Chapter 150: Do Not Drop Your Guard Against Me

Zhang Ning froze in surprise, finding Chu Hanyun standing in his room, looking fully prepared. On a nearby table, there were even a few... chopsticks? Zhang Ning was no longer a novice; he knew his master must have been using divination to figure out his whereabouts. Touched, he nonetheless said, "No need to worry, Master, I was just out for a stroll!"

Chu Hanyun ignored him. First, he "inspected" the condition of Zhang Ning's primordial spirit, and then pulled him into his arms, gently catching his wrist to examine him further.

Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Ning quietly stretched out his free little hand, letting it brush intentionally or unintentionally across Chu Hanyun's chest. Feeling the firm, solid muscle beneath, he unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

No, it couldn't be. His master wasn't some busty young maiden; things wouldn't develop like they did in the parallel world!

Chu Hanyun didn't comment on Zhang Ning's sudden movement, merely raising an eyebrow.

All his attention was focused on whether the spatial-temporal energy inside Zhang Ning's body had increased or decreased. That familiar, abruptly disappearing trick made Chu Hanyun worry that some mysterious powerhouse had dragged Zhang Ning away again and done something to him.

Just moments ago, Chu Hanyun had even considered divining the location of that mysterious powerhouse and paying him a visit to "discuss" whose disciple Zhang Ning really was, but as it turned out, Zhang Ning had returned quite quickly.

"Where did you go for a stroll?" Seeing that Zhang Ning seemed unharmed, Chu Hanyun released his wrist and asked.

Zhang Ning hesitated, unable to answer immediately.

"Why aren't you speaking? Don't want to say?"

Zhang Ning felt a bit uneasy that he was being evasive and keeping a little secret from his master. It wasn't that he didn't want to explain; he simply couldn't put it into words!

If he said he had gone to a parallel world, he would inevitably have to describe that parallel world... How was he supposed to describe it?

The world where I slept with you, Master? ...Would his master look at him with strange eyes upon hearing that? Wouldn't he pull down his pants and spank him? Or perhaps...

Zhang Ning suddenly realized that the harshest punishment he could imagine from his master amounted to just that. As for the completely shameless master in the parallel world, let's leave him aside; his actual master had been furious before, yet had never laid a single finger on him.

Zhang Ning's gaze unconsciously fixed on Chu Hanyun. After a long moment, he asked, "Master, I remember earlier... we were arguing, and you were angry with me, weren't you?"

Hearing this, Chu Hanyun was genuinely startled: "What, you want to continue?"

Chu Hanyun almost admired Zhang Ning's audacity. If it were him, he would never dare to talk back to his master like that, let alone ask to keep going shortly after.

"No, Master! You misunderstood. I mean..." Zhang Ning gritted his teeth. "Master was clearly angry with me just now. I disappeared for only a moment, and Master came running immediately... Why are you so completely unguarded against me?"

That's right, there was a time difference between the parallel world and this side. Just counting the time within this esper micro-world, Zhang Ning had only been gone for about five minutes in total.

"What if this, following our dispute, was a trap I laid for Master?"

Chu Hanyun felt a slight headache coming on. "A trap you laid? For me? What, do you want to... give me a fright? Do I need to watch out for your pranks from now on?"

Sensing that Chu Hanyun didn't understand, Zhang Ning probed, "What disciple means is, what if it were Xing... Immortal Master Meng? Would Master guard against him? Do you have a contingency plan for dealing with him?"

"Of course."

Zhang Ning continued, "Then what about Immortal Master Zhao?"

Chu Hanyun frowned and nodded.

Zhang Ning pressed on, "Then... what about me? Does Master have a method to deal with me? What if I suddenly became, um, rebellious and unfilial?"

Chu Hanyun looked at him for a moment and said, "There is one method to deal with you."

Hearing this, Zhang Ning's eyes lit up slightly: "Then please don't tell me, Master! Of course, besides that, it would be best if Master thought of a few more..."

Before he could finish, Zhang Ning received the second "loving pat" of the evening. With a yelp, he clutched his forehead and leaped up, dazed for a long while.

Chu Hanyun retracted the hand that had just patted Zhang Ning's head and said nonchalantly, "How is it? Experiencing firsthand how that contingency plan works?"

Zhang Ning: "..."

The next morning.

Zhang Ning ate his breakfast in silence, his eyes fixed firmly on the tabletop. Chu Hanyun sat across from him, staring intently back.

Ever since Zhang Ning informed his master that he would be leaving his side for a while to handle some personal matters, Chu Hanyun had maintained this exact expression. What could Zhang Ning do? To avoid wavering in his resolve, he had no choice but to refuse eye contact with his master.

Chu Hanyun simply couldn't fathom it. He had always thought this little disciple lacked a temper and was docile to a fault, never expecting that once he became stubborn, he was truly a match for any of his senior martial brothers.

Such a young child, where did he get such a stubborn streak? He actually wanted to run away from home?

Of course Chu Hanyun couldn't set his mind at ease, yet he didn't stop him either. Instead, without Zhang Ning noticing, he left a primordial spirit imprint on him, much like the pat he had given Zhang Ning's shoulder earlier. That way, Chu Hanyun would at least know Zhang Ning's exact location.

Therefore, when Zhang Ning bid him farewell and walked out of the villa, Chu Hanyun merely nodded indifferently, looking as though he was still displeased but not the least bit worried about him.

Seeing his master's attitude, coupled with his vague understanding that his master seemed to be "analyzing" this world—though Zhang Ning didn't know the specifics—he figured his master wouldn't be terribly bored after he left. Thus, Zhang Ning set off with a relatively clear conscience.

Aside from a vague, inexplicable urge to avoid his master for a while, Zhang Ning genuinely had things he needed to do.

Previously, from the documents given to him by Taoran Pavilion, Zhang Ning had seen information regarding the original body's parents.

From the perspective of people like Taoran Pavilion, espers were generally detached from family affections, so cutting ties with one's family overnight upon awakening was quite common, even if Zhang Ning was only an eight-year-old child.

Yet precisely because he was young, who could tell if Zhang Ning still held some lingering attachment to his family? Therefore, information about the original body's parents had been "incidentally" included in the regularly delivered files. That was how Zhang Ning discovered the original body was actually the scion of a wealthy dynasty! Moreover, they were right here in Bolin City!

In truth, it was easy to guess: a child running away from home wouldn't travel all that far.

The original body was named Qian Ning, the son of the wealthiest man in Bolin City. The Qian family had dominated Bolin City for generations, holding countless properties throughout the area. However, their family line had never been very flourishing; by this generation, only Zhang Ning was left as the sole heir, and there were no troublesome relatives to speak of.

According to the documents, Qian Ning's mother and father were kind-hearted people devoted to public welfare. That being the case, why on earth had the original body run away from home?

Unlike his previous trip to avenge his third senior brother, no matter what Zhang Ning planned to do in the future, he couldn't simply pretend the original body's background didn't exist. Feeling it necessary to witness the answers with his own eyes, he decided to "go home" and stay for a while to observe the situation.