Before Ye Qiu could respond, Xiao Yiren was already furious, confronting the black-clad fat Taoist, “How can you act like this?”
“Aren’t Taoists supposed to be pure, free from worldly desires?”
“How can you be so greedy?”
The fat Taoist chuckled, “Little lady, we’re all human, eating the same grains. Who can truly be pure?”
“Life as a Taoist is tough.”
“You want to see Master Shangling? Asking for an offering isn’t unreasonable, is it?”
Xiao Yiren retorted, “How is it not unreasonable?”
“You’re demanding 100,000 outright. That’s pure extortion.”
“Ye Qiu, let’s drop it. We don’t need to see this Master Shangling.”
“They call Wudang Mountain a Taoist sanctuary, but seeing it today, it’s a sham. I’m never coming back.”
With that, Xiao Yiren tugged at Ye Qiu to leave, unaware that Ye Qiu’s purpose for visiting Wudang was to meet the headmaster, Master Chongxu.
Ye Qiu stayed put and said to the fat Taoist, “100,000 is too much. I can’t afford it. Can you lower it?”
“How much can you offer?” the fat Taoist asked.
Ye Qiu held up five fingers.
“50,000?” The fat Taoist paused, then said, “Fine, 50,000 works. Pay up first.”
Ye Qiu shook his head, “Not 50,000. Five thousand.”
“What? You’re screwing with me!” The fat Taoist roared, “Five thousand to see Master Shangling? Keep dreaming!”
The two other Taoists joined in.
“Master Shangling is the headmaster’s disciple. You think you can just waltz in?”
“No money, no meeting.”
The fat Taoist grinned suddenly, saying to Ye Qiu, “If you can’t pay, I’ll point you to another way.”
“Leave this girl with us.”
“Let her keep us company for a night, and I’ll let you see Master Shangling. Deal?”
Xiao Yiren’s face flushed with rage, pointing at the fat Taoist, “Shameless!”
“You’re a Taoist—how can you say such things?”
Ye Qiu stared at the fat Taoist, a cold glint in his eyes, “If you want money, 100,000 isn’t enough. I can give you more.”
“Oh?” The fat Taoist asked, “How much are you offering?”
Ye Qiu said, “Ten million!”
The fat Taoist froze, eyeing Ye Qiu skeptically, “You’ve got that kind of cash?”
Ye Qiu smiled faintly, “Want it?”
“Hell yeah! Free money, who’d refuse? Fork it over!” the fat Taoist demanded.
Ye Qiu said, “I’ll have someone burn it to you later.”
What?
Burn it to me?
Treating me like I’m dead?
Realizing he’d been mocked, the fat Taoist bellowed, “You bastard, daring to mess with me…”
Bang!
Before he could finish, Ye Qiu kicked him flying.
“Damn it, who gave you the guts? Tired of living?”
Ye Qiu’s gaze was icy. If this weren’t Wudang Mountain’s territory, he’d have killed him.
Seeing the fat Taoist attacked, the other two pointed at Ye Qiu, shouting, “You’ve got some nerve, causing trouble on Wudang Mountain!”
“Hmph, a Taoist sanctuary doesn’t tolerate your arrogance!”
They charged at Ye Qiu.
Ye Qiu saw instantly they had no cultivation—just ordinary men.
Bang! Bang!
With two swift kicks, he sent them sprawling.
“Ow…”
The two Taoists hit the ground, wailing in pain.
The fat Taoist, seeing this, shouted, “Help! Someone’s killing on Wudang Mountain! Save us…”
Soon, the palace’s back door swung open, and a dozen Taoists rushed out.
Leading them was a middle-aged Taoist with a square face, holding a whisk and dressed in a black robe, exuding authority.
Spotting the fat Taoist, he frowned, “Wu Qiang, you scoundrel, why are you still here? Didn’t I tell you to scram?”
The fat Taoist, pointing at Ye Qiu, sobbed to the middle-aged Taoist, “Uncle Shangzhen, this guy attacked us! He even boasted about destroying Wudang Mountain.”
The middle-aged Taoist glanced at Ye Qiu and Xiao Yiren, then scolded, “Wu Qiang, you dare twist the truth to my face?”
“You’re not even from Wudang. Why are you lingering here?”
“Extorting tourists again, huh?”
The fat Taoist looked wronged, “Uncle Shangzhen, I didn’t extort them. You’ve got to back me up!”
The middle-aged Taoist paused, then bowed to Ye Qiu, “May I ask, young friend, why you’ve come to Wudang Mountain?”
“Speak freely.”
“If you’ve been wronged, I’ll see justice done.”
Ye Qiu said, “I’m here at Master Chongxu’s invitation to visit.”
The fat Taoist sneered, “Uncle Shangzhen, why would the headmaster invite a student to Wudang? He’s clearly lying…”
“Shut up!” The middle-aged Taoist shot him a stern glare, then studied Ye Qiu. Noticing his composed, remarkable demeanor, he asked, “Young friend, your name?”
“Dragon Gate, Ye Qiu!”
At those words, the middle-aged Taoist’s expression shifted. He bowed respectfully, “I am Shangzhen of Wudang Mountain. Greetings, Master Ye of Dragon Gate.”
What? This kid’s the Dragon Gate Master?
The fat Taoist was stunned, then said, “Uncle Shangzhen, he’s so young—how could he be the Dragon Gate Master?”
“He’s got to be lying.”
“I’m telling you, this kid’s no good. Kick him out!”
Xiao Yiren, furious, pointed at the fat Taoist, “You Taoist, spouting nonsense!”
“Let me tell you, Ye Qiu is not only the Dragon Gate Master but also the first medical sage in Chinese medicine in three hundred years. His name is known everywhere.”
She turned to the middle-aged Taoist, “Taoist, this guy demanded 100,000 in offerings from us.”
“He even said if we didn’t pay, I’d have to spend a night with them.”
“Taoist, is that something a person would say?”
The middle-aged Taoist glared at Wu Qiang, “Wu Qiang, you’ve got some nerve!”
The fat Taoist panicked, “Uncle Shangling, don’t believe this girl…”
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a figure flashed out from the palace, standing before the fat Taoist with a stern face.
It was Master Shangling, the one Ye Qiu had come to see.
“Uncle Shangling…” The fat Taoist began, only to be slapped by Shangling.
Smack!
“This slap is for impersonating a Taoist and breaking our rules!”
Smack!
“This slap is for your ingratitude, tarnishing Wudang’s name!”
Smack!
“This slap is for your blindness, extorting a true dragon right before you—your crime deserves death!”
