Chapter 33: Bai Shu's Heart Hurts a Little
He called out, “Suqing.”
Suqing, who was in the courtyard, immediately responded, “Yes!”
Baizhu tossed something to Suqing. “These are your mistress’s snacks. Keep them safe. Only give her the set amount each day, no more. Too many sweets will ruin her teeth.”
Suqing beamed, hugging the package. “Got it, Master Bai.”
Ji Tianxin glanced at the sky, wondering how her master managed to buy these things so late at night…
It was already the dead of night—surely everyone else was asleep by now…
In front of Baizhu, Ji Tianxin rarely made requests. She was quiet by nature and often took care of things herself.
But Baizhu felt that only when his disciple needed him did he truly feel a sense of accomplishment and presence. Perhaps that was why he doted on her so thoroughly.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave. If anything happens, be sure to tell me…” Suddenly, Baizhu seemed to remember something. He slipped a ring from his little finger and placed it on Ji Tianxin’s thumb.
“I don’t have anything else to give you right now. This is a storage ring—make do with it for now. When I find something better, I’ll bring it to you.”
Ji Tianxin examined her thumb, quite pleased. “Thank you, Master.”
Having a storage ring would indeed make things much more convenient. She had considered forging one herself, but creating such a magical item would require gathering materials, which was troublesome.
Baizhu gave a few more reminders before leaving, hesitating as though he wanted to ask something.
“Is there something you’d like to ask, Master?” Ji Tianxin, of course, had noticed.
“Your current cultivation…” Baizhu was actually quite curious. Even he couldn’t sense Ji Tianxin’s cultivation level. In his presence, she seemed like an ordinary person, with no detectable spiritual power at all.
Ji Tianxin lowered her gaze in thought, then looked up. “According to the martial cultivators’ system, I suppose I’m at the peak of the Purification Stage, about to step into the Formless Stage.”
Baizhu was so startled he nearly slipped off the roof.
“Peak of the Purification Stage?” His lips twitched, and his handsome face could no longer maintain its composure.
Ji Tianxin nodded. “Mm, just a little behind you.”
Baizhu was at the early Formless Stage himself and had lingered there for quite some time.
He found himself suddenly feeling deeply wounded. If he was considered a genius, then his disciple was surely the sort of prodigy spoken of only in legends…
He had guessed that Ji Tianxin might have reached the Purification Stage, but he’d assumed she was only just touching the threshold. No matter how gifted, it shouldn’t be possible to reach such a level in a mere seven years.
On the continent of Tianwu, almost all masters of the Purification Stage were over a hundred years old—some even older.
But Tianxin was only seven!
Even if she’d begun cultivating in her mother’s womb… that would still be…
No, this wouldn’t do. He needed to cultivate harder himself. Baizhu felt a sudden sense of urgency.
Seeing Baizhu’s expression, Ji Tianxin worried he’d taken a blow. “But I advanced too quickly—my foundation isn’t stable, so my progress will be much slower from here.”
She had been reborn with her spiritual power intact; her soul and consciousness were already strong enough. Only her cultivation had to begin anew.
The spiritual energy on this continent was scarce, so she could only follow the martial path. Still, all roads led to the same destination, so it made little difference to her.
Naturally, this meant her progress was twice as fast as ordinary people’s—or perhaps several times faster.
Baizhu spoke, enunciating each word, “Tianxin, from now on… you don’t need to explain.” His heart ached, as if a knife had stabbed it.
Ji Tianxin blinked. “…Eh?”