Chapter 3: The Hidden Truth of Yi Yu

  Wu Xin rushed out of the classroom, his right foot stepping out at an angle and then dragging backwards. His left foot took a step back, and his body slightly turned. As he turned, his right foot retreated to where his left foot was, and then his left foot lightly shifted to the right, his body turning again before disappearing into the campus.

  Inside the Dragon King Temple beside the ancient camphor tree, an old man and a young boy sat cross-legged in the hall.

  "Master!" Wu Xin said softly: "I've been feeling that something is off lately, I rushed here today, was it too rash?"

  "Ah! Xīn'ér, how can you be so reckless? If someone were to notice, it could lead to unforeseen consequences." ābó let out a soft sigh.

  "Xin'er knew he was wrong. It's just... at that time, Tu'er suddenly sensed a killing intent and used his spiritual sense to investigate, but unexpectedly saw her chest... and suddenly felt an unusual tightness in his chest, almost losing control, so he hastily retreated!"

  Abel smiled lightly and said: "Xin'er has grown up and started thinking about girls!"

  Wu Xin hastily said: "It's not true, Master, really not true!......"

  "What is not, this is a normal reaction. Whether boys or girls, growing up naturally will be like that. Don't be afraid, but you must calm down, in the prime of youth, it's easy to get excited and anxious, and if you're not careful, there's a risk of getting carried away!"

  "En, disciple remembered!" Wu Xin's face turned red, and her mind was a bit uncertain.

  Abu didn't speak, he gently stretched out his hand, counted on his fingers and said softly: "Xin Er, our master-disciple relationship is probably coming to an end!"

  Wu Xin immediately opened his eyes, and with tears in his eyes, he said in a low voice: "Master, are you angry with me? If you're angry with me, just beat me or scold me, any punishment is fine, but please don't ignore me."

  "Ah, Xiner! You didn't understand Master's words! I only said 'will be exhausted', not that it's already exhausted. If I was angry with you, how could I say this?"

  Wu Xin heard this and smiled lightly: "Master, you just scared me. Why did you say that?"

  "Xin Er, you will eventually leave your master's side. Moreover, your master is old and won't live for much longer. So, your master calculated earlier that you will face the Breaking Point in a year's time. Once you successfully break through, it will be the time for you to leave your master!" Ah Bo said lightly.

  "Master, disciple will never leave you, always follow you, is that okay?" Wu Xin pleaded.

  "Ah, silly child! If you don't leave the mountain, how will your master know what his good disciple has learned? Cultivation is important, but one must also temper oneself in the world to achieve greatness. Your master is looking forward to it, so be sure to make a good showing for your master in the future and don't lose face for this old man!"

  "Master..." Wu Xin knew that his master's heart was already set, and said: "That disciple will definitely work twice as hard to learn, and will not disappoint Master's teachings!"

  "That's right!" Ah Bo laughed.

  "Master, I don't understand why we can often figure out the mysteries of others but struggle to accurately infer our own. For example, I couldn't even calculate when I myself would face a crisis!"

  "This is what they call 'the insider is confused, the outsider sees clearly!' People are actually most difficult to understand themselves! However, when your heart and spirit cultivation reach a certain level, you can also make good calculations about yourself!"

  "Master, when I have something I want to do but don't know whether I should or shouldn't do it, how should I decide?"

  "This question is one that your master cannot answer for you, and it's also one of the reasons why you need to go through trials and tribulations. We often face choices in many situations, how to choose, and how to evaluate our choices. On the one hand, we should rely on what we have learned to conform to the natural order as much as possible. On the other hand, we should also rely on our actual experience to weigh our options. Both are indispensable and complement each other."

  "Obey the heavenly way! Master, actually, I've always been puzzled. Astrology and divination can know one's fate, life and death, while medicine can revive the dead. So, when we calculate that someone is about to die and use medical skills to bring them back to life, it means that person will not die after all. How should we analyze this phenomenon? Is astrology and divination incorrect or does medicine itself interfere with fate?"

  "Haha! This question is actually very simple. The astrological divination knows the heavenly fate, but the trend of heavenly fate must be inevitable. And in this inevitability, there is also a hidden chance. The trend of heavenly fate, the main is inevitable, and the auxiliary is chance. While the use of medical skills lies in changing the relationship between the lord and minister of inevitability and chance, making chance become inevitable, and inevitability transform into chance, thus developing in a direction different from the original one."

  "So, that means the astrological calculations only know the possible forms of fate, not the actual fate itself. And isn't medicine actually changing one's fate, going against heaven?" Wu Xin asked.

  Abel didn't say a word, he just sat quietly with his eyes closed, as serene as an immortal who had attained the Tao.

  After a long time, "Master! The disciple wants to do something, I don't know if it's possible?" Wu Xin asked.

  "Xin'er! You're still young, it's rare to have such a clear and carefree mind. Many things, many answers need to be understood by yourself, if you always rely on others, there will never be a day when you grow up. Also, over-repressing yourself may allow you to be self-sufficient, but it's not the whole of life. So when you feel that some things must be done, consider first whether you'll regret it later. If you do it, don't regret it! Do you understand?"

