I woke up to find myself as the villain's older sister.

The little boy circled around Cigui with delight: "I've finally seen you again, sir!"

"How have you been these past years, sir?"

"Did the master return to form a contract with us?"

……

The little creature kept talking, but Cigui didn't interrupt and patiently listened to its rambling.

After the little man stopped, Ci Gui slowly said, "The one who wants to form a contract with you is not me, but my apprentice. From now on, she will be your master."

The little man then looked at Yun Qingyi again, paused for a few seconds, and then happily fluttered his little golden wings and flew to Yun Qingyi: "So you are the master's apprentice! That's great! Now that we have formed a contract, you will be my master from now on."

Yun Qingyi: ...Isn't this change in attitude a bit too fast?

Yun Qingyi was speechless for a moment, staring at the little man.

The little girl had beautiful golden curly hair and a pair of big golden eyes. The first thing Yun Qingyi thought of when she saw her was a Barbie doll from the modern world.

"Master, why aren't you saying anything?" The little man asked, his big, bright golden eyes looking puzzled.

so cute.

Yun Qingyi immediately ignored the little incident before and held the soft little person in front of her, saying, "Now that we've made a contract, shall I give you a name?"

"Okay, okay." The little person nodded with a bright smile and squinted eyes.

"Then how about you call yourself Xi Bao from now on, Xi as in dawn?"

"Yay! I have a name now!" Xi Bao happily flitted around Yun Qingyi and Ci Gui.

Seeing Xi Bao so happy, Yun Qingyi also smiled. She glanced at Ci Gui beside her, whose expression remained calm, and wondered, "Master, didn't you make the Phoenix Zither? Why don't you use it, and..."

Yun Qingyi glanced at the remaining three divine artifacts, her meaning clear.

Upon hearing this, Ci Gui was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Anything in the world that has a bond will inevitably have a corresponding price. Rather than saying that I made the Phoenix Harp, it would be more accurate to say that it was born at that moment, and I was merely the medium that formed it."

The remaining three items, though I encountered and obtained them, do not mean they are my possessions from a fateful perspective. By making a contract with them, I must walk the path of destiny corresponding to them.

"Too much trouble, I don't like it."

Yun Qingyi: ...

I don't know how many times I was speechless today, but I always feel that no matter how many words I said, only the last sentence was my true thought.

As expected, the thoughts of immortals are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Those are divine artifacts! Any one of them would cause a bloodbath if placed outside. Yet he didn't want them because he was afraid of trouble, and just left them all in this crystal cave without a care.

Perhaps Yun Qingyi's expression was too blank, Ci Gui chuckled and said, "Is it really that hard to believe? I just don't like getting involved in unnecessary karma."

Oh, Master is a detached person; she should have known long ago.

"If that's the case, why did you give me the Phoenix Harp, Master? If I get entangled in karma, and you're my master, then you're also entangled?"

Upon hearing this, a complex emotion flashed in Ci Gui's eyes, a mixture of heartache and helplessness. Finally, he uttered a seemingly unrelated statement: "You'll need it eventually, so it's alright."

Huh? What do you mean she'll eventually need it? Yun Qingyi was a little confused.

Ci Gui didn't speak, turned around and walked out. Seeing this, Yun Qingyi also followed with the Phoenix Zither in her arms, while Xi Bao fluttered her little wings and flew behind.

After passing through the corridor and the room full of rare and precious materials, Ci Gui paused for a moment as he walked forward through the wooden door. He waved his sleeve at the door and continued walking.

Yun Qingyi looked back and found that the seal on the wooden door was gone.

The two returned to the bamboo garden and went inside. Ci Gui sat down at the table by the window, and Yun Qingyi followed suit. Xi Bao also landed on Yun Qingyi's shoulder, looking around curiously with her big eyes.

Just outside the window, you can see a babbling brook and lush green bamboo, and a gentle breeze occasionally drifts into the room.

Yun Qingyi, in a good mood, waited for the poem to be delivered and began to brew tea.

But after waiting for a long time, Ci Gui remained deep in thought with his head down, without making any move.

"Master, what are you thinking about?"

Although Ci Gui often spaced out for half a day at a time, and she had to stay with him and couldn't leave, at least there was tea and snacks before, but now there was nothing, so she couldn't help but ask.

"Hmm, I'm wondering whether I should tell you something," Ci Gui said to Yun Qingyi, snapping out of her reverie.

Yun Qingyi immediately sat up straight, ready to listen attentively. If her master said that, it must be something he was planning to say.

Seeing Yun Qingyi's expression, Ci Gui said helplessly, "You're quite self-aware."

Then he took out some snacks and brewed the tea that Yun Qingyi had been longing for.

The aroma of tea filled the air, refreshing and delightful.

After it was brewed, Yun Qingyi couldn't wait to take a small sip. Just like before, it was light and sweet, with a faint herbal aroma and a refreshing feeling.

"Master, what kind of tea is this?" Yun Qingyi looked at the bright, pale golden tea in the cup, as if she had been drinking it for so long but still didn't know its name.

“This tea is called Zang Xue Bai. If you like it, I’ll give you some later,” Ci Gui said with a smile.

Yun Qingyi shook her head: "No, Master, I don't know how to brew tea. Even if I brew it well, it won't taste as good as yours. If I can't drink it, it will be a waste."

Ci Gui was slightly taken aback, seemingly not having considered this point, and laughed, "It was my oversight. From today onwards, we will add a tea lesson."

Yun Qingyi: ? ? ? ?

Yun Qingyi felt like she had shot herself in the foot. She wanted to slap herself for being so talkative. She could have just accepted the money, but she had to say a few more words.

Now look what's happened! In addition to music, chess, calligraphy, painting, music theory, pharmacology, ancient and modern history, geography, astronomy, divination, and so on, now they've added a tea ceremony course. Do they think they're too idle?

"What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

"No, I'm very happy that my master can take time out of his busy schedule to teach me."

Ci Gui ignored the weak and listless tone and nodded in satisfaction: "As expected of my disciple, so eager to learn."

He then added, "But don't forget to seize the time to cultivate. Have you been following the cultivation plan I set for you on time?"

"Of course, I have always strictly followed it," Yun Qingyi said, feeling a little proud. She was truly worthy of being able to complete her cultivation plan in an orderly manner despite such a heavy workload of studies.

Ci Gui: "That's good, that way we won't be so easily bullied in the future."

Upon hearing this, Yun Qingyi was somewhat dissatisfied: "Master, do you think I'm someone who can be easily bullied?"

He shook his head, his expression somewhat grave: "Others may find it difficult to bully you, but there is one person who is your nemesis in this life. She has great fortune, and if you don't cultivate properly, it will be difficult for you to survive under her."