Wen Rugu ignored Guan Yuanbai's dramatic expression and turned to the water screen.
"Second Junior Sister, have you managed to find any leads on Master's whereabouts?"
He had just attempted to contact their master again, but still couldn't reach him.
Jiang Qingjiu shook her head: "No, I'm still searching for traces in the outer areas of the forest. I wanted to enter the inner regions, but it's not convenient right now."
She frowned slightly—Jiang Qingfeng was too much of a hindrance.
He was always worried she might get into trouble and wouldn't allow her to enter the dangerous inner areas.
So young, yet so meddlesome.
With the Secret Realm about to open, more and more cultivators were gathering in Youzhou City, even people from the seven major sects had arrived.
If they didn't find their master soon, it would likely become even more difficult later.
Sheng Sheng was also trying hard to recall. In her previous life, due to her damaged mind, some memories were jumbled.
But she vaguely remembered something.
【If I'm not mistaken, back then, Master seemed to have encountered Luo Yuyang in the forbidden land near Youzhou City, right?】
【Master casually saved Luo Yuyang and brought her out of the forbidden land, never expecting she would later cling to him.】
【Who knows what kind of spell she used that made Master so infatuated with her.】
Sheng Sheng was filled with resentment.
Whether in her previous life or this one, she couldn't believe that their always proud and aloof master would fall for a woman like Luo Yuyang.
"!!!"
Hearing such words for the first time, Wen Rugu was so startled his fingers trembled.
He almost followed in Guan Yuanbai's footsteps and pulled out his little junior sister's hair.
"Mas… Master…" actually infatuated with a woman?!
Even the restless Guan Yuanbai beside him was shocked, biting his fist in horror.
Heavens, was Little Junior Sister's previous life really this explosive?
"Incredible, simply incredible…"
Guan Yuanbai couldn't calm down, pacing anxiously beside the campfire.
"Eldest Senior Brother, what's wrong?"
Jiang Qingjiu in the water screen couldn't hear Sheng Sheng's inner thoughts, but she saw Guan Yuanbai suddenly agitated like a restless husky.
Even the usually gentle and composed Eldest Senior Brother had a rare expression of shock.
"Eldest Senior Brother, Fifth Senior Brother?"
Sheng Sheng held the Formation Plate, looking at them with confusion.
"It's nothing."
Wen Rugu sighed softly, his fingers still trembling slightly.
Just startled by your inner thoughts.
That's our Master, after all!
For a moment, Wen Rugu almost suspected that Little Junior Sister had been placed under an illusion spell, mistaking hallucinations for memories of her past life.
But whenever he tried to mention related matters, he could clearly feel the constraints of the Heavenly Dao.
This was not false.
"Second Junior Sister, we should arrive in Youzhou City in about two days."
Wen Rugu had calmed down.
"I think I have an idea where Master might be. Once we arrive, we'll search for him together."
"With the Secret Realm about to open, be extra careful."
Hearing this, Jiang Qingjiu felt much more at ease.
Even Little Junior Sister looked at Wen Rugu with shining eyes: "Eldest Senior Brother, you can guess where Master is?"
Wen Rugu smiled and nodded: "Mm."
All thanks to you.
Jiang Qingjiu also relaxed considerably upon hearing this. In the water screen, she suddenly turned her head.
"Eldest Senior Brother, I have something to attend to here. Let's end this communication for now."
Jiang Qingjiu's image on the water screen grew blurry.
"Oh, and please take good care of Little Junior Sister. Next time, definitely don't spend the night in the forest with her…"
The situation was urgent, and she hurriedly left these words before the water screen vanished.
"Huh?"
Sheng Sheng hugged the Formation Plate, looking up in bewilderment.
["What did Second Senior Sister just say? She looks really angry!"]
Wen Rugu chuckled softly, "It seems your Second Senior Sister is quite displeased that I'm taking you to spend the night in the forest."
Indeed, if it weren't for the urgent situation, he wouldn't have wanted to take his little junior sister out overnight either.
"With Senior Brother here, it's very safe."
