Why do I have so many masters?-Chapter 635 - 246 Swordsman in the Heavenly Mountain (2/2)

"Old vinegar peanuts, chunks of saltwater duck, such a treat, young brother..."

Xie Shan's face flushed, and he flapped his hands dismissively, the delicacies in his hand making a noise, as he said:

"No, these are not for me."

"And I don't drink alcohol."

The government official chuckled, "No need to be tense, young brother. We're clad in this uniform, and we don't bite, right? Your accent... doesn't seem local to Jiangnan Road. Are you visiting friends from out of town?"

Xie Shan nodded, honestly saying:

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"We're from over Heavenly Mountain way, down here looking for a senior disciple who left the mountain many years ago."

The official, who had in mind the Heavenly Mountain region, did not think much further and simply smiled:

"Jiangnan is a vast place, you certainly have your work cut out for you."

"I wish you, young brother, good luck in finding your senior disciple soon."

Xie Shan immediately felt a sense of affection for this refined and gentle-featured official. When the two officials had walked a distance away, the old man in the courtyard, who had a missing arm and leg, started to shout, prompting Xie Shan to enter with the appetizers he was carrying.

"Half in the grave and the other half broken," the old man glared at him, "What are you standing around for, hurry up and lay out the food! What, do you expect an old man like me to serve you?!"

"You were just whispering with those Imperial Court hounds; have you forgotten the ways of Jianghu, or are you planning to starve your Master to death?"

Xie Shan cracked a smile; as an inherently sincere and straightforward child, and with the old cripple as his nominal Master, he chose to stay quiet even after being scolded and turned to go into the house to fetch several plates and dishes, setting them neatly on the stone table.

Then, with due care, he placed each appetizer wrapped in oil paper onto the dishes, his expression one of solemn caution, fearing that dropping even a single piece would spark the old man into teasing, and bring a smack from his chopsticks onto Xie Shan's hand. Xie Shan's palm trembled uncontrollably for a moment, and the piece of saltwater duck tumbled out.

The old man, left with only one arm and one leg, was surprisingly agile, and deftly caught the falling piece of duck, then provocatively swirled it in front of Xie Shan before gobbling it down in one bite and chewing heartily.

His eyes almost squinting into a slit, he placed down his chopsticks, tipped back his neck and downed a big gulp of wine, exclaiming with a visceral satisfaction:

"Refreshing!"

Xie Shan was indifferent, murmuring softly:

"Like horse urine. I don't see why you like it."

The old man glared at him and said:

"Don't be disrespectful, young man. When traveling in Jianghu, who doesn't drink?!"

Xie Shan didn't look at him, merely saying, "Well, I don't like it."

The old man actually laughed, "That's just for now. Who knows, in the future, you might love wine even more than I do. Then, when you hear your own words from today, won't you be blushing with shame? Hahaha..."

Xie Shan muttered to himself and did not respond, knowing from his life on Heavenly Mountain that the old man before him probably developed some quirks from too much solitary time on the mountain. Ignoring him was the best policy; the more you engaged with him, the more energized he became. After eating a few chunks of duck, he keenly focused on shoveling large mouthfuls of rice.

The old man, finding his prodding unrewarding, simply smiled and drank his liquor.

The forthright young man quickly polished off a big bowl of white rice, soon filled another for himself, and consumed the equivalent of three grown men's meals. He gently patted his belly, murmuring that being seven parts full was just right, contentment is bliss. Contentment is bliss.

Holding a bowl of egg drop soup, he leisurely sat on a stool, prompting the old man to scoff and comment on his behavior. Xie Shan didn't mind and simply enjoyed his soup, saying:

"Master, we've come down from the mountain in search of our fellow disciple Qianshan Si, and quite some time has passed," said Xie Shan, addressing the elderly man with a question. "Don't you think it's about time we look for him somewhere else?"

The old man glanced at him sidelong and replied, "What's wrong? Don't you like Jiangnan anymore?"

Xie Shan shook his head repeatedly and said:

"Not at all, I wouldn't dare..."

