Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 106: Do You Have a Master?

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Do You Have a Master?

Seeing Zhang San solve the puzzle within the time span of three counts, Pharaoh’s eyes bulged, and then he couldn’t help but think of something.

He reached out and patted Master Ma’s shoulder.

"Ma, you’re quite something! You’ve gotten sneaky, huh!"

Master Ma was taken aback, not understanding what Pharaoh meant.

"Did you take on an apprentice and then, knowing I was coming, deliberately show off in front of me?"

"Showing off right in front of me, indeed, you’ve shown me up!"

Pharaoh, annoyed, walked over to the table in the center of the courtyard, picked up a bowl of soup, and huffed as he began to drink.

Master Ma hurriedly explained, "He’s not my apprentice. If I had such an apprentice, I would’ve been angry to death by now! And also... and also..."

Master Ma looked at the wooden sticks scattered all over the ground, unable to believe Zhang San could have solved the small wooden sphere so quickly.

"And how did you do it so fast?"

Zhang San, with a puzzled face, furrowed his brows and asked, "Isn’t it just about using your hands?"

Master Ma was dumbfounded.

Zhang San explained, "You just take one look and figure out the overall structure, then take it apart! This thing’s like drinking soup. You see where the bowl of soup is, then you pick it up and put it to your mouth to drink. Is it hard?"

"Cough, cough..."

Pharaoh, who was in the midst of drinking his soup, choked upon hearing these words.

Master Ma immediately tapped on the belt around his waist and pulled out a wooden box the size of a jewelry case, handing it to Zhang San.

"If you can dismantle this wooden box before sunset, I’ll consider it!"

Zhang San took the wooden box and sat on the cushion next to the table, moving the dishes aside to clear a space for the box.

Zhang San critiqued as he tapped and observed the wooden box.

"Master Ma, when you say you’ll consider it, that means you might agree or might not, right?"

"Pharaoh, although you’re Master Ma’s friend, I think you’re a fair person. Give us a just verdict. Shouldn’t Master Ma give me a definite answer?"

Pharaoh put down his soup bowl and coughed a few times before turning his head to glance at his friend, whose face was not looking too good.

"I also think that it would be better to give a clear answer on this matter. You say you’ll consider, but if the kid solves it and you say no, that’s not fair."

Master Ma furrowed his brows, thinking as well.

On one hand, he really didn’t want to have anything more to do with the Path of Life and Death.

That person was not to be trifled with, and if possible, he’d prefer not to encounter him for the rest of his life, and even after death, if possible.

But on the other hand, seeing Zhang San display such a talent in Woodcraft Making, Master Ma felt a strong fondness for him, even contemplating taking him on as an apprentice.

This kid was exceptionally gifted, clearly the right material to train in his legacy!

Yet, to risk himself for the sake of taking on an apprentice didn’t seem worth it, so Master Ma was also hesitant.

Seeing Master Ma not speaking, Zhang San sighed.

"Master Ma, you have the final say. Even if after considering it, you don’t agree, it’s fine by me. I may be young and easily deceived, but I do know that people will die if they don’t sleep for a long time."

Master Ma’s fondness for Zhang San instantly dissipated.

This damn kid!

If I take him as an apprentice, he’s sure to be the death of me!

"Master Ma, have you made up your mind?"

As he spoke, Zhang San gently pushed the wooden box, from which he had already removed a dozen sticks, forward, then slapped his hand down in the center.

With a snap.

The countless small wooden slats that made up the wooden box instantly scattered in all directions.

Pharaoh, who had just picked up his bowl wishing to take a good sip of soup, silently set it down after seeing two small wooden sticks drop into it.

I should have known better than to expect a free meal!

At that moment, the sun in the west had just begun to sink below the cliffs.

Pharaoh glanced at the sunset, then at the wooden box that Zhang San had just taken apart.

"Ma once gave me one of these boxes. It took me two whole months to figure it out, two whole months!"

"Eventually, with a hammer... cough cough... Eventually, an idea struck me, and I found a way to open it!"

"Young man, you’re quite exceptional."

Although Pharaoh hadn’t said anything to Master Ma, he was obviously speaking up for Zhang San.

Zhang San looked towards Master Ma, waiting for his response.

Master Ma paced back and forth in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, clearly still hesitant.

Finally, Master Ma clenched his teeth, walked up to Zhang San, and pulled out a disc as large as a grindstone from his belt.

But this wooden disc was not heavy.

On the disc, densely packed, were all kinds of star patterns, along with the Five Elements, Bagua, and many other rune patterns that Zhang San didn’t recognize.

"This box is very special. Zhang San, if you can figure out how to open it, I’ll teach you the Secret Technique of Refining Wronged Souls. Not only that, but I’ll also give some guidance to your friend who is both alive and dead while he’s cultivating. Even... even if you stay with me during this period, anything goes. You can even prevent me from sleeping or from consorting with women."

Zhang San looked at Master Ma wide-eyed for a few moments.

"Master Ma, at your age, you shouldn’t be near women anyway... cough cough... Well, I’ll get started then."

Zhang San didn’t know when Xu might lose control, so the sooner he learned the method to Refine Wronged Souls, the better.

Zhang San studied the wooden box for a while and then suddenly slapped his forehead.

"This thing isn’t meant to be forced open."

Master Ma was taken aback, puzzled. Woodcraft Making wasn’t supposed to be forced open, after all!

Pharaoh, who had quietly served himself another bowl of soup from a distance, was also puzzled. Aren’t these Woodcraft Making things supposed to be forced open?

Zhang San suddenly looked up at the sky.

"This box was designed with changes corresponding to the ’Path of Life and Death.’ Therefore, with different seasons, periods, and two-hour segments, the method of opening it would vary. This... this is actually a dynamic unlocking Woodcraft Making!"

As Zhang San spoke, he began trying continuously, using the rotations of the mechanisms on the disc, which he either understood or didn’t, to determine if he was getting close to the solution.

After a few rotations, Zhang San hit the center of the disc, but the circular box didn’t open.

Zhang San tapped lightly around it, sensing where the issue lay, and started making adjustments again.

However, even after rotating it a second time and then hitting the center, the box still didn’t open.

But Zhang San felt he was getting closer to the answer.

As Zhang San continued to rotate and then suddenly struck the center of the box.

Click click...

As the mechanisms on the wooden box began to rotate automatically, the numerous ring mechanisms split into several parts and moved outward, eventually raising a small cloth pouch from inside the circular box containing what seemed to be a square object.

Pharaoh suddenly realized what that object was but was immediately collected by Master Ma.

"Zhang San, I promised you, your friend, I’ve saved him. I’ll now teach you the method of Refining Wronged Souls. But first, you must answer one question for me. Have you ever taken on a master? Not a common teacher who teaches you a few moves or skills, but a lifetime master who passes on a legacy for you to inherit!"

Zhang San shook his head, "No."

"Good! Now I will pass on my skills to you!"