Trouble Comes Knocking Again

  When Du Shaofu returned from the kitchen with dishes in his hand, the sky had darkened and a beautiful full moon hung in the sky.

  Father and son sat down; silence hung in the air in the absence of words.

  Body reeked of alcohol, Du Tingxuan drank a big mouthful of wine straight from the jug before passing it to Du Shaofu, asked, “Not hurt?”


  “Not hurt, just went for a stroll in the Wild Beast Mountains.”


  Du Shaofu understood his father meant his disappearance. Thus he repeated what he said to Second Uncle; he snuck into Wild Beast Mountain caused he wanted to train, without any mention of the white-clothed lady her relation to Fu Yibai. He kept mum about the Demonic Purpleflame Phoenix and the Golden-winged Garuda to avoid attracting trouble to his door.

  He passed the wine jug back to his father after he drank a mouthful. He had accompanied his father to drink since small, and sometimes he would even drink secretly, so his alcohol tolerance is quite good.

  “Oh.”


  Du Tingxuan sounded in reply, his hand retrieved the wine jug and swallowed another mouthful, and silence ensued.

  From early on Du Shaofu was accustomed to this pattern of interaction with his father. The night continued in silent drinking until Du Shaofu started to feel dizzy and feel asleep in the yard……

  Morning.

  When Du Shaofu woke up, rubbing his sleepy eyes, he noticed the surrounding was pitch black.

  “Again in the sarcophagus.”


  He pushed opened the lid. His clothes were wet with sweat, and there were some impurities from his body in them. As if his meridians and marrow were cleansed once again.

  “Young Master Shaofu, Patriarch would like to see you in the study.”


  By the time he returned to the courtyard, his drunkard father was already gone. After he had freshened up and put on a clean set of robes, he saw the main yard steward waiting for him as he was leaving the courtyard. Everyone in Du Clan calls him Uncle Lin, a sixty-year-old man extremely valued by Eldest Uncle. Thus his position in Du Clan is quite high.

  Du Shaofu nodded. Yesterday, his Second Uncle had mentioned Eldest Uncle wanted to see him, but he didn’t expect his Eldest Uncle would send someone to fetch him early morning. As if he thought of something, Du Shaofu suddenly asked, “Uncle Lin, how’s the work of Lin Hai in the rear courtyard?”


  “This……”


  After a small hesitation, the old man smiled and said, “ Young Master Shaofu, I would have forgotten if Young Master didn’t mention this matter. This Du Hai is the backyard’s steward but recently his work is getting sloppy; I intended to punish him.”


  “Uncle Lin, you are the person Eldest Uncle and the whole of Du Clan greatly values, these matters will need to trouble you. Those unqualified and intolerable people, you don’t have to tolerate.” Du Shaofu smiled gently and left.

  The old man smiled as he watched Du Shaofu’s back. “Looks like this young master is going to wield the knife, who said this young master is a fool. How could Third Master’s son be a fool? It seems some of the servants need to be rearranged.”


  Du Shaofu reached his Eldest Uncle’s study.

  He knew Eldest Uncle haD never scorned him thus requested him at the study instead of the main hall. It must be known not many people are allowed in his study, even amongst the Du Clan descendants.

  “Shaofu, come in quick, let me see you.”


  When Du Shaofu pushed open the study door, immediately a good looking man in his fifties smiled and welcomed him.

  “Eldest Uncle.” Du Shaofu greeted. The good-looking man in front is his Eldest Uncle, Du Zhenwu, a notable person of Stone City.

  “I already heard what happened. You unharmed is the most important thing. Next time don’t run into Wild Beast Mountain on your own."

  Du Zhenwu patted Du Shaofu’s shoulder; then he pulled Du Shaofu to sit down. Kindness flickered across his eyes as he asked, “ I heard you already could cultivate, is that right?”


  “En, can cultivate.” Du Shaofu nodded. Needless to hide about this since everyone in Du Clan already knows.

  “It’s a good thing that you’ve have recovered, very good. Heaven bless my Du Clan, God bless my nephew, Shaofu.”


  Du Zhenwu was extremely excited, and his smile became even wider. A while later, he calmed down and said to Du Shaofu, “In six weeks is Stone City’s three years once junior competition between the five families. If Du Clan can become the champion, not only the winner, the whole clan can gain a lot of benefits. Prepare well, at that time Du Clan needs you.”


  “En.”


  Du Shaofu nodded his head. He’s aware of the competition held once every three years between Stone City’s Five Families.

