As they were heading toward the dining hall, Xiao Baichwan turned and said,
"Grandmaster, I'll go put the box back first. Please go on ahead to the dining hall."
Dao Master cast a long, measured look at him.
"Very well… go on then. But Xiao Baichuan… since you were never all that passionate about martial cultivation, I suppose you never studied your ancestor's record thoroughly—never kept it close at hand, did you?"
The old master deliberately dropped his voice when he said "kept it close at hand," whispering it low and quick. Xiao Baichuan did not catch the meaning at first. But seeing the gravity in the Dao master's expression, he quickly pieced the words together and understood what had been left unsaid.
"Yes… That's right. It's true I've never had much interest in martial arts. I've always just wanted a peaceful life—an ordinary life with my family, nothing more."
He replied in the same quiet tone, mirroring the Dao master's earlier whisper of "yes" before continuing at his usual pace.
Dao Master, satisfied that his message had been grasped, nodded silently.
"Very well then, go ahead. I'll head to the dining hall first."
With that, Dao master continued on his way, while Xiao Baichuan climbed the stairs to the upper floor.
As he ascended, he wondered—Why didn't Dao Master plainly tell me not to leave the record behind? Why that cryptic whisper? There must be a reason.
Though the exact cause eluded him, the sense of hidden urgency gnawed at his thoughts. He reached the upper floor swiftly and entered the ancestral chamber.
The dust-coated floor still bore the clear imprint of his own footprints from the day before.
"Hm…"
But then he noticed something peculiar—some of the prints had been stepped on… by someone else.
Whoever it was had followed his exact steps into the chamber. Someone had entered. Something wasn't right.
In that moment, the true meaning behind the Dao master's quiet instruction became clear. That was why he had told him to keep the ancestral record close—it was no longer safe to leave it unattended.
He stood before the altar, offering silent respect to the ancestors. Then, instead of placing the black box back in its resting place, he took it with him and quietly exited the chamber.
When he arrived at the dining hall, the meal had not yet been set. Uncle Pan and Aunt Jinwan were still preparing the dishes.
Seeing him arrive, Uncle Pan called out,
"Just a moment more, young master. We're almost done."
Aunt Jinwan merely turned to glance at him once before returning to ladling rice and arranging dishes with practiced care.
Not long after, lunch was ready.
Xiao Baichuan and Dao Master began to eat.
While chewing a mouthful of rice, Dao master spoke up and addressed Aunt Jinwan,
"Why don't you join us?"
She shook her head.
"Please, Grandmaster—go ahead and eat. I'll dine later."
Hearing this, Xiao Baichuan asked,
"Aunt, are you feeling unwell? Your voice sounds different."
"I'm well, young master. It's just that the heat's been too much lately. I couldn't sleep last night… perhaps that's why my voice seems off."
Dao Master gave her a sharp, scrutinizing look before remarking,
"Or perhaps… you've just returned from a long journey."
At that, Aunt Jinwan gave a slight start.
"I… I haven't been anywhere, I swear!"
Dao Master suddenly set down his chopsticks with a sharp clack and called out in a stern voice,
"Bang…!"
Then, fixing his eyes upon her, he spoke in a clear, cutting tone:
"Zhou Zhelai."
Aunt Jinwan stiffened. Her face instantly froze, and then—twisted.
"Hah… You insufferable Mad Daoist. Pretending not to know. You're as irritating as ever."
Her voice no longer resembled that of the aunt—it had shifted to that of an old man.
"Take off that nasty face of yours, will you? You're testing my patience, and if I get angry, my hands may move faster than my words."
Dao Master replied with quiet derision,
"Still the same old trickster."
As if accepting defeat, Aunt Jinwan wiped her face with her palm.
"Easy now, Mad Daoist. You always take things too far. Can't I have a little fun?"
Gone was the plump and pleasant-faced aunt. In her place emerged the wrinkled visage of an elderly man—his sparse hair a dull gray, moustache and stubble scraggly and coarse, nose sharp, eyes narrow and twitchy.
Xiao Baichuan stared at the bizarre transformation. The old man's face was now clear, but the rest of his body remained the same as the old aunts—rotund, fleshy, and hunched like a squat clay pot.
