As a person in metaphysics, Master needs to know more about destiny than ordinary old people. So when Master said this, I didn't continue to comfort him by saying no, you can still live for a long time, because if I said this, it seemed like I was lying, and maybe I would give him a Unrealistic hopes. As a result, if that day really comes, it will be even harder for Master to bear it.
I don’t quite remember what our master and disciple continued to say that day despite the uncontrollable crying. I only remember that the day after that day, I took Master to go through the discharge procedures. I don't know why, but after leaving the hospital, Master's expression seemed to be more relaxed, as if he had put down a heavy burden.
When we returned to Qin Bukong's house, I helped the master pack his things, while the master held Qin Bukong aside and whispered something. Qin Bukong has always given me the impression that he is inhumane and even emotionless, but now he is holding Master's hand with a sad face, shaking his head and sighing repeatedly.
I don't know what they said, but before leaving, master said to Qin Bukong that after a while, when my apprentice is no longer worried, he will come back to you. I don't know how Master is sure that I will definitely come back and help him break through the Eight Gate Formation when I come back. But I think he must have his reasons. After all, what he has planned for all these years will always happen.
Qin Bukong sent us to the dock, and we set off on the road back to the mountain city.
He has not been back to his master's house for more than three years, and it has accumulated a thick layer of dust. The master's lungs were not good, so I asked him to sit outside the door first, and I started cleaning the house, just like when I was a master, I did odd jobs all day long. When the neighbors saw that Master was back, they all came over to greet him very enthusiastically. The more greetings were about why he had become more haggard after being away for so many years.
The master smiled and didn't answer. He remained the same as before, a wise and foolish cultivator.
But in the days after that, almost from morning to night, Master forced me to memorize the skills and application methods of making talismans. The amount of homework I had to do was much heavier than before. Not only did I have to learn these contents, Master also used a wooden figure as an example, gave me a birth date or a name, and asked me to perform amulets in front of him. For a while at first, I could only knock down the wooden man's body, but such high-intensity practice allowed me to quickly master the trick. In the later stage, I was able to knock down the wooden man's entire body within three taps. It fell to the ground. Fortunately, it was just a wooden figure. If it had been a living person or a ghost, I'm afraid it would have been beaten to death or scattered.
During this period, I never once asked Master why he was training me so intensively, because I knew in my heart that Master knew that he didn’t have much time and was afraid that he would leave before he could teach me. Therefore, they taught me in a high-intensity manner, at least to let me master the skills. When I use them in the future, I can rely on actual combat to accumulate experience in facing the enemy.
Although this kind of teaching method can easily make people irritated, I was still able to calm down, so during that period of time, my craftsmanship basically improved to a certain level. Talisman making is a unique technique. Apart from me and No one else understands except the Master. This is also a method that is very unfamiliar to other masters. It gives me enough reason to protect myself. No matter whether my opponent is a human or a ghost, as long as I don't die immediately, I have a chance to counter the enemy.
The doctor in Wuhan said that if the master did not receive treatment, he would only survive for half a month to a month, but the master just held his breath and delayed it for a full three months. I also know that he has actually been using his own Qi to maintain his life. It was not difficult for me to discover this from the way he coughed and vomited blood every night, until Master completed my last examination, although the techniques were still a little bit... I am unfamiliar and not powerful enough, but Master also knows that I am trying my best.
That night, Master was in surprisingly good spirits. He not only happily ate with me, but also had two drinks in the mood. After the meal, he even sang a little tune with me. At that time, I was wondering why Master's condition was so much better than before. Is it because I finally learned something and felt happy?
And that is actually the phenomenon of Master's return to light. The so-called flashback is when a person's body function reaches the final stage. Because he no longer knows how to control himself, a large amount of adrenaline is secreted, giving people an inexplicable sense of excitement. As for people who come back to their senses, it probably only takes two or three days.
So that night, Master lay on the bed and coughed a few times. As usual, I got up and helped him up, leaned against me, and patted his back to relieve his pain. But this time the master's coughing sound became weaker and weaker. In the end, he only made coughing movements but no sound came out. With tears in my eyes, I held Master tightly in my arms. He suddenly sang in a weak and out-of-tune voice:
"I regretted making the mistake of playing chess...I remember how peaceful it was back then in Gao Wolong...farming in Nanyang without any worries...reciting poems, drinking wine and playing the Yao Qin in my free time..."
