Chapter 13

Chapter 13

That day, Little Junior Sister stood there in a daze for a long time, looking as if she had lost her soul.

I removed the barrier confining the two chickens.

The one that was stuffed immediately bolted, while the starving one scrambled to peck at the grain scattered on the ground.

Fubao gave me a disdainful look. “Woof! Woof!”

*Those chickens are so unlucky to have you as a master!*

I flicked two pills toward the chickens. “Since you’ve done your part, I’ll grant you each a pill. I’ll save you for last when it’s time to eat!”

Then I gave Fubao a flick on the forehead.

“Don’t you dare try to eat any when the time comes!”

“Woof! Woof!”

*Why? Why?*

*I want to eat! I want to eat!*

His dog head kept nudging me, and he clamped his teeth onto my sleeve.

I rescued my sleeve from his mouth.

“Fine, I’ll let you eat! Stop biting, you silly dog. I said I’d give you some, now let go!”

While Fubao and I were fooling around, Little Junior Sister remained lost in thought.

When I made dinner, I called her over to eat with us.

This time, she didn’t refuse.

As she ate, her eyes began to redden.

“So… I really was just overstuffed before!”

She might have sensed something was wrong in the past, but she hadn’t known exactly what it was. Her Senior Brothers were willing to give her things, so she thanked them and tried her best to do what she could to repay them.

She had made clothes, pants, and socks for Third Senior Brother; prepared food for Fourth Senior Brother; refined scented powders for Fifth Senior Brother; and given her most precious herbs to Sixth Senior Brother. She was never stingy with anyone who wanted something from her.

She had repaid every Senior Brother, so she didn’t feel like she owed them anything.

Only Eldest Senior Sister made her feel uneasy.

She used to feel she owed Eldest Senior Sister, but the attitude of her Senior Brothers made her feel that perhaps she wasn’t in the wrong after all.

I didn’t want to blame her for this.

Environment shapes a person. If it didn’t, people wouldn’t try so hard to break free from their origins to change their fates.

But this time, she likely realized the truth: more isn’t always better. Being killed with kindness is still being killed.

In fact, the very fact that she felt sad about the change in her relationship with Eldest Senior Sister proved that she wasn’t comfortable deep down. It was only her lack of maturity and the pressure of her surroundings that forced her to take the easiest path.

After all, discerning right from wrong requires time, energy, and wisdom. Not everyone possesses such ability and resolve.

After finishing her meal, she pulled out a pile of items, a sorrowful smile in her eyes.

“This was from Third Senior Brother, this was from Fourth Senior Brother, this was…”

“The Senior Brothers gave me so many things. Sometimes I really couldn’t use them all, but I was so afraid of offending them that I’d rotate through them every day.”

“My cultivation is the lowest, and I was so afraid of being looked down upon that I wanted to do better in other areas.”

“I tried to please my Senior Brothers because I wanted them to like me and dote on me. That was the only way I felt secure.”

“But the Senior Brothers didn’t just give me their own things; they even snatched things from Eldest Senior Sister to give to me.”

“I had too much, and Eldest Senior Sister had too little. One was stuffed to bursting, while the other was starving to death.”

“I’ve wronged Eldest Senior Sister. I used to like her so much… She was the one who taught me the basics and stayed by my side until I fell asleep… I don’t deserve to be her Junior Sister.”

She broke into a loud sob, looking like a stray puppy.

Fubao watched her, looking so anxious he seemed ready to lick her face.

I waited patiently for her to finish crying, then soaked a handkerchief in water to wipe her face.

She was used to using the Cleansing Technique; it had probably been a long time since she felt this kind of simple warmth. Her eyes reddened once more.

I said gently,

“When people are in a weak position, they naturally tend to attach themselves to the strong and try to please them to gain resources. That is human nature.”

“But Little Junior Sister, one can be in a weak position, but one must not be a weakling.”

“You were born with a Supreme Water Spirit Root. Countless people could only dream of having such talent.”

“But a person who views themselves as a weakling can never become a powerhouse.”

“Furthermore, a person’s energy is limited. If you spend all your time on social pleasantries, you can’t expect your cultivation realm to rise on its own.”

“You reap what you sow. Just like me-if I only feed the chickens, I can’t expect the ducks to get fat.”

“You’ve grown up. It’s time to think carefully about whether you are a powerhouse or a weakling. Do you want to please others, or do you want to improve yourself? What exactly is your Dao?”

“A person can be lost at twenty, but they can’t stay lost at thirty, forty, or a hundred years old.”

I patted her shoulder and let her think it over.

The Master leads you to the door, but the cultivation is up to the individual.

Interfering too much in the karma of others invites the wrath of heaven.

I can only give her a gentle nudge to change her direction when our karmic paths cross. No one knows how far she will go, and no one can decide the ultimate destination of fate.

I can only take responsibility for the karma I am willing to bear: the karma of giving her that nudge.