Like his father, Yan Ruyu possessed three kinds of divine fires.
The first was the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire, the second the Scarlet Lotus Karma Fire, and the third the Polar Blue Flame.
By the time these three divine fires came into Yan Ruyu's possession, he had thoroughly transformed and evolved them. The Scarlet Lotus Karma Fire, apart from its ability to incinerate all things, could also protect one's original body.
Yan Ruyu was the founding ancestor of this otherworld. He had lived for a thousand years, and in the long river of history, there had hardly been anyone capable of posing a threat to him.
That was why he was willing to pass on the Scarlet Lotus Karma Fire to Zhao Shuning.
Xiaobai sometimes spoke in a rather childish way, but it was telling the truth. This otherworld was created by Yan Ruyu himself, and he had the responsibility to prevent the collapse of the temporal order.
Moreover, Xiaoninger had her own fortune.
If something unexpected were to happen in the future, the Scarlet Lotus Karma Fire would surely protect her mind, and Yan Ruyu would be able to sense the anomaly in an instant.
Appearing beside Zhao Shuning would be a matter of a split - second.
Zhao Huai?
Also with the surname Zhao?
Yan Ruyu lightly calculated with his ten fingers and suddenly opened his eyes wide.
"I didn't expect that he came from the same place as my mother."
No wonder even Xiaobai was a bit afraid of him. With such a powerful figure coming to the Eastern Marsh Wilderness, he wondered what those people would do.
Moreover, this young man named Zhao Huai was actually Zhao Shuning's elder brother.
Recalling that day, Yan Ruyu had sneaked into the Zhao family.
The little girl sleeping soundly on the couch had been mumbling about her elder brother, hadn't she?
A hint of bitterness welled up in his heart, and Yan Ruyu felt a slight twinge of pain.
He must be someone Xiaoninger cared about too.
In the evening, Yan Ruyu went to find Zhao Shuning. At that moment, Zhao Shuning was poring over an ancient tome, deep in thought.
And Mo Bai, the one she had rescued, was quietly sitting on the ground, staring intently at Zhao Shuning.
Yan Ruyu didn't like it when others looked at her like that. Even though Mo Bai was mindless, he still felt uncomfortable. Yan Ruyu thought that their evaluation of him was really wrong.
People said he was pure - hearted and indifferent, unflappable, and the founding ancestor who desired nothing.
But after this woman took root in his heart, he had become selfish and possessive. Such a Yan Ruyu was extremely dangerous.
"Xiaoninger."
Although he hated to do it, Yan Ruyu still interrupted Zhao Shuning.
He was leaving, and he wanted to have a few words with her alone.
Hearing Yan Ruyu's voice, Zhao Shuning quickly put down the ancient tome in her hand and bounced over to Yan Ruyu. Yan Ruyu reached out his hand and habitually stroked Zhao Shuning's head.
"Master, what's up?"
"I want to remind you of a few things."
Zhao Shuning tilted her head up. Feeling tired, Yan Ruyu gently crouched down to look her in the eye.
"Master—"
"From now on, don't be impulsive."
"Master, I'm not impulsive. I always think twice before acting now."
"Also, don't randomly pick up strangers. You don't know if they have ulterior motives. Don't trust others easily."
"I know, Master. Mo Bai was just an accident. I've probed his mind before. He has no ill will towards me. If you don't believe me, you can check too."
Yan Ruyu shook his head with a smile. He had already probed Mo Bai's mind with his spiritual power the first time they met. If Mo Bai had any other thoughts about Zhao Shuning, he wouldn't be standing here now.
"Finally, wait for your master to come back."
Zhao Shuning was shocked and looked at Yan Ruyu.
Did Master mean that he was going to leave her?
Unconsciously, Zhao Shuning tightened her grip on Yan Ruyu's robe. She didn't even notice how pitiful her expression was.
"Master, are you leaving?"
"Yes. Do you want to come with me?"
As soon as Yan Ruyu asked this question, Zhao Shuning let go of her hand.
"I... I can't. Master, you know I still have a lot of things to do. I have a family now, and people I want to protect. I'm no longer Ye Ling."
Zhao Shuning was no longer Ye Ling. Now she had a loving family and friends to grow up with. She was no longer alone and helpless.
As her master, Yan Ruyu should have been happy for Xiaoninger for having all these.
But he couldn't be happy.
Yan Ruyu thought he was really selfish. He enjoyed the feeling of Xiaoninger relying on him. He liked it when she would instinctively hide behind him when something happened.
And then he would protect her and say, "Don't be afraid. Your master is here."
But, as Zhao Shuning said, she was no longer Ye Ling.
Now she wanted to grow up on her own. Maybe Yan Ruyu was no longer her only reliance.
"Master?"
"It's okay. Just be careful."
Zhao Shuning nodded, then ran to the bedside and took out a light - blue silk tassel she had woven from under the pillow. Then she said to Yan Ruyu, "Master, give me your flute."
After getting the flute, Zhao Shuning tied the light - blue silk tassel to it.
"Master, this was woven by me. It may look a bit ugly, but I still hope that there will be something from your disciple on you."
Yan Ruyu smiled.
The haze in his heart dissipated at this moment.
Looking at the light - blue silk tassel, the corners of his mouth would curl up slightly.
He liked it very much, liked the gift from Xiaoninger.
"By the way, Master, why don't you use your previous jade flute anymore?"
The jade flute. Yan Ruyu was stunned for a moment and suddenly remembered that snowy day four years ago, when she in a red dress had fluttered and died tragically on the high platform.
And below the platform at that time, the long flute he had given Ye Ling had been smashed into pieces.
That flute was a gift from his mother. It was his only memory of his mother in this otherworld. Yan Ruyu had given it to Ye Ling.
And on that night, the flute had broken.
Although he had brought the flute back, many pieces were missing.
Those pieces had scattered to all corners of the universe. It would be harder than ascending to the sky to collect them.
"Master, was your flute stolen by those people? Right, the flute was on me at that time."
Zhao Shuning felt really embarrassed.
She almost forgot that in the previous life, her master had given her that flute and also promised her something.
Zhao Shuning, you're such a fool. You always bring up the wrong thing.
Thinking of that promise, Zhao Shuning's face blushed slightly.
"It's okay. If it's gone, it's gone."
"Master, was that flute very important to you?"
Zhao Shuning was not observant enough. She only knew that her master always carried a long jade flute with him and treasured it very much.
Yan Ruyu didn't answer this question but said, "You are also very important to your master."