Celestial Master’s Mansion, at the main entrance.
Lin Kong appeared at the gate with the ragged Celestial Master Zhang, and the guard at the door asked curiously, "Young Master Zhao, where did you bring this beggar from?"
All the servants of the Celestial Master’s Mansion knew that since the Heavenly Master went missing, Young Master Zhao had a falling out with Lady Zhang. In a fit of anger, he ran off to stay at an inn at midnight, prompting the madam to bring the maid to make a scene.
Celestial Master Zhang had already bottled up his anger at the city gate, and upon hearing this, he imdiately stepped forward and slapped the guard, angrily shouting, "You blind fool, can’t even recognize the Celestial Master."
"Slap!"
The crisp sound of the slap, mixed with Celestial Master Zhang’s angry voice, scared several guards to death, and they quickly knelt down to beg for rcy, "Heavenly Master, please have rcy, we didn’t an it, please forgive us."
"Humph!"
Celestial Master Zhang stomped angrily into the mansion, feeling indignant at being stopped at the city gate and now receiving bad treatnt at his own door, it was simply unacceptable.
Lady Zhang heard that Celestial Master Zhang had returned and ran over joyfully.
"Old Master, where is Old Master?"
The steward at the door quickly replied, "Madam, the Old Master is bathing!"
Lady Zhang was overjoyed, saying, "Oh! That’s great, Heaven finally has eyes, Old Master has finally returned."
These past days, while Celestial Master Zhang was missing, she hadn’t been doing well, fearing she’d lose her support for the rest of her life, unable to eat or sleep.
Now that the Old Master was back, Lady Zhang finally felt relieved.
At that mont, the door opened, and Celestial Master Zhang, freshly dressed, erged. After spending two inhuman days in the Deep Mountains and Ancient Forests, returning to the mansion felt like waking from a dream.
"Oh my! Old Master, how did you get so injured?" As soon as the door opened, Lady Zhang rushed forward to scrutinize Celestial Master Zhang, feeling extrely hurt.
"Steward, steward, have you called the doctor yet?" Lady Zhang called out anxiously.
Standing aside, the steward bent respectfully and replied, "Madam, the doctor has been called and will be here soon."
"Oh my! Old Master, how did you get so injured? Was it Lin Kong’s doing? I’ve been telling you he’s no good, but Old Master insists on sticking to the principle of ’a day’s teaching, a lifeti’s esteem,’ as if he’s worthy."
Lady Zhang rattled on, while Celestial Master Zhang couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Hearing his wife disparage his master, his expression worsened...
"What nonsense are you spouting? How could Master hit ?"
"It wasn’t him?" Lady Zhang was very skeptical.
"No."
"Stop covering for him. Who else would dare to hit you?"
Lady Zhang looked incredulous. Her husband was the Celestial Master of the nation; except for the overbearing Lin Kong, she’d never seen him bow to anyone, so she was convinced the injuries were Lin Kong’s doing.
"The injuries on were truly not caused by Master; this matter is complicated. Oh! These past two days have been so unlucky." Thinking of being forced to be a servant to a weirdo in the Deep Mountains and Ancient Forests, Celestial Master Zhang felt utterly distressed. He, the dignified Celestial Master, had ended up in such a situation, it was so disgraceful to even speak of.
"Old Master, do tell , was it Lin Kong who incited you to enter the Deep Mountains and Ancient Forests?"
"No, no."
Celestial Master Zhang suffered from intense pain all over, while his wife pestered him with questions impatiently, unable to reveal the secret of the Thousand Year Striped Tiger.
Lady Zhang asked, "Old Master, why on earth did you go into the mountains? You’re a Celestial Master, not a wild mountaineer!"
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