The two walked through the long tunnel and entered the main hall, only to see Jade Cauldron squatting on the ground, busy with a jumble of bottles and jars.
When he saw the Monkey enter, he first widened his eyes, but quickly deflated like a punctured ball, muttering, "So you're Master Sage Subhuti's disciple, huh? Sigh, I'm still a bit short when it comes to competing with him for disciples. Just a bit short."
The Monkey gave an awkward laugh; he truly didn't know how to respond to that.
Still, being appreciated by Jade Cauldron made him somewhat happy. Back when he journeyed a hundred thousand miles west, how come he never met Jade Cauldron? If he had, maybe he would've stayed here and never gone to Slant Moon Three Star Cave.
"Brother Jade Cauldron," Skylar Loft spoke up, "about my taking Anna Yang as a disciple..."
"Let her apprentice if she wishes, it doesn't matter," Jade Cauldron replied absentmindedly as he fiddled with his bottles and jars. "It's been a thousand years, and despite all my teaching, I haven't helped her reach the Divine Transformation stage. If it weren't for Erik Yang always bringing celestial wine, peaches, and even the Fruit of Life, she would've probably grown old by now. I'm not a competent master—how could I object to her changing sects?"
The Monkey found a stone bench and sat down, asking, "Anna Yang seems quite clever. How come she hasn't reached the Divine Transformation stage after so long?"
Jade Cauldron let out a long sigh, raised his head slightly, and stared at the empty ground ahead. Slowly, he said, "This girl is even more burdened than her brother—her heart is set on revenge. Erik Yang also seeks vengeance, but he follows the Way of the Traveler, which actually drives him forward. As for her... she's mastered medicine, prescriptions, and the art of forging tools, perhaps even better than me. But when it comes to the Way of the Seeker, a heart with knots can't progress in cultivation. Skylar, my friend..."
"Mm."
"From now on, it's up to you. The disciple I couldn't teach well, you must teach her right," Jade Cauldron slowly turned his head, his face full of helplessness and a wry smile.