Chapter 123 Drawing a Rabbit "You didn't even wait for me, don't leave me behind..."
"How strange, how did the little fishing light turn into a tiny fishing light?"
Upon suddenly seeing the little girl emerging from Jiang Yu Huo Yuan, Zhang Zhenyang was so startled that he took three steps back.
The little girl was dressed in a black Kunlun disciple's robe, her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, and her bright black eyes made her look like a miniature version of Jiang Yuhuo.
But after a few more glances, Zhang Zhenyang noticed something different. This girl was small in stature, but she had a big air about her, looking down on people as if she were her nose in their noses. His apprentice was not so arrogant.
"Who are you? Are you here to see my aunt?" The little girl stood proudly at the gate, arms crossed, and said with great arrogance, "Leave your name, and I'll go in and inform my aunt. You can only come in if she gives her permission."
Zhang Zhenyang was taken aback by her demeanor and blurted out, "Zhang Zhenyang."
The little girl nodded to indicate that she understood, and then turned and went into the courtyard.
Seeing her walk inside, Zhang Zhenyang followed her in. But the little girl suddenly turned around, and seeing him enter, she became very angry, loudly warning, "I already said you can only come in if your aunt gives permission! Stay here obediently, and don't move unless I tell you to!"
Zhang Zhenyang was stopped by the crisp warning and stood frozen in place, not daring to take another step forward. He began to miss Jiang Yuhuo from his childhood. Although Jiang Yuhuo also had a personality that could drive people crazy, at least he still respected him as his master.
Last night, he heard from that brat that Little Fishing Fire had returned and brought back a little niece. Since it was already late, he didn't disturb her. So this morning, he canceled Wuyaishanren's chess game and came to see this disciple he hadn't seen for a long time. Who would have thought that a fierce little girl would suddenly appear out of nowhere?
"Master, I told you, your junior sister's little niece is really amazing, but you didn't believe me. Now you've seen it for yourself!"
Wen Yizhan suddenly appeared out of nowhere, approached Zhang Zhenyang, and teased him with a gloating expression.
Seeing him laughing so happily, Zhang Zhenyang became even more annoyed. He grabbed his bamboo flute and was about to hit him on the head. "You brat, are you happy to see your master get humiliated? You're up to no good!"
The bamboo flute missed its target, and Wen Yizhan swiftly dodged three zhang away, skillfully climbing the old tree outside the gate of Jiangyu Fire Academy.
Seeing his eldest disciple in the tree, Zhang Zhenyang stopped chasing and instead tapped his bamboo flute absently in his hand. "I say," he said, "who said they would wait for Xiaoyuhuo to return and let her know they were safe before going to Moyu River? Now that she's back, and we met last night, when does the person who said that plan to set off?"
Zhang Zhenyang gave Wen Yizhan a look that said, "Let's see what excuse you have now." Wen Yizhan's smile vanished instantly. Her eyes darted left and right, and suddenly she saw a figure emerge from the room. She immediately saw a savior and waved, calling out, "Junior Sister—"
Zhang Zhenyang turned around and, sure enough, saw her long-lost junior disciple, and the defiant little girl she was holding in her hand.
"Master." Jiang Yuhuo called out to Zhang Zhenyang first, then pulled the little girl in front of him. "He is my master. You must not be disrespectful to your master, understand? Xiao Jing."
Xiao Jing was still unconvinced, pouting, "He didn't say who he was."
Looking at the face that resembled her even more after being washed, Jiang Yuhuo sighed inwardly and couldn't help but reflect: Was she really this troublesome before?
After bringing her back last night, we first went to Wen Yizhan's courtyard to give her a meal. Jiang Yuhuo had already abstained from grains, so there was nothing to eat in her courtyard. On the contrary, Wen Yizhan had received many gifts from her newly initiated disciples.
She ate like a starving ox, clearly extremely hungry, but when Jiang Yuhuo prepared to return to her own courtyard, she dropped her food without a word and ran after him. She barely reached Jiang Yuhuo's chest, and thinking he was going to abandon her again, she bumped into him like a little calf, her voice a mix of pleading and complaint, "You didn't even wait for me! Don't leave me behind..."
Jiang Yuhuo couldn't bring himself to do it right away. He took her back to his own courtyard, combed her hair, used magic to cleanse her of her filth, and then found some of his old clothes to dress her in, finally making her look presentable.
The more I look at her, the more she resembles me.
Jiang Yuhuo thought that it would be best to send her home as soon as possible.
Lest, as time goes on, it becomes clear that she is reluctant to send the person away, since this person is, after all, someone else's family.
