Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Don't miss out: Chapter 486, "Return," is available in its entirety. Click here.

The restaurant immediately became bustling with activity. The villagers helping out were busy starting fires, washing vegetables, and cutting meat. Fatty Li stood in front of the stove, rolled up his sleeves, grabbed a spatula, and looked like a completely different person, full of energy and spirit.

The crowd outside hadn't dispersed yet. The villagers and cultivators stood by the roadside, craning their necks to peer into the Immortal Cuisine Restaurant, whispering amongst themselves.

"Are those Master Chen and his companions?"

"That's right! He left half a year ago, and he's finally back today!"

"Is that young man carrying the red gourd Chen Zhenren from the mountain? The immortal venerable one from Cloud Hidden Mountain? He looks so young..."

"You yourself said you're a Celestial Venerable, how could I possibly guess your age?"

"What are those...what are those behind it?"

Someone noticed the group of little monsters following behind the procession, their eyes widening in surprise.

A group of furry little creatures huddled together, the larger ones protecting the smaller ones, the smaller ones hiding behind the larger ones. They were all dirty, their fur matted, and some were even shivering. The fox spirit at the front, with its grayish fur, tried its best to straighten its back, as if to say, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." Behind it, a rabbit spirit poked its head out, its long ears drooping, its red eyes blinking curiously as it peered into the crowd.

"This...this is a monster?"

"So many monsters!"

A gasp rippled through the crowd. Some timid women, clutching their children, took a few steps back, while bolder young people pressed forward to get a better look.

The fawn was a little nervous at the sight of the commotion. She took a step forward, shielding the smaller ones behind her, her fluffy ears standing straight up as she warily surveyed her surroundings.

Seeing this, Qi Lan walked to her side and put her arm around her shoulder.

"Don't be afraid."

The little deer looked up at her. Qi Lan's amber vertical pupils held a smile, a smile so gentle that it eased much of the tension in her heart.

Qi Lan then looked at the crowd and said loudly, "These are the guests I brought back; they'll be staying here from now on. Don't frighten them."

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then became lively again.

"Brought back by Immortal Qi? Those are Immortal Qi's clansmen?"

"Are those our own people?"

"Yes! Those are our own people!"

"That little bunny is so cute, can I touch it?"

A young woman squeezed to the front, her eyes fixed on the rabbit spirit that poked its head out, her face full of joy. She was holding a two- or three-year-old baby in her arms, who was also stretching out its little hands and babbling.

The rabbit spirit was startled by the commotion and pulled its head back, but couldn't resist peeking out again. The doll looked at it, then suddenly grinned, revealing a few tiny teeth.

The rabbit spirit paused for a moment, then smiled.

………………

The group entered Xian Shan Fang and went to the largest private room.

There were many people, no, it should be said that there were many demons. The small demons, plus a group of demon cultivators led by the Black Bear Spirit, couldn't fit everyone in even the largest private room. The lobby downstairs was already full of people. Not only the lobby, but even the entrance was filled with tables and chairs, and every seat was taken.

"Master, as you know, since many refugees have arrived from all over, our place has been overcrowded every day," Fatty Li said with a troubled expression. "How about we split into two groups and eat separately?"

Just as Chen Anran was about to speak, a small figure suddenly jumped out from the group of little monsters huddled together behind him.

"No, no!"

The little deer squeezed out from among its furry companions, ran to Fatty Li, and tilted its head back. "We don't care about those things! We can eat standing up! Back in the mountains, we rarely even ate standing up; we were always squatting, crawling, or fighting over food!"

After she finished speaking, she turned back and shouted at the group of little monsters, "Right?"

The group of little monsters were stunned for a moment, then started chattering in agreement.

"Yes, yes, yes! We can eat standing up!"

"As long as there's food, that's fine!"

"We're not picky!"

The rabbit spirit peeked out from behind the fox spirit, blinked its red eyes, and whispered, "It would be even better if... if we could eat while squatting..."

Little Deer turned around, grinned at Fatty Li, revealing two small tiger teeth: "See, you can eat while squatting!"

Fatty Li stood still, still holding the spatula in his hand, staring intently at the face in front of him.

That face.

Those eyes.

The spirit in his eyes and brows.

Those two little tiger teeth that show when he grins.

The spatula in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

"Three...three three three..." Fatty Li's mouth was agape, big enough to fit an egg, his tongue seemed tied in knots, and he couldn't utter a complete word for a long time, "Third Uncle-Master?!"

The little deer tilted its head, its ears twitching as it did so: "Third Martial Uncle? What Third Martial Uncle?"

Fatty Li did not answer.

His gaze shifted from the deer's face, mechanically scanning backward.

Then, he saw Wei Yiran standing slightly behind the crowd.

She stood there quietly, dressed in an elegant dress, like a quietly blooming orchid. Her long, curved eyes, her thick, fan-like eyelashes, her delicate nose, and her soft, rounded jawline—

Fatty Li's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down on the spot.

Fatty Li's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down on the spot.

"Second Uncle-Master?!"

His roar was so loud it shook the heavens and earth, stunning everyone inside and outside the entire Xian Shan Fang.

The villagers craning their necks to peer inside were startled by the loud voice and nearly fell backward. The kitchen helpers behind the stove slammed their cleavers on the cutting board, remaining motionless for a long time. The diners in the hall all put down their bowls and chopsticks and turned to look.

The little deer was startled by the loud voice, its fluffy ears snapping back. It looked back blankly at Wei Yiran, then at Fatty Li, before pointing to its own nose: "You...you're calling me?"

Fatty Li did not answer.

His gaze darted back and forth between Xiao Lu and Wei Yiran, his expression a fascinating mix of emotions.

When Wei Yiran was "recruited" into the Yunyin Sect along with the people of Qingyang Valley, he was in seclusion at the time, so he never saw Wei Yiran.

The little deer felt a bit uncomfortable being stared at by Fatty Li. It pressed its fluffy deer ears back, took a step back, and hid behind Qi Lan, only peeking out with half its head sticking out.

"Um... Fat Taoist priest, are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?" she asked cautiously.

Fatty Li finally came to his senses, rubbed his eyes hard, and stared at the deer for several seconds.

That's right.

That face, those eyes, the spirit in those brows.

It was clearly his third senior uncle, Feng Xiaolu, who was in charge!

but……

Fatty Li's gaze shifted upwards, landing on the pair of fluffy deer ears on the little deer's head.

Before he could speak again, Chen Anran calmly said, "Alright, Fatty, go and make the arrangements."