Seeing Yuan Heng’s grateful stance, as if she were ready to leave at any moment, Tongtian began to feel rather displeased.
What was going on? Why did Yuan Heng only learn pill refining from Big Brother and artifact refining from Second Brother? What about him? Was his array mastery not strong enough, or was his swordplay not high enough?
Back then, she had even praised him as the number one array master in the Primordial World, yet now she hadn't mentioned a single word about it.
This wouldn't do. His teaching skills were also top-notch, and he wanted to teach her too.
“Junior Sister Yuan Heng, since you're already here, why don't I give you a few pointers on the Dao of Arrays as well...?”
Tongtian had a smile on his face that made Yuan Heng feel a tiny bit of dread. She looked up at him, hesitating to speak. “Um... Senior Brother Tongtian.”
“I seemed to have heard before that when you teach your disciples the Dao of Arrays, Senior Brother, you usually just throw them straight into the array. Only when they break the array do they count as having learned it. Your style is... well... rather 'forceful'.”
“Your Junior Sister is a little bit scared.”
Tongtian: “...”
He got it. That brat Duobao must have been gossiping, right?
Rumors, all rumors!
He clearly put safety measures on him before throwing him in! And even if he couldn't break the array, once time was up, Tongtian would personally fish him out.
Duobao... What an unfilial disciple.
Yuan Heng looked at Tongtian, a brief flicker of guilt passing through her eyes. Honestly, it was mainly because from reading web novels in her past life, the Section Cult had left too deep of an impression of 'free-range' disciple rearing.
She was only making wild guesses. It was just hearsay, pure hearsay! If Senior Brother Tongtian felt it was incorrect, he could refute her at any time.
Tongtian snapped his fingers, and the little rat Duobao materialized out of thin air onto the stone table.
Looking completely dazed, he blinked innocently. Once he realized where he was, he quickly leaped off the table and assumed his Dao body form.
He was actually quite a bit taller than when Yuan Heng had last seen him.
Duobao raised his hands to greet them one by one. “Greetings, Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, Master...”
Taiqing and Yuqing nodded in acknowledgment.
Duobao turned his gaze toward Yuan Heng, his voice filled with pleasant surprise. “Senior?! You’ve come to Mount Kunlun as a guest!~”
Remembering how this brat had ruined his reputation in front of his Junior Sister, Tongtian impatiently rapped him on the head. “What do you mean, 'Senior'? Call her Little Junior Aunt.”
“Ouch—”
Clutching his throbbing head that had just received a critical strike from his master, Duobao bowed with teary eyes. “Duobao greets Little Junior Aunt.”
Yuan Heng nodded at him, her eyes curving into crescents. “No need for such formality, Nephew Duobao.”
My, this child was really quite cute.
Tongtian suddenly remembered that he didn't seem to have told Duobao about Yuan Heng being accepted into the Xuan School alongside them by their master.
Under the suspicious gazes of Taiqing and Yuanshi, his eyes darted around, his voice carrying a hint of guilt.
“Duobao, Master forgot to tell you earlier. Your Little Junior Aunt was accepted as a personal disciple by your Grandmaster, along with your two uncles and me.”
“As a junior, do not lose your manners when you see your Little Junior Aunt in the future.”
Duobao: “...”
Sob... Not a single person—or rat—ever told me. And besides, I’ve always been extremely respectful to my seniors, alright?
Duobao nodded obediently. “Yes, Master. Duobao will keep it in mind.”
Seeing the teary-eyed rat, Yuan Heng waved at him. “Duobao, come over to your aunt.”
Duobao took a few steps forward and stood before her.
Yuan Heng condensed spiritual power at her fingertip and lightly tapped his head. The large bump on Duobao’s head instantly dissolved, making his entire body feel much lighter.
“Thank you, Little Junior Aunt!~”
Duobao's eyes shone as he looked at Yuan Heng. Little Junior Aunt was simply too nice, and this rat loved her so much.
“Think nothing of it.”
