Yaohua covered her forehead. "I won't! I don't like you anyway."
Zhaowu gritted his teeth in anger. "You really want to get rid of me!"
"Didn't I make it clear to you that day?" Yaohua didn't understand his meaning. "Once the contract seal is removed, we'll be done with each other. I'll repay you for your other kindnesses slowly."
Zhaowu narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You did say that, but I didn't agree."
Chongming's fingertips twitched, and he looked over with a displeased expression.
Before he could act, Zhaowu said calmly, "Fine. Considering you're seriously ill, I won't argue with you. I came here for another thing."
Yaohua looked at him in confusion.
Zhaowu said seriously, "A mysterious person suddenly appeared beside Zhaoyue. His strength may even be stronger than hers. You should be more vigilant!"
"A mysterious person?" Yaohua was about to ask about the person's origin when Zhaowu suddenly stood up and strode out.
She couldn't help asking, "Where are you going?"
Zhaowu turned around and winked at her with his left eye. "I've got something to do. I'm leaving first. Don't worry, I won't fool around outside."
"What's wrong with this guy?" Watching his figure disappear, Yaohua murmured with a headache.
She thought she had made everything clear.
"If seeing him bothers you, I won't let him come in the future," Chongming said indifferently, his face expressionless.
Yaohua carefully observed his expression and tentatively asked, "Master doesn't like him. Besides his identity as a demon from the Heavenly Demon Clan, is there any other reason?"
Chongming's gaze fell on her. "You seem quite close to him."
She blurted out, "If he weren't a demon from the Heavenly Demon Clan but a young talent from another clan engaged to me, would Master mind? Do you mind his identity, or..."
Or do you mind the person engaged to her?
Chongming felt a dull ache in his heart.
He didn't expect Yaohua to ask such a question. If Zhaowu wasn't a demon from the Heavenly Demon Clan, what could he be? Did she expect Zhaowu to suddenly change his race and marry her?
Did she like Zhaowu so much?
Seeing that he didn't say a word for a long time and just looked at her intently, the light in Yaohua's eyes gradually faded. "Master, just take it as a joke from me. By the way, what about Xilan's body? Have you found it?"
Chongming averted his gaze. "It's missing."
"What a coincidence. As soon as she disappeared, a mysterious person appeared beside Zhaoyue," Yaohua murmured. "Could the mysterious person be the demonized Xilan?"
"Is that all you want to ask?" Chongming suddenly asked.
She was confused. "Huh?"
"Never mind." Chongming averted his gaze again.
After that, his attitude towards her was obviously not as attentive as when she had just woken up.
Yaohua felt a little disappointed in her heart. Could it be that Master just pitied her for being injured and was being attentive out of guilt for causing her to be parasitized by the demon from the Heavenly Demon Clan?
It seemed that she had misunderstood again.
Forget it. From beginning to end, he had only regarded her as a disciple.
There was a knock on the door. It was Lu Ran, who came in with tea. He asked enthusiastically, "Princess, are you feeling better? You were in a coma for two days and two nights. It really worried our God. He couldn't sleep a wink all night and just stared at you intently! I've never seen him care so much about anyone!"
Yaohua's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help smiling at him. "Thank you for waiting outside the door all the time, too."
For some reason, when she smiled, Chongming's face seemed to turn a little ugly, and he silently rubbed his chest.
Lu Ran poured tea for her and left with a smile.
She looked at the man standing by the window, hesitating to speak.
Chongming noticed her gaze and said indifferently, "What is it?"
She took a small sip of tea and asked, "Master, how's the demonic energy in your body? I seemed to see you being troubled by an inner demon that day."
Chongming said indifferently, "It's just a minor matter. You don't need to worry about it."
"How can it be a minor matter?" Yaohua said hurriedly. "I'll be very worried if Master encounters any difficulties."
Hearing this, the inexplicable anger in Chongming's heart dissipated a little.
He curled his lips imperceptibly, turned around, walked to her side, lifted his robe, and sat down. "It's okay. It's not a ferocious demon from the Heavenly Demon Clan but just a small thing. I've already suppressed it."
But Yaohua was still a little worried. "Master, don't be careless. If the inner demon isn't resolved in time, it may lead to great trouble!"
"Besides suppression, is there any other way to solve it?" Chongming was born with a clear and thorough Dao heart and really didn't know much about this.
Yaohua explained in detail, "The inner demon is like the boiling water in a pot. Just suppressing it will only make it worse. You can either remove the fire directly to cut off the desires or fully satisfy them so that it will naturally disappear."
Chongming looked at her face, and the tips of his ears suddenly turned red. "Fully satisfy?"
Yaohua analyzed seriously, "Inner demons vary in strength. I once read in ancient books that some immortals have strong gastronomic desires, so their inner demons are related to food. As long as they eat heartily for a hundred years and taste all the delicious food in the world, the inner demon will naturally disappear."
"For a hundred years?" Chongming murmured. "Is a hundred years enough?"
Yaohua said indifferently, "If a hundred years isn't enough, then a thousand years. It's better than being haunted by the inner demon and finally losing one's mind and falling into the demonic path. By the way, Master, what kind of inner demon do you have? What is your craving?"
Chongming was silent for a moment. "I'll send someone to find out who the mysterious person in the Heavenly Demon Clan is first."
Yaohua was really curious.
What kind of desire could a person as ascetic as him have to give rise to an inner demon?
But Chongming just wouldn't tell her.
Soon, Lu Ran came back with the news.
The good news was that the mysterious person had appeared before Xilan's body went missing, so it couldn't be her.
The bad news was that due to the breach of the Heavenly River and the flooding, the Heavenly Demon Clan had moved elsewhere, and they couldn't be found.
"The demons from the Heavenly Demon Clan are hiding themselves but causing frequent disturbances. So far, dozens of small demons or immortals have been eroded by the demonic energy and become spies," Chongming looked at the information on the spiritual slip and said worriedly. "I'm afraid they'll make a big move soon."
In the next few days, he stayed by Yaohua's side all the time to help her heal her injuries.
At first, the Phoenix Clan members were surprised, but later they got used to it and went about their own business.
Yaohua suggested moving, but the Phoenix Clan was a large and prosperous family, and it wasn't something that could be decided on a whim.
The various crops in the fields were their most precious assets at present. They had to figure out a way to take them all away. As for the other things that couldn't be taken away, they should try to trade them to friendly clans.
Under Master's rare gentle care, Yaohua wanted to confess her feelings several times, but she was afraid that if she did, she wouldn't even be able to maintain this simple master - disciple relationship.
One day, she stood on the hillside, overlooking the entire clan.
Chongming put a cloak on her and asked softly, "You've been looking so hesitant today. Is there something else you're hiding from me?"
Yaohua mused, "Do you think a master - disciple relationship can be peacefully severed after it's formed?"