Under One Person: One Person Goes

Chapter 228 Master, there will always be successors!

In late September of the 19th year of the Republic of China, at the back mountain of Tianshi Mansion in Longhu Mountain.

Zhang Huaiyi lay on the ground in a mess, his left arm pressing on his eyes, his shoulders shaking, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably, his crying sounding full of grievance.

This was a duel whose outcome had already been decided. Zhang Huaiyi knew it, and Zhang Zhiwei knew it too.

So beside Zhang Huaiyi, Zhang Zhiwei squatted and comforted his fellow apprentice, just like he did that night after the martial arts competition outside the Tianshi Mansion Hall.

But this time, the two brothers remained silent after the fight until Zhang Huaiyi's crying gradually stopped.

Zhang Zhiwei then stood up and placed the tungsten filament bulb that had been placed on the futon into Zhang Huaiyi's arms.

"Huaiyi, my brother is gone. This light bulb is a thought that he left for you. When you miss him, light it up. It will help him to light the way back to Mount Longhu and let him know how to go forward."

After saying that, Zhang Zhiwei stood up and walked out of the cave.

He didn't bring any luggage, nor did he need to.

In the woods, Zhang Zhiwei walked neither slowly nor slowly, looking at every tree and blade of grass on Longhu Mountain where he had lived for more than 20 years, as if he wanted to remember everything here in his mind, because Zhang Zhiwei had a premonition that it would take many years for him to come back after he went down the mountain this time.

After passing through the woods on the back mountain and crossing the Tianshi Mansion, a cableway made of iron chains is right in front of you.

This is the back mountain of Longhu Mountain where the Tianshi Mansion is located. The so-called back mountain is an area that has not been developed at all. This is also the place where the Tianshi Mansion practices meditation.

Zhang Zhiwei stopped in front of the cable car, because in front of him, an old man and a young boy had been waiting for him there.

The old one is muscular with curly beard and mustache, while the young one has a Taoist hairstyle and a noble look, looking more like a wealthy man than a Taoist priest.

Needless to say, the old man is Zhang Zhiwei's mentor, Zhang Jingqing, the 64th successor of the Han Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain.

This young one is also his junior fellow apprentice who is one year older than him. He is also related to his master by blood. He is the direct descendant of the founder Zhang Daoling and his name is Zhang Enpu.

Zhang Zhiwei was not surprised that Zhang Jingqing was waiting for him here, but Zhang Zhiwei did not expect that his master would also bring his nephew, who was also his junior fellow apprentice Zhang Enpu, here.

The Longhu Mountain Tianshi Temple was founded by Zhang Daoling, who led the Zhengyi Sect. All Tianshi of each generation must be from Zhang Daoling's lineage. Even though there is a tradition of using a false surname, a Tianshi who uses the surname Zhang must find a marriageable woman from the descendants of Zhang Daoling to marry and have children with, so as to continue the legal system of Zhang Daoling's Tianshi lineage.

Master Zhang Jingqing is the direct descendant of Master Zhang Daoling and never married in his life.

He is the 64th Heavenly Master of Tianshi Mansion.

Zhang Zhiwei knew that if he or his junior fellow apprentice Zhang Huaiyi were not around, then a hundred years after his master's death, the position of the 65th Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain would have been inherited by Zhang Enpu, the nephew whom his master treated as his own son.

When it comes to the inheritance of the position of Heavenly Master, my master knows the importance of it.

As for why Zhang Zhiwei became the 65th Heavenly Master in the end, only those who experienced it personally know the cause and effect.

At this time, beside the cableway, Zhang Jingqing and Zhang Enpu, one old and one young, looked at Zhang Zhiwei without saying a word.

As they stared at each other in silence, the chirping sounds of insects around them suddenly disappeared, and the night sky, which was once bright with few stars and sparse clouds, was now covered by dark clouds.

Thick clouds obscured the night sky above the three people's heads, making the area and even the entire back mountain of Longhu Mountain dim and dark.

A thunder rumbled from the clouds, accompanied by the words of Heavenly Master Zhang Jingqing.

"Go back and pretend nothing happened."

The voice of Heavenly Master Zhang Jingqing was not loud, but rather low.

