Chapter 25 A Step Into The Truth

It took Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo several days to arrive in Tianshan. The villagers are friendly and welcoming. The two men walked into Xingfu Inn. The door greeter sat them at a table, and they ordered their food.

After a while, the waiter brought them their food. Ma Jingguo stopped the waiter, "This is our first visiting Tianshan. Is there any place that worth seeing?"

Wang Niu, "Oh, there are plenty of things to do here in Tianshan. In three days, it will be a full moon night, and the town will hold a wedding ceremony in a small village on the outskirt East of the town. It is about an hour's walk from the town. I heard that there will be ten couples this year."

Ma Jingguo, "Wedding ceremony? How does that work?" He winked at Mu Dishi.

Wang Niu, "Yes, it's our town tradition. People believe that if the couple get married that day, they will love each other until they are very old."

Ma Jingguo, "It sound excite."

Wang Niu, "There is a temple near the second mountain of Tianshan sect. It's a bit secluded. People believe that if two people who love each other hold each other's hands then walk up the three hundred steps to the temple, write their names on the piece of wood, tied their name's tag on a red string, and then hang it inside the temple. Whatever they wish for will come true. In addition, there are another believe that after the two people do this, if they walk out to the magnolia tree, cut a small amount of theirs' hair under the tree, tied the hair together, and tie it to the tree, their love will forever last like the magnolia tree."

Ma Jingguo, "Thanks for all the info."

Wang Niu, "Enjoy your stay."

Ma Jingguo then turned to Mu Dishi, "Xiao shushu, let's go to that temple tomorrow."

Mu Dishi, "I don't believe any of that."

Ma Jingguo, "Why not?"

Mu Dishi said indifferently, "I used to pray to Guanyin every night for her to protect my family and look at what happened. My entire family was brutally massacre."

Ma Jingguo begged with his big puppy eyes, "Xiao shushu, do it for me please...I want to go."

Mu Dishi said coldly, "Fine, but I am not holding your hand walking up those steps."

The skinny tall mountain is a single small mountain that stood higher than the small skinny tall mountains in the surrounding area. The mountain top was only wide enough to build a small worship temple. The lonely old temple stands alone, while other people continue with their lives. It's seemed that there is no caretaker to care for this small old temple. Ma Jingguo reached out his right hand and looked at Mu Dishi.

Mu Dishi said without looking at Ma Jingguo, "I've told you yesterday..."

Ma Jingguo grabbed Mu Dishi's left hand. He smiled at Mu Dishi and said, "Xiao shushu, look around you. We are the only two persons here."

Mu Dishi was resisting badly, but in the end, he still held Ma Jingguo's hand and climbed the three hundred steps to the temple.

After the two men arrived at the old temple, Ma Jingguo and Mu Dishi walked into the temple. There is a small table. There is a wooden basket on the table full of pieces of wood, and ta wooden donation box. There are three wood cleavers beside the wooden basket. Ma Jingguo put ten liang in the donation box and took a piece of wood from the wooden basket. Ma Jingguo carved their names on the wood stick. He looked around in the old temple. He saw thousands of name tags hanging on the temple.

Ma Jingguo looked at the thousands of names tags hanging on the walls and on the beams. Ma Jingguo looked at Mu Dishi, "Currently, everywhere is full right. Where am I going to hang our names tag?"

Mu Dishi took the wood stick with the red string from Ma Jingguo. He did a single somersault and landed on one of the ceiling beams. He took out a golden needle and nailed the wood stick to the ceiling beam with his internal energy. Mu Dishi then jumped off the beam and landed handsomely on the floor in front of Ma Jingguo.

Mu Dishi, "Let's go."

Ma Jingguo, "Wait, we have not seen the magnolia tree yet."

Mu Dishi asked coldly, "You are going to cut your hair and tied it on the magnolia tree, right?"

Ma Jingguo, "Mm..." Ma Jingguo grabbed Mu Dishi's left wrist with his right and the two men walked out to the back of the temple.

In the backyard of the temple, there is a single huge magnolia tree with thousands of hairs tied on the tree branches. Ma Jingguo and Mu Dishi stood under the magnolia tree, and the magnolia petals swirling with the wind across the temple backyard each time the wind blew pass.

