Chapter Thirty-Five: Shifu

  What a woman she is, her pale pink Taoist robe makes her look like an immortal in a painting. If it weren't for Dao Ming saying they've known each other for 30 years, I really would have thought this woman's age wouldn't be much older than mine. Long Yun, also wearing a pink Taoist robe, stands beside her, the two of them looking just like sisters - is this the White Tiger Shifu that Master has mentioned?

  "Master Shi Ying, they have arrived." Yu Dao Ming, who was sitting upright in the main hall, saw me and Deng Cao enter one after another. He turned his face to smile at Master Shi Ying, who was whispering something to Long Yuan.

  "Junior Lou Mengmeng, Deng Cao, pay respects to Master Shu!" Seeing that the master's eyebrows were like distant mountains with a hint of elegance, and his eyes were like autumn water rippling, he looked over at us. I and Deng Cao hastily paid our respects in unison.

  "No need for formalities, how is your master? It's been many years since I've seen them!" Shifu slowly walked over and helped me and Dengcao up.

  "Master is doing well, but he's been worried about Master Shu's health. This time, we were sent out to visit Master Shu and also to ask him something. As I faced this beautiful Master Shu, my mouth started to slip out of control. Actually, there wasn't much to it, Master just mentioned that we should look for the White Tiger successor along the way."

  "You're so slick at such a young age, I don't know how many girls you'll deceive in the future. Those two old fogies won't care about my well-being anyway. Sit down and talk! Daming, today I have some younger relatives visiting your great Wu Tang as guests. What? Can't even spare a cup of clear tea?" Master Ying's words were always soft and gentle, making it impossible for anyone to harbor any rebellious thoughts.

  "Haha, clear wind and bright moon, serve tea!" Yu Dao Ming, who had been silent for a long time, burst out laughing and waved his sleeve at the two Taoist boys serving him on either side.

  "I've already guessed the purpose of your visit, but that little girl ran out just a moment ago without telling me. I'm afraid you two have made a wasted trip this time. Go back and tell your master that once I catch her, I will personally send her to Mount Mao for discipline." Master Shiying sat down cross-legged on a cushion with Longyuan's attendance, then said angrily to us. Looking at her expression, she didn't seem to be pretending either. But which little girl would have the audacity to provoke White Tiger?

  "It's all my fault for spoiling her since she was young, now I want to control her but can't." Master Shiying said with a loving shake of his head. As the four images were born alone and without dependence, they treated their own disciples like their own children. Master Shiying was also a woman, so when this maternal love overflowed, it was understandable that she would indulge her disciple a little.

  "I don't know where my junior sister has run off to?" I asked with a bitter smile, exchanging a glance with Deng Cao. This is terrible, if our little junior sister doesn't come back for a year, then Deng Cao and I won't be able to complete our task for a whole year. If this girl doesn't come back for ten years, do we have to wait for her for ten years?

  "He left me a letter saying he wanted to go to Korea to try the taste of ramen. I was puzzled, isn't that just instant noodles? Is it worth going all the way to Korea to eat?" As soon as Shifu mentioned this, he felt indignant.

  "How did your junior sister get out?" I don't know the specific details either, just knowing that wanting to go abroad is a very troublesome thing.

  "Hmm, the little girl's family helped her with the procedures. She was originally not very happy about me being her master and having her practice in the mountains. Now it's perfect, just take this opportunity to keep your own daughter far away from me." Master Shiying let out a cold hum, seemingly very dissatisfied with his disciple's family behavior.

  "Well, since Little Sister isn't here. Then I and Dian Cao will bid farewell tomorrow and head to the Northeast!" The White Tiger successor went to Korea to eat ramen and doesn't know when he'll be back. After a brief moment of thought, I decided to temporarily bid farewell to Wudang with Dian Cao and head to the Northeast to find the Zhu Que successor.

  "You're preparing to go find that dead old woman, right? In November, going to the Northeast, are you thinking of going to suffer from the cold or to find abuse? Why not stay in Wudang and chat with Master Shu about your experiences over the years, as well as those two old undead things. Who knows, when spring arrives, my disciple might come back too?" Master Shu seemed to have some disagreement with Zhu Mei Jiuniang, she reached out and interrupted me, letting us stay in Wudang to chat with her!

  "As soon as she made this request, I and Deng Cao were in a dilemma. Heaven knows when her apprentice will return, I'd rather go home to spend the New Year with my parents than stay here with her. But although that's what I thought, I didn't dare say it out loud. After all, she's the master who can knock down You Dao Ming with one move even when heavily injured, so it's better for me not to provoke her. What if she gets annoyed and uses her Judge's Brush to poke a dozen holes in me? Who would I go to for justice?"

  I saw her glance at the judge's pen hanging from her waist with a subtle gaze, and Shī Yǐng Shī Shū smiled sweetly. She casually took it off and started playing with it in her hand. Is this the rhythm of preparing to coerce me with force? I admit that I'm quite handsome, as handsome as Professor Dōu, but you can't use any means necessary to achieve your goal, right? Of course, back then, people around the world didn't know about Professor Dōu yet.

  "Master..." I swallowed a mouthful of saliva and moved the cushion back a few inches.

