Yamcha spoke very directly, getting straight to the point with clarity.
Under normal circumstances, since Zhang Lingyu was already the Celestial Master's final disciple, he wouldn't take on any more students.
However...
The Celestial Master, after carefully sizing up Yamcha for a moment, said seriously:
"I see that your abilities are already quite good, and you've even developed your own system. There's no real need for you to seek out an old man like me for training."
If outsiders heard the Celestial Master evaluate Yamcha like this, their jaws would undoubtedly drop.
To be called "not bad" by the Celestial Master was among the highest forms of praise.
As everyone knows, in The Outcast ("一人之下"), the power scale essentially has only two levels: the Celestial Master, and everyone else below him.
He's the kind of person who can defeat anyone in a single strike.
Like Saitama from One Punch Man—the absolute ceiling of the work.
"Celestial Master, I want to receive more systematic training from you," Yamcha replied sincerely, his tone still honest and respectful.
When dealing with the Celestial Master, it was best to be straightforward—no need for schemes. Don't think an old master like him who's been around for decades wouldn't see through it. He's far more experienced than you.
Honesty was the best choice.
The Outcast world's "special ones" were more cunning than any world Yamcha had been to before—especially the younger ones, all sly as old coins.
The Celestial Master nodded. He didn't reject him outright or rush to answer, just quietly observed Yamcha.
And Yamcha, being watched, stood completely still.
No one knew how much time had passed when the Celestial Master finally spoke.
"I don't see a master-disciple fate between us. I won't take you as my disciple. But if you want to learn, I can teach you. Just know that I won't acknowledge you as my disciple publicly, and you shouldn't call yourself my disciple either."
Fate is a strange thing—intangible, ungraspable.
Under normal circumstances, the Celestial Master and Yamcha would never have met. They belong to different worlds, different dimensions. Their meeting should have been impossible.
And yet, here they were.
Do they have fate?
Maybe yes, maybe no.
"My final disciple is Zhang Lingyu—the handsome young Daoist you just met. He is now, and always will be."
"If that's the case, do you still wish to continue?"
The Celestial Master's response surprised Yamcha. He had backup plans B and C ready, but he hadn't expected to get a yes.
But that was a good thing.
Without hesitation, Yamcha knelt and bowed.
"Master above, please accept this disciple's bow."
The Celestial Master nodded and accepted the bow, though he slightly turned his body when Yamcha rose.
Though the Celestial Master said he wouldn't take him as a disciple, by agreeing to teach him, it was essentially the same thing. Yamcha still showed proper etiquette.
Though Yamcha had many teachers before, and the Celestial Master had said he wouldn't accept him formally, Yamcha never slacked in respect. In his eyes, the Celestial Master was his master. Respecting teachers was a traditional virtue.
"Since you're studying here, you'll stay temporarily at the Celestial Master's residence. I'll arrange a room for you."
"Oh, right..."
At this, the Celestial Master suddenly looked a bit odd, like he remembered something but hesitated to speak.
Yamcha waited attentively, but no follow-up came.
"Forget it."
In the end, the Celestial Master didn't say what it was.
And so, Yamcha stayed on Mount Longhu. Officially, he was a lay devotee. In reality, he was learning under the Celestial Master and had begun his Daoist journey.
Whatever the Celestial Master taught, Yamcha learned without complaint.
Though he had come to The Outcast's world specifically to find the Celestial Master and study its core power system—Qi (炁)—he ended up learning far more than that. Things no other teachers in other worlds could offer.
Yamcha had never insisted on becoming Master Roshi's disciple because, in his heart, he had someone even better:
The Celestial Master, Zhang Zhiwei.
"Qi is invisible energy, present in all things in the universe. It interacts with the human body, nature, and the cosmos, forming an integrated ecosystem."
"Qi is also the beginning of Wuji—the primal Qi at the dawn of the universe. It has no shape or form, no beginning or end, neither created nor destroyed. It represents the universe's original state and the source of life."
The Celestial Master taught in great detail. When he learned Yamcha didn't know any Qi techniques, he started from the very beginning—its origins—often blending in Daoist philosophy.
Yamcha listened earnestly and studied even harder. To avoid forgetting anything, he didn't just rely on memory—he used a computer to record the Celestial Master's teachings.
