Zhaozhao followed the guidance of her third senior brother and came to a precipice. Suddenly, the guidance disappeared.
"Little junior sister, your senior brother is here!" Above the precipice came the energetic voice of her third senior brother, Jian Yun. In an instant, a flash of white light passed, and the surrounding scenery began to change. A mountain surrounded by mist appeared in front of Zhaozhao.
Jian Yun appeared in front of Zhaozhao in a dazzling pink outfit. He pounced on her and ruffled her hair vigorously.
"Come on, let senior brother have a good look at you. I've missed you so much during these days apart." Being pulled around in circles by her third senior brother and examined from head to toe, Zhaozhao's pent - up frustration dissipated a lot.
"Senior brother, I've missed you too." She wasn't being cute and obsequious; she was speaking from the bottom of her heart.
"Hey, our little junior sister really knows how to sweet - talk!"
Jian Yun closed his eyes contentedly and pulled Zhaozhao up the mountain.
"Everyone on Wutong Mountain missed you a lot during your absence. The eldest senior brother and the second senior sister have been waiting for you for a long time. And those little demons have been clamoring to create some surprises for you. Don't be startled later."
He deliberately avoided the purpose of Zhaozhao's return this time and kept talking about how much everyone missed her, only hoping that she wouldn't be too sad when facing their master and would be happy for the time being.
"Oh, right. Our junior brother hasn't returned from Kunlun yet, but he sent a voice message a few days ago asking about your situation. It's been a long time since you last saw him, right? That kid even shouted that he wanted master to agree - "
Unexpectedly mentioning their master, Jian Yun cursed himself silently in his heart and was about to change the subject quickly. However, Zhaozhao brought it up on her own initiative: "Senior brother, I'm back to find master. I have something to see him about."
Zhaozhao's clear pupils looked very pure, just as simple and easy - to - understand as she was.
Jian Yun sighed and stroked her head, saying, "Zhaozhao, don't be afraid. We'll all stand by your side."
Zhaozhao shook her head. "I'm not afraid." She hadn't done anything wrong, and there was nothing for her to be afraid of. She just wanted to take the cauldron back.
"Senior brother, master once said that I'm not allowed to come back privately. If he knows that it was you who let me in, he'll punish you."
Mentioning this, Zhaozhao felt very guilty. She thought she was dragging her senior brothers and sisters down, but she couldn't think of any other way.
"When did our little junior sister become so polite to us?" The voice of her second senior sister, Yue Yao, came from ahead. "You really turned bad after going down the mountain. You were much cuter before, always hiding behind senior sister after causing trouble."
"Senior sister..." Zhaozhao had always relied on her second senior sister the most on the mountain. Now that she finally saw her after a long separation, she opened her arms like a child and wanted her senior sister to hug her.
Yue Yao hugged her little junior sister lovingly and sighed inwardly. Their Zhaozhao was only a hundred years old. Why did she have to endure so much hardship, leave home sadly, and work for others in the human world? Yue Yao felt extremely heart - broken.
She didn't know what their master was thinking. Anyway, she was so reluctant to let the precious girl she had doted on for so many years go out and suffer.
While the two sisters were showing their deep affection for each other, the eldest senior brother, Yun Ze, couldn't get a word in. He wasn't as lively and talkative as Jian Yun, nor as gentle as Yue Yao. He could only stand there with a serious face and say stiffly, "Don't be afraid."
"Yeah! I'm not afraid!" Back on Wutong Mountain, Zhaozhao could finally take off her disguise in the human world. The little leaves on top of her head came out to breathe after a long time and were now swaying up and down with their master's movements.
"Eh?!" A little demon who popped out looked at the senior brothers and sisters standing there, his eyes lighting up. He shouted towards the back, "Zhaozhao's back! Hurry!"
In an instant, numerous little demons swarmed over and surrounded Zhaozhao tightly, squeezing the senior brothers and sisters out.
A little flower demon carefully put a flower wreath made of her most beautiful flowers on Zhaozhao's head. "Zhaozhao, you're finally back. You've been gone for so long."
"Yeah, yeah. Look, my fruits have grown again!" The spirit fruit tree shook its head full of fruits, as if to prove that Zhaozhao had really been gone for a long time.
Zhaozhao couldn't help but burst out laughing. "But your fruits always grow."
The spirit fruit tree blushed at being teased and argued stubbornly, "No, you really have been gone for a long time!"
...
The demons liked and missed this little sweetheart on Wutong Mountain very much. They surrounded her and cared about her non - stop. The gifts were so many that Zhaozhao could hardly hold them all.
The younger demons chattered away, while the older ones looked at Zhaozhao lovingly from the side.
Everyone was very enthusiastic. Zhaozhao talked with them for a while, but her mind was still on the matter of the Bu Ye Cauldron. She turned to look at her senior sister and signaled with her eyes that she wanted to go find their master.
Zhaozhao could actually feel that their master was angry. At least he wasn't happy about her arrival.
Since she passed through the barrier and entered Wutong Mountain, their master couldn't have been unaware. But he still hadn't shown up yet. Maybe he knew why she was here and just didn't want to see her.
Thinking of this, Zhaozhao felt a pang of sadness and grievance in her heart.
It was their master who had told her to go down the mountain back then. He had also approved of her joining the Demon Management Bureau. But now, why did he take away the thing that the Demon Management Bureau needed from her?
And the moves he used when fighting with Su Yuan...
She didn't dare to think anymore. Zhaozhao rubbed her cheeks and followed her senior sister away.
"Master has been inside and hasn't come out since he got back." Yue Yao led Zhaozhao and stopped in front of Chong Ming's room. "Master seemed to be in a bad mood when he came back. Don't be hasty when talking to him, okay?"
"Okay, I know." Zhaozhao nodded and took a step forward.
"Zhaozhao!"
"Hmm? What's up?" Zhaozhao turned around and smiled at Yue Yao.
She looked very cute and well - behaved, but in fact, she wasn't as obedient as she seemed. She was very curious and stubborn since childhood, and had caused no small amount of trouble because of this.
Their master loved her but didn't spoil her. Every time she was punished, he didn't show any mercy.
"Nothing. Go quickly." Yue Yao looked at Zhaozhao, and her heart ached even more.
Zhaozhao nodded and pushed open the bamboo door.
Outside the door, green smoke curled up. Chong Ming sat calmly in front of the tea table and poured himself a cup of tea. The cauldron that he had snatched from Zhaozhao was now placed properly in a corner of the table.
Zhaozhao glanced at the cauldron. After a moment, she withdrew her gaze and stared at her own feet, thinking about where to start asking.
"You don't even call me master when you come back this time?" Chong Ming put down the teacup, making a slight clinking sound. His tone was indifferent.
"Master..." Zhaozhao looked up at him and obediently called him.
"I thought you weren't going to recognize me as your master anymore." Chong Ming turned around and looked directly at Zhaozhao.
"I didn't."
"Then do you still remember that I've said you're not allowed to come back to the mountain privately?!" Chong Ming tapped his finger on the edge of the cup and suddenly raised his voice. He lifted his hand, and the teacup instantly shattered at Zhaozhao's feet.
He looked very angry. No, to be more accurate, he was furious.
Hearing the commotion outside the door, Yun Ze immediately wanted to rush in but was stopped by Yue Yao.
"Wait, wait a little longer. If you go in now, master will only get angrier."