The woman's hand was so soft.
Just like it was five hundred years ago.
Just like the feeling when the master stroked it.
The body of Hundun (Chaos) stiffened, and then it turned its head and looked at Zhao Shuning seriously.
What did this woman mean by saying this?
Moreover, how did she know that the former master always liked to gently stroke that piece of its scale?
Because the scale there was the weakest. Just below it was Hundun's ticklish spot. It could feel it when that spot was stroked.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Hundun, I've just changed my appearance. How come you don't recognize me?"
Zhao Shuning smiled.
Her right hand rose accordingly.
As her voice faded, a red lotus quietly appeared between her eyebrows, and the flame in her right hand suddenly burned more vigorously.
The woman looked into Hundun's eyes.
Those eyes held a feeling that Hundun was most familiar with.
Almost in an instant, it felt a bit choked up.
"You—how do you have this?"
With Zhao Shuning's nod, Hundun's speculation was confirmed.
"How could this be?"
Zhao Shuning stepped forward and hugged Hundun.
Hundun had grown much bigger. At this moment, Zhao Shuning was extremely weak in front of it.
If a human had dared to get so close to it before, it would surely have trampled them under its feet and mashed them into pulp before it would stop.
Even if the woman in front of it was the younger sister of the venerable, it might still have been unable to hide its look of disgust.
However, she was not one of those people.
When she touched it, Hundun felt an unprecedented sense of familiarity.
She knew all those actions that only the master would do to it.
She must be the master in its heart.
Although it didn't know for what reason she had become what she was now.
"Shame on you, an ancient divine beast who has lived even longer than my phoenix. How come you can't even recognize an old friend?"
There was a hint of moisture in Hundun's eyes.
Maybe it was just the wind getting into its eyes.
Its eyes welled up, and two turbid tears fell.
"Master, is it really you?"
"You still haven't gotten rid of this habit. I'm not your master. I've told you this a long time ago."
Hundun knelt down on its front two feet with a thud.
It was exactly the same salute it had given to Zhao Shuning in Loulan back then.
"I'm so stupid. I failed to recognize you, master."
Zhao Shuning quickly motioned for Hundun to get up.
She said, "It's normal that you didn't recognize me. Now that I've changed my appearance, my spiritual power is not as strong as it was five hundred years ago."
"But, didn't you throw yourself into the lake?"
Zhao Shuning shook her head.
Sighing, she said, "It wasn't me who threw herself into the lake. It was Xiao Qiu. And it wasn't me who made a contract with you. It was also Xiao Qiu. Moreover, Luo Qiu and I are not the same person."
Hundun was confused.
"Also, when I touched you just now, I noticed that the contract symbol on you hadn't disappeared. So, Luo Qiu should still be alive."
Moreover, thirty years ago, she had seen Luo Qiu in the cave on Qingyun Peak. At that time, she didn't know why Luo Qiu had attacked her. Now, when she thought about what Luo Qiu had said back then, it all made sense.
"But—"
"Luo Qiu and I look exactly the same."
"What about you now?"
"I'm just a little less good - looking than before, but I'm not that bad, am I?"
Hundun looked back at Zhao Huai.
Then it looked at Zhao Shuning.
It said, "Venerable, could you please erase the contract symbol in my body? I'm willing to become the young lady's contract divine beast."
"No!"
They both said it at the same time.
Zhao Huai said, "Now that Xiaoning'er has said that Luo Qiu is still alive. If you end the contract without permission, once there's a slight mistake with the spiritual power in your body, you'll surely suffer a backlash."
Zhao Shuning also said, "Hundun, if I really wanted to make a contract with you, I would have done it five hundred years ago."
Hundun said disappointedly, "Why? Am I not worthy?"
Zhao Shuning gently shook her head.
Then she closed her eyes slightly.
A huge fiery - red bird soared up from her body.
The sound of the phoenix's cry resounded through the valley for a moment.
Not long after.
A fiery - red phoenix circled above the Nether Valley. Wherever it went, it left behind a gorgeous fiery - red trail.
Zhao Shuning opened her eyes.
"The phoenix."
"Master, you already have a contract divine beast. It's the phoenix. No wonder you've never made a contract with me."
Zhao Shuning said, "Hundun, you're also excellent. It's just that I met this phoenix a long time before I met you. Although that guy has a bit of a bad temper, he's loyal to his master. I can't let him down."
"Hundun understands."
Zhao Shuning was surely very happy to see Hundun again.
She then said, "You were locked up in this Nether Valley by the master. You should really reflect on yourself. The master always has his reasons for doing things. You should stay here and atone for the mistakes you made back then."
After Hundun learned the truth.
It felt ashamed.
So it could only reply with a simple "Okay".
After Zhao Shuning said a few more words to Hundun, Hundun left.
After Hundun left.
Zhao Shuning said, "Brother, the climate here is suitable and it's not cold. You're inside with me now. Why are you still wearing such a thick cloak?"
Zhao Huai's expression became uncomfortable.
He didn't expect that the Xiaoning'er who had just been chatting and laughing with Hundun would turn her attention to him so quickly.
His face turned slightly red.
He gave a nervous smile.
Even his fingers seemed at a loss.
"Brother, what's wrong with you?"
Zhao Huai said, "It's nothing."
"By the way, even if you're cold, you should wear a white cloak. Black doesn't suit you at all. Coincidentally, there should still be a cloak I made for you in my Qiankun bag. I originally planned to give it to you when I celebrated my birthday, but you didn't come back then, and—"
Forget it. Zhao Shuning didn't want to mention those painful and embarrassing past events anymore.
She leaned forward.
Gently placed her hands on Zhao Huai's neck.
Zhao Huai's breath caught in his throat.
Zhao Shuning's hands had already started to untie the ribbon of the cloak around his neck.
Zhao Huai quickly grabbed Zhao Shuning's hands.
"Brother?"
"No need to change. I'm fine like this."
However, beads of sweat were breaking out on his forehead.
"Brother, what's wrong with you? You're so nervous."
Zhao Shuning wanted to lower her head to find a silk handkerchief to wipe the sweat off Zhao Huai's face, but when she lowered her head, she forgot that her hands were still holding the ribbon of the cloak.
As she lowered her head and pulled,
The cloak slid down Zhao Huai's body.
Zhao Huai's heart tightened.
He wanted to put the cloak back on immediately.
But it was already too late.
Those wings, perhaps because of Zhao Huai's nervous state at the moment, suddenly grew several feet uncontrollably with a whoosh.
The things in the room were hit by the wings.
They fell to the ground in a mess, making a crackling sound.
Zhao Shuning quickly looked up.
In that instant, what came into her eyes were a pair of extremely beautiful transparent wings with little silver dots on them. As the wings flapped, they emitted a faint blue light.