Chapter 364: Chapter 85: After Extreme Adversity Comes Prosperity
’Red thread...’
’Karma?’
No!
The furrowed brows gradually revealed a sharp intent, and Tianxuan’s gaze focused on the two ends of the red thread—her and Jiang Li’s ankles.
It wasn’t karma!
Or rather, it wasn’t just karma.
If it were karma, Tianxuan should have seen more; how could the relationship between her and Jiang Li be represented by only a single red thread.
What about their mentor-student relationship?
Moreover, Jiang Li was also the prospective affiliated son-in-law of the Gongsun Family, there should be corresponding connections.
It couldn’t possibly be that there was only a pure marriage line between them with no other relationships, right?
Her pupils seemed to brew a storm; Tianxuan observed closely, discerning some clues, ’It’s not karma, it’s a marriage red thread... brought about by a Dao Artifact.’
This red thread was pulled by the Dao Artifact marriage certificate, the essence of this ability was the Dao Fruit carried within the marriage certificate—the Matchmaker Dao Fruit.
The Matchmaker ties the red thread, setting marriage under the moon.
The Matchmaker can view the essence of a marriage, using the birthdates to match, thereby determining the fate between a man and a woman.
Where do the birthdates come from? They come from the lunar calendar.
And the lunar calendar is derived from the Moon Phase of the Deity of the Moon.
The essence of the Matchmaker’s Divination of the marriage truly traces back to the Deity of the Moon, hence called the Matchmaker.
Carrying the Dao Fruit of the Deity of the Moon and having a higher Grade than the Matchmaker Dao Fruit, Tianxuan hadn’t noticed before, but now she had, and without much effort, discerned the clues of this red thread.
And...
Her gaze shifted to the other side, another red thread appeared in her view.
Jiang Li was half-kneeling on one knee before the wheelchair, his one standing foot right in front of the wheelchair, facing Tianxuan’s small and pristine cloud boots, perfectly seeing the short red thread binding their ankles.
The other foot was half-kneeling, the ankle not visible, but the extending red thread could still be seen from the side.
Without a doubt, this too was a marriage line, tied to the other foot.
Her clever disciple really had skill, playing the game of "two boats with one foot."
[Murderous intent!]
While immersed in Yin Yang Transformation, Jiang Li suddenly saw three characters flash out from Karma Collection, and simultaneously felt a chill through his Divine Sense, startled in his heart.
His relationship with Master Tianxuan had made a great advance, and they had engaged in some form of interaction, two joyous events intertwined, which should have been double the joy, yet...
Thoughts flashing urgently in his heart, Jiang Li raised his head alertly, but saw only a pair of gentle eyes.
The sharpness vanished without a trace, replaced by a gentleness. Tianxuan, without changing her expression, released her hand, held for three days and nights, and nodded, saying, "Disciple, thanks to your help, your master managed to halt the advancement process, having a disciple such as yourself is truly your master’s fortune."
Indeed, it was just assistance, nothing more.
With a few words that finalized the matter, the Qi Mechanism connection between the two was severed, a slight sense of loss flickering across her heart.
Having experienced the entirety of the Yin Yang certification, naturally, separating suddenly would bring a sense of incompleteness and loss.
And since True Qi all comes from Refining Essence into Qi, mingling and transforming it is actually a very intimate act, representing some form of bond and connection, likewise producing corresponding effects.
Tianxuan’s mental state, lofty as the Deity of the Moon, momentarily rippled but she immediately suppressed it.
’This red thread...’
Cursing the red thread internally, Tianxuan, with an elder’s kindness, gently stroked Jiang Li’s head, smiling, said, "Disciple, you and Qing Yue are in heartfelt agreement, which comforts your master. Now, I ask you, have you ever done something to wrong Qing Yue?"
What does that mean?
Jiang Li nearly jolted in his heart; fortunately, before a complete sense of shock appeared, it was cut off by the Heavenly Escape Sword Intent.
His expression normal, his heartbeat normal, even his Divine Sense fluctuations normal, he immediately replied, "Of course not. I am devoted to Senior Sister, how could I wrong her?"
[As for the implication towards Tianxuan... Isn’t it just not bearing to see Senior Sister and Master part ways, fulfilling Senior Sister’s filial piety, how could that be considered wrongdoing?]
[No mistake, I, Jiang, am such a person of deep affection and righteousness, with my Daoist Heart as proof, I am a good person.]
"Very well."
Tianxuan seemed to believe what Jiang Li had said, her fingers like white jade stroking Jiang Li’s head, arranging some messy hair, her fingertips along the gaps in the hair touching the scalp, bringing a comfortable and pleasant coolness.
Of course, if necessary, this hand could also open the Heavenly Spirit, flipping Jiang Li’s skull open.
Whether it was necessary depended on what Tianxuan thought, and also on what Jiang Li said.
