Chapter 20: Three Questions
Translator: Translation Nation/chuchutrain Editor: - -
Watching the monk leave the room, Pei Zi Yun could smell the sweet scented perfume and felt that something was not right. He covered his nostrils, but the strong smell still found its way to him. In his agitation, he realized that there was more to the smell. It had a certain purpose.
His heart drummed unrelentingly and he found it hard to control himself, but he persisted in his resistance. Half an hour later, one of the students who was having fun drinking wine, eating the meat and using the women, turned to him. He looked at Pei Zi Yun with distaste and hate, "Why hasn’t this person surrendered? There must be something wrong with him.”
These students had a bright future before them. Who would have expected that before noon came, the entire place was filled with a bunch of evildoers. Their hearts were filled with hatred as they drank to the point of drunkenness before falling asleep on the floor.
Pei Zi Yun was almost at his tipping point, where he could resist the urge no longer. Just then, he heard a soft voice saying, "Since your character is steadfast, and you are unable to resist the scent, it proves your willpower is very strong. I shall save you.”
A small stone was flicked and hit the nearest woman, causing her to faint. A rope was then lowered from the opening in the ceiling. Pei Zi Yun took hold of the rope, secured it to his waist before climbing up and out.
The rope suddenly became like a snake, pulling Pei Zi Yun all the way up. Just as he looked down, he saw his body still seated down below and gasped in horror.
Did his soul just leave his body?
When the rope was still, and he was out of the temple, he saw a Daoist man waiting there for him laughing. He took a closer look and realized the Daoist was wearing torn and tattered clothes. It was that disheveled and unkempt Daoist from the restaurant!
Seeing the look of fear on Pei Zi Yun’s face, the Daoist laughed and said, "Do not panic, what’s below is just a decoy of you to deceive them.”
“You have already escaped from the temple.”
He was about to continue speaking when he felt an intense heat coming from within his clothes. He felt for the source and pulled out an enchanted talisman and it was blinking with lights. He touched the centre and a shadow appeared, "Your senior uncle’s reincarnation has been confirmed. You do not need to test further.”
“What? It has been confirmed?” the Daoist asked inquisitively.
Seeing the magic before him, Pei Zi Yun was shocked and afraid. He then saw the Daoist’s expression changing before he hurriedly went down on his knees and wanted to acknowledge him as his teacher.
The Daoist man then forced a laughter and reached out a hand, holding on to Pei Zi Yun, "Since you are not my teacher’s reincarnation, you have your own destiny and I cannot accept you.”
“Teacher, please teach me your ways.” Pei Zi Yun said through gritted teeth and was about to kneel down again.
The Daoist sighed and said, "The Daoist world is huge and encompasses everything. You have good virtues but both of us are entangled together by fate and cannot be broken.
Pei ZI Yun heard this and replied, "Why would someone be reincarnated?”
“Reincarnation follows the wishes of Dao, and proves that you are not just a normal person that I can accept. If you want to enter my sect, I shall ask you three questions.”
“Regarding your mother, can you put her aside to follow me into the mountains and fully concentrate on cultivating Dao?”
“Regarding your lover, can you put her aside to follow me into the mountains and fully concentrate on cultivating Dao?”
“Regarding your career, can you put it aside to follow me into the mountains and fully concentrate on cultivating Dao?”
Pei Zi Yun heard these three questions and could not answer. Seeing Pei Zi Yun being dumbfounded, he then said, "But since you and I are fated, and you paid for my last meal, I shall repay the favour. I have a manual that I can pass to you.”
“If you are able to cultivate past level ten, I shall let you enter the sect.”
“If you are unable to, then treat it as exercise.”
Immediately after saying this, he stepped off the roof and walked in the air as if he was flying and disappeared after some time.
Seeing him leave, Pei Zi Yun then let out a sigh of relief as he gradually regained colour in his face. Hiding under the shadows casted by the temple, he saw a monk holding a torch and walking the parameter of the temple. Feeling in his chest, he felt the manual that had been given to him by the Daoist and then hurriedly fled.
Thankfully he was not visible on the roof at it was dark. He thought to himself, This was dangerous!
Thinking back, whatever the monk said earlier had made sense. Should something happen to ten students, not just Silver Dragon Temple, but even the entire Holy Jail Sect would not be able to cover it up.
Even if they could cover up, they would have been discovered sooner or later and be exterminated.
It was precisely because of that, Pei Zi Yun had to bite the bullet and resist whatever he felt. This Holy Jail Sect was not a good sect. Pei Zi Yun had originally thought that being a stockbroker, he had good concentration skills and therefore could resist the scent. He would never have expected that he almost fell into it.
“In matters of life and death, the ancient people really are looking down on me.”
“But my fortunes have changed for the better.”
“However, during this encounter the system did not show up at all. It seems like this system is just a creation made by my innate spiritual ability and is not a real system.”
“At least the spiritual energy is able to anticipate danger. Even ancient swords could give warning signs whenever danger was around, much less something more capable and precious like the Plum Blossom. Maybe it’s just that I do not have enough authority yet.”
“Regardless, I should leave now!”
“As for Zhang Jie Yu and the disheveled Daoist, one treated this like a game with his fake acting, the other made something simple so complicated. What three questions rubbish. In my past life, I had entered a sect before too.”
