Chapter 1 Sanctimonious Young Master
Year 27, northwest border of Mighty Qi, more than 200 Li (1 Li= 500 meters) away from Cheng An City, Cheng Village.
"Ah… In my opinion, there's something wrong with the fengshui in this village!"
The old chief of village stood in the shrine, skeptically scanning the two Daoist Priests in grey robes; their sleeves were embroidered with three orange bands. The one on the left was tall but gaunt; his beard was kept long till his chest and covered up almost half of his face. He squinted, looking laid back. Another is of medium stature, his stubble and short beard also covered up the whole face. In his long, red-lined-sleeves grey robe, the priest stood akimbo with his stomach jutting out, looking toady.
These two are no other than the only descendant Lee ChengFeng and his childhood servant Zhao XiaoBao.
Zhao XiaoBao pointed, added: "My senior…"
Lee ChengFeng coughed drily and secretly kicked Zhao XiaoBao at his foot. Zhao XiaoBao quickly corrected himself: "My grand master is the great master of Sacred Mount Clan; he was passing by this place when he saw the terrible fengshui here. He came to inform you about the situation out of his sympathy!"
Accompanied by several seniors in the village, the old chief of village skeptically watched the duo, he replied courteously cupping his fist with another hand: "Are both of masters really from Mount Sacred Clan?"
Lee Cheng Feng gave him a glare: "How dare you to question my young… *cough cough* question my grand master! Kneel before the great master!"
The old chief of village wasn't convinced; he looked at Lee Cheng Feng: "Since you are the great master, why don't you show us the fools what great master is capable of?"
Zhao XiaoBao was agitated: "You bastards! My grand master came to help out of his kindness, but you are so ungrateful! Let's go, grand master!"
Lee ChengFeng brushed his beard and laughed: "Alas, as a man of practice, being compassionate is what we should do! Never mind, never mind!" as he finished his words, he raised his hand—a green fire lit up in the middle of his palm, burning vigorously to the size of a fist. He laughed with his hand high up while the old chief of village and his accompanies gawked.
Lee ChengFeng laughed: "Just a little spell, not worth mentioning!" done said, he pinched his five fingers together and poof—the flame was gone. Then… his whole fist continued to burn in flame.
Lee ChengFeng twitched the corner of his eye; slowly put his hand behind and grit his teeth—he glared at Zhao XiaoBao who stood beside him.
Zhao XiaoBao quickly pointed at the chief of village, scolding him: "Now the grand master had casted his spell, kneel!"
The old chief of village and the several seniors promptly moved backwards and kowtow rapidly like pounding garlic: "We didn't know it was really the great master who came, we are wrong for not welcoming and we shall be punished!"
Lee ChengFeng's hand was hurting terribly because of the burn, his fingers were curled up and the blue veined corner of his eyes twitched. However, he tried to kept a poker face, brushing his beard with another hand, looking old and experienced, said: "Never mind, never mind!"
Zhao XiaoBao quickly put the fire off at his back. It's better if he didn't do so because as he smack on the fire, it spilt on the other areas and soon the whole back of the robe on Lee ChengFeng was on fire.
That startled and stupefied Zhao XiaoBao.
Lee ChengFeng couldn't see the flame on his back; he could only feel a quick-rising temperature back there. He whispered through the corner of his lips, trying the bare it: "What are you stood there waiting for!"
Zhao XiaoBao shuddered—he grew up together with his young master and served him as soon as he could start thinking, he knew what young master can do if he wants to trick someone. The person will have to live on edge when he's eating, sleeping or even drinking!"
Zhao XiaoBao was thinking to remove his own robe to cover on Lee ChengFeng, but as he open his robe, he saw the old chief of village and his affiliates raised their head to look at them.
The old chief of village saw the back of Lee ChengFeng was burning in green flames, yet he stood calmly like a mountain, not-moving at all. The old chief of village was so impressed of his astonishing skill that even the last doubt on this great master was vanished.
Zhao XiaoBao quickly shouted: "How dare you to look directly at great master when he was casting a spell! Watch out that it blinds your dog eyes!"
The old chief of village and his affiliates didn't feel humiliated at all—there are three levels of elites in the current days, top monks, second scholars, third warriors. They are the weak peasants that the monk has definite control and ability on deciding their lives!
