Alright.
The two girls, one big and one small, reacted quite strangely.
"Wuuu... Master..." Zhiwei sniffled.
"Eh... Instructor Chen..." Zhao Yushuang hesitated.
She thought he was just trying to maintain his dignity in front of his disciples, forcing a smile.
The compassion in her beautiful eyes deepened, as she was about to offer a few more comforting words.
"Wh—what?"
A little girl, claiming to be in seclusion, let out a shocked voice.
The door, adorned with a seal reading "In seclusion, do not disturb, violators are little dogs," was kicked open from inside.
Immediately afterward.
A silver-haired, petite figure bolted out, hugging her master’s leg tightly:
"Where is Master going to have fun? Why are you whispering with Senior Sister outside? Don’t you want to take Qing Jun with you?"
As soon as she appeared.
This little girl prattled on with a barrage of words.
Meanwhile, she climbed up her master’s leg skillfully, clinging to his neck and refusing to let go:
"Old Taoist Chen, stop pretending to be mute! If you keep pretending, Qing Jun will eat you!"
"..."
Zhao Yushuang wiped away Chen Ye’s sweat, feeling even more sympathetic for the instructor before her.
Not only were women difficult to deal with outside, even the girls at home were equally quirky.
Chen Ye felt his vision blur.
And suddenly, there was an inexplicable little ornament hanging on him.
He straightened his face, pinching Qing Jun’s soft cheeks:
"Xu Qingjun, I remember someone saying they wouldn’t leave seclusion until they achieved Foundation Establishment? And if they did, they’d be a little dog."
"Oof—"
Qing Jun’s gaze wavered for a moment before she confidently puffed her small chest,
"Woof woof woof! In front of Master, Qing Jun is a little dog!"
The shameless little girl!
Master laughed out of exasperation.
Who on earth taught this little girl, how did she become so thick-skinned?
The most crucial part is,
there was still an outsider present.
Yet, this little rascal continued to bark incessantly.
"Woof woof woof! Master, why aren’t you speaking?"
The little girl also pinched her master’s cheeks, staring him down eye to eye.
"Let go."
Chen Ye gritted his teeth, attempting to intimidate this rebellious disciple with his gaze,
"There’s an outsider here, what kind of behavior is this! Get down now!"
"Woof woof! Qing Jun is a little dog; what does a little dog need with face!"
Not only did Qing Jun refuse to let go, but she also tightened her little legs even more, clinging to her master’s waist like an octopus, shouting confidently,
"Besides, since Master is going to run off with another woman, what does Qing Jun need with face!"
"Unless Master agrees to take me along, Qing Jun will stay attached to Master! Whether Master goes to practice alchemy or to eat, Qing Jun will cling on too!"
"..."
Chen Ye took a deep breath.
Beside him, Zhao Yushuang slightly covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.
Looking at Chen Ye, her eyes filled with even more pity.
She softly said:
"Guardian Chen, I see this little girl is sincerely devoted. Since she’s so eager to go, just take her with you. Didn’t your senior disciple say? Having a disciple attending may make alchemy more suitable for you."
Fine.
If this little girl were to join him in alchemy, it would surely be pandemonium, wouldn’t it?
She wasn’t nearly as useful as Zhiwei.
However,
Qing Jun was already throwing a fit, and Chen Ye had no way of dealing with this stubborn little girl.
He sighed and turned to look at Zhiwei, who hadn’t spoken the entire time:
"Zhiwei, what do you think?"
Zhiwei’s face unconsciously turned colder.
Qing Jun was getting more mischievous by the day.
Behaving so unruly in front of outsiders, wasn’t she making Master a laughingstock?
Moreover, she too wanted to accompany Master...
But at this moment, Guardian of Danxia Peak was watching.
Zhiwei could only endure it:
"If that’s the case, then Master should take Junior Sister. Although she’s mischievous, with her there, Master won’t be bored during alchemy practice. As for home, I will take good care of it."
After saying this,
The black-haired girl leaned close to Qing Jun, taking advantage of dusting her off, lowered her voice, and in a tone only the two sisters could hear, coldly said:
"Xu Qingjun, listen up. Once you’re at Danxia Peak, if you dare act so unruly again, even in front of Master, I’ll use a ruler to spank your bottom!"
