Chongming looked at his former little disciple, whose face was streaked with tears. In the past, he had protected her so carefully. He silently turned his face away.
Some things, if not thought about too deeply, could still maintain an appearance of calm. But when compared with what was most important in his heart, they seemed less significant.
Chongming's obvious avoidance stabbed Zhao Zhao deeply. She gave a self - deprecating smile and lowered her eyelids, making it hard to read her emotions. "Forget it. I won't ask anymore."
A moment later, she gathered all her emotions, looked up at the master she had known for so long, and asked, "So, master, what do you plan to do now?"
"Zhao Zhao, don't blame master," Chongming said as he slowly approached her, reaching out his hand. "Master has waited for many years. Only by fusing your Tree - Heart Spirit with all your bloodlines can Yaochen be resurrected. Master has no other choice..."
Hearing this, seeing the master who had once doted on her become so strange, Zhao Zhao resignedly closed her eyes.
Her life was given by her master. Even though she disagreed with what her master was doing, she had no reason to refuse.
"Master, I'll repay you for all your care in the past today."
Hearing this, Chongming's hand paused briefly in mid - air but quickly returned to normal, showing no sign of softening.
"Master, don't!"
A woman's anxious shout rang out. Chongming's hand was hit by a beam of light, and he instantly took two steps back.
"Yue Yao?"
Chongming squinted his eyes and sized up the other three disciples who had suddenly appeared.
His eldest disciple, Yun Ze, the second disciple, Yue Yao, and the third disciple, Jian Yun, were all standing in front of Zhao Zhao with panicked expressions, blocking him.
"Are you rebelling?" The disciples' disobedience and his eagerness to resurrect his sister instantly filled Chongming with anger. Looking at the three disciples in front of him, for the first time in his life, he showed them a murderous intent.
Yue Yao looked at her master who was on the verge of losing his mind. She was disappointed and heart - broken. "Master, have you forgotten? She's Zhao Zhao! The Zhao Zhao you raised with your own hands! Are you really willing to kill her now?"
"Get out of the way!" Yue Yao's heart - broken plea didn't waver Chongming at all. He coldly issued his final ultimatum to the three innocent disciples.
However, the three disciples remained motionless, firmly choosing to stand up and protect their little junior sister. Even Yun Ze, who usually obeyed his master the most, didn't back down an inch.
Seeing this situation, Zhao Zhao knew that her senior brothers and sister were no match for their master. If their master attacked, none of them could leave unscathed.
Afraid that they would be hurt because of her, she got up and tried to pull them away.
As if he had anticipated her reaction, the third senior brother, Jian Yun, suddenly turned around and quickly fed a pill into her mouth.
The moment the pill entered her mouth, Zhao Zhao suddenly felt that her actions were out of control. She couldn't move.
"Senior brother, what did you do?" She knew Senior Brother Jian Yun's talent in refining pills but still tried to struggle desperately. However, all was in vain.
"Don't mind me. You guys run!"
None of the people present paid any attention to her. Her senior brothers and sister were now confronting their master for her sake.
Chongming was very conflicted seeing that these disciples were determined to stop him. For a moment, he had a sudden realization. Was what he was doing really right?
However, this moment of doubt passed quickly. Seeing the Soul - Gathering Lamp not far away, he once again strengthened his resolve.
When seeing their master attack, Yun Ze and Jian Yun calmly prepared themselves.
"Master, Uncle Yaochen was kind all her life. If she knew you were going to use Zhao Zhao's life to resurrect her, do you think she could accept it with a clear conscience even if she came back to life?"
Seeing this, Yue Yao had a sudden inspiration and said this.
She was very sensitive. She knew that what her master cared about most was that uncle. It was worth her while to inquire about information everywhere when she noticed the existence of the Soul - Gathering Lamp. Now, at this critical moment, it really played a role.
Chongming was disturbed by her words. He was caught off - guard and was stabbed by his eldest disciple, whom he had taught himself.
"Take Zhao Zhao and run!"
Seizing the opportunity, Jian Yun took out two talisman papers from his sleeve and stuck them on Zhao Zhao's and Yue Yao's backs, urging them to leave.
Yue Yao didn't dare to delay for a moment. Without hesitation, she took Zhao Zhao and left the cave.
How could Chongming let them go? Immediately, regardless of the wound stabbed by Jian Yun, he was about to chase after them.
"Master." Yun Ze flew forward to block him and then raised the sword in his hand and stabbed Chongming cleanly in the same place as his wound.
Blood dripped down the sword onto the ground. The cave was covered with snow all year round. The blood - red stain on the white snow was very eye - catching and stabbed Chongming's eyes.
"You..."
"Master," Yun Ze was supported by his junior brother. His pale face was covered with cold sweat. "Junior sister is right. If Uncle was still alive, she would never agree with what you're doing."
"My destiny was also given by you, master. It was really out of my helplessness to hurt you. This sword is to repay you. Your disciple only hopes that you will stop..."
Yun Ze was the first disciple Chongming had taken in. For a long time, he was the only child on Wutong Mountain. He was the only disciple under Chongming.
Chongming had ended his life of wandering and begging. Later, there were a group of lovely junior brothers and sisters. The warm family on Wutong Mountain was what he had once longed for the most.
He had practiced hard in countless nights and secretly vowed to protect such a life for a lifetime.
He just wanted everyone to be okay.
When the little junior sister was sent down the mountain by their master, he was very reluctant to part with her. Their master didn't allow them to go down the mountain to look for her, so he always stood on the top of Wutong Mountain and looked down.
As long as time passed a little more, a little more, until the little junior sister came back, everything would be the same as before.
Their master, their junior brothers and sisters, he himself, and everything on Wutong Mountain.
But why did one day, their master become no longer the master he used to be? He had destroyed everything with his own hands and mercilessly torn open the century - long conspiracy and laid it in front of everyone.
Those carefree days would never come back. They were gone forever.
Yun Ze's last plea might have stirred up the last bit of pity in Chongming's heart, but just as the Queen Mother of the West had once said, his obsession was too deep.
In front of his dead sister, he could abandon everything.
Chongming turned around for his disciple one last time. He healed the wound on Yun Ze's body and left without looking back.
Just before reaching the cave entrance, he suddenly stopped, sighed, and asked rhetorically, "Do you think she'll be safe if she's not in my hands?"
The two senior brothers in the snow were both stunned. Before they could ask for clarification, Chongming's figure disappeared.
Yun Ze suddenly realized something. He quickly grabbed Jian Yun and said anxiously, "Notify Cheng Sang and ask him to find the Queen Mother of the West!"