Pei Zi Yun then started to run, thinking deep down, "This time I got lucky, next time I shall bring a sword.”
“With my martial arts skills, as long as I am not surrounded, even if it were these monks, I can take them out one by one.”
Night has fallen and the darkness enveloped the entire place. A few stars were shining up overhead, like gemstones blinking in the night.
As he felt his way around, Pei Zi Yun was careful. Seeing the shadow on the talisman, he knew that it was an enchanted talisman with a phantom shadow in it.
At this point, he was still near the temple and thus remained as quiet as possible. His footsteps were light and gentle as he clutched onto the dagger, gradually making his way down the mountain.
He was sneaking around, trying to leave when he heard some noises in front of him. Pei Zi Yun immediately squatted down and observed. He saw a teahouse in front. During the day, several waiters would be around serving tea. Now a torch was lighted inside. Pei Zi Yun crept up to get a better look. He saw a few monks with scars on their heads inside, sitting around a table.
He got nearer and nearer until he could hear the conversations inside the teahouse. One of the monks was holding a wine bowl and drinking. There was no food on the table except for a plate of nuts. There were also two pots of wine and some tiles which the monks were playing. Some money was on the table as well. These men were gambling.
There was one monk standing at the door guarding and checking his surroundings eagerly. While the rest of the monks were inside drinking and playing their tiles, they called for him, "Fifth brother, what’s so nice about staring outside? Come in and play with us, it’s enjoyable!”
Seeing there was no movement outside, their fifth brother was somewhat tempted. He then decided to go inside. He picked up a bowl and drank from it, "I wondered what happened today, the few of us are down on our luck and got sent out here.”
“Fifth brother, don’t you know? Today the high ranking people came down and thus they sent us down here. But it’s true that the few of us are unlucky. If we had stayed in the temple, we would have enjoyed the few beautiful ladies as well. But instead we’re here. Let’s not think about it anymore…”
“Let’s not talk about it, it will make us upset. Second brother deal the tiles!”
Pei Zi Yun heard this in the dark. And saw the monks inside calling the monk outside to join them. He was surprised. Although he did not know any Dao Arts, he had thought of killing the monk outside with his dagger, but thought better of it in case the others were alerted, in which case he would have lost his life.
Now is the time to avoid danger, he thought as he stretched his back and walked towards the grass, past the pavilion.
Just then, the one who they called fifth brother heard something. He put down his drinking bowl and walked outside to take a look. Pei Zi Yun immediately crouched down to avoid detection. Thankfully, there was not much moonlight, with only a few stars.
“I thought I heard some movement” Fifth brother had very sensitive ears. Just as he reached the door, he looked around and felt rather suspicious, "Why has the movement stopped?”
“Fifth brother, don’t be overly suspicious, what movement? It was probably just a rabbit in the grass. Come! Drink and play. Outside is dark and misty, what’s so good to look at?”
It was just as well that the fifth brother listened to them as he walked back in and started drinking and playing. He still had the feeling that something was off, so he went back out to stand guard, with nobody saying anything anymore.
…………
- Capital City
With the new dynasty, the capital city was very busy and glamourous. There were some people along the river carrying lanterns and beating drums at this time of the night.
There were other lanterns flickering with lights hanging from the hotels and restaurants. Although most of these restaurants were already closed, the streets were illuminated with their lanterns.
In the inn, the serving staff had a hand on the table, his eyes were closed and he was repeatedly nodding off to sleep.
He was abruptly awoken by some movement nearby. He looked ahead and saw a patron who lived in the western cabin of his inn and his name was Pei Zi Yun. He smiled and said, "It’s Master Pei. Have you returned for the night?”
As he spoke he inched nearer to Pei Zi Yun and could smell the strong scent of alcohol and some women’s perfume on him. He was thinking that Pei Zi Yun had been drinking and playing with women, which was completely different from his initial impression that he was an upright student.
Pei Zi Yun saw the serving staff’s expression and knew it had gotten the wrong idea. He smiled and the serving staff smiled back at him, "I can smell the alcohol on you. If you go to bed now, you might not sleep well. I shall fetch some hot water for you.”
Pei Zi Yun rubbed his stomach and felt hungry. He had not eaten the entire day and the journey back expanded all his energy. He then said, "The hot water can wait. Is there anything I can eat? Don’t be stingy with the food, prepare some for me and send it upstairs. The hot water can come after.”
Since there will always be patrons hungry in the middle of the night, there inn would always have some food prepared. Since the student was hungry, the serving staff agreed, "Please wait young master, I will bring it up shortly.”
He then went behind to the kitchen and started his preparations. Pei Zi Yun was thirsty and hungry. He walked upstairs and had some cups of tea to try and relieve his thirst. After thinking for a long while, he took out some paper and began to write.
After writing on a few pieces, the serving staff brought the goods up. When he opened the basket, he saw a plate of roasted meat, some beancurd, and a plate of fried beansprout. Smelling the delicious aroma, he realised just how much he was famished.
The serving staff then took out a plate of dumplings and apologized, "The chef isn’t in today, so the food is quite simple. I seek your understanding.”
Pei Zi Yun saw the sumptuous meal laid before him and said, "Later when the water has been boiled, please send it up since you need to keep the utensils as well.”