Chapter 481 - 483: Let Heaven Decide
Master Guangde once again handed the wooden fish to Chu Ge.
Chu Ge was perplexed and said, "This originally belongs to the master, and since fate brought us together today, it’s akin to ’return the jade intact to Zhao’."
Master Guangde smiled, uttered, "Amitabha Buddha – The karmic bond between the wooden fish and me has ended. Since it was destined to end up in my nephew-disciple’s hands, it shows that there is a profound connection between you and the wooden fish. How could I possibly take it back?"
Seeing that Master Guangde refused to take it, Chu Ge had no choice but to let it be.
The friendship between Master Guangde and Chu Ge’s master was as deep as his master and Jian Chunqiu’s. Naturally, when they met, they had to catch up.
However, as they conversed, Master Guangde’s evaluating eyes fell on Chu Ge and he always felt that something was odd about him.
Chu Ge, feeling somewhat uncomfortable under Master Guangde’s gaze, curiously asked, "Master Guangde, why do you look at me like that?"
Master Guangde slightly shook his head, smiled and said, "It has been a decade since I last saw my nephew-disciple. I feel that there have been huge changes in you; I can no longer see the shadow of the boy from those years."
Although he had last seen Chu Ge when he was only ten, he vividly remembered the pride inherent in him. The ten-year-old Chu Ge was lanky and had an indescribable air of arrogance, but now, a decade later, that pride seemed entirely absent, instead, he appeared somewhat sickly.
Chu Ge didn’t expect Master Guangde to notice his condition so quickly. Thinking of the loss of his martial arts skills due to poisoning, he gave a bitter smile and said, "I won’t hide it from you, master, I am poisoned, and my martial arts are completely gone. I’m no different from an ordinary person now."