Translator: Storm in a Teacup
A casket?Staring at his master for a period, Ye Chengzhi suddenly realized something before patting his head and hurrying into the room.
Bian Wen closed his eyes without a word. Not knowing Bian Wen"s intention was, An Rushuang saw Ye Chengzhi running back with a casket as big as his palm.
In the early summer, it was not too hot, even a little cold when there was a breeze, however, he, sweating all over, almost gasped for breath before presenting the casket to Bian Wen. “Master, your casket!”
The light black casket, merely as big as his palm, was made of wood on which carved the Guanyin (the Bodhisattva of compa.s.sion and mercy) shedding tears with a benevolent appearance. Though the casket was closed, a puff of light aroma could be detected once getting near to its lid.
It was, obviously, made of sandal wood.
Fixing her eyes on the casket, An Rushuang couldn"t help doubting---What was in it?
Ye Chengzhi dared not to move his eyes from the casket. He had heard about the casket since he was apprenticed to Bian Wen, but his master had never opened it before. He thought there must be gold or silver ingots, or priceless herbal medicines within, since it was such a valuable casket. However, right now Ye Chengzhi was sure he had guessed wrong.
As small as it was, what could the casket contain?
Since it was related to their venerable master, were the things within left by them?
Was it the...?
Ye Chengzhi"s face turned a little pale.
Catching a glimpse of them, Bian Wen took out the key hung at the end of a black robe around his neck before inserting it into the hole located at the hand of Guanyin. With a crisp clang, the bud in Guanyin"s hand bloomed suddenly and the casket was open at the same time.
There were two cloth bags stuffed within. As old and wrinkled as they were, it was hard to discern what was in it, but it was so weird that such poor cloth bags were actually set in this valuable case.
Bian Wen stared at the two identical cloth bags within, his eyes turning more gentle. He took them out before looking up at An Rushuang and saying slowly, “Pick one.”
Stunned a little, An Rushuang couldn"t help frowning at him.
“The choice you mentioned before is this? It"s I instead of the venerable master who should have a choice?”
Bian Wen answered calmly, “It"s both for you and venerable master. Pick one.”
Ye Chengzhi asked curiously, “You haven"t told the lady the difference between them. Which one should she choose in order to be accepted by the venerable master?”
Out of fear for Hong Yu, he sincerely hoped Miss An could be the disciple of Bian Wen.
Bian Wen snorted. “Only G.o.d knows what the venerable master will choose.”
He stared at An Rushuang, not hastening her to make a decision.
Gazing at the two cloth bags in his palm, An Rushuang, very nervous just then, had already calmed down. After taking a long breath, she picked one casually with a smile. Given its softness, she guessed there was nothing within.
Though a little disappointed, An Rushuang said with her smiles gradually fading away, “I choose this one.”
She put the bag into Bian Wen"s palm, sighing for her poor fate.
Bian Wen, holding the bag in his hand, asked her seriously, “Why did you choose this one?”
An Rushuang said without thinking, “Since I know nothing, why not let the venerable masters make the decision? This bag is closer to me. If I were the chosen one, the venerable master would definitely not put the things I need that far.”
What a fallacy.
Bian Wen smiled, his face like a full blooming chrysanthemum, and said, “Great, great! This is yours from now on!”
He threw the bag directly to An Rushuang.
Catching it subconsciously, she opened the bag slowly and got stunned by the flas.h.i.+ng silver light emitting from within which was finally proved to be a wisp of silver needles about a foot long, like twinkling stars in the night sky.
“Silver needles?”
Ye Chengzhi, full of surprise, stared at An Rushuang blindly, seemingly intending to s.n.a.t.c.h the needles back.
“Master, you didn"t teach me how to use the needles!”
Having been apprenticed to his master for four years, he actually got his silver needles all by himself, inheriting nothing from his master at all!
Glancing at him, Bian Wen said slowly, “She is the disciple of the venerable master, totally different from you. I don"t have extra silver needles for you.”
Looking at An Rushuang, and then his master, Ye Chengzhi asked in frustration, “So, I have to call her... senior sister?”
He was too sad to utter another word.
Twitching her lips, An Rushuang couldn"t help shuddering when thinking of Ye Chengzhi calling her "senior sister" in depression. “There"s no need. Since you are much older than me, I can call you senior brother...”
“No way!”
Bian Wen interrupted An Rushuang at once before saying very seriously, “Since you have been apprenticed to our Bian Sect, it"s necessary to obey the rules. As the disciple of the venerable master, you are my junior sister from now on, as for Chengzhi...”
He frowned at Ye Chengzhi, who, seemingly losing his mind, answered feebly, “I know, master. I will call her senior sister from now on.”
Thinking of that he hoped the venerable master to accept An Rushuang as his disciple, Ye Chengzhi almost wanted to knock himself out with a stick! Why would he find another trouble for himself! Besides his master, there came another senior sister. In the future, would he call An Rushuang senior sister before Hong Yu ? She is just a teenage girl!
Getting the silver needles, An Rushuang, though very pleased, still felt upset. “Mister... Senior brother, since I know nothing about medicine yet, I shouldn"t use the needles, right? Could I put them here until I am able to practice medicine?”
She still remembered clearly that Bian Wen didn"t allow Ye Chengzhi to do acupuncture for others until five years later, while now, An Rushuang couldn"t recognize most of the herbal medicines, let alone the medical knowledge.
She intended to learn about the basic medical knowledge first, but to her surprise, Bian Wen refused to take the bag by shaking his head before giving her the small casket. “There are differences between medical skills. He learns how to save people"s lives, while you will study how to kill people. Since the venerable master has accepted you as his disciple, I cannot teach you any longer. You can keep the silver needles to yourself.”
An Rushuang and Ye Chengzhi were stunned.
The skill of killing people?