Liang Xiao's smile was casual on the surface, but his heart was overflowing with joy!
Such a divine steed, it was truly the king among horses!
Now, Liang Xiao finally understood why people spoke of "Red Hare among horses." The only difference was that Bai Ye Fei Ying was snow-white.
He was, after all, a warrior, and the Heavenly General of the Great Gan Kingdom!
What warrior could resist the temptation of a peerless divine steed?
However, judging by its pair of crimson eyes, this was clearly not an easy beast to tame.
Bai Ye Fei Ying's eyes fixed on Liang Xiao and the others, its blood-red irises unblinking, seemingly filled with vigilance.
Hong Xiu stepped forward and gently stroked Bai Ye Fei Ying's mane, calming its emotions.
Under everyone's gaze, Bai Ye Fei Ying turned its head to look at Hong Xiu, let out a low whinny, and nuzzled Hong Ren's shoulder, just like a child playfully leaning on its parents.
Seeing this, Liang Xiao's heart fluttered uncontrollably, wishing he could transform into Hong Xiu!
Hong Ren had already told Liang Xiao about Bai Ye Fei Ying's origins on the way; it was a divine steed steeped in legend!
Its ancestor was none other than the East Sea King's beloved horse, "Bai Long Ying"!
After achieving great fame, the East Sea King brought Bai Long Ying and his divine halberd to the Bodhi Temple, where both weapon and steed were entrusted for safekeeping.
By all accounts, once Bai Long Ying grew old and died, the legend of the divine steed would come to an end.
Who would have thought that Bai Long Ying would later mate with a white celestial horse from the Western Regions, giving birth to offspring of equally robust build!
Due to the unique nature of the Bodhi Temple, the Great Gan Kingdom provided substantial funding annually. Succeeding abbots would procure pure white renowned horses from the Western Regions to crossbreed with Bai Long Ying's descendants.
Unfortunately, each generation of divine steeds showed little interest in mating, only engaging in a few couplings with the Western Region horses, thus maintaining a single lineage and a very reluctant continuation.
No wonder Hong Ren said this was an opportunity even the East Sea King hadn't foreseen, for who could believe that Bai Long Ying's descendants would remain so powerful.
But all of this was unimportant now. The fact that Bai Ye Fei Ying stood before Liang Xiao, and that Hong Xiu was willing to gift it to him, was the crucial point!
Hong Ren reminded in a low voice, "Marquis An Guo, you may not approach until Bai Ye Fei Ying is confirmed to be docile. This steed is formidable, capable of fighting tigers and leopards. Just last year, when it had barely reached adulthood, it encountered a fierce tiger in the mountains. By the time my junior brother heard the commotion and rushed over, the tiger had already been kicked to death by it..."
Yue Lian and Jian Qin Wan stared at Bai Ye Fei Ying's powerfully muscled hindquarters, their breaths catching in their throats: it could kick a tiger to death?
Then, if that kick were to land on a person, how far would they be sent flying?
Liang Xiao, however, was both astonished and delighted: capable of fighting tigers and leopards? If he could make it his own steed, wouldn't that be even more thrilling?
Hong Xiu gently soothed Bai Ye Fei Ying, then beckoned to Liang Xiao, "Marquis An Guo, come closer."
Liang Xiao walked over without hesitation, stopping about twenty feet in front of Bai Ye Fei Ying when Hong Xiu called out to him.
Hong Xiu pointed to Liang Xiao, then to himself, and said softly, "Fei Ying, Fei Ying, this is your master, the Chosen One."
Liang Xiao and the other two were stunned.
Could Bai Ye Fei Ying actually understand human speech?
Hong Xiu repeatedly recited the same sentence, performing the same gestures.
Bai Ye Fei Ying simply gazed at Liang Xiao, its expression seemingly softening slightly, yet still tinged with a hint of confusion.
Hong Ren smiled and explained, "Bai Ye Fei Ying is a divine steed, exceptionally intelligent. It can roughly comprehend some of what my junior brother says."
"How is that possible?" Yue Lian exclaimed, her mouth agape.
Hong Ren elaborated, "The horse keepers of every generation at Bodhi Temple have been like my junior brother, communicating with the divine steeds daily, even teaching them Buddhist teachings. Because the temperament of each generation of divine steeds is exceptionally fierce and overly intelligent, ordinary people are simply unable to tame them. My junior brother mentions the master and the 'Chosen One' to the divine steed every day, all in preparation for this very day."
