It was all because cultivators had such sharp eyes. Even through the hazy mist of cold, damp water vapor, they could still make out the vague shadows behind the curtain.
An unknown breeze came from somewhere, parting the gap just a little and easily revealing a corner of the scene.
The man had draped an outer robe over his figure, blocking most of the view of the girl. One could only catch a glimpse of her seemingly lifting her face toward her master… for a kiss…
This was the residence arranged by the Pill Cauldron Sect for guests. It was hardly improper for an elder of the Pill Cauldron Sect to visit.
As for the selfish motives behind it, only Fu Songjin himself knew.
When he had arrived, he had straightened his collar and robes. Now, however, he fled in a panic, dazed and lost. Not only were the hems of his robes caught, but even his long hair snagged on the tree branches.
The branches along the path seemed like hands reaching out everywhere, trying to tear him apart.
No…
How could a master… do such a thing? How could he kiss his disciple?
He staggered a step, snapping back to his senses. The familiar medicinal scent lingered at the tip of his nose. Unknowingly, he had fled back to the Medicine Hut.
In the past, this had been the home he shared with his disciple.
The Medicine Hut was simple, the medicinal fragrance as ever.
All around, there were still some flowers and herbs planted, warm and familiar as before.
The floral fragrance was sweet, the medicinal scent bitter and clear. It was by clinging to these two old dreams that he had barely clung to life until now.
But at this moment, the mingled floral and medicinal scents assaulted his face, making him stagger another step. He clutched his collar tightly.
The pain felt like it was in his heart, or perhaps his stomach. It hurt so much that he doubled over, his heart and abdomen twitching in spasms.
He opened his mouth as if to vomit something up, but only a few pained murmurs escaped.
Master and disciple… how could they…
How could master and disciple do such a thing… It was no different from incest…
That was what he thought. He had always thought that way.
But in his daze, a voice seemed to echo in his ears once more.
“Master…”
Master was right here.
Fu Songjin moved his lips. He had lost all his strength and half-knelt on the ground.
The hand clutching his collar never loosened, twisting at his heart, while the other barely propped him up from the floor. In his haze, he seemed to see his little disciple from the past appear before him, smiling at him sweetly.
“Master…”
“I want to find a dao companion like Master…”
“Master…”
“I like you…”
Fu Songjin remembered. Those were words she had said to him.
Yes, she liked her master the most.
His little disciple clearly liked him the most.
He was clearly her master.
A crack in his heart leaked noise once more—
【Go, kill him.】
Fu Songjin suddenly clamped down on the Heart Sound.
His face paled. He reached out, but not for a pill. Instead, he took a lamp stand from nearby.
This lamp stand was a magic artifact, not one for clearing the mind. It was simply a life lamp that had been extinguished for many years.
He cradled the life lamp to his chest and rubbed it incessantly—a private habit of his.
The direct disciples of great sect elders were usually assigned a life soul lamp as a sign of care. If the disciple died, the lamp would extinguish.
When the lamp had gone out back then, he had naturally gone searching, but found nothing.
He had probably been a step too late. The body had dispersed into spirits, returning to heaven and earth—utterly empty.
Nothing at all. Not even traces of a fight.
He often harbored unrealistic fantasies. Perhaps she had found a way to sever the connection with the life lamp and left this place.
His fingertip traced the patterns on the lamp once more.
His body swayed, and he vomited a mouthful of blood.
Just like back then.
–
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【Have a pleasant game experience!】
–
Pill refiners in the Cultivation World were highly sought after, so there were no shortage of people coming to the Pill Cauldron Sect to take a master. However, pill refining carried the risk of furnace explosions, and failed pills were common.
It wasted spiritual materials and money easily, so the Pill Cauldron Sect assigned medicine fields to disciples—though they were only small plots.
These medicine fields were often assigned randomly. Sometimes, if a disciple got lucky, they might end up near an elder’s cave abode.
If they were even luckier and caught the elder’s eye, they might be taken as a disciple or receive a pointer or two.