Yuan Heng smiled gently, her eyes filled with loving affection.
The Three Pure Ones: “...”
Their Junior Sister was really something. She was still so small herself, yet she was already acting like an affectionate elder.
With his arms crossed, Tongtian said, “Junior Sister, don't spoil him too much. This kid's physical body is tough.”
Despite his small true form, he had actually eaten enough treasures to make himself rock-hard.
Yuan Heng blinked innocently. Ah?
Had she spoiled the little rat?
It seemed fine...
Tongtian looked at Duobao, who was pretending to be weak, and swept a sharp glare over him. The little rat's fur immediately puffed up, and he obediently stepped out from behind Yuan Heng.
“Hehe... Master is right, Little Junior Aunt. This disciple is tough and thick-skinned; a couple of raps from Master won't hurt.”
Seeing Tongtian's increasingly satisfied expression, Duobao doubled down. “Besides, this is just Master's way of training this disciple!~”
“Oh, my.”
Yuan Heng nodded in realization. So that was how it was. Still, she didn't feel like she had spoiled the child much.
Tongtian glared at Duobao, who was acting obedient, and said in a huff, “Duobao, did you tell your Little Junior Aunt that I usually teach you arrays by throwing you straight into them?”
Duobao: !!!
He didn't! This was too massive a blame for a rat to shoulder—who on earth had spread the honest truth?!
Yuan Heng: !!!
She quickly waved her hands. “No, no, Senior Brother Tongtian, I just heard it from outside gossip. Duobao never mentioned it to me.”
Duobao nodded frantically. I didn't! I wouldn't! Master, please don't shift the blame onto me.
Hearing this, the look Tongtian gave Duobao instantly softened. He laughed awkwardly, “Ah, hahaha... Well, about that...”
“Junior Sister, you can ask Duobao yourself. I am extremely devoted when teaching my disciples. If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to ask.”
Duobao chimed in and nodded with tears in his eyes. Master was indeed extremely devoted to him. It was just a slightly survival-of-the-fittest style of free-range rearing, that's all!~
But it was fine. Master was doing it for his own good; he understood completely.
Yuan Heng nodded and blinked. A look of earnest sincerity suddenly appeared on her face. “Mhm! I know Senior Brother Tongtian is super amazing. If I ever hear such rumors again, I will definitely beat up the rumor-monger first on your behalf, Senior Brother!~”
My apologies, dear authors from my previous life~ Not like I can actually beat you up anyway.
Tongtian’s face flushed slightly as he forced a calm tone. “Ahem... So, Junior Sister, feel free to ask me anything. I will certainly tell you everything I know without holding anything back.”
“Okay! I've noted it down, and I will definitely come find you when the time comes. Thank you in advance, Senior Brother.”
Taiqing and Yuanshi, who knew exactly how Tongtian usually taught Duobao: “...”
One actually dared to say it, and the other actually dared to believe it.
Still... their Junior Sister probably wasn't quite suited for Tongtian’s style.
Seeing that the storm had passed, Duobao shuffled closer to Yuan Heng, his tone carrying a hint of closeness. “Little Junior Aunt, will you be staying on Kunlun for a while longer?”
Yuan Heng shook her head gently. “Best not. Your two uncles and master have just obtained the Grand Purple Qi, so they still need to go into seclusion to comprehend and find the way to attain sainthood.”
“It's best if I don't disturb them too much.”
Of course, before Empress Nuwa created humanity, they would still have to dawdle for quite some time.
But... that didn't matter. After all, excluding their Master, they were already the strongest group of people in the Primordial World.
In any case, time was the cheapest commodity in the Primordial World.
Hearing this, the Three Pure Ones were all stunned for a brief moment, their hearts warming. Their Junior Sister was surprisingly thoughtful. However... even after three thousand years of seclusion, they still hadn't comprehended much of anything.
In the end, the right time simply hadn't arrived yet. They would just have to wait a bit longer.
Rate on N.U.
