Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Once his discussion with Guo Heng was over, Wan Yuanjun went back to his dongshi.

To be honest, he didn't really care for others, even for those of his own sect, just like his master. So, he wasn't upset or mad at seeing the corpses of his acquaintances. 

Because he had long ago become attached to only his little brother.

As a result, Wan Yuanjun only ever really liked children, especially those who had been separated from family or trafficked. All of his close friends were those who had close, loving relationships with their siblings, or those who'd lost them like himself. He would chase after and punish those who destroyed families, as though he could somehow stop the ones who'd once taken away his brother.

It was also why he was so open and tolerant of the murderous Demon Children.

Honestly, when he'd saw the brutal murder of his sect members, what made him upset and horrified wasn't the death of his acquaintances, but rather his imagination of what a child had to go through to do such a thing.

Should he pity himself, for what he'd gone through to become like this?

But, he did still remember.

His little brother loved the righteous and immortal sects. He loved the dignity, the honour, benevolence, and the chivalry these perfect people had.

...It probably was because Wan Yuanjun used to be exactly like that.

But once his little brother disappeared, he lost his dignity, his honour, his benevolence and his chivalry. Then, he learned to mimic what he once was like.

Somehow, he felt like if that he could become what he once was, what he was when he was with his little brother, he could move on. Because he was his best, most perfect self with him around, so he'd thought, if he could become his best, most perfect again, then he wouldn't need to keep looking and searching for him like his Shizun. Because it'd mean that he didn't need his little brother anymore.

Walking forward, the sounds of his crisp steps on bluestone became the clicks of boots on oiled wood. The entrance to the dongshi was small, a simple wooden door that was nestled into the rock face. Since the dongshi was on a mountain, the bloodstains left nearby from Xiao Si's outburst had begun to pool into puddles, leaving behind tiny streams that followed the grooves that rainwater had etched into the mountain face.

The wooden door, despite being rather simple in design, was anything but. The seemingly decorative etches on the redwood surface was, in fact, the tiny and most minute details of a powerful array, the tiny glowing orbs embedded within the cores of demonic beasts to power them. 

Stepping into the shade of the rocky overhang, Wan Yuanjun rested his hand on the door for a second, the various arrays lighting up dimly before automatically sliding open, permitting his entry. 

Wan Yuanjun's dongshi was very similar to his Shizun's, though it was more personalised in taste. Most of the articles within were coloured in elegant hues of blue, the lamps and glowing pearls giving off a blue-green shimmer reminiscent of the underwater scenes found deep in coral reefs.

Steeling himself — for what exactly, he didn't quite know — and Wan Yuanjun made his way to the corridor on the left. 

This passageway was short and quick, and led to an exit. The door there was just as layered in spells and arrays as the front door, though it notably lacked the spell for an explosion. It was as this door led to a flat opening, where the side house, a small rectangular building was, and it was here that Xiao Si was currently detained. It was also where Xiao Si had first appeared before breaking out. If the child ever tried to enter the dongshi, he would be rejected, but the door wouldn't self-destruct, lest he be harmed.

Walking over to the small house, his pristine boots knocking away small granules of gravel, Wan Yuanjun knocked on the door — there were no enchantments or spells on this one — stiffly, each knock separated with precisely two thirds of a second.

There was no answer.

A bit confused, Wan Yuanjun called out, 'Xiao Si?'

The door immediately opened, revealing a grubby little boy who swung the door wide open.

It was apparent from the black smears on the door and doormat that Xiao Si had been sitting there, stubbornly refusing to let his dirty body further defile the small house. Opening his mouth, he said, 'Master.'

'Instead of master... do you want to call me Shizun?'

Squatting to match the boy's line of sight, Wan Yuanjun continued, 'I'll take you in as a disciple, and teach you. You can have a better life.'

To be honest, he was, in a way, deceiving the child. Since he'd ruthlessly killed and butchered over twenty sect disciples and servants, the overwhelming majority of those in the know wanted him dead. However, Wan Yuanjun and his Shizun, Guo Heng, had already made their positions clear in wanting the boy to stay. As a result, there was a split in the Sect Elders' factions. One side wanted to hug the thighsA meme referring to relying on someone else/using someone else's authority and power. Honestly, that's a terrible explanation, so go punch it into a search engine. of the Sect Leader, while the others either wanted to tear him down or be more rational...

In other words, the entire sect's political court was currently paralysed in another bout of infighting, rendering everyone who actually cared for the formalities — meaning everyone except Guo Heng and Wan Yuanjun — useless. 

