207 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

If she'd heard that news in the past, Ning Songwu would have surely refused. But now, Ning Songwu felt no aversion. Instead, a slight joy crept into her heart. She lifted the corners of her mouth and said, "Aren't you afraid I'll anger you, Master?" "I'm not afraid. So, you don't need to try." Ning Songwu clasped her hands behind her back and followed her Master, her voice light and cheerful, "I'm a slow learner, Master. Please, guide me diligently." At that moment, on the main peak of Cangjun Mountain, Cen Ran sat inside the palace, a formation diagram floating in front of him. He stared at it, his brows tightly knit. The formation drawn on the diagram was found in Wan Family Village, yet even after consulting all the records of Cangjun Mountain, they couldn't decipher what it was. As for Chen Siting's identity, some clues had emerged: she was a hybrid of a bone demon and a human soul, and her so-called painful memories were likely illusions created by the formation. Overall, everything seemed quite disastrous. There had to be someone manipulating events from behind the scenes. Moreover, merging human souls with other beings was against the natural order and had long been prohibited in the cultivation world. Besides these matters, there was also the task of organizing his senior sister's disciple acceptance ceremony. They had to invite the prominent figures of the human race, which was another troublesome affair. Cen Ran felt his hair loss issue worsening. He couldn't help but let out a long sigh, "Senior Sister, can't you at least handle some of these matters?" "Master, may I come in?" A voice from outside the door sounded — it was Luo Sheng. Cen Ran collected his grievances. He still needed to maintain his image in front of his disciple. "Come in." Luo Sheng opened the door and entered. Her posture was upright, and her disciple robes were perfectly meticulous, leaving no room for criticism. "Master, I've already sent word to the various sects regarding the sect leader's disciple acceptance ceremony." Seeing his primary disciple, Cen Ran felt some consolation. Finally, someone he could rely on. He sincerely praised, "You've done well, disciple. By the way, how's your cultivation going?" A trace of reluctance crossed Luo Sheng's face, "Stuck at the peak of the Golden Core stage." Cen Ran knew his disciple tended to be serious-minded. He tried to comfort her, "Don't be too discouraged. Spend more time with your Junior Sister Lin. You are at the same stage; maybe you can gain insights from each other." Actually, Cen Ran worried that Luo Sheng might doggedly pursue a dead end. Lin Yuxue’s playful personality might help them complement each other. Unfortunately, while this idea was beautiful in theory, reality was different. For various reasons, Luo Sheng very much disliked this junior sister. She often wished that Lin Yuxue would just disappear. But in front of her Master, Luo Sheng couldn't express these feelings. "Yes, Master." "You don't need to be so reserved." "Yes, Master." Cen Ran: “...” Then Cen Ran noticed that Luo Sheng appeared hesitant, as if she had something to say. "Is there something you want to ask? Don't be afraid. Feel free to speak." Encouraged by her Master, Luo Sheng finally dared to voice her thoughts, "Is it true that Junior Sister Ning has advanced to the early stage of the Golden Core?" "Yes, her constitution is special. It’s fortunate she’s lived to sixteen with such a constitution." Luo Sheng’s hands trembled slightly at her sides. She still couldn’t quite believe it. Sixteen years to reach the early stages of the Golden Core — two centuries of effort couldn’t compare to the genius of those sixteen years. Cen Ran noticed her reaction and called softly, "Calm your mind." Luo Sheng awoke from her daze, cold sweat dripping down her cheeks. Recognizing her lapse, she quickly sought forgiveness, "Please punish me, Master." Cen Ran, seeing his disciple kneeling with her head bowed, felt even more weary. He sighed and warned, "It's not that I want to punish you, but you need to forgive yourself. Understand?" "Yes, disciple understands." Cen Ran knew she didn’t fully understand and felt even more mentally exhausted. He could only give a dismissive wave, "You may leave now." "Yes, Master." Luo Sheng closed the door behind her as she left the hall. Seeing Luo Sheng come out, Lin Yuxue called out eagerly, “Senior Sister! You’re finally out! Let’s go back together.” Luo Sheng glanced at her coolly, her tone detached, “No need.” Watching Luo Sheng’s figure fade into the distance, Lin Yuxue’s smile slowly disappeared. Luo Sheng lazily leaned against a stone pillar at the mountain gate, estimating the time by looking at the sun overhead. Cen Ran and Ning Songwu were whispering about something, while Ning Songwu kept glancing anxiously outside. In the foggy distance, a familiar figure gradually emerged, her steps elegant and graceful. Even a silhouette was enough to stir boundless imaginings. As if she stirred wind and snow to dance at her feet, she walked like a celestial being descending to earth. "Master!" Ning Songwu called out joyfully, racing ahead and diving into Ran Fanyin's embrace. “Not seen for half a month, and you seem to have grown taller again.” Ran Fanyin smiled, gently stroking Ning Songwu’s hair. Ning Songwu buried her head in Ran Fanyin’s chest, the soft sensation combined with the familiar plum blossom scent spreading out. Ning Songwu's hands, hugging Ran Fanyin, trembled slightly, her mind blank, her face flushed. How many times had her Master hugged her, yet she still felt this shy... "Master, why did you come back so late? I missed you so much." Ning Songwu pouted a little, sounding aggrieved in Ran Fanyin’s ear. "Junior Sister, Master used to go out for two to three months for cultivation trips. This time, she returned in just over ten days because of you. Isn't that enough?" Luo Sheng teased. Ran Fanyin picked Ning Songwu up and held her with one hand. The young girl had grown quite a bit, making it harder to carry her. “Let’s return to Rongku Pavilion.” "Hey, Junior Sister, why is your face so red?" Luo Sheng continued to tease as she walked beside them, evidently enjoying the scene. Ning Songwu's face turned even redder. Feeling Ran Fanyin's hand supporting her waist, she couldn't help but wrap her arms around Ran Fanyin’s slender, fair neck, hiding her face. She relished being held so intimately by her Master, yet there was a hint of melancholy, knowing that as she grew bigger, one day Master might stop holding her like this. Ran Fanyin tilted her head slightly and whispered softly in Ning Songwu's ear, "Come to my chambers tonight. Don't forget."