Under the scorching sun, Elder Peach had been following Zachary Justice for three days. His body was gradually recovering. It was just past noon, the heat unbearable, so the group sat down at a roadside teahouse, planning to eat something and rest until dusk before continuing their journey.
"Master, I saw people give you a lot of money earlier. Today, I'm going to eat a few more steamed buns."
Just as Zhang Anle finished speaking, Zachary Justice smiled and took out some money. Zhang Anle immediately went to ask the child to serve food and tea, delighted.
Elder Peach sat there, his face tense, lost in thought. He still couldn't grasp what Zachary Justice meant by 'the truth of the world.' From what he knew and had heard, Zachary Justice was always someone who despised evil and stood for justice, but now Elder Peach felt something different. Then he remembered that, in the Arcane Society, stories about Zachary Justice were a mix of praise and criticism.
The good was that Zachary Justice had slain many evil ghosts and helped countless members of the Arcane Society. The bad was that he had repeatedly associated with the Seven Ghost Sovereigns and even claimed to be friends with Lord Malice.
Although in recent years, ever since the Underworld Court recognized the Ghost Sovereigns' status, they had settled down and stopped causing chaos, but now and then, disputes would still arise. To Elder Peach, those Ghost Sovereigns were already branded as evil in his heart.
"Senior brother, what are you doing?"
Zhang Anle looked confused as he watched Zachary Wu pack steamed buns into his backpack.
"Of course I'm saving some food. Otherwise, where will you find something to eat when you get hungry?"
Zhang Anle looked at Zachary Wu in confusion, then Zachary Justice smiled and spoke.
"Although they gave me quite a bit of money, I handed most of it over to the families of the deceased, leaving only enough for us to make it to our next destination."
Zhang Anle's eyes widened.
"Are you stupid sometimes, Master?"
Suddenly, Zhang Anle grabbed a lump of dried cow dung from the ground and threw it at Zachary Wu, who deftly dodged. With a smack, the dung landed squarely on Zachary Justice's head. Furious, he stood up, while Zhang Anle pointed at his master, laughing and making faces as he ran off.
"It's all because of you, you jinx... Seriously..."
Suddenly, Zachary Justice stuffed a steamed bun into Zhang Anle's mouth.
"Shut up. If you don't eat, I'll finish all of them myself."
In the midst of the commotion, Elder Peach gripped a steamed bun, watching the three—master and disciples—roughhouse. They didn't seem like master and disciples at all, more like friends. Zhang Anle would often complain about Zachary Justice, who simply laughed heartily, never minding his disciple's words.
"Shut up, Anle."
But at this very moment, looking at the three before him—Zhang Anle and Zachary Wu gazing at Zachary Justice—their feelings were joyful. That pure happiness of being with their master was something Elder Peach had never seen in all these years.
There wasn't a trace of that usual seriousness between master and disciple—something Elder Peach had never imagined. He'd followed his own master since the age of six, and his master was always strict. Not just them; most master-disciple pairs he'd seen were like this, with disciples always showing utmost respect.
Some disciples were even afraid of their masters. In Elder Peach's impression, he had plenty of grievances against his own master, who often dismissed everything he suggested.
Over these past few days, Elder Peach's expression had softened quite a bit. Watching these three lively master and disciples every day, his own mood had unconsciously improved.
Suddenly, Zhang Anle grabbed a lump of dried cow dung from the ground and threw it at Master Zachary Wu, who deftly dodged it. With a smack, the dung landed squarely on Zachary Justice's head. Furious, he stood up, while Zhang Anle pointed at his master, laughing and making faces as he ran off.
"You little rascal, get over here! If I don't deal with you today, I'm not your master!"
Elder Peach grinned. Zachary Justice chased after Zhang Anle, grabbed him, and then rubbed the cow dung still stuck to his own forehead all over Zhang Anle's face.
Later, by a nearby lake, the three master and disciples stripped off their clothes and jumped in, continuing to play in the water, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Elder Peach sat smiling on the shore.
Thinking back to his own master, Elder Peach felt a tightness in his chest. Most of the time, when he thought of his master, aside from gratitude for teaching and raising him, there was nothing else. He'd never contradicted his master, always obeyed everything he said.
Deep down, in some corners of his heart, Elder Peach even disliked his master, Elder Peter Pine.
But at this very moment, looking at the three before him—Zhang Anle and Master Zachary Wu gazing at Zachary Justice—their feelings were joyful. That pure happiness of being with their master was something Elder Peach had never seen in all these years.
