Chapter 5
Beautiful Young Shifu
So there are more trials after this? She thought it would be over once she pa.s.sed this! Hu Sha sigh and turn her head to continue looking for Fang Zhun, there are a few surprised people on the platform, there are also some whispering but she could not spot Fang Zhun amongst them. This is too weird, where did he ran off to in the blink of an eye like that?
The woman clears her throat and say, “That was the first trial, to see whether or not you believe in your inner heart and to see if you will be affected by worldly words. There is nothing in the paper, the yin yang universe diagram is something to be sensed and could not be put into words. If pa.s.sing words can sway you, and you do not believe in yourself, you have no place here. The day is old, the rest can leave first and come back tomorrow if you’d like to.”
She wave her hand and the disciples behind her immediately close the scroll and turn around to leave. The woman pats Hu Sha’s shoulder and say, “Miss, carry on. I hope you can pa.s.s the next obstacles.”
Hu Sha hesitantly reply, “But…. that friend of mine-“
Fang Zhun’s health is not good, if you ask him to go around and descend the mountain like that, wouldn’t that be similar to torturing him?
Just as she was about to continue speaking, she felt her sleeves getting pulled on by someone. She turns her head and found the Fang Zhun who disappeared on her, smiling lightly at her direction. “Congratulation, Hu Sha. For pa.s.sing the test.”
“Ah, Fang-“ She was just about to happily ask him where he had been to when he raised a finger to his lips, signalling her not to speak. The words she was about to say remained stuck in her throat.
Then, he let go of her sleeves and ascend the platform they are at. The Qing Yuan disciples around immediately kneels upon one look on him, “Senior Uncle Fang Zhun, you are here?”
Senior…… uncle… ? Hu Sha froze.
Fang Zhun smiled softly, “I had nothing else to do and decided to head down the mountain. Is that young lady the only one who have pa.s.sed today’s test?”
That lady nodded, “Yes, but later there is still-“
“I think she has good qualification, the next trials can be skipped,” Fang Zhun simply said, “From what I could see, this girl is gifted. Simple and honest, the exact kind I was looking for. You can hand her over to me.”
The people who heard him immediately had their mouth hanging open in shock. The middle aged lady seems pretty happy. She nudges Hu Sha and whispers, “Senior Uncle Fang Zhun wants to take you as his disciple, what are you waiting? Hurry and kowtow before him!”
“K-kowtow? But—“ Hu Sha still could not grasp the situation, merely staring at Fang Zhun in shock. His pair of dark eyes seems to contain a trace of smile, at that moment, she finally realized why he was so familiar with Qing Yuan Mountain. It’s because he himself is from Qing Yuan!
Hu Sha froze for a long time, in the end, she slowly kneel and respectfully kowtow before him three times, “Disciple Hu Sha greets Shifu.”
Shifu… He has become her Shifu. Hu Sha can’t tell what she actually feels inside.
Fang Zhun slowly bends down and help her get up before smilingly saying, “No need for too much propriety. From now on, you are my third disciple, you will have to diligently study after this. You will not be able to achieve things without exerting efforts, do you understand?”
Hu Sha nods.
That middle aged lady slips in, “Then, this disciple will immediately head to Shen Xing Building to add her name to our disciple’s registry. May I ask what Taoist name will Senior Uncle bestow to her? If I remember correctly, Senior Uncle’s two previous disciples have the character ‘Feng’ in their names. Since she is a girl, I believe she will not be given the same generation name as her senior brothers. Should I give her the name ‘Bai’ like the other female disciples of her generation?”
Fang Zhun shook his head, “No need for all this. Write her name as it is, if I find names that I like in the future, we will modify the registry.”
That woman agreed before she bows as a sign of respect. After that, she walks away.
Hu Sha stay rooted at where she is, not knowing what to do. Fang Zhun suddenly said, “Let’s go. From now on, you will live in Zhi Yan House. Come with me, I will introduce you to your two senior brothers.
Hu Sha made an ‘oh’ sound and started walking, but then remembered that disciples are not supposed to walk in front of their teachers. She made a sharp stop and retrace back her steps before she bows, “Inviting Shifu to walk first.”
Fang Zhun nodded and lead her to the gates.
He really has become her Shifu now. Such a young person like that, from the outside, he only appeared to be a couple of years older than her, but his position is already so high. Those old people on the gate all called him ‘Senior Uncle’, don’t tell her he is actually older than her grandfather. Oh right, his health is not too good, he coughs all the time, perhaps it is an ailment attributed to his old age.
Aiya, she walked on the same road as him just now and told him a lot of nonsense. He must have been laughing so hard on the inside back then. Just remembering them made her regret everything half-death.
“Hu Sha? Hu Sha?” He calls for her in front.
She immediately bows, “Yes, Shifu. Do you have any instruction?” Realizing that he might be older than her own grandfather, Hu Sha can’t help but be respectful even though he looks really young. She no longer dares to presumptuous like before.
He warmly says, “You don’t have to be afraid. The reason Shifu did not reveal my ident.i.ty was because I wanted to see what kind of a person you are. I was not trying to make a fool out of you. I hope you are not offended.”
“No, not offended not offended!” she immediately denies.
Fang Zhun smiles at her gently, “I am Shifu Jin Ting Shen Jun’s disciple. I was ill from a dangerous disease when I was 17, so that is why outer appearance did not change after 300 years. Our faction has a lot of disciples over 100 years old and they will all have to call you Senior Sister. Some of the things, you don’t have to think too much.”
T-three hundred years old? Hu Sha trembles in shock, this is not his grandfather-level, but his great great grandfather ah!
“Shifu is a celestial, a celestial will naturally not grow old.” Hu Sha innocently says.
Fang Zhun shake his head, “Even celestials will grow old, will die. Just much later than normal people. The only ones who will live forever are the heavenly G.o.ds that resides over the ninth sky. Actually-” he pauses for a while, “-a lot of people intend to be celestials because they want to live forever. But, living forever may not necessarily be a good thing. Having a life that is like the mortals is the real valuable thing.”
Hu Sha slowly nods, understanding but not at the same time.
“You have two senior brothers. They came earlier than you by 70 and 50 years. If you face any difficulties in the future, you can ask them for help. Shifu hopes all of you can be at peace with each other.”
After he finished saying them, he started coughing again, the sharp-sounding ones like he is going to collapse anytime soon.
Hu Sha panicked, not knowing what to do to make things better. He is a celestial, at one point Hu Sha thought him coughing was just part of the show, but who would’ve known his health is really not good. What should she do? He is now her Shifu, she couldn’t have possible help him lean onto her like earlier. Don’t tell her he is going to collapse at this place.
Fang Zhun coughed for a while. After a moment, the coughing subsides. Hu Sha did not hold back anymore and lightly supports him on his elbow.
“Shifu,” she mutters under her breath.
“No harm, let’s continue walking,” he dismisses.
After he says that, he grab Hu Sha’s hand and says, “Hold on tight, I am going to use the ‘Shrink Land’ method now.”