  "Ah! I understand!" Wu Xin replied, with a peculiar glow in his eyes.

  The next day, Wu Xing had just stepped into the classroom when he saw all his classmates staring at him. Wu Xing was a bit curious, wondering if it was because of what happened yesterday? He didn't care and simply gave everyone a faint smile before sitting back down at his desk.

  Huang Xiuying had arrived early and was staring at Wu Xin, waiting for him to sit down before speaking softly:

  "Wu Xin! What exactly happened yesterday?"

  "How is it?" Wu Xin smiled lightly and suddenly stood up: "Why are you still wearing that necklace?"

  "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with this necklace?" Huang Xiuying took the necklace off Xiu Mei's neck, her face red: "How did you know I was wearing it?"

  Wu Xin said somewhat angrily: "Didn't I tell you yesterday?"

  Huang Xiuying thought for a moment and said, "But, our family had it appraised by an acquaintance who is a connoisseur! There shouldn't be any problem. This is Jade Huan..."

  "...is the crystallization of the Hemudu culture in the Neolithic Age. It is a jade pendant from the mouth of a human skeleton unearthed from a tomb, and it is one of China's earlier jade pendants. The use of jade pendants was prevalent in ancient times. Jin Guhong's 'Baopuzi' says: 'If gold and jade are placed in the nine orifices, then the dead will become immortal.'" Wu Xin interrupted.

  Classmates were all shocked, and Huang Xiuying was even more strangely asked: "How did you know everything?"

  Wu Xin sighed and said, "You must think so, right? In fact, this is a fake jade! Not only is it a fake jade, but it also contains extremely strong radioactive substances! Huang Xiuying, hurry up and dispose of this jade!"

  "Then tell me how you knew I was wearing jade and that it had radiation!"

  "Feel it! My intuition has always been very keen."

  "Really? Then I'll test you!" The speaker was a female voice, but it wasn't Huang Xiuying, rather it was the cultural committee member of the class, Fang Xiaoxin, who was behind Wu Xin.

  Wu Xin felt strange and turned his head to see Fang Xiaoqin smiling at him from behind. The surrounding classmates also gathered around immediately.

  "Teacher Liu!" Wu Xin called out, looking at the door. Everyone listened and quickly returned to their seats, but when they looked up, they didn't see the teacher. Since everyone had been fooled once, and saw that nothing was wrong with Wu Xin, who continued reading as if nothing had happened, they naturally became unhappy and started whispering to each other in twos and threes.

  Fang Xiaoxin then took a book from behind and slammed it towards Wu Xin's head, but Wu Xin inadvertently dodged it by bending down to pick up a pencil that had fallen on the ground. Huang Xiuying was shocked and angry, lifting her right foot to kick Wu Xin's left foot, but Wu Xin happened to stretch his waist and pulled his leg back just in time to avoid it. However, Huang Xiuying's foot kicked against the table leg instead, causing her immense pain, but she didn't dare make a sound. The two were furious, exchanged a slight nod, and simultaneously threw punches at Wu Xin, one from behind and one from the right side. Just as they heard a loud "slap", their fists collided with each other, while Wu Xin stood up from the left side of the table and walked away, probably to go to the bathroom.

  The classmates around them couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight of their painful struggle.

  Classmate Wang Ba laughed and said: "How did you two start practicing boxing? You're still so energetic, I really admire you, admire you! ......” Before Wang Ba finished saying the second "admire", he was hit on the head with a book and kicked in the leg, and let out a loud cry of pain......

  Huang Xiuying smiled to herself with a sense of accomplishment: "My stealth skills aren't bad! That was just an accident earlier!"

  After returning, Wu Xin dragged Huang Xiuying out of the classroom.

  "Wu Xing explained to our class teacher Liu, 'We'll go deal with that jade block first!'"

  Huang Xiuying was still puzzled, somewhat annoyed: "How did you know it's fake! This is a gift from one of my dad's best friends. You'd better not be slandering me or I won't forgive you!"

  "Don't you believe me at all?"

  After Wu Xin finished speaking, Huang Xiuying didn't say another word. The two of them walked out of the school and headed towards a less crowded area.

  "Xiuying, believe me, I won't deceive you. Alright?" Wu Xin stopped and said softly.

  Huang Xiuying's face turned red again. This person is really something, why bother teasing me again, wasn't it enough that I was harmed yesterday? And yet they still ask these embarrassing questions! And what's with calling me "Xiuying", how can they just call me that casually?!

  Huang Xiuying's face was slightly flushed as she gazed at Wu Xin and smiled softly: "Do you think I would believe you?"

  Wu Xin was at a loss for words and could only smile wryly: "I'm not a tapeworm in your stomach, how can I guess?"

  Huang Xiuying suddenly laughed for no reason and said to her classmate in a playful tone: "If you're willing, I'll just take some medicine and send you to the Yellow Springs. That way...I won't be bullied by you!" Huang Xiuying's voice grew softer as she spoke, and by the time she got to the word "bullied", it was almost inaudible.

