Three conditions

Once the old Taoist drank the tea I offered him, I officially became his disciple.

But he was in no hurry to teach me any skills. Instead, he had Huzi handle my enrollment at a nearby elementary school so I could continue my education.

I had no idea how much pull the old Taoist had, but he even got me into a top elementary school.

I had never been much of a student, and at a top school, I dragged the class down even more. My grades remained as consistent as ever: I never once managed to place second from the bottom.

I had thought becoming the old Taoist's disciple meant I would no longer have to go to school. Apparently, that had been wishful thinking.

Not only did I have to keep going to school, but the old Taoist also stripped me of my free time. It was downright inhuman.

I went to school during the day, and when I came home at night, the old Taoist started teaching me feng shui and the mystical arts.

Strangely enough, although I was lousy at school, I was deeply interested in everything my master taught me. The slightest explanation was usually enough for me to grasp it. Perhaps that was the talent Huzi had mentioned.

Although my master paid little attention to my schoolwork and hardly ever asked about it, he was extremely strict about the feng shui and mystical arts he taught me. The slightest mistake earned me a beating with a paddle.

And he really did hit me. He was vicious about it, too, leaving my backside battered every time.

So I never dared slack off on anything he taught me.

As I grew older, the old Taoist taught me more and more, progressing from the simple to the complex. The lessons grew increasingly difficult.

I studied everything from the I Ching and Eight Trigrams to Qimen Dunjia, Plum Blossom Numerology, the Yellow River Chart and Luo River Writing, and the heaven and earth five elements...

Besides those things, the old Taoist also taught me martial arts. Sometimes, he taught me traditional Chinese medicine, showing me how to treat illnesses and save lives.

I did not neglect a single one of the five Taoist arts: mountain cultivation, medicine, destiny, physiognomy, and divination.

Apart from school, every day was spent training under my master. At first, I struggled to get used to that life, but gradually, I grew numb to it.

There was one thing I had to mention, though. Ever since I moved into my master's courtyard house, crowds of people came calling almost every day, all seeking his help. But he had Huzi turn the vast majority of them away.

Occasionally, my master went away for a few days. I never knew what he went off to do, but those were my most relaxing days. Only then could I slack off and unwind a little.

From the day I was born, I had been destined for a life filled with calamities, with one striking every three years.

But after I became my master's disciple, I never suffered another major calamity. That curse-like three-year cycle seemed to have vanished.

Later, I noticed a pattern. Every three years, when my great calamity was due, my master would go away for a few days. Each time he returned, he looked terribly weak, his face pale.

As soon as he returned, he shut himself in his room alone and stayed inside for days. When he finally emerged, he was back to his old self, as lively and vigorous as ever.

Eight years passed in the blink of an eye. I went from a top elementary school all the way to a top high school.

Of course, I had not earned admission to those top secondary schools through good grades. I had no idea what methods my master used to get me in.

The elementary, middle, and high schools I attended were all places local students fought tooth and nail to enter. Elementary school was a little easier, but middle school and high school were genuinely difficult to get into.

I could not understand why my master kept sending me to such good schools when my grades were so poor. It was a complete waste.

Although my grades improved a little once I started secondary school, they were still utterly unremarkable. I had no real hope of getting into college, but my master had no intention of sending me there anyway.

After those eight years, when I graduated from high school, I did not even take the college entrance exam. I gave up on it outright, just as my master wanted.

Even if I had taken it, I would not have stood much of a chance.

The year I graduated from high school, my master suddenly told me, in all seriousness, that he was going on a long journey and might not return for a year. Huzi and I would be staying home by ourselves during that time.

My master also told me something else of great importance. He said that after eight years of studying under him, I had learned enough to complete my apprenticeship.

Once he left, if anyone came seeking help, I could take on their problems and charge a fee.

As for how much to charge, there was no fixed standard in our line of work. It mainly depended on how much the client could pay.

But my master left me with three conditions.

The moment he laid them out, I fell apart.

I nearly rolled up my sleeves and picked a fight with the old man.

The first condition in particular made me sever our master-disciple relationship on the spot.

The old man said, "First, during the year I'm away, you must earn ten million for your master and deposit it into the bank account I've left you."

"Second, now that you've entered this profession, you cannot make a living doing anything else. You can only support yourself with the feng shui and mystical arts you've learned. If I find out you've made money any other way, I'll break your legs when I get back."

"Third, and most importantly, your first job cannot be in Yanbei City. Anywhere else is fine, but you cannot take your first job in Yanbei."

Those three conditions made not only me but even Huzi, standing beside us, suck air through his teeth.

That ten million, especially, was an astronomical figure to me. Ever since becoming the old man's disciple, never mind ten million-I had not even seen what a thousand looked like.

"Master, you're joking about that ten million, right?" I asked glumly.

"Do I look like I'm joking? Ten million, and not a penny less. Otherwise, I'll break your legs when I get back," my master said coldly.

"Master, would you stop threatening to break my legs at every turn? Even if I robbed banks, I couldn't get you ten million in a year." I wanted to cry, but no tears came.

"That's not my concern. You still have to do it." The old man looked utterly unconcerned, picking his nose with one hand and rubbing his foot with the other.

Looking at his smug face, I wanted to go over and beat him up. The only thing stopping me was the fact that he was my master.

The old man flicked away a huge lump of snot, wiped his hand on the sole of his shoe, and said, "All right, I'm leaving. See you in a year. Remember the conditions I gave you. You must fulfill every one."

I watched his retreating back, practically begging to be punched, and thought, With a master who screws over his disciple like this, it would be better never to see him again.

Just as my master reached the door, Huzi suddenly walked over and said, "Master, you'll be gone for a whole year. Leave us some money for living expenses."