Chapter 19: No Innocence Needed

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Zhang Tiantai’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Meng Yuxi. Last night, after being carried out, he was thoroughly displeased and immediately went looking for a fight. That old immortal, never once beaten down before, was unexpectedly silenced after hearing half a line of the poem Meng Yuxi had composed—uttering a huge word of surrender.

Yet Zhang Tiantai stubbornly refused to believe the poem was his own work. Suddenly inspired, he thought to himself, “If the disciple’s poetry is good, it’s because the master taught well.” Shamelessly, he added the title of “foremost disciple of the literary world.”

“But my disciple started martial training late; his dantian is depleted and unable to store energy. Even with a strong body, he can only live several decades at best. If he dies, won’t my branch of the literary world dry up?”

“So this Thousand-Immortal Lotus must be given to your junior uncle to nourish his dantian. Whenever possible, send some true qi to his dantian to extend his life. After all, your talent won’t reach True Martial anyway. I reckon you’ll only reach mid-Divine Realm at best, barely achieving perfection. Why not make the most of it by doing something beneficial for the literary world? You understand what ‘merits outweigh benefits’ means, right?”

Zhang Tiantai spoke with utmost seriousness. Since birth, he never knew the meaning of embarrassment, or he wouldn’t have become one of the four True Martial Realm prodigies in the world.

“I don’t understand! Get lost, old lotus freak!” Shi Yiluo cursed, and with a swish, a faint divine light was left on the spot as he disappeared.

“Remember to call me ‘Senior Uncle’ when we meet, and the more people who know, the better. Otherwise, don’t blame me if I smash Wujifeng into dust!” Zhang Tiantai yelled.

“Damn it, wasn’t Wujifeng founded by you, old freak?” Shi Yiluo’s voice grew faint, as if he had traveled far away.

When Meng Yuxi awoke again, he found himself inside a water-lotus cave.

Deep within, there was a pond, and at the center of the pond grew a single lotus flower.

Zhang Tiantai sat cross-legged on the lotus with his eyes closed.

“Hey, you’re awake! What do you think of my place?” Zhang Tiantai grinned proudly.

“Isn’t it poetic?”

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Zhang Tiantai suddenly opened his eyes and smiled smugly at Meng Yuxi.

Meng Yuxi looked around. Although the lotus flower gave off an ethereal aura, it was just a mountain cave with a pond, not even a single piece of furniture. Judging by his tone, it seemed this was where he usually lived; otherwise, how could he call it his place?

“Senior, do you usually reside here?”

Zhang Tiantai shook his head. “I live wherever I want, so it might not be easy to find me.”

“I just want your honest opinion, no need to ask questions. How about it? Isn’t this place more inspiring for poetry than the Biyun Pavilion?”

“While you were asleep just now, I composed over a hundred poems worthy of being sung for all eternity!”

“Unfortunately, whenever I create new ones, I forget the old ones. Don’t spread this around.”

“If the scholars of the Dali Empire knew, I fear they’d be so regretful they wouldn’t be able to live.”

Zhang Tiantai said this with a serious expression.

Meng Yuxi immediately bowed his head in agreement, hoping his expression wouldn’t betray him.

“So, senior, you want me to compose a poem with the same spirit as yours?”

Meng Yuxi stood and asked.

“Exactly, exactly. Little brother, you’re truly clever.”

“I boasted a bit in front of that old immortal, but don’t worry, I won’t let you work for nothing.”

“This Thousand-Immortal Lotus I’m sitting on, I can give it to you. Eating its seeds will benefit you a lot.”

Zhang Tiantai grinned and winked at Meng Yuxi.

Meng Yuxi understood—this man’s skills were undoubtedly high, but the gifts he handed out seemed casually picked up. Still, Meng Yuxi was becoming familiar with him. Since these were like elementary school textbook subjects, he thought he might as well compose a poem for him.

He took a couple of steps forward and pondered.

His neck had been struck but not broken—that was a blessing. Still, his mind was foggy.

Zhang Tiantai urged, “Little brother, hurry up! If you wait too long, the lotus seed won’t taste as good.”

“Senior, I’m thinking.”

Cao Zhi’s seven-step poem had been sung through the ages. I’ve only taken a couple of steps, without invoking ancestors or reciting textbooks, how could I create a ghostly poem?

“Green pond shimmering, connecting to the star ferry,
Rustling orchid oars enter white duckweed,
Surely because of the goddess’s waves,
To this day, lotus hearts carry fragrant dust.”

Meng Yuxi blurted out the most familiar lines without thinking.

Zhang Tiantai listened, repeated them aloud, and savored them.

“What’s this ‘goddess’?”

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“Senior, it refers to the most beautiful goddess.”

“Oh, oh, goddess waves, I get it. I liked that when I was younger.”

“Senior, this ‘goddess’s waves’ means...”

“Shh, don’t interrupt me reciting. Eat the lotus seeds first, not a single one for me.”

Zhang Tiantai said as he reached out, plucked a lotus pod, and tossed it to Meng Yuxi, who sat down and began eating. The lotus seeds were sweet; he loved them.

After some effort, Zhang Tiantai finally memorized the poem. Last time, even half a line made him surrender; this time, with the full verse, he was utterly convinced. Sigh, if the disciple’s poetry is so powerful, as the master, shouldn’t I be even more extraordinary? He laughed.

“Hey, your poem’s imagery is exactly the same as mine. Don’t be so formal with me; call me ‘Master’—I’m Zhang Tiantai.”

He stroked his beard, very pleased. Having such a celestial figure nonchalantly accept a disciple—ordinary people would probably go mad with excitement.

But Meng Yuxi had never heard of Zhang Tiantai. In fact, his memory was limited to people within the Meng household. Beyond that, he knew nothing about famous figures in the world, only that this man’s mind was a bit peculiar but his martial skills seemed formidable.

He wondered who was stronger between Zhang Long and Zhao Hu, and hoped to have them spar with Zhang Tiantai someday.

He said, “Confucius said, ‘Among three people walking, there must be a teacher for me.’ I’m honored by your kindness, but I...”

Zhang Tiantai interrupted, “Enough. I don’t care about formalities. Consider the apprenticeship ceremony complete. You’re my first disciple. Remember, if anyone asks, don’t deny it.”

Meng Yuxi was stunned. This old man was so straightforward, not caring what he said at all!

But judging by his age, he probably didn’t have much time or opportunity to do anything extraordinary.

He smiled and said, “Senior, if you don’t mind that I am a man with a troubled past, how could I refuse your kindness? Meng Yuxi bows to you as my master.”

He then respectfully kowtowed three times.

Though Zhang Tiantai said he didn’t mind, seeing Meng Yuxi’s sincere gesture made him very happy. After the bows, he quickly helped him up.

“Good disciple, forget about your past troubles. If you’re unhappy, so am I. I’ll go tear down that government office now. Wait for me just a moment—I’ll be back in a flash.”

Meng Yuxi hurriedly grabbed Zhang Tiantai, “Don’t! I just barely set this plan in motion; tearing it down now would be pointless.”