However, this bout wouldn't last for too long, so the best way to protect Xiao Si was to take him in as a disciple. Guo Heng had already agreed to clean up the messes involving Xiao Si's slaughtering spree, but it would be difficult to hide this from the other sects. But, Dai Zian and the Heping Temple would probably support them.

After all, Dai Zian's partner was actually a Demon Child-in-training who'd been rehabilitated into normal society after nearly a decade of healing scars and wounds, both mentally physically. 

But Xiao Si was a fully-blown Demon Child, so his case was quite different in severity compared to Heping Temple's.

Either way, the Temple Master would soon arrive to help anyway.

The boy asked instead, 'Do you mean... do you want me to be your disciple?'

Wan Yuanjun nodded. 'Yes. That way, I can protect you better.'

Xiao Si quickly agreed.

Since the child was still coated in grime, Wan Yuanjun took him outside to the nearby hot spring to wash. Though the child was very strong and powerful, he had been limited by the restrictive spells binding him, so drowning in the spring was very possible. Thus, for safety's sake, he would be going in with him.

Stripping the child downI don't know much about other cultures, but for my family (I'm oriental, so let's just leave it at that), having a parent/caretaker watch over children when bathing is commonplace. Having an older sibling/adult help a child bathe naked is normal, not something perverted (as long as it doesn't go too far). Here, Wan Yuanjun is taking on the role of a parent (there's a saying that goes, "a teacher for a day, a father for life". It isn't odd for him to do such a thing, but Xiao Si has never had this kind of thing before, so he's naturally very confused. — he himself had taken off his outer robes — a huge amount of dried flakes of dirt and grime began dropping off. Quickly brushing his skin, Wan Yuanjun removed most of the larger clumps of filth before leading the child into the pool.

Of course, while this was going on, a huge question mark was hovering over Xiao Si's head.

Why was he taking off his clothes?

Why did he need to get clean?

Why was Shizun getting in as well?

Was Shizun dirty too?

...Naturally, Xiao Si hadn't gone through the proper ceremony for accepting a Shizun, but had already proceeded to call Wan Yuanjun as so. Thoughts running aimlessly in his head — his face still retained its wooden appearance — he blindly followed Wan Yuanjun around. 

Was his Shizun like his Demonic Sect Elders, who hated being dirty?

Noted. He must keep clean when doing stuff.

Hm. But Shizun was watching him. Did he need something?

Faced by the child's questioning gaze, Wan Yuanjun explained, 'I'm worried that you may drown, so I'll be helping you, just in case.' Handing the boy a bar of soap, he had him sit down in the water whist he washed his hair.

Slowly, at Wan Yuanjun's directions, Xiao Si slowly cleaned his body, but left the back and hair to the gentle Wan Yuanjun. As they were peacefully soaking, Wan Yuanjun said softly, 'I believe that you're very confused, and very... different.'

He wasn't a fool. He could tell that Xiao Si's personality, expressionisms, and behaviours were constantly changing. When they'd first met in the pit, the child had displayed awe at seeing the sun and sky — yet here, surrounded by the open, clean air and setting afternoon haze, he didn't display anything of note. He was maniacal, full of bloodlust and deranged, but then suddenly became obedient, calm and quiet. When he'd first arrived, he was nervous, distrusting and meek, the polar opposite to his actions when he was on a killing spree.

...It was like he had turned into completely different people.

Xiao Si hummed assent, languid and lazy.

You are reading story Puppet No.4 at novel35.com

There! There! He was different again! See!

'...But don't worry.' Wan Yuanjun smiled. 'I'll be there to help.'

Xiao Si suddenly jerked unnaturally, his pupils dilating. 

Turning his head to face Wan Yuanjun, he said shakily, 'You...

'I don't need help.

'I am perfectly, utterly, quintessentially...' His words began to slur, taking on an abnormal madness and insanity. 'I, I, I, I-I-I-I-I-I—'

A low, trembling panic and uneasiness took over Wan Yuanjun. 'Xiao Si?'

At some point, his stuttering and turned into low screams, progressively getting higher in pitch and panic, raising and screaming and the agony —

Wan Yuanjun didn't hesitate to knock him out.

---

'Isn't it unnatural?' Guo Heng looked down at the sodden, unconscious boy lying on the bed.

Guo Heng, Wan Yuanjun and Dai Zian were all huddled around the bed in the side house.

It was a rather funny picture.

Three of the most influential and powerful people of the cultivation world were all sitting in the house made for servants, all for a boy they knew nothing about.