"By the way, when will you make your feelings clear to Qing Yue?" Tianxuan said slowly, "You had the idea to express your feelings back in Yong Province, didn’t you? When dealing with Lu King, you even once called him uncle."
Indeed, that Old Demon had been watching Jiang Li at that time.
Jiang Li, realizing this, swept his Heart’s Sword Intent through his mind, eliminating any superfluous thoughts. On the surface however, he appeared like a bashful young man, looking down, said, "This... indeed there is such a matter, but as for Senior Sister, Master also knows..."
"I know this," Tianxuan replied.
Tianxuan let out a light laugh, but her heart harbored a murderous intent, "Yong Province... it was you, wasn’t it?"
Generally speaking, the title of "affiliated son-in-law" is more derogatory than complimentary, nearly devoid of any praise.
This was evident from the status of a certain Dragon King’s Affiliated Son-in-law kneeling before the Fire Lotus, a status unbearable to behold directly.
To say that Jiang Li was indifferent to being an affiliated son-in-law, in Tianxuan’s view, that was impossible. She was unaware that he merely wanted to live off a woman; she had always believed that Jiang Li was genuinely devoted, willingly subjecting himself to such indignity, and thus she had sided with him.
However, it now seemed that while his affection was real, there might be some external forces at play behind it.
Connecting this to Yong Province, Tianxuan naturally thought of her old rival.
"Still going for younger ones, and now even wants me..."
A rare hint of girlish shyness emerged in her heart, but it was quickly overshadowed by coldness. Tianxuan was already thinking of how to deal with her old opponent, "After the affairs of the Divine Capital are settled, I will make sure you pay."
She hated to see others unharmed when she had suffered herself, and she utterly despised such behavior.
Her turmoil remained hidden beneath her composure, but Jiang Li, whose head she patted with a smile, could sense her long jade fingers tighten momentarily, as if they could transform into the Nine Yin White Bone Claw and burst his head open at any moment.
[Tianxuan might have noticed the red thread...]
Jiang Li’s mind was a whirl of complexity.
There was panic over the red thread being exposed and relief that he had kept it hidden from Tianxuan.
Once the red thread was exposed, some things were likely to be uncovered, and Jiang Li did not know how Tianxuan would deal with the red thread.
On the other hand, Jiang Li also felt cautious enough not to be exposed.
He believed, although the old demon was much more straightforward than his fellow disciple, she would not let a duck in her mouth escape easily, but she disliked being passive and preferred taking the initiative.
Jiang Li attacking her? Impossible!
Her attacking Jiang Li? Acceptable.
Any intentions exposed before her attack could bring negative consequences.
Thus, Jiang Li had concealed his knowledge; otherwise, he did not know what would become of him now.
"And I don’t know what would become of my dear older brother and sister-in-law..."
Jiang Li had keenly sensed a killing intent from Tianxuan’s words.
The future reunion would surely be spectacular.
However, at this moment, Jiang Li felt he should be more worried about himself.
The red thread was exposed, and although he skillfully avoided being split in half, what Tianxuan would do next was still uncertain for Jiang Li.
The same worries appeared in Tianxuan’s mind.
She looked down at the red thread, her lotus foot lightly moving, as if she could feel the touch at her ankle.
That red thread tied them together, linking his and her fates...
The affectionate interactions with Jiang Li, his filial piety, and the "torment" after the capsizing incident the other time... all these memories surfaced, causing a rare hesitation in Tianxuan.
If she hadn’t seen another red thread, her hesitation might have lasted longer.
Having two boats under her feet, or the relationship between three disciples... it was only because Jiang Li was unaware, otherwise, Tianxuan would have definitely split him alive for such a betrayal.
"It’s all the mischief of the red thread, fake!"
Thinking this, Tianxuan made up her mind, gently leaning down and her finger swept across, severing that red thread.
[The red thread connecting Jiang Li and Tianxuan was broken.]
Words simultaneously appeared on the Karma Collection.
A sense of wistful loss emerged in Jiang Li’s heart.
[But the marriage line between the two did not break, the ability of solidifying karma made it impossible for even a great Yi Dao practitioner like Tianxuan to sever the tie of marriage between her and Jiang Li.]
Another line of text appeared.
"Karma Collection, well done! Well done!"
Jiang Li could only say that fortune had turned, as the Karma Collection often brought him huge surprises unexpectedly.
Tianxuan, on the other hand, felt a slight sense of relief.
With the red thread cut, this tragic fate had come to an end; from now on, she could avoid the mockery from that woman Ji Lingguang who went for younger one.
"Get up."
She helped Jiang Li up from his wheelchair, naturally aiding him to break free from the Clear and Turbid Attraction, letting him sit back in the wheelchair.
"Maintaining this pose for three days and three nights must have been tough on you."
Tianxuan, with a hint of relief, smiled and then went behind the wheelchair to push it.
"Master?"
"I’m rewarding you."
A gentle breeze flowed, carrying their quiet thoughts, and the wheelchair rolled onward, moving farther and farther away.