Seeing that his master had turned to stone, Wuming immediately stretched out his hands to caress the stone statue and burst into loud sobs. "Master! How could you just leave me behind like this? Your immense kindness and great virtue are something your disciple hasn't even begun to repay!"
At that moment, Wuming felt his mind go completely blank. Losing his master meant losing the guiding force of his life. Things had come to this—what other choice did he have?
Without time for further thought, he hurriedly knocked his head against the stone statue three times to show his utmost filial devotion.
Since circumstances had changed, Wuming decided to abandon his search for his birth parents. For now, he had to mourn and keep vigil for his master for three years; otherwise, he would fail to repay his master's deep kindness in raising him.
With this thought, Wuming cast aside all other fantasies, sat cross-legged before his master's stone statue, brought his hands together in a prayer gesture, and closed his eyes.
Just then, the clear sky suddenly changed its face. In the blink of an eye, lightning flashed, thunder rolled, and a torrential downpour began to pour down. The valley under the night sky grew even more eerie and terrifying, making things terribly difficult for poor little Wuming.
Despite the sudden change in weather, Wuming did not shift his posture. He remained sitting there fearlessly, letting the violent wind and rain lash at him without flinching.
Suddenly, a fierce voice boomed from midair: "You little rascal, what are you still sitting there foolishly for? If you don't leave right now, I'll strike you dead with a bolt of lightning!"
Hearing someone speaking from the sky, Wuming immediately raised his head and asked in confusion, "Who are you to use such a harsh tone? I am here keeping vigil for my master, what the hell business is it of yours?"
"Hahaha, then let me tell you straight, you little rascal! I am Lord Thunder God, serving under His Majesty the Jade Emperor. It is my duty to punish injustices and unfilial behavior across heaven and earth. Those who commit such offenses face crippling injuries at best and execution at the worst!"
"So you're Lord Thunder God. Well, let me ask you: is there anything wrong with me staying here to keep vigil for my master for three years? Telling me you'll strike me dead with lightning—aren't you sticking your nose into other people's business?" Wuming retorted indignantly.
"You little rascal! There is nothing wrong with mourning your master, but you are violating his dying wishes, turning a deaf ear to his final instructions. Isn't that crime worthy of a lightning strike?" Lord Thunder God answered without yielding an inch.
Refusing to accept this, Wuming argued heatedly, "I must say, Lord Thunder God, you are being completely unreasonable. Is it really forbidden for me to mourn my master for three years first, and only then go look for my birth parents?"
"Of course it's forbidden! Since your master is dead and cannot come back to life, you must think of the living. Right at this very moment, your birth parents truly need you," Lord Thunder God explained unspolitely.
"Who's going to believe your ghost stories? I was raised by my master. Now that he has turned to stone, I must keep vigil for him. I refuse to budge! Let's see you try to smash me—go ahead and strike me dead with lightning right now if you dare!" Wuming replied resolutely.
Hearing Wuming's words, Lord Thunder God flew into a rage, bellowing loudly. He had never expected this brat to be so defiant.
Without further hesitation, Lord Thunder God declared, "Very well! Since you are so eager to die, you little rascal, I'll grant your wish."
"Stop wasting breath and strike me dead with lightning already! I don't want to live anyway; that way, I can stay by my master's side forever," Wuming said firmly.
"Rumble!"
Without further hesitation, Lord Thunder God thrust out a palm, and a bolt of lightning struck straight down upon the crown of Wuming's head.
To everyone's surprise, things turned out quite differently from expected: after the lightning strike, Wuming remained safe and sound. How strange! Could Wuming truly possess muscles of steel and bones of iron?
Not quite. Lord Thunder God hadn't actually intended to kill the brat; his goal was merely to frighten Wuming a little. Since Wuming was so devoted to keeping vigil, he might as well let him be.
Faced with Wuming's stubborn persistence, Lord Thunder God gave an angry, helpless reprimand: "Listen well to me, you little rascal! This Lord Thunder God will spare you today, so you'd better look after yourself!"
With that, Lord Thunder God pulled back his cloud and simply returned to the Heavenly Court to report on his mission.
Hearing the noise fade away, Wuming hurriedly opened his eyes to see what had happened. Sure enough, the clouds had parted, the mist had cleared, and the weather had turned bright and sunny.
Since Lord Thunder God had spared his life, Wuming shouted gratefully toward the sky: "Thank you, Lord Thunder God, for sparing my life! If I ever attain enlightenment and ascend to the Heavenly Court, I will surely report your kindness before the Jade Emperor!"
"Oh, give it a rest! You little rascal are just trying to pull my leg. Who knows how many eons you'll have to wait before you ever attain enlightenment!" With those words, Lord Thunder God vanished without a trace.
After this commotion with Lord Thunder God, Wuming began to feel that the deity's reprimand was not without reason. If his birth parents were truly in trouble, they would indeed desperately need his help.
After all, he had failed to respect his master's dying wish by stubbornly insisting on lingering here to keep vigil. Besides, if his parents were facing hardships, how could he simply stand by and do nothing?
Furthermore, his master had already turned to stone. No matter how stubbornly he continued his vigil, his master could not be brought back to life. Why be so stubbornly obsessed?
Suddenly, Wuming felt that he had been in the wrong. Upon reflection, he realized that both his master and Lord Thunder God were right. Rescuing his birth parents from danger was the most urgent priority after all; if anything truly happened to them, it would be too late for regrets.
With this realization, Wuming suddenly felt restless and uneasy. Though his birth parents had not raised him, he was, after all, flesh of their flesh!
Besides, perhaps they had their reasons for abandoning him back then, and didn't truly want to give him up. In this world, what parents do not cherish their son?
Having thought the matter through clearly, Wuming no longer hesitated. He hurried over to his master's stone statue, knocked his head against it three times, and said, "Master, your disciple was wrong. I failed to follow your dying instructions. I am going down the mountain now, and once I have found my birth parents, I will return to keep you company."
Having expressed his gratitude, Wuming leapt gracefully off the cliff. At the foot of the cliff, he bowed and knocked his head three times once more before finally turning away to leave.
However, he still needed to make a trip back to Yuanshun Temple. After all, it was the place that had raised him, and once he left, he had no idea when he might ever return.
Besides, the Patriarch was still enshrined within Yuanshun Temple; he had to go inside and pay his respects to bid his old master a formal farewell.
With that, Wuming immediately turned around and headed toward Yuanshun Temple.