Liang Xiao pondered thoughtfully, feeling a surge of gratitude.
This was akin to a method of animal taming. A normal horse might possess the intelligence of a three-year-old human child. It wasn't impossible for the adult Bai Ye Fei Ying to have the intelligence of a seven or eight-year-old, or even a teenager!
This might also be a form of long-term suggestion by Hong Xiu, given Bai Ye Fei Ying's trust in him.
Hong Xiu repeated the phrase hundreds of times, while Bai Ye Fei Ying continued to stare at Liang Xiao.
As everyone waited with bated breath, Bai Ye Fei Ying's forelegs actually knelt down towards Liang Xiao!
Jian Qin Wan and Yue Lian looked on in disbelief, and even Liang Xiao was taken aback.
After a moment, Bai Ye Fei Ying stood up again, nudged its head towards Liang Xiao, and let out a low whinny.
"Does Marquis An Guo know how to handle horses?" Hong Xiu asked.
Liang Xiao replied without hesitation, "I know a little."
Jian Qin Wan behind him chuckled softly at his words.
"Then please, Marquis An Guo, walk closer slowly and try. Its emotions are stable now. Do not stand behind it."
Heeding Hong Xiu's request, Liang Xiao slowly approached Bai Ye Fei Ying, his posture upright and natural.
Bai Ye Fei Ying continued to watch Liang Xiao, much like a child discovering a new world.
By the time Liang Xiao reached Bai Ye Fei Ying, the steed showed no sign of resistance.
The man and the horse regarded each other, Bai Ye Fei Ying let out another soft whinny, its thick tail swishing gently behind it.
Liang Xiao remained composed and gently stroked Bai Ye Fei Ying's forehead and the side of its neck to soothe it.
Bai Ye Fei Ying did not resist, simply enjoying the sensation quietly.
Jian Qin Wan and Yue Lian finally let out sighs of relief, their eyes gleaming with joy.
Hong Xiu praised, "As expected of Marquis An Guo. I was initially somewhat concerned."
Liang Xiao smiled faintly and, looking at Bai Ye Fei Ying's stirrups, asked, "Can I ride it?"
"If Marquis An Guo's horsemanship is at the level of a regular cavalryman, you may try," Hong Ren replied.
Liang Xiao nodded, expressed his sincere gratitude, and immediately declared his desire to try.
Hong Xiu slowly moved away from his original spot and approached Jian Qin Wan and the other two, watching Liang Xiao.
"Master, why have you come over..." Yue Lian sounded worried, fearing that without Hong Xiu present, Bai Ye Fei Ying might kick Liang Xiao to death.
"Its emotions are very stable now. I can tell that Marquis An Guo is clearly skilled in horsemanship. I am standing in front of you all because I am concerned it might charge off aimlessly and run into you," Hong Xiu explained.
Everyone suddenly understood. Jian Qin Wan covered her mouth, almost bursting into laughter.
Skilled in horsemanship!
After spending a full quarter of an hour in close proximity with Bai Ye Fei Ying, Liang Xiao finally mounted the steed. Holding the reins, he began to ride.
Bai Ye Fei Ying tossed its head, let out a thunderous neigh, and under Liang Xiao's command, turned and galloped into the mountains, leaving a trail of dust in its wake!
"That's too fast! Can my lord handle it?" Yue Lian exclaimed, a mix of alarm and fear in her voice.
Jian Qin Wan looked at Yue Lian with confusion: as a maidservant who spent her days with Liang Xiao, like a family member, how could she be so unaware of Liang Xiao's horsemanship?
Yue Lian should have been the one most suspicious that he was the Heavenly General, yet Jian Qin Wan had never noticed anything amiss with Yue Lian!
"Could he truly not be the Heavenly General?" Jian Qin Wan couldn't help but doubt her own judgment. But then, her face flushed, and she thought with shame and annoyance, "It doesn't matter if he is or not. This young lady will never be able to marry anyone else because of him!"
Bai Ye Fei Ying galloped back and returned to the original spot.
Just as everyone rejoiced, Bai Ye Fei Ying seemed to be startled and reared up, as if to throw Liang Xiao from its back!
Jian Qin Wan and Yue Lian cried out in unison, and Hong Xiu and Hong Ren's expressions also changed drastically!