Fairy, Don't Be Afraid, I Am Blind

Chapter 283 - 172: Not a Real Master, But Still a Good Master

You Su listened blankly to the truth, and everything from the past finally made sense! He thought, how could that overbearing master from the Condensed Water Lower Realm possibly win the favor of the Void Realm mistress!

You Su was overjoyed, nodding continuously, "I understand! I understand!"

Now that the mistress wasn’t truly the mistress, without the constraints of identity and morality, You Su’s guilt faded by more than half, transforming into a deep gratitude toward her, reaching an unprecedented level.

"It’s good that you understand. This matter is just a forced move; you must deal with it calmly. When your junior apprentice sister returns, your masculine energy will have a place to vent."

He Shutong also felt much clearer after revealing the truth. She didn’t want You Su to wallow in self-pity due to the shackles of identity. Yet, she found it strange in her heart, this young man seemed a bit too happy to know she wasn’t really his mistress...

Could it be that he feels something for me...?

"So... can I still call you Mistress in the future?" You Su asked cautiously.

So he still wanted me to be his Mistress... That’s right, he has been an orphan since childhood; he must long for motherly love...

He Shutong nodded quietly. You Su was unlike his carefree master; he remained a courteous and well-mannered gentleman.

"If you wish, I am willing."

He Shutong, who also bore a great emotional burden due to her mother, deeply sympathized with motherless You Su. She remembered what You Su said when he took her as his teacher — "Once a teacher, always a mother."

She was willing to be so.

Receiving her affirmative response, You Su was like a tree in spring bursting with new life, exuding vibrant vitality.

"Thank you, Mistress!"

He Shutong smiled serenely and didn’t respond, holding the gentle Lotus Heart in her hand, burying her gratitude towards You Su deep in her heart.

"In some way, you are my blessing."

Upon hearing this, You Su felt warmth flow through his heart like a stream:

"No, Mistress deserves all of this. Even if you had to drop realms, you planted the Immortal Seed for me, laying the groundwork for retrieving the Lotus Heart. Without your sacrifice, I would only be helpless watching the fragmented Lotus Heart."

Startled at first, He Shutong’s expression softened, and she even felt the pond water become warm.

Yes... it was all mutual. She was good to You Su, and You Su would be good to her. There was no need to discuss who was whose blessing; they were each other’s opportunities.

"You’re right. Now, see this matter calmly, and go."

You Su nodded heavily, feeling an unprecedented clarity of mind.

So his attachment to Mistress wasn’t taboo, but something that could exist...

...

"One piece, two pieces, three, four pieces, five pieces, six pieces, seven, eight pieces."

Fairy Wangshu recited her carefully prepared poem, her delicate hands nervously clenched at her chest, and her blue eyes anxiously looked at the Third Elder, hoping for the beautiful woman’s evaluation.

With one hand on her chest and the other on her forehead, the Third Elder helplessly asked:

"Is that all?"

Fairy Wangshu nodded decisively, "I haven’t thought of the rest yet."

Claiming to be a renowned talent in her youth, the wine-loving Third Elder had attracted Fairy Wangshu’s admiration earlier.

Faced with this rare admiration from the usually reserved Fairy Wangshu, the Third Elder was unwilling to dampen Fairy Wangshu’s enthusiasm for learning poetry, even though she had no talent, much like her master, who only knew how to wield swords.

But wracking her brains, the Third Elder couldn’t find a way to praise Wangshu’s couplet, and she reluctantly took out a jade wine gourd, chuckling:

"Not bad, not bad. It’s just right for the first attempt at poetry, with exactly seven words per line. Little Wangshu indeed has talent."

Fairy Wangshu, with her clear mind, instantly saw through the Third Elder’s insincere words, her eyes dimming as she coldly remarked:

"Third Elder, just tell me the truth. Why deceive me? I’m not a three-year-old child."

The Third Elder hesitated with her wine but didn’t want the girl to get deeper into a path unsuited for her solely for a blind admiration, so she cautiously reminded her:

"Little Wangshu, this is called ’speaking plainly’, it’s not ’spilling the beans’..."

Hearing this, Fairy Wangshu gave a soft ’oh’, bowed her head, and turned away, leaving the Third Elder a glimpse of her graceful yet fragile back, as if disheartened.

The Third Elder shook her head in her mind. She hadn’t expected her words, "Men, they all love women who are knowledgeable and reasonable," to inspire Fairy Wangshu to pursue becoming a great poetess instead of just learning from the Idioms Compendium.

However, the pursuit of literature demands talent, sometimes even more than the martial path. Fairy Wangshu had been tutored by the Peak Master of Book Immortal Peak since childhood. Despite having such a teacher, considered a leader in Literary Dao across the Five Continents, Fairy Wangshu hadn’t shown literary talent, indicating future challenges in this path.

Yet, knowing this, the soft-hearted and soft-bodied Third Elder couldn’t bear seeing the girl so disheartened, so she circled in front of her and gently asked:

"In poetry, the choice of words is secondary. The core is the meaning behind the poem. Little Wangshu, I asked you to think of a beautiful scene before composing. Tell me about the scene you envisioned, and maybe it indeed forms a simple yet intriguingly delightful poem."

Fairy Wangshu raised her head, and her blue eyes brightened again:

"The weather is cooling down, and after autumn, it’s my favorite season, winter. I thought of the scene from last year when neither Master nor Junior Brother came back, I was alone on Lotus Peak counting snowflakes. They danced all over the sky, turning Lotus Peak completely white, with only them accompanying me in the world."