"Just for today, and I'll send you down the mountain tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, the little girl in black immediately puffed out her cheeks.
Zhang Zhenyang quickly stepped in to smooth things over, "You must be Xiao Jing, Yu Huo's niece?" He casually asked a few questions, "How old are you this year? Do you have a name? Where do you live?"
Unexpectedly, Xiao Jing got even angrier. "I don't know! I don't know anything! You're just trying to trick me into telling you this so you'll send me back right away, right? You just want to get rid of me."
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying here!"
Zhang Zhenyang had only asked casually, but he didn't expect to hit her sore spot. He immediately said awkwardly, "Well... I didn't think that much about it."
Xiao Jing glared at him, "Hmph! I won't fall for your tricks!"
A snicker sounded behind him. Zhang Zhenyang turned around, and Wen Yizhan immediately covered her mouth with her hand, revealing only a pair of cunning eyes.
That little brat is definitely laughing at him. Just wait, I'll send him to work in Moyu River tomorrow.
However, Zhang Zhenyang's trip was not simply to visit; he had something important to tell Jiang Yuhuo.
Seeing his master point to the pavilion on the side, Jiang Yuhuo understood, handed Xiao Jing to Wen Yizhan, and followed Zhang Zhenyang into the pavilion.
Zhang Zhenyang placed a soundproof barrier around the two of them. Jiang Yuhuo vaguely felt something was wrong. In the past, her master rarely avoided Wen Yizhan when talking to her, let alone placing a soundproof barrier.
Sure enough, Zhang Zhenyang said solemnly, "Wuyashanren has already told me about your body."
Jiang Yuhuo was surprised for a moment, but then she understood. Wuyaishanren had no reason to hide such a life-or-death situation from her.
“I haven’t told Yizhan about this yet. He was poisoned by a dragon and his body was severely damaged. If he knew that your body was about to die, I don’t know what he would do.”
Zhang Zhenyang vividly remembered how, during his seclusion, Jiang Yuhuo was rendered unconscious by the backlash of the fire element within her body, and how his usually carefree eldest disciple repeatedly begged him for help. He glanced at Wen Yizhan, who was playing with that arrogant girl in the courtyard, and sighed softly, "Little Yuhuo, go and get your body back. With your current cultivation level, eliminating the demon who made the exchange with you back then is more than enough."
"I know the body swap is painful, but if you continue in this body, your soul will completely dissipate when your body holds on until the very end. Take your body back, and your master will protect you during the swap. Although your master's cultivation is not what it used to be, he has been in seclusion for so long that at least you won't have to experience the pain of your first body swap."
He thought Jiang Yuhuo didn't want to switch back to her body simply because she didn't want to go through that kind of pain again, but only Jiang Yuhuo knew why she wanted to.
"You have to survive."
"Four or five years is but a blink of an eye for immortals. We should seize the opportunity while there's still time..."
Four or five years...
Jiang Yuhuo's body trembled slightly. Did she only have four or five years left?
She was well aware of the condition of this body, but how could she give up all her cultivation and return to a body that was no different from a useless piece of trash?
Zhang Zhenyang spoke at length, but Jiang Yuhuo slowly shook his head, "Master, this time, I must decline your request."
“Disciple, there are still unfinished matters.” She took a deep breath and remained silent for a moment before speaking, “I understand Master’s good intentions, and I know the current state of my body. Perhaps one day it will be restored, but not now.”
Zhang Zhenyang was about to speak again when Jiang Yuhuo interrupted him, "Master, there's no need to persuade me. The reason I was able to abandon my original body was because there were still things I had to accomplish. Asking Master to take me as a disciple is the same thing. Over the years in Kunlun Mountain, Master and my senior brothers have taught me a lot. Even if I only have four or five years left, I will be content."
After taking this disciple in from the foot of the mountain years ago, Zhang Zhenyang spent a lot of time with her and learned that she was inherently kind. He knew that the reason she committed that massacre must be due to something she had experienced in the past. However, Jiang Yuhuo never mentioned it, and he didn't feel comfortable asking. He assumed that she had severed ties with her past. Now that she was so resolute, Zhang Zhenyang knew that she had never let go.
Knowing he couldn't say anything more, Zhang Zhenyang could only give up. Since it was what she wanted, he would grant her wish. If the past was truly like fleeting clouds, how could there be so many grudges and entanglements in the world? Even he himself had never truly stepped out of a hundred years ago.
