Ling Zhang looked very depressed. He had done some over-strenuous exercise and felt that he'd depleted his vital energy and was in dire need of nourishing food like fish, meat, etc. The very thought of those delicacies made his mouth water. His face went expressionless at the sight of the congee.

As Yuwen Tong saw the change of his countenance, his heart ached, but he also felt a twinge of guilt. When his eyes met Ling Zhang's remonstrative ones, he almost changed his mind and granted Ling Zhang's wish but caught himself just in time.

It took him quite some time to cajole Ling Zhang into drinking a large bowl of chicken soup congee. Yuwen Tong heaved a sigh of relief. His back was fairly wet with sweat, because he'd been having trouble enduring the look in Ling Zhang's eyes.

Though it hadn't been a sumptuous meal, Ling Zhang's spirits still rose to normal after finishing the big bowl of chicken soup congee. Some precious tonics had been added to the congee, and they produced the desired effects almost immediately. His stomach felt comfortable now, so naturally he looked much better, appearing a trifle languid.

Yuwen Tong didn't dare have a hearty meal in the presence of Ling Zhang in these circumstances. He had also drunk a generous helping of congee just as Ling Zhang had. Ling Zhang was full and seemed to have no intention of leaving his seat, lazily leaning against the back of the chair, looking just like the white fox cub of his. He slightly raised his eyes, the outer corners of which were faintly slanted, gazing at Yuwen Tong. On seeing the gleam in his eyes, Yuwen Tong briefly held his breath, in spite of himself, his lower abdomen involuntarily contracted, and he felt an urge to carry Ling Zhang back onto the bed.

Ling Zhang gave a soft snort and asked him, "What do you think of the congee?"

Yuwen Tong inched closer to him. "All my attention is on you. I don't have the faintest idea of how the congee tastes."

The corners of Ling Zhang's mouth twitched. It seemed that this guy was getting smooth-tongued. After a while, he took his eyes off Yuwen Tong, whose gaze was making him very uneasy. He felt as though Yuwen Tong wanted to strip him naked right away. The very thought of what they had done the day before brought a blush to his cheeks, and he didn't feel like going back to that bed with Yuwen Tong at all, for that would be so not Ling Zhang.

He rose to his feet heading outside. Except for the faint soreness in his legs and waist, he was in a much better state than the one he'd been when he'd just woken up.

Yuwen Tong immediately followed in his wake. A very cautious look appeared on his face in spite of himself when he spoke, and his voice was low, deep and tender, too. "As it rained yesterday, there should be more water in the falls. You want to go there and take a look?"

Ling Zhang slightly paused. Yuwen Tong's expression and tone had been odd ever since he'd awoken. It was not until this moment that he came to realize this. He spun around and glared at him. "Be normal, will you?"

Yuwen Tong felt a little aggrieved. He was trying to be normal. His heart was brimming over with deep affection for Ling Zhang — to put it in a saccharine way, his heart was filled with sweetness. Everything seemed so pleasant, and Ling Zhang was the apple of his eye. He found himself staring at Ling Zhang's feet when he was walking, worrying that he might stub his toe or trip up on the threshold. His talking gingerly was totally subconscious, and he didn't at all realize that he was being quite touchy-feely.

Ling Zhang, "..."

Eventually, the two of them still went to see the waterfall. When it was time to go back, Yuwen Tong crouched down, offering to carry Ling Zhang on his back. "Yesterday I promised you I'll carry you. I didn't dare do it on our way here because you overate and your stomach was too stuffed."

It was true that they'd agreed on this when they'd been in the manor the day before, but Ling Zhang didn't feel it the right thing to do on this occasion and directly walked past Yuwen Tong, heading downhill. "It's just a downhill trip. I can manage."

Yuwen Tong quickly caught up with him. "The path is slippery because of yesterday's rain."

Though it rained yesterday, the ground must have dried some time ago, given the hot weather. How was it possible that the path was still slippery?

Ling Zhang ignored him and kept walking towards the foot of the hill, itching to give Yuwen Tong a hard bite.

Seeing he was so unwilling to let him carry him on his back, Yuwen Tong had no choice but to watch Ling Zhang's every step with great care, ready to spring to his support at any moment.

Halfway through their way back, they heard a noise from the woods, which sounded like some kind of animal treading on withered leaves. After a short while, a white figure tore out of the woods and pounced on Ling Zhang.