The old chief of village immediately covered his eyes; Zhao XiaoBao ordered: "Face down, never look up!"
The peasants quickly covered up their eyes in terror, lowering their bodies onto the floor, squatting. Their peculiar poses look amusing.
Lee ChengFeng saw them lying down, immediately showed up his real self and glared at Zhao XiaoBao. Zhao XiaoBao removed his robe in panic; Lee ChengFeng stamped his food and whispered: "What lousy phosphorus powder did you bought? You want to kill me? Stop removing, noob, there's no time!"
Zhao XiaoBao froze for a second, but he then noticed the peplum part of the long robe that was almost touching the ground. He quickly flipped it up, almost covering up Lee ChengFeng's head.
His method put out the green flame instantly. Zhao XiaoBao was relieved and he let go of the robe so that it fell back to its original position. Yet, he saw Lee ChengFeng's back was of green smoke, his hair disheveled, appearing like with egg on his face. He was staring back sideways at Zhao XiaoBao, his glare feels like he would kill someone.
Zhao XiaoBao was freaked out, but out of a wit he announced: "the great master has done casting the spell, get up!"
Lee ChengFeng quickly swallowed back his anger and acted like an extraordinary expert; although his hair was messed up, his back emits green soot, plus the impression of expert he had shown, the chief of village and the affiliates were in awe.
After nineteen years in this unfamiliar world, Lee ChengFeng used to feel bewildered and confused, slowly he accustomed to it, taking almost ten years; he took another nine years to transform completely to a person in this world.
The environment can change a man, but in these nineteen years Lee ChengFeng maintained his way of living from his last life—cynical, lawless.
All in all, he wasn't inherited any of the good traits from Lee Family—self-restricting, forbearance; ten years since he arrived in Cheng An, he gained famous and attained a title of Chaotic Devil that scares anyone who heard his name.
In addition, his mother insisted to keep the family's lintel of door, so the days are rough that Lee ChengFeng has to figure out a way to live since young—cheat, take advantage, any tactic that applies.
Since his expense was too high recently, he cheated on almost everyone he knew and thus, nobody stays but ran away when they see him.
Running out of tactics, he had to target on someone who he wasn't supposed to, using a far-fetched excuse.
The old chief of village was anticipating from Lee ChengFeng: "Great master, what's wrong with our Cheng Village's fengshui?"
Lee ChengFeng purposely apply finger fortune-telling and smiled: "Your village has no newborn-boys for up to twenty years, am I right?"
The old chief of village and several seniors were shocked, one by one, they acclaimed: "Very accurate fortune telling, great master!"
Zhao XiaoBao stood aside, basking in his young master's glory, he thought: "Of course, we've done our homework before coming, how could it be wrong?"
Lee ChengFeng chuckled, said: "Now put two tokens through a string each and measure your great ancestor's tombstone, see if it had been moved an inch?"
The old chief of village froze, and then turned his head back to signal one of the seniors; the senior quickly stood up and rushed into the shrine, waving his arms, calling some other young men to follow him to the back of the hill.
Lee ChengFeng chuckled, put his hands behind his back, looking very confident.
The old chief of village quickly invited: "Please take a seat, grand master!"
Lee ChengFeng took it like it's his house, strutting forward. Zhao XiaoBao saw the burnt hole on the robe at his back, irregular and ugly as if it was bitten by dogs and torn by cats. He hurried forward to block the view from the peasants, and then served Lee ChengFeng to sit on the throne like a bootlicker.
Lee ChengFeng was born in an elite family, though it's a waned elite family, the environment that he was put in made him different from a normal man, hence his fraud appeared flawless.
Lee ChengFeng was served tea after he sat, the servant was respectful; didn't even dare to look at him directly.
Yet Zhao XiaoBao was a little worried, he constantly peeped outside the shrine.
Soon, the senior darted back, his voice reached before himself: "Great master was right, great master was right!"
This old man was emotional, as he rushed into the shrine he kowtowed like pounding garlic.
Now the people in the whole shrine all kneeled, they beg in unison: "Please save us, great master!"
