Great Zhou Dynasty.
At the entrance of Xuanming Cave, Mount Langya.
A little dumpling of just four years old, dressed in a big grey gown, sits on the stone steps. His short legs swing leisurely and he seems quite content.
His round, dewy eyes stare intently at the red gate in front of him. His eyes are lit up with brightness and joy.
"Screech~"
As the red gate creaks open, a sparkling light appears in the dumpling's dewy, round eyes, and he hurries off towards it.
"Plop" and he kneels on the ground.
"Master, second master, third master, Ran Ran is paying respects! Wuu wuu... Ran Ran is leaving the mountain, I don't want to leave you all!"
The little dumpling holds his small rounded body straight, even though he has yet to see anyone, he starts sobbing.
As he sobs, he earnestly tries to squeeze tears from his eyes with his hands.
Despite his cheeks being squished almost out of shape, not a tear falls. His face only turns red, causing him to look even more pitiful.
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, a pleasant laughter sounds adjacent to him.
In a stunned pause, Ran Ran covers his eyes with his hands and quietly parts two fingers open to look upwards through the gap.
"Wow...why is it you?"
Ranran let out a gasp, grunting as she crawled up from the ground, touching her little face, her lips pouted, looking quite upset.
Xuan Yin, in a disgruntled manner, reached out and tugged at her head's little tufts of hair, “What's this? Have not descended the mountain yet and you've already thought of severing ties?”
With a glance out the door, not spotting a single trace of her masters, Ranran stomped her little short legs back to the stone steps, and plopped her butt down stubbornly.
“Hmph, if the masters are not coming, then I’m not leaving!”
Seeing the adorable figure with her small hands crossed on her chest, and cherry red lips turned upwards, Xuan Yin couldn’t help but give a wry smile.
He calmly walked over, took a seat beside her, and casually announced, “The masters gave me something for you.”
Ranran’s eyes spun upon hearing this, but she averted her gaze, craning her neck proudly, “I couldn’t care less!” Nevertheless, she pricked up her ears and slyly moved closer to Xuan Yin.
“Are you sure you don't want it?”
Xuan Yin chuckled at her before pulling out a pouch embroidered with the yin-yang symbol. He gleefully teased her, “Then I’ll take this Cosmic Pouch myself!”
Upon hearing that it was a Cosmic Pouch, Ranran's round eyes shone brightly.
She leaped up abruptly, fiercely pouncing towards Xuan Yin, her little hands clumsily snatching the pouch into her grasp. Quickly, she hid it inside her robe, her face vigilant as she looked at Xuan Yin. She asserted with a babyish fierceness, “What the masters give Ranran, belongs to Ranran!”
Xuan Yin’s mouth twitched, looking at her disgustedly, “You were the one who said that you didn't care for it!”
“I did care, I did care! Who said I didn't care?" Ranran retorted with a pout.
"Once you've got the treasure, hurry up and leave the mountain. Don't stand in front of your elder brother and be a nuisance." Xuan Yin wore a look of disdain, yet there was laughter in his eyes, mingled with a touch of reluctance.
Ran Ran moved her small buttock with a huff and a puff. She moved a little further away from Xuan Yin, then obediently settled herself down like a good child. Her small hands gripping the Universe Bag and she excitedly opened it.
"Wow!"
"It's Grand Master's Money Sword!"
Ran Ran pulled out a sword made from one hundred and eight copper coins. Her big eyes were twinkling and sparkled with an excited light.
Licking her lips, she said, "When we're out of money, we can take off a couple of them to buy candies!"
Black lines appeared on Xuan Yin's forehead, and the corner of his mouth twitched horribly.
Who knows what the Grand Master would feel if he heard this!
"Wow~"
"And the golden and silver needles of Second Master!"
Xuan Yin looked at her sidelong and said, "Second Master has instructed that these are bequeathed to you. You must use them to provide medical assistance to the world."
"I know! I know!"
The little girl's voice sounded so sweet and obedient. She nodded as if pecking at grains of rice.
"Wow~"
"And Third Master's Purple Gold Alchemy Furnace!"
"Woah, it's..."
Ran Ran excitedly took out every item from the bag of holding, ecstatic to the point of losing her bearings.
Xuan Yin watched her as she scatter these precious items on the ground, feeling a pang of discomfort in his eyes!
Seeing this, Ran Ran wobbled over on her short legs, her chubby little hands wrapping around Xuan Yin's neck as she softly spoke, "Thank you, brother. Ran Ran will always love you~"
Once she finished, she burrowed her head into his neck, snuggling up like a tender little kitten.
Xuan Yin could hardly tolerate her clingy manner, but he also couldn't bear to push her away. So, he helped her to put back all the treasures that the masters had given, one by one.
"Let's go! If we don’t descend the mountain now, it will be late!" Xuan Yin turned his face away, tucking the bag of holding back into her arms. With a swift urge, he was quick to leave.
Ran Ran watched as her brother retreated, and glanced at the firmly shut gate in front of her. All she could feel was a sour sting in her little nostrils and a hint of reluctance in her heart.
But thinking about the yummy food and fun awaiting at the foot of the mountain made her momentary displeasure swiftly disappear.
"Steamed buns, chicken legs, candy hawthorns...Ran Ran is coming~"
Ran Ran hopped down the mountain like a nimble bunny with these thoughts in mind.
High up on the mountain.
Several elders stood against the wind, their gazes falling on the small figure descending into the woods, all of them unwilling to part with her.
The Daoist Xuan Ming's beard twitched as he coldly snorted, "That little one, always putting on that act. I bet she wishes she could sprout wings and fly down the mountain, huh!"
Ran Ran was a girl who he picked up during his travels over four years ago.
Though she was but a little girl, her innate potential was excellent. Whether it be metaphysics, medicine, or martial arts, she left others in the dust.
Don't look down on this little cutie just because she's only four. She's already mastered the skills of these old folks perfectly.
However, such a small girl was handicapped with several flaws, and inherently lacks "life". If she doesn't accumulate more merit, I'm afraid her life would be at risk.
"Amitabha!" Master Liao Kong muttered the name of the Buddha, his words as mysterious as ever, "It's time, it's fate!"
"It's better if she's gone. My ears would finally be clean," Daoist Yiming coldly remarked, his tone was full of repulsion.
Old Fourth at the side rolled his eyes at him. The corner of his mouth twitched violently, and no one knew who was the one that sneaked off to watch every night, even in his sleep.
Several masters verbally expressed their disgust, but in truth, their eyes never once left the small figure in the forest.
It was not until she totally disappeared from their sight that they reluctantly turned away.
"A red umbrella, a white rod, all the baddies lie flat on a plank!"
"Lie on a plank, sleep in a coffin, then collectively buried under the mountain!"
"Buried under the mountain..."
"Huh?"