“Master, could it be you’re planning to…”
Before Shangling could finish, Shangzhen suddenly shouted, “I get it!”
“Master, you’re planning to kidnap Sect Leader Ye, and if he doesn’t talk, you won’t let him leave the mountain. Right?”
Right, my foot.
Smack!
Chongxu swung his whisk, hitting Shangzhen on the head, scolding, “Fool!”
“Ye Qiu is the Dragon Gate leader. If I kidnapped him, wouldn’t the ten thousand Dragon Gate disciples come for Wudang?”
“Besides, with his skills, even if I wanted to kidnap him, I might not win.”
Shangzhen asked, “Master, then how will you get Sect Leader Ye to share the Cloud Ladder’s cultivation method?”
“You want to know?” Chongxu asked.
Shangzhen nodded, “Yes.”
Chongxu said, “The answer is… guess!”
Shangzhen froze.
Guess?
If I could guess, would I need to ask you?
Shangzhen was about to press further, but when he snapped back, Chongxu and Shangling were already far off.
“Master, wait for me…” Shangzhen shouted, chasing after them.
…
When Ye Qiu found Xiao Yiren, she was on a peak, taking photos with her phone.
“Nice view, huh?” Ye Qiu said.
Hearing his voice, Xiao Yiren turned quickly, smiling, “Wudang Mountain lives up to its name as a Taoist holy site, the scenery’s beautiful, the air’s fresh, I love it here.”
“By the way, Dr. Ye, weren’t you at the Scripture Pavilion? Why’re you back so soon?”
Ye Qiu replied, “Finished my business, so I came out.”
I see.
“Dr. Ye, can we take a photo together?”
Xiao Yiren’s cheeks flushed as she glanced at Ye Qiu, nervous he might say no.
“Of course,” Ye Qiu agreed readily.
Xiao Yiren beamed, stepping close to Ye Qiu, half-leaning into him, whether on purpose or not, snapping dozens of photos.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman.
Paired with stunning scenery.
They looked like an intimate couple.
After the photos, Xiao Yiren stepped back, saying, “Dr. Ye, thanks for taking pictures with me.”
“No need to thank me, I should thank you for coming to Wudang with me,” Ye Qiu said. “Yiren, let’s head back.”
“Head back?” Xiao Yiren was surprised, “To Jiangzhou?”
“Yes,” Ye Qiu said. “I have urgent business there.”
Though Xiao Yiren wanted more time alone with Ye Qiu, hearing he had urgent matters, she said, “Alright, I’ll go with you.”
She didn’t know Ye Qiu had no urgent business.
He wanted to return to Jiangzhou quickly because he knew if he stayed, Chongxu and his disciples would pester him to reveal the Cloud Ladder’s cultivation method.
Besides, this Wudang trip was fruitful enough, no need to linger.
They turned to leave Wudang Mountain.
But after a few steps, they saw Chongxu and his disciples approaching.
“Sect Leader Ye, in such a hurry, where are you off to?” Chongxu asked, puzzled.
Before Ye Qiu could answer, Xiao Yiren said, “There’s an emergency in Jiangzhou, we’re heading back.”
Oh?
Chongxu grew suspicious, “Sect Leader Ye, what emergency in Jiangzhou? Mind sharing with this old Taoist…”
“Not convenient,” Ye Qiu said. “Dragon Gate internal affairs, I can’t disclose.”
“If it’s not convenient, I won’t press,” Chongxu said. “But before you leave Wudang, please share the Cloud Ladder’s cultivation method.”
“If you do, you’ll be Wudang’s benefactor from now on.”
“Whenever you need Wudang, just say the word, we’ll go through fire and water without hesitation.”
That was no small promise.
But Ye Qiu didn’t buy it.
From their brief interactions, he’d seen through Chongxu’s cunning nature.
Ye Qiu smiled, “Senior, didn’t I already tell you the method?”
Chongxu said, “Sect Leader Ye, that method of yours wasn’t reliable, give me the real one!”
Shangling chimed in, “Sect Leader Ye, if you share the Cloud Ladder’s method, I’ll set up a tablet for you on Wudang Mountain and pray for your blessings daily.”
Ye Qiu scoffed.
Prayers? What use are those?
I’d rather pray to Buddha.
“Senior, Masters, I’ve said all there is to say,” Ye Qiu said.
“Shangzhen!” Chongxu suddenly barked, “Sect Leader Ye won’t talk, what do you think we should do?”
Shangzhen’s face fell, “Master, I…”
Bang!
Chongxu kicked Shangzhen’s knee, making him collapse with a thud.
“Sect Leader Ye, look, Shangzhen’s kneeling for you, still not talking?”
Ye Qiu was dumbfounded.
This works?
Could you be any more shameless?
“Sect Leader Ye, looks like this old Taoist must beg you personally,” Chongxu said, bending his knees as if to kneel.
Ye Qiu watched coldly, not stopping him, knowing the old Taoist wouldn’t actually kneel.
Sure enough, Chongxu suddenly yelped, “Ouch,” straightening up, clutching his lower back, “I threw out my back.”
Shameless!
Ye Qiu looked at him with disdain, “Senior, you graduated from Beijing Film Academy, didn’t you? Shame you didn’t go into acting.”
Chongxu, unfazed, said, “Sorry, Sect Leader Ye, made you laugh. Didn’t expect to throw my back out.”
Ye Qiu said, “Senior, I’m a doctor, want me to check?”
“No need, it’ll be fine soon,” Chongxu said, rubbing his back dramatically, then added, “Sect Leader Ye, a word in private.”
They stepped aside.
“Senior, what do you want to say?” Ye Qiu asked warily.
“Sect Leader Ye, I’m not trying to trouble you, but in a century, no one in Wudang has mastered the Cloud Ladder, so I’m desperate to know how you did it.”
“If you share the method, I won’t let you lose out.”
“After all, you know my character.”
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.
Character?
You have any?
Chongxu said, “To show my sincerity, I’ll offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Ye Qiu frowned, “What opportunity?”