It was like watching a rat poke its head out of a porcelain jar.
The old man known as Zhou Zhelai fixed Xiao Baichuan with a scowl.
"Hey, kid! What's with that stupid grin? Haven't seen a dignified and noble elder like me before?"
Xiao Baichuan suppressed his laughter at the old man's words, though a slight chuckle escaped his lips.
"Hehe…"
"You…"
Zhou Zhelai widened his eyes and stared at him.
Dao Master interjected coolly, "Don't mock him too harshly. Have you even taken a look at your own appearance lately?"
The old man glanced down at himself, then broke into a wheezing chuckle.
"Hah…! Fair enough. Allow me to 'polish things up' for your viewing pleasure."
With that, the elder rolled his shoulders, straightened his hunched back, and with a few theatrical movements of his arms and waist, his stout and round body transformed into a tall, slender frame. Then, with a flick of his wrists and a showman's flair, he swapped out his feminine garb for a striking blue outfit. Before long, the old man stood before them, transformed—tall, lean, and robed in blue.
Xiao Baichuan, who had just been chuckling moments earlier, now stared in wide-eyed awe, his mouth agape. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
The old man, clearly pleased by the young man's stunned expression, grinned.
"Now that's more like it, eh?"
He asked with a smug expression.
Dao Master gave no reply, simply watching with unreadable eyes.
Though clearly aged, the old man exuded a certain youthful sharpness, and this piqued Xiao Baichuan's interest. In that moment, he found himself warming to the strange elder.
"Yes, sir. You certainly look refined now."
The old man's expression shifted into a mock scowl.
"Sir? Since when did I earn the title of 'sir'? Just call me 'Elder' or 'uncle'—plain and simple. I ain't one of those self-important types like someone, who thinks he deserves to be called 'Grandmaster.'"
Dao Master, knowing full well the jab was directed at him, chose to ignore it completely.
Zhou Zhelai sauntered over and plopped himself beside Dao Master, pulling him in by the shoulder like an over friendly.
"Come now, Mad Daoist, Don't go showing that sour mug to the young folks. Be a pal and introduce me, will ya? Hah!"
The old man was clearly not one for decorum. He said whatever he pleased.
Dao master resigned, introduced them with a calm demeanor.
"Xiao Baichuan, this is Zhou Zhelai. In the martial world, they call him the Great Swindler."
Zhou Zhelai's face darkened.
"What's this now? 'Great Swindler'? Try 'Great Trickster,' will you? No matter, I'll introduce myself properly."
He stood up, clasped his hands, and gave a martial salute in the traditional way.
"Mark my words—Zhou Zhelai the Great Trickster of the Martial World—that's me. Been a while, hasn't it?"
Xiao Baichuan stood up in response and bowed respectfully. Though confused, he couldn't help but be drawn in by the old man's antics. He had lived an ordinary life, away from the martial world's chaos, and had never heard of such a person before.
"I've never heard of you before… Elder."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zheai's face drooped into a miserable scowl.
Dao Master, unable to contain himself, burst out laughing.
"Haha! Hahaha!"
Zhou Zhelai's face turned even more sour and his cheeks flushed red with frustration. He slammed the table like a child throwing a tantrum.
"What's so funny, huh? Are you mocking me on purpose? Shut your mouth already!"
He barked at Dao Master, who replied nonchalantly, completely unfazed.
"My mouth, my laughter. What's it to you? Haha!"
Red-faced and furious, Zhou Zhelai picked up a chopstick and flung it at Dai Master's ear.
Dao Master leaned slightly, casually dodging the strike.
"Hey now, this is just talk—don't bring your hands into it."
The old man refused to let it go.
"My hands, my actions! What are you gonna do about it, huh?"
And with that, he lunged again—striking with his chopstick, jabbing with his elbow, slapping with an open palm, sweeping with his leg, stomping, prodding, and even kicking from under the table.
Despite remaining seated, Zhou Zhelai launched a barrage of swift and unexpected attacks.
Dao Master, for his part, expertly evaded every strike, brushing them aside or slipping just out of range with the ease of a seasoned martial artist.
"Swindler, If your hands are itchy let's take it outside. Stop playing footsie at the table."
