Unfettered Chapter 21: Chapter 20: Decree

Read chapter 21 of Unfettered by driftwoodblossom on NovelPedia.

A translucent liquid emerged from Uncle Hu’s body. It gave off a soft golden glow as it wrapped the dust covering the middle-aged figure. When it finished entangling with all the dust particles, the energy gently peeled off the dust layer from the old servant. The golden Qi dispersed the dust back onto the courtyard's sandy ground and swiftly returned to its original place in Uncle Hu’s Golden Core. The middle-aged figure opened his eyes and held a steady gaze as he calmly replied. "That's right, young master. It's been a while since I've been able to move around like this. I owe a great debt to the great Immortal." Ye Fan nodded vigorously. Letting go of his nose, he patted his chest with his left hand and made a righteous declaration. "Master's indeed the greatest. We should go thank him." Uncle Hu shook the dust off his black iron staff before revealing a genial smile. "Nice try, young master. But, I won't play any favorites for this trial. The great Immortal waits for you at the end." Ye Fan displayed a face of mock grievance for a split second before bursting into laughter. "You truly hold my master in high esteem, Uncle Hu!" Still holding his smile, Uncle Hu gave a sharp response. "I only give what is due. Both the wise and the strong deserve respect. Your Master is both. Do you not hold the same opinion, young master?" The youth seemed unfazed by middle-aged figure’s loaded response and smiled. His reply was swift and lacked hesitation. "It was just a joke, Uncle Hu! I just wanted to see your true thoughts." The old servant’s expression grew slightly gloomy at those words. Although it may not have been the young boy’s intention, the last sentence caused Uncle Hu immense inner turmoil. "I've been by your side your whole life, young master. Did you really have to test me like that?" Ye Fan laughed nervously at those words. The youth’s intelligence coupled with his familiarity with the old servant allowed for him to quickly catch onto his mistake. He cast his glance to the side and quickly replied with his slumped posture displaying extreme remorse. "I- I may have overstepped my bounds a bit. I apologize, Uncle Hu…" His words trailed off at the end further emphasizing his deep-seated guilt. Uncle Hu walked over to the young boy and ruffled his hair. Although the boy’s words had truly hurt him, he wasn’t going to let that get in the way of their close relationship. He had stood by the boy’s mother’s side as her protector for many years and experienced many ups and downs. This coupled with the experience that he had raising his own children allowed for him to develop a firm but loving heart. Looking into his young master’s eyes, Uncle Hu embraced the boy and whispered in the boy's ear. "As long as you have remorse, that's good. Acknowledging your mistakes is the beginning of learning." The young boy withdrew his sorrow. He inwardly let out a sigh of relief. Uncle Hu held a special place in his heart and he was genuinely happy that he was able to make his amends. The solemn atmosphere had made Ye Fan nervous so he let out a joke to lighten the mood. "You're starting to sound like master, Uncle Hu." "Thank you for the compliment young master, but I think we've been sidetracked for too long. Shall we begin your final trial?" The boatman removed his embrace. Stepping back, the middle-aged figure stood up straight. He planted the iron rod into the sand with great strength causing a thin layer of dust to surge up into the air. At this moment, Uncle Hu displayed a heroic aura as he waited for Ye Fan's answer. Ye Fan admired the old servant for a few moments before getting on one knee and bowing. With a firm voice, he shouted his response. "This lowly one receives the decree!" Seeing Ye Fan's intentions, Uncle Hu played along. Pulling a blank scroll from his spatial artifact, he unfurled it and let it roll to his feet. The thin paper sheet rolled along the sandy ground, and small clouds of dust marked the parchment’s trail. The midd