"Oh, my dear daughter! Why did you call me? Didnât you go to cultivate with Disciple Wang Ming? Could it be that youâre already tired due to your low stamina?" Feng Chang said with a chuckle, which only made Feng Mei feel even more embarrassed as everyone around her stared.
"Shut up, Mother! I have something to ask you," Feng Mei said, regaining her composure.
"Oh? Ask away," Feng Chang replied curiously.
"Were you the Peak Master of the Jade Peak?" Feng Mei asked.
"Cough...How did you find out about that?" Feng Chang said in a shocked voice.
"So itâs trueâyou were the Peak Master of the Jade Peak, huh?" Feng Mei mumbled, glancing back at Zhou Huixin. Her lips twitched as she noticed comical tears dripping from the corners of Zhou Huixinâs eyes. She even heard her whisper, âFinally, I heard Masterâs voice. This time, she didnât manage to run away like the previous times.â Feng Meiâs eyebrows twitched as she wondered how many times her mother had escaped and just how hard being a Peak Master could be for Zhou Huixin to show such an appearance.
"Yes, itâs true. But how did you find out? I donât recall mentioning this to you, and Iâm certain no one other than the Sect Master and the Supreme Elder knows I was the Peak MasterâŠ" Feng Changâs voice echoed through the token.
"Damn, Master, did you forget me?" Zhou Huixin said angrily, glaring at the token.
"Are you sure no one else knows about it?" Feng Mei asked in a strained voice as she glanced at Zhou Huixin, who was glaring at the token like she wanted to dive into it and wring her motherâs neckânot that she could or would.
"Wait... one person does know. Donât tell me youâve met my dumb, timid disciple," Feng Chang suddenly said. Zhou Huixin, who had looked relieved that her master hadnât forgotten her, froze the moment she heard the last words.
"Dumb disciple? I didnât even know you had a disciple. Who are you talking about, Mother?" Feng Mei asked, feeling Zhou Huixinâs glare on her. Ignoring it, she waited for her motherâs response.
"It was many years before you were even born, back when I was the Peak Master of the Jade Sect. Ugh, just remembering those times makes me wonder why I even became the Peak Master in the first place," Feng Chang groaned, recalling the exhausting days of overwork.
"See? You do know what itâs like, Master! Then why the hell did you force me to take the position?" Zhou Huxin shouted indignantly.
"..." The voice from the token fell silent for a few moments.
"Tsk. Just thinking about my time as Peak Master is so stressful that Iâm hearing the voice of my dumb disciple in my head. Tsk. And whatâs more, my once-timid disciple has somehow grown a spine and dares to retort my words! What a hallucination," Feng Chang declared dramatically.
"Is she going to die from anger?" Shi Yu whispered to the girls as they watched Zhou Huxinâs face turn red, veins popping out on her forehead. She looked like she might explode from sheer rage.
"I see, Mother, but why did you choose her as your disciple?" Feng Mei asked curiously.
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"Well, at the time, I was frustrated with all the paperwork, so I decided to take on some disciples. Naturally, I searched for the most timid one, figuring she wouldnât have the courage to refuse me when I shoved the work onto her," Feng Chang said, as though reminiscing fondly about those days.
"Now, as I was saying, I had a disciple named Zhou Huxin. Sheâs the current Peak Master of the Jade Peak. You should avoid her. I tricked her into becoming the Peak Master, and sheâs been trying to talk to me ever since. Heh, I run away every time I see her getting close. Sometimes, I even hide nearby just to watch her frustrated expression," Feng Chang said, chuckling to herself.
Everyone, including Wang Ming, instinctively moved a few steps away from Zhou Huxin, who now seemed to radiate a dark, menacing aura.
"Damn it, Master, youâre such an asshole!" Zhou Huxin shouted.
"Eh? I think I heard my discipleâs voice again. Did you hear it too?" Feng Changâs voice rang out from the token.
"Yes, I did, Mother, and sheâs standing right in front of me," Feng Mei replied in an amused tone.
"Really? My dear disciple, how are you? Iâve missed you so much," Feng Chang said warmly. Zhou Huxin might have been touched if she hadnât heard the earlier conversation.
"Donât give me that bullshit about caring for me," Zhou Huxin snapped, snatching the token from Feng Meiâs hand.
"But I do care! Donât you remember how many resources I spent on you during my time as Peak Master?" Feng Chang said with motherly affection.
This tone⊠it canât be my mother. Feng Mei, hearing the unusual warmth in her motherâs voice, shuddered.
"I see⊠youâre right. I was blinded by anger," Zhou Huxin said, her expression softening.
Sheâs not only dumb but also unbelievably simple, Wang Ming thought, looking incredulous as he watched the exchange.
"So⊠when are you returning?" Zhou Huxin asked calmly, though suspicion still lingered in her tone.
Clank.
Zhou Huxin froze as Feng Chang suddenly disconnected the call. She noticed everyone in the room looking at her with pity. Taking several deep breaths to calm her nerves, she stormed out of the room without another word in frustration.
"You know what? Iâve decided to abandon one of my life goals," Feng Mei muttered as she watched Zhou Huxin storm out of the room, taking a deep breath.
"Oh? What was it?" Wang Ming asked curiously.
"I wanted to become a Peak Master. But after seeing my motherâs reaction and Peak Master Zhou Huxinâs struggles, Iâve decided against it," Feng Mei replied.
"Oh," was all the girls and Wang Ming could say in response.