Hearing the challenge, Zhou Zhelai brightened with mischievous glee.
"Outside it is, Mad Daoist! Let's go!"
Without another word, Dao Master rose from his seat and flung the door open as he strode out.
Zhou Zhelai followed, his eyes twinkling with excitement.
Xiao Baichuan found himself helpless. He had no idea how to stop the two elder masters from clashing. With no solution in sight, he had no choice but to quietly follow from behind.
By the time the two old men stepped outside, they were already standing face-to-face in an open patch of the garden, about twenty paces apart. They stared at each other without so much as a blink, silent and intense.
The wiry elder was the first to move, quick and spry.
"In these past years, I've developed a new palm technique—'Spring Breeze Scatters Petals.' Let me start with that! Now, here it comes!"
With that, the wiry old man leapt forward like a flickering shadow. Mid-air, he let out a light shout, sending his palms sweeping toward the burly elder.
"Whoosh…"
"Huuu…"
The wind hissed through the air with the strike, causing even the smaller shrubs nearby to tremble and shake.
The burly elder remained standing firm. Calmly, he lifted both hands and gently pushed his palms outward.
"That's no novelty. That's just my own 'Mad Daoist Palms.' You've seen it before."
"Fsshhh… Fsshhh… Fsshhh…"
Though his movements were gentle, the force they carried was immense. The shockwaves from his palms rustled the leaves until they flew loose, scattering to the ground like falling snow.
But the wiry elder wasn't impressed.
"That's all? Try something new, would you?"
As he spoke, he abruptly altered his technique mid-strike. His original "Spring Breeze Scatters Petals" morphed, and he twisted through the air, reappearing like a flicker beside Ra Thei's flank.
The burly elder could no longer rely on his rooted stance. He took a step to the side and raised his arms to guard.
Just as their palms were about to clash, the wiry elder shifted again, spinning his wrists in every direction—up, down, left, right—striking out like a whirlwind.
"Whiiish… Whiiish… Whiiish…"
Dao Master chuckled at the flurry of strikes.
"Ha ha… So this is your 'Spring Breeze Scatters Petals,' huh?"
He twisted his body like a coiling dragon and spun once. The whirlwind of strikes narrowly missed as he slipped through them like wind through reeds.
The wiry elder stepped back and squinted.
"Mad Daoist! What was that move just now? You evaded my 'Spring Breeze Scatters Petals' with such precision. What's it called?"
Dao Master wrinkled his nose and replied with mock modesty:
"It doesn't really have a name. But that one… that one's called 'Trickster's Capture.' Watch carefully now—here I come."
As he spoke, he darted toward the wiry elder like a shadow, arms and legs moving in unison, attempting to seize and restrain him.
The wiry elder blocked with quick counters, but his eyes widened in surprise. Every time his limbs met Dao Master's, they seemed to stick—like paper pressed to glue.
"Fap… Fap… Fap…"
In that moment, it seemed as though he might be caught in one move. But it wasn't so simple. The old trickster twisted and weaved, just narrowly avoiding a complete capture.
Dao Master pursued relentlessly, his limbs flowing like water. The wiry elder evaded with slippery grace, spinning and twisting like a willow branch in the wind.
At last, Dao Master halted with a smirk.
"Enough. Trying to catch a trickster is like netting a slippery fish from the muck. I'm done."
The wiry elder laughed and offered praise.
"Well done, Mad Daoist. That capture technique's no joke. Took everything I had just to stay out of your grasp. Almost got embarrassed in front of our young spectator."
He glanced at Xiao Baichuan, who stood watching in awe, then spoke with feigned shame.
Dao master too nodded in appreciation.
"Your 'Spring Breeze Scatters Petals' wasn't bad either. If I didn't have that escape technique, I would've eaten a faceful of your trickster fists. That one move of mine? It's called 'Withered Bone Puppet'. Not the prettiest name, I know."
"Names don't matter," the wiry elder replied. "But what about that capture technique? What was it called again?"
"That one? 'Capturing Embrace, Crushing Bind.' Just like the name says—once I've got you locked in, the crushing comes next. Lucky for you, your dodging was just good enough."
"Ha ha! What fun this is"
The wiry elder laughed heartily as he looked Dao Master in the eye.
