Chapter 29

"Prince, I, Qin Feng, come from a clean background. Joining your sect would be like splashing dirty water on myself, wouldn't it?"

Seeing that Zai Shi was getting a bit anxious, Qin Feng put on an air of dignity. After collecting junk for more than half a year, he knew the benefits of haggling. Some things you have to fight for; others won't give them to you voluntarily.

"Clean? You?"

Zai Shi was so angry at Qin Feng's words that he laughed in rage. "I never thought you'd be such a scoundrel. Kid, with your history of killing and imprisonment, your so-called clean background is already tainted. You're already covered in filth without needing to splash more on yourself. Besides, the position of the head of the Outer Eight Sects has been held by famous scholars or royal relatives since the Ming Dynasty. Do you think it's like a cabbage on the roadside that anyone can pick?"

The person who unified the Outer Eight Sects in the past had an extremely high status in Daoism. His successors were either great heroes or officials, all of noble birth. Qin Feng's words about tarnishing his clean background made Zai Shi feel both amused and exasperated.

"Cough, that's different."

Qin Feng had forgotten this point just now. He rolled his eyes and retorted, "Those people who died weren't good people anyway. Besides, I was just defending myself..."

"Don't talk nonsense. Kid, I'll give you a choice: either kneel down and perform the ritual to become my disciple, or go back to your cell and serve your sentence. Do you think I'm eager to take on a disciple?"

Zai Shi had spent his whole life in the martial world and could easily see through Qin Feng's thoughts. After hearing Qin Feng's words, he poured himself a cup of tea and sat in the armchair, sipping it calmly.

"Prince, if that's the case, I'll leave."

Qin Feng's eyes darted around, and he started to walk towards the door. But after one foot had already crossed the threshold, he heard no response from the old man and had to turn back, saying, "Becoming your disciple isn't impossible, but are you serious about what you said before?"

"What did I say?" Zai Shi was taken aback. He didn't seem to have made any promises to this kid.

"Hey, don't deny it!" Qin Feng immediately became anxious and said, "You once said that within a year, you'd give me a month to find my sister!"

"I did say that."

The old man narrowed his eyes and said meaningfully, "But... to leave, you'll have to rely on your own abilities. If you can learn half of my skills within a year, you'll be able to come and go from this prison as easily as walking on flat ground!"

"You're just boasting..." Qin Feng wasn't easily fooled. "If you had that ability, why have you been in this prison for decades? Wouldn't you have run away long ago?"

"You don't know anything. I chose to stay here. Where else in the world could I go?"

Zai Shi wasn't lying. During his time in prison, the world was in chaos, and there was no place of peace. Staying in prison was more comfortable than wandering in the martial world.

When Zai Shi's sentence was up, he was already nearly ninety and didn't want to get involved in the murky waters of the martial world. He just wanted to stay here and enjoy his old age. If he hadn't met Qin Feng, he might have buried his skills in the ground.

"Are you really not lying to me?"

Qin Feng looked at the old man with some disbelief. Seeing that Zai Shi was about to get angry, he quickly said, "I agree, okay? Master, please accept my bow!"

Although Qin Feng was young, he was no less adept at assessing the situation than an adult. In fact, he had already had the idea of becoming a disciple after Zai Shi explained the history of the Outer Eight Sects. He was just trying to get more benefits for himself.

However, everything has its limits. Seeing that the old man's patience was almost exhausted, Qin Feng didn't dare to provoke him further. If he went too far, he might end up with nothing. He knelt down before Zai Shi.

"Wait, even though there's no one to witness it, the ritual can't be too casual!" Zai Shi lifted Qin Feng's knee with his foot. "To join my sect, you must first pay respects to the founder. Wait a moment!"

Zai Shi stood up, went into the inner room, and after rummaging around, came out with a scroll. He took down the painting of "Orchid Bamboo and Rock" on the table and hung the new scroll in its place.

"Master, who is this person? Why is he a Daoist?"

After Zai Shi hung the painting, Qin Feng noticed that it depicted a person in Daoist robes, holding a duster and a sword, surrounded by mist, looking like a celestial being.

Unlike Western realistic techniques, Chinese ancient paintings often focused on the artistic conception. The Daoist's face was ordinary, with a nose and two eyes, nothing special.

"Who else could have stopped Zhu Yuanzhang and his son from their mass killings in the early Ming Dynasty?"