Ma Jingguo took out his knife and cut a little bit of his hair. Ma Jingguo looked at Mu Dishi and said, "Xiao shushu, can I cut a little bit of your hair?"

Mu Dishi didn't respond, but Mu Dishi turned his back to Ma Jingguo. Ma Jingguo smiled and clutching onto the tip of Mu Dishi's hair. When he was about to cut Mu Dishi's hair, he cannot bring himself to do it. He loved Mu Dishi's hair and cherished it like a fragile jade. He sheathed his knife and tucked his knife back into his back belt sash.

Ma Jingguo hugged Mu Dishi's and sighed, "Forget it. I love your hair too much to cut it with my own hand." He gentles kissed the back of Mu Dishi's head.

Ma Jingguo untied Mu Dishi's bracelet hair around his left wrist and put it together with his hair. He climbed to the very top of the magnolia tree and tied their hairs to the branch. When he climbed down and glanced at Mu Dishi who standing handsomely under the magnolia tree as the magnolia petals floating everywhere, Mu Dishi looked like an immortal God that came out of a painting. He then climbed down.

Mu Dishi asked, "You tied your own hair?"

Ma Jingguo, "No, I tied both of our hairs."

Mu Dishi, "But you didn't cut any of my hair."

Ma Jingguo, "I had your hair bracelet." He chuckled, "I'll collect again and make a new one."

Mu Dishi didn't say anything.

Ma Jingguo, "Xiao shushu, should we go back? Or does xiao shushu want to stay longer?"

As soon as ma Jingguo finished his sentences, they heard a woman and a man arguing. Ma Jingguo grabbed Mu Dishi's left wrist and the two hid behind a statue. Ma Jingguo's body pinned Mu Dishi's onto the statue.

Mu Dishi said quietly, "There are two statues. You go hide on the other statue."

Ma Jingguo smiled flirtingly and said, "There is no time."

Mu Dishi pushed Ma Jingguo away, "Don't pin me down in the open. This is such a shameless act."

When the woman and the man walked towards the magnolia tree, Ma Jingguo sealed Mu Dishi's mouth with his mouth and prevented Mu Dishi from speaking.

Ma Jingguo whispered, "Xiao shushu, if you continue to speak, I will cover your mouth with my mouth." Ma Jingguo always thought that Mu Dishi looked very beautiful when he cheeks was blushing from embarrassment and anger.

Suo Dongmei, "Er shixiong, what do you mean?"

Fu Yuanjun, "Mei mei, even if you are shifu's daughter, but most of the disciples had choose me. Your only option is stepping down."

Suo Dongmei, "Er shixiong, you are an untrustworthy malicious manipulator. I never liked you and I will not start now. The new leader seat of Tianshan Sect belongs to me."

Fu Yuanjun laughed, "Do you know what most people called you?"

Suo Dongmei, "Like I care what they call me."

Fu Yuanjun, "You say I am an untrustworthy manipulator, then what about shifu?"

Suo Dongmei, "What about him?"

Fu Yuanjun, "Did he ever tell you how he become the leader of Tianshan Sect?"

Suo Dongmei turned around angrily looking at Fu Yuanjun, "Fu Yuanjun, be careful with your mouth."

Fu Yuanjun, "Mei mei, let me tell you a short story. The leader of Tianshan originally belong to Mu Ai."

Mu Dishi whispered, "My mother."

Fu Yuanjun, "Back then, shifu, Fu Shirong, and Mu Ai were three classmates that Grandmaster Yi loves the most. They fought alongside each other. Shifu and Fu Shirong both liked Mu Ai. They were very closer until one day."

The young Suo Baojing sat on the rock and complained, "Da shixiong, did the Mu lied to us? We have been waiting for half of day."

Fu Shirong, "Shidi, be patience. The Mu answered that they will come. Mu Village is far from Tianshan."

Suo Baojing complained, "Why do we have to wait here for them?"

Fu Shirong, "They are our honorable guests. We have to show them generosity because they are here to help shifu."

As the two young men were talking, they saw two men walking toward them.

