Chongming shook his head. "There is none."
"Then, Master, have you found any clues?" Yaohua propped her chin with her hand, her dark eyes deep in thought.
Chongming didn't answer but instead reached out his hand to tidy up her messy hair. He made a little bun on top of her head, rummaged out a red hair ribbon, and tied it tightly for her.
In the past, when her elder brothers and father tied her hair, they would pile all the shiny treasures on her head. It was both tacky and heavy, and every time she was laughed at by other kids. If they had Master's skills, Yaohua would definitely ask them to comb her hair every day.
She touched the bun on her head. Yaohua felt like she had suddenly become the most dazzling one in the Three Realms.
"Master, you're so kind. You even tied my hair!" Yaohua spun around on the spot, then threw herself into Chongming's arms, crying happily. "Master even gave me this hair ribbon! I'm going to put it away and hide it carefully!"
If she lost such a beautiful hair ribbon, she would be heart - broken.
"Yaoyao, this hair ribbon is a protective charm from me. Don't take it off casually." Seeing Yaohua reaching out to take off the hair ribbon, Chongming quickly held her hand. "It's dangerous here. Wait until I send you back, then you can take it off."
Yaohua's movement froze. "Master, you're going to send me back?"
"Xingye's death is extraordinary. I don't want you to get involved."
"But Master promised to take me on a training adventure!" Yaohua bit her lower lip and said slowly. "Master, I haven't told you what I've learned yet. Also, I've found a lot of clues, but you haven't even asked."
Chongming's hand landed on her head. His eyes were veiled. "The future is uncertain. I haven't foreseen how your fate will change if you get involved."
So Master was so worried about her and had even divined for her.
Yaohua was touched. Seeing Chongming about to withdraw his hand, she quickly stood on tiptoe and pressed his hand on her head. "But I want to be with Master. I'll never regret it."
For a moment, Yaohua couldn't quite read Chongming's expression.
"Then tell me, Yaoyao, what have you learned?"
Chongming suddenly changed the topic, as if he didn't want to discuss with Yaohua whether they should continue to explore Jincheng. But Yaohua had a hunch that Chongming had agreed to let her follow.
"Before helping others, first see how capable you are and whether you can bear the possible consequences." Yaohua blinked. "At that time, I should have observed carefully instead of rushing over to give the fruits."
Otherwise, she wouldn't have gotten separated from Master.
"One should also not trust others easily and always be vigilant." If not, she wouldn't have been deceived by that pillar and almost had her legs chopped off. "Master saved me again. I don't know how to repay you."
Chongming smiled softly. The gentle breath tickled Yaohua's neck. She didn't know if it was her neck or her heart that was itching. "It seems you've really learned a lot."
"Of course. People like Father, Master, and my elder brothers can still be trusted." Yaohua laughed heartily, hugged Chongming's neck, and suddenly gave him a slobbery kiss on the face.
The smile in Chongming's eyes gradually turned into a look of surprise, but Yaohua had already calmly turned around and continued to talk about the clues she had found.
Tens of thousands of years of loneliness and coldness, the intimacy he had never experienced since birth. It seemed that at last, a ray of sunlight had shone down in the bitter and endless night.
But the culprit was completely unaware. "Also, Master, I met a black - clothed man. Black qi was swirling around him. I once saw the same black qi on Uncle Nanfeng."
Not hearing Chongming's response, Yaohua told him again about the black qi and red light that had appeared five years ago.
Chongming slowly came back to his senses, and his expression gradually turned solemn. "The red light in your body could actually cure Nanfeng?"
At that time, he hadn't thought much about it. He had only thought it was the Green Dragon's sacrifice, and by a strange coincidence, the Dragon King Nanfeng had been cured. He had never expected such an unexpected outcome.
"Did that black - clothed man also cause the injury on you?"
Yaohua had already prepared herself for further questions, but unexpectedly, Chongming changed the topic and asked about the injury on her shoulder.
"Yes, but don't worry, Master. I didn't let him get away easily!"
Yaohua described the situation at that time with great enthusiasm, beaming with pride. "He wanted to kill me, but he almost got killed by me instead."
How stupid. It would be great if all villains were that stupid.
"It's my negligence." Chongming felt very self - reproachful. If he hadn't been so careless at that time, Yaohua wouldn't have gone through so many dangers. Fortunately, Yaohua was lucky and smart; otherwise, she would have died in this place long ago.
"Master, don't blame yourself." Yaohua patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Thanks to you not being there. Otherwise, I would still be so naive and wouldn't know many things."
Although she had once complained when the incident happened, Master didn't do it on purpose. She couldn't blame Master for this. She should blame those villains instead.
"Yaoyao is so kind - hearted. It's my fortune to have you as my disciple." Although Chongming was sad, seeing Yaohua trying to comfort him, he couldn't help but sigh. Having such a disciple was truly a blessing for him.
"Alright, Master. There are countless people in the Three Realms jealous that you have a disciple like me. You have to be even nicer to me in the future!" Yaohua put her hands on her hips and raised her head, looking very proud.
Actually, there were countless people in the Three Realms jealous that she had become Chongming's disciple, but she didn't care at all. Master was her master, and no one could take him away!
"Master, let me continue. I suspect that all the people in this city are living corpses. Also, there are withered grass everywhere on the mountains here. I've never seen so much withered grass anywhere else. I also suspect that all these people's deaths are related to this withered grass."
There was withered grass everywhere in the Thunder Dream Marsh. She hadn't thought much about it before, but now that she recalled, it seemed strange.
It wasn't that there were no desolate places in the Phoenix Clan. In those places, no plants could survive, and even the withered grass was sparse. There was no place like the Thunder Dream Marsh where it was covered with withered grass as far as the eye could see.
"Good." Chongming gave her an appreciative look. "During the Great Calamity of Extinction, there were almost no places in Shenzhou where crops could grow. The Thunder Dream Marsh was once the most prosperous place in Shenzhou, and it was also the most tragic place after the calamity."
His gaze passed through the window and landed on the weeds outside. "These grasses have grown so lush because they were watered with human blood."
Hearing his explanation, Yaohua suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She felt that with every step she took, there was a wronged soul beneath her feet.
"But if so, how were these living corpses formed?"
Thinking of Granny Stone and the Zhu family, Yaohua had a vague guess. "Could it be that they are the culprits?"