Just as Heavenly Master Zhang Jingqing spoke, lightning leaped in the clouds, shining on the faces of the three people who were looking at each other, making their expressions appear uncertain.

This is the value of the Longhu Mountain Successor Han Heavenly Master who leads the Zhengyi lineage.

The Five Thunders Method can attract thunder from heaven!
Faced with this tremendous power from nature and the existence that can invoke that power, it is difficult for any living being to remain calm in the face of such an existence.

Zhang Zhiwei's response to his master's use of the Five Thunders Method to persuade him was also very simple.

Zhang Zhiwei closed his eyes and then opened them again.

Both eyes also flashed blue light.

The five Qi in the body surged, and flowed into the thundercloud in the sky that Zhang Jingqing had summoned in its own way. As the five Qi in Zhang Zhiwei's body surged, the thundercloud did not dissipate.

But the rumbling thunder gradually subsided.

Noticing the changes in the thundercloud above his head, Zhang Enpu, who was beside Zhang Jingqing, changed his expression drastically. Looking at Zhang Zhiwei standing opposite him, jealousy rose in his eyes.

Even Zhang Jingqing's face was not calm at this moment.

It's only been a few years, and this disciple of mine has slowly figured out the path to the Five Thunders Righteous Law? !
Just relying on the half of Yang Wu Lei that I passed on to him? !
Such talent and ability are worthy of the high hopes he has placed on him. But it is precisely because of the high hopes he has placed on Zhang Zhiwei that the answer given by Zhang Zhiwei at this moment made Zhang Jingqing feel even more heavy-hearted.

"Master, I still want to go down the mountain."

Heavenly Master Zhang Jingqing looked at Zhang Zhiwei and pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Is this your way?”

"Yes, this is the path that I must take on my path of cultivation. If I don't take this path, I won't be able to achieve my Tao."

Lightning flashed in the dark clouds above his head, shining on the face of Heavenly Master Zhang Jingqing, making it impossible to tell whether this Xuanmen leader was happy or angry.

"For so many years, you have never needed my guidance or worry in your cultivation, except for the birthday banquet of the old man of the Lu family five years ago. Since then, you have been looking for your way."

"Master, please understand. I used to think that cultivation is cultivation, and there is no need to add any labels to the word cultivation. It was not until I went back to the mountain and went outside the Longhu Mountain that I suddenly felt that perhaps I had taken it for granted before."

"Talk about it."

"Yes, before I speak, I want to ask Master a question."

"speak."

"Master, do you know a married woman?"

Heavenly Master Zhang Jingqing did not answer, but the thunder and flashes of lightning that were brought about by the clouds that were pressed down by Zhang Zhiwei had already given Zhang Zhiwei the answer.

Zhang Zhiwei calmly recounted an incident that happened when he returned to Mount Longhu after competing with Wang Yi at the Lu family's birthday banquet, and when he went down the mountain for the first time without permission and left the territory of Mount Longhu.

It was the end of the 14th year of the Republic of China. Zhang Zhiwei, wearing a tattered Taoist robe, traveled outside the territory of Longhu Mountain for the first time.

While traveling, they happened to meet a wedding procession.

There was music and dance, and it was a lively scene. Zhang Zhiwei was hungry, so he was about to go up to the wedding procession to say a few words of congratulations and ask for some food.

Just as Zhang Zhiwei was about to make a move, the bride's escort team suddenly became chaotic, and they all gathered around the sedan chair in the middle. Someone shouted, "Something happened to the bride!"

Human life was at stake, so Zhang Zhiwei didn't care about anything else. He pushed through the crowd and lifted the red curtain.

The young bride in her prime tied herself to the flower bridge with a hemp rope that she had hidden at some point, and chose to commit suicide.

Fortunately, I was there and with a little trick I managed to save the bride who was about to die.

But the bride who survived was not grateful to Zhang Zhiwei. Instead, she glared at him with hatred and asked him angrily.

"Master, why are you stopping me from serving in the Queen Mother's garden? Are you the only Taoists allowed to go to this place in heaven?"

"Girl, there is no Queen Mother in heaven."

"You're lying! The fairy in the temple said that as long as a woman dies cleanly and isn't harmed by a man, she can go there!"

