Still, after so many years steeped in the aura of Zen Sound Temple, there was nothing strange about it developing intelligence.
The little squirrel left, but the monk who had fed it stayed.
Su Jiu heard the monk say, "Benefactors, aren't the living creatures of this world adorable?"
Neither answered. Only when the monk turned around did Su Jiu realize he was the one they had encountered outside Azure City's gates.
He quietly murmured, "Amitabha," then smiled at them. "I was terribly discourteous outside Azure City's gates. Still, I never expected to meet you both again here."
Su Jiu glanced at the monk and noticed that the young monk was no longer beside him. "Where is the young master?"
The monk shook his head helplessly. "Our master took him away to cultivate. He is still young, and his heart is not yet pure."
Su Jiu's brows drew together slightly. Something about this monk felt deeply incongruous, giving her an entirely different impression from the monk she had met outside Azure City's gates.
She could not help activating her Otherworldly Eyes and examining him carefully again. A faint golden halo still emanated from his body, but...
By the time Su Jiu and her companion reached the entrance to the Secret Realm, a large crowd had already gathered. More people kept descending on flying swords.
Jin Chen breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted Su Jiu, and his previously tense expression relaxed considerably.
"Now we're all here."
The people beside Jin Chen were easy to pick out. Besides Lie Wushuang and Gu Ningyun, Su Jiu also saw Qin Ming and Liu Zhiyan, whom she had not seen in a long time.
Qin Ming was rather reserved and merely gave Su Jiu a slight nod upon seeing her. Liu Zhiyan's eyes,