them well.” Cen Moyu could not bring himself to tell Mai Li that he was afraid of heights. He explained haltingly, “Anyway, for me, it is very important. It is safer to relearn from the beginning.”

Within the last century, the Qingheng Sect had hosted many sect exchange meetings and countless secret realm trials.

Some disciples from other sects who came to study had fallen for members of the local sect. There were even those who took an interest in Cen Moyu, a gatekeeper with superior looks and a dull temperament.

Some tried coercion and bribery, while others used gentle persuasion. Someone even offered a high salary of three thousand per hour with only one workday a year, but nothing moved this dull Fairy Pitta.

Every time Mai Li passed the mountain gate, he marveled that Cen Moyu, a fellow member of the bird race, did not use that stunning face to achieve anything.

If Mai Li looked like that, he would not need to go undercover in a sect to slowly develop feelings for his lover. A single attempt at seduction would be the ultimate strategy.

“Oh?” The little sparrow stared at Cen Moyu for a while. “I understand. You want to fly so you can watch people bathe?”

“I do not watch people bathe!”

Cen Moyu had been in a relationship before, yet he had not become a lecherous person. Perhaps because his hometown was extremely cold, huddling together was his highest understanding of love. Anything deeper involved status and marriage. His former partner had felt those were shackles and abandoned him instead.

The poor Fairy Pitta flushed red. “You are the one who peeks at others bathing! Do not judge me by your own standards!”

“That is called judging others by oneself,” the little sparrow said. He did not consider himself highly educated, but every time he spoke with Cen Moyu, he felt that he was doing quite well by comparison. “Is your job at the gate not very idle? Can you not read more books? You spend all day blowing that flute.”

“I have studied,” Cen Moyu said weakly, his voice growing softer. “The International College of Music is very famous.”

“What? Are you a transformed mosquito?” Mai Li did not hear him clearly. Even if Cen Moyu explained it, no one would believe him. He shook his head and said, “Never mind. Just teach me.”

Mai Li, a sparrow, had practiced diligently to transform into a human for the sake of his lover. He was very hardworking and was now an inner-court disciple.

His lover was Tian Sui, a disciple of Elder Jueya. He was young but had a face full of sorrow and looked exhausted.

In other words, he reeked of the toil of work. Cen Moyu did not know what Mai Li liked about him.

The man was nearly five hundred years old, yet his cultivation was inferior to Lu Jijun’s. He would likely remain at that level for the rest of his life.

“I can teach you,” Mai Li said, still staring at Cen Moyu. He remarked that the Fairy Pitta, known as the immortal among birds, truly lived up to the name. Even as a human, his hair was silky and held a faint shimmer even in the dark. “I heard your feathers can be ground into powder for medicine that glows. Give me a few.”

Cen Moyu covered his head. “What kind of twisted logic is that!”

Mai Li looked much more mature than Cen Moyu, appearing to be twenty-five or twenty-six. Unlike Cen Moyu, who was twenty when he transmigrated and became a newly transformed Fairy Pitta, Mai Li seemed to be getting younger.

Even after nearly a hundred years, Cen Moyu still looked seventeen or eighteen. The water-blue belt of the gate-closing disciple emphasized his extremely thin waist. He had no idea that some people made excuses about broken waist tokens just to make him stand up so they could catch a glimpse of it.

“If you do not give them to me, I will not teach you.” Mai Li reached out. “It is just a few feathers. You must collect the ones you shed normally. I am not asking you to pull them from your head right now.”

“Fine,” Cen Moyu finally agreed. “Then teach me quickly.”

Mai Li was in no hurry and asked curiously, “Where do you want to fly? If it is Senior Brother Lu’s cave dwelling, I am not going.”

“His cultivation is too high. The spirit beasts in the mountain peaks of the Sect Leader’s lineage are numerous. I am most afraid of cats.”

“I am not flying there.”

Cen Moyu looked at the sky. Several days had passed, and the faint sound of thunder could be heard day and night. He did not know what kind of earth-shattering storm was brewing.

“Then who else could you be flying to see bathe?” Mai Li had certainly seen his lover bathe and had even stolen his clothes before. “So many people want to be with you and say they can help your cultivation, but you refuse them all. The one you have your eye on must be quite something.”

