Chapter 54: Third Visit To Shao Wei Guan: Are You The Dojo Master?
In front of a dojo, the autumn sun hung slantingly from the eaves, dyeing the dojo with a warm glow.
Fang Shu glanced at the charred plaque on the gate, its vermilion characters on a lacquered base marked with scorch marks, precisely the three words “Shao Wei Guan.”
He walked toward the interior with practiced ease.
However, unlike before, this time upon entering, the fly whisk woman named Xiao Li Li did not promptly come out to receive him.
And since this was someone else’s dojo, Fang Shu did not find it convenient to enter directly, lest he violate taboos and invite trouble.
He could only wait outside the hall, to see if anyone from Shao Wei Guan would come out to take over.
But Fang Shu did not stand there foolishly; he paced on the nearby open ground, strolling about.
During the time he waited, figures constantly passed by his side.
One of them looked him over a few extra times, then suddenly turned around and walked toward him.
The other approached stealthily, seemingly wanting to scare him, but before getting within three zhang of Fang Shu, he was noticed, and Fang Shu turned his head to look.
A scrawny youth appeared in Fang Shu’s eyes; if it was not that toad-like youth Yin Xiao Jian, who could it be!
Yin Xiao Jian only thought Fang Shu had coincidentally turned his head toward him.
The other’s face showed a bored smile, then he walked lightly toward Fang Shu, raising his brows as he said:
“Brother Fang has come again. Last time I already told you, if the dojo is accepting disciples, I will naturally inform you in advance.”
Yin Xiao Jian spoke familiarly, his voice carrying a hint of reproach:
“Look at you, making another wasted trip. It’s still a month or two away.”
Seeing it was an acquaintance, Fang Shu cupped his hands: “Greetings, Brother Yin.”
He thought for a moment, then spoke: “Fang has come today with a matter, and asks Brother Yin for a favor.
I wonder where Fellow Daoist Xiao, who handles reception, is? Or if there are other managers in the dojo? Please help pass the word.”
Hearing that Fang Shu had business with him, Yin Xiao Jian’s steps halted immediately, and he hurriedly wanted to turn and leave, thinking to say he had things to do.
He had only wanted to tease Fang Shu a bit, but did not want to get involved in trouble.
However, upon clearly hearing that Fang Shu wanted to find Xiao Li Li, this person’s eyes rolled, he stopped turning, and instead asked as if suddenly realizing:
“Got it. You know Senior Sister Xiao, and have come to ask her for a favor?”
Hearing this question, Fang Shu realized the other had misunderstood, but he did not explain much, merely nodding:
“Exactly, I have a matter to request.”
A smile appeared on Yin Xiao Jian’s face, and he immediately said: “So you’ve come early to build connections. Since you know Senior Sister Xiao, I’ll just take you in directly to find her.”
As he spoke, the fellow boldly tried to drape an arm over Fang Shu’s shoulder, pulling him toward the main hall of Shao Wei Guan.
Fang Shu merely smiled and stepped forward, deftly avoiding the shoulder hook, and cupped his hands: “Many thanks, Brother Yin.”
Yin Xiao Jian’s arm fell empty, displeasure showing on his face, but seeing that Fang Shu seemed to have some connections in the dojo, he continued leading the way.
“Let me tell you, if you join the dojo, you’ll be a junior brother then. You know, in the dojo, they rank by entry time.”
Yin Xiao Jian walked along, his mouth chattering nonstop, seemingly relishing the chance to speak so freely in front of others:
“Don’t worry, when the time comes and you call me senior brother, I’ll naturally look out for you. Wait until I cross the tribulation and enter the Dao next year, joining the inner courtyard—you’ll be in luck.”
Fang Shu saw this fellow persistently assuming he had come to apprentice, his manner quite showy.
He did not expose it, merely listening with a smile but saying nothing.
With a dojo disciple accompanying him, Fang Shu no longer counted as intruding into Shao Wei Guan’s main hall; the two entered, and soon found two figures in a corner of the hall.
The figures were a man and a woman, standing by the courtyard well, looking at the withered lotus in a water jar under the eaves, whispering to each other as if discussing something.
Spotting them, Yin Xiao Jian immediately called out: “Senior Sister Xiao! Someone’s here for you.”
The man and woman turned toward the voice and immediately spotted Fang Shu.
Xiao Li Li directly recognized Fang Shu, while the man scrutinizingly looked at Fang Shu, vaguely feeling he looked familiar.
“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Fang.” Xiao Li Li cupped her hands in salute.
Seeing the other proactively salute Fang Shu, Yin Xiao Jian secretly thought that Fang Shu indeed had some connections in the dojo.