Zhang Zhiwei was about to explain, but was interrupted by the matchmaker and the bride-welcoming people. They tied the bride's hands and feet with the hemp rope that the bride used to hang herself, and stuffed them back into the sedan chair.

After thanking Zhang Zhiwei for his generosity and giving him some gift money, he left with his bride, continuing with the music and dance as if nothing had happened.

Amid the festive sounds, only the bride's heart-wrenching voice on the flower bridge was particularly harsh.

Zhang Zhiwei held the gift money in his hand and looked at the wedding procession going away without saying a word.

He didn't know why the bride hated him so much, blamed him, the fairy? Yes, it must be this fairy who came out of nowhere and deceived the people.

For this kind of obscene worship of evil gods, it is the responsibility of our Tianshi Mansion to cut down mountains and destroy temples!

Zhang Zhiwei noticed several girls on the hillside looking at this side. With his eyesight, he could naturally see the expressions of these girls as they witnessed the whole process. And from the expressions of these girls, Zhang Zhiwei could judge that these girls must know the reason.

He immediately stepped forward and stopped the girls before they left.

After much persuasion, he finally got these girls to take him to their village, to the dilapidated temple in the back mountain of their village, to meet the so-called fairy lady.

This so-called fairy lady is actually a swindler and cannot even be considered a cultivator.

With just a little trick, Xian Niang knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Zhang Zhiwei. She also told the girls that she had been talking nonsense before and there was nothing in the sky.

Zhang Zhiwei took the fairy girl around the village, asking her to repeat his words over and over again, and then sent her to the government to await her fate.

As for the dilapidated temple where she lived, the incense, offerings, and fruits inside also returned to the hands of the deceived victims.

Zhang Zhiwei, who thought he had done his duty of cutting down mountains and destroying temples, continued on his journey of travel. Before leaving, he repeatedly explained to the girls.

There is no Jade Emperor or Queen Mother in heaven. It is common sense that men should marry when they are old enough and women should marry when they are old enough. As long as they take care of their husbands and children, they can live a good life...
Zhang Zhiwei didn't understand the way those girls looked at him at that time, nor did he take it seriously, so he just left.

After that, he sometimes stayed in Longhu Mountain, and sometimes went down the mountain secretly to see the world and kill the bullies and bandits who were causing trouble in the area.

Until the 17th year of the Republic of China, the old general outside the Great Wall had his affairs come to an end. On the way back to Longhu Mountain, Zhang Zhiwei happened to pass by the village again. Thinking that he was just passing by, he went to inquire about the girls who had passed by a few years ago and whether they had married into good families.

After inquiring, Zhang Zhiwei learned that during these three years, these girls chose to do the same thing as the bride and committed suicide in the bridal sedan.

Zhang Zhiwei was stunned when he heard the news. He vaguely remembered the look those girls gave him, and now he knew what that look was like.

It is despair, resentment, and dead silence.

In that village, the previous fairy lady was gone, but a fairy master came.

This time, Zhang Zhiwei did not repeat what he did a few years ago. Instead, he went directly to find the immortal master. He did not think of handing him over to the authorities, but asked the so-called immortal master a question after capturing him.

"What on earth did you do to make them believe your lies?"

"Master, please have mercy on me. I don't know any tricks. I just learned them from a woman in prison a few years ago."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiwei sent the immortal master away with a palm, and then returned to the mountain with Zhang Huaiyi.

Having said that, Zhang Zhiwei looked at his master Zhang Jingqing, who had listened to his story, and asked.

"Master, do you think I made a mistake back then?"

"No."

"Then why would they choose to believe a lie that has long been exposed and commit suicide, rather than live, get married, have children, and live the life that a girl should have?"

Zhang Jingqing did not answer, while Zhang Zhiwei kept asking and answering his own questions.

"Because they live in a world where they can't see the future, they are traded like commodities by their own families, and they don't even have the right to choose!"

"Men should marry when they are old enough, and women should marry when they are old enough. This is the way it has been since ancient times, with the will of their parents and the words of the matchmaker."

"It has always been like this, right? Master?"

