Chapter 7

If anyone else had heard these words, they might have immediately knelt down before the old Taoist in the blue robe. However, my father, who had read a couple of years of books and had seen a bit of the world, knew that when these Taoists, fortune-tellers, and charlatans predicted your fate, they would first predict your life and death, scaring you half to death, and then wait for you to beg for a way to save your life. This was called "first depressing, then uplifting." So my father, with his neck stiffened, cautiously said, "Master Taoist, eight years ago, when you visited our home, didn't you say that if this child followed you, you could change his fate?"

Upon hearing my father's words, the old Taoist in the blue robe raised his eyebrows and loudly said, "Change fate? In this vast world, how many people want to change their fate? But throughout history, how many have succeeded? Whether it's through assistance, passage, adjustment, or the use of deities, principles, or the five elements, or through the prediction of fate and the four pillars, or even the legendary golden seals and jade inscriptions, all they do is change minor fortunes, which have nothing to do with one's destiny. Your child's illness has penetrated to the bone, beyond human reach. Go back and don't disturb my cultivation and attainment of the Dao..."

The old Taoist in the blue robe waved his sleeve and was about to leave. My father was somewhat stunned, but my mother, who suddenly found the courage, grabbed the old Taoist's leg and started crying, "Master Taoist, Master Taoist, please save my Second Egg. He's only eight years old and hasn't even continued the Chen family line... Eight years ago, didn't you say you would take him as a disciple? Take him now, I beg you!"

Held tightly by my mother, the old Taoist couldn't leave. He looked at her awkwardly, stroking his mustache, and tried to persuade her, "Ah, Sister, don't do this, please get up."

My mother, worried about her youngest child, started to act stubbornly, saying, "Master Taoist, take him, let him serve you by bringing you tea and water, and even cleaning up after you. Eight years ago, you said you would take him as a disciple. You can't go back on your word..."

The old Taoist was at a loss, saying, "Eight years ago, I sealed that spirit, thinking it was an old friend. I wanted to take him as a disciple because he had tricked me before, and now the风水 (feng shui) has turned, and I just wanted to feel good inside. Later, I found out that your son has the 'Mountain Ghost Old Demon Evil Pattern,' an absolute fatal flaw. It's a death sentence, a punishment from heaven. If he persists, he will not only harm himself but also bring disaster to his family. That's why I thought of taking him away. But since you didn't agree, I was spared the trouble and enjoyed my freedom. Now... I advise you, this child is a source of trouble. The sooner he dies and is reborn, the better. He might even be reborn into a good family..."

The old Taoist spoke with a serious tone, and not only did my mother break down, but my father also knelt down. He had thought the old Taoist was interested in his child, but it turned out he saw it as a troublesome matter. A big man like him cried uncontrollably, saying, "Master Taoist, this is my only child. Please save him."

My father and mother were crying uncontrollably, but I didn't feel much. Instead, I disliked the old Taoist. Although he had just saved us, he made my parents cry, and that was unforgivable.

At this moment, the little monkey, Fat Girl, who had been thrown aside earlier, ran over and climbed onto my shoulder, looking at the old Taoist. I also felt a bit unwilling, saying, "Mom, Dad, if he won't treat us, let's go home. Who would want to be his disciple? Let's go, go..."

Before I could finish speaking, my father suddenly turned around and slapped me hard.

I was stunned, falling straight onto the grass, my ears ringing. Then I heard my father shouting at me, "Brat, don't you apologize to Master Taoist? Get down and kowtow to him, beg him to take you as a disciple, or you're not my son!" Hearing this, tears streamed down my face. I had grown up being as mischievous as other children, but unlike Luo Dadi, who was often beaten by his father, I had never been hit by my father. I never thought he would hit me so hard today.

But even as I cried, I obeyed my father, got up, and knelt before the old Taoist, kowtowing and saying, "Master Taoist, please take me as a disciple, please take me as a disciple..."

I kowtowed repeatedly, but the Taoist didn't even look at me. Instead, he casually said to my parents, "Everything depends on 'fate.' I had a connection with your child, but it's over. Don't talk about it anymore. This..."

He was about to say more when he suddenly frowned and coldly said, "You monkey trainer, how dare you cause trouble on my territory? Do you think I'm just a decoration on Wugirl Mountain?"

With these words, his body flickered, and he disappeared. I was stunned, forgetting to kowtow. My parents were also dumbfounded. After a while, my mother pushed my father, crying, "Look, the Master Taoist is truly a powerful immortal. But back then, you refused this and that, and now you've delayed our Second Egg. What are we going to do now?"

My father, usually a tough man who always supported the family, had cried several times in the past two days, like a woman. His shoulders trembled, and he was clearly extremely sad. My mother hugged me, crying, "My poor child, if I had known this, I shouldn't have brought you into this world to suffer..."

My father and mother were crying, but I didn't. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, silently vowing, "I don't believe it. Who would believe that old Taoist's words? They all say I'm going to die, and even if I get through this, I won't live past eighteen. Well, I'll live to eighteen, and then I'll live to old age, until my teeth fall out and my hair turns white. I'll live, smiling, and I'll see you die before me..."

After the crying and commotion, my father carefully placed the things from the basket on the grass and led my mother home. I wanted to follow, but as soon as I stood up, my father kicked me to the ground. His face was twisted, and he said, "You stay here and kneel. If he agrees in one day, you kneel for one day; if he agrees in three days, you kneel for three days!"

I cried and asked, "What if he never agrees?"

My father and mother walked away, and upon hearing this, my father's steps paused, his shoulders trembling, but he didn't turn back. He said, "Then die here."

After saying this, my father and mother left. Because I was kneeling, I didn't see them leave. Although I was young, I knew how much they loved me. My mother would probably cry all the way back. But I didn't have time to think about it. My mind was filled with my father's "cruel" words, so I continued to kowtow, bowing to the air—bending, touching the ground with my forehead, standing up, and bending again...

Over and over, I kowtowed until I was dizzy. But the little monkey, Fat Girl, didn't leave with my parents. She knelt opposite me, imitating me, and the two of us looked like we were worshipping heaven and earth.

I don't know how long it was, but I was almost about to give up when I felt another presence. I looked up and saw the old Taoist in the blue robe standing before me again, holding a white fox with a beautiful face but covered in blood. The old Taoist asked, "What are you worshipping?"

I thought for a moment and respectfully said, "Worshipping heaven, worshipping earth, worshipping my parents!"

He nodded and said, "Come with me."

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