Back to Waterstream Village
Sleep deprived for an entire night, Mu Yu sent Lan Ling’er off with a yawn. She, of course, didn’t forget to sarcastically remind him not to embarrass Dustfallen Sect and to meet her at Pine City three days later. The two split off but not without another signature verbal tirade beforehand.
Waterstream Village was still as peaceful as Mu Yu recalled. He took in the scenery of the village from the sky, which was a new angle. He saw a new statue erected close to the entrance he landed at. He had no doubts it was supposed to be a statue of him. Before he took a close look, he panicked, worried he’d look hideous as the other statue did. Fortunately, it wasn’t so bad that he would describe it as ugly. He left the villagers to their devices and went to search for Village Chief Bu.
Next to the field of grains was a small pavilion, where Village Chief often held story time for the children. When he was young, he led the adults to labour. Once he was too old for labour, he educated them on literacy and told his stories. Mu Yu returned to see him sitting on his long bench there, telling a group of children another story again.
“One day, a child accidentally dropped a hatchet into the lake. Afraid his parents would scold him, he cried by the bank. An immortal master showed up and asked him why he was crying. The child explained what happened as he bawled his eyes out. The immortal master told him not to cry and used a spell to fish up a silver hatchet from the lake. He asked the child if that was the hatchet he dropped. The child shook his head. The immortal master fished up a golden hatchet and asked him again, but the child shook his head again. After the immortal master fished up an iron hatchet, the child laughed and said it was his. Pleased with the child’s attitude, the immortal master took him as his disciple. What did you learn from the story?”
Ermao answered, “Why did the child not fish for the hatchet himself?”
“He can’t swim. Wait, that’s not even the point!”
“I was able to five into the water and catch fish when I was three. Everyone in our village can swim. Why did he not learn how to swim?” argued Damo.
“His leg cramped, so he couldn’t swim. That’s not the point. My question is, what is the moral of the story?”
“Why did he take the hatchet to the lake? My mother said only adults can use hatchets,” commented Yadan.
“Yeah, my father said he would chop my leg off if I touched it,” Daomao chimed in.
Village Chief Bu stated, “He is an adult, so he could use a hatchet.”
“A grown man crying by the lake? How embarrassing.” Huahua drew two trails of tears on her face.
“Okay, he was a child, but his father asked him to bring the hatchet home that day,” Village Chief Bu explained.
“How does the golden hatchet look?” queried Yadan.
Village Chief Bu stroked his beard. “B-beats me. I haven’t seen it…”
Gousheng raised his hand. “How would the child have known it was made from gold if you do not? If he knew it was made from gold, he would have said it was his.”
“Exactly. What a fool,” commented Ermao.
Damao: “Grandpa Village Chief, were you trying to tell us the story of a foolish child?”
The kids burst into laughter. Mu Yu, who was listening in from a distance, also struggled to refute their points. Perhaps children were able to think more liberally since nobody shoved ideas into their minds.
“Stop laughing,” griped Village Chief Bu, conceding. “The moral of the story is to be honest. People will only think better of you if you are honest. The only way an immortal master might choose you is if you are honest, understand?”
Young Changsheng raised his hand. “I have a question.”
“What is your question, Changsheng?” Village Chief Bu was willing to patiently hear Changsheng out, as the boy was slow and took longer than others to grasp things.
“Why did he not fish the hatchet up himself? Does he not know how to swim?”
Village Chief Bu held his breath for a second before heaving the pent up breath, hopeless…
Mu Yu found Village Chief Bu’s reaction amusing. Village Chief Bu hadn’t changed. Mu Yu had grown taller, on the other hand. Mu Yu wondered if Village Chief Bu would still recognise him.
Village Chief Bu sighed and changed the topic. “Our village has produced two immortal masters in the last ten years. Two years ago, a big sect took a liking to Mu Yu. He’s now an awesome immortal. You have to learn diligently if you want to have a chance to become an immortal master one day. Don’t let other villages laugh at you. Raindrop Village has produced another two this year, damn it!”
In other words, Mu Yu’s village hadn’t found any children with an aptitude for cultivation in the last two years. That meant Village Chief Bu would’ve been ridiculed each time he left the village. Mu Yu could imagine himself still leading the life of a grey-rank disciple at the academy had Feng Haochen not taken him in.
Yadan: “Tell us about Brother Mu Yu, then! What sort of person was he? Maybe we can become immortal masters if we learn his behaviour!”
Village Chief Bu wagged a hand. “You can’t talk about immortal masters thoughtlessly. They can tell when you speak ill of them.”
Mu Yu: How come I never knew I have that ability?
Evidently, ordinary folks portrayed immortal masters as deities or something. Mu Yu still remembered the entire village bowing to their immortal master on their knees. He, at the time, decided to hide outside and refused to salute the immortal master.
Ermao: “Tell us good things about him, then!”
A proud look flitted across Village Chief Bu’s face. “He was a good boy when he was your age. He was obedient, sensible, polite, never caused trouble or fights…”
How Mu Yu wished Lan Ling’er heard Village Chief Bu praised him despite claims of him being obedient, never causing trouble or fighting being unfounded. He was sensible, nevertheless. He had to be when only Village Chief Bu raised him after his mother abandoned him.
Mu Yu decided to leave Village Chief Bu alone and headed to his old home, sneaking around to not cause a scene.
Village Chief Bu headed home around noon, humming as he pushed his door open. It wasn’t locked to his surprise, but he ignored it and headed in.
“Grandpa Village Chief.” Mu Yu, sitting on the swing, grinned.
Village Chief Bu habitually nodded and turned to close the door to the courtyard but froze. He spun back around. “M-M-Mu Yu?”
Mu Yu chortled as he got up and touched his belly. “I’m starving.” Mu Yu walked over the stunned elder and tugged his beard, pulling the latter back to reality.
“M-Mu Yu, I mean, Immortal Mast-”
Village Chief Bu hastily dropped to his knees, but Mu Yu caught him with a smile and hugged him. “You don’t need to kneel. I’m just another living individual.”
Village Chief Bu, emotional, hesitated, holding his arms up and lowering them multiple times before settling on gently patting the boy’s back.
Mu Yu’s favourite cook was always Village Chief Bu. “I am hungry.”
“I’ll go call the others to host a banquet for you!”
“There is no need for that. I do not want them to know I am back. I just want to share a quiet meal with you.” Mu Yu preferred to lead a modest life, considering it a virtue. He was used to a simple life on Mount Dustfallen.
“You’re no longer just a village boy. We can’t do that. We need to give you a grand welcome so that other villages can see how great you are.”
Mu Yu didn’t want to spoil Village Chief Bu’s mood, so he suggested, “How about tomorrow? I am starving right now.”
“All right, all right, I’ll go whip up a meal for Immortal Master Mu Yu right away and then notify the others in the afternoon…”
Watching Village Chief Bu bolt into the kitchen was nostalgic.
It really is nice to be home.
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