Apotheosis

When he heard the sound of the bell echo across his ears, Zen felt excited.

Finally...

If it continued like this, he might give up and head back to Dragon City.

"Did the bell ring to assemble the disciples?" Zen asked with curious eyes.

Seeing his hopeful expression, Trish pursed her lips and shook her head. "No, Mr. Luo, it rings at the beginning of each month, by customary rule."

"What does it mean?" Zen asked listening intently.

"Nothing. It's just a friendly reminder that a new month has begun," Trish replied.

"…"

Disappointed by her words, Zen sighed and closed the door without uttering a word.

Observing Zen's profile, Trish bit her tongue and turned to Carrie while giving her shoulders a shrug.

Carrie raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "It seems Mr. Luo is very impatient."

"According to them, I'm afraid that it's difficult for Mr. Luo to achieve anything in the Flow Sword Sect," Trish said while shaking her head.

"Forget about that. I think he is a good man. He is polite and gentle," said Carrie.

Even after listening to Carrie speak highly of Zen, Trish still had a grim look on her face.

The reason why she became a servant girl of the Flow Sword Sect was that she had missions to fulfill. What she loathed was being outshone by other maids. If Zen didn't perform well, she would be disappointed.

But, she did not have the privilege of choosing her master, so she could only suppress her disappointment in her heart.

As the darkness of the night cloaked the sky, the stars that were shy to shine in the day flaunted their light.

As if that was their cue, the doors to the courtyards opened, one by one.

Servant girls in white appeared to step out of each gate before they walked along the alleys.

Zen quickly spotted Trish stepping out of the door.

Suddenly he was alerted, and he released a wisp of spiritual sense to follow after her.

Like all the other girls, Trish walked in a single direction without uttering a word to anyone. As soon as they crossed the alleys, Zen felt a powerful force shatter his spiritual sense, breaking his connection with her.

The girls in white quickly flocked into a palace and waited for someone to arrive.

There were five golden pots scattered across the room. The girls stood in a row in front of them.

After a short while,

to see your master be rated as 'Poor' again next time! Do you hear me?"

Trish felt her soul leave her body when she saw the bamboo slip getting placed in the 'Poor' pot.

Mocking gazes from the other girls felt like swords stabbing her from all directions. Subconsciously she covered her face in shame and felt her cheeks burn.

"You can leave now." The woman ordered someone to put away the pots, and gestured the girls to leave.

After the woman went with her group, the girls followed and left the palace too.

They quickly formed groups and began whispering and gossiping amongst each other.

Trish walked like an outsider among the crowd with heavy steps and felt light-headed.

One girl came up to her and said, "Fortunately, we don't need to take an examination this month. There's something wrong with the Flow Tower. After it is repaired, you have to be careful. If your master is expelled from the Flow Sword Sect, you will also be expelled as his maid."

The girl's words seemed to be caring, but actually, she was ridiculing Trish.

"I know that,"

Trish said with low spirits as she kept her head hung loose.

She returned to Zen's courtyard and met with Carrie. Standing there, Carrie read her expressions and guessed the result.

"Good?

Fair?

Poor?! Oh my God!"

After a long period of silence, Carrie asked in a concerned tone, "What should we do now?"

"We have to figure out a way," said Trish sternly.

"What way? Tell me, I'm all ears," Carrie asked.

"A way to make Mr. Luo give up cultivation," said Trish.