51 A HAZY RECOLLECTION PLANTS THE SEED OF HOPE: sONE YEAR!s (2/2)
However, the ravine between Advanced Stage and Reverend Stage was simply too large for her to do anything but wallow in her despair and act as Shui Jing's meat on his chopping board…
”Te Rin, my disciple, step closer! Let Master examine your progress…” at this time, the azure-haired Shui Jing narrowed his eyes imperceptibly as he smiled warmly and motioned for her to come nearer.
After rotating her cultivation base a few times under the other's scrutinizing gaze, she was finally let off with a shocking piece of news, ”Ahh, my disciple, to think that this bottleneck would actually make you unable to proceed for so long, I am truly disappointed in you… Still, fear not! With your accumulation and talent, you will surely step into the Superior Stage sometime soon and shock the world! Just like your Master, you will shock the world with our Treasured Avifauna Qi!” Shui Jing's light blue eyes gleamed sharply as he looked at this 'disciple' of his.
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In return, Te Rin couldn't help but sigh. As expected, even if she held back as much as she could, the natural rotations of her cultivation base could not be fully stopped, else it would show signs of failing and even breaking apart, crippling her completely. Her talent, to begin with, should have let her step into the Superior or even Sung Stage long ago, it was only through her efforts that she had managed to prevent it from happening. However, the way it was, it looked like she would not be able to hold on much longer.
Up to that day, the situation had not bided well for her. Although she had the option of forcing her way through bottleneck after bottleneck with her talent, reaching the Reverend Stage in a few years and finally be able to fight back, it would mean that more than half of her talent would be wasted away just like that. Even if she were to succeed, it would mean giving up on most of her future prospects. Then again, if she did not do that, it would mean she would forever remain a weakling in front of Shui Jing whose talent would grow to the point it would surpass even hers until she would never be able to catch up.
It truly was a vicious cycle, one that seemed to force people to have no other choice but hold back and hope for a miracle or fight back and give up on her future.
Whenever she thought of her own situation, Te Rin would often have intentions of committing suicide. However, out of her stubbornness and wish for vengeance, she would always force herself to discard them.
Rationally, in such a situation one should take the safe path, the bargain that would surely pay off by giving up a part of her talent and future prospects in exchange for freedom. Unfortunately, although Te Rin was an incredibly smart and rational person, she had been fettered by the shackles of all geniuses, who after having tasted the heights of the sky couldn't possibly bear to go back to threading the ground. Deep in her heart, she had always been hoping for a miracle, for something to happen that would free her from this cruel loop…
”Mm? What's with expression? Don't worry disciple, master is not angry at you. It is normal for there to be rough times in cultivation, but as long as you push on forward you will only emerge stronger! As a matter of fact, after examining the rate of your progress, master has concluded that if you give it no more than a few months, maybe one year, then even whether you did not want it, you will break through!” Shui Jing laughed while playing around with his pale blue goatee as he glanced at the ashen-haired girl from the corner of his eyes.
”One year…” Te Rin muttered and, unknowingly, a smile had found its way on her face.
Shui Jing was surprised to find her to be smiling, as if she was truly looking forward to when that happened. Inwardly, the Fifth Protector couldn't help but rethink: was it truly as he had surmised and she had found out or was she actually oblivious? Judging from her reaction, didn't it seem as if she had yet to find out anything? If she had known about her situation, then why would she be happy knowing she would be breaking through soon?
Indeed: thinking of her own inescapable situation, Te Rin would even have intentions of committing suicide, why would she be happy at all?
This time around however, it was different.
It was because this once something had taken the place of those suicidal thoughts: this once, what had appeared in her mind had been a faint image of a child whose actual appearance couldn't be discerned. It was the hazy memory of a black-haired, golden-eyed child smiling and holding her hand. At the same time, two words were resonating in her mind: ”One year.”
Te Rin was no idiot. Although her memory of that time had been mostly wiped away by Cheng Hao, she was aware that the few hours missing from her memories of that evening probably were connected to that mysterious child that she had never seen before and yet whose appearance she could vaguely recall. For that reason, the thick veil of despair in her heart had been pierced through by a faint glimmer of hope.
With the newfound knowledge that his suspicions may not have been correct and that the child might still be ignorant about the big picture, Shui Jing couldn't help but feel happy and somewhat excited at the prospect.
”Alright, alright! Now go back and rest. From tomorrow be sure to cultivate hard!” He waved his hand in her direction, looking at her in a brand new light: he would be thoroughly testing out his theories in the near future and if she really did not seem hostile after all that, he might even consider taking his role as a master seriously and seriously teach her some stuff! In that way, he might even get himself a powerful subordinate for the time he would fight it out with the world and rule it as its overlord!
”Yes, Protector!” The ashen haired beauty replied with a slight bow.
Under the crafty gaze of the Reverend Stage Protector, Te Rin turned around and walked out of the room with a straight back and droopy gray eyes that no matter how dull in color could not hide her fervent gaze.
One year…
She felt her cultivation base and willed its natural rotation to slow down even further, as low as it could possibly get. Even if it meant that if she kept at it long it would harm her, so what? After all, she now had both hope and the exact time limit: she only had to hold out for one more year!