The five people looked at each other. Before they could even make clear of the situation, that man who was about to beat the child earlier, was instantly sent flying away as well, and he fell a couple of meters away.
The rest were frightened. At a loss, they looked at their empty surroundings.
In the next moment, the wooden bats in the hands of the other four people, suddenly flew away out of no reason as well.
Ghost, that ghost came again.
One of the men suddenly exclaimed, as he tumbled about and fled. The other four people woke up from their shock as well, as they followed that man one after another. With faces filled with fear, they escaped.
Only that little boy was left in that place. He was dumbfounded, and he looked around his surroundings with flustered, yet expecting eyes.
Zhu Yao sighed, and revealed herself. She no longer carried the gentleness in her face, instead, she was carrying that cold and prideful mask of hers, as she looked at that child.
She did not say anything, and simply reached out her hand. That ring which was in the child’s hands then automatically flew back into her palm. Zhu Yao inspected it for a moment, and after confirming that not a single piece of item inside was missing, she wore it back on her finger.
She once again looked at that boy who was staring straight at her, before she turned around and unhesitatingly, she walked away.
After she walked for about a few dozen steps, there were movements behind her. The boy was following after her.
Zhu Yao did not care about him, and simply walked straight out of the city. She was walking very slowly, it was a regular speed for an adult, however, the child was having a hard time following after her. As he followed her out of the city, from beginning to end, he had always maintained a distance of five to six steps. He was not near her, but he was not too far away to lose sight of her either.
Two hours later, after arriving at a desolated road, Zhu Yao stopped, and said coldly.
Why are you following me?
The child moved the corner of his lips, however, he did not answer.
Zhu Yao did not bother to converse with him either, as she continued to walk. In any case, he wouldn’t be able to follow her for long.
They then walked for another two hours. Zhu Yao was a Demigod-stage practitioner, walking a short distance like this was basically nothing to her. However, the child was a mortal, and the route they walked on were bumpy mountain roads, so he had long been panting heavily. Yet, he still stubbornly followed behind her, and when he was unable to walk anymore, he used his hands and legs to crawl.
If he had known it would come to this, would he not have acted thus? Zhu Yao sighed, and finally stopped. She then turned to look at that child whose face was filled with fatigue.
Speak. What do you plan on doing by following me?
The child was startled for a moment. Lowering his head, he looked at her with both expectations and guilt in his eyes, yet, he did not know what to say.
You can’t be thinking of selling me again, right?
Zhu Yao narrowed her eyes.
No, of course not!
The child anxiously waved his hands. He took a step forward, as he tried to explain. Yet, because he was afraid that his muddy clothes would stain her clothes which were white as snow, he retreated again. Now, he had clearly understood that back then, she sincerely wanted to help him out, yet he himself was…
Gritting his teeth, the child heavily bowed towards her, and said with emphasis on every word.
I’m sorry.
Zhu Yao frowned. The anger which she had earlier, had almost dissipated completely as well. Sighing, she cast a Dirt-Removal Art on him. His clothes which had turned into a black lump, instantly regained its former color, and the mud on his body instantly disappeared as well.
The child seemed to be surprised by this mystical moment. With widened eyes, he looked at his own brand new set of clothes, and he had a look as though he wanted to ask about it, yet, he did not dare to.
I shall forgive you. Go back then!
Zhu Yao sighed.
Haah. He’s still a child.
The child’s expression paled, and his joy earlier was instantly swept away. He simply tightly grabbed onto the hem of his clothes, which were evidently a little small for him, and did not say a word.
What? Are you afraid that those people will come trouble you?
Zhu Yao thought of this possibility, pulling his hand up, she drew an incantation on the palm of his hand. A series of white letters floated above his palm, and disappeared after a flash.
I have cast an incantation on your body. Before you reach the age of twenty, it can protect you from being bullied, they won’t be able to touch you. Go on now.
This was a passive Wind-type formation, if someone were to attack him, it would activate automatically. Zhu Yao waved her hands, turned around, and continued to walk her own way. Her initial goal was to have the child be grateful to her. Now that her goal had been achieved, and had even gotten rid of his future troubles, she could disappear now.
After walking a few steps, Zhu Yao, however, realized that not only did the child not go away, he continued to follow her closely.
The hell. This damn child, he couldn’t have latched himself onto her, right?
Zhu Yao initial plan was to have him return on his own, and she would follow him in secret. Either she settle him down in the next city, or, she might as well help him find a household that would raise him. She could even use appropriate Arts, to alter his foster parents’ memories. Without a miserable childhood, he would unlikely step into the path of a Devil.
However, this time, as though the child had been enlightened, he knelt heavily on the ground.
Deity, please take me as your disciple.
Eh, she never had such a plan at all.
After the child said that, he began to constantly kowtow, and had a look as though he had no plans to get up unless she agreed to his request.
Zhu Yao suddenly felt her head aching a little. Watching him, she was about to puke out blood. With a wave of her hand, she used a Wind-type incantation to pull him up.
I already have a disciple, and I have no plans to take in another disciple.
The child’s expression paled, yet, he once again knelt down, and said the same words.
Deity, please take me as your disciple.
Enough, enough. Stop kowtowing.
This was getting troublesome. Recalling his Devil Practitioner physique, if she really took him in, she felt that a huge wave of troubles would come assault her. She was already having a headache just by having a disciple with the Water Heavenly Spirit Vein at home, and now, there’s another person with the Devil Practitioner physique, which was frequently sought and fought after by heretic practitioners. She totally felt uncomfortable now.
Even though I’m unable to take you as my disciple, I can still guide you into a Deity Sect.
