Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

on the balcony.

Cheng Mo answered the phone: "Master, what's up?"

Cheng Shou's voice came through the receiver, full of energy: "There's something you need to do. There's news about the demon sword Hirumaru in the Northeast. Go check it out. If it really appears, dismantle that thing."

Cheng Mo was speechless for a moment.

It's just a broken knife, why is Master calling about this?

"No, Master, this knife has a connection with you?"

Cheng Shou said, "Actually, there isn't much connection. If I had to say, it's that when I first heard about the Tang Clan's resistance against the Japanese pirates, I went to them to offer my help, but they refused. After that, all the information about that knife and the Tang Clan was just hearsay."

Cheng Mo: "That's it?"

"What else do you want?" Cheng Shou raised his voice. "If you don't know, fine, but if you do, you can't just ignore it. That thing killed countless of our people back then. Now those Japanese want it back, I'll take their ancestors for eighteen generations!"

Duo Duo's voice came from the side: "Master, don't swear."

Cheng Shou immediately changed his tune: "Hey~ Master was wrong, Master was just disciplining your senior brother."

Cheng Mo: "...I didn't say I wouldn't go, but you have to tell me what level of commitment is required, lest some people push your precious disciple out to take the blame."

"Don't worry about that," Cheng Shou said seriously.

"This matter is still a matter of civilian exchange; the government isn't involved. In fact, the government doesn't want the Japanese to take the knife back either. However, trade between the two countries has been close in recent years, so it's not appropriate to say anything openly. But as long as we do it, the higher-ups will definitely not pursue it."

Cheng Mo pressed further, "What if I accidentally kill a few Japanese soldiers?"

"As long as the person killed isn't an ordinary person, it's fine," Cheng Shou said. "To put it bluntly, it's still the same old story of 'different people dealing with different people.'"

Cheng Mo understood: "Okay, I know what I'm doing. Master, please remember to arrange kindergarten for Duo Duo. I'll hang up now."

"Don't rush, there's something else," Cheng Shou called out to him.

"What's up?"

"You'll probably pass through Shandong on your way north, so help me find someone there."

Cheng Mo frowned: "Who are you looking for?"

Cheng Shou said, "I only know that his surname is Zhang, he is a boy, about nine or ten years old, and he should be in an orphanage."

Cheng Mo: "...No other news?"

Cheng Shou said casually, "Actually, I wouldn't have told you about this person if you hadn't gone there. Since you're already there, just look for him; it's something you can do while you're at it."

Cheng Mo was speechless: "But you've given us too broad a scope, and I can't possibly include it all."

Cheng Shou thought for a moment: "Oh, his grandfather's name is Zhang Xilin, originally Zhang Huaiyi, but you'd better not use that name to look for people, it will cause trouble."

Cheng Mo was immediately shocked.

What the heck? Zhang Huaiyi?

Then isn't the person Master is looking for Zhang Chulan?

That's not right.

Cheng Mo glanced back at the living room and set up a soundproof formation around himself. It was best not to let Xia Liuqing know about this matter concerning the Eight Extraordinary Techniques.

Lowering her voice, she said, "Master, how did you become friends with Zhang Huaiyi? You didn't mention that when you told me about the Thirty-Six Thieves and Eight Extraordinary Skills."

Cheng Shou said in a relaxed tone, "Hey, didn't I tell you? I—"

Cheng Mo quickly interrupted, "Wait a minute, isn't it inappropriate to discuss this over the phone?"

"There's nothing wrong with it," Cheng Shou said nonchalantly. "Nobody can listen in on my calls."

That's a pretty domineering statement.

Cheng Mo sighed helplessly, "Then you tell me."

Cheng Shouqing cleared his throat: "Didn't I just say that I was rejected when I went to the Tang Clan to help out? People from the Celestial Master's Mansion also went, and that's when I met those two old geezers, Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi."

He paused, then continued, "After that, the Thirty-Six Thieves swore brotherhood, the Eight Extraordinary Techniques were born, and that bunch of guys were being hunted down. I was on my way back to the mountain when I met Zhang Huaiyi, so I took him back to the mountain to hide for a while."

Cheng Mo pressed further, "Was he alone?"

Cheng Shou countered, "Otherwise what?"

Cheng Mo asked again, "I mean, was there no one else with him at the time?"

Cheng Shou thought for a moment: "No. What rumors have you heard, kid?"

Cheng Mo didn't answer, thinking to himself that in the original story, Zhang Huaiyi was with someone when he met Tian Jinzhong.

However, if Master says there's no one, then there's no one.

"It's nothing," Cheng Mo changed the subject, "It's just, how come he has a grandson all by himself?"

Cheng Shou said matter-of-factly, "He didn't get married at our Liangyi Temple."

Cheng Mo understood: "Then I'll find someone to bring him back to Liangyi Temple?"

"Bring back my ass!" Cheng Shou's voice rose. "That old bastard ate and lived in the temple for half a year, and then found a wife as soon as he came down the mountain. You find his grandson and get back his six months' rent and food expenses!"

Cheng Mo: "..."

He felt that the old man was mainly bothered by the fact that Zhang Huaiyi had a wife and children.

"You said his grandson lives in an orphanage, how could he possibly have money?"

"That's obvious," Cheng Shou said. "That old bastard Zhang Huaiyi is a master at hiding money; he's definitely left an inheritance for his grandson."

Cheng Mo agreed, "Alright, I'll look for him first, and then we'll talk about the inheritance."

Cheng Shou cautioned, "His grandson is probably just like him. Take Xia He with you, don't let a child fool you."

The phone hangs up.

Cheng Mo heard the busy tone.

Hey, what was I about to say?

Forget it.

He put away the Qimen Dunjia chart, turned around and went back into the house.

As soon as Xia He saw him come in, she excitedly rushed over and hugged his arm: "Little Taoist priest, let's go to the Northeast!"

Cheng Mo looked at Xia Liuqing and Wang Zhenqiu: "Are you two going?"

Wang Zhenqiu shook his head repeatedly, his pig-like head bobbing like a rattle drum: "I'm not going. My current position is in the Southwest, I can't leave."

Cheng Mo found it somewhat strange.

Is this guy really such a rule-abiding person? Why doesn't he get involved in something that's obviously fun?

"If you two are going, let that rascal book the tickets for you too," Xia Liuqing said with a smile before going to the restroom.

Cheng Mo stopped wondering why the scoundrel wasn't joining in the fun and teased Old Man Xia, "Oh~ you're here to make money off the scoundrel."

He then turned to Wang Zhenqiu and said, "Book us plane tickets to Shandong."

Xia He was taken aback: "Weren't we going to the Northeast? How did we end up in Shandong?"

Cheng Mo explained, "My master told me to go over there to take care of some things first, and then I'll go to the Northeast to join in the fun."

Xia He nodded: "Okay then."

She turned to look at Wang Zhenqiu and added, "Golden Hair, book us plane tickets to Shandong."

Wang Zhenqiu rolled his eyes: "I won't even mention that you made me pay for plane tickets, but it's going too far to repeat the same thing three times."

Cheng Mo suddenly put on a high-pitched, coquettish voice: "Wang Zhenqiu, please book two plane tickets to Shandong for me, thank you, mwah~"

As soon as he finished speaking, he and Wang Zhenqiu bent down at the same time.

"yue..."

Cheng Mo, leaning against the wall, said, "This should be considered a work-related injury!"

Wang Zhenqiu wiped his mouth: "I should be the one saying that!"

Cheng Mo waved his hand: "At most, I won't beat you up next time we meet."

Wang Zhenqiu said weakly, "Thank you."