This is one of Master's favorite arias, called "The Empty City Strategy". It sounds to my ears now that when Zhuge Liang settled in Longzhong, he would not have come out if not for Liu Huangshu's three invitations. Without all these prerequisites, Zhuge Liang could be a free and living god, why would he have to worry about his lord and others. So if my words "I want to be a good person" hadn't moved Master, then he might not have accepted me as his disciple. Without all these preconditions, Master might not have encountered what happened today, at least I wouldn't have. Bear this separation of life and death here.
Master is right, everything is fate.
So after the sentence "drinking and playing the Yao Qin", the master turned his head and drove west.
Before this, I had thought about the arrival of this moment countless times, and also imagined what I should do when this time comes. But when the time came, I did nothing except hug my master's body and cry. After a long time, I gently put down Master's body. He had a smile on his face, the kind of very satisfied and worry-free smile. He looked as peaceful and kind as when he was alive. I knelt in front of Master and kowtowed three times, then took out the cinnabar pen and ink, drew an eye on the palm of my left hand, and then pressed the palm on Master's forehead.
This is something I made an appointment with Master, because Master has no children, and I am the only one who will support him until his death. He said that when he died, he must have his closest relatives close his forehead eyes for him, so that those annoying worldly worries would be cut off from him with the action of closing his forehead eyes, so that he could be a happy god. . So that night, I knelt in front of Master's bed and watched over him all night.
The next morning, I told a neighbor who had a good relationship with Master on weekdays and asked him to help inform the friends of Master during his lifetime. My neighbor asked me what happened, and I said it was okay. My master passed away peacefully last night. My neighbor comforted me to express my condolences and take care of myself, while wiping away my tears he went to tell me the truth.
My neighbors helped me set up the mourning hall directly at Master's home, and I knelt at the door wearing mourning clothes and burned paper. The first one to arrive was Mr. Mo. He lamented sadly that if he had not told me the address of Master Qin Bukong, then maybe none of this would have happened. The last ones to arrive were Wang Chengqian and Da Mao. Master Wang Chengqian didn't talk much on weekdays. He stayed quietly beside his master's body and talked silently for a long time. But when I saw Da Mao, my emotions were tense all the time. , suddenly collapsed at that moment, I hugged him and cried.
Damao and I are of the same generation, and both are Master’s juniors. As a courtesy, he also joined me in wearing sackcloth and mourning. Many of the many masters who came here had not had much contact with me on weekdays, but because they respected my master as a person, they actually stayed with me for three whole days. Never left for a moment. Three days later, we found a car and drove Master to the small mountain village where I had fled. He was buried next to Master's grave.
Aunt Xu and Uncle Zhou only found out about Master's death when he was buried. Aunt Xu blamed me very much for not telling me in advance, and then the old couple cried very sadly. I haven't slept a wink for three whole days and three nights, and I haven't eaten anything. After Master was buried and buried, with the sound of huge firecrackers, my vision went dark and I can't remember anything.
After waking up, I found myself lying in Aunt Xu's house. After I left, I thought I might not come back here in a short time, but I didn't expect that my return would be because of Master's death. The two old men knew that I was sad and took good care of me during those days. After observing the forty-nine days of mourning for Master, I said goodbye to the two old people again, leaving behind all the money and food stamps I had with me except for living expenses, and then rushed back to the city without stopping. After bringing the necessary things at Master's house and handing over the door lock keys to Damao and Senior Wang Chengqian for safekeeping, I jumped on the boat to Wuchang that night.
Yes, this is Master's last wish. I have to finish it. I want to return to Qin Bukong’s home and complete the cracking of the Eight Gate Formation with him. I will also follow Qin Bukong’s instructions and worship Qin Bukong as my teacher and learn his teaching skills. Master I once said that I want Qin Bukong to know why he is proud of me. I think this is the only way I can do now to repay my teacher's kindness.
So Master, please cherish us when we see each other again. After many years, let’s meet again in another way.