  "Isn't your teacher's wife pretty?"

  "Beautiful!"

  "Doesn't Master Shu have a feminine charm?"

  "Tasty, no. Very feminine!"

  "That made you stay with me, as if it took your life?"

  "This..."

  "Meow meow, you should know. How many people wish they had this chance to be alone with me but can't!"

  I feel like I'm about to be driven mad by this Shifu! No wonder whenever Shifu and the others mention Bai Hu Shiying, they always have a bitter smile on their faces. It seems that in the past, they must have suffered a lot at her hands? At this moment, my heart is filled with sympathy for them!

  "Master, I'm only 16, and I'll be 17 after the New Year!" As soon as these words came out of my mouth, I knew I was in trouble! Flirting with a woman whose age is unknown to me would make her very angry, and the consequences would be severe! Moreover, this sentence also implies that she's an old cow eating tender grass.

  "You little rascal, back in the day when I was dominating the world, your father was still wearing split pants! How dare you eat even my tofu? Aren't you afraid of choking to death?" Master Shiying's uncle flew into a rage and kicked me to the ground. Then, holding onto the hem of his Daoist robe, he jumped forward and stepped on me with one foot. He bent down and leaned in close, sliding that judge's pen back and forth across my handsome face.

  "Master Shi, your temper hasn't changed in all these years. Quickly let go of Lou Shizhong, what kind of appearance is this! At the critical moment, San Qing Grandfather intervened. Entrusting Yu Daoming to speak and stop this furious woman. I suppose he didn't want to see me splattered with blood in the Zi Xiao Hall?"

  "You little scamp, how dare you make a veiled criticism of my age! Do you know that I'm 20 this year and will be 18 next year?" The foot that was stepping on me was lifted, but Shifu still muttered indignantly.

  "Yes, yes, yes, Master Shu is 20 this year and will be 18 next year!" A good man doesn't take advantage of the situation in front of him. San Qing Grandfather can help me once, but not a second time. As for San Mao Grandfather, the journey is long and they won't be able to rush over immediately. So I quickly gave in!

  "You're quite sensible! Come over, stand by my side. I'm not going to eat you, why are you standing so far away?" The old lady's anger turned into joy after hearing my flattery. She sat back on the couch, patted her behind, and looked at me saying...

  "Hmph!" Seeing me trembling with fear, I reluctantly walked to the back of the old ladies and stood still. The dragon jade beside me couldn't help but laugh out loud, and even raised a finger to scratch my face a few times. Is this guy being shy in front of girls? I also think that wealth cannot be indulgent, poverty cannot be moved, and prestige cannot be humbled. But when it comes to the critical moment, the situation is stronger than people, and not yielding is not an option. Isn't there a saying that goes, "Those who know the times are heroes"? Hmm, this sentence resonates deeply with me!

  "What does a little kid like you know about enduring humiliation and swallowing bitter resentment? Ha! I don't even bother talking to you!" I rolled my eyes at Longyuan, who was beaming with joy. At this moment, I had completely forgotten that Longyuan and I were actually around the same age. Alas, I'm just too mature for my own good!

  "I had lunch here today. Dao Ming, remember that vegetarian dish we had last year? It was quite good, let's have it again today! I'm on a diet lately and can't eat anything too greasy!" Shi Ying, with the demeanor of a queen, tapped her fingernails and said to Yu Dao Ming who sat beside her with a forced smile. As if it were only natural for him to serve her, I couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him.

  "This is wonderful, good, very good!" It seems I sympathized with the wrong person. After hearing what Master Shi said, it seemed as if he had gained a huge advantage, and immediately stood up with a big smile on his face, applauding and expressing great joy.

  Can't help but say, Wudang's suancai flavor is indeed top-notch. After my friend and I had a few bites, we looked at each other and didn't speak again, just focusing on stuffing our faces. At the same time, in my heart, I secretly despised You Dao Ming: "Having lived on the mountain for over a month now, every meal isn't white vegetables with tofu or tofu with white vegetables, it seems like all the good stuff is being saved and not given to us to eat?"

  Actually, we are innocent and have been misled. To prepare such a table of dishes, you need to start preparing two days in advance. It's impossible to order and eat on the spot! It seems that we really benefited from Master Shi's guidance, and were able to taste such delicious vegetarian dishes. If they hadn't prepared ahead of time, I'm afraid my friend Deng Cao and I would still be eating plain tofu and cabbage today.

  "Tsk, tsk, tsk, how long have these two kids gone without eating? You wouldn't mistreat my two disciples, would you, Ming?" Master Shadow and Master Uncle had only taken a few bites of each dish before putting down their chopsticks. He pulled out a pink silk handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe his mouth and asked Master Ming.

  "It can't be, what Wudang's upper and lower levels eat is the same for both of you two masters. I have never been biased towards one or the other!" Dao Ming Shu Bo stopped his chopsticks, staring at me and Deng Cao's eating appearance in a daze to argue.

  "Master Dao is very good to us, it's just that the vegetarian dish is too delicious. It made Master laugh, haha! To be fair, Master Dao has always been good to me, so I couldn't let him take the blame for this. I put down my chopsticks and secretly loosened my belt, and I also helped explain things for him!"