I knew the old man was going to point me in another direction.
Sure enough, he pointed out another direction.
He had given me directions twice, and both times they were different.
I plopped down on the ground and looked at him. "Sir, we've got no quarrel with each other. Are you taking me for a ride?"
"Who's taking you for a ride?" He looked innocent. "You asked me to give you directions, didn't you? I gave you directions and even led the way. You really don't know how to appreciate a favor, kid."
"Then how about swearing an oath?" I said. "Swear you haven't lied to me."
He refused. "Believe me or don't. If you go in that direction of yours, you'll have to go back down the mountain first. Even after you get down and head that way, you still won't know where that thing is."
I was stunned.
What he meant was that he knew which direction I had originally intended to go.
He knew I had cast a divination?
I hurried to my feet and asked politely, "Then could you be a little more specific? How long do I have to walk this time?"
"You'll find it before you've walked an hour," he said.
His meaning was clear: I would find what I was looking for along this final stretch.
I wasted no more time and hurried on along the path.
This time, after about twenty minutes, I vaguely made out someone sitting beneath a tree ahead. He was bald.
His head hung down, so I couldn't see his face.
What was someone doing deep in these mountain woods?
I quickly threw away the stick in my hand, gripped the knife at my waist with my left hand, and formed the Dao Finger with my right