After hanging the painting, Zai Shi bowed respectfully and said, "Ancestor Zhang Sanfeng, today the 20th generation successor of the Outer Eight Sects, Zai Shi, is taking a disciple. I ask the ancestor to witness!"

After the bow, Zai Shi sat back in the armchair and said, "Qin Feng, kneel down!"

Although Qin Feng had many questions, he saw Zai Shi's serious expression and obediently knelt before the painting.

"Three bows, then offer three incense sticks to the ancestor!"

"Yes, Master!" Qin Feng bowed three times to the painting, took three incense sticks from the table, lit them, and placed them in the incense burner Zai Shi had prepared.

"Master, please accept my three bows!" After offering the incense, Qin Feng bowed to Zai Shi again. This time, Zai Shi didn't stop him and accepted the three bows.

"Qin Feng, our sect has only three rules, which you must remember!"

After the ritual, Zai Shi didn't ask Qin Feng to stand up but said sternly, "The first rule is not to betray the sect or disrespect the master. Can you do that?"

"I can!"

Qin Feng answered quickly, but he found it somewhat amusing. The Outer Eight Sects were now down to just the old man and himself. In the future, he would be the only one left. How could he disrespect the master or betray the sect?

But then he realized that his master was being cautious, still haunted by the memory of the traitorous disciple from the past.

"Second, do not molest women!"

"Third, do not kill innocents. Can you do that?" Zai Shi didn't know what Qin Feng was thinking and directly stated the other two rules.

"Master, I can do it!" Qin Feng nodded heavily. Although he had killed five people, he believed they deserved it and didn't consider it unjust killing.

"By the way, Master, you haven't told me the ancestor's name yet."

Qin Feng was genuinely curious about the person in the painting. The Outer Eight Sects were full of con artists and thieves, and it was no easy feat to unite them.

"The ancestor's surname is Zhang, and his name is Sanfeng. He lived at the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty." Zai Shi smiled and said, "Everyone knows he founded the Wudang Sect, but few know he was also the head of the Outer Eight Sects..."

After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, he brutally persecuted martial artists but revered Daoism, especially Zhang Sanfeng, whom he considered a living god. He built grand temples for him on Wudang Mountain. The reasons for this are still unknown today.

However, according to Zai Shi, Zhang Sanfeng had united the scattered Outer Eight Sects during his travels. Perhaps this was why the Zhu emperors reduced their persecution of martial artists.

"So the ancestor is Zhang Sanfeng? No wonder he's so powerful!"

Qin Feng stuck out his tongue. He had listened to many stories about the martial world while stealing skills from the Liu family and knew that Zhang Sanfeng was the founder of Tai Chi, a famous figure.

Hearing Qin Feng's words, Zai Shi laughed and waved his hand. "Alright, stand up and come here. Master has a gift for you!"

"Gift? Master, what treasures do you have in this room?"

Hearing Zai Shi's words, Qin Feng looked around the room. The set of huanghuali furniture was valuable, but he couldn't take it away.

"The gift is in my hand!"

Seeing Qin Feng walk up, Zai Shi extended his fist. But when he opened his palm, it was empty.

"Master, you..."

Just as Qin Feng was about to ask, Zai Shi's hand, which was in front of Qin Feng's chest, suddenly pushed forward, striking him solidly in the chest.

"Ah..."

Zai Shi's strike was powerful, forcing Qin Feng to take three steps back and fall to the ground. He felt a surge of discomfort in his chest and, just as he opened his mouth to speak, spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Master, what are you doing?"

After spitting out the blood, Qin Feng's breathing finally became smooth. He looked at the old man with disbelief. Who would greet a new disciple with a punch?

"Qin Feng, I know you've suffered a lot since you were young and have been living with your sister. Even if you have a broad mind, you can't help but feel depressed and bitter..."

Zai Shi stood up and walked to Qin Feng's side, looking at the black and purple blood on his chest. "If the stagnant blood isn't expelled, you'll be paralyzed within three years."

As Zai Shi said, Qin Feng had a broad mind, but when his family was in trouble, he was still a child. His inner pain, with no one to confide in, gradually accumulated in his body.

Killing five people recently was a form of release, but it was only a temporary solution. The fear and anxiety after the killings made his hidden illness worse.

Zai Shi practiced Daoist breathing techniques, which were even more advanced than those of the inner family martial arts. He had long noticed Qin Feng's hidden illness and decided to cure it this time.

"Is it that serious?" Qin Feng looked at the black blood on his chest and smelled the foul odor, believing the old man's words.

PS: First update. Brothers, please give a recommendation vote!