Chapitre 39: The house of Fa

Against even my worst predictions, we arrived at the western border without further trouble. Yet, I still felt tense and I probably wouldn’t rest until I saw Master Fa.

We made a beeline to the Fa family estate and were received by the man himself who, while looking older as the last time I saw him, did not really appear his age.

Min, of course, greeted the old man with familiarity while I stood back. When the man’s eyes turned to me, I went to one knee and cupped my fist in salute “This Shen Mu greets Master Fa and wishes him a happy birthday.”

I heard the man chuckle, and he returned his salute, after which he pulled me to my feet to look me over. “This master is glad to see his student has not been slacking off.”

“Never, master. Never.” I smiled. It was a ritualistic joke between us. Unlike most of his other students, I was the first one in the dojo and the last to leave. Sometimes he had to drag me away from practice to study or do something else.