Chapter 8: Farewell, Master
The burly man’s eyes gleamed with mockery as a cold smirk curled at the corner of his mouth. With disdain, he shouted, “The farther you get, the better. If you lose the bet and can’t pay, your leg will settle the score.”
Before the words had even faded, the man slammed the iron door shut with a rough clang.
The raucous noises from inside were instantly cut off, leaving only the lively chatter of street vendors along the roadside.
The masked man silently slipped from Zhuang Yun’s grasp, limping as he made his way deeper into the alley...
This place was the infamous Black Factory of the underground city—a den of vice and chaos, where all sorts of people, from all walks of life, gathered. Countless souls had entered here, each harboring dreams of sudden fortune, only to lose even their lives in the end.
A vivid three-dimensional holographic advertisement flickered to life, featuring a scantily clad bunny girl beckoning customers with fervor: “New Lisboa Mecha Warrior Challenge—life or death, come and fight!”
“Top prize: 50 million star coins!”
“Bet one, win two, double down—guaranteed profit!” Her voice was sweet and tempting.
Zhuang Yun carefully examined the storefront. It stood in the bustling heart of the underground city, its iron door firmly closed, the handle polished smooth from countless openings and closings.
Soon after, another group of masked figures swaggered confidently inside.
A sudden urge welled up in Zhuang Yun’s heart. She had once secretly ventured down the mountain with her master to a casino, practicing her divination skills and winning every time without a single loss.
Calculating in her mind, she thought that the temple’s finances were tight lately, and perhaps this was a chance to revive her practice and earn a living.
However, Zhuang Qi, ever perceptive, sensed her intentions. Fearing she might make a reckless decision, he quickly led everyone away from this den of trouble.
The Black Factory’s methods were ruthless, and although the government turned a blind eye, one could hardly be sure there were no corrupt dealings behind the scenes.
“Stay away from gambling! Treasure your life!”
Back at the Cloud Hidden Temple, after a brief rest, the second senior sister guided Zhuang Yun to the temple’s secret chamber.
The entrance was enveloped in deep blue flames, and the two walked through winding secret passages.
The sound of water droplets striking stone echoed clearly, adding an aura of mystery to the serene space.
At the corridor’s end, towering bookshelves came into view, neatly arranged with various weapons and books.
An everlasting candle cast a gentle glow, illuminating every corner and momentarily transporting visitors back three millennia to an era of antiquity.
The weapons on the shelves were polished to a gleaming shine, and the books were spotlessly clean.
Usually, the second senior sister was in charge of cleaning. She asked, “Ancestor Master, what book are you looking for? I’ll help you find it.”
Zhuang Yun’s gaze scanned the shelves. “I’m searching for a manual suited to your cultivation methods. I remember the title as ‘The 108 Methods of Spear Cultivation.’”
“‘The Swordsmanship That Dares to Claim Second, While No One Dares to Claim First.’”
“‘Impeccable Halberd.’”
“Hmm, there’s also one called ‘The Invincible Twin Cultivation of Blade and Shield,’” Zhuang Yun recalled.
“...So that’s how the Heavenly Master Sect used to name their books—so... bold!” she mused.
“I’ve organized these shelves several times, but I don’t recall seeing those titles. Maybe someone took them?” The second senior sister had no memory of such books, finding the titles rather absurd.
“Perhaps,” Zhuang Yun replied with a slight shake of her head, feeling a bit disappointed.
The second senior sister reminisced, “The previous generation of Heavenly Masters planned to input these manuals into the light-brain system for easier access, but the system kept resetting itself—so strange.”
“That’s because the old masters placed secret enchantments on them; the cultivation techniques can only be bound to the physical books,” Zhuang Yun explained.
Though Zhuang Yun had arrived in this technologically astonishing world, the metaphysics of the Taoist path still held their marvels. She couldn’t help but feel a touch of pride, knowing that combining the two traditions in inheritance and innovation would surely unleash unparalleled power.
Zhuang Yun wandered among the shelves but failed to locate the books she sought.
At last, she noticed several volumes propping up the leg of a table—astonishingly, they bore the covers she recognized. “Found them!”
