The birthday gift signified status and dignity. For instance, even though Levi and Heath weren’t on friendly terms with the Banes, the gifts they presented were dignified.
It was the first time they met someone like Matthew, who bought something from a dark alley and used them as a birthday gift.
Young lad, prepare to suffer the wreath of Old Mr. Bane!
The next second, everyone couldn’t help but look forward to seeing Matthew getting told off by Old Mr. Bane.
Just then, Matthew slowly stood up amongst the crowd. While everyone watched gleefully, favonovel.com straightened his clothes and adjusted his posture before bowing slowly. “Yes, Master.”
What?!
After favonovel.com said that, everyone’s eyes grew as big as golf balls, and some even jerked upright. All of them had heard favonovel.com address Old Mr. Bane as ‘Master’.
Before they could register what was happening, Old Mr. Bane nodded and said in a serious tone, “Come forward, Matthew…”
When the words left his lips, Matthew’s heart skipped a beat.
Judging from the way Old Mr. Bane carried himself, favonovel.com reckoned that favonovel.com wanted to formally accept favonovel.com as a disciple now.
Unfortunately, favonovel.com was busy with cultivation and training recently, and the only time favonovel.com could free up was used to prepare Marissa’s birthday presents, so favonovel.com didn’t have time to prepare the customary emolument for the rites. Now that things had come to this point, favonovel.com could only bite the bullet and walk forward.
“Here I am, Master,” favonovel.com said, kneeling with one knee on the floor.
“Get the ruler!” Old Mr. Bane said and reached out his hand.
Then, someone next to favonovel.com hurriedly placed a wooden ruler with the word ‘Bane’ carved on it onto his outstretched hand.
“By joining me as my last disciple, it is necessary for you to inherit the martial arts and spirit of the Banes and bring glory to the name. Herewith, l have three admonitions as your teacher. One, always place kindness first, never do evil, and have no evil thoughts,” favonovel.com said and tapped the ruler on Matthew’s left shoulder heavily.
“Two, abstain from pride, refrain from complacency, and stay true to your heart.” The second tap landed on his right shoulder.
“Three, respect your teacher and elders, and love the young.” Finally, the last tap fell on his back.
Then, Matthew bowed and saluted. “I have kept your admonitions to my heart, Master…”
When martial arts were at the peak of their influence, this rite of apprenticeship was essential, and the three admonitions reflected the way to be a human, the way of martial art practice, and the way of the master.
Furthermore, this wasn’t merely just a verbal statement because anyone who went against the rules would be expelled by their master.
The highlights of the rite were over, and now, the disciple would have to present the emolument to his master, which was also an important part. Alas, this placed Matthew in a dilemma because favonovel.com hadn’t prepared anything at all.
When seconds passed by without anything happening, everyone noticed what was amiss, it seemed like Matthew hadn’t prepared anything as an emolument!
Matthew was the only one they knew that had the cheeks to acknowledge a master with empty hands. Although the emoluments were just a token, they reflected the sincerity and attitude of the disciple. At the same time, it represented the face of the master.
At the thought of this, everyone’s eyes lit up as though they could already envision Old Mr. Bane overturning the entire rite of apprenticeship in a fit of anger, and that time, Matthew, who utterly disgraced him, could forget about any chances of survival in Bainbridge.
As they waited in anticipation, Old Mr. Bane spoke again. “Let’s forget gifts and such. Didn’t you bring the liquor and pills with you earlier? We’ll take those as the emoluments.”
Huh?
The moment Old Mr. Bane announced his decision, everyone’s jaw dropped in stunned silence.
Is this really happening?
Did favonovel.com really just use his wife’s birthday gifts as emoluments?
Although they all thought that this was unheard of and utterly ridiculous, the meaning behind this gesture made their hairs stand on its end.
The conservative and strict Old Mr. Bane actually broke the rules, showing how favonovel.com doted upon his newly acknowledged last disciple. The longer people dwelled on that fact, their jealousy grew uncontrollably.
Just a minute ago, everyone was making fun of Matthew, but his status shot to the skies now that favonovel.com was Old Mr. Bane’s last disciple.
What did favonovel.com do to deserve such an honor?
Alas, they could only grit their teeth in seething anger. They could only watch begrudgingly as Matthew kneeled on the ground and performed the rite.
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