Lu Jijun was the first disciple of Wenren Qi, the Sect Leader of the Qingheng Sect. His parents were famous cultivators who met with misfortune while fighting the Demon General of the Abyss several hundred years ago. On their deathbeds, they entrusted their young child to their friend, Wenren Qi. That was how Lu Jijun became the first disciple.

Lu Jijun was handsome and considered a talented young man of the sword cultivation lineage. Disciples from other sects who admired him were as numerous as fish in a river.

Perhaps because he was so upright, Mai Li felt that if Cen Moyu were not a demon, he might have a chance.

However, since Lu Jijun’s parents died at the hands of a great demon, Mai Li patted Cen Moyu’s shoulder and said, “Anyone else is fine, but forget about Lu Jijun. He hates demons and monsters with a passion. Forget about little demons like us who have nothing to do with the Abyss; even an ordinary passing demon could be obliterated by him.”

Cen Moyu could not explain that Lu Jijun and his master were the protagonists of the story. He denied it weakly: “I really do not like him.”

Mai Li sighed several times. “Fine, I understand your feelings of unrequited love. But I really cannot take you to his side. At most, I can teach you to fly to the edge of the main peak.”

A lone demon must prioritize their own safety. Mai Li had paid a great price to erase his demonic aura.

He once asked Cen Moyu how his demonic aura was so clean. Cen Moyu could not give an answer, but he knew in his heart it was the System’s special ability.

“Thank you, Mai Li.” Cen Moyu held Mai Li’s arm and leaned in to express his gratitude.

His looks were too advantageous, and his eyes were as clear as water. Mai Li, who usually hated people acting cute, could see this was entirely natural. He coughed and said, “Do not call me that. We are not that close.”

“Oh, sorry.” Cen Moyu let go.

“But we are already very close,” Mai Li clarified. “Alright, let us go. I will take you flying.”

The entire territory of the Qingheng Sect was composed of layered mountains, laid out like an ink wash painting, covered by a natural barrier.

It was said that the barrier was also set by Wenren Qi. If it sensed evil intent, demonic aura, or someone forcing their way through the gate, the barrier would handle it.

In these years, Cen Moyu had seen the barrier activate three times. Villains were like meat dropped into a grinder; they were gone before he could even look closely.

Old Master Wang, who guarded the gate with him, would drink and say that the Sect Leader was a genius. Before he became the Sect Leader, the cultivation of the gate-keeping disciples had to be higher than that of the inner-court disciples.

Cen Moyu suspected he was benefiting from the era. He felt that the protagonist Shou was a good person. No wonder the protagonist Gong was so devoted that he would turn dark in the plot just to prevent Wenren Qi from entering the cycle of reincarnation.

Mai Li, who was carrying Cen Moyu, reminded him: “Do you see that? The place with the brightest lights is the cave dwelling of Elder Jueya.”

There were countless immortals and disciples in the Qingheng Sect. Beneath the Sect Leader, there were six elders.

Jueya had the most seniority. It was said that every time he saw the Sect Leader, he would urge him to marry. He did not care about the specifics, like he did for his own disciples. It seemed that as long as it was a person, male or female, if Wenren Qi nodded, Jueya would preside over the wedding on the spot.

Cen Moyu had not reached the age of marriage yet. If his father had not sold him for an arranged marriage, he would not have been driven to a dead end and transmigrated here. Every time he heard these strange stories, he sympathized with Wenren Qi more.

“The branch under Elder Jueya is very wealthy,” Cen Moyu remarked.

Mai Li said indignantly, “What wealth? It is because they do not rest! Elder Jueya is so hands-off, yet the disciples practice diligently and stay awake all night. My lover is so young but looks so old. It is pitiful.”

Cen Moyu was speechless, but he did not say much. After all, lying on Mai Li’s bird body made it easy to swallow a mouthful of wind.

Mai Li flew Cen Moyu around for several circles and found that the Fairy Pitta would not let go. He had to spiral through the air several times. Hearing Cen Moyu’s shrill cries, he felt helpless: “If anyone hears of this, they will laugh. Are you a bird? What kind of bird is afraid of heights?”

Cen Moyu could not say that he had seemingly fallen to his death from a high place before transmigrating into the book. He held onto Mai Li’s bird body tightly and did not forget to praise him: “Your bird is so big!”

The poor bird demon crashed headfirst into a nearby pine tree, startling the sleeping sparrows. If he had not dodged in time, both the person and the bird would have been covered in bird droppings.

