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墨書 Inktalez
The words of the Grandmaster not only failed to make his eldest disciple reconsider, but instead led to him beating the Grandmaster severely. He was quite perplexed; in his memory, although his eldest disciple was not exactly a paragon of virtue, he would not go so far as to act so frantically. Bound nearby, he listened as they plotted to extort his master and obtain that item which had been passed down through many generations.
The eldest disciple said, "With three disciples under our master, the second has passed away, and I cannot possibly become his disciple again. The only heir to the legacy is now in our hands. I don’t believe he would sever the lineage of our sect for that item. Besides, my junior disciple has always been favored by our master, treated like a son. I am confident that I can get that item from him."
The Thief Apprentice also appeared quite excited as he spoke, "If we manage to get that item and sell it off, we could make a fortune. Not to mention wealth and glory, at least we would never have to worry about food and clothing."
The Grandmaster had his mouth stuffed with rags and could not make a sound, but that did not mean he could not hear their discussion. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He only wanted to fight back against them, but being at their mercy left him helpless. He prayed in his heart for his master to see through this scheme and not fall for this thief's trick.
Listening to this plot, which seemed like something out of a television drama, filled me with disbelief. It was hard to imagine such cunning existed in reality. Unable to hold back, I interjected, "What exactly is this item that makes the Grandmaster's eldest disciple so desperate to obtain it?"
His master replied, "It’s our talisman; without that item, it will lose its effectiveness. What do you think it is?"
I said, "The Talisman, right?"
His master nodded and said, "That Talisman has been passed down for many generations; even the Grandmaster does not know how many generations it has endured. Moreover, it is made from high-quality peach wood struck by lightning over a hundred years ago. Leaving aside its age and value for now, its practical value far exceeds the Talisman I currently possess."
I knew about my master's Talisman; the spells cast from it were incredibly powerful and seemed to improve with age. These items only got better with use. Time may wear on us, but it also nurtures these treasures. I began to form a clear concept of the value of that Talisman in my mind. It could be considered a treasure of the sect. At the same time, I could imagine how difficult it must have been for the Grandmaster's master when faced with this choice.
Seeing that I had fallen silent, his master continued speaking.
Although that era was chaotic, it had not yet reached the point where people dared to casually kidnap someone in broad daylight. The eldest disciple and the Thief Apprentice conferred for a long time because the master knew well that the Thief Apprentice was quite capable. In the end, they decided that the eldest disciple would return to ask their master for help under the pretense that his junior disciple was in trouble and haunted by evil spirits, unable to return. This way, their anxious master would surely come to rescue him; once inside this small room, everything would be easier.
To make their lie more convincing, they waited an entire day before the eldest disciple slowly returned to their sect and began spinning tales to their master. The master already sensed something was off and had consulted divination; indeed, it showed ominous signs. He had long harbored intentions of going to rescue him. Although he vaguely felt that his Eldest Disciple might be lying, whether or not it was a lie did not matter; he had to go because that junior disciple was now the only heir left. Being advanced in age meant he could no longer train another disciple from scratch; moreover, this junior disciple was exceptionally talented and upright—a perfect successor.
The Grandmaster's master hurriedly prepared to leave. The eldest disciple quickly reminded him, "That evil practitioner possesses great skills; being able to bind my junior disciple with spirits shows just how difficult they are to deal with. Master, we must be fully prepared—any Secret Techniques we need should be ready."
The implication of this statement was clear: the Master was to bring along the most powerful item. Although he did not explicitly mention the Talisman, it was evident that the most powerful item included it.
At that moment, the Grandmaster's Master had already sensed the ulterior motives of the Eldest Disciple. He snorted coldly and said, "Do I need you to tell me? After raising you for so many years, how could I not know your intentions? Just speak plainly; what is your goal?"
