Chapter 30: This Seat Does Not Want to Be Taken Advantage Of
byChapter 30: This Seat Does Not Want to Be Taken Advantage Of
"Hey, hey, have you guys heard? Elder Yu Heng has violated the rules and must kneel in the Hall of Yama for three days."
On the second day's morning class, disciples gathered at the Platform of Good and Evil for meditation. Being young, mostly in their teens and twenties, they found it hard to maintain a calm mind. Whenever their master turned away, they whispered and chatted secretly.
News of Chu Wanning's punishment spread swiftly.
Those who had witnessed the caning the day before eagerly shared the gossip with others.
"Wow, how could you have been so oblivious? Oh... I see, Elder Luchen took you up the mountain to gather Night Dew Flowers yesterday, right? Well then, you truly missed quite a spectacle! Yesterday evening, at the Azure Heaven Palace, it was a gruesome sight with flesh and blood flying everywhere. Elder Yu Heng was subjected to over two hundred strokes of the cane! Two hundred, can you believe it? Each strike targeted vital spots, showing no mercy at all!"
With each segment the disciple narrated, he assumed an extravagantly dramatic expression, basking in the astonishment and admiration of his junior fellow apprentices around him. It was pure delight.
"Do you have an account of the over two hundred strikes? A burly man was beaten to death, let alone Elder Yu Heng who couldn't endure it and passed out. Our young lord went absolutely frantic, rushing forward to engage the Chief Disciplinary Elder in a fierce battle. He wouldn't allow anyone to lay a finger on Elder Yu Heng, oh my, the scene was quite something—"
His features puckered into creases like those of a steamed bun, as he contorted his brows and eyes in a comical display. Finally, he extended a solitary finger, wagging it back and forth, to distill his message into three words:
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
A junior sister's face paled in alarm. "What?! Elder Yu Heng has fainted?"
"Did the Young Master and Elder of Discipline get into a fight?"
"No wonder we didn't see Elder Yu Heng during this morning's lesson... How pitiful... What rule did he break?"
"I heard he struck a client in a fit of anger."
"..."
Such gossip occasionally drifted into Xue Meng's ears. The young master of Death Peak had inherited his master's fiery temper in its entirety. Unfortunately, more than one person was discussing the matter; in small clusters around the Platform of Virtue and Vice, they whispered about "Elder Yu Heng's punishment," causing Xue Meng great annoyance but leaving him powerless to stop them.
While Xue Meng's veins pulsed with rage, Mo Ran had spent the night awake and was now yawning repeatedly.
With nowhere else to vent his frustration, Xue Meng barked at Mo Ran, "The day's success begins in the morning! You lazy dog, what are you doing up so late? What has your master taught you?"
"Huh?" Mo Ran, still half-asleep, yawned again. "Are you full or something, Xue Meng? If the master scolds me, that's fine, but who do you think you are? I'm your elder cousin, so show some respect when speaking to me, don't be so impudent!"
Xue Meng growled fiercely, "If my elder cousin is a dog, then you can be one too!"
Mo Ran chuckled. "You're so disobedient and disrespectful to your elder brother. Your Shifu would be so disappointed if he found out."
"You dare mention Shifu? Let me ask you, why didn't you stop him from going to the Court of Discipline yesterday?"
"Mo Mo, he's Shifu, Yu Heng of the Late Night, the honored Celestial Venerated of the Northern Dipper. Show me how you'd stop him!"
Xue Meng flew into a rage, drawing his sword and frowning fiercely. "What did you just call me?!!"
Mo Ran laughed, propping his cheek with his hand. "Be good, Mo Mo. Sit down."
Xue Meng raged. "Mo Weiyu, I'll kill you!!"
Caught between the two, Shi Mo sighed at their daily squabbling. He silently held his forehead, trying to focus on reading his book. "The Sun and Moon are poured within, as nascent spirit cores form. Heaven's way is veiled, life and death are in opposition…"
Three days passed in a blink, and Chu Wanning's period of self-reflection was over.
