The Inverted Dragon's Scale

Li Muyang’s expression stiffened for a long time, before he forcefully relaxed himself, his lips curving into an even brighter smile, saying. “No wonder that when I first saw teacher Xiahou I though teacher Xiahou looks beautiful and radiates an air of elegance, as though you’re a celestial being—At that time I only know teacher Xiahou has an extraordinary background. It really is true.”

Xiahou Qianbai completely ignored Li Muyang’s flattery and said aloud: “although I don’t know why you were enrolled, but I see you’ve practised [The Art of the Breaking Body] before–”

As though he unintentionally glanced at Li Muyang, he tentatively asked: “you know my Ziyang Shishu[1]?”

[1] A junior of his master

Ziyang Shishu?

Li Muyang pondered inwardly, who is this person? I had never heard of the name Ziyang before.

Moreover, even Teacher Xiahou calls him Shishu—then he must be a big thigh, right?

So, Li Muyang looked at Xiahou Qianbai in bewilderment, asking: “Teacher Xiahou is talking about that old Taoist priest, right?”

“Old Taoist priest?” The muscles in Xiahou Qianbai’s pale face began to twitch as he thought to himself: such an ignorant kid, he dares to call one of the seven immortals of Taoism, Taoist Ziyang an ‘old Taoist priest’, he really does not know how high the sky is and how thick the earth. However, without displaying too much anger, he added: “Ziyang Shishu cultivates in ‘The Art of Unintentional’ so does not pay attention to appearance. I didn’t know you met him before– how did you know each other? ”

What Xiahou Qianbai said confirmed Li Muyang’s thinking; the dirty old Taoist priest who always came to examine his illness is Ziyang Shishu.

Able to become the shishu of Xiahou Qianbai, a famous Starry Sky teacher, he must be a remarkable person–Li Muyang repented himself to the extent that his intestine was turning green.

Back then, why did he not beg the old Taoist priest to be his mentor?

Actually he did but the old Taoist priest dismissed him, saying becoming someone’s mentor depends on ‘fate’, without fate then it cannot be forced. Also, he exhorted Li Muyang to let nature take its course and everything will come naturally.

After he comforted Li Muyang, he then said Li Shinian is smart, have great potential, gave her a copy of [The Art of the Breaking Body] to practice and said it would strengthen her body and enlighten her.

Li Muyang had nothing but criticism for the old Taoist monk: Does he dislikes me because he thinks I’m stupid? Why else would he teach Li Shinian and not me?

Because of this knot in his heart, Li Muyang was more reluctant to get close to the old Taoist priest. He secretly poured away the concoctions he specially prepared for him several times—And because Li Shinian told on him to the old Taoist priest, the old Taoist priest dotes on her.

He missed out on grabbing onto this thick thigh, this time, no matter what, he has to hold onto this thick thigh.

So, with a cool and casual expression as though he was close with him, Li Muyang said: “So that old Taoist priest is called Ziyang—–Taoist priest. He always likes to wear a shabby Taoist robe, which the original colour could not be determined, his hair was always messy and his beard scruffy. But he is actually a pretty good person, he always patted my head and said ‘this kid will have a bright future when he grows up, must properly nurture him, don’t put this kid’s talent to waste’—”

“I asked how did you know each other—” Xiahou Qianbai said impatiently. Just why does this guy talk so much nonsense?

“When I was young, I was afflicted with a serious illness, Taoist Ziyang suddenly arrived at our doorstep and said he would help cure my illness. At that time, my father and mother were helpless with my condition and since someone was willing to treat my condition, they were naturally overjoyed—-”

“When he came to see me, he first felt my pulse, listened to my breathing, and examined my chest, before he came to a conclusion, saying that ‘lightning entered your body but does not matter, it can be treated’–So, he had took care of me for years until I was eleven years old, when he finally left.”

“Why did he leave? Do you know where he went?” Xiahou Qianbai hastily asked.

“He said there would be a disaster soon, so he needs to do some preparation.” Li Muyang said regretfully. “Since then, I have never seen him.”

“Ziyang Shishu has remarkable skills and is extremely talented; he’s a leading figure of the Taoist sect. The disaster that he spoke of may mean he wants to advance further once again–I haven’t seen him in so many years, I wonder what level of cultivation Ziyang Shishu is now.”

“I wonder how Taoist Grandpa is now.” Li Muyang said softly.

“Taoist Grandpa?” Xiahou Qianbai shot a puzzled glance at Li Muyang.

“Yes.” Li Muyang said, looking sad. This time he was not pretending but really did miss the old Taoist priest whose sleeves were full of grease and dirt when he came to see him every day carrying large bags of herbs to boil a concoction and then forced him to drink it.

At that time Li Muyang really hated him, because every day he forced medicine down his throat. Now thinking about it, it was to treat his illness. Without his medical treatment, and based on the severity of his disease, whether he could live was an uncertainty.

Also, his temper was very good, no matter how he much he was aggravated, he would simply smile. He was especially kind to Li Shinian as though Li Shinian is his granddaughter–

“I got along well with him, so we became close. I liked to call him old Taoist priest but later I called him Taoist Grandpa. Every day, whenever I saw him heading over into our courtyard from afar, I would yell ‘Taoist Grandpa is here’ to my little sister –”

The story is true, just that Li Muyang swapped the characters around. It was Li Shinian who sat at the doorway and whenever she saw the old Taoist priest coming over, she would shout to her busy parents inside the house: ‘Taoist Grandpa is here’. Every day, at that time, Li Muyang wanted to find a corner to hide at–

“He said I have a gift in cultivation, so he gave me a book called [The Art of the Breaking Body] and told me that the book could build up my body and make me wiser. No matter how hard I practice, I still showed no progress in several years—”

“I am indebted to Ziyang Shishu, back then I had a problem that I could not solve, it was him who awakened and reminded me, which led to the achievements I have today.” After hearing Li Muyang’s story, Xiahou Qianbai was touched; the manner in which he looks at Li Muyang was much kinder, somewhat endearing. “Ziyang Shishu imparted ‘The Art of the breaking Body’ to you then that means he thought highly–fond of you. With his present cultivation level, I’m afraid it’s hard for me to repay the favour to him. Therefore, this favour falls on you. As Ziyang Shishu says: ‘go with the flow, everything comes naturally’. Since you’re at Starry Sky Academy and is lying in my medicine hut, this must be the fate that Shishu always mentions-”

Xiahou Qianbai turned to Li Muyang and said firmly, as though not allowing any possible refusal: “Today, I’ll help you build your foundation.”