âYour disciple understands!â Shui Jing said calmly, âRest assured, master, your disciple promises that I will not be affected by any exogenous factors!â
âReally?â Celestial Mei Hua immediately said with a laugh, âLet your master test you again. If you are able to pass this test, I will be able to let you go fight for the Mystical Spiritual Fruit in peace!â
âPlease test me, master.â Shui Jing immediately said with utmost politeness.
âGood, good, good!â Celestial Mei Hua expressed her delight thrice, then said with a cunning smile: âMy disciple, hurry up and tell your master, in the broad daylight out in the open, you actually had dual cultivation with that Little Fatty. How was the feeling of doing it openly with him in broad daylight?â
As Shui Jing heard that, her face immediately changed colours. It became occasionally red, occasionally white, occasionally purple. After her face changed colours thrice, she could not help but cry out, âMaster, since when did I do...do it in daylight?âFollowing her words, her Moon Water State collapsed once again.
Seeing the situation, Celestial Mei Hua immediately laughed loudly and said, âMy disciple, you lost again! How am I going to be at peace to let you face those cruel disciples of the devilâs path if youâre like that?â
âBut...but master, your words are really too ugly to hear.â Shui Jing lamented in grievance.
âTrust me, child.â Celestial Mei Hua said sternly, âThose disciples of devil sect will definitely be 100 times more disgusting than me! If you canât even pass my test, then you would most likely die in the fight for the Mystical Spiritual Fruit.â
As Shui Jing heard that, she was stupefied. Then she frowned as she considered what her master said. Only after a while did she take in a deep breath and regain her state. When she spoke, it was with a calmness, âMaster, your disciple understands. It seems that your disciple is still lacking and is unable to face such an attack. However, your disciple is not a person who gives up easily. I have decided that when I fight those disciples from the Devilâs sect, I will first shut off my hearing. Anyway, with my Plum Blossom Divination, I would be able to handle them even if I am deaf.â
When Celestial Mei Hua heard that, her eyes lit up and she said with a smile, âGood good good, you are able to find a different method to face this problem. Your master is proud of you. If thatâs the case, it wouldnât matter much if I consider that youâve passed.â
âThank you, master!â As Shui Jing heard that, she immediately said excitedly, âIf thatâs the case, can I go compete for the Mystical Spiritual Fruit now?â
Celestial Mei Hua suddenly said with a mysterious smile, âItâs true that you can, but is there really the need?â
Shui Jing was startled by what Celestial Mei Hua said and she asked in doubt, âMaster, why do you say that?â
Celestial Mei Hua did not answer the question directly. She only stood up slowly and looked to the plum forest and said, âDisciple. Tell me the truth, after you cultivated your temperament for so many years, your heart should already be as calm as water. But why is it that your state is so easily broken by your master for two consecutive times?â
Thatâs...thatâs because masterâs words are too...too sharp!â Shui Jing answered with a bitter laughter.
âHaha, really?â Celestial Mei Hua couldnât help but laugh as she said, âIs it because my words are too sharp? Or is it because the shadow of that guy is affecting you?â
âMaster, what do you mean by this?â Shui Jing frowned and asked.
âDivine dual cultivation, it is the most profound technique of dual cultivation. After the dual cultivation, both the parties would leave a mark in each of the other partyâs spiritual sense. Celestial Mei Hua said seriously, âThis mark is your weakness. The reason why you failed just now isnât because my words are too sharp. But, it is because I mentioned âhimâ, touching your weakness and disrupting your state of mind! Am I right?âShui Jing was first disbelieving. Then, she suddenly became at a loss as her state unconsciously disappeared.
When Celestial Mei Hua saw that, she laughed bitterly and said, âIt really is the case. I did not use any sharp words but only mentioned âhimâ and your state crumbled!â
âMaster, what should your disciple do?â As Shui Jing heard that, she immediately asked.Again, Celestial Mei Hua did not answer her directly. Instead, she asked, âDo you still remember what I divined for you the first time we met?â
âI remember.â Shui Jing nodded and she suddenly added, âDonât tell me, heâs...heâs that guy?â
âThatâs right!â Celestial Mei Hua nodded her head and said, âBack then, I said that you are extremely talented and are naturally born with good fortune. In future, you will definitely be like a shooting star as you rise up to became a powerful figure in the cultivatorâs world far exceeding your master. But, you are also destined to meet a nemesis in future who will be stuck in your life forever, bringing you endless sadness and trouble! But at the same time, he will also bring you many fortuitous encounters. The moment you two meet, you donât need to ever think about being separated. I believe that you can also feel it that the little fatty who you had dual cultivation with is the fated nemesis in your life!â
â...â Shui Jingâs heart became flustered as she did not know what to say.