Transforming back into a human, Mai Li clutched the large bump on his forehead and yelled, “You stupid pitta! What nonsense are you saying! I am very big, but you and I are impossible! I have a lover.”

Cen Moyu made an “Oh” sound. He finally realized what Mai Li had misunderstood. He waved his hands and explained, “I meant your bird body is very big. It is much bigger than mine.”

The moonlight was dim, and occasional sounds came from the woods. Not far away was the Sect Leader’s residence. The banished apes gathered in the outer mountains, letting out wails of longing to return.

“How is your head?” Cen Moyu felt extremely ashamed. Even the System seemed speechless at his actions and was too lazy to mock him.

“Do not come over here,” the sparrow said, clutching his forehead. “I should say, what should I even say to you?”

Under the hazy moonlight, Cen Moyu’s face was very enticing. The little sparrow, who had a lover in his heart, thought it was a pity that he could not even attract Lu Jijun. He was also eager for some entertainment. “Little pitta bird, I have flown you around for several circles. Now it is your turn.”

“Ah,” Cen Moyu felt scared again. “I still do not quite know how.”

“After being struck by lightning, my wings have not grown back properly.”

As a gate-closing disciple for a hundred years, Cen Moyu’s social circle was simple.

Internal affairs disciples lived in the most remote areas, and his single room was undisturbed.

If he were not a demon and this were not a relaxed sect, Cen Moyu suspected he would have died of loneliness in old age.

His System seemed very busy or had some secret. It was often away, and occasionally he had to call it many times before it appeared.

“Transform and let me see.” The sparrow changed back into a human and stood with his arms crossed, looking at the silly bird who was about the same height as him.

“Oh, I will transform! Look!” One of Cen Moyu’s hands turned into a wing. The feathers were magnificent and carried a faint, lingering fragrance. Mai Li felt the scent was familiar, as if he had smelled it somewhere before. His instinct told him it was dangerous, and he subconsciously took two steps back.

Cen Moyu was very sad. “See? It does not obey me.”

“You must transform into your original form. Like this, you look like a bird-man. It is ugly.” Mai Li was a pure sparrow. He was not like Cen Moyu, who had often followed his elders to church as a child. Were angels not bird-men too? Cen Moyu could appreciate that kind of beauty more. He said aggrievedly, “Then I will fly for you to see.”

Mai Li nodded. “Fly then.”

Soon, the small birds in the woods were woken up again, letting out harsh insults.

Humans might not understand them, but Mai Li, who was born a bird, could not help but remark, “They are cursing so filthily! Hey, Cen Moyu! Where are you stuck?”

It was truly an eye-opening experience for him. It was not easy for a small bird to cultivate into a demon. For a demon of the bird race, finding work in the Abyss was as good as ascending. Those with no ambition would settle in the Demon Capital.

Most of the bird demons he met entertained themselves. They did not expect to ascend; they just loved, felt emotions, and experienced suffering. Their bird lives were considered complete.

However, no matter how weak a bird demon was, they could not be weaker than Cen Moyu.

Mai Li pulled the Fairy Pitta out from the tree fork and could not help but scold him: “Can you not turn small? You should at least know how to grow and shrink!”

“I forgot.” If not for the mission, Cen Moyu would have quit already.

Rather than for his own sake of going home, he actually wanted to help the System complete the mission more. He would not be able to survive if he went back anyway, and being a gate-closing disciple here was quite good.

Without the System, he might have died at the point of transmigration. He had to at least help the other party complete their performance targets.

Changing back into human form, Cen Moyu sat on a tree branch with red eyes and said, “I am sorry. I will work hard.”

His face was pitiful under the moonlight. Even without that intention, anyone who saw him would want to be kind to him.

Mai Li thought that heaven was fair, as Cen Moyu did not rely on his face despite having the looks for it.

He could not help but pinch the other’s face. “It seems you really like Lu Jijun.”

Cen Moyu was not smart to begin with. When Mai Li flew him earlier, he kept asking where Lu Jijun’s cave dwelling was. That was clearly what he meant.

A story of a gate-keeping disciple falling in love with the sect’s brilliant Senior Brother never had a good ending. It seemed the demoness who already had his body had more of an advantage.

As a friend of the little Fairy Pitta, Mai Li still stood on his side. He brought him down from the tree branch and led him to the edge of the cliff. “Practice here. I will watch you.”

