Xiaosuisui gazed into Liao Kong’s eyes, her smile so wide it seed all teeth and no eyes.
"It’s up to Heaven’s Will!"
Her voice was crisp, and her face bore a sweet smile. She was like a cheerful little kitten.
Liao Kong repeated, "Heaven’s Will?"
Xiaosuisui nodded and then drained the teacup she was holding. Her action left everyone watching in stunned silence.
"She... why did she drink the tea that was ant for Master Liao Kong?"
"This was the ceremonial tea for initiating a master-disciple relationship. By drinking it herself, she’s clearly disrespecting her master and abandoning tradition!"
Whispers started to spread among the crowd.
A rare flicker of irritation crossed Liao Kong’s face, but he quickly regained his composure and glanced at the Abbot.
The Abbot was quick to smooth things over. "Little Martial Aunt must have been thirsty from talking so much."
As soon as the Abbot spoke, the young acolyte beside him understood and quickly poured another cup, handing it over. The Abbot took it and offered it to Xiaosuisui.
However, Xiaosuisui didn’t take it. She turned to face Liao Kong directly, bent her knees, and in that instant, dark clouds suddenly blotted out the sky!
Everyone felt the change in the sky and looked up, murmuring in astonishnt.
"Why has the weather suddenly changed?"
「In the Imperial Palace」
The young Emperor watched the sudden change in the sky with a smile.
「National Master’s Residence」
Feng Wushang suddenly began to make calculations with his fingers, murmuring, "Why is there another divine warning from the Celestial Dao? What on earth did the Great Han Imperial Family do? Why has this divine warning from the Celestial Dao appeared again?"
Feng Wushang had barely finished speaking when a great RUMBLE echoed from the heavens, followed instantly by flashes of lightning and claps of thunder.
Feng Wushang stared fixedly at the sky, his eyes widening in disbelief. "How...how is this possible?"
"Master!" From the adjacent room, Li Yanyan, whom the National Master had brought back just yesterday, erged. Her small lips were pursed, and she looked on the verge of tears.
"You heard the thunder, are you scared?"
Li Yanyan nodded. "Yes!"
Hearing her reply, the National Master couldn’t help but feel disappointed. As a disciple of the Daoist Sect, she’s afraid of re thunder? How will she ever face malicious spirits and demons in the future?
"Master! What did you an just now by ’how is this possible’? Has sothing happened?"
Li Yanyan ran out of the room and stood shoulder to shoulder with the National Master, both looking up at the dark, overcast sky.
"It’s nothing," he answered. "The Celestial Phenonon is just a bit unusual, that’s all."
An unusual Celestial Phenonon? Li Yanyan was puzzled. She wanted to ask more, but seeing the grave expression on the National Master’s face, she didn’t dare. She had clearly seen that fleeting look of disdain on his face earlier.
「Qixia Temple」
Everyone gaped in disbelief. They weren’t looking at Liao Kong... No! They were staring at the building behind him—the one that had just been struck by lightning.
No one had expected that the very instant Xiaosuisui knelt to perform the ritual kowtow to her prospective master, dark clouds would suddenly gather overhead.
Then, lightning flashed and thunder roared! A bolt of lightning as thick as a water bucket slamd down, its target the Mingwu Building!
"How could this be?" the Abbot cried out, his face a mask of disbelief.
Yet, before his cry faded, he saw the Eldest Princess kowtowing with perfect propriety to the Martial Granduncle.
The Abbot thought with relief, Thankfully, this little girl hasn’t caused any more trouble!
However, his relief was short-lived, as events took another startling turn.
Before her kowtow was complete, the lightning that had struck the Mingwu Building suddenly veered and shot straight towards Liao Kong!
Fortunately, Liao Kong possessed profound Power and dodged in ti. With a surge of his Qi, he leaped back several dozen zhang, narrowly avoiding the descending lightning.
BOOM! The lightning bolt slamd down, forcefully shearing off a corner of the Mingwu Building!
"This... is this Heaven’s fury?" soone in the crowd whispered.
"Why would Heaven be angry? Isn’t this just an ordinary discipleship ceremony?" soone else in the crowd instinctively retorted.
"Who said this is an ordinary discipleship ceremony? Don’t you see who is seeking to beco a disciple?"
"Exactly! That’s the Eldest Princess with a noble title. Her title is Chang Rongshun and Shunhe. His Majesty the Emperor is still without an Empress or any children. Although she’s a princess from outside the palace, she is the recipient of boundless imperial favor!"
The crowd’s discussions grew louder, with no attempt at concealnt, as people gathered to talk.
Nanny Xiao, having received a aningful glance from the Empress Dowager, imdiately understood it was her cue. She deliberately raised her voice and asked Ji Youyuan, "Young Master Ji, when the Eldest Princess kowtowed, thunder struck from the heavens, damaging the Mingwu Building, and Master Liao Kong even fled. He clearly couldn’t accept the Eldest Princess’s ceremonial respect. Doesn’t this an Heaven’s Will itself opposes the Eldest Princess taking Liao Kong as her master?"
Ji Youyuan gave Nanny Xiao a deeply appreciative look. With a flick, he opened his jade-boned fan, his smile so wide it seed all teeth and no eyes as he replied, "He already dodged my Xiaosuisui’s salutation. Naturally, this discipleship ceremony doesn’t count."
"Not... not valid?" The Abbot, standing not far from Ji Youyuan and the others, broke out in a cold sweat on his bald head upon hearing this.
Liao Kong quickly returned to stand before Xiaosuisui. As soon as he steadied himself, he began to speak. "My good disciple, get up..."
Before he could even finish the word ’up,’ Xiaosuisui imdiately kowtowed to him again.
Then, with a RUMBLE, another bucket-thick bolt of lightning descended from the sky.
Liao Kong gritted his teeth. With a wave of his hand, his Kasaya suddenly emitted a burst of golden light, attempting to resist the Celestial Thunder descending from above.
The result... His Kasaya shattered instantly, and he was struck black as charcoal!
Xiaosuisui looked at Liao Kong, who was smoking from the strike. She frowned, stood up, and walked towards him. Blinking her large, puzzled eyes, she asked, "Why were you struck by lightning? Did you do sothing that incurs Heaven’s wrath and public indignation?"
Liao Kong was so angry his nose was practically crooked. Looking at Xiaosuisui approaching him, he roared, "Tell , did you orchestrate all of this?"
Xiaosuisui was puzzled, not understanding what Liao Kong ant. She turned her head to look at Ji Youyuan.
"Eldest Maternal Uncle, I don’t understand what he’s saying!"
Ji Youyuan stepped forward, scooped her up into his arms, and said with a light laugh, "Heaven’s Will is thus. Old Man Heaven doesn’t want you to take him as your master. Let’s go!"
With that, Ji Youyuan turned and left, carrying Xiaosuisui.
The Empress Dowager and the Ji Family heaved a sigh of relief upon witnessing the scene, unable to hide the smiles on their faces.
They had never imagined that this matter of the Buddhist sect trying to snatch soone away could be resolved so simply. If we had known it was this simple, we should have just let Xiaosuisui kowtow to that old bald donkey earlier and sent him packing! they thought. Why did we have to stir up so much trouble? It almost cost Xiaosuisui her freedom and nearly sent her to the Buddhists of the Western Regions! Thinking this, they couldn’t help but feel a wave of regret.
However, there’s no dicine for regret in this world. So decisions, once made incorrectly, are destined for bad outcos.
Just like Liao Kong at this very mont.
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