Pet?
Yan Shouyi's face was covered in black lines.
His mother's hobby of keeping pets was quite peculiar. She kept a black bear, a pheasant, and a sika deer, and even grew a thousand-year-old ginseng?
Uncle Weng beckoned, "Introduce yourselves."
Er Ya, the most impatient, jumped out first, her voice like milk, "My name is Er Ya."
Yan Shouyi craned his neck, raising his eyebrows.
Silence fell in the cave for a while, and Yan Shouyi couldn't help but ask, "That's it?"
Er Ya thought for a moment, patted her fluffy belly, and added feebly, "My flesh is bitter and not tasty, really, I'm not lying to you!"
Yan Shouyi was ashamed, "I won't eat you either, really."
"Okay!" Er Ya was overjoyed and retreated back into the line.
The black bear spirit scratched its head sheepishly, "My name is Tie Zi, and all my skills were taught by Fairy Sister... oh no, your mother."
Yan Shouyi extended his hand to the black bear spirit, "We fought to know each other. From now on, when I come to Changbai Mountain, I'll have to rely on you for protection."
Seeing how amiable Yan Shouyi was, the black bear spirit happily said, "We're all brothers!"
*Duang!*
Uncle Weng hit Tie Zi again, "How dare you speak to the young master like that?"
Tie Zi quickly covered his head and retreated back into the line.
"As you can see, I am a sika deer." Just as the sika deer was about to continue its introduction, the pheasant next to it interjected, "His name is Shan Pao'er."
Yan Shouyi was surprised. Why would such a beautiful sika deer have a name like Shan Pao?
It was too inelegant!
The sika deer sighed, "My name was given by Tie Zi. Everyone is used to calling me that, but I don't like it. I've come up with a more elegant name."
"What name?"
"Tie Dan."
"Alright, I'll still call you Shan Pao from now on," Yan Shouyi sighed.
What was I expecting?
These four have never left Changbai Mountain, they haven't studied and haven't gone to school. They are illiterate. Did I really expect them to come up with nice names?
Shan Pao lowered his head dejectedly. Tie Zi next to him laughed heartily, patting Shan Pao's back, "Pao'er, see? I told you, in the entire Changbai Mountain, in terms of literature and knowledge, besides Grandpa and Fairy Sister, no one can match me!"
Yan Shouyi inwardly complained: Yes, after all, your opponents are only a sika deer, a pheasant, and a ginseng doll.
Finally, it was the turn of the pheasant with the magical ability.
The pheasant strutted out majestically, cleared its throat, and said, "I..."
"I know, you're a pheasant, right?" Yan Shouyi guessed blindly, trying to bridge the distance.
The pheasant instantly deflated, "I am a mandarin pheasant, a national second-class protected animal!"
"My apologies," Yan Shouyi asked very apologetically, "What is your name then?"
"Shan Ji."
"Huh?"
"My name is Shan Ji, and it was also given by Tie Zi."
Yan Shouyi: "..."
Isn't that still a pheasant?
It seems Mother wasn't bored during her twenty years in Changbai Mountain, as these four lively characters were here to provide amusement.
If Yan Shouyi were here, just hearing their names would have made him laugh for ten years.
After the four pets introduced themselves, Uncle Weng said with a smile, "Young master, don't be fooled by their clumsiness. They have all been guided by Miss, and each possesses extraordinary skills."
"Oh? What abilities do they have?" Yan Shouyi was curious, especially about Shan Pao.
Were Shan Pao's abilities invisibility or teleportation?
"Er Ya can burrow underground and talk to plants; Tie Zi is a Heavenly Corpse Puppet and knows some Lu Ban techniques; Shan Pao can control the weather, this blizzard was created by it. Besides that, it has another mysterious ability, which is to see through others' remaining lifespan; as for Shan Ji, it can not only control birds but also become invisible."
The four pets indeed possessed extraordinary skills, each ability bordering on the miraculous, not something one could acquire through mere cultivation.
Especially Shan Pao's abilities, controlling weather and seeing through lifespan, were truly legendary abilities of divine beasts.
This reminded Yan Shouyi of the only immortal he had ever met – Yan Ze, the mountain god of Chenjia Village. That guy also liked riding a green ox, and the green ox also possessed some special, miraculous abilities.
At the same time, another doubt in Yan Shouyi's mind was resolved – Shan Ji's ability was invisibility, not teleportation.
However, invisibility was a sufficiently formidable ability.
"Heaven has eyes, the young master has finally arrived at Changbai Mountain," Uncle Weng said with a smile. "Young master, I will take you to Tianchi now."
As he spoke, Shan Pao let out a deer cry, and the snow outside the cave stopped. Looking up, the moon and stars were visible again, the bright moonlight illuminating the path up the mountain.
Yan Shouyi naturally wanted to go up the mountain as soon as possible, but he didn't forget Li Genmiao, who had come up the mountain with him.
He turned to look at Li Genmiao, who had been deliberately minimizing his presence since just now, and hadn't spoken a word throughout.
Uncle Weng also noticed Li Genmiao and frowned, asking, "Young master, is this person your friend?"
"No, he is my mortal enemy. However, for certain reasons, I cannot kill him and must take him to see my mother," Yan Shouyi said helplessly.
Uncle Weng's frown deepened, and Tie Zi and the others also showed hostility.
This guy actually threatened the young master, he's definitely not a good person!
Uncle Weng said coldly, "Since you are an enemy and not a friend to the young master, then forgive this old man, but I cannot take you to Tianchi."
Li Genmiao seemed to have expected this.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, stood up, and said, "Old man Weng, after thirty years in Changbai Mountain, don't you miss home?"
Uncle Weng suddenly froze.
His gaze suddenly became complex, as if recalling many past events.
Finally, all the complex emotions turned into a long sigh, and he asked Yan Shouyi, "Young master, you must take him up the mountain?"
"Yes." Yan Shouyi had no other choice. If he didn't take Li Genmiao up the mountain, Liu Yiren would be in danger.
In his plan, Li Genmiao could go up Changbai Mountain, but he must die after descending!
"Since that is the case, then bring him along."
Uncle Weng's words were both a concession to Yan Shouyi and a way to find a stepping stone.
After speaking, he motioned for Yan Shouyi to ride Shan Pao. Yan Shouyi hesitated for a moment before climbing onto Shan Pao's back.
Shan Ji flew directly to Yan Shouyi's shoulder and shouted happily, "Let's go, let's go see Fairy Sister!"
The four pets seemed to particularly like their mother.
Yan Shouyi's mood suddenly improved. In this desolate Changbai Mountain, the four pets were brought so much joy by his mother. It must be that his mother, whom he had never met, was not a particularly stern person.
Li Genmiao kept a certain distance from Yan Shouyi and the others, following them at a leisurely pace.