A-Hu struck the pose of a fierce tiger descending the mountain.
Its forepaws pressed into the snow.
Its hind legs bent slightly.
Its tail swept backward.
Yet when it spoke, its voice was still bright and clear.
Like a child who had only just learned to recite poetry.
After finishing its recitation.
It even lifted its chin.
As though waiting for praise.
Sha Wujing stood where he was, rolling A-Hu's four-line verse over his tongue twice more.
"Deluded branches and tangled leaves often veil our nature; without a blade's descent, how can it become clear?"
"Do not call it the merciless pruning hand; practice deeply, and your original radiance will reveal itself."
As he recited, he suddenly looked at A-Hu.
His eyes lit up at once.
Sha Wujing pressed his palms together and solemnly bowed to A-Hu.
"You're right, Senior Brother A-Hu!"
"Well said!"
"Is this your path?"
"You truly live up to being our Senior Brother A-Hu."
A-Hu had only just raised its chin, but hearing Sha Wujing praise it like this made it feel rather embarrassed instead.
It gently scraped its forepaws through the snow twice.
"All right, all right."
"Old Sha, a few words of praise are enough."
But Sha Wujing shook his head.
"No."
"When Master asked me to expound the scriptures before, this was exactly how you reminded me, Senior Brother A-Hu."
"It really was just like this."
"My mind was a mess then."
"I wanted to explain this passage, but feared leaving out that one."
"Only after your reminder did I understand that I should prune away the tangled branches first."
"Once I held on to the trunk, the words could flow onward."
A-Hu immediately dropped its pose.
It stretched both forepaws forward, then raised its wings to cover half its face.
"Oh, please."