He would replay the recordings while meditating at night. If something was unclear, he'd ask the Celestial Master the next day until he fully understood. Only then would he delete the recording.
As he put it: "Reviewing the past to understand the present."
Even when it was Daoist theory, Yamcha would make sure he truly understood it. His attitude earned frequent praise from the Celestial Master.
"Master."
Yamcha would call him "Master" when no one was around. At first, the Celestial Master refused, but Yamcha was insistent, so he let it be.
The Celestial Master said calmly, "Speak."
"Master, I understand the theory, but… why do I have to practice Tai Chi while learning?"
Led by the Celestial Master, Yamcha was slowly practicing Tai Chi within the living quarters.
"Cut a watermelon in half—half for you, half for me…"
"Tai Chi emerges from Wuji—it embodies Yin and Yang. You use your mind to sense it and your body to comprehend it. It's ideal for beginners like you to understand Qi."
"But aren't you from the Zhengyi sect? Tai Chi is from Wudang, right?"
"How petty. Who cares which sect it's from? As long as it works. I'm just teaching you some Tai Chi. Even if that Zhou Meng finds out, he won't mind."
Yamcha scratched his head and continued "cutting watermelon" with the Celestial Master. It was the first time someone had called him petty.
Zhou Meng was the current Wudang sect leader.
"Besides, Wudang is part of Zhengyi. Don't tell people you know me—it's embarrassing."
The Celestial Master added this with a look of disdain.
Yamcha: "..."
The Tai Chi never stopped after that—it became a required part of his morning routine. And to be fair, it was really effective. Yamcha could clearly see his own progress.
"Yamcha, what does 'The Dao follows Nature' mean?"
Faced with the Celestial Master's question, Yamcha thought for a bit and replied honestly, "It means following the natural course of things."
A long-winded answer, putting people to sleep.
So he was quickly interrupted by the Celestial Master.
"Right and wrong. You're just repeating someone else's ideas, not your own."
Yamcha respectfully said, "Please enlighten me, Master."
"Put simply, it means: 'I do whatever the hell I want, naturally.' The final interpretation belongs to me."
"And in a more elegant way?"
"All things in heaven and earth are part of nature. To follow your purest desires, to act in harmony with the natural cycle—that's natural. For example, if you're kind-hearted and don't let bad people sway you, that's natural. But if you get corrupted or twisted into doing evil, that's unnatural."
Yamcha nodded thoughtfully.
"Master, what if I get sleepy while meditating?"
He wasn't used to it—sometimes he'd nod off quickly.
"Then go to sleep."
"If you're tired, your body isn't ready. Don't force it. Rest when your body tells you to. Follow your natural rhythm."
"Don't force yourself to do things beyond your body's limits."
Some time later, Yamcha still remained diligent.
"Master, I heard that to speed up cultivation, you need to follow eight words: 'less thought, fewer desires, calmness, and emptiness.'"
"Again, right and wrong. Those eight can be summed up into three: Essence (精), Qi (气), and Spirit (神)."
"When your essence, Qi, and spirit are lacking, everything becomes inefficient. But when they're full, everything becomes efficient."
"If you lack energy, nurture spirit; if your spirit is weak, nurture Qi; if your Qi is low, nurture essence. These three form a cycle—endless and self-sustaining."
Yamcha nodded seriously.
Eventually, Yamcha started to see himself as a true Daoist.
"Master, I heard Daoists are supposed to have calm hearts, little desire, and not lose their temper."
Before he finished, he got a good whack on the head from the Celestial Master.
"Bullshit! Who told you Daoists can't have tempers?!"
"Before you're a Daoist, you're human. And humans have emotions. Don't suppress them—just stay true to yourself and follow nature."
"But frequent anger damages the liver, so make sure to restore your health afterward."
Yamcha jotted it all down in a little notebook.
With one willing to teach and the other eager to learn, time flew by—and in the blink of an eye, a whole year passed.
That year, Yamcha gained immensely under the Celestial Master.
Not just in Qi cultivation—even his other skills had grown tremendously.
Take Ripple Breathing (Hamon), for example.
Breathing in a steady rhythm no matter what—basic Daoist energy cultivation. But for a Ripple user like Yamcha, it was a divine technique.
He merged his Ripple Breathing into this practice, meaning every breath he took, even unconsciously, was part of his training.
That alone rapidly boosted his power.
And there was more...
(End of Chapter)