“I just remembered!” The second senior sister blushed with embarrassment. “They were gathering dust in the corner, unused, so I used them to stabilize the table leg…”
“Ancestor Master, I’ve read these too. They’re all over the place! One page says one thing, the next contradicts it—there’s no coherence at all,” the second senior sister remarked.
Zhuang Yun dusted off the covers and said, “It’s meant to be unreadable.”
“These volumes are the most precious manuals in this chamber; ordinary people naturally cannot understand them.” Her tone held a trace of pride.
“Ah!” The second senior sister’s face showed shock and regret—those books she had used as mere props turned out to be treasured Taoist scriptures.
Seeing Zhuang Yun dismantling the old stitched books, sitting on the floor to take out an ancient bronze compass, the second senior sister watched on.
“One divination to ask heaven, the compass guides the way,” Zhuang Yun murmured a chant, lightly touching the compass’s rim.
The compass needle trembled slightly before pointing steadily toward a specific direction.
Zhuang Yun interpreted the compass’s message while the second senior sister helped locate the pages. “Page 10, page 44…”
They repeated this cycle busily, the compass’s glow gradually fading. Based on its indicated numbers, the four books were soon re-bound.
By then, sweat drenched Zhuang Yun’s brow, and she thought, “Exploring the Heavenly Master’s secret domain is truly exhausting.”
She sent the second senior sister out to deliver the books to the others, informing them that training could commence the next day.
“I’ll stay here to meditate for a while. Don’t wait for me at dinner tonight.”
The second senior sister, understanding that Zhuang Yun needed quiet cultivation, reluctantly departed.
Then Zhuang Yun began to harness the surrounding spiritual energy, absorbing its power.
In a trance, she seemed to enter another realm.
From afar, a figure clad in plain white linen walked slowly toward her, robes billowing gently. Mist curled around the Hao Water Bridge behind.
Her hair was simply tied with an unadorned wooden hairpin, with two strands of black silk casually brushing her shoulders.
Zhuang Yun squinted, and to her astonishment, it was her master—Zhuang Fenglu.
“Master!” Zhuang Yun called out joyfully.
After long separation, tears welled in her eyes.
“Why did you abandon me, Master?” Zhuang Yun pleaded softly to the one she loved most.
She clearly understood that everything that had happened before was arranged by her master.
“I trust you can handle this matter well,” Zhuang Fenglu said affectionately, patting Zhuang Yun’s head.
“Ah, what matter?” Zhuang Yun asked, puzzled.
Zhuang Fenglu smiled calmly. “You’ll understand in time.”
With a wave of her hand, blue smoke swirled as a mecha slowly materialized.
“Master, you don’t mean to have me clash fist-to-fist with this steel giant, do you? I’d like to come out in one piece,” Zhuang Yun said.
Zhuang Fenglu regarded her most cherished disciple proudly. “Actually, you could try tearing the mecha apart by hand, but today I’ll teach you how to control it with internal energy first.”
She glanced at the time. “The crossover moment is near; it’s starting.”
“First and foremost! Remember this: no matter how advanced the technology, it can never surpass the Tao and nature—everything returns to unity...”
“Try to apply the principle of ‘Tai Chi Push Hands’ while moving the mecha—softness overcoming hardness, using force against force, making the mecha more agile and flexible in combat.”
As she spoke, she demonstrated, lightly tracing intricate runes in the air. The symbols instantly transformed into glowing trails, merging into the dormant mecha beside her.
The machine seemed to awaken with life, slowly powering on. On the control panel appeared the illusory image of a mythical Kunpeng bird.
“This is the essence of ‘Refining the Heart’ in Taoist cultivation.”
Following her master’s instructions, Zhuang Yun activated the mecha, feeling her heartbeat and meridians synchronize with its pulses...
When she stepped out of the secret chamber, the moon was already dipping westward, hanging low at the horizon. A few stars twinkled faintly in the dusky sky.
Under the cool silver light, the third senior brother leaned against a pillar, eyes closed in rest. One hand held a sword, while the other cradled two overlapping bowls stamped with the “Winston Tournament” emblem.