“Most likely, he failed to join last time and this time gritted his teeth to spend quite a bit of talisman money.” Yin Xiao Jian mused inwardly.
But on the surface, Yin Xiao Jian remained all smiles, cupping his hands toward the man beside her and saying: “Greetings, Brother Ling.”
Fang Shu’s gaze also casually glanced at the man’s face.
He recognized at once that the man standing beside Xiao Li Li was precisely that Shao Wei Guan disciple who had once ridiculed him and his second uncle.
The other was also sizing up Fang Shu, increasingly feeling he looked familiar, but unable to recall where they had met.
“I wonder what business Fellow Daoist Fang has coming today?” The woman Xiao Li Li spoke.
Fang Shu did not delay; he took out the Dojo Master’s calling card from his sleeve and handed it to her, saying: “Same as last time, I have a request.”
These words brought a look of surprise to Xiao Li Li’s eyes.
She stared intently at Fang Shu for a few moments, took the calling card, glanced at it briefly, and the astonishment on her face grew even denser.
This expression made the nearby Yin Xiao Jian repeatedly suspect whether Fang Shu had latched onto some big shot somewhere, as a single letter of introduction could surprise Xiao Li Li so.
As for the man surnamed Ling, he glanced at the content of the calling card, and a hint of suspicion appeared in his eyes.
Xiao Li Li gave no explanations to the two; she directly cupped her hands toward Fang Shu:
“Since it’s this matter, please follow me, Fellow Daoist Fang, to the inner hall for a talk.”
Fang Shu had no objection and nodded calmly, indicating for her to lead the way.
The two soon proceeded one after the other into the depths of the main hall, apparently going to find Manager Xiao Hu.
Thus, by the courtyard well,
For the moment, only White Dog and Yin Xiao Jian were left.
One was pondering what sort of background Fang Shu truly had, while the other withdrew his attention from Fang Shu and turned it to White Dog beside him.
Yin Xiao Jian’s face bore a smile as he stared fixedly at White Dog’s feet, racking his brains for a topic.
The fellow suddenly spoke:
“Brother Ling, where did you get your shoes made?”
White Dog casually brushed it off: “Liu Kuai Shou’s tailor shop.”
This answer made the smile on Yin Xiao Jian’s face even brighter; he could not help but stretch out his own foot, saying proudly:
“What a coincidence! Mine were made there too.”
These words made White Dog glance at him, but he did not respond.
White Dog thought for a moment, then suddenly asked: “What is that kid from outside the dojo here for?”
“Oh, that guy? He’s here to apprentice. Failed the last two times, probably trying his luck again.”
Before White Dog could ask in detail, Yin Xiao Jian rattled off everything he knew about Fang Shu.
Listening, White Dog immediately recalled Fang Shu and his uncle.
A strange light flickered uncertainly in this person’s eyes.
“Is this youth suitable material for our dojo’s cultivation method?” The thought surfaced in White Dog’s mind.
Meanwhile, Yin Xiao Jian stood by, utterly unaware of White Dog’s unusual demeanor, still desperately searching for topics to build rapport.
………………
On the other side.
Fang Shu followed Xiao Li Li and had not gone far; just into the depths of the main hall, they found the person they were looking for.
A man with slightly dark skin and a square face, appearing quite authoritative, had deep wrinkles on his forehead; he wore a deep green manager’s robe and held a cowhide whip, its tip dragging on the ground.
This person was supervising a group of menial laborers in the main hall, his face ashen as if water could drip from it.
The menial laborers all around were deathly silent, carefully spreading out ledgers one by one to dry under the courtyard eaves.
Before Fang Shu drew near, he heard the foreman’s rough, deep voice laced with impatience:
“Be careful with your hides; if even one page of these ledgers is damaged, I’ll flay your hides.”
The menial laborers trembled at his words, hunching their waists, lowering their heads, rustling the pages without daring the slightest distraction.
Xiao Li Li approached; she did not glance at those menial laborers, but strode quickly to the middle-aged manager’s side and crisply called: “Dad!”
The middle-aged manager looked up, a smile immediately appearing on his face, but when he saw Fang Shu behind Xiao Li Li.
His expression fell at once, and he said gravely: “How many times have I told you, when working in the dojo, call me ‘Manager Xiao Hu’—mind the rules.”
Xiao Li Li rolled her eyes, unwillingly cupping her hands toward him: “Greetings, Manager Xiao Hu.”
This middle-aged manager was none other than Xiao Li Li’s father, the chief manager of Shao Wei Guan—Xiao Hu.
He shifted his gaze from Xiao Li Li to Fang Shu, indifferently saying:
“Still bringing someone to see this dao today? Speak—what business, what favor?”
