But now, Yan Ruyu is no longer the founder who was once free from worldly desires.
Before he left, he still had a little something on his mind.
So, when Zhao Shuning stretched and thought she had just had a really nice dream, she saw her master standing in front of her.
She was so startled that she almost rolled off the red lotus.
If her master knew what kind of dream she had just had, she didn't know what he would think of her.
"Master, you're here?"
"Yes, I came to check on you."
"Master, why didn't you wait for me to come to you?"
"Did you ever think of coming to me?"
Wasn't she just thinking about whether to go to the capital Chang'an or to the city of Yanqing to see how the Zhao family was doing?
Zhao Shuning said, "Of course I did."
She was just afraid that if she clung to her master like this, he would not like her.
"Xiaoning'er."
"Master, go ahead."
"I'm going to the Ghost Realm."
"I'll go with you."
"You can't. To cross the sea in the Ghost Realm, without the help of an ancient ferocious beast, you have to be at least an eight - phase spiritual pharmacist."
"Master, don't I have you? Isn't that enough? Or are you afraid I'll slow you down?"
"Xiaoning'er, you don't have the phoenix now. You can't fly to the Ghost Realm. There are no boats that can get there. Do you understand?"
Zhao Shuning nodded.
In fact, at the end of the day, she knew that her current abilities were still too low. If she followed her master, she would surely be a burden to him.
It's just that she had finally seen her master, and she didn't want to part with him so soon.
"Master, is this matter so tricky that you have to handle it in person?"
Before Yan Ruyu could say anything, Zhao Shuning added, "Master, don't worry. I'll wait for you to come back obediently."
Yan Ruyu reached out his hand, and Zhao Shuning obediently walked under his hand.
"Master, although my spiritual power is not strong and my mental strength is also lacking now, you have to believe that I can surely return to my peak and become your most proud disciple."
"Of course I believe you."
"Actually, I'm very happy."
"Happy about what?"
Zhao Shuning said proudly, "The master in the past was always cold and rarely smiled. He never told anyone where he was going. But now, master is different."
Yan Ruyu smiled faintly, looking extremely handsome.
"How is it different?"
"Now, master tells me where he's going. That's a big difference."
Yan Ruyu smiled and gently scraped Zhao Shuning's nose. Really, after all these years, sometimes she was as mature as if she had lived for thousands of years, and sometimes she was like a child.
"Xiaoning'er is naturally different to me."
"This is like, like family."
At the word "family", Yan Ruyu was stunned.
Zhao Shuning knew that master must be a bit homesick.
It had been almost thirty years since she met her master, and his appearance hadn't changed at all. Such an unchanging face, she didn't know if it was a good thing or an unfortunate thing for him.
"Master, did I say something wrong?"
"It's okay. My family members may have been gone for a long time."
"Master, can I hear the story of your family?"
Yan Ruyu smiled and sat down.
"The story is very long. I may not be able to finish it for a long time. If I have time in the future, I'll tell you slowly."
"There will be time. There will be time."
Zhao Shuning wanted to say that she had time. She had a whole lifetime to listen to her master's story. As long as he was willing to tell, she would always listen attentively.
Countless nights, Zhao Shuning had wondered what kind of people her master's parents were to raise someone like him. Since her master was immortal, what about his parents?
However, these were her master's family affairs. If he didn't say, she didn't dare to ask.
"Little girl, let's talk about it after I've solved this matter, okay?"
Zhao Shuning nodded.
"Master, Mo Bai has gone back."
Only then did Yan Ruyu remember that the young man who had always followed Zhao Shuning was gone.
"Yeah. Where did he go?"
Zhao Shuning shook her head and replied, "I don't know."
There was a hint of joy on Yan Ruyu's face. He said, "Didn't you ask?"
"Mo Bai and I just met by chance. I only regarded him as a friend. If he didn't say where he was going, of course I didn't ask. Besides, he's not you, master."
Zhao Shuning said the last sentence very softly.
Yan Ruyu smiled.
"What's different between me and him?"
Zhao Shuning quickly said, "Of course there's a difference."
"Oh?"
Zhao Shuning lowered her voice and said, "Mo Bai is a friend, a companion, and a very good teammate to me. He's like the gentle warmth of the early days. He's also someone I care about."
There was a hint of loneliness on Yan Ruyu's face as he said, "You also care about him?"
"Yes, I do. Mo Bai is actually not a bad - natured boy. He just lacks someone to guide him. But master, Mo Bai is my friend and close friend. I can have many close friends, but master, you're the only one."
Hearing this, the loneliness on Yan Ruyu's face disappeared instantly. His heart was also stirred up, and his heartbeats became stronger and faster.
Xiaoning'er had just said that there was only one master.
"Master, I know I'm not your only disciple. Before me, you must have taken in other apprentices. You're the imperial teacher of a thousand years. To you, I'm just one among thousands. But it doesn't matter. In my heart, you're the only one, and it will never change."
Yan Ruyu laughed.
That smile was so beautiful.
When her master smiled, Zhao Shuning was so infatuated that she felt she would even be willing to die right away.
"Xiaoning'er, you're so cute."
Zhao Shuning probably didn't know that Yan Ruyu had taken in many disciples, and without exception, they were all like emperors. But she was the first female disciple he had ever taken in.
Xiaoning'er now only had the body of a nine - year - old. When she said this, she had to look up at Yan Ruyu with blinking eyes.
Really, if she wasn't the nine - year - old Zhao Shuning now but the twenty - two - year - old Ye Ling, maybe Yan Ruyu would not be able to hold back the palpitation in his heart at this moment.
Then he would surely lean over and kiss her involuntarily.
But now, she was just a child.
"I really hope you'll grow up soon."
When Yan Ruyu left, he left this inexplicable sentence. Zhao Shuning thought that her master hoped she would quickly become stronger and become the female emperor Ye Ling of the past and not embarrass him.
She never thought that when her master said that, he actually had such thoughts.