Adelaide Bautista did not reach out her hand.
"Even if you want to give it away, shouldn’t you give it to your mother instead?"
Carson Flores smiled, "If Mother knew about this, she would surely agree wholeheartedly. What she hopes for, what she lacks is not cultivation resources."
After pondering for a moment, Adelaide Bautista extended her slender fingers and pinched a lotus seed between them.
"Your kindness is clear, alright, I’ll accept it. One seed is more than enough."
Seeing that Carson Flores wanted to say something more, Adelaide Bautista explained, "This seed is not for eating, but to be held in the mouth during cultivation, especially during comprehension. It can clear the mind and sharpen wisdom. One is indeed sufficient, so taking one is more than enough."
Carson Flores suddenly understood. So the seed was not for eating, but for holding in the mouth!
But if one was indeed enough, then why had Master Campbell given him three?
Carson Flores had an epiphany and at the same time, he felt a shock deep within. Was this the true intention behind the gift?
Collecting his thoughts, Carson Flores took back the remaining two seeds and said with a smile, "The Cave Master merely gave them to me without explaining their use. I had to inquire with the steward of the guest house to learn the origin of the lotus..."
Adelaide Bautista gazed at Carson Flores, her eyes softer than when they had first met.
"How long do you plan to stay?"
Carson Flores replied, "I’ll stay for a while to keep Mother company, then I’ll leave."
Adelaide Bautista hummed in acknowledgment, "Alright, come see me before you leave."
Adelaide Bautista’s tone returned to calm, "You may go now."
Carson Flores stood up, "Aunt Adelaide, goodbye."
After leaving the cave dwelling, Carson Flores looked back at the now-closed entrance and slowly exhaled.
From beginning to end, neither had brought up Westin Flores, a delicate and sensitive topic not easy to discuss.
One had lost a loved one, the other had lost a father.
Carson Flores flew away on his sword, leaving the cave dwelling behind.
Just as Carson Flores departed, not far from the cave dwelling, a middle-aged man also flew away on his sword, heading into the distance.
The middle-aged man arrived at Nutwood Peak and landed at the entrance to a cave dwelling.
"Feather Brother, it’s me, Jordan Harvey."
The door to the cave dwelling opened, revealing a handsome young man with a genial smile looking out at Jordan Harvey, "What brings you here?"
Jordan Harvey whispered, "A guest visited Sister Adelaide’s cave dwelling."
The young man smiled faintly, "Hasn’t she been in closed-door cultivation for years, refusing all visitors? Who went to knock on a closed door again?"
Jordan Harvey glanced at the young man’s face and cautiously replied, "Sister Adelaide saw him."
The young man’s smile stiffened, his tone cooling slightly, "Who?"
Jordan Harvey whispered back, "The son of Westin Flores, Carson Flores."
The young man’s expression changed abruptly, "The son of Westin Flores?"
Jordan Harvey nodded, "He claimed to be a disciple from Nutwood Mountain and sought Miss Adelaide, but Sister Adelaide refused him. Then he changed his request to meet Aunt Adelaide as Westin Flores’ son, and Sister Adelaide came out and let him into the cave dwelling. As for what they talked about, I don’t know, but he didn’t stay long before he left."
A fierce look flashed in the young man’s eyes, "The old one is dead, and now the young one appears. They really are like lingering spirits."
Jordan Harvey asked quietly, "Feather Brother, is there anything I can do?"
After a moment’s thought, the young man said, "Since he declares himself a disciple from Nutwood Mountain, he must have stayed in the guest house before. Go there now and find out what this young man is here for."
Jordan Harvey nodded, "Alright, I’ll go at once!"
Jordan Harvey soared on his sword, quickly heading towards the guest house.
The young man stood at the edge of a cliff, waiting in silence with a stern face.
Jordan Harvey did not delay and soon returned, with a slightly odd expression on his face.
In a low voice, Jordan Harvey reported, "Onyx Mason wouldn’t speak at first, but he did after I mentioned your name, Feather Brother. Carson Flores is the recently acquired Direct Disciple of Master Campbell from Nutwood Mountain, sent to deliver a message to the Cave Master. Early in the morning, he had already met with Master Campbell. It is said the Cave Master gave him Heaven-reaching Lotus Seeds. After leaving the Divine Pool area, he went to Sister Adelaide’s cave dwelling..."
The young man’s expression shifted slightly, "Wasn’t this boy abandoned in the mortal world? How did he suddenly become Master Campbell’s Direct Disciple?"
Jordan Harvey shook his head, "Onyx Mason only knows this much. The rest is unclear."
The young man’s face was cold, "That bastard of Westin Flores, it would be best if he ended up dead like his father. To have the Heaven-reaching Lotus Seeds in his possession is a complete waste!"
Tentatively, Jordan Harvey asked, "Shall I go and discreetly take him down?"
The young man pondered for a moment, "The identity of Master Campbell’s Direct Disciple is significant. Making a move could lead to dire consequences if exposed. You can’t personally act, but here’s what you’ll do: go find Tobias Singleton; he owes me his life. Have him handle this. You keep an eye on Carson Flores. Once he leaves, have him killed in the wilderness. Bring back the seeds and leave no evidence."
Jordan Harvey answered respectfully, "As you command."
The young man’s eyes gleamed fiercely as he spoke with a commanding tone, "After you’ve killed him, take one of his personal effects. Find someone to lure Lucy Frost, that woman, out and finish her as well. I want them to completely vanish from this world, just like Westin Flores. Anyone who troubles Adelaide Bautista must die!"