Mu Lan, "Sorry, maybe I ask... How far is here to Tianshan Sector?"

Fu Shirong, "Are the two of you surname Mu?"

Mu Jiao Long, "We are."

Fu Shirong, "We are disciples of Tianshan Sect. We are waiting for the two of you."

When the four men arrived at Tianshan Sect, they went straight to Yi Tao's bedroom. After Mu Lan examined Yi Tao, he looked at Fu Shirong, Suo Baojing, and Yi Tao.

Yi Tao, "How was it? Can you help me?"

Mu Lan replied, "Yes, I can help you, but according to our family policy, you must trade your most precious valuable for the treatment."

Mu Jiao Long looked Mu Ai up and down and it made Suo Baojing and Fu Shirong uncomfortable.

Suo Baojing then said madly, "Did anyone ever teach you that it's not nice to stare?"

Mu Jiao Long then laughed, "Everyone praises about the two most valuable items in Tianshan Sect. One is the Tianshan 'Spirit Sword Manual', and the other is you." He smiled at Mu Ai.

Suo Baojing walked closer to Mu Jiao Long, "You..."

Mu Jiao Long, who is older than Suo Baojing, ignore the young man, and turned to Yi Tao. He said, "Yi shifu, we must follow our family policy, I hope you understand."

Mu Ai looked at Mu Jiao Long who was many years older than her. She knew that the 'Spirit Sword Manual' could not be given to anyone. She then said, "I am willing to trade myself."

Suo Baojing grabbed on Mu Ai's right arm, "Mei mei, are you crazy?"

Mu Jiao Long smiled at Mu Ai, "The choice is not yours. The choice is Yi shifu."

Mu Ai kneeled before Yi Tao and said, "I am willing as long as they can save you."

Suo Baojing rushed over and kneeled before Yi Tao, "Shifu, don't let mei mei do this, please. Give them the 'Spirit Sword Manual'."

Mu Ai, "Er shixiong, we cannot give them the 'Spirit Sword Manual'. If we do, according to the rules, we will no longer be able to practice it."

Yi Tao said sadly, "Ai'er, sorry that I am a burden to you." He looked at Mu Jiao Long. "I will give you Ai'er."

Mu Jiao Long smiled and looked at Mu Ai, "Are you ready to be a daughter in law of the Mu Clan?"

Mu Ai looked at the older man and said softly, "If you help him. I have no problem marrying you."

Mu Jiao Long laughed, "Little Missy, who say I am going to help Yi shifu and marry you? I have no knowledge of medicine." He pulled the shy Mu Lan beside him. "He will cure Yi shifu and he will marry you."

Mu Lan, "Ge..."

Mu Jiao Long, "A-Lan, staying in Mu Village for the rest of your life will not bring you a wife. Look at her. She is beautiful and meets all of your standers. What more can you ask for?"

Mu Ai looked at the shy Mu Lan. She felt relief that the one she will be marrying to is not Mu Jiao Long. When she looked closely at Mu Lan, Mu Lan was very handsome with long lashes.

Yi Tao also breathed a sigh of relief. He said, "I agree with this marriage." He turned to Mu Ai, "Ai'er, what do you say?"

Mu Ai smiled at Yi Tao, "I am willing."

Mu Lan took seven days to cured Yi Tao and the grand wedding was held two days later.

Suo Baojing was drinking heavy alone in the backyard.

Fu Shirong, "Shidi, stop drinking."

Suo Baojing said angrily, "Why? Why did mei mei picked someone she didn't even know."

Fu Shirong sighed, "Is her choice. We can only accept it."

Suo Baojing grabbed Fu Shirong front collars and said angrily, "No, I will never accept it. If mei mei picks you, I could still hold back my anger and accept it in time. I will never forgive the Mu."

Fu Shirong said calmly, "You are drunk, let us go back and rest.

Suo Baojing pushed Fu Shirong away. Suo Baojing pointed at the night sky. He then yelled and cursed, "I promise to heaven that I will not let this go. Mu Jiao Long, you sneaky bastard. You took this opportunity to take my mei mei away from me. You wait...when I have my opportunity, I will annihilate the entire Mu Clan."