Lee ChengFeng said nothing, Zhao XiaoBao quickly replied: "My grand master is kind enough to reveal the fengshui problem that you have, how could you be so greedy to ask for more? Do you know how much energy my grand master had to spend to fortune-tell once?"
The old chief of village was agitated: "Our village never has a single male newborn for twenty years, now that the condition is dire, the village will pay you in whatever way we could think of if grand master has a way to help us!"
Lee ChengFeng smiled compassionately: "No no… The reason I'm here today, one, is to accumulate good deeds, two, is to collect donation for Mount Sacred Clan. The fee for fengshui is included in the donation amount."
The old chief of village was stunted: "But, but… previously the one who collected donation for the clan, is…"
Lee ChengFeng squinted at him sharply: "hmm?"
The old chief of village immediately kowtowed and said: "Yes, follow what great master said! Quick, get the donation!"
Lee ChengFeng laughed: "Remember to move the tombstone back to its position then you will get a newborn boy soon!"
The peasants are on edge, they urged: "Quick, the wife in the Cheng Gui Family in the village is now in labor, check it out now!"
Zhao XiaoBao was shocked: "There's someone in labor now? What a coincidence?"
Lee ChengFeng's eyes twitched, he laughed and appeared very calm: "That's fine, we'll see soon!"
At once, the peasants in the village were divided to two groups, one to prepare the donation, another dashed to the back of the hill with hoes on their shoulders.
After the money was loaded into Lee ChengFeng's carriage, a voice came from the back of the hill: "The tombstone was corrected!"
As if to prove what he just said, a baby cry arose within the village, and then came someone who shouted in delight: "It's a boy! It's a boy!"
At once, all the hundreds of peasants in Cheng village rejoiced in tears, regardless of their gender, all arrived at the entrance of the shrine and cried: "Thank great master for the boy!"
Zhao XiaoBao's eyeballs almost fell out gawking at Lee ChengFeng.
Lee ChengFeng brushed his long beard, laughed: "That's fine, that's fine! Let's go!"
Everyone quickly lowered their bodies onto the ground as they heard so, not even dare to look up, they speak in unison: "Escort grand master!"
Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao boaded the carriage, Zhao XiaoBao was holding the reins in his hands, he whispered: "Young master, is this… real?"
Lee ChengFeng jovially put his thumb up, said: "Hundreds of years ago our Moon Purge Lee Family was this! Various weapons, assorted spells, none of those that we didn't master, didn't know. This is just a small thing!"
Zhao XiaoBao giggled, but immediately it turned to worries: "But… Mount Sacred Clan is the third largest practicing clan, we took away their donation… will it bring us troubles?"
Lee ChengFeng laughed; he tore the beard away, showing his handsome, but somewhat devilish face when he smiled. He grinned: "It's more than 200 Li away from Cheng An; we had disguised ourselves: one body figure, two our accent, three our face, all were hidden. Even the fairies can't find out who took away their donation! Plus, those vermin only knew how to rob and suck the money out of peasants; I've helped the village to solve their newborn problem which had lasted 20 years, tell me, who should they give the donation to other than me? Besides, this village scammed us in the previous trade, they deserve it!"
Zhao XiaoBao slanted his head and thought for a while then laughed: "yes, we collected the debt with the commission together." While talking, he tore the beard from his face, a very handsome face with red lips, white teeth and smooth skin came into sight.
Lee ChengFeng kicked the butt of the horse in front of carriage, the horse neighed and sprinted.
Zhao XiaoBao asked while driving the carriage: "But young master, what if the Mount Sacred Clan sends someone to collect the donation?"
Lee ChengFeng grinned: "Such a coincidence? No worries, it wouldn't happen!"
Zhao XiaoBao: "Right! Oh yea young master, I guess the money we collected this time is enough?"
Lee chengFeng wiggled his chin and calculated: "Deducting the debt, and money for mother, we should be having another three hundred Guan."
Zhao XiaoBao's eyes glowed: "Then shall we… divide the money somewhere?"
Lee ChengFeng's face darkened: "You only know about money, money grubber!"
Zhao XiaoBao smiled: "It's safer to have something in the pocket, that's what young master taught me!"
Lee ChengFeng stared at Zhao XiaoBao for quite some time, but only saw him laughed mockingly. Lee ChengFeng said: "That's right, a hungry soldier never wins for the emperor! Find a place, let's share the booty!"
