A master of comedy!

Chapter 39: Little Thunder Pond

The sun is setting in the west; dusk is falling.

Zhou Sheng finally returned home. He had washed off his makeup, taken off his costume, and changed back into his usual black robe.

The area between his thumb and forefinger was casually wrapped with a piece of blue cloth, and his long hair was slightly disheveled, with a few strands still bearing dried bloodstains.

He stepped over the brazier and entered the house.

The raging flames became erratic, as if blown by the wind.

Yu Zhensheng, who was teasing the goldfish in front of the water tank, paused slightly, then slowly turned around and looked at his disciple.

The stench of blood, the overwhelming murderous aura, was almost impossible to suppress.

This was an uncontrollable urge after unleashing a massacre.

Having been tempered by blood and fire, the apprentice's gaze has become more resolute and sharp, like a piece of refined steel that, through constant hammering, has finally taken the shape of a sword embryo.

A gentle breeze blew, causing the black robe to flutter in the wind.

Zhou Sheng put down his opera box, stood tall, and bowed to his master with clasped hands.

"Master, thank you."

This thank you, though spoken without any preamble, was exceptionally sincere.

Although he could not sense his master's presence, he was certain that his master was always nearby when he performed the yin opera.

It was because of his master that he was able to fight without restraint and finally defeat the rampaging soldier.

The lean, spirited old man in front of me, who loves walking cats and playing with fish, has silently weathered sixteen years of storms in this world.

"You performed the play yourself, why are you thanking me?"

Yu Zhensheng sneered, but he couldn't suppress the slight upturn of his lips. He quickly turned his back to his disciple and continued to tease the little goldfish.

Zhou Sheng smiled slightly, not revealing anything, and said, "Master, then I will go and offer incense to the Ancestral Master."

"Go on, after you've finished offering incense, remember to put the statue of our ancestral master into the box. Also, pack your things and let's escape before the sun goes down."

Zhou Sheng: "..."

"Heh, kid, remember this: in our line of work, who hasn't taken a life?"

"A fledgling that has never been stained with blood will never become an eagle."

"But if you want to live a peaceful life after going on a killing spree, you have to escape faster than anyone else."

He paused for a moment, then concluded, "The more ruthless the knife used to kill, the faster the legs must be to escape!"

Zhou Sheng silently memorized the martial arts experience his master had taught him, and then, without any hesitation, quickly tidied everything up.

Carrying the statue of the patriarch on his back, his food box, and his private savings, he set off lightly.

He felt no reluctance to leave his long-time home; on the contrary, he was somewhat excited.

Kill and run, how exciting!

Although he had killed people before, he had only acted passively, usually killing bandits and robbers who tried to rob him. This time, however, he took the initiative and killed more than just three or five people.

It was as if an invisible shackle had been shattered, causing him to undergo some indescribable change.

"Don't rush, give me a strand of your hair."

Yu Zhensheng teased the fish while reaching out his hand.

Zhou Sheng was taken aback, and then without hesitation cut off a strand of hair for his master.

For those who perform occult plays, their hair and birth date are secrets that cannot be easily revealed, otherwise they may be cursed.

For example, the Lu Ban Wood Master lineage of the Yin Bai family is skilled in this kind of curse technique. With just a single strand of hair, they can even harm three generations of a family.

However, he completely trusted his master and gave him the hair without any hesitation.

Yu Zhensheng tied his hair into a strange knot, then took out a yellow talisman, put the knot into it, and folded the talisman up.

After making hand seals and chanting incantations, he reached out and scooped the goldfish out of the tank, forcibly pried open its mouth, and stuffed the yellow talisman wrapped with Zhou Shengfa's knot into it.

The fish had a hidden talisman! He then threw the goldfish back into the tank, and the startled goldfish swam around in the water.

"Okay, let's go."

"Master, aren't you taking Senior Brother Yu with you?"

"Hehe, raising fish for a thousand days is for a single day. After eating my food for so many years, it's time for them to pay back."

……

As the twilight glowed, the figures of the master and apprentice gradually faded into the distance and soon disappeared from sight, leaving only the goldfish in the water tank still swimming.

Time passes little by little.

The sun finally set, its brilliance completely fading, the bright moon quietly rose, and night fell.

In the deserted courtyard, a sudden gust of cold wind swept through. It wasn't strong; in fact, it even carried a hint of warmth. Yet, it instantly silenced the cicadas in the surrounding area.

The night seemed to grow even deeper; though the moonlight was bright overhead, the courtyard was pitch black.

The next moment, the goldfish that had been quiet in the tank suddenly darted around.

It dodges back and forth, darting about like lightning, as if being chased by a predator, swimming frantically and even constantly crashing against the hard walls of the tank.

After an unknown amount of time, the goldfish suddenly stopped moving, foamed at the mouth, and convulsed. The water in the tank also seemed to be stirred by an invisible force, forming a whirlpool.

With a loud bang, the entire water tank exploded.

In the water, the goldfish were completely stiff and motionless.

……

"Remember these hand seals; they are the key to setting up a small minefield."

On the mountain path, the master and apprentice were traveling through the night. By the moonlight, Yu Zhensheng walked and taught them several hand seals.

Zhou Sheng recognized these handprints as the mudras his master had made when he was stuffing the goldfish with talismans.

"Master, what is the Lesser Thunder Pool?"

"Hehe, as the saying goes, one should not cross the line. This little pit is a feint I set up for the pursuers from the underworld."

Yu Zhensheng smiled slightly and explained, "That water vat was placed in a place where wind and energy are gathered, and the goldfish ate your hair and obtained your energy. In the eyes of ghosts and gods, it is no different from you."

"He will temporarily mistake the goldfish for you, and will not be able to cross the line until he catches the fish, until he realizes that he has been deceived."

Zhou Sheng suddenly realized why his master treasured that goldfish so much, taking it everywhere he went; it turned out he was setting up this little trap for his escape.

Old ginger is indeed spicier!
May Brother Yu rest in peace.

"Master, how long can that small thunder pool hold out?"

Yu Zhensheng looked up at the bright moon in the sky and said, "You killed Magistrate Zhu and the rampaging soldiers of the underworld. If they were to send someone from below, they should have arrived by now."

"That goldfish was raised with a secret medicine; it's extraordinary. Even if the Black and White Impermanence themselves came, they should be able to hold it off for two or three hours, unless..."

"Unless what?"

Yu Zhensheng's eyes were deep, and he said in a low voice, "Unless that judge comes in person to kill you, then Little Thunder Pool can only hold out for half an hour at most."

"Master, you must have a backup plan, right?"

Yu Zhensheng glanced at him with a smile and said, "Now you know fear? You were quite swift and decisive when it came to killing."

Zhou Sheng gave an awkward smile.

However, he did not regret killing the mad soldier and Magistrate Zhu. Firstly, it suited his wishes, and secondly, it allowed the tortoise shell to accumulate a large amount of energy.

The Luoshu today is more prosperous than ever before.

Perhaps we can already deduce the true formula for mica-based divine elixirs!

A shortcut to success, one that belongs to him, is slowly opening up.

……

(End of this chapter)