Celestial Mei Hua then added seriously, âBut, you have not been completely entangled with him at this point. As such, so long as your master helps you, you can still break away from him.â
âMaster.â As Shui Jing heard that, a shock was displayed on her face as she asked, âDonât tell me destiny can be changed?â
âHaha, of course. Destiny is like a long river, and countless of people are like leaves in the river who do not have the strength to fight against the strength of the river. They can only listen to the arrangements of destiny and go with the flow. But, some strong people are like large boats in the river, capable of moving about freely in the river. Although your master isnât strong to that point, I still have the strength to save you who fell into the river. Of course, that is only possible because that fatty isnât strong enough now. If I were to wait until he is strong enough to fight with me, then I would not be able to do anything either.â
âMaster, what do you want me to do?â Shui Jing suddenly asked.
âItâs very simple. Give up this chance to fight for the Mystical Spiritual Fruit and go into seclusion with me for a hundred years. You will definitely able to forcefully remove his mark and completely rid yourself of his influence. From then on, you can peacefully go after the heavenly laws until you achieve ascension.â Celestial Mei Hua explained.
âMust I really give up this chance?â Shui Jing said reluctantly.
âOf course. The moment you join the fight for the Mystical Sky Fruit with him, both of you would definitely influence each other in that time, resulting in your futures to be completely entangled together forever. Even I would not be able to separate the two of you at that moment!â Celestial Mei Hua then said seriously, âChild, this is your only chance to get rid of him. If you give it up, you can only bow down to the arrangements of destiny being entangled with him for the rest of your life.â
Shui Jing just kept silent as she frowned in consideration.
Seeing the situation, Celestial Mei Hua thought that she was not willing to part with the Mystical Spiritual Fruit and immediately said with a smile, âDo not worry about the Mystical Sky Fruit. With your masterâs face, they would give you 3 of it to eat with just a single letter from me! I promise that it will not delay your cultivation.ââBut how would they just give you a treasure like that so casually?â Shui Jing asked in shock.
âHmph. Everything depends on might. In this world, your master is the only one who is able to breakthrough their defenses and destroy the Mystical Spiritual Fruit tree. They know my temper very well that I will not budge on something I said. Thus, it would not be worth offending me for such a small thing.â Celestial Mei Hua then said with a smile, âLosing 3 Mystical Spiritual Fruit isnât a big loss to them. But if the tree were to be destroyed, their hearts would definitely be completely broken, no?â
âWoah!â Shui Jing couldnât help but say with a bitter laughter, âMaster, your disciple was not aware that you have your moments of being unreasonable also!â
âHaha, silly child.â Celestial Mei Hua couldnât help but laugh, âThe world of cultivators was never about being reasonable. It is only about strength. With strength, you have everything. Only when both parties are equal will they then sit down to negotiate! Alright, let me not talk about all these now, you will learn about it in future. I will not force you to make a decision now. Go into close door cultivation now; after three months when it is time to fight for the Mystical Sky Fruit, you can give me an answer! Being your master, my advice to you is to stay away from him. But if you do not make that choice, your master would not force you either, understand?â
âYour disciple understands.â Shui Jing nodded her head as she prepared to take her leave. Then, a red streak of sword light suddenly flew over from the horizon.
Celestial Mei Hua raised her hands and began to scan the horizon with her spiritual sense. Then, she used her Plum Blossom Divination to calculate something and said with a frown, âYour senior uncle Huo Long is being more and more hopeless! Take your leave first, I have some things to discuss with him.ââYes, your disciple takes her leave.â Shui Jing paid her compliments and disappeared into the plum forest.
Seeing Shui Jing leave, Celestial Mei Hua then flicked out a white sword light. After a short while, Daoist Huo Long appeared in front of her.Although Daoist Huo Long is always so loud and boisterous in front of the sect master, after seeing this senior sister, he hurriedly cupped his fists and politely said, âI pay my respects to senior sister.â
Celestial Mei Hua only waved her hands and said, âForget the pleasantries! Huo Long, I already know why youâre here for!â
Daoist Huo Long already knew that Celestial Mei Hua is extremely skilled in divination. Thus, he was not shocked that she knew her purpose and only said with grievance, âSenior sister please advise!â
âHai, you still have the cheek to plead to me.â Celestial Mei Hua didnât know whether to cry or laugh, âYou are already such an old person and you can actually be fooled by a Little Fatty because of a moment of greed. Are you embarrassed or not?âDaoist Huo Longâs face then turned red as he hurriedly said, âItâs all because they ganged up on me, thatâs why I was fooled!â
âThat is just your excuses. The sect master and his wife were not involved in this matter at all.â Celestial Mei Hua said calmly, âUnless my Plum Blossom Divination is wrong! Or, you donât even trust me at all.â
âI wouldnât dare to!â Daoist Huo Long was shocked as he hurriedly said, âSince senior sister says so, I will believe you and take my leave.ââSince you believe me, then let this matter rest!â Celestial Mei Hua said calmly.
âWhat? That darn fatty scammed me off my Five Element Essence Sword and you ask me to forget about it?!â Daoist Huo Long cried out in indignation.