According to the rules, he now faced three months of confinement. During this time, he couldn't leave the Summit of Life and Death and had to do chores at the Lady Meng's Hall, polish the columns of the Bridge of Helplessness, sweep the steps in front of the mountain gate, and so on.
The Law Elder was worried. "Elder Yu Heng, to be honest, I think you shouldn't do these tasks. You're a grandmaster, after all. Doing such menial work like washing dishes and cleaning floors… it's truly beneath you." The rest of his words were left unsaid.
Frankly, I doubt if you even know how to sweep the floor, cook, or wash clothes!
Chu Wanning, on the other hand, had absolute confidence in himself. He dutifully reported to the Netherworld Matron's Hall.
Upon hearing that Chu Wanning was coming to do manual labor, everyone from the head supervisor to the lowliest servant in the hall was aghast, as if they were facing an enemy.
Chu Wanning arrived, his white robes billowing around him like a celestial being.
His handsome face was serene and composed, devoid of any emotions. If he were standing on a auspicious cloud with a whisk in hand, there would be no discernible difference between him and an immortal.
The head supervisor of the Netherworld Matron's Hall felt ashamed and uneasy. He was about to order such a handsome man to wash vegetables and cook.
But Chu Wanning was oblivious to his own beauty. He stepped into the kitchen, gave the others a cold glance, and they instinctively stepped back.
"..." Chu Wanning cut straight to the chase. "What am I supposed to do?"
The supervisor fidgeted with his hem, pondering for a moment before cautiously suggesting, "How about washing the vegetables? What do you think, Elder?"
Chu Wanning replied simply, "Fine."
The manager heaved a huge sigh of relief. He initially thought that Chu Wanning, with his delicate fingers that had never touched water, might not be willing to do such laborious work. However, the other tasks were either dirty, tiring, or required some skill, and he was worried that Chu Wanning wouldn't be able to handle them well. Now that Chu Wanning had readily agreed to wash the vegetables, the manager no longer needed to worry.
As it turned out, the manager was far too naive.
Before the Hall of Mother Nai, there was a clear stream. Chu Wanning carried a basket of green vegetables and came to the riverbank, rolling up his sleeves to begin washing them.
This area fell under the jurisdiction of Elder Xuan Ji, and occasionally, disciples from the Xuan Ji Sect who passed by were startled to see Chu Wanning washing vegetables. They stuttered, unable to form a complete sentence, rubbing their eyes three or four times to make sure they weren't mistaken before exclaiming in astonishment, "E-Elder Yu Heng—good morning."
Chu Wanning lifted his gaze. "Good morning."
The disciples of Elder Xuan Ji trembled with fear, fleeing in a panic.
"..."
Chu Wanning was too lazy to bother with them and continued sorting through the vegetable leaves, rinsing them, and throwing them back into the basket.
He was very diligent in his work, meticulously tearing open each leaf and scrubbing it thoroughly front and back. The result of this was that, as noon approached, the basket of vegetables was still not washed.
The kitchen staff waited anxiously inside, pacing back and forth. "What should we do? Why hasn't the elder returned yet? Without him, there won't be any vegetables, so how can we cook beef with vegetables?"
The supervisor glanced at the sun and said, "Forget it, let's not wait. We'll have braised beef instead."
By the time Chu Wanning returned, the beef at Mengpo Hall was already cooked to tender perfection, so much so that there was no need for any greens. Chu Wanning frowned, holding his vegetables with dissatisfaction as he coldly asked, "Why did we abandon the greens? And why did you make me wash them?"
The supervisor's hair stood on end as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, blurting out a regrettable remark, "Well, wasn't it because we hoped Elder would personally prepare a pot of vegetable and tofu stew?"
Chu Wanning remained expressionless, still clutching his vegetables as he tilted his head in silent contemplation, "..."
The supervisor hurriedly said, "If Elder is unwilling, then it's no big de—"
Before the question could be fully asked, Chu Wanning inquired, "Where is the tofu?"