Such talk had probably started circulating among disciples from the first time Elder Fu took one.
Fu Songjin happened to pass by that medicine field purely by coincidence.
It had originally been unclaimed land until, one day, a little disciple’s figure suddenly appeared, diligently clearing and working it.
Her cultivation wasn’t high. Whenever Fu Songjin passed by, he would glance down and often see her covered in dirt and dust.
But her attitude was earnest and diligent. The medicine field she tended was lush and thriving.
However… her pill refining skills seemed lacking.
Once again, he faintly heard the sound of a furnace exploding. Fu Songjin sighed softly.
He descended slowly from midair and gently knocked on the child’s door.
After a good while, a dirt-covered girl cautiously cracked open the door and peeked out at him.
He was an elder by then, with high cultivation, extremely skilled in pill refining, and a long lifespan. To a new little disciple who looked like a teenager, he was no different from an adult to a child.
Though she was covered in dirt, she was actually a very cute child, peering up and down at him from behind the door.
He smiled gently at her and soothed her softly. “Don’t be afraid. I heard the furnace explode, so I came to check.”
But before he finished speaking, the little disciple’s expression changed. Her eyes lit up, and she yanked the door open, staring at him eagerly and intently.
Elder Fu looked puzzled, not understanding why she stared at him like she was entranced.
It took her a long moment to snap out of it. “This… this kind-hearted elder…”
She stepped aside to let him in, then stammered out an explanation of her latest pill refining failure.
Fu Songjin stepped forward and looked down to see what had gone wrong.
The little disciple’s pill refining room was crude, serving for refining, cultivation, and living.
A window by the pill furnace let in clean, soft light that fell on his eyelashes, creating a dazzling halo.
The young disciple stood awkwardly by the door, hands clasped, but her eyes shone brightly as she watched him.
From then on, he often went to give the child pointers—sometimes on pill refining, sometimes on tending herbs.
【Favorability…】
She was a diligent but somewhat clumsy child, and her luck seemed poor too.
Sometimes, even when the medicinal properties matched perfectly, the furnace would still explode.
Amid the swirling smoke, the girl hung her head, her brows slightly furrowed, her mouth downturned.
Her slender frame showed her disappointment fully as she pitifully cleaned up the failed dregs.
She had gotten herself dirty again. Fu Songjin pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her face.
Poor child, he thought.
【Favorability +5】
Perhaps it was the first time she’d received such care. The girl paused slightly, then her expression grew even more pitiful. Her eyes welled up with moisture as she looked up at him.
Fu Songjin wiped her cheeks and nose tip gently while comforting her.
“Cultivators forming pills also rely on luck. I checked this batch’s recipe—nothing wrong with it. It was just bad luck from the heavens. Don’t be sad.”
Only after wiping her clean did he put away the handkerchief.
“Thank you, Elder Fu.” The little disciple’s voice was soft and gentle, melting his heart.
“Right.” Fu Songjin recalled the medicine field he’d seen before entering. “That corner on the south side of the medicine field—did you change the herbs there?”
The little disciple nodded. “I planted some flowers…”
He had no intention of scolding her. Fu Songjin’s brows softened further, his tone gentling. “I noticed. Why did you suddenly switch to flowers?”
The little disciple didn’t speak. Elder Fu continued, “The sect assigns spiritual fields hoping disciples will plant herbs to ease the burden of pill refining.”
“Flowers are beautiful, but not urgent right now. Everyone loves beauty, but it’s not too late to save up some spirit stones and plant flowers for enjoyment later.”
The little disciple fell silent, stubbornly refusing to agree to change them back.
Stubborn child. Fu Songjin shook his head inwardly, not approving of her swapping medicinal herbs for useless flowers.
【Favorability -1】
Who knew, perhaps she read something in his expression. The little disciple suddenly looked panicked.
She abruptly grabbed his robe hem, bit her lip, and seemed about to say something.