  Du Shaofu left the study after chatting with his Eldest Uncle for a while, questions that he can’t answer, and responded in a perfunctory manner, insisted he went into Wild Beast Mountains cause he wanted to gain experience.

  His smile was replaced by a solemn expression as he watched Du Shaofu leaving, murmured. “Hope nothing goes wrong during the Five Families the competition.”


  Back of the Martial Collection Building, there’s a spacious yard.

  Fu Yibai was squatting down observing the ants on the floor as it crawled up and down, giving them full attention, not daring to raise his white bird nest-like hair.

  Du Shaofu stood behind Fu Yibai, and then shifted to stand in front of him. Although he told his uncles that he voluntarily went into Wild Beast Mountain to cover up for Fu Yibai, however, that doesn’t mean that he’ll let it slide just like that. Fu Yibai needs to give an explanation.

  Fu Yibai turned his back towards Du Shaofu as if unintentionally, continued to focus on the ants in front of him.

  The fire within Du Shaofu rose, plant himself right in front of Fu Yibai, said, “Lao Bai, you should at least give me an explanation right?”


  “What explanation?” Fu Yibai had a lost and confuse expression on his face as he looked at Du Shaofu, eyes full of innocence.

  “Don’t act the fool, what’s your relationship with that beautiful lady. I almost died this time because of you!”


  The more Du Shaofu talked, the angrier he became, he was dragged into muddy waters all because of this old man, but he didn’t expect this old man to deny his involvement.

  Fu Yibai looked at Du Shaofu and asked, “Did you die?”


  The question dazed Du Shaofu for a moment and answered through gritted teeth. “No.”


  “Then did you lose your arm or feet?” Fu Yibai continued asking.

  Again through gritted teeth, Du Shaofu answered. “No.”


  “Then, what are you complaining?”


  Fu Yibai glanced at Du Shaofu in contempt, said, ‘She look cold like a glacial, but she doesn’t kill indiscriminately. But, you, such a big opportunity knocked on your doorstep, but you missed it. Under this sky, countless people want to be her disciple. If you’ve handled her correctly she might receive you as a disciple; and at that time fame and fortune are yours, better than staying in Du Clan. I actually pity you ah.”


  Du Shaofu stared blankly at Fu Yibai, from the way he described the situation, it was as if he owed Fu Yibai a huge favor.

  “Fu Yibai stay where you are!”


  The split second Du Shaofu went blank; Fu Yibai already disappeared from where he stood.

  A short while later, at Du Clan’s back mountain, smoke swirled up the sky.

  Du Shaofu and Fu Yibai enjoying roast meat as they wolfed down the meat.

  However, no matter how many times he asked Fu Yibai about the beautiful lady, Fu Yibai won’t answer honestly, in the end, he could only suppress his curiosity.

  “Keep safe the things on your body, don’t lose it. It depends on your ability whether you can comprehend it or not.”


  After they finished eating, Fu Yibai suddenly said something Du Shaofu can’t make head or tails of, then added, “Stomach’s full and I’m going back to take an afternoon nap.”


  Du Shaofu blanked again, and when he recovered, Fu Yibai was already gone.

  “Du Shaofu, you’re finally back.”


  Noon time, just as Du Shaofu reached the backyard’s door, returning from the back mountain, he was blocked by a group of people.

  Tilted his head to look, those blocking his way are familiar faces, brothers of Du Clan from Du Hao, Du Chong to Du Yan included within.

  “Coming to send dans and xuanbi to me? It seems the three of you haven’t forgotten that you still owe me.”


  “Owe you shit! Quickly handover our base building dans and the Violent Stone Demon Wolf blood essence, or we’ll not be polite to you.”


  Du Hao roared. The Violent Stone Demon Wolf’s blood essence was snatched away, how could he swallow this humiliation. His father went to the Patriarch about this; unfortunately, it coincided with Du Shaofu’s disappearance thus nothing can be done about it. However, he heard Du Shaofu returned last night, and so he gathered people to settle the score with Du Shaofu. Unexpectedly they ran into him at the backyard.

  “Du Shaofu, give up the base building dans and the blood essence, if not we will use force!”


  Du Chong and Du Yan also demanded loudly. Since the incident, they practically lost all face. All three of their prizes were snatched away by Du Shaofu alone. Nowadays, the way the elders looked at them is different from before.

  They’re even afraid to leave their room caused the news that the three of them weren’t able to handle even one strike from Du Shaofu had spread to the ears of the five families, An Family, Cheng Family, Qin Family and Bai Family. Every time they met anyone from these families, they will be mocked and laughed, seen as a joke.