Chapter 43: Becoming an Apprentice

  The sound of gunfire and police cars soon woke up Jin Chengwu and Xiao Qian, and the two looked at the extraordinary scene and asked me, "What's going on?"

  I didn't introduce the old demon of Montenegro because Tie Ji Li was present, and Xiao Qian just responded with an "oh" after listening. Jin Cheng Wu circled around the police car where Shi Zhong Huo was being held, saw his blood-red eyes staring at him fiercely, and said: "What are you looking at? If I hadn't met you, you would have been made into a lovely person, piece by piece!"

  "What does it mean?"

  Jin Chengwu laughed and said: "It doesn't mean anything, don't people all worship money now?"

  Tie Jili continued to be inexplicably strange, and finally said to me: "Your friends are also quite calm." He shook hands with me and said, "Thank you for your hospitality over the past two days. I'll come back and have tea with you when I have time."

  "Welcome, welcome! Ah, can I find you if I get into trouble in the future?"

  "Hmm..." It seems that Tie Jili is not used to others playing this kind of joke on him, which is understandable. His profession is special, unlike those who sell computers and can hand out business cards everywhere with the phrase "Feel free to contact me anytime", they can't do that. I also have a friend who works at a crematorium and he's also very cautious about offering help...

  "Haha, just kidding, our prison system has people."

  ……

  Tie Ji Li walked away, and Hei Shan Lao Yao looked around and asked: "Where is my master?"

  Jin Chengwu asked me curiously: "Who is this beauty..."

  I whispered to him: "Hei Shan Lao Yao!"

  "Is it you?" exclaimed Jin Chengwu in surprise.

  "Hei Shan Lao Yao glared at him and said: 'Just now you said that little guy was lucky not to have met you, do you mean you're more formidable than me?'"

  "No no, it's still great to meet you - by the way, how come you're a girl?"

  Hei Shan Lao Yao Gu Pan Sheng Zi Dao: "Can't be?"

  "Alright, alright, but what should we call you?"

  "Hei Shan Lao Yao said: 'You're older than me, so just call me Little Hei.'"

  Xiao Qian said in a low voice: "Then what should I call you? It's already taking advantage of you if I call you grandma..."

  "Alright, alright, just call me sister then. After all, except for my master and this divine bird brother of yours, whoever calls me 'grandma' is just taking advantage of me."

  At this time, Old Wu also rushed out, looking around and saying: "What was the commotion just now?"

  We all looked at him with a smile, and Old Wu was puzzled: "What are you looking at me for?"

  "Hei Shan Lao Yao is looking for you!"

  "Ah, Hei Xiong has arrived, where is he?" Old Wu immediately looked around: "I don't know if he understood the 'Tao Te Ching' I gave him."

  Hei Shan Lao Yao strode forward and arrived in front of Old Wu, saying loudly: "Master, I'm here!"

  Old Wu was shocked and stuttered: "You... are Hei Xiong?"

  Hei Shan Lao Yao grasped Old Wu's hand and shook it, saying: "Master, I'm Xiao Hei."

  Lao Wu subconsciously took a step back and said: "Hei brother... this is really killing me."

  I said on one side: "Everyone recognizes you as a master, but you still call yourself 'black brother' - besides, what's brotherly about her?"

  Old Wu said: "Yes, how can you be a girl?"

  Hei Shan Lao Yao lowered his head and said: "Master, you're so capable, yet you don't know that trees also have males and females?"

  Old Wu awkwardly said: "I had forgotten about this, I only saw you in the tree hole a few days ago, and I didn't expect that after transforming into human form, you would be like this."

  "What's wrong, doesn't it look good?"

  Lao Wu's eyes inadvertently swept across Hei Shan Lao Yao's neck, and he quickly looked away, feeling uneasy: "Good looking, good looking..."

  Hei Shan Lao Yao had just come down from the mountain, wearing a garment that was neither silk nor gauze. At first, I thought it was fur, but now I see that it's just a few pieces of tree bark wrapped around him. It's easy to imagine that there's no padding or glue inside. Old Wu took a peek and got a big surprise - even the trees were blushing.

  Hei Shan Lao Yao rushed to Lao Wu and bowed: "Xiao Hei was forced by circumstances, and has committed many evils over the years. Heaven's punishment is imminent, but fortunately, I met Master who is willing to save me with the sacred book 'Tao Te Ching'. I dare not express my gratitude."

  Old Wu hastily said: "I don't dare, I don't dare, how can I be worthy of being Black Brother... uh, your master?"

  Hei Shan Lao Yao said: "If it weren't for Master's guidance, Xiao Hei would have reached his limit, let alone transform into a human. I'm afraid... Don't tell Master, but when we first met, I already had the sign of withering roots and vines. If Master delays for a few more days, Xiao Hei will surely wither away into a pile of useless wood."

  Old Wu said: "I've spoken too much. Li Zu's intention in writing the 'Tao Te Ching' was to benefit all under heaven, and I'm just following his principles."