Seeing that he could no longer hide his intentions, the Eldest Disciple steeled himself and revealed his purpose. His tone was resolute, devoid of any trace of the bond between master and disciple. It was unclear what had happened during his three years away, but he had become so ruthless in pursuit of profit.
After hearing their intentions, surprisingly, the Grandmaster's Master did not explode in anger. Instead, he calmly addressed his Eldest Disciple: "From now on, you no longer belong to Qiaoling. We have no further ties. However, Karma dictates that before this can happen, you must accept the punishment from our sect."
Once those words were spoken, the Eldest Disciple surely realized that his Master intended to take action against him. Having learned some skills himself, he knew that if given time, his Master had many ways to subdue him. Thus, without hesitation and relying on his youth, he decided to strike first before his Master was ready.
However, experience proved invaluable; the prepared Master acted far quicker than he had anticipated. Before he could even reach his Master, he found himself struck down and pinned to the ground, unable to rise.
The Grandmaster's Master looked at his struggling disciple on the ground and coldly remarked, "With your abilities, do you think you can make a move? Don't forget who raised you."
At this point, I was left speechless in astonishment. I exclaimed, "Why have I never heard of how powerful the Grandmaster's Master is? He can bring someone down with just a few steps using the Method of Feng Shui. Can you do that?"
The Master replied, "I cannot do it now either. Generations of transmission have nearly eroded some core elements. By my generation, we have lost half of what was passed down. As for you, you've only learned a fraction."
His words were undoubtedly accurate. Reflecting on the vast difference between my experience and speed of execution compared to my Master's made it clear that it was not something easily measured.
I asked my Master, "Is this why we can no longer take in disciples?"
He responded, "That's one reason. More importantly, this era is becoming increasingly unsuitable for our kind to survive. Moreover, you are the only disciple who has not been by my side all along. In the past, I allowed you to study while cultivating because I considered you our last hope for Qiaoling's legacy. Before meeting you, I had already resigned myself to the idea that Qiaoling would lose its lineage under my watch. But when that old monk brought you here one night, I felt a connection with you and took you as my disciple. This was a bit of my selfishness; I couldn't bear for Qiaoling to fade away unnoticed in modern society. At least by taking you in, it holds cross-generational significance for us since you entered my fold in the twenty-first century. It's just unfortunate that now an unavoidable fate rests upon your shoulders, making you bear this burden of consequence. It feels a bit unfair to you."
The master finished speaking, his eyes filled with helplessness and regret. The sadness on his face was unmistakable. Fueled by the effects of alcohol, his emotions spilled out, and it was the first time I had seen him so vulnerable. My heart ached at the sight; the master, who seemed capable of anything, also bore immense burdens. Perhaps it was only through the haze of drunkenness that I could glimpse this other side of him. This elderly, lonely man had endured so much yet showed no signs of negativity in his daily life.
Seeing the master's sorrow, I hurriedly stood up and moved behind him to massage his shoulders, speaking earnestly: "Master, I am not afraid of bearing anything. Compared to you, what I have done for our sect is truly insignificant. I feel fortunate to have encountered Qiaoling and even become a disciple of Qiaoling. If fate has brought us together, we can only accept it. Moreover, more and more small sects are disappearing; it is a tragedy of our times. However, we have at least existed and have no regrets before heaven and earth."
The master nodded and took another sip of his drink, revealing a kind smile as he said, "In truth, I have long seen through all this; I just drank too much today. As I grow older, it's been a while since I've felt such reflections. It’s merely a release; now I feel much better inside. Let me continue telling you about your Grandmaster."
I did not stop my movements and continued to massage his shoulders. At his age, sitting for long periods without back support would surely cause him discomfort. "By the way, Master," I asked, "wasn't there a government back then? Why didn't you report it?"
The master replied, "There are police stations now too. If you encountered such a situation, how would you report it?"
