The price of a sharp tongue was that the beautiful master arranged ten howork assignnts.
Even begging in a massaging way was of no use.
But to be fair, the amber beads in his mouth were indeed quite sweet, sowhat like mint mixed with green apple.
After Jiang Shouzhong had laboriously recited ten articles about asceticism, Dugu Luoxue handed him the clothes she had sewn: "I made so size adjustnts, they should fit."
"You finished them so quickly?" Jiang Shouzhong exclaid.
"Try them on."
Dugu Luoxue’s eyes and brows carried a gentle softness.
Jiang Shouzhong changed into the new clothes and ca before the mirror.
The clothes fit as if tailor-made; each stitch and line perfectly aligned, outlining his figure to appear even more slender and upright, like an elegant tree in the forest, standing against the wind.
Gazing at his reflection, Jiang Shouzhong suddenly beca sowhat distracted.
Apart from Ye, Dugu Luoxue was the only one who made clothes for him.
He had never felt that their relationship was particularly close, even now that they were in a ntor-disciple relationship.
He was also aware that her purpose in taking him as a disciple was to temper his Dao Heart, attempting to gain an upper hand in their previous debate... there was a purpose behind it.
But this woman had indeed devotedly fulfilled her responsibilities as a master.
And indeed, she was genuinely kind to him.
What kind of woman was she really?
The rigidity and prudence of a Confucian scholar, the delicate thoughts of a woman, the aloof pride of a top cultivator, coupled with her innate traits of a good wife and mother, along with the air of pursuing "asceticism"...
Undoubtedly, this woman was very charming.
"Why? Is it uncomfortable?"
Seeing Jiang Shouzhong in a daze, Dugu Luoxue asked.
Jiang Shouzhong ca back to his senses and smiled while shaking his head, "I was just marveling at how skillfully my master handles even the worldly task of sewing, which is very rare among cultivators."
Dugu Luoxue stepped forward to adjust the man’s sleeves and said softly:
"Worldly experiences refine the heart, not diverging from daily actions. Dressing and eating are part of the wonderful Dao, just living a bit simpler, that’s all."
Jiang Shouzhong chuckled: "Coarse tea and light rice sustain the body, a clear heart and few desires cultivate the self, thus revealing the simplicity of the great Dao, right?"
Dugu Luoxue’s lips curled into a slight smile as she gently flicked the man’s forehead with her finger: "Hmm, the disciple is very insightful, keep it up."
Jiang Shouzhong looked closely at the woman’s delicate and pure face, his heart ward, and he couldn’t help but say, "Master, have you never thought about getting married? Why insist on asceticism? Experiencing the love between a man and a woman is quite nice."
Dugu Luoxue looked up and glared at him: "Thinking about howork again?"
Jiang Shouzhong chuckled dryly.
Noticing the man’s hair was a bit ssy, Dugu Luoxue picked up a wooden comb from the table and began combing, all the while saying:
"As a cultivator, one should always seek sothing of their own. I don’t think there is anything wrong with my asceticism, and I am also trying to prove that I am right."
Hearing the stubbornness in the woman’s words, Jiang Shouzhong helplessly dropped the idea of persuading her and instead asked, "Master, if I am no longer your disciple one day, will you still treat this well?"
Dugu Luoxue paused her combing and said lightly:
"When you succeed in asceticism, you can stop being my disciple."
"That’s difficult, I’m just a normal man with desires," Jiang Shouzhong sighed.
After finishing with his hair, Dugu Luoxue stepped back to examine Jiang Shouzhong and nodded in satisfaction before she lightly spoke:
"It’s okay, I will eventually find a solution to break through and make you agree with my ideology, passing on the ’Path of Asceticism.’ I believe you will do it better than ."
Jiang Shouzhong kindly reminded her: "Master, you really don’t have to waste your effort, and honestly, you watching in activities with other won will ultimately hurt you. It’s not easy to witness; you might end up confused and infatuated."
"You underestimate ," Dugu Luoxue smiled, "A clear heart makes everything calm."
"Why don’t we make a pinky promise?"
The man held out his little finger.
Dugu Luoxue hesitated for a mont, then extended her delicate and pale little finger, hooking it gently with his.
But the next second, the woman suddenly withdrew her hand.
Perhaps it was instinctive, or perhaps stemming from an inner fear... at that mont, she inexplicably felt so concern and dread, and ripples appeared in her normally undisturbed state of mind.
"Rest early."
Dugu Luoxue turned and left Jiang Shouzhong’s room.
...
After washing her face simply, Dugu Luoxue sat at the desk, picked up the ink-dipped brush, and began writing.
Writing cald the mind best.
Once her restless mood had fully cald down, Dugu Luoxue took off her outer robe, sat cross-legged on the bed, and closed her eyes to ditate.
The next mont, she entered her Daoist School.
Within the Daoist School, vast expanses of white snow covered everything, leaving the world immaculate and flawless.
Just like her heart.
Dugu Luoxue ford hand seals and began to recite the "Mantra of Asceticism": "Observe the innate heart, forget both self and objects, guard the spiritual platform, stay untainted by dust, the one without desires is free from worries..."
Gradually, the surroundings took on a sinister appearance as skeletal figures draped in red erged quietly.
These red-clad skeletons slowly morphed into her likeness.
Every finger bone, every skull’s contour matched her own silhouette.
Leaves began to fall, gently landing around.
Thus, in this supposed pristine world, nurous Dugu Luoxues appeared; they were sweeping the leaves earnestly, as if clearing the stray thoughts from the chambers of their hearts.
The Path of Asceticism emphasizes a calm and clean heart.
Only by constantly maintaining a pure and flawless spirit can one pursue the ultimate Dao.
However, at that mont, Dugu Luoxue was shocked to find a leaf that could not be swept away. Although the broom passed over it, the leaf remained there as if stuck.
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