A Cup of Tea Ruined the Destiny! . . .
[Let Feng Zhiling bear the embarrassment... I am Cha Eun Xiao!]
Embracing this notion, Cha Eun Xiao found solace in the situation. In fact, he even derived a perverse pleasure from allowing the refined Master Bai to experience the scent of his... emissions!
There was a saying that suggested flatulence was the body's qi, something impossible to stifle. Another proverb posited, "Who farts, laughs; who smells, feels dejected!" These aphorisms fit the situation all too well.
At this moment, Master Bai appeared somewhat disheartened. Despite having taken only a single sip of tea, he was no longer in the mood to continue. Yet, he retained his composure. Master Bai managed to regain his poise, adjusting his emotions before offering another smile. "How do you find this tea?"
Cha Eun Xiao took a deep breath, then replied, "Excellent. Superb. Truly extraordinary."
[Excellent?]
Observing Eun Xiao's deep inhalation, Master Bai arched an eyebrow. [Yes, it is excellent. But why take such a deep breath? Don't you realize you've just been flatulent a million times over? It's still lingering in the air! Although it doesn't smell particularly unpleasant, it's still gas! Do you have some peculiar quirk...?]
Unperturbed by such thoughts, Cha Eun Xiao remained blissfully unaware of Master Bai's musings.
In fact, he had a more pressing query on his mind.
"Actually, you didn't have to give me this tea," Cha Eun Xiao mused, unable to fathom Master Bai's motivations. "Even though it's a source of pain for you, you weren't obligated to reveal it... So, why did you do it?"
"You wish to know why?" Master Bai smiled mysteriously, though his expression betrayed a hint of helplessness.
"Indeed," Cha Eun Xiao affirmed.
With a recline in his chair, Master Bai's delicate brows arched. "You desire to understand the reason?"
"Of course."
Master Bai settled back, looking thoughtful as he spoke, "An opportunity isn't always an opportunity. In fact, when you miss an opportunity, it can become a hindrance. Since I encountered that tree, my cultivation has slowed to a crawl, and I've continually faced insurmountable bottlenecks. This was unprecedented for me. Whenever I recall the past, I sigh with frustration. I loathe it, whether my fortunes were good or bad." Master Bai wore a tranquil, enigmatic smile as he revealed, "I wanted to give it away, to sever the connection with that opportunity entirely."
"Over the years, Cha Nantian, I've found no one deserving of this gift," Master Bai began. "In fact, there hasn't been a soul I've dared to bestow this upon."
He continued, his eyes reflecting the pain he felt, "If I were to offer this treasure to those in my realm, even if they were my own kin, they would imprison me and demand more. Such a supernatural item is something no one can resist. Everyone covets it. To possess it is to mark oneself as a target. I would be deemed a fool, sealing my own demise."
The anguish in his eyes was fleeting, replaced by resolve. "However, fate intervened today when you shattered my Illusory Sky Array. And I had also made a promise that I found difficult to keep. You made your audacious request, and I couldn't go back on my word. To honor my promise, I had no choice but to..."
Master Bai's voice trailed off, and he sighed. "At that moment, Cha Eun Xiao, I came to understand that it isn't my destiny to possess this item. It's yours. It appears that the heavens have chosen me as the instrument through which to pass it on to you. So, it can be considered destiny. I, on the other hand, think it's simply the way our conversation unfolded. But why do you draw such conclusions? The outcome might not be as you think."
"The will of heaven is unpredictable," he continued. "If it were not your destiny, our conversation would have unfolded differently. If you were not destined, you should have perished from the explosive surge within your body when you drank the tea, given your limited cultivation."
Master Bai smiled serenely. "Perhaps it's still beyond your comprehension. Only when you attain a certain level of understanding will you see. One must be cautious and not speak recklessly. Every word has the potential to alter the will of heaven. Everything you utter has the power to transform your life completely."
"For me, it's a sore point, while for you, it's destiny," he added. "In gifting it to you, I'm bestowing you with your own destiny while relieving myself of mine. Maybe you don't realize it, but when I made the decision to pass it on to you, I felt liberated as though I could take flight. For me, I've never experienced destiny of this sort, so why pretend otherwise?"
Cha Eun Xiao remained pensive. "I believe I can comprehend it. Things unfold as ordained by the heavens, not by us."
Master Bai offered a wry, cold laugh.
However, Cha Eun Xiao pressed on, saying, "But there must be other reasons behind your decision."
Master Bai maintained his silence, for there were indeed other factors at play. Yet, he refrained from revealing them to Cha Eun Xiao at that moment.
For anyone destined to encounter the Heavenly Destined Tree, they would be granted only one opportunity to do so. No one ever had the chance to witness it more than once. The sight of the tree was a one-time gift, and the tree itself would only display its radiant splendor once.
Master Bai's heart had been scarred by the loss he experienced upon seeing the tree, but he was now gifting it to Feng Zhiling as if it were Feng Zhiling who had missed out on the chance. In essence, he was releasing himself from the curse of the "one-time limited" viewing, providing himself with another opportunity to encounter the tree.
This was a momentous opportunity for Master Bai. Having seen the tree before, he knew its location and could recognize its leaves. He was more likely to benefit from the tree now, especially when the tree's leaves were indistinguishable from those of ordinary trees. Only eighty percent of those who had encountered the tree could recognize it.
Master Bai had a revelation as he looked upon Feng Monarch; it became apparent that Cha Eun Xiao was destined to lay eyes on the Heavenly Destined Tree, and this realization fueled Master Bai's decision to intervene in his fate.
To any onlooker, the gift he offered might have appeared extraordinary, a treasure of unmatched worth. Yet, for Cha Eun Xiao, this was not just an opportunity; it was a lifeline to his destiny. While he had the destiny, there was no guarantee he would be able to unlock its potential. In all likelihood, he would never cross paths with the Heavenly Destined Tree again, and even if he did, his unfamiliarity with the tree would likely lead to missing it. Therefore, Cha Eun Xiao had indeed gained considerably from this encounter, even though what he received was a mere fraction of the tree's potential.
For Master Bai, it was a matter of surrendering a handful of leaves—no more, no less. What truly mattered was that by facilitating Cha Eun Xiao's access to these leaves, he effectively terminated the possibility of future encounters with the Heavenly Destined Tree. In essence, Master Bai was dismantling the destiny of a man who could pose a threat to him.
With just a cup of tea, he had disrupted the course of destiny, a truth he had no intention of revealing to Cha Eun Xiao. Instead, he would allow Cha Eun Xiao to believe he had received a grand gift. Yet, only time would unveil who truly held the more significant boon.