Yuwen Tong penetratingly stared at that thing which was throwing itself at Ling Zhang and firmly grabbed it before it could reach him, not letting it move an inch closer.

The little thing gripped by him aggrievedly let out a soft and cute whimper, and there seemed to be an urgent expression in its beady, black eyes.

Ling Zhang had seen what that little thing was the moment it'd leapt at him and opened his arms, poised to catch it. He was stupefied when Yuwen Tong stopped it.

Ling Zhang's heart ached somewhat at the sight of the little thing wriggling anxiously and aggrievedly. He shot Yuwen Tong a dark glance and then took the little white fox into his embrace.

The last time they'd come to this manor, Ling Zhang had discovered that a servant in it had some acquaintance with raising fox, and the surroundings were pretty suitable for the white fox, so he'd left it in the manor. It had been a few days since he'd last seen it, and this little guy was considerably fatter and heavier.

Since the two of them hadn't seen each other for several days, they missed one another very much. The little white fox kept rubbing its head against the crook of Ling Zhang's arm, whimpering softly. Its fluffy body and tail were very comfortable to the touch. Except for the soles of its feet, the little guy was very clean all over. It probably had run to this spot from the manor.

The hairy tail of Whitie the fox was sweeping Ling Zhang's wrist back and forth. Ling Zhang couldn't help but hold it and gently stroke it, feeling like raising it to give it a kiss.

Seeing Ling Zhang had been disregarding him ever since the appearance of the fox, Yuwen Tong slightly knitted his brows, and fixed the white fox with an unhappy stare, manifest jealousy in his eyes.

Maybe because it had sensed Yuwen Tong's "murderous air", Whitie craned out of the crook of his arm, stole a look at Yuwen Tong and then burrowed its way back, but this time it didn't stay there for long. Soon it raised its head again somewhat confusedly to look at Ling Zhang, softly sniffing as if having detected something. Apart from attachment to Ling Zhang, there was something else in its sparkling beady eyes. It not only had a deeper affinity for Ling Zhang but also seemed to begin to acknowledge him as its master.

Ling Zhang didn't know whether this was his illusion or not, but he felt that Whitie was showing much more affection for him now. Previously, even in the presence of Ling Zhang, it'd had a somewhat haughty expression on its face, looking like an arrogant little prince, but now it was completely a clingy little fox.

Yuwen Tong was growing increasingly disgruntled, eyeing the white fox like an enemy, only too anxious to grab it by the scruff of its neck, drag it out of Ling Zhang's arms and throw it away.

Yuwen Tong said, "It's smearing your robe. Let me carry it for you."

Ling Zhang didn't mind it at all. "It's okay."

Then he happily resumed walking downhill, the fox in his arms.

Yuwen Tong followed, his gaze at the fox very hostile. But he didn't insist for fear of angering Ling Zhang, so he had no alternative but to put up with it.

The little white fox probably got scared by Yuwen Tong's stare. After all, Yuwen Tong had spent many years in the army, and common people always found the brooding air about him quite daunting. Hardly anybody could withstand his unfriendly gaze.

As a result, the little fox adjusted its position, burrowing itself into the other crook of Ling Zhang's elbow with its butt to Yuwen Tong.

Yuwen Tong ground his teeth.

Whether Ling Zhang had perceived this was unknown to Yuwen Tong. Anyway, he had a smile on the corners of his mouth all along, stroking the little fox's tail while walking.

They also encountered a little squirrel standing on a branch of a pine beside the path. At the sight of Ling Zhang, it suddenly jumped off the branch, landed squarely onto Ling Zhang's shoulder and stared at him curiously, showing a certain degree of closeness to him.

Ling Zhang stopped in astonishment and looked at the little squirrel standing on his shoulder, wondering why it had suddenly jumped off.

Seeing yet another little thing show up to distract Ling Zhang's attention, Yuwen Tong felt another twitch of disgruntlement, but he was somewhat surprised by it as well. This little squirrel was unafraid of humans?

Ling Zhang tentatively reached out a hand to stroke the little squirrel. To his amazement, that little thing not only didn't flee but also rubbed itself against his palm of its own accord.

Ling Zhang immediately looked at Yuwen Tong. "Are all squirrels on this hill so daring?"

