Guarding the River of Time

Chapter 464 - 454: Without Me, He Can’t Take the Final Step

The fur on Ah Fei’s body turned a pale gold, and upon closer inspection, silver runes shimmered across its body.

Its two horns resembled white jade, with strands of Immortal Light flowing and nurturing within.

Especially its eyes, which glimmered like amber, with Great Dao runes dancing deep within its pupils.....

At this moment, its appearance was very different from usual.

Normally, it was a clean and cute little sheep, but now it looked extremely sacred and noble, exuding an aura of sanctity.

The five little ones were also seeing Ah Fei like this for the first time, and without a doubt, the aura it emanated was so overwhelming that it even gave them a subtle sense of oppression.

It seems Ah Fei has been hiding quite well!

Even the five of them were deceived. No wonder it could effortlessly bring back high-grade Great Medicine seeds every time it went out, so it was really that capable!

"Why did you run away?" Su Mu asked, hands clasped behind him, looking at Little Sheep Ah Fei.

Since Ah Fei came under my care, he has never been mistreated. He could eat any Spirit Medicine from the medicinal garden, and I would occasionally come to teach the Dao.

Last time, when Ah Fei was in danger, Su Mu even risked himself to save him, without hesitation even when there might have been an ambush.

Su Mu never mistreated any Spirit Pet that followed him, and... on the day he pardoned and recruited the thief who came to steal from the medicinal garden, he also said that they could leave anytime, and he would not deliberately imprison them.

You only need to say a word, you can leave anytime. Voluntarily leaving and escaping are completely different matters and cannot be equated.

Not only did he escape, but he also repeatedly broke away from me.

Therefore, I want to know why you did this?

Could it be that I, as your master, treated you so poorly? Did I do something that wrong??

Faced with Su Mu’s questioning, Little Sheep Ah Fei also fell silent, guilt appearing on his face.

He certainly knew his master’s kindness. Since he followed this master, he no longer had to flee across the realms, only needed to complete his daily tasks, and was otherwise free, even able to travel to some world to play around with no one minding.

Last time, he was captured, and his master came to save him.

So, he was deeply grateful to his master and planned to remain loyal and follow him.

If Li Qiye hadn’t come to my doorstep, I would never have run. Actually..... before fleeing, I hesitated for a long time and made a huge decision.

Once captured by Li Qiye, I would no longer exist.

To be precise, my "thoughts" and "consciousness" would no longer exist, and I would no longer be an independent entity.

Actually, I didn’t want to run away directly but planned to hide for a while, and I even had an excuse ready that I was going out to find Great Medicine.

I also planned, after Li Qiye left, to avoid this storm, and this time bring back a big batch of Great Medicine seeds.

Sadly, I was still too slow in escaping.

Or rather, my master’s strength was too great, his methods too clever, and I couldn’t escape at all.

Facing his master’s questioning, Little Sheep Ah Fei decided not to hide anymore and prepared to reveal the truth.

"Master, I’ve always remembered your kindness, and I never thought of betraying or fleeing from you."

"This time, it’s because a debt collector came, and I had no choice but to take this drastic step to hide for a while, to avoid the storm...."

"I swear, I’ve never thought of escaping, I was just forced by circumstances."

After hearing these words, Su Mu’s tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed.

Su Mu actually just wanted an answer. Hearing Ah Fei tell him the truth, the frustration in Su Mu’s heart dissipated.

"The debtor you’re talking about, is it Li Qiye?" Su Mu asked.

Upon hearing this, Little Sheep Ah Fei was stunned, with a shocked expression, asking, "How did the master know?"

"He is my friend." Su Mu replied, "Wasn’t he your previous master... He has been searching for you tirelessly, why call him a debtor?"

From Little Sheep Ah Fei’s tone, Su Mu sensed a strong sense of resistance, and even some resentment.....

Could it be that his relationship with Li Qiye wasn’t just a simple master and Spirit Pet relationship?

Hearing this response, Little Sheep Ah Fei sighed faintly.

Come to think of it, it’s normal. Although he hates Li Qiye, he has to admit that in the entirety of the Ten Thousand Realms, Li Qiye is indeed an undisputed big figure.

Being friends with the master is not hard to understand...

It seems Li Qiye found the master, and then the master intends to hand me over....

If that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do, I can only leave it to fate. Perhaps this is destiny....

I could escape from Li Qiye, but I can’t possibly escape my master, for he wields the River of Time, where could I run to?

Throughout the Ten Thousand Realms, there’s nowhere for me to hide.

"Master, let’s go, I’ll go with you." Little Sheep Ah Fei’s tone was filled with endless desolation.

Even if the master plans to hand him over, Little Sheep Ah Fei still calls Su Mu master.

Upon hearing this, Su Mu didn’t rush to hand over Little Sheep Ah Fei, he needed to understand what their relationship really was, whether it was truly master and Spirit Pet, or enemies.....

Because he only heard Li Qiye’s side, since Little Sheep Ah Fei followed him, he had to be responsible and couldn’t hand him over without reason.

What if Li Qiye actually came for revenge?

"Tell me about your relationship then, why do you say Li Qiye is your debtor?" Su Mu looked at Little Sheep Ah Fei and asked slowly.

Upon hearing this, Little Sheep Ah Fei raised his head, gazing at Su Mu, and a shimmer flickered in his pupils.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally decided to reveal his inner thoughts.

"Because..... because he is missing a part of me, he is incomplete."

"And with me, I no longer exist... To be precise, Li Qiye and I are not in a master-servant relationship, but a symbiotic one."

Little Sheep Ah Fei disclosed his deepest secret to Su Mu.

This was his greatest secret deep within, and the only thing he feared.

Because once Li Qiye catches him, his "thoughts" would be erased, and once gone, he wouldn’t be an independent being anymore, disappearing completely without even the chance of Reincarnation.

After hearing Little Sheep Ah Fei’s heartfelt words, Su Mu remained silent for a while.

Soon, he made a decision in his heart.

"Come with me."

Hearing these words, Little Sheep Ah Fei lowered his head in despair, it seemed the master still intended to hand him over....