Fu Songjin looked down at her, and the child looked up at him, quickly letting go.
Seeing she had something to say, Fu Songjin patiently waited for her to speak.
The girl whispered, “You’ve taught me so much… C-can I call you Master?”
Her eyes shone like bright stars, cautious yet full of eager hope as she looked at him.
Then she hurriedly explained in a panic. “This disciple knows her aptitude is average and unworthy of being your disciple. You’ve just given me so many pointers that, in my heart, you’re like a master. So I wanted to address you as Master…”
He hesitated only a moment before she started apologizing. “I didn’t mean to be presumptuous toward the elder. Please don’t be angry. I won’t mention it again. Don’t be mad at me…”
Her once-bright eyes immediately brimmed with tears, gazing at him tearfully.
She was a little pitiful thing that made one’s heart soften involuntarily.
【Favorability +8】
Fu Songjin looked helpless and smiled faintly to soothe her. “It’s fine. I’m not angry. Don’t be scared… If you want, you can call me Master in private.”
He had no plans to take a disciple at the time. But the child looked so pitiful that it softened his heart, and he indulged her a bit.
In private, if she wanted to call him Master, he would respond.
She had just entered the sect and probably hadn’t met all the elders yet, so she likely didn’t know his name. Fu Songjin didn’t mind.
Then one day, as usual, he passed her medicine field to check on her, but she wasn’t there.
Fu Songjin didn’t think much of it. On his way back, however, someone had placed a few flowers by the path he always took.
The yellow peonies were soft in color, quietly set on a roadside bluestone, looking freshly picked. His gaze swept over them, unclear of the intent, but they seemed familiar.
He had just seen these flowers in her medicine field.
Were they for him?
Fu Songjin paused and hesitantly picked up the flower stems.
He usually wore apricot-colored robes, and Yao Huang peonies suited them well.
【Favorability +1】
If they were for him, why not give them in person instead of this method?
Fu Songjin felt puzzled and stroked the soft petals. Though strange, his temperament was always mild.
He planned to ask the child next time he saw her.
But even stranger, the second time he went, neither the medicine field nor the Medicine Hut had any sign of the child.
Fu Songjin’s gaze swept over, then fixed suddenly.
Her medicine field wasn’t large. In the south corner were the flowers she had given him.
So that was it.
She meant them for him.
Fu Songjin pursed his lips.
【Favorability +8】
No wonder the child had suddenly switched back to flower seeds and refused to change them. It was all for him.
He had misunderstood her.
He still didn’t find her, but he often spotted a few yellow peonies by the roadside.
Fu Songjin realized she was deliberately avoiding him.
Finally, one time, he caught her red-handed.
The child hadn’t even set down the flowers yet, much less had time to sneak away.
The little disciple shrank back timidly, not as close to him as before.
“What have you been doing these days?” Fu Songjin didn’t want to scare her and asked gently.
But the girl looked terrified. “Elder Fu, I don’t know… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have overstepped…”
She seemed to have learned his name but was intimidated by his reputation, feeling she had offended him and apologizing repeatedly.
Tears dotted her cheeks—pitiful indeed, leaving him at a loss.
Fu Songjin sighed inwardly. “These flowers—you left them here? Just give them to me directly.”
But the girl shook her head, clutching the flower stems and biting her lip.
He heard her whisper, “This flower… is for Master.”
He was Elder Fu, not her master.
Fu Songjin’s heart softened further. His nature was kind, and a trace of pity even showed in his brows. “Come here.”
He beckoned gently to the pitiful little disciple. “I… am your Master.”
The beauty wore primrose-yellow robes, his figure tall and slender, ink-black hair cascading like a waterfall. A helpless gentleness filled his face. With every gesture, his long sleeves drifted like light clouds and thin mist, wafting a clear fragrance that filled the air. His jade-like skin was soft and supple as flowers, outshining the colors of peonies.
He beckoned, and the timid girl lifted her head to look toward him.
【Favorability: 70】