"What's so funny now?" Ra Thei asked with a half-smile.
"I just realized—Mad Daoist still hasn't surpassed that level. Which means I still get to spar with you. If you had moved past it, I'd be the one getting clobbered."
Dao master looked back at him with a calm gaze.
"Who said surpassing that stag was ever easy? These days, I hardly think about martial cultivation at all. Not really interested in breaking through. If anyone's made it past, it's probably one of those olds who've locked themselves away. And even they—without opportunity—won't get far."
He paused, then added with a wry smile:
"Besides, what does me not advancing have to do with you?"
The wiry elder grinned slyly.
"Well, I may not have advanced—but I'm curious. If someone else manages it, maybe I'll learn something. If even Mad Daoist hasn't crossed that threshold, then I doubt any other old fool has. Let them train in seclusion all they want. If they never ascend, they're just sitting cross-legged in vain."
He laughed again.
"So instead of chasing after martial breakthroughs, I've been pursuing other curiosities."
Dao Master raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what kind of curiosities are those?"
"I won't tell you. It's a secret. If you really want to know, show me one of those little treasures you picked up on your journey—was it the secret Realm? secret Domain? Something shiny, something rare. Show me, and I'll tell you my secret. Heh heh…"
"What secret? As if I don't know what you're up to. You're just wandering around spinning tales, trying to play tricks on everyone. If you really wanted the same kind of experience I got, you should've followed me back then. You didn't. So don't come to me now asking questions. Some treasure? What treasure? Even I don't know what I picked up!"
"Hmph… In that case, I'm not telling my secret either."
Trickster's refusal to reveal his secret left the old man, Dao master, deeply frustrated.
Dao Master chuckled as he watched the old trickster fume with impatience.
"Ha ha…!"
With their banter done, the two elderly men walked side by side toward Xiao Baichuan, shoulders nearly touching.
Seeing that the two masters were no longer fighting, Xiao Baichuan came to understand something rarely witnessed by outsiders—the peculiar bond between martial artists, friends and rivals alike.
Old Trickster gave Xiao Baichuan a light pat on the shoulder, smiling.
"You've been watching our little game, haven't you? Even if you remembered just a little, it would do you a lot of good."
Dao Master pointed at Xiao Baichuan and scoffed to his companion.
"Haha, he says he has no interest in martial arts, this one. Just another smooth talker."
The old man clicked his tongue in mock regret and replied with a sigh.
"Tsk tsk. What a waste. That build of his bodystrcture would be perfect for martial training."
Looking at the way the two elderly men spoke and behaved, Xiao Baichuan realized they were not merely old wanderers—they were long-time comrades, bound by deep friendship. He bowed respectfully with both hands clasped.
"Grandmaster, Elder Zhou, please… come inside. Grandmaster, you came to me without any formal invitation, and now Elder Zhou has arrived as well. This cannot be mere coincidence. Please, come in and speak with me."
The two elders nodded and smiled, seemingly approving of his insight.
"Well then, let's go in. No point in standing around here. We'll talk inside."
Elder Zhou draped his arm over Dao Master's shoulder, and the two stepped into the house.
Xiao Baichuan followed behind, gazing at their backs, silently hopeful that they might reveal something meaningful.
Once inside, Dao Master walked straight past the main hall and into the study, without uttering a word.
After they all took their seats in the study, Dao master turned to the sly old man and spoke:
"Come on now… tell us already. What brought you to the Xiao household?"
"Why should I start? You arrived before I did. You go first."
"What is there to say? I came because Xiao Baichuan summoned me. That's all."
"Oh, is that so? Fine then. I just happened to be visiting Guangzhou and bored out of my mind, I decided to transform myself into a maid for a bit of fun. One thing led to another and I ended up here. That's all."
The two elders bantered like mischievous children, neither willing to give an inch. Watching them, Xiao Baichuan nearly laughed aloud, but managed to hold it back.
"Please… tell me. I know for certain that your visit to me is no mere accident. I have a right to know the true reason. If I may."
The two old men looked at each other, and a weighty silence fell upon them.
Dao Master finally spoke.
"Very well. I'll go first. The truth is this…"
End of Chapter.