60 Old Dugu. The Medallion of Gratitude (1/2)
On the other eight tables, dishes and wine were served on their tiny surfaces; even the goblets were filled.
Yun Yang sat down alone with his head lowered.
He ate a mouthful of the dish and then drank another mouthful of wine, not speaking a word.
Old Dugu sat at a corner looking at the eight empty seats, looking at the dishes and wine served on the eight tiny tables. After looking for a while, he slowly closed his eyes.
Two tracks of tears streamed down silently.
…
“I found a place.” Supreme Blood’s voice was ecstatic. “We can go drink there.”
“Where is it? Is it reliable?”
“Of course! Besides, the old man there only knows how to make one dish, that is the Chinese cabbage tofu. It is absolutely the best!”
“Only Chinese cabbage tofu?”
“Only Chinese cabbage tofu.”
“Then we must go try it out.”
…
“Not bad indeed. Big brother, let us all go next time.”
“Alright.”
“That old man’s personality is peculiar; his business is terrible and there aren’t many people who visit. When we go, we can pay him more too.”
“Alright.”
…
“Last night’s drinking was gratifying.”
“Me too. I feel very relaxed going to that small shop. I haven’t felt this way for a long time!”
“Ol’nine seems to have gotten drunk last night.”
“Everyone, please be understanding. Ol’nine is still a child, he doesn’t know anything yet. His hair isn’t fully grown, and he tries to drink?”
“Hahaha!”
“You’re the child! Your whole family are all children! You’re the one whose hair hasn’t fully grown!”
“And yours has? Show us!”
“Hahaha…”
…
Yun Yang drank goblet by goblet as bits and pieces of his memories rushed into his mind. His memory of each incident was so clear as if all eight brothers were still sitting at their own seats, drinking and looking at the other brothers silently.
Each of them was still happy and content.
The fragrance of the wine and dishes merged together as if the souls of the nine brothers had melded together as well.
Yun Yang drank another gulp of wine. Suddenly, a pang of sadness squeezed through his heart as he coughed and choked all at once.
“Cough, cough, cough…” He covered his mouth and lowered his head deeply, coughing endlessly as the tears dropped from his eyes bead by bead.
It was a long while later when his coughing stopped.
In his heart, he had already reported his discoveries during this period of time to his brothers, “I’m doing it, I’m doing it! Have you fellows seen it?”
…
“Old Dugu, where will you go?” Yun Yang’s voice was low and dull.
“I don’t know either,” Old Dugu said blearily.
“Come to my house.” Yun Yang said, “My residence is extremely lacking in manpower.”
“No.” Old Dugu looked at the back of Yun Yang who was half laying on the table lovingly, like an elderly looking at his weakened son who could no longer bear the heavy weight on his shoulders. He continued in his coarse voice, “I have things to do as well…”
Yun Yang said in a daze, “Yes… we have things to do…”
After a long while, Yun Yang finally stood up, looking at the tiny tables longingly, looking at the eight dishes and wine that remained untouched; he could barely contain the sorrow in his heart as he closed his eyes and said in a raspy voice, “I will be leaving now.”
Looking at Yun Yang’s back that vanished after turning a corner, Old Dugu’s remained sitting there for a long time. The midnight breeze caressed his wrinkled face, the lines on his face were like the etches of better times that had passed.
“Child… you’re too worn out…” Old Dugu murmured soundlessly, “Blood… is my only family… I picked the little fellow back from his swaddled blanket in the middle of the snow storm, watched him grow up day by day, watched him achieve merits and contribute to the nation day by day. In the end… I’ve received such news in return…”
“Thankfully there is at least still one left...”
Old Dugu’s expression gradually changed. “Since there is still someone left, I am relieved as well. I am going to do what I should have done. A blood debt… how can I not requite it!”
His sight turned sharp, like two strikes of lightning that sliced through the night sky, and his hunched figure by the door of the shop straightened.
Boom!
A soundless aura poured in a large gush. Behind him, the entire shop, including the tables and chairs, the kitchen utensils, and the whole house, turned into powder without a single squeak.
Then with a spin of his body, his entire being vanished as if melted into the air.
Yun Yang walked on the street, a depressing gloom was all that loomed over him.
Can’t I go to the shop anymore after this last time?
In front of him, a faint shadow of a person suddenly appeared before his eyes. The person looked as if he was standing amidst a cloud of fog, he could not be seen clearly. Yun Yang could only see a vague outline.
“Young one, here is a gift for you.” This blurry silhouette said and with a wave of his hand, Yun Yang felt something was placed in his robe.
He called out into the night, “Old Dugu?” He could detect the scent of oil and smoke.
Could it be that this Old Dugu was actually an otherworldly expert?
The blurry silhouette did not reply, disappearing into thin air with a swoosh, leaving nothing behind.
Yun Yang lifted his head and looked around. There were only blinking stars and the bright moon in the sky. Had there been a blurry silhouette at all?
His extended his hand into his robe and took the item out, dumbfounded when he saw what it was.
It was a metal plaque, dark red all over.
In the middle was a word etched, “Gratitude”.
It was made of Nine heavens mystical steel, a dictum to requite gratitude!
Yun Yang was shocked.
This was a kingly gift!
The Medallion of Gratitude!
There had been an otherworldly swordsman in the martial arts world who had mined steel of the nine heavens and the refined essence of deep ocean to forge three secret weapons that were called the Dictum of Soul Pursuer!
However, his swordsmanship had improved to the point where it was peerless. The Dictum of Soul Pursuer had become useless by then – a man and his sword was enough to run the world, why else would he need secret weapons?
Therefore, he remade the three secret weapons into the three Medallions of Gratitude.
There were three people who had helped him tremendously or had saved his life; he had subsequently given the medallions to them.