...Granted, this boy could safely be placed onto the list of "Most Powerful".

Dai Zian turned to Guo Heng, answering his question while carefully prodding Xiao Si on his acupointsThe points on the body used for acupuncture... in some texts, hitting/pressing certain acupoints can result in different things (e.g. paralysis, numbness, stopping blood loss, healing, death...) and reading his pulseSupposedly, a true master can determine all of the aliments/conditions affecting a person's body through pulse alone. Just take it in that context.. Sarcasm dripping from his expression, voice and tone, he quipped, 'Yeah, genius. Old man, what part of this brat isn't unnatural?'

Dai Zian was the Master of a Buddhist Temple, but he was by no means like the typical monk. Instead, he would be picture-perfect in public, but in private, all that took his patience would be burned into oblivion by his tongue.

Guo Heng, seemingly used to his antics, replied, 'Oh, just cut the crap and tell me.'

...On second thoughts, that might just be how the two Masters were together... after all, they were normal at any other time of day...

Clicking his tongue, Dai Zian remarked, 'Impatient,' before explaining, 'Both of you are idiots. No EQ whatsoever. Terrible. I pity your parents for having fools like you. Your ancestors must be crying in grief.'

'...That's not the explanation we're looking for.'

Hand on his waist, Dai Zian flashed his plain monk's robe like he was wearing the height of fashion. 'Clearly, it's an introduction.' Pointing at Wan Yuanjun — who was minding his own business, by the way — Dai Zian said, 'You. One day, the entire Orthodox Sect was destroyed. The Demonic Sect came over, kidnapped you, and said that your way of life is wrong, flawed, and ethically incorrect.'

'What the heck —'

'You're ten.'

Wan Yuanjun spluttered, 'I'm clear —'

'Ten.'

'I —'

'Ten.'

He shut up.

Dai Zian continued, 'Everyday, these utter strangers are telling you, "You're doing this wrong, you're abnormal, you're strange. You're so evil that you don't do things like us, something is wrong with you, you're like a monster. You need to be like us. Don't save people anymore, that's so strange. Don't be kind like that anymore, that's just annoying. Don't think like that anymore, you don't need to think.'

Guo Heng just watched Dai Zian speak, not interrupting him. He was waiting for his disciple's reaction.

Sure enough, Wan Yuanjun said, 'Xiao Si isn't treated like that here. He's —'

'When did I say that I meant the present?'

'...?'

Dai Zian laughed. 'In just two days of knowing you, Sect Heir Wan Yuanjun, the little brat picked up clues and abandoned the Demonic Sect.' Smiling, his coal-black eyes seemed to hold many, many secrets. 'Who's to say that he hasn't done so before?'

Gaping, Wan Yuanjun asked slowly, 'You mean... he's escaped, and been brought back to, the Demonic Sect.'

Pointing a finger gun at him, Dai Zian went, 'Bingo!' Turning to Guo Heng, he laughed, 'Look, this disciple of yours finally grew a brain! We should celebrate!'

Guo Heng sighed, 'Temple Master.'

'Oh, you old braggart, are you really insisting on following formalities now~?'

'You're nothing like a Temple Master, the title is unfitting for you.'

Suddenly, the languid, naughty air around Dai Zian shifted. His back straightened, a serene smile slid onto his face, and he smoothed out his clothing elegantly and calmly. His teasing tone had become one of compassion and purity, saying benevolently, 'Please forgive this humble one, Benefactors. I lost myself for a moment there.'

The other two twitched in irritation.

Dai Zian suddenly reverted back to his original, carefree state, remarking, 'Better?'

Swallowing what looked to be a mouthful of anger, Guo Heng finally sighed, 'Forget it.'

Wan Yuanjun interrupted, 'Xiao Si's condition.'

Guo Heng sighed, 'Ah, never mind. Your brain has died once again.'

Watching Wan Yuanjun's face get continually more and more twisted, Dai Zian finally said, 'Alright, alright, calm down. Chant some sutras, yeah? Take a chill pill. So, the brat's condition.'

He smiled brightly.

'To summarise — and it's not really a summary, by the way — he's insane.'

Tapping on Xiao Si's forehead, Dai Zian continued, 'But to him, he's fine, and he's normal. We are the ones who are insane.'

You can find story with these keywords: Puppet No.4, Read Puppet No.4, Puppet No.4 novel, Puppet No.4 book, Puppet No.4 story, Puppet No.4 full, Puppet No.4 Latest Chapter