Zhao XiaoBao was delighted, he lashed the whip, exclaiming "chia", the carriage pelted away.
After 2 hours…
"Here you go, this bag is yours, and you've followed me for so many years, so much of hard work even if you don't have meritorious contribution! Why, why are you looking at me like this?"
At this hidden place in a col twenty Li from Cheng Village, Zhao XiaoBao bitterly looked at Lee ChengFeng and bags of money behind him, then switched his sight onto his pathetic small bag of money.
Zhao XiaoBao put a long face: "Young master, it wasn't so when we came! I thought we had agreed on dividing it three to seven?"
Lee ChengFeng gave him a glare: "Do you know you almost burnt your young master to dead just now?"
Zhao XiaoBao felt wronged: "Isn't young master asked me to be thrifty?"
Lee ChengFeng rebuked: "So you get the cheapest phosphorous powder? That thrifty, why don't you fast?"
Zhao XiaoBao put a long face and look at Lee ChengFeng : "What about last time? You still owe me ten Liang! When are you gonna give me?"
Lee ChengFeng changed his expression suddenly, now he was looking at Zhao XiaoBao in pity, teaching him in earnestly: "XiaoBao oh XiaoBao, look at you, you stink of money, unbearably vulgar, such a shame to our Lee Family! Like I said, I will keep this money for you. Look at you, you haven't even matured yet, neither are you living a dissipated life, nor a mistress to love, so you don't need so much of money! Look at your young master, I eat and drink lavishly, visit brothels and casinos, having mistresses everywhere, I need money all the time!"
Zhao XiaoBao almost cried: "Young master, XiaoBao is eighteen this year!"
Lee ChengFeng stamped his foot: "Yes! You are now eighteen! And after two years you will need to get married, this dowry… "
"Hmmph!" Zhao XiaoBao's face has reddened, he's angry.
Lee ChengFeng grew up with this childhood servant and was always joking around with him, he said jokingly: "Okay, okay, this money for dowry, your young master shall help you keep it, right?"
Zhao XiaoBao groaned and was about to retaliate, Lee ChengFeng suddenly changed his expression, staring at him: "One more word and I'll take this bag from you!"
Zhao XiaoBao quickly hugged the bag tightly and shook his head like a rattle drum.
Lee ChengFeng pointed at Zhao XiaoBao, scolded in disgust: "Look at your money face! After so many years serving me, you should have learnt a bit of my trait on making light account of money!"
While speaking, one of the coins in Zhao XiaoBao's bag fell onto the ground and rolled towards Lee ChengFeng.
Zhao XiaoBao and Lee ChengFeng both tracked the coin on the ground, watching it bumped onto Lee ChengFeng's shoe tip and fell flat on the ground.
Lee ChengFeng acted like nothing happened and put his foot above the coin, Zhao XiaoBao who stood aside watched him bitterly and said: "Young master…… don't step on it, it's me who dropped it."
Lee ChengFeng was a bit angry because of embarrassment, he picked it up: "You dropped it? It's just a coin! A dime a dozen! Now it's mine!" He put it into his pocket then.
After so many years following Lee ChengFeng, Zhao XiaoBao was still startled by his young master's shameless action. He stood still for a moment, looked down, turned around and said: "Cheapskate! We'll see what happens when you meet the real master from Mount Sacred Clan!"
Before they could finish their words, a green ray shone from a nearby hilltop suddenly.
Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao froze, looked at each other and then peeped carefully out of the bush.
They saw a monk in black long robe, his sleeve was embroidered with three yellow lines—blocking a carriage and asked for direction: "Hey, do you know how to get to Cheng Village?"
The coachman saw him wearing a monk robe, quickly showed him the way in fear.
The monk nodded but never thanks the coachman. As he was about to leave, he felt something—and turned towards where Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao were.
Lee ChengFeng and ZhaoXiaoBao immediately retracted back and hid behind the bush, their hearts were racing. They looked at each other, both turned pale.
Zhao XiaoBao thought bitterly: Isn't it too efficacious!!
Lee ChengFeng glowered at Zhao XiaoBao: Jinx! Such bad luck!