Speaking of the Grandmaster's master capturing his Eldest Disciple, he felt a mix of emotions watching the pleading disciple on the ground. This disciple was not inherently bad; however, in this era, it was difficult to remain unaffected by the negative state of mind surrounding them. The Grandmaster's master had many methods. He released the Eldest Disciple from his restraints and sent an entangling spirit to guide him in searching for the Grandmaster.
Silently they walked until they reached the small courtyard where the Grandmaster was bound. Eager to find him, the Grandmaster's master pushed open the door and entered the inner room without thinking further. Once inside, he immediately regretted it.
The room was filled with various talismans and protective items arranged very cleverly. It could even be determined that the Thief Apprentice's Daoist Techniques were not far behind those of the Grandmaster's master. Clearly, within this room, Daoist Techniques were largely restricted. They could not rely on supernatural forces; moreover, even the spirit that had ensnared the Eldest Disciple could not exert much influence here. In such circumstances, an elderly man facing two strong young men had no chance of winning. The outcome was predictable.
The Heritage Seal, a personal item of the Grandmaster's master, was also taken away directly. His desperate resistance proved futile in the end as he fell to the ground and could only watch helplessly as they left.
As the master recounted this part of the story, tears streamed down his face—an unmistakable display of anger and helplessness. My own heart burned with fury as well. We dedicate our lives to many causes, yet when faced with situations beyond our control, who will advocate for us? We are alike; you are alike. Many things cannot develop according to our wishes. Living in a world that is not our own requires such awareness.
After a long silence from the master, I broke the stillness by asking him if that was how things ended.
He replied: "In matters like this, reporting to authorities is useless. We lack the foundation of our sect; we have no connections or financial resources to recover that ancestral Talisman. Moreover, your Grandmaster’s master was already advanced in age and deeply burdened by guilt over this incident. Not long after returning home, he succumbed to depression and passed away. Before leaving, he told your Grandmaster: 'I am a living example; be cautious when taking on disciples in the future.' Your disciples must also be careful. In our line of work, we usually do not reveal ourselves openly; however, those who understand will still covet what we possess. One must harbor no ill intentions but also be vigilant against others' intentions. Times have changed now; I do not expect you to pass down Qiaoling for generations but at least strive to act with a clear conscience towards people and spirits alike."
After finishing his words, the Grandmaster's master slowly closed his eyes, filled with deep guilt and self-reproach.
At this point, I could hardly bear it any longer. I silently walked to the altar of the Grandmasters, lit a stick of incense, and knelt on the Meditation Cushion, struggling to find peace within myself.
After experiencing this event, the Grandmaster, as the sole inheritor, established a new rule for the sect: while the master was still alive, disciples were not allowed to establish their own schools or accept students. He said this was an unresolved knot in his heart and a calamity that belonged to Qiaoling that could not be undone.
Once the story was finished, my master became heavily intoxicated. After helping him to bed, I found it hard to fall asleep. I thought about the helplessness of the Grandmaster's generation, the pain in my master's heart, and the impending end of Qiaoling in my hands. I understood that this was Qiaoling's destined calamity and also a responsibility I had to bear. With the passage of time, many traditions that do not align with modern science will inevitably be abandoned. Fortunately, I could face the inevitable end of Qiaoling on behalf of my master. Even more fortunately, in this modern society that values science over superstition, I could still be a disciple of Qiaoling. If Qiaoling is a small boat in the vast river of history, then I am fortunate to be a plank on that boat. Though unremarkable, I take great pride in it.
I do not know how long I can walk on the path of Qiaoling, nor have I ever asked my master how much longer I can continue. Once I have chosen a path, there is no need to inquire how far it may lead.
Once upon a time, when I was about to leave the mountain after completing my training, my master asked me: "The road ahead is yours to walk alone; there will certainly be various difficulties and dangers. You will encounter many dark and unspeakable things. But I hope you will keep moving forward."
I replied: "Master, do not worry. My heart is bright; darkness will retreat before me."
I still remember my master's comforting smile at that moment; he seemed genuinely happy.
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