“Master!” A voice seemed to echo beside her, and Bai Shuo suddenly looked up, seeing a young boy running toward her through the haze. “Mumu!” Joy sparkled in her eyes as she reached out to touch him, but her hand passed right through his body. What was going on? Bai Shuo looked at her palm, then lifted her gaze. Under the old locust tree lay her sleeping form. She turned back, and her little disciple was already at the well, carefully drawing water and hurrying to the back of the cottage. Bai Shuo quickly followed him. In the dim little kitchen, a small stove was already burning. Her little disciple poured the freshly drawn well water into a small pot, added a few spirit-infused petals, then furtively took out a jar of water from the Jade Pond and added a spoonful. Outside the kitchen, Bai Shuo stared in shock. Peony immortal grass and water from the Jade Pond—these were rare items on the black market! Where had this little rascal gotten them? She remembered the occasional missing spirit beads from her treasure pouch and felt smoke practically coming out of her ears. No wonder her magic hadn’t progressed since arriving in South Sea City, but her spiritual energy was more stable than when she’d been on Miao Miao Island. This little rascal was using precious materials to brew tea for her!
Just as Bai Shuo was silently fuming, the water in the pot began to boil. Her little disciple quickly poured it into a bamboo cup, then happily brought it outside. Bai Shuo turned and saw him crouched by the bamboo chair, softly calling out. “Master, the tea is ready.” The person in the chair lazily stretched, took the cup from the boy, drank it all in one go, then smacked her lips and patted the boy’s head. “Mumu’s tea is the best! So sweet! Disciple, make more tomorrow!” “All right.” Her little disciple’s face lit up with a broad grin, joy gleaming from his eyes and eyebrows.
Not far away, Bai Shuo watched with a scowl, feeling utterly foolish and wishing she could kick herself. Just as she looked up, her little disciple turned his head, gazing directly in her direction. His eyes seemed to see the real Bai Shuo, his gaze pleading slightly, as if feeling wronged. “Mumu…” Bai Shuo choked up, unable to help but step toward the old locust tree. But just as she lifted her foot, the faint figures under the tree turned into starlight, scattering before her eyes. Among the sparkles, her little disciple’s clear and hurt gaze lingered on her. A breeze blew by, leaving only the soft moonlight filtering through the leaves and the creaky bamboo chair beneath the tree. It was a residual illusion spell—not particularly advanced, one any cultivator could cast. Standing on the dry grass of the courtyard, Bai Shuo pursed her lips. How did I end up with a disciple like this? Whoever said he was dumb was wrong; he’s an expert at tugging at the heartstrings. But Mumu…that’s a great demon, one in a thousand years. I, your master, can’t beat him…
Bai Shuo sighed and turned, stepping on something hard. Looking down, she found a translucent jade flute. A-Zhao… She froze, picking it up and holding it in her hand. She looked around at the dismal, dark, deserted little courtyard, and clenched the jade flute tightly. Enough! She didn’t care if he was a demigod or if he was going to become Jin Yao’s disciple in Nine Heavens. If she didn’t go find those two and ask why they had left her behind, she would never feel at ease, even if she lived another hundred years! Without a second thought, Bai Shuo grabbed a jar hidden in the kitchen, slung her shabby little bag over her shoulder, slapped a flying charm onto her chest, and disappeared into the moonlight.
On Wu Tong Phoenix Island, Fan Yue reclined on a couch in the Carefree Pavilion, his head bowed slightly, eyes half-closed. Incense smoke swirled around him, and his crimson ancient robe spilled over the couch, revealing a faintly visible star pattern on his chest. Although the Wu Tong Martial Gathering had ultimately been won by a young Immortal, the chaos midway led to disputes over the division of the hundred-mile blessed land between the two realms. To ensure fairness, all the prominent figures of the Immortal and Demon Clans had been invited back to Phoenix Island by the Phoenix Clan. Among the Three Realms of the present age, the Demon Clan now had Fan Yue as a demigod, in addition to their long-renowned figures Tian Yu and Chang Mei. By contrast, the Immortal Clan had only Jin Yao who had reached demigod status in the past thousand years. If not for Phoenix Emperor Feng Yin, whose divine body had yet to ascend to the Divine Realm and whose clan had close ties with the Immortal Clan, the Demon Clan might have already surpassed the Immortal Clan in power. Known for his cold and aloof nature, the Hao Yue Hall Master was famous across the Three Realms, and the quiet Carefree Pavilion was chosen as his residence. He was now neighbors with the Phoenix Emperor of Wu Tong Forest.
A roast chicken had been sitting on the sandalwood table in front of the hall couch for over an hour, but the person on the couch remained motionless. Hua Hong, leaning against the doorframe, glanced at the towering figure of Zang Shan, who guarded the entrance like a mountain, and peeked inside. “Tsk, tsk, he’s not even eating roast chicken. Do you think he’s trying to die?” Zang Shan stared straight ahead, ignoring the woman who clearly had no regard for her own safety.
Hua Hong poked him again. “You didn’t see it, did you? Oh, the clinginess in Foreign City! All that wanting kisses and hugs—almost lifting each other in the air! Just imagine if that ancestor inside still remem—”
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