1156: Chapter 344 Zhenyou 1156: Chapter 344 Zhenyou The Ascending Immortal Drum disappeared, and Su He stood in the air, sensing the changes within his body.
After a long time, his consciousness returned to the Intention Orifice, and he heard a drum sound in his mind.
“Do not resist, sir, follow me,” came the voice of Dongxu.
From the moment Su He struck the ninth sound, Dongxu’s attitude had suddenly changed.
The lofty Ascending Immortal Drum, now addressed Su He as “sir” instead of “that kid.”
Su He did not resist and let his consciousness drift along with the sound of the Ascending Immortal Drum, floating aimlessly, not knowing where he was headed.
After an unknown time, the scenery changed, and he found himself on an ordinary small island with a crooked pavilion.
Under the pavilion sat an old man, fishing alone.
The old man’s face was wrinkled, indistinguishable from an ordinary elderly person; he was not using special means to alter his appearance, but was naturally so.
Aged and with dim eyes, his float clearly remained still, yet he suddenly reeled in his line, joyfully exclaiming, “A big fish!”
Pulling up an empty hook, he disappointedly returned it to the water.
Then, turning to Su He, he said, “Come here, can you fish?
Help me catch one.
If I don’t catch one soon, I’ll forget what fish taste like!”
Su He smiled, “I’ve only fished for shrimp, never fish.”
The old man’s fishing rod was familiar to Su He; it had belonged to Baiyin in Ancient Times and was now in Uncle Lei’s possession.
Uncle Lei had later gifted it to him; it could fish unique giant shrimp from a wondrous lake across the void.
He had never fished before, but Su He, without being polite, walked forward, took the fishing rod, cast it into the water, and almost immediately, a fish bit the hook.
He quickly reeled it in – a lively big catfish was pulled up.
The old man clapped and laughed heartily, “Brilliant!
Brilliant!”
He laughed and bustled about in excitement, clumsily storing the catfish in a basket and hurriedly covering it, fearing the catfish would escape.
He held it close as if it was the most wonderful thing in the world.
“Indeed!
The lake is full of fish, but I just can’t seem to catch any, no matter what bait I use,” he said, seemingly frustrated.
Su He looked at the old man, whom he was seeing for the first time, yet felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had known him for a long time.
This place was also very peculiar.
Su He’s current form was a Consciousness Body.
The Consciousness Body and the physical body were synchronized: the physical body of Xuan Wu manifested as Xuan Wu, and that of a peacock manifested as a peacock.
Though Su He’s physical body was human, he had peacock wings.
Yet here, in this place, his manifested Consciousness Body was completely human.
Here, the Ascending Immortal Drum disappeared, no drum sounds, no voices.
Su He bowed deeply to the elder, “I pay my respects to the senior.
May I ask where this place is?”
The old man, holding his fish basket, glanced at him, dissatisfied, and said, “Call me Master!”
“?”
Su He was stunned for a moment, then with astonishment in his eyes, “Taoist Ancestor!”
The old man chuckled and nodded, stroking his beard proudly.
The Taoist Ancestor still alive?
No, not quite…
Su He fell silent again.
He had noticed while fishing that fishing was easy, but the bait needed to be alive; only a living person could fish for swimming fish here.
The Taoist Ancestor could not.
Imitating life energy was extremely simple, but the Taoist Ancestor in front seemed disdainful of doing so.
It was as if using mimicked life energy to fish would be a desecration of fishing, much like a fisherman seeing someone using nets or explosives to fish?
The old man held the fish basket, smiling benignly at Su He.
After nine sounds of the Ascending Immortal Drum, it wasn’t a matter of whether Su He wanted to acknowledge a master—he had already become a disciple, a legitimate disciple of the Taoist Ancestor.
Su He pondered for a moment and bowed deeply, “Disciple pays respects to Master!”
Since he had struck the Ascending Immortal Drum, he had accepted its rules; nine strikes naturally meant becoming a disciple of the Taoist Ancestor.
Was this what Thai Zu intended?
Wanting him to become a disciple of the Taoist Ancestor, yet for reasons unknown?
The Taoist Ancestor laughed heartily, pleased, “Very well, very well!
I originally had three disciples.
The oldest, named Tian, from a secular family named Ji, later changed to Tian Chen.
The second, named Ming, which I dislike and never use, she is the only female disciple and I simply call her ‘Girl’.
The third, named Xuan, has the steadiest character, not as overbearing and arrogant as the other two.
Now, you are the youngest, the fourth.”
As he spoke, he looked at Su He again, who bowed and said, “Disciple’s name is He, Su He!”
The Taoist Ancestor chuckled, “A fine name, I won’t change it.
I always feel my luck with names is bad, as renaming brings calamities.”
He had renamed the eldest, who, though becoming the Tian Emperor, faced calamities.
He never called the second by her real name, yet she had never had it easy either.
Only the third had a peaceful life.
If not for them, he might still be the elder of Taoism.
The Taoist Ancestor looked at Su He, “Though you are my disciple, I cannot teach you.
However, what my disciple should have, naturally must be granted.
What do you wish for?”
He looked at Su He, waiting for him to speak.
Even if (the Taoist Ancestor) no longer existed and was just a residual image left by some unknown means, he could still grant Su He any wish.
Anything!
Su He was suddenly inspired but couldn’t think of anything he wanted.
It seemed that everything he wanted, he already had!
Ask where the true body of the Taoist Ancestor is, how he could defeat Yuan?
Su He was tempted, but then heard Thai Zu’s voice in his ear, “Turtle Kid…
don’t make a wish, save the opportunity, and retrieve the Tao Ancestor Hairpin.”
Thai Zu was indeed omnipresent.
Su He bowed to the Taoist Ancestor, “Thank you Tao… Master, your disciple asks for nothing more.
Could you share your hairpin with me?”
The Taoist Ancestor, holding the fish basket, chuckled, “Have you decided on a wish?”
Su He, puzzled, repeated, “Disciple asks for your hairpin.”
The Taoist Ancestor smiled benignly.
Thai Zu’s soft sigh came through, “No need for more words, the Taoist Ancestor has long vanished; what you see is merely an afterimage, just go up and take the hairpin directly.”