"!"
The little girl was shocked, her bottom already starting to hurt.
When her master hit her, he would hold back.
But when her senior sister hit her, she would never hold back!
The little girl immediately straightened up in her master’s arms and solemnly nodded:
"Sister, rest assured! Qing Jun will defend Master’s innocence to the death! No one will get within a step of him!"
"You... what nonsense are you talking..."
"Hmm? Did Qing Jun say something wrong? Qing Jun thought that’s what you meant, Sister."
"I never said that... but do as you please, Sister can’t control you anyway."
"Nonsense! If Sister tells me to go east, Qing Jun will absolutely not go west!"
"...Since when did you become so obedient?"
"..."
The little girl suddenly felt a chill all over, only to see her senior sister staring at her hauntingly.
She twisted her body and hid her bottom under her master’s elbow, laughing dryly:
"Actually, sometimes I’m not that obedient."
"Oh. Suit yourself," Zhiwei said expressionlessly.
The conversation between the senior sisters continued in a whispered exchange.
Although Chen Ye and Zhao Yushuang could sense their whispered exchange,
As elders, they naturally wouldn’t openly use their divine sense to eavesdrop on the two girls’ private talk.
Once Chen Ye finished conspiring with the two little girls, he reached out to pick Qing Jun up from his waist:
"Since you’re going, talk less and work more. And don’t embarrass me at Danxia Peak."
"Got it, got it~"
Qing Jun nodded repeatedly. As long as she could follow her master, she’d do anything.
Chen Ye then turned to look at Lin Jin in the corner:
"Jin’er, you’ll watch the house with your sister?"
"Mm!"
Lin Jin nodded quickly, feeling relieved.
Great.
No need to go out, no need to meet strangers, and even the loudest second sister was leaving.
Seeing this, Chen Ye wasted no more time.
He waved his sleeve and summoned a cloud underfoot, carrying little Qing Jun to Zhao Yushuang’s side.
"I trouble you, Guardian Zhao, to lead the way."
"It’s nothing, Instructor Chen, please."
Zhao Yushuang smiled and nodded, leading the way.
The Cangli Courtyard instantly quieted down.
Zhiwei stood under the old pear tree, staring in the direction where her master had left, unmoving for a long time.
A breeze blew by, and pear blossoms fell.
Several green leaves fell onto the girl’s black hair.
Zhiwei reached out to catch a petal, her eyes complicated.
"Master..."
"You must hold on. I heard that Guardian Zhao’s background is comparable to True Inheritor Bai... don’t sacrifice yourself for us again, otherwise, Zhiwei..."
She clenched the petal tightly, determined:
Foundation Establishment is just the beginning; it’s far from enough!
Jin’er secretly glanced at her sister, sensing coldness emanating from her all over. She shivered inwardly.
A sister like that is terrifying!
It seems best to avoid provoking Guardian Zhao in the future...
...
"We’re here."
In the blink of an eye.
Zhao Yushuang already led Chen Ye to Danxia Peak.
Chen Ye had been to Danxia Peak once, but the current scene was entirely different now.
Everywhere he looked, there were hundreds of pill furnaces densely arrayed.
Earth flames surged, black smoke billowed. Countless disciples in red robes were weaving through them, all dusty and anxious.
"The fire is too strong on furnace number three in section ’Yi’, cool it down fast! It’s going to explode!"
"Where’s the Replenishing Grass? Where did the storeroom people go to die?"
"Damn it, another furnace wasted! Quickly clean the dregs and start again!"
With the front-line battle tense,
The current Danxia Peak cultivators couldn’t bother with elegance, almost no different from mortal blacksmith shops, bustling with noise.
And beside Chen Ye’s leg, Qing Jun was pinching her little nose, waving her hand in disgust: "Cough cough... Master, it stinks here!"
The little girl’s nose was naturally sharp, and now her tiny eyebrows furrowed tightly, looking pitiably at her master.
Chen Ye glanced at her: "Want to go home?"
The girl laughed sheepishly: "It’s not that smelly..."
Saying that,
she quietly took a step, burying her little face in her master’s leg.
Mm!
Now the smell was all her master’s!