“Neither.” Xiao Li Li’s expression grew even more displeased as she directly handed over the calling card:
“The visitor is an inner courtyard disciple from Du Gu Guan, come to our dojo for the Lead Skill; you need to take a look.”
Hearing this, Manager Xiao Hu’s face immediately showed surprise; he said to Xiao Li Li:
“Du Gu Guan, Lead Skill? This sounds familiar—you fetched it last time, didn’t you?”
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Fang Shu, looking him up and down.
Before Xiao Li Li could answer, Manager Xiao Hu’s eyelid twitched as something occurred to him; he immediately opened the calling card and glanced at it.
At this glance, his eyes widened fully, staring especially at the two words “Fang Shu” on the calling card.
This fellow’s mind churned uncertainly, recalling Fang Shu’s identity and the previous events.
After several breaths, Manager Xiao Hu dazedly looked at Fang Shu, speaking to confirm:
“You kid, you’re really Yu Lao Er’s nephew?”
Fang Shu nodded, cupping his hands toward him.
He thought for a moment, then chose to politely greet:
“Your nephew Fang Shu greets Uncle Xiao Hu.”
At this, the astonishment in Manager Xiao Hu’s eyes toward Fang Shu intensified. He simply stepped forward a few paces, circling to appraise Fang Shu, the surprise in his eyes nearly spilling over.
He asked in suspicion:
“Not even a year has passed, and you’re already seeking our dojo’s Marrow Refining Chapter of the Lead Skill. You’re truly not jesting with this dao?”
Fang Shu said nothing, merely smiling and pointing at the calling card in the other’s hand.
The meaning was that it was all clearly stated in the card.
But the suspicion in Manager Xiao Hu’s eyes did not fade; instead, his brows furrowed.
Manager Xiao Hu now felt considerable regret in his heart; if he had known earlier, he should have gone with the flow and accepted Fang Shu then.
That way, this Fang fellow and that Yu Lao Er would have been endlessly grateful to him!
And nurturing an obedient inner courtyard disciple would be worth far more than that woman surnamed Yin’s body.
It was too late for regrets now, most likely.
“No, I gave him a chance back then; I wanted him as a menial laborer, but he refused.” Xiao Hu consoled himself inwardly, but the regret still weighed on him.
Fang Shu spoke: “Manager Xiao?”
Quickly, the fellow’s thoughts returned; he assumed a posture, hemming as he paced in the arena.
He lightly coughed:
“The Marrow Refining Chapter cultivation method is not comparable to the Entering the Dao Essence Refining Chapter. It already counts as one of our dojo’s foundations. By the rules, even if one can take it, it requires consulting the Dojo Master—but he is a very busy man…”
“Forget it, forget it; who let this dao know your second uncle.” The fellow changed tack and continued:
“Since you’re the junior of an old acquaintance, this dao will give you a chance: pick someone in our dojo and fight them, to show your mettle.
If you prove worthy of this Lead Skill, this dao will decide directly and approve it for you! Afterward, if the Dojo Master asks, I’ll have an explanation for him.”
Hearing this, Xiao Li Li was momentarily stunned and tongue-tied inwardly.
She immediately realized her father was likely playing his so-called power games again, trying to manipulate others.
But this woman merely pursed her lips, neither interrupting nor saying a word.
Facing the puzzled gaze Fang Shu cast her way, she pretended not to see.
No sooner had the words fallen than Manager Xiao Hu, still standing in the arena, suddenly looked past Fang Shu.
He looked toward the direction Fang Shu had come from, his eyelid twitching: “Eh, nephew, you’ve come.”
The one who had just entered the depths of the main hall was precisely the man from the courtyard well, White Dog, along with Yin Xiao Jian.
Clap!
Manager Xiao Hu slapped his palm, laughing:
“Perfect timing. Nephew is not only the Dojo Master’s disciple, he has now broken through to Second Calamity Immortal, with extraordinary skill—perfect for testing your mettle, Fang Shu, lest you get hurt.”
Hearing this as he entered, White Dog’s mind stirred, vaguely understanding the situation.
This person did not voice any refusal, merely his eyes flickering.
As for Yin Xiao Jian, he stood by like a lackey, blankly watching the arena.
The fellow did not understand how Fang Shu could directly converse with Manager Xiao Hu, and with the manager regarding him so highly.
What puzzled and stunned Yin Xiao Jian even more was that Fang Shu, upon hearing the proposal, showed no sign of agreeing; instead, after a slight daze, he suddenly let out a light laugh.
Fang Shu ignored Manager Xiao Hu’s intentions; he straightened up and directly pointed at the calling card in the other’s hand, smilingly asking:
“May I ask, Manager Xiao, are you now the master of Shao Wei Guan?”