Yuwen Tong thought for a while and then replied, "Do you still remember that back then when we were in the racecourse, even the most unmanageable horse allowed you to approach it?"

Of course Ling Zhang remembered. At that time Yuwen Tong had also told him that maybe it had something to do with his cultivation method.

Ling Zhang gave the little squirrel another stroke and pondered for a few moments. Before he could figure anything out, Whitie the fox got angry, bared its teeth at the squirrel on Ling Zhang's shoulder, and showed its ferocious side. It was very possessive and refused to allow the squirrel to stand on its master's shoulder.

The squirrel was taken aback by the fox. Though rather unwilling to leave Ling Zhang's palm, it still jumped away.

Ling Zhang didn't blame Whitie. He said to Yuwen Tong, "My grandfather once told me that the Force of Blood in me, which is peculiar to descendants of the Phoenix Clan, would grow with my internal energy. I always feel it's somewhat insubstantial. After all, it sounds more like a pretentious statement than a fact, and it doesn't seem to have much practical meaning. Do you think what my grandfather said could be true, by any chance?"

After hearing this, Yuwen Tong gave it some careful thought and then said, "I've also never heard anything about cultivation of internal energy enhancing some kind of force of blood. The so-called 'the Blood of the Phoenix Clan' is more like a myth. But this change in you is indeed happening. Let's believe his story for the moment. If such a thing does exist, there would definitely be more obvious signs after you reach a higher level in your cultivation of internal energy, and then the truth will be revealed. At least from the vantage point of the present it's not a bad thing."

Ling Zhang inclined his head. Yuwen Tong was right. They'd find out the truth sooner or later. Thinking about this, Ling Zhang raised the little white fox to eye height, staring at its beady jet-black eyes which were staring back at him. It softly whimpered at him, showing evident affection for him.

Whitie was his pet, so naturally it liked him. Maybe he should try some other animals? Putting the little white fox back into the crook of his arm, Ling Zhang decided to give it a shot after returning to the manor.

On his return to the manor, Ling Zhang went straight to the area where animals were kept, planning to verify whether the speculation of him and Yuwen Tong was right. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yuwen Tong left Yao Yi in charge of the little white fox. Ling Zhang let him as if he was unaware of Yuwen Tong's true intention.

After Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong walked far away, Yao Yi and some others exchanged glances. Even if they hadn't heard any sounds issuing from the pavilion the night before, they would have come to know what had happened, because this morning, when their Marshal had come back from the pavilion on the hill and instructed servants working in the kitchen to prepare congee and deliver it to the pavilion, there'd been a smile on the corners of his mouth all along, and now he was acting as though Childe Ling were the only person his eyes could see, showing a total disregard for the others.

When Ling Zhang arrived at the place, he found that there were indeed a lot of animals as Zhao Shude had previously told him: pheasants, rabbits, roe deer, and so on, all of which had been caught on the hill and then brought back. Also, servants of the manor had designated a large area to keep them as fowls and livestock, which was something typically only rich people would do.

Ling Zhang was somewhat hesitant. After all, these animals were supposed to be their food. He would eat them someday, so it was inadvisable for him to forge a bond of any kind with any of them. 'Alas.' Ling Zhang who hadn't eaten any meat this day secretly felt sad for himself.

As a result, he asked the stockman, "Are there any other animals on nearby hills?"

"Yes. You feel like hunting, Childe Ling?" queried the stockman. As Ling Zhang was asking about animals on the hills instead of these domestic ones, the stockman felt that Ling Zhang wanted to go hunting. After all, it was very common that childes of rich families in the capital city went hunting on a whim.

It was inconvenient for Ling Zhang to tell the stockman about the test he was going to carry out, so he nodded — at least going hunting was a normal excuse.

He and Yuwen Tong left the manor and detoured to a mountain on the other side of a creek. Originally Yuwen Tong had disagreed to go so far for fear that Ling Zhang might tire himself out, but Ling Zhang had insisted, leaving him no choice but to compromise.

Walking did make Ling Zhang feel somewhat uncomfortable, but as Yuwen Tong had promptly applied pretty effective ointment to his body and massaged his muscles with his internal energy this morning, Ling Zhang found the remaining soreness endurable.