"It's just... I think, since Qianshan Si is the top-ranked individual on the deputy Sword List, everyone says he's going to be the world's best swordsman, and the seniors at the sect say that when practicing swordsmanship, one must be wholehearted and sincere. Jiangnan Road, this..."

As he thought about all the beautiful girls he saw along the way that dazzled him, his face turned red and his voice dropped to a murmur, saying:

"This is hardly a place to practice swordplay."

The old man, having lost an arm and a leg, snorted at such talk and said:

"Getting cocky, aren't you? Even eavesdropping on those boys' tricks?"

"But you've got one thing wrong. Don't apply ordinary people's rules to those with inborn talent. They simply don't buy it, and you're wasting your time, just daydreaming nonsense."

"That so-called greatest swordsman under the heavens you envision, our fellow disciple Qianshan Si in his snow-white robes, heh, is he also supposed to have a stern face and speak concisely? Let me tell you, he's nothing but a lecher."

Xie Shan was flabbergasted.

The old man took a swig of liquor, chuckled slyly, and added:

"If he's in Jiangnan at this time, he'd surely be staying in a house that costs a fortune a day, wearing clothes more expensive than jade—and it must be white without a single speck of any other color."

"No jade pendant, no jade hairpin, yet he would definitely wield the finest sword within thousands of miles around, with a sword scabbard made from deep-sea sharkskin that bears no gemstone decoration."

"His yard must have plum blossoms, and it must have bamboo."

"And in his arms, there must be beauties, not just one but many, each with hands as soft as the first snowfall of spring."

"Fine horses, expensive furs—he lacks nothing, indulging in wine, women, wealth, and pride in every aspect."

Xie Shan felt the image of the great swordsman in pure white robes crumble in his mind, murmuring, "But, but he's a swordsman..."

The old man truly thought the boy was as simple-minded as he was simple-looking, for he hit Xie Shan on the forehead with the wine jug he held in his hand, showing a hint of annoyance as he exclaimed:

"Who the hell told you a swordsman has to be a certain way?"

"All of that is complete bullshit."

"A swordsman is a person first, a sword user second. Who told you all swordsmen under heaven are cast from the same mold? Back in my day, I drank wine, ate meat, bedded women—those so-called abstinent swordsmen you're talking about, I've chopped down no fewer than eighty of them!"

The boy who had been lured to Heavenly Mountain covered his head and begged for mercy repeatedly before the old man finally stopped pounding him with the wine jug. However, he did not put it down but aimed it menacingly at Xie Shan's head and demanded:

"Tell me, what's a swordsman supposed to be like?"

Xie Shan slightly loosened his grip on his head, answering cautiously:

"A true character, who drinks, eats meat, well, fights people... indulges in wine, women, riches, and arrogance—touches all bases."

The old man became furious upon hearing this, and like hammering a nail, he repeatedly struck Xie Shan's head with the wine jug, which clanged loudly. He shouted:

"Nonsense!"

"You're not so young anymore. Can't you have something solid in your head? You believe anything people say? Still got diarrhea that didn't clear up the other day, huh?"

"The old man's been digging out all sorts of good things for your brains, and you just don't listen?"

"Have to heed all that nonsense?"

Xie Shan's head throbbed with pain, and he mumbled.

"Whatever's mushy in there, it's you who shove it in."

"And all those golden principles..."

The old man's face turned alternating shades of red and white with anger, and he finally sat down in the chair with a huff, continuously shaking his head and lamenting:

"This old man must be cursed with eight generations of bad luck, having to take you down the mountain. I might as well have picked a pretty girl to be my walking stick, save me the trouble."

Xie Shan grumbled:

"Go on, find one then."

PS: Here comes the second update of the day...

PS2: If any readers have forgotten about Xie Shan and the old man, they were introduced in Chapter 175 of this volume, titled 'The Great Sword Sects Under Heaven,' as the pair who looked at Snow Mountain and remarked, 'It's so big, so white'—the above.