Afterward, the group continued on their way. Master Zachary Wu kept sharing amusing stories, with Zachary Justice chiming in now and then. Though Master Zachary Wu was usually quiet, sometimes his junior brother's words would make him laugh out loud.
"Didn't I say it right? Master, you should've taught that guy a proper lesson back then. He was way too rude, and you just let him off. I really don't get you, Master. When I master my techniques, I won't go easy on people like that."
"He was taught enough of a lesson, and that's sufficient, Anle. If he still can't wake up, one day the world itself will teach him. As your master, I can only go so far. Now, quiet down and let's keep moving."
Night fell, dark and starry. The four stopped and found a hut stacked with firewood by the roadside. Master Zachary Wu skillfully opened the door, and they went in, planning to rest there for the night.
It was late and quiet. The two disciples were already asleep, while Elder Peach leaned against the wall, unable to sleep, watching Zachary Justice meditate across from him.
"Master Justice, may I ask you something?"
Zachary Justice opened his eyes; they burned like flames in the night, piercing and bright.
They went outside, and under a large tree, Elder Peach and Zachary Justice sat down together.
"So, what's on your mind, Elder Peach? Is there something you'd like to ask?"
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"Why is it, Master Justice, that your relationship with your disciples seems closer than any master-disciple relationship I've ever seen? It's almost like you're friends."
Zachary Justice smiled, tilted his head back, then uncorked his wine flask, took a sip, and handed it to Elder Peach. Elder Peach shook his head and refused.
"My master doesn't allow me to drink."
For a moment, Elder Peach felt tense inside again and sighed.
"A little drink won't hurt."
Elder Peach took a small sip, but almost spat it out. A wave of heat surged into his stomach, his throat burned, and his head instantly felt dizzy.
"I never had a master, so I don't really know what the relationship between master and disciple is supposed to be."
Now Zachary Justice spoke up. Elder Peach nodded, remembering what he'd heard about Zachary Justice from his own master: that from a young age, he sought the Tao, but no one in the Taoist sects was willing to take him in. So he was a true wandering Taoist. Yet, Zachary Justice achieved things no one in the sects could comprehend, breaking through the limits of humanity and becoming one with nature.
Elder Peach had seen this for himself these past three days. Zachary Justice, once gray-haired, now had black hair beginning to show, and his aging face was recovering. His strength surpassed the Nine Sons of the Taoist sects.
Most in the Taoist sects refused to acknowledge this. The only reason Zachary Justice could come and go at the Taoist conference, even after doing some extreme things and still leave unscathed, was that everyone knew: in a one-on-one fight, no one could beat him. And if they ganged up on him, it would damage the reputation of the sects.
"I used to admire you, Master Justice, but in the end, I still fell into the demonic path."
Elder Peach said weakly, lowering his head.
"Wuju and Anle are both people I met along the way. Maybe it's fate—they became my disciples. Though I've never had a master and am just a wandering Taoist, happiness is enough, isn't it? Getting along joyfully with my disciples, that's all I need."
Elder Peach gave a bitter smile as memories with his master surfaced, most of them unpleasant. It was as if his master only wanted to pass on his techniques, forcing him to learn, then left everything to him and walked away, making Elder Peach continue the legacy.
That kind of relationship was awful, and it wasn't just in the Taoist sects—there were plenty like it throughout the Arcane Society.
"So-called 'demonic path'—what is it, really?"
Zachary Justice took another sip of wine and asked, while Elder Peach kept his head down.
"It should mean doing evil, like everything I did before for selfish reasons—that's demonic."
Zachary Justice nodded, then silently stood up and began to walk slowly.
"Most ideas of good and evil come from our own understanding. But what people must never lose is the ability to distinguish right from wrong. You're suffering now not because you fell into the demonic path, but because you didn't see right and wrong clearly when things happened. Enough, go to sleep now. We have to travel early tomorrow."
Elder Peach's eyes widened. All his life, his master had taught him that things were either black or white, that the world was divided into yin and yang, black and white, human and ghost. As long as he understood these, it was enough.
Elder Peach barely slept all night, pondering Zachary Justice's words about the ability to discern right from wrong.
After traveling to a town, Zachary Justice and his group stopped.
"Master, this is the town mentioned in the report, right? There have been sightings of people wearing black masks."
Zachary Justice's expression grew serious, and his two disciples also dropped their playful attitudes, following him earnestly into the town.
Elder Peach remembered that Zachary Justice had come to investigate matters related to the Immortality Society.
"Master Justice, why are you so determined to go after those people?"
"Because they are evil. Absolutely evil."