They caught sight of a couple of rabbits, which were instantly on full alert as they saw two humans, but when Ling Zhang approached them, they didn't flee and just stayed where they were, goggling at Ling Zhang curiously.

Yuwen Tong didn't get close to the rabbits. He stood watching from a distance.

Ling Zhang tentatively walked up to them, treading quietly, trying his best not to look hungry and eager to eat meat. While he closed in, the rabbits fidgeted briefly but still didn't try to escape. Ling Zhang kept edging closer and eventually crouched down before them, slowly stretching out a hand to stroke one of them.

The rabbit dodged aside, but when Ling Zhang tried for a second time, it let him. Its body was soft and warm to the touch. Ling Zhang stroked each and every one of them and then swiveled his head around to look at Yuwen Tong.

With that Yuwen Tong walked up to him, but the moment he approached, those rabbits pricked up their ears. Before Yuwen Tong could get any closer, they fled in all directions like the wind.

Ling Zhang rose to his feet and said, "It's indeed me alone who has some kind of influence on them."

And then he and Yuwen Tong did the same thing to some other animals, all of which reacted the same way. When Ling Zhang was the only one present, they were all very obedient and meek, but once Yuwen Tong approached, most of them got scared and ran away.

After confirming their conjecture, the two of them returned to the manor.

Lunch was still congee, which Ling Zhang drank with an impassive face. The moment he finished the bowl of congee, he scooped up Whitie the fox and left. Yuwen Tong, in the knowledge that Ling Zhang was displeased with the meatless meal, drank his own congee in two gulps and quickly followed him outside.

Ling Zhang was sitting in the corridor near the doorway of the bedroom, which was overshadowed by big trees. Though it was noon, this place was quite cool. A servant had put a deck chair there and placed some fruits, snacks and tea on a small table beside it. What with the two meatless meals he'd had this day, Ling Zhang was rather unhappy and naturally found the fruits and snacks unappealing. He merely took a sip of the tea and then lay down in the deck chair with the little white fox in his arms, unnoticeably wiggling his waist and hips.

Yuwen Tong entered the room just in time to see this. At the sight of the slight frown on Ling Zhang's face, he came to realize that Ling Zhang was probably beginning to feel a little miserable now, because he'd walked for almost the whole morning.

He stepped over, motioned the servant to leave with a wave of his hand and then started massaging Ling Zhang's waist gently. "You feel uncomfortable?"

Ling Zhang opened his eyes, slid a sideways glance at him and then closed them again with a snort.

Yuwen Tong looked at the little white fox in his arms, thought for a brief moment and then scooped up Ling Zhang. The fox got alarmed and jumped off Ling Zhang with a squeal.

Ling Zhang who had been abruptly scooped up like a child by Yuwen Tong was thrown into perplexity. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting you to the bedroom where I'll give you a massage," Yuwen Tong said, carried Ling Zhang into the bedroom and shut the door in Whitie's face.

Ling Zhang felt that it was lucky of him to have been seen by no one just now. Had anybody caught sight of him being carried like a child by Yuwen Tong, he would feel terribly ashamed.

"It's the only way to ease the soreness in your waist," added Yuwen Tong in an effort to explain.

Originally Ling Zhang had been on the verge of losing his temper, but after hearing his explanation, the anger in him ebbed away. Still, he sniffed, "Why don't you just let me walk there myself?"

Yuwen Tong said, "I want to carry you in my arms. I haven't done this since we returned from the hill."

Ling Zhang's face glowed at his explicit words. Yuwen Tong had only his own conduct to blame for that — he'd woken up early in the morning to a grumbling stomach but only been provided with a bowl of congee; and the night before, he told Yuwen Tong he didn't want any more sex, but this guy who was formidably energetic kept pestering him and eventually did it another several times; he was even suspecting he might die on the bed.

Yuwen Tong carefully put him down on the bed, looking at him earnestly. "Don't be mad. I'll let you vent your anger on me."

Ling Zhang kept silent, eyes on him.

Yuwen Tong raised his hand and stroked his slightly blushing face, his thumb gently fingering the corner of Ling Zhang's eye as the expression in his own grew deeper. "You may beat me and call me all the names you want."

Hearing him put it this way, Ling Zhang found himself enjoying this pretty much but also felt that something was not quite right. Eventually, he said, "I'm not the kind of person who'd do unreasonable things like that."