  Hei Shan Lao Yao said with a sigh: "Master, you really won't accept me? Although Xiao Hei has committed many evils, it's actually because I had no choice. In the past, Xiao Hei was just a small elm tree on Jiaozi Mountain, where many corpses were buried. As a result of being exposed to the aura of death, I gradually gained consciousness. To survive, I could only constantly absorb the flesh and blood of others. Later on, it became so that even animals and people couldn't escape, and eventually, I became trapped in this state. Master, is it because you disdain me for having committed too many sins?"

  Lao Wu said: "Not..."

  "Is it because I wasn't respectful enough when I first met Master?"

  Old Wu sighed and said: "How could I be so petty?"

  "Why won't you accept me as your disciple?"

  Old Wu said: "If you say studying and researching together is fine, but the two words 'master' are really ashamed to be called, black... don't make me embarrassed."

  "Hmph, you're just pushing me around because you think I'm of low birth. You gave me the 'Tao Te Ching' out of pity, and I was foolish enough to want to be your disciple. Since you look down on me, fine! I'll just go back to eating people on Mount Jiaozi!" The old black mountain demon said as he turned to leave, his eyes still brimming with tears, and took off running in the opposite direction.

  Old Wu raised his hand and said: "Hey, I didn't mean it that way."

  Jin Chengwu laughed and said, "Old Wu, since they're so sincere, you can't keep making a fuss about it. Don't give me that nonsense about good and evil not coexisting. Among our group, except for Xiaolong who looks like he's got his act together, no one else is on the right path."

  "What does this have to do with me?"

  Old Wu hastily said: "Who said that? I really think I'm not worthy of being her master——" As he spoke, Old Wu looked at Hei Shan Lao Yao and said: "Since you've already said so, if I continue to decline it would seem pretentious. If you insist on condescending, then I'll swallow my pride and agree. In the future, if there's another famous master, you can switch to his school and I'll fully support it."

  Hei Shan Lao Yao happily said: "So you're willing to agree then - Master?"

  Lao Wu could only weakly respond with a "yes", and immediately anxiously asked: "You're not going to go back and eat people, are you?"

  "Heishan old monster burst into tears and laughed: 'I'm not going.'"

  We all laughed, except for the foolish old Wu, who couldn't see that Hei Shan Lao Yao never intended to leave in the first place. She had just used a very clumsy trick, but we could all feel that she didn't have any malicious intentions, so no one said anything. Hei Shan Lao Yao's thoughts were clearly sincere, it's just that her methods were only enough to deal with old Wu. This mountain spirit, who hadn't left the mountain in thousands of years, was actually very simple and pure, similar to a village girl from the countryside.

  Old Wu, now being a mentor, immediately said with a gentle tone: "Xiao Hei, from now on, you absolutely must not have any evil thoughts that would harm others, do you understand?"

  Hei Shan Lao Yao said: "I know, just now if I hadn't been thinking of my master's teachings, such a scoundrel, even if I didn't suck him dry, I would have taken his dog life."

  Old Wu nodded in satisfaction, asking how she could transform into a human so quickly. Hei Shan Lao Yao explained that since she had been practicing the "Tao Te Ching", although her magical powers had greatly diminished, her cultivation had changed dramatically from before. She finally transformed into a human form last night and thought of Old Wu, so she came down the mountain to pay respects to him as her master.

  Jin Chengwu supported his chin and scrutinized the old black mountain demon, clicking his tongue: "Old Wu is lucky to have taken in such a spicy female apprentice."

  I also raised my chin and narrowed my eyes, saying: "Yes, the romantic affair between the mentor and the female graduate student is too numerous to record, Old Wu wants 'the old tree blooms with a second spring'."

  "Does he have his first spring?"

  I chuckled and said, "Need you ask? For their kind, a few casual flings are enough to satisfy them. It's only someone like Old Wu who is genuinely devoted to women that has any real lethal power!"

  Jin Chengwu: "......"

  They were talking over there, and I finally had time to carefully check the car behind me. The bullet didn't hit me, but it might have made a hole in the car. This car was borrowed from Aunt Meng, not to mention that after driving for two days, I should be responsible for someone else's car?

  I carefully examined the rubbing, from the car window to the body, and then to the tires. Su Jing suddenly said: "No need to look for it, it's here." As she spoke, she opened her palm, and in the white jade-like hand, there was actually a copper bullet head...

  "I was shocked and asked: 'Where did you come from?'"

  "Caught with one's bare hands." Su Jing tossed the bullet head in his hand and said, "To be honest, the hidden weapon they used was quite powerful, faster than any hidden weapon I've seen on the Federation Continent."

  "You actually caught the bullet?"

  Su Jing casually tossed the bullet head and said: "This thing is fine for dealing with ordinary people, but it's nothing against a true master."

  "So you're saying this thing can't handle you?"

  Su Jing glanced at me faintly and turned away: "I am a sword god, not an expert."

  "Chop——" I looked at her back, took out a bottle of water from the car, and carefully poured it on Old Wu's apple tree. I muttered to myself: "Apple MM, if you have a conscience, don't forget my kindness in watering you today. In the future, I won't ask for your voluptuous figure or your charming demeanor. The only thing I ask is that you don't brag and boast like someone...

  Division line

  When Arbor Day comes around, everyone should be careful. Who knows when a tree spirit will suddenly appear in the middle of the night to accompany you on February 14th...