Below the cliff was pitch black. In the distance, the palace where Wenren Qi resided was particularly grand. The moonlight fell on his pavilions and was soon hidden by heavy clouds. He knew the lightning tribulation was coming soon.

The first time he failed to ascend and was struck by lightning, Wenren Qi still felt pain. After multiple failures, he was completely numb. He even hallucinated that he had been picked up by a demon and raised for several years.

That demon was exceptionally weak and treated Wenren Qi like an unfortunate ordinary mortal, raising him in turn.

One day, the little bird demon did not return. Wenren Qi went to look for him and only found the dying body of that little demon.

The other’s inner core had been gouged out, and he looked miserable. Seeing Wenren Qi, he showed a weak, forced smile and said he was sorry he could not find any fruit to feed him today.

The pitiful little bird had raised the taller Wenren Qi like a child, doing everything he could to take care of him. Yet he never asked where Wenren Qi came from or where his home was. It was as if no matter who he picked up or whether they would return kindness with hatred, he would treat them that well.

The end of the hallucination was too blurry. Wenren Qi was startled awake by the sound of thunder. He stood by the railing and looked into the distance, his head aching.

No one in the sect knew that his three souls were incomplete, nor did they know when they had gone missing. By the time it was discovered, they could no longer be found.

In this state, forget about ascending; even surviving the lightning tribulation was not easy. There was even a possibility of spiritual energy rioting and causing him to deviate into madness.

Even though Wenren Qi had no interest in ascending, the Heavenly Dao was persistent, chasing him to go to a higher place.

Therefore, Wenren Qi had planned ahead. Whenever the centennial lightning tribulation arrived, he would have the elders cancel the disciples’ daily evening lessons. Those not on missions would stay inside the Great Hall to listen to sutras.

For several consecutive days, Cen Moyu practiced flying under Mai Li’s supervision.

“I am going down the mountain tomorrow. They are capturing rogue cultivators everywhere in the Abyss, and many people have died.” Mai Li said goodbye to Cen Moyu. “Practice by yourself, you fellow with no progress.”

Cen Moyu sat by the cliff, looking at the disciples’ cave dwellings where lights were burning not far away.

He already knew exactly where Lu Jijun’s cave dwelling was. When the plot point arrived, he would pick up Wenren Qi and throw him onto the protagonist Gong’s bed.

That way, from body to soul, it would definitely succeed.

“Alright, thank you.” Cen Moyu pulled out a feather from his sleeve. “My feather.”

Mai Li was very happy: “I will try it when I return.”

“Then can I have one of your feathers?” Cen Moyu thought for a moment. “I heard from a turtle-dove that we are both birds, and feathers can sense the other’s position.”

“What? You want to track me?” Mai Li asked with a smile. He had extremely dark eyes. Unlike Cen Moyu, who had to disguise himself, only at times like this did he show his natural lake-green eyes. “Not really. I heard this trip is very dangerous. Two of the sect elders are going, so I am worried about you.”

His honest expression left Mai Li at a loss for words. The sparrow turned his head away to hide how moved he was. He reached out and rubbed Cen Moyu’s hair. “Since you want it so much, I will give it to you.”

“Moyu,” Mai Li seemed to want to say something. Cen Moyu looked up: “What is it?”

“I originally wanted to advise you not to like Lu Jijun, but you are so good that I feel he is more than a match for you.”

“You were calling me a dummy just now.” Cen Moyu denied it again, “I do not like him.”

“I do not know who wants to see where he lives every day.” The sparrow was a bit helpless. “You are quite stubborn about this.”

“I really do not. The person I like” Cen Moyu suddenly could not remember what the ex-boyfriend who took all his money looked like. He shook his head and said, “I really do not have anyone I like. Even if I did, they would not look like Senior Brother Lu.”

Mai Li hummed in agreement and followed his lead: “Then what kind of person? Aside from anything else, it would be very difficult to find someone more handsome than Senior Brother Lu within the sect.”

“The Sect Leader,” Cen Moyu said without hesitation. “He is better looking.”

“You have not even seen him,” Mai Li laughed. “He might be just like Elder Jueya, an old man with a white beard.”

Cen Moyu had transmigrated into the book, so how could he not know how the original work described the beauty of the protagonist Shou?

He could not say it, so he could only stubbornly insist: “Anyway, I just know it.”

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