Chapter 12: The Appearance of Stone Duke Hu!

"Ah! Who are you? How do you know my name is Anu?"

Anu looked up, startled, and leaped three meters back from the ground, guardedly covering her chest.

Hao Yun twitched his lips, speechless. *With that silly, adorable look of yours—I could sell you off and count the money, and you’d probably believe me. Well, for the specifics, just look at how the Moon Worshiper handled it in the original story...*

"I know you are Anu, disciple of the Saintess of Nanman, and that you’ve come to the Central Plains to find the Princess. Am I right, little Anu?"

"You... how do you know so much? And you still haven't told me why you know my name is Anu!"

Anu stretched her neck out to snap at Hao Yun, then immediately shrank back—much like a timid little rabbit scouting the situation outside. At the slightest hint of trouble, she was ready to retreat into her burrow.

As for that "burrow"... Anu, are you sure the defense you've built with your hands is enough to keep you safe?

"I don't just know your name is Anu; I also know who your parents are, and who your future husband will be."

"Really?"

Anu peeked through her fingers, revealing wide, expressive eyes.

"Really!" Hao Yun reached out, ignoring her defensive posture, and ruffled her hair. He simply couldn't help it; this quintessential little girl was even cuter than Ling'er. "I can tell you this first: your biological mother isn't actually General Nanman, but your 'Nanman Mama'—your master."

"What! My master is my mother?!"

Anu’s eyes widened. Forgetting to wonder whether Hao Yun was a friend or foe, she nervously grabbed his sleeve. "Then why won't my Nanman Mama acknowledge me? Why does she only act as my teacher?"

"That is a very, very long story. Anu, your Princess is my disciple now. Do you want to come with me to find her?"

"Okay! You are a good person, Anu will go with you to find the Princess!"

Anu agreed instantly. Hao Yun sighed faintly. *With her sweet, naive nature, Saintess, you really trusted her to come to the Central Plains? Even with Shi Gonghu and Tang Yu, do you think she wouldn't be easily abducted? Just like back in Nanzhao—even when the entire White Miao tribe spoke ill of the Moon Worshiper in front of her, she still called him 'Uncle Moon Worshiper'.*

"Then let's go."

Hao Yun took Anu’s small hand and headed toward the Suzhou government office.

***

An hour later, Anu successfully met with Ling'er and Yue Ru, reigniting the childhood memories they shared. Thus, the main trio of best friends was officially formed.

After resting for a night and sharing their respective experiences, the three girls finally dragged themselves out of bed, only to encounter their master standing downstairs in the inn, his face as cold as frost.

"Up already? Did you get enough sleep?"

Hao Yun’s tone was icy. They knew they had to set out to eradicate the Red Ghost King today, yet they still stayed up half the night? Did they really think they were invincible?

"We... we were wrong..."

The three girls exchanged anxious glances and obediently lowered their heads. Ling'er, in particular, gave the other two a wink: *Master is very doting toward me; as long as we apologize, it'll be fine!*

"Is that so? Fine, then, the Red Ghost King is up to you. I’m not going."

Hao Yun sat in his chair and leisurely picked up his teacup, signaling that they were free to leave. Ling'er, Yue Ru, and Anu looked at each other with bitter smiles. What now? Was Master truly angry?

Anu: *Princess, why don't you try acting spoiled? Whenever I make my Nanman Mama angry, acting spoiled always works.*

Ling'er: *Master is very strict, especially regarding cultivation. Acting spoiled is fine at other times, but when it involves training or studies, he ignores me completely.*

Yue Ru: *Then what do we do? Are we really going to face the Red Ghost King just the three of us?*

Anu: *It’s fine! With me here—I am the successor of Nanman Mama, I’m very strong! That so-called Red Ghost King is no match for me!*

Anu took charge of the mission to deal with the Red Ghost King. Ling'er and Yue Ru exchanged glances; they had no other choice. After all, staying any longer and waiting until nightfall would only be more troublesome!

"Master, we're going then. Please don't worry, even if we can't beat it, we definitely won't let it eat us..."

Ling'er said her goodbyes with a pitiful expression. Hao Yun fought the urge to chuckle. *Listen to that—she might as well have pulled on his ears and told him he had to follow them.* It seemed this little girl had learned quite a few tricks from Anu last night. Also, don't think I didn't understand the "Morse code" you were using with your winks and eye-rolling.

"Go on, go on. I certainly won't be sad."

Hao Yun said these cold, heartless words and drove the three of them out of the inn. Only after they had left his sight—looking back with every step—did he shake his head, speechless. He cast a transformation spell on himself and, disguised as a bird, followed closely behind them.

*Well, a lesson is a lesson, but I won't let my disciples actually come to harm!*

***

As soon as the three girls left Suzhou City and realized that Hao Yun truly wasn't following them, their spirits instantly withered.

"Ling'er, didn't you say your master loves you very much? Why did he actually let you go out to slay demons?" Yue Ru poked Ling'er’s arm with her scabbard. Although her dream was to become a great swordswoman, she was still in her developmental years. Without protection, she truly lacked the courage to kill demons.

The descriptions of demons in their cultivation classes were too terrifying, and she was, after all, just a normal girl. Of course, what she didn't know was that because of Zhao Ling'er, their class consisted of the most gifted youths selected from across the entire Tang Dynasty—everyone there possessed genius-level potential comparable to the Sword Saint, the Wine Sword Immortal, or the Moon Worshiper!

Ling'er was also full of worry. A thousand-year-old Red Ghost King! How could a little girl like her be a match for someone with such a title?

"Oh, stop being afraid! My 'Master-Mother' is the greatest expert in Nanzhao! And I am the proud disciple of Nanman Mama! A mere Red Ghost King is a piece of cake! Besides, Princess, you are a descendant of Nuwa; how could the Red Ghost King be your match?"

Anu cheered on her two friends loudly. In her eyes, her friends were just too cowardly. They had an expert in both poison and immortal arts, and a descendant of Nuwa! What was a tiny Red Ghost King?

"But... I haven't grown up yet..." Ling'er said, trembling, instantly crushing Anu’s arrogance.

"Even if you haven't grown up, you're still Nuwa..." Anu wanted to argue, but suddenly, a stern voice came from the distance!

"Anu, you actually dared not to report finding the Princess! I think your skin is itching for a beating!"

"Ah?! Big Stone Drum is here! Princess, run!"

Anu was terrified, grabbing Ling'er and Yue Ru to flee. But before they could take more than a few steps, an old man, full of fury, already blocked their path!