As Zhou Huan was wondering who had thrown the shoe, he heard an aged, mischievous voice drift from the crevice: "Come on now. If you don't want a beating, get inside quickly."

The speaker was the old beggar. Upon seeing the man he sought, Zhou Huan became quite animated, unconcerned about the foul shoe that had struck him. He clutched the now-broken-soled shoe and stepped into the fissure.

Dongzi followed right behind Zhou Huan, entering together. Inside the fissure was a space not particularly large, but more than enough room for three people to sit comfortably.

The old beggar poked his head out to check, confirming no one else was around. He then dragged a stack of firewood piled beside the crevice closer, effectively blocking the opening, after which the three sat down.

Zhou Huan was anxious, desperate only to know his background and origins. In his memory, there was only his life as a beggar, yet overlaid were faint, peculiar recollections. He began speaking to the old beggar: "Uncle, my name is Zhou Huan. I only remember my name, but I feel like I have so much more I need to do, yet right now I’m just a beggar. Please, could you tell me about myself, I..."

Before Zhou Huan could finish his sentence, Dongzi, shoving the old beggar with his hand, muttered grumpily, "You old pervert, keep your distance. Don't get close to me; I don't like men."

"Oh my, I didn't realize you had such refined taste! Just letting you stay near me should be considered a blessing bestowed upon your ancestors. Get lost!" Although the old beggar stumbled when he walked, his hands were surprisingly strong; he shoved Dongzi away in one swift motion.

"Little Coal Ball, from now on, you are not to utter a single word. This is the time for me to speak with your older brother. You just listen quietly from the side."

"You old pervert, you..." Hearing the old beggar's words, Dongzi seemed eager to retaliate physically against the beggar, but Zhou Huan held him back.

Immediately, Zhou Huan adopted a very polite demeanor, saying, "Uncle, please, go ahead. I can see you are an enlightened master dwelling apart from the mundane world. As long as you can explain my origins, I will thank your ancestors for eight generations. Whatever you tell me to do, I will do it."

"I don't need your gratitude for my ancestors, nor do I seek anything from you, but I can tell you are no ordinary person. From this moment on, your future will be filled with sacred radiance."

Dongzi burst out laughing upon hearing this. "Old fellow, you certainly know how to talk big. You might as well say my brother is the Jade Emperor; 'sacred radiance'! Are you just trying to keep us two brothers from bullying you?"

The old beggar ignored Dongzi, raising his hand and slapping Dongzi squarely on the forehead: "I told you to shut up! Why do you talk so damn much? I don't like swearing, don't force me to insult you, you son of a—!"

Zhou Huan grabbed Dongzi's hand tightly, forcefully restraining the short-tempered Dongzi, and quietly waited for the old beggar to speak.

The old beggar mocked Dongzi for a moment, then his expression shifted, and he continued, "Zhou Huan, listen carefully. In your previous life, you were a grandmaster in the Sect of Mortuary Rites. You specialized in handling funerals, capable of speaking for the deceased and communicating with ghosts. However, right now, you are nothing. Only when you encounter your true benefactor will you have the chance to awaken your innate talents. Do you understand?"

"Mortuary Rites? What are Mortuary Rites? Why do I have no memory of this at all?" Zhou Huan’s eyes became distant, his mind ceaselessly pondering the old beggar's words.

Dongzi roared with laughter at this moment: "You old pervert, I think you're just used to fooling people! Mortuary Rites? That's that dog-shit cuisine the Japanese eat. You don't even know that, yet you sit here trying to trick us?"

"Your father's mother's—if you speak again, I’ll knock out your canine teeth! Adults are talking; why is a little brat interfering?" The old beggar was showing genuine anger now.

Just then, a commotion arose from outside their small space—a chaotic clatter of footsteps. A familiar voice followed, speaking with nauseating smugness: "Brothers, search for them! Find those two beggars, and I’ll make them pay. If I don’t beat them until a thousand peach blossoms bloom today, they won't know what it means for the blossoms to fall."

Having been cursed by the old beggar, Dongzi could no longer suppress his rage and was about to stand up when the old beggar and Zhou Huan pinned him down together. The old beggar stuck out his index finger: "Shh! Stop the chatter! Potato Head is here!"

Dongzi listened closely and recognized Wang Qiang's voice. He suppressed his anger and quietly crouched down. This was truly a moment where the mute suffers the bitter taste of dried bean curd—his face turned purple with frustration.

The three heads huddled together, peering out through a gap in the firewood stack. Wang Qiang had brought over a dozen men this time, each one broad and bulky. They searched everywhere around the stone Buddha statue but couldn't find the secret happening behind the woodpile.

In truth, after being struck by Zhou Huan’s stone, Wang Qiang had pulled out his phone and called for reinforcements. Most of his subordinates were just there for the meal; if they weren't all blockheads, they were at least a 'Two Hundred and Fifty' squad.

