I put on my Taoist robe and left my room.
Shi Xiu and the others had been called out too.
"Martial Uncle just said there's news of Grandmaster and the others!"
"They must be getting ready to send us to rescue them, right?"
"Quick, to the main hall."
Shi Xiu and the others were excited.
But I kept my head lowered, as though I already knew the answer.
People always deceived themselves. Until they saw it for themselves, they could always think of countless reasons to lie to their own hearts.
Clinging to one last shred of hope, I went to the main hall with Shi Xiu and the others.
Master and several of my martial uncles were all there, sitting cross-legged on meditation cushions.
Shi Xiu asked impatiently, "Martial Uncle, how are Grandmaster and the others doing?"
My master said calmly, "Boss Lei is coming up the mountain now. He'll be here shortly. Sit down, all of you. We'll recite the Scripture for Resolving Grievances and Eradicating Sins together."
We sat down in a daze.
By then, Shi Xiu had realized something was wrong.
With news of Grandmaster and the others so urgent, we should have called Boss Lei immediately. Why wait until he arrived to talk?
"Martial Uncle, why are we reciting the Scripture for Resolving Grievances and Eradicating Sins?" Shi Xiu asked, trembling.
Master closed his eyes and said in a tone that brooked no argument, "Recite."
None of us asked anything more. We joined our elders in reciting the scripture.
After about ten minutes, footsteps sounded outside the main hall.
Those footsteps were heavy.
Somehow, I still held on to a shred of hope. At least someone should still be alive, right?
Even if it cost him his life, Grandmaster would have saved at least one