The steward was speechless.
"Senior Elder Yu Heng, do... you have any knowledge of culinary arts?"
Chu Wanning replied, "I'm not entirely ignorant. I can give it a try."
That noon, the disciples entered the Meng Po Hall as they usually did, laughing and joking with one another. They found their spots in groups of three or five and headed to the serving counter to get their food.
At the Peak of Life and Death, abstaining from food was not practiced, and the meals were always bountiful – today was no exception.
The braised beef was perfectly marbled, the fish-flavored shredded pork shimmered with savory richness, the country-style crispy pork was golden and crisp, while the diced chili fish was brightly colored and alluring. The disciples eagerly lined up, eager to grab their favorite dishes, requesting extra servings of sweet and sour spare ribs from the kitchen master, a drizzle of sauce over their rice, or perhaps an additional spoonful of chili oil.
The disciples of Elder Luchen were always the quickest to arrive. The young one at the front of the line had a prominent pimple on his nose but still yearned for mapo tofu. He skillfully carried his wooden tray to the last cabinet without lifting his gaze, and said, "Master, I'll have a bowl of tofu, please."
The master's fingers were long and delicate, and he handed over a full plate of tofu.
However, it was not the familiar mapo tofu that he knew. Instead, it was a plate of blackened, unidentifiable ingredients, an eerie-looking dish.
The disciple was startled. "What is this?"
"Steamed Tofu with Green Vegetables."
Amidst the clamor of the Soul Nether Hall, the disciple didn't pay attention to the voice of the person who answered and instead said indignantly, "Are you joking? This can be called steamed tofu with green vegetables? I don't want it. Take it back!"
As he scolded, he glared at the kitchen chef. However, when he saw the person standing behind the cupboard, the disciple let out a shrill scream and nearly dropped the tray.
"Elder Yu... Yu Heng!"
"Mm."
The disciple was on the verge of tears. "No, wait, I didn't mean it like that. I..."
"Since you're not eating it, take it back," Chu Wanning said expressionlessly. "There must be no waste."
The disciple awkwardly picked up the tray and stiffly handed it to Chu Wanning before scurrying away with uncoordinated steps.
Before long, everyone knew that Elder Yu Heng was standing in front of the last cabinet. The once bustling Meng Po Hall fell silent as if a blanket had been thrown over it.
The disciples, behaving like frightened puppies, lined up obediently. They hastily collected their food, nervously approached the final cabinet, stammered out a greeting to the elder, and then stumbled away.
"Greetings, Elder Yu Heng."
"Mm."
"Good day, Elder Yu Heng."
"Good day."
"Senior Elder Yu Heng has worked hard."
"..."
The disciples were extremely polite and cautious, so Chu Wanning received their nervous greetings one by one. However, no one dared to casually try the boiled tofu with greens in his pot.
Gradually, the line shortened, and the food in front of the other masters was almost finished. Yet, Chu Wanning's pot remained full, with its cold contents untouched.
Though Chu Wanning's face showed no emotion, he felt a bit complicated inside. After all, he had spent the whole morning washing them...
Just then, his three direct disciples arrived. Xue Meng was still clad in his silver-blue light armor, looking neat and tidy. He approached eagerly, "Master! How are you? Does your wound still hurt?"
Chu Wanning replied calmly, "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Xue Meng: "Th-That's good."
Chu Wanning glanced at him and suddenly asked, "Do you want some tofu?"
Xue Meng: "..."
Author's Note: Chu Wanning asks, "Do you eat tofu?"
Disciple A: "No, I don't."
Chu Wanning: "Do you eat tofu?"
Disciple B: "I'm, I'm allergic to tofu!"
Chu Wanning: "Do you eat tofu?"
Xue Meng: "What?!... (Suddenly blushes) I'm straight! How could I possibly eat my Master's tofu?!"
Chu Wanning: "...What are you thinking? Go reflect in the Azure Heaven Hall! Now, get out! Don't associate with Mo Weiyu anymore!" ( Throws the table in anger)
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