Wen Yizhan was drawing rabbits with Xiao Jing on the ground when he caught a glimpse of his master and junior sister walking out of the pavilion. He casually looked away, pretending not to care, and used magic to turn the rabbit drawn on the ground into a living rabbit.
"Wow, that's amazing! You're even better than my Master Zhou." Xiao Jing clapped her hands excitedly. "Teach me quickly, so that whatever I draw will actually appear, and I'll definitely scare them all."
Wen Yizhan smiled knowingly, "Hey, this is a secret technique unique to Kunlun, so I can't just teach it to you."
"You're so stingy! If you won't teach me, I'll learn by myself!"
Xiao Jing walked away angrily and squatted on the ground, seemingly lost in thought.
Wen Yizhan tilted her head to look at the two people walking towards her. Zhang Zhenyang's face no longer showed the gloomy expression from before, and her junior sister was also as usual.
Wen Yizhan smiled innocently, "Master, Junior Sister, are you done talking?"
What could be so important that they would set up a soundproof barrier even after he'd gone so far? Are they really that afraid he'll hear? If he hadn't encountered the barrier when he tried to probe with his spiritual power, he wouldn't have known they were so careful around him.
Jiang Yuhuo walked towards him, "Senior brother, I just heard inside the house that Master is sending you to Moyu River tomorrow to continue the purification ritual. This time, I would like to go with you."
"Junior sister, are you going to Moyu River?" Wen Yizhan asked in surprise. "You just got back, shouldn't you get some rest?"
Jiang Yuhu shook her head. "No need. We've already wasted too much time. I already explained to Master that I left halfway to save my senior brother last time, and I'm also responsible for delaying the Jiangshui purification ritual." She looked up and asked, "Senior brother, are you unwilling?"
This explanation was reasonable and in line with her personality. Wen Yizhan didn't think much of it; he was overjoyed that his junior sister was willing to go with him. "No, of course I'm willing. When would you like to leave, junior sister? Do you want to go tomorrow?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhenyang couldn't help but glare at him. The heartless bastard! His master had been nagging him for so many days, but it was still less effective than a single word from his junior sister.
Wen Yizhan wasn't unaware of his master's disdain, but he was in such a good mood that he didn't bother to argue. Even the displeasure he felt from being guarded earlier had dissipated somewhat. No matter what, his junior sister was ultimately on his side. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile. As long as he was with his junior sister, he was willing to go anywhere.
"I want to go too!"
Xiao Jing, who had been ignored for a long time, suddenly interrupted. She looked up at Jiang Yuhuo, hugged Jiang Yuhuo's hand, and said coquettishly, "Auntie, I want to go too."
Jiang Yuhu looked up and thought for a moment, then slowly said, "Just now I seemed to hear someone say that she's not going anywhere and is going to stay here?"
"No, I never said anything like that. You must have misheard me. I'll give you all the rabbits, Auntie, please take me with you..."
"Auntie, actually my home is right by the Moyu River, do you believe me?"
Jiang Yuhuo's heart softened when two soft, fluffy things were stuffed into her hands. She found it inexplicably funny to hear the woman's blatant lies. She didn't believe a word of her words now, but she had planned to take her down the mountain anyway, and wouldn't leave her on Kunlun Mountain.
Wen Yizhan looked at the two rabbits in his junior sister's hands, his eyes suddenly filled with surprise. He pulled his little niece over and squatted down. "Wait, I only gave you one rabbit, right? Where did this one come from?"
Xiao Jing got angry when this was mentioned. "How dare you say that? I know everything. You just fished the rabbits out of the mountains, you didn't bring the rabbits in the painting to life. You're lying!"
Wen Yizhan's eyes widened in surprise, "You...you learned it?"
He had only demonstrated it to her once, without specifically teaching her, yet she figured it out on her own.
"Of course!" Xiao Jing proudly raised her chin. "Even if you don't teach me, I can see with my eyes, hear with my ears, and think about it with my brain and it will come out."
These words are easy to say, but the three cultivators present all know that spiritual techniques and spells are not easy to learn, let alone figuring them out on their own.
Upon examining her physical attributes, Zhang Zhenyang found that she was indeed a highly talented individual. He recalled being amazed by Jiang Yuhuo's potential years ago when he found her.
It's really strange. This family is full of people with extraordinary talents, but none of them are from the immortal sects.
"Little girl, who exactly are you?"
Xiao Jing made a face at him, "Hmph, I'm not telling you."
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Author's Note: I'll update another chapter tomorrow. I'll update every other day while I'm at work. I'll resume my previous update schedule once I'm less busy. Thank you for your hard work, my dear readers! [crying emoji]
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