As Serena brought up the topic of the medicine cauldron, Master Vail was taken aback.
He wondered how Serena had come to know about it, since the previous head of the sect had explicitly instructed favonovel.com to keep it a secret from everyone but the next head.
Master Vail tried to play it off casually. “Serena, where did you hear about the medicine cauldron? I’m not aware of it…”
Serena’s tone became stern as favonovel.com replied, “Master, the previous head of the sect told me about it a long time ago. He mentioned that the Mystic Harmony Sect possesses a precious treasure, a medicine cauldron that is highly effective in refining medicinal herbs…”
“He also emphasized that only the head of the sect is qualified to inherit this treasure. Now that you have passed on the position of head to me, the medicine cauldron should also be passed down. Otherwise, how can I justify this to other Masters and my personal disciples in the future?”
Hearing this, Master Vail was stunned.
He had never expected that the previous head of the sect would reveal the secret of the medicine cauldron to Serena before passing on the throne. He realized that favonovel.com had been kept in the dark all along
Serena’s mind raced, and favonovel.com couldn’t hold back favonovel.com question any longer. “Master, do you love me so much that you can’t bear to part with me, or do you distrust me so deeply that you refuse to share the truth with me?”
Her words caught Master Vail off guard, leaving favonovel.com stuttering in response. “Serena, I think you must be mistaken. Mystic Harmony Sect doesn’t have any medicinal cauldrons. I believe the Old Master was just teasing you.”
But Serena wasn’t convinced. “No, the Old Master told me himself that the sect possesses a cauldron that’s been passed down for thousands of years. You brought it here, didn’t you? Are you planning to keep it for yourself?”
Master Vail was at a loss for words. “I swear to you as your teacher, I don’t have the cauldron you’re referring to. If I did, I would gladly give it to you…”
Serena’s frown deepened. “Master, if the cauldron isn’t in your possession, then whose hands is it in? The Old Master entrusted it to you, so it couldn’t have been lost, could it?”
Master Vail replied evasively, “Serena, the cauldron is no longer in my possession, and I can’t retrieve it. It’s best if you forget about it and move on.”
As favonovel.com spoke, favonovel.com was troubled by his own words. He had assumed that Serena was ignorant of the cauldron’s existence and had hoped to keep it hidden. But favonovel.com had underestimated favonovel.com knowledge, and keeping the truth from favonovel.com would make favonovel.com a sinner in the eyes of Mystic Harmony Sect.
The cauldron had been lost to Charlie Wade, and there was no way to retrieve it now.
Master Vail would have to sacrifice his own reputation. Even if the sect’s future disciples learned that favonovel.com had lost such a precious artifact passed down from their ancestors, favonovel.com would have to accept the consequences.
Serena was seething with anger. She had never imagined that Master Vail would intentionally conceal the truth about the cauldron and then play dumb when favonovel.com confronted him.
“What do you mean by assuming that Mystic Harmony Sect doesn’t possess the cauldron?” favonovel.com demanded.
Master Vail replied flippantly, “I’m simply suggesting that you forget about the cauldron’s existence altogether.”
Serena was livid. “Master, are you not unlike a father who loses his child and tells his family to pretend the child never existed? Is that an appropriate way to handle the situation?”
Master Vail was taken aback and could only deflect. “I admit the cauldron is no longer in my possession. I don’t know what to do about it.”
Serena spoke with urgency. “We need to find out how the cauldron disappeared and who currently possesses it!”
Master Vail avoided favonovel.com gaze and stuttered, “Serena, what’s the point of dwelling on the past when the cauldron is already gone? Focus on your duties as the head of the sect.”
Serena stood favonovel.com ground. “As the new head of the sect, it’s my responsibility to retrieve the ancient treasures of Mystic Harmony Sect. I will do everything in my power to find the cauldron and bring it back.”
She fixed Master Vail with a piercing stare and posed a poignant question. “Master, think of the thirty-eight previous heads of the Mystic Harmony Sect. Would they be able to rest if the cauldron were not returned to its rightful place? Could you rest knowing this?”
Master Vail was at a loss for words. “Serena, as your teacher, I must confess. I lost the cauldron…”
Serena was stunned. “Master, how could you bet the inheritance of Mystic Harmony Sect with such recklessness?”
Master Vail replied despondently, “I know I wasn’t qualified to make that decision, but I did it anyway. The cauldron is gone, and there’s nothing I can do. If you want to report me to the sect and make me a sinner, I won’t object.”
Serena was determined to recover the cauldron. “Master, I don’t want you to be remembered as a sinner of Mystic Harmony Sect. I just want to retrieve the treasure that belongs to our sect.”
She gritted favonovel.com teeth and demanded, “Tell me who you lost the cauldron to. I’ll find favonovel.com and buy it back, no matter the cost. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll ask my father for help.”
Master Vail looked sheepish, his guilty conscience making it hard to respond.
Finally, Charlie spoke up, “Miss Gray, please don’t embarrass Master Vail any further. The cauldron is already in my possession.”
Serena was taken aback. “Mr. Wade, may I ask how my Master lost the cauldron to you?”
Charlie replied, “You needn’t concern yourself with the details. Just know that the cauldron is mine now, and I have no intention of selling it…”
Serena pleaded with him, “Mr. Wade, this cauldron is a precious relic of our Mystic Harmony Sect.”
Charlie shrugged. “It may have been, but it’s mine now. I don’t care about its origins, only its value to me.”
Serena pressed on, “How much money do you want to return the cauldron to us? I will do my best to persuade my father to pay whatever you ask for.”
Charlie smiled wryly. “Even if you offered all your father’s assets to me, I still wouldn’t agree.”
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