Under the Wutong Tree (Part 2)
The sound of an unknown bird came from the tree. The two people sat side by side under the tree, with a distance between them.
Lin Zhuo crossed her arms, feeling a little uncomfortable. It seemed she couldn't remain calm with Xie Zhitiao anymore.
"Sister, why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night?" Xie Zhitiao was a little curious.
"..." Lin Zhuo opened his mouth, but didn't know where to begin. "I woke up from a dream and couldn't sleep, so I just went out for a walk."
Xie Zhitiao leaned against the tree trunk, looking up at the treetops, his tone a little depressed: "Well... I also had a dream, and I couldn't sleep."
Lin Zhuo put his head on his knees and said in a low voice: "A Tiao, I always feel uneasy."
"What are you afraid of?" The boy's voice returned to its usual lazy tone. "Even if the sky falls, there are still tall people to hold it up. We will never let you take any risks."
"What nonsense are you talking about. I'm the junior sister of Xuanxiao Sect, how could I possibly hide in the back?" Lin Zhuo said with some anger.
Xie Zhitiao didn't say anything, just stared at her profile with a dark and unclear look in his eyes.
It was this kind of thought of sacrifice that was a given. Had she ever thought about what would happen to her master, senior brother, You Jingjia, him, and all the uncles and aunts if something went wrong with her?
"You also said that you are just a junior sister. There is the master and the senior brothers and sisters in front of you. No one asked you to stand in the front."
So, can we rely on them a little bit?
Lin Zhuo tilted her head and smiled. As the moon climbed higher and higher, she suddenly murmured, "A Tiao, you've grown up."
Xie Zhitiao sat up straight, and followed her example by holding up his head, smiling as well: "Yes, we have all grown up."
A few gusts of wind blew from high in the sky, shaking the branches of the sycamore tree, and the shadows cast by the moonlight swayed with it.
"Didn't you say you had a dream? What dream?"
Lin Zhuo thought of his nightmare. Ever since his senior brother gave him the Worry-Free Pearl, he rarely had trouble sleeping.
Xie Zhitiao rested his head on his arm, his eyes unfocused: "...Nothing, it was too confusing, I can't remember it."
Lin Zhuo curled his lips and said nothing.
"What about you? What did you dream about, senior sister?" Xie Zhitiao looked at her curiously and asked.
Lin Zhuo hesitated, thought about it, and finally told the truth.
"It wasn't a dream. After returning from Wen Sheng Ya, I was meditating in my room to regulate my breathing. After my spiritual power stabilized, I heard a voice."
"He said, 'A hundred demons control the devil, and all living beings suffer. The phoenix rests on the wutong tree, and the way of heaven returns to its origin.'"
Lin Zhuo didn't quite understand what he was saying, but he was inexplicably worried. After Xie Zhitiao heard this, he sat up straight.
The phoenix perches on the wutong tree, and the way of heaven returns to its origin.
Was this a hint from Him?
After thinking for a moment, Xie Zhitiao comforted her: "Senior sister, don't worry. We will tell our master and senior brothers and sisters tomorrow. There is strength in numbers."
"You are not allowed to carry it by yourself." He lectured with a stern face, and Lin Zhuo couldn't help laughing.
And taught her a lesson.
After being interrupted by him, Lin Zhuo felt relieved and his mood improved: "I know, I won't do that."
She knew how much they cared about her, so she naturally wouldn't act rashly. Once someone cared about her, her life was no longer her own.
Xie Zhitiao felt slightly relieved. The two of them continued to sit side by side, neither of them showing any intention of getting up and going back to their room to sleep.
"Sister, what do you think of this illusion?" Xie Zhitiao suddenly asked her. After emerging from the illusion, Lin Zhuo seemed to treat him no differently than before, yet he could still sense in subtle ways that she was intentionally or unintentionally distancing herself from him.
Xie Zhitiao wasn't one to keep quiet; he always spoke his mind. Since he couldn't hold it in any longer, he might as well ask. If there were any misunderstandings, it would be easier to resolve them, right?
"Illusion?" Lin Zhuo thought for a moment and said truthfully, "I find it very baffling. Why were we drawn into that illusion? And why did it break apart in the end? We clearly didn't do anything."
"...Is that all?" he asked unwillingly.
Lin Zhuo gave him a strange look. "What else? By the way, whose illusion could that be?"
Xie Zhitiao shook his head. He also didn't know that Qiu Ji and Chang Junning were not the names of gods he knew.
The topic gradually died down, the chirping of insects and birds became quieter, and the night deepened.
"Senior Sister." Xie Zhitiao called her, but did not look at her, staring blankly at the ground.
Lin Zhuo murmured a response and said nothing more. She didn't know what to say, as if nothing she said would be appropriate.
"Senior Sister, I'm one hundred and twelve years old this year." He suddenly blurted out, without making any sense. "Master brought me back when I was six. We've known each other for one hundred and six years."
Lin Zhuo unconsciously clenched her fingers, feeling uneasy again. She didn't want to listen any further.
"When you were a child, you told your master that you didn't want to be the youngest disciple of Xuanxiao Sect, so your master kept me." Xie Zhitiao smiled lightly, as if he was really recalling the past.
Lin Zhuo vaguely remembered this incident. The small girl held the equally small boy's hand and said happily:
"You have to call me Senior Sister from now on!"
She suddenly interrupted him: "Xie Zhitiao, I am your senior sister."
"I know." Xie Zhitiao laughed, "Senior Sister, please let me finish. There's no point in interrupting someone."
"The first time I ate candied haws was on the day my second senior sister returned to the sect after I became their disciple. She only brought one string with her, which she meant for you, but you gave it to me, saying that as an older sister, you should give in to your younger brother."