"Heaven and earth are not benevolent and treat all things as straw dogs. As practitioners, we need to judge ourselves with the saints and judge others with the ordinary people. Now the world is like this, so let it be. If the world changes in the future, we will also let it be. Don't you understand this principle?"

"The Tao changes with time, and I naturally understand that. But what I don't understand is, if I don't do anything, will the Tao change naturally?"

"The secret cannot be leaked."

"Master, there is no such thing as a secret. If there really was a secret, why would you have brought me back from Gannan and let me stay in the back mountain for two years? Allow me to ask a disrespectful question here. Master, do you think that the inheritance of our Longhu Mountain for nearly two thousand years and everything we have gained in the secular world and in the martial arts world of strange people are reasonable?"

"Reasonable!"

"Is it reasonable?"

Zhang Jingqing did not answer. He just looked at Zhang Zhiwei standing in front of him and asked back.

"what do you want to say in the end."

"Master, in the past, we always supported whoever won in Longhu Mountain. Now, I want to give it a try. Whoever I support will win."

Zhang Zhiwei said this with a smile on his face, and when Zhang Jingqing heard this, his eyes widened, his hair and beard stood up, and he shouted angrily.

"evil creature!"

There was a tiger roar, and thunder rumbled overhead with thunderclouds and flashes of lightning.

Zhang Jingqing raised his hand, responding to the thunderclouds above his head.

In front of him, Zhang Zhiwei had already knelt down to Zhang Jingqing, but he no longer looked joking as before.

Zhang Jingqing looked at Zhang Zhiwei who was kneeling in front of her but still looking at her, but her raised hand did not fall down for a long time.

"You know, I have high expectations of you!"

"Do you know what you are doing? You are digging up the roots of our Longhu Mountain!"

"Have you ever thought about what would happen if you didn't win, what would happen if you couldn't get through it!"

This was the first time that Zhang Zhiwei saw his master acting like this. His raised hand was shaking, and his originally tall and straight figure was now hunched under the flashing lightning.

There was a hint of pleading in his voice.

Zhang Jingqing has always taught himself to judge himself by saints, and others by ordinary people. Heaven and earth are unkind and treat all things as straw dogs.

But in the end, whether it is the Heavenly Master or himself, they are just ordinary people after all. At this moment, Zhang Zhiwei missed Wang Yi who had disappeared. If he were here, maybe he could persuade his master.

Thinking of this, Zhang Zhiwei kowtowed three times to his master Zhang Jingqing in front of him and said calmly.

"Master, there will always be someone to come after you!"

In one sentence, he answered Zhang Jingqing's three questions.

Seeing Zhang Zhiwei had made up his mind, Zhang Jingqing's raised hand never fell. The thundercloud above his head summoned by the Five Thunders Righteous Method also slowly dissipated as he withdrew his hand.

Leading Zhang Enpu who was following him, he slowly walked in front of Zhang Zhiwei, but passed by Zhang Zhiwei. He stood behind him and then spoke.

"Zhang Zhiwei!"

"The disciple is here!"

"As the 64th successor of the Heavenly Master of the Han Dynasty at Mount Longhu, I hereby declare that from this moment on, I am no longer your master, and you are no longer my disciple. From now on, you are not allowed to call yourself a disciple of Mount Longhu. Even if you cause trouble in the future, you are not allowed to return to Mount Longhu. After tonight, I will announce this news through Jianghu Inn."

"You, go!"

Zhang Zhiwei was not surprised by this expected result. He just turned around and kowtowed three times again to his teacher who had his back to him.

The sound became louder and louder.

"Junior Zhang Zhiwei, thanks to Heavenly Master Sihan for his help!"

Standing up, Zhang Zhiwei turned his back to his former mentor, held his head high and walked towards the cable car going down the mountain until he disappeared into the night.

Zhang Jingqing also kept her back to Zhang Zhiwei and did not turn around to watch him leave.

It was not until Zhang Zhiwei had left for a long time that he turned around, squatted down, and reached out to stroke the piece of soil that Zhang Zhiwei had kowtowed to just now.

There was already a small patch of water wetting the sand.

Zhang Jingqing picked up the small piece of wet sand and placed it in his palm, then said to his nephew Zhang Enpu beside him.

"Let's go back."

"Yes, Master."

(End of this chapter)