"Boss, we can't find anything. Did they run off?" Wang Qiang’s subordinate asked him.

Wang Qiang leaned on a cane, his eyes showing despair. Finally, he grit his teeth and declared, "I never imagined that I, Wang Qiang, with a lifetime of good reputation, would be defeated by two beggars today. Search! Keep searching down the mountain." With that, he allowed his men to support him as he limped back the way they had come.

Wang Qiang’s words made everyone who heard them feel a sudden sourness in their stomachs, as if they had eaten something too rich at noon and felt the urge to vomit.

Seeing Wang Qiang and his men leave, the old beggar slowly turned around, squatted down, and prepared to resume his sermon.

Dongzi had already pulled his right hand free from the beggar’s grasp. He rapidly raised his hand several times, delivering heavy slaps to the old beggar's head: "See, that’s for hitting my head! I’m already slow enough as it is; you shouldn’t hit my head again..."

The old beggar clutched his head, muttering continuously, "If you hit me again, I’m telling you, I’ll forget everything I know!"

Zhou Huan immediately stopped Dongzi: "Stop messing around, listen to Uncle speak properly."

Dongzi’s anger subsided, and he obediently crouched back down.

The old beggar lowered his hands, staring intensely at Dongzi, and said, "You little brat, utterly disrespectful. Let’s stop the nonsense. Did you see that 'Mr. Potato Head' just now? He’s not far from death. If you keep acting up like this, hmph! You might follow soon!"

Not wanting any more delays, Zhou Huan said harmoniously, "Uncle, what about my benefactor? Where is my benefactor?"

"Hmm, wait a moment, I shall perform a divination for you!" Saying this, the old beggar began to scrutinize Dongzi carefully, staring for quite a while until Dongzi was utterly confused. Suddenly, with a speed too fast for the eye to follow, the old beggar yanked a clump of hair from Dongzi’s head. He then squatted on the ground, counting the hairs while arranging them into a divination pattern.

This sudden plucking of hair caused Dongzi agonizing pain. He clutched his head, cursing and swearing at the old beggar.

"Young man, this lock of hair is very important. Consider it a good deed you’ve done for your brother. Don't get rough now; I’m a man!" The old beggar spoke to Dongzi while arranging the hexagrams, keeping a close eye on Dongzi’s every move, fearful that Dongzi might strike him again.

Zhou Huan had long since restrained Dongzi, watching the old beggar cast the divination. No matter how Dongzi struggled, Zhou Huan would not allow him to touch the old beggar even once.

The old beggar finished casting the pattern and spoke gravely, "Zhou Huan, the day after tomorrow, during the Hour of the Sheep (1 PM to 3 PM), go wait outside the Island Coffee House on County Front Street. If you can’t find the way, have that little bastard lead you. No matter what happens, do not leave. Your true benefactor will appear. From then on, you can once again display the style of your previous life as a Mortuary Rites Master."

After finishing his pronouncement, the old beggar pursed his lips and then addressed Dongzi again: "You little bastard, listen up too. Though we don't get along, and you’re a blockhead every day, you actually have a kind heart. I’ll offer you a clear path away from beggary. From now on, you must follow your Big Brother Zhou Huan closely. He will lead you both to the pinnacle of success and prosperity!"

Dongzi listened to the old beggar speak with such seriousness, and it didn't seem like he was being deceived. His anger had completely vanished, but he felt too awkward to ask the old beggar anything else, merely committing the words to memory in his heart.

Zhou Huan pondered for a long time before asking the old beggar, "Then my future... what should I do?"

"Go with the flow of fate, act with kindness, and you will surely make your name famous throughout the world and have a house full of descendants." At this point, the old beggar stood up and slowly pushed aside the firewood stack blocking the exit. He walked out, and Zhou Huan and Dongzi followed him.

The old beggar walked to the offering table, picked up three sticks of incense, and said, "Come, let the three of us light one each and offer incense!"

Dongzi foolishly followed the old beggar’s lead in offering incense, and Zhou Huan also offered his. Then the three of them knelt and kowtowed.

After the kowtows were finished, the old beggar spun around and delivered a sharp slap to Dongzi’s forehead. The blow caused Dongzi such pain that he felt like killing someone. When he looked up again, the old beggar had vanished. Zhou Huan also felt a sense of strangeness.

From behind the stone Buddha statue came the old beggar's voice: "Little bastard, help your brother well! Your journey ahead is brilliant. When you are famous and prosperous in the future, come back and let me hit your forehead one more time, hahaha!"

Following a burst of hearty laughter, the old beggar’s voice disappeared. Only Zhou Huan and Dongzi remained beneath the stone Buddha.

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