"Second Senior Sister stopped you and told us that there was no such logic. That string of candied haws still ended up in your stomach. I still remember that Senior Sister secretly gave me half of it without telling Second Senior Sister."
"...Yes, you didn't take that half string of candied haws."
"Because Second Senior Sister came down the mountain again that day and bought me another bunch," Xie Zhitiao recalled. Although he and You Jingjia always quarreled, to be honest, she treated him very well.
"I first learned swordplay with you. Back then, I used a wooden sword. I would wake up early every morning and practice diligently until the sun was high in the sky, then rest briefly before continuing again."
"Senior sister felt so wronged at the time. She was so tired that she wanted to cry and make a fuss. But when she saw me, she held back her tears. She was so cute."
"It was the first time my senior sister had her birthday since I joined the sect. Master turned down the tasks assigned by my uncle, and my senior brother and second senior sister also turned down their training. Everyone gathered around you to celebrate your birthday."
"I didn't know my birthday, so you quietly pulled me aside and said, 'Junior brother, my birthday is your birthday.'"
"But I don't want to. Your birthday is yours, how can it be mine? In the end, it was my senior brother who decided that the day I was brought back would be my birthday."
"For me, that day when I followed Master up the mountain and saw you sitting on the small stool next to the main seat, smiling at me sweetly, it was truly a new beginning."
He paused, still wanting to say more but not knowing where to begin. Finally, he sighed.
"Sister, you know I like you, right?"
Lin Zhuo said nothing, only feeling her breathing grow heavier, her heartbeats pounding against her eardrums. She clenched her palms, stood up, and turned her back to him.
"...It's getting late. I'm going back to sleep."
Xie Zhitiao also stood up and spoke the moment she took a step.
"Senior Sister."
"I've liked you for a long time."
Lin Zhuo didn't move her legs after all. She lowered her head slightly and listened to the boy behind her ask her:
"Now that I've said it, Senior Sister, please stop avoiding me, okay?"
Lin Zhuo sighed softly and turned to look at him.
"A Tiao." She said seriously, "If I leave now, it would be irresponsible to you. You are sure that I won't do that."
Her voice gradually lowered, as gentle as ever, yet chilling him to the bone: "But you know, I only treated you as a younger brother before."
"...Maybe things have changed recently. You have to give me some time to figure out what I really feel towards you."
Facing her moist eyes, Xie Zhitiao's heart sank a little. He smiled again, just like his usual carefree self.
"Senior sister, I'll wait for you."
————
After searching the library to no avail, Cang He returned to Xuan Xiao Sect. It was almost dark when he arrived at the sect gate. After hearing Wan Wuji say that the four children had gone back to rest, he felt relieved and returned to the main hall.
The next morning, Cang He dealt with the pile of clan affairs. Ling Qingqiu, having risen early, came to help. At noon, Lin Zhuo also arrived, followed by someone.
"Senior sister, please wait for me."
Lin Zhuo wanted to walk faster. She was really crazy last night. She actually listened to everything he said. If she had returned home earlier, she wouldn't be so embarrassed now.
Xie Zhitiao took big steps and caught up with her in a few steps. He walked beside her and pretended to be wronged: "Senior Sister, didn't we agree? You are not allowed to hide from me anymore."
Lin Zhuo choked. She had actually promised him last night before returning to her room. She had no choice but to slow down her pace and said stubbornly:
"...I'm not hiding from you. I'm anxious to find Master."
Xie Zhitiao didn't expose her, as it would be bad if she got angry. He followed her into the main hall with a smile on his face.
When the two came in, Cang He looked up at them and paused. Why did he feel that after just one night, there seemed to be something different between these two people?
Lin Zhuo simply greeted his master and senior brother. Seeing that his master and senior brother were not very busy at the moment, he thought for a moment and told them what he had heard while meditating yesterday.
As soon as he said this, Cang He's face became more serious. Just as he was about to say something, his jade slip rang.
Before he could open it, You Jingjia rushed in panicking, "Master! Master!"
"What's wrong? Why are you so flustered?" Ling Qingqiu spoke first.
The next moment, You Jingjia's voice and Rong Si's voice in the jade slip sounded together.
"Something happened in the Nine-story Demon Tower!"
Xie Zhitiao narrowed his eyes. In his previous life, it seemed that the Immortal Alliance only discovered the Nine-Story Demon Tower's formation malfunctioned after Master came out of seclusion. He vaguely remembered a great demon escaping. Could it be that it had already escaped at this time?
This was no joke. Cang He immediately put down his pen, stood up, and walked out. Xie Zhitiao wanted to find out what was going on, so he took a few steps after him.
"Master, why don't we go too? There's strength in numbers, right?"
His words were far-fetched. The Immortal Alliance had many powerful people, so how could they be short of a few people? But Cang He stopped in his tracks.
He thought for a few breaths and nodded: "Okay. The four of you follow me."
Canghe now has no idea what exactly happened in the Demon Tower. If he takes them with him, he won’t be able to help suppress the monsters, but he can just guard the formation.
Several people hurried on their way.
"Senior Sister," Lin Zhuo called her, "How did you know something happened in the Demon Tower?"
You Jingjia frowned, "I was taking care of Junior-Master Uncle at Wen Shengyou, and Junior-Master Uncle said that."
Hua Fangyi had suppressed a riot in the Demon Tower in her early years. At that time, the previous leader of Xuanxiao had passed away, and Canghe was unwilling to succeed him, so she took over the vacant position. However, she was later poisoned and never came out again.
But after all, the seal of the Demon Tower is still covered by her spiritual seal.
The sword flying speed was very fast, and within half an hour, several people had arrived at the Demon Tower.
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