  Wu Xin's face turned slightly red, and he said, "Sorry! Yesterday I caused you to be misunderstood, it was all my fault. Every time I think about it, I get worried...I spoke too quickly without thinking it through...heh heh!" Wu Xin also chuckled lightly. When he mentioned "worried", Wu Xin noticed that Huang Xiuying seemed a bit pleased, so he dared to smile too.

  "You're still smiling!" Huang Xiuying scolded.

  "Alright! Let's get down to business!" Wu Xin's expression turned serious, and he said calmly: "Xiuying! I sensed something was off as soon as I arrived at school. Later, at the classroom door, I felt a murderous aura!"

  "Killing aura! Are you talking about martial arts? I don't believe it!"

  "Really!" Wu Xin said with a serious face. Huang Xiuying felt a little ashamed, knowing that she shouldn't have disturbed him, he was a serious person and wouldn't be wrong. "Later, after being pushed to the door by the class teacher, I knew by intuition that the killing aura was on you. Only later did I know it was caused by the radioactive substance emitted by that jade. Wearing it for a long time can cause cancer!" Wu Xin said.

  "But! My father has been bringing it for seven years, how is that possible?" Huang Xiuying asked in doubt.

  "This is what I was just about to tell you! I don't know if you can take it." Wu Xin finally spoke out after enduring for a long time.

  Huang Xiuying knew it was an ominous thing, her heart slightly trembling, her eyes seeming to be on the verge of tears at any moment, softly said: "You!"

  Wu Xin looked at Huang Xiuying and thought, it's better to get the pain over with quickly! He said: "I not only discovered the murderous aura of that jade, but also know that the radioactive material in the jade is not naturally formed. The jade was deliberately made by someone!" Huang Xiuying still didn't fully understand.

  Wu Xin reminded: "This should be someone who wants to harm you, so they specially made this jade! Who was wearing this jade before?"

  "Could it be that someone wants to harm my father? This jade has always been worn by my father before... Ah! The one who gave us the jade... It's impossible! Impossible! ... How could he harm us?" Huang Xiuying suddenly thought, if this is true, then it's too frightening!

  "I knew it!" Wu Xin sighed and said: "Doesn't your dad love you? Didn't he often play with you before?"

  "Ouch! Yes, but it's been a long time since last year, I thought he didn't like me anymore and wouldn't care about me. Yesterday when he gave me this jade, I knew he still cared about me like before! This is his favorite jade!" Huang Xiuying said with a smile, her smile so pure and sweet!

  "Have you ever thought about why your dad has been so strict with you since last year and rarely plays with you? Have you ever thought about why he's giving Jade to you now?" Wu Xin reminded.

  "What's going on? How was I supposed to know!" Huang Xiuying had a faint feeling that something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

  "Because he knew he had cancer a year ago! And now it's terminal! I found out from the faint smell of death on Jade, that's a unique aura people emit before they die! He knew he wouldn't be around for long, so he gave it to you." Wu Xin said in one breath, then let out a long sigh. He knew he could have kept quiet, and he also knew this was too cruel for her, but he was certain that if he didn't tell her now, she would regret it even more later because she couldn't spend more time with her father during his last moments. He also couldn't bear the thought of a good father dying alone, without even his beloved daughter knowing.

  "It's impossible! It's impossible!" Huang Xiuying's face turned pale, and tears gushed out like a spring. She suddenly felt that what he said should be right. Why had she been so blind to it all along? Was it because she was too stupid, too careless? No, it was because she hadn't taken her father seriously, treating the rare paternal love as a matter of course! It was because she hadn't noticed her father's helplessness and concern! Every time she saw her father's pale face, she just thought it was due to overwork, but now she realized how foolish she had been. Thinking about this, Huang Xiuying couldn't hold back the torrent of grief, and with a dizzying spin, she fell into Wu Xin's arms, wailing loudly...

  Time seems to have frozen at this moment. After a long, long time, Wu Xin's chest was already completely wet, and tears seemed to be drowning the entire world, constantly emerging! Dripping! The two of them stood still, like two stone statues.

  "Xiu Ying!" Wu Xin asked sorrowfully: "Are you blaming me for telling you?"

  "No! Wu Xin!" Huang Xiuying said tearfully: "If you don't tell me, I'll resent you for the rest of my life!......Thank you!"

  "Xiu Ying!" Wu Xin said calmly: "You shouldn't be crying! You should be smiling! Smile brightly, and use that smile to accompany your dad! Do you know? Your dad will definitely be happy, will definitely be very happy, because he has the best daughter!"

  Huang Xiuying listened, and cried for a while. Suddenly, she lifted her head, wiped away her tears, and revealed a perfectly beautiful smile, with red and swollen eyes, as lovely as a lotus flower after the rain, saying: "Wu Xin, is this okay?"

  Wu Xin looked at it and felt like crying a little, her eyes reddening as she said softly: "This is the most beautiful smile in the world!"