Inside the thatched hut in front of the bamboo forest on the back mountain, Bai Yao began to tidy up her room. After all, she hadn't been back for two years, and many things had already gathered dust.
However, no sooner had she arrived than Murong Zhi followed her. "Senior Sister Bai Yao, why are you walking so fast? Your junior brother called you several times from behind but you didn't respond!"
Bai Yao turned around and looked at him. "Oh, it's A-Zhi. What are you doing following me?"
The young Murong Zhi was somewhat surprised, as if he felt that his senior sister had become a little unfamiliar. She seemed different from before, but Murong Zhi couldn't quite put his finger on what was different. Of course, the most obvious difference was that she had become more and more beautiful, but her whole demeanor exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay, just like that cold and aloof Third Uncle.
Murong Zhi was silent for a moment before saying, "Senior Sister... it's been so long since we last met. I've missed you a lot, so I came here to say hello..."
As Bai Yao tidied the room, she asked, "Has A-Zhi been cultivating diligently these past two years?"
Murong Zhi smiled and said, "Senior Sister, I've already formed my Core! Isn't that amazing?"
The girl frowned slightly. "You've only just entered the Golden Core stage? All you do is slack off all day. The sect assembly is coming up soon, and you'll get scolded by your master again."
“Let Master scold me if he wants... I don’t like fighting and killing anyway. Studying Taoist arts is my wish. I’m going to be a king in the future. All I need to do is know how to govern the country. It’s just that Master is too biased. I’ve always wanted to ask him for advice, but he never seems to have time. And it seems like Master only has eyes for you, Senior Sister.”
Bai Yao frowned more and more deeply, and asked, "Have you been hanging out with Li Qianyun and Liu Bishui for too long? How did you pick up this sarcastic tone? Besides, isn't Master alright right now? Instead of asking him for help with your studies, you come here to me. Can you blame Master for not caring about you?"
Murong Zhi was somewhat surprised. His senior sister used to never speak to others in this manner, nor would she ever address his senior brother and second senior sister by their given names. How come she seemed like a completely different person after coming back from this trip?
He realized that the gentle, frail senior sister who used to need protection was no longer there.
The boy suddenly realized that what he had said might have been inappropriate, but he felt that Bai Yao was angry because he had spoken ill of their master, so he immediately explained, "Senior sister, I didn't mean to complain about our master. Besides, how could I possibly collude with those two? I've always been on your side!"
"Then talk less and cultivate more!" With that, Bai Yao ignored him and started tidying up the room on her own.
Murong Zhi quickly stepped forward to help, saying with a grin, "Senior Sister Bai Yao, you've finally come back, how about I take you to Ling Su City for fun?"
Bai Yao shook her head. "I'm not going."
“You haven’t been to the palace yet! I’ve already had people plant Ningxiang grass all over the palace. I remember you said you liked the smell of Ningxiang grass…” Murong Zhi continued.
Hearing this, Bai Yao seemed to understand something. After all, she had been traveling with Feng Xi for the past two years. The two were not only good friends but also both girls, so they would talk about matters between men and women from time to time. Although she was still young, the intelligent Bai Yao had a vague idea of her junior brother's thoughts and immediately said, "Azhi, you should focus more on your cultivation and not think about these useless things all day long!"
Murong Zhi seemed unaware of Bai Yao's emotional change and continued, "Then I have no heart for cultivation. I just want to see Senior Sister happy every day."
At this moment, Bai Yao put down what she was doing and said seriously, "A-Zhi, I know how good you are to me, and I treat you like my own younger brother, but that's all, understand?"
"Just a younger brother..." Murong Zhi froze on the spot, his hands stopping their helping movements.
"I am single-mindedly pursuing the Dao, while you are only interested in the mortal world. We are not on the same path. Alright, hurry back. I'll take care of things here myself!" Bai Yao's words were quite clear. Although she didn't say it explicitly, Murong Zhi knew her intentions.
But the young man seemed unwilling to give up and continued, "So, if I work hard at my cultivation, will I be able to become like my senior sister?"
Bai Yao said helplessly, "If you want to cultivate diligently, that's good, but it shouldn't be for others, it should be for yourself. Azhi, I'll only say this once. I will always be your senior sister, and you will always be my good junior brother."
"Senior Sister..." Murong Zhi wanted to say more, but Bai Yao ignored him.
Murong Zhi felt that Bai Yao in front of him was somewhat unfamiliar. The feeling of her being sometimes close and sometimes distant was no longer that of the little senior sister who needed his comfort.
At this moment, the voice of the eldest brother, Li Qianyun, came from outside the door, "Junior sister, you just got back and you're already holed up in your room. Don't you even know to come out and greet your senior brother?"
Bai Yao walked out of the thatched hut expressionlessly, looking at Li Qianyun standing outside. He and Liu Bishui still had the same arrogant expressions as before. Her eyes remained calm. She then bowed and said, "Greetings, Senior Brother, Greetings, Second Senior Sister."
Liu Bishui said sarcastically, "Oh, so Junior Sister still cares about us? I thought that after two years of training with Master, she wouldn't take us seriously anymore."
Bai Yao said coldly, "Is there anything else? If not, I'll go tidy up the room."
They were somewhat surprised to see Bai Yao's cold attitude. After all, Bai Yao used to be afraid of them, but since when did she gradually stop being afraid of them and now she completely disregards them?
Li Qianyun thought that she and Liu Bishui had both arrived at the sect earlier than Bai Yao, and their status and position were higher than Bai Yao's. Why did this girl dare to disregard her like this? She immediately stepped forward, ready to take action, just like when she taught Bai Yao a lesson before.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