Sheng Sheng didn't mind camping out; cultivators could survive anywhere.
"Isn't Sheng Sheng afraid of the dark or ghosts anymore?"
Wen Rugu's eyes deepened slightly.
Sheng Sheng had been raised by them with the utmost care—her food, clothing, shelter, and travel were all of the finest quality. When going out, they would always choose the best inns. Moreover, she used to be afraid of the dark and ghosts, unable to be left alone.
But now, it was different.
"I'm not afraid!"
Sheng Sheng had long forgotten her childhood fears of the dark and ghosts.
[Compared to places with people, darkness isn't scary at all. Besides, in my past life, I went everywhere—I was really brave!]
[Mass graves, dead people's Earth Palaces, uninhabited deserts, the Endless Sea, ruins… all were places I frequented!]
Wen Rugu was taken aback. Why would such chaotic and dangerous places become his little junior sister's regular haunts?
[After all, only in those places could I sense the presence of my senior brothers and sisters. Just thinking that they were there made me feel not afraid at all.]
[If only my senior brothers and sisters could turn into ghosts and come find me, how wonderful that would be!]
Wen Rugu's throat tightened, his heart aching too much for words.
He looked at the little junior sister in his arms, who was happily playing with a Formation Plate, and for a moment, he felt somewhat lost.
Wen Rugu had been reluctant to dwell on it, but the facts made it impossible to ignore.
Only now did he finally confront the reality that his little junior sister had been reborn.
Rebirth—this word held no beauty for Wen Rugu.
Because it signified that his little junior sister had died once.
Even with the ability to foresee the future, Wen Rugu had never felt joy over it. Instead, he was filled with an indescribable heartache.
If possible, he would rather his little junior sister had never experienced those tragic events, remaining an innocent child growing up freely under his protection.
"Little Junior Sister…"
"Wah, little junior sister, my little junior sister!"
Wen Rugu's voice was slightly hoarse, but as soon as he spoke, it was drowned out by another wailing cry.
Guan Yuanbai rushed over, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"Little Junior Sister, don't worry, Fifth Senior Brother will definitely protect you well in this lifetime!"
Guan Yuanbai cried until his nose turned red, then scooped up the little junior sister who was sitting cross-legged and lifted her high into the air.
Just like a baboon lifting Simba, the Lion King.
The thought of how miserable his little junior sister had been in her past life made his heart ache even more.
"Fifth Senior Brother, what are you doing?"
Sheng Sheng looked utterly bewildered, completely unaware of how much her inner thoughts had stirred Guan Yuanbai.
But the more indifferent she appeared, the more agitated Guan Yuanbai became.
His little junior sister!
His adorable little junior sister!
How could he have abandoned her to die in his past life?
No!
Absolutely not!
In this lifetime, he, the Child of Destiny, Guan Yuanbai!
Would never allow anyone to harm his little junior sister!
Guan Yuanbai's heart swelled with boundless ambition and determination, wishing he could ascend to the heavens in a single step.
Today, he would punch Tribulation Crossing cultivators; tomorrow, he would kick Great Ascension cultivators, all while tenderly caring for his pitiful little junior sister.
"Guan… Yuan… Bai."
Just as Guan Yuanbai was brimming with lofty aspirations.
An exceedingly gentle voice rang out.
Each syllable enunciated slowly, carrying a tenderness that sent shivers down one's spine.
Guan Yuanbai's body instantly stiffened.
"Big… big brother, listen to my explanation!"
"I won't listen."
The gentle voice of the big brother spoke cold, heartless words.
"Oww, master, uncle, save me, save me!"
"Even if master and uncle were here today, they couldn't save you!"
"Oww, it hurts so much!"
A series of pitiful wails and howls startled the crows in the forest, sending them cawing into flight.
"Big brother, if you keep hitting him, fifth brother is going to be beaten until he shits himself!"
In the end, it was the little junior sister's words that rescued the utterly miserable fifth brother.
He cried like a two-hundred-month-old baby!
Soothingly patted on the head by the adorable little junior sister.