The boy’s eyes shone, and they were filled with tiny sparkling stars. This time, he was really grateful from the bottom of his heart, as he once again heavily kowtowed three times.
Thank you, Deity.
However, only those who possess Spirit Veins can depart on the path to a Deity. If you don’t have a Spirit Vein, even if someone were to guide you, it will still be impossible for you to cultivate.
Although she long knew that he possessed the Tri Spirit Veins, she still had to give him this reminder.
The boy was dumbfounded, and he only nodded after a few moments.
I understand, thank you, Deity.
It’s nothing much, no need to express your thanks.
Zhu Yao planned on handing him over to Zi Mo. Joining Ancient Hill Sect was a good choice as well, after all, it was her territory, and she could pay attention to him.
Do not call me Deity, I’m just a practitioner as well. My name is Zhu Yao.
Yes!
The boy replied. After pondering how he should address her, he recalled that he had always been calling her big sis before.
Big sis Zhu Yao.
Zhu Yao simply felt her heart trembling for a moment, as a strange feeling surged upwards. She kind of felt this way of addressing her was strange, as though she did not really like him calling her this way.
Just call me Zhu Yao, or you can address me as Sovereign.
Oh.
The boy was a little disappointed. As he wondered if the Deity was still angry at him, he obediently called out.
Sovereign.
What’s your name?
Zhu Yao changed the subject, as she tried to throw off that strange feeling.
The boy’s eyes shone, as though he was really happy to hear that she was paying attention to him.
My name is Wu Song.
Wu Song.
His name did have a nice ring to it. Zhu Yao waved her hands and said.
Let’s go.
This time, she did not intentionally walk, instead, she took out the transportation tool used by her Sect. That piece of leaf.
Though, in the beginning, she had wanted to fly with her sword. However, because she was worried that a mortal like him might not be able to withstand the speed she would be flying at with her sword, hence, she decided to use this mystic tool which flew a little slower.
Wu Song was very happy. Sitting on the leaf, his face was filled with curiosity. His small hands touched everywhere, yet, he was afraid that he was going overboard, and that she would be unhappy. So, he obediently sat on top, and did not dare to make any casual movements.
Seeing how restricted he was, Zhu Yao found him a little funny, and she casually asked.
Oh right, I forgot to ask. Just how much money did you sell me for?
Wu Song’s expression paled, as he looked at her a little anxiously.
It’s just a casual question, just give it to me straight.
She was really curious. Practitioners could change their physique, so, the higher one’s cultivation was, the more beautiful one’s complexion would be. She was, after all, a Demigod-stage practitioner. No matter how she saw it, she should be considered a world-class beauty, right? Mn. When she thought about this, she was a little excited.
N… None.
Wu Song lowered his head, and clasped his own small hands.
Ah?
What did he mean?
I… didn’t ask for money.
Wu Song honestly replied.
Back then, I thought that Dei… Sovereign wanted to harm me, so I didn’t ask her for any money.
What?
The hell, so she was actually a free gift. Why didn’t you sell her for a cheaper price than that then, huh?
Zhu Yao was very unhappy. But after thinking it through, if he had silvers on him back then, he wouldn’t have went to the pawn shop, and neither would he have been chased out of the broken-down temple by his companions in the end.
So… Sovereign’s complexion has always been invisible to me.
Wu Song continued to explain.
Hence I don’t know how much I could sell you for either.
Zhu Yao was startled, and only then did she remember that all practitioners carried their own spiritual energy. Practitioners with similar level of cultivation or higher, could use this type of spiritual energy to discern others’ level of cultivation. The denser one’s spiritual energy was, the higher one’s level of cultivation. And because mortals did not have spiritual energy in their bodies, if practitioners did not intentionally keep their spiritual energy, they would be unable to see through their spiritual energy. Even if they were able to, it would just be mere faint images in their minds, and they were unable to see a clear picture of their faces.
So it was not because she wasn’t worth any money, it was simply because they did not know their stuffs. Alright, she found back her point of balance.
Zhu Yao concentrated, and kept the spiritual energy surrounding her body, before looking towards the boy.
Is it clear now?
Wu Song raised his head, and was instantly stunned. His pair of eyes suddenly widened up, as though he had seen an unbelievable sight, he stared straight at her, and could not shift his gaze off her.
Mn, don’t be infatuated with elder sister, elder sister is but a myth.
Zhu Yao suppressed the little glee in the depth of her heart. She wanted him to recognize this face of hers alright, to prevent him from forgetting who’s his life savior was. Zhu Yao once again released her spiritual energy, and blurred her own complexion. Only then did the boy finally regained his senses. Zhu Yao once again allowed him to think of a price for her, only to suddenly sense an abnormal spiritual energy.
There were heretic practitioners, and a lot of them as well.
Zhu Yao looked towards the south-east direction. Just what happened there? Why were there such a huge gathering of heretic practitioners?
Looking towards the terrain over there, the spiritual energy was dense, and there were no signs of dispersal, there should be a Spiritual Pulse underground. A place like that, should originally be a base of a Deity Sect.
Zhu Yao pondered for a moment, before making a turn towards that direction, and she even increased her speed. Those heretic practitioners seemed to be retreating, as they dispersed and flew in all directions.
Could they have discovered her? That shouldn’t be possible. Those group of people comprised of a few Azoth-stage practitioners, and the one with the highest level of cultivation among them was nothing more than a Nascent Soul practitioner. They couldn’t have sensed her.
Just when she was thinking of chasing after them, suddenly, in the air, an extremely heavy scent of blood suddenly rushed towards her.
