Donghai Lin was equally happy after hearing the news, in part because he liked the idea of having a younger sibling play around him, and in part because he had an excuse to get out of his parents' house sooner.
After celebrating along with a sumptuous meal together, Donghai Lin excused himself to his chamber.
The moment he walked inside his room, the white puppy which was crouching over the bed stopped his cultivation and jumped toward him as he barked.
Woof!
"Martial Uncle Lin, I have finally completed the first phase of cultivating the Invincible Celestial Wolf Divine Body Cultivation technique." Hui Lang, the white puppy, said telepathically, projecting his inner voice inside Donghai Lin's head.
Donghai Lin picked up the puppy and said as he brushed his flappy hairs, "Blackie, that's a piece of good news. Then have you begun practicing the Offensive skill that comes along with me?"
"Hmm, you mean Celestial Wolf Slashing Fang?... Nah, I just don't need to practice that because that's nothing difficult for me to execute that skill." Hei Lang, the white puppy, responded telepathically.
Upon hearing him say something like that, which took a week to learn and for which there was still room for improvement, which was disdained by the puppy, Donghai Lin made a wry smile and wondered in his head, 'Fair enough. It's his bloodline inherited skill, to begin with.'
He then further added, "Alright, then don't you just begin cultivating the Second phase yet? I need three more ingredients to brew the Yang Boosting Wine. Also, we needed that wine to cultivate the Second Phase to another level."
"Oooh, the Yang Boosting Wine! Okay, I can wait for that." The puppy responded. Then he stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.
After chatting for a while, Donghai Lin placed the puppy over the bed, and he began practicing the set of Eight Drunken styles. And he continued for an hour.
"Hmm, now I couldn't further improve from here. But I believe there is still a long way to go since they are the legacies of the Eight Drunken Immortals. What am I missing here?" Donghai Lin, the three-year-old, muttered under his breath and he pondered deeply when he was stuck as his every move that he practiced hit a wall.
The puppy who was lying on the bed was observing him the entire time and he also heard Donghai Lin murmuring clearly.
Therefore, he suggested, "Martial Uncle Lin, I've got an idea."
"Good. I'm listening." Donghai Lin said, turning his attention to the puppy. And he also believed that he might have a better idea since he lived among the Eight Drunken Immortals for many years.
"I've been observing Martial Uncle Lin practicing those for years and I believe those must be the signature moves of my eight masters?" The Puppy said.
"You're right. I inherited them from their inheritance that I received from their wines. Continue," Donghai Lin responded.
"Then I believe you are practicing them all wrong. Since my eight masters have sharp differences in their characters and attitudes, then it would be so hard to bind all of their signatures' moves into a set… So, I'll come to the point. Why don't you practice each of their styles one at a time first? And also, when you practice, in order to understand the deeper meaning hidden in their styles, why don't you act like them and become them? And after learning all the eight styles separately, I believe Martial Uncle Lin will come up with an idea to mix all of them into a set." Hui Lang, the puppy said, suggesting his idea.
Donghai Lin pondered and responded, "That's spot on…. Alright, I'll give it, a try."
Then he took a shower and reclined for the day.
The following morning, Donghai Lin went to the mansion of the Patriarch and asked the guard for an audience with Patriarch Lin. The guard went rushing inside and within a few seconds, a man's voice chimed with a peal of hearty laughter.
Two figures walked out of the gigantic and luxurious-looking mansion; one was a guard, and the other was an old man clad in all-white Daoist robes.
Donghai Lin clasped his hands and greeted courteously, "Greetings Grandpa!"
Old patriarch was all smiles, and he said, "Dong Er, you are growing faster than I expected; you are now almost 4 feet tall. Good, good, let's go inside first." Then he brought the three-year-old boy inside his house and to his study room.
After allowing Donghai Lin to sit over a couch, Lin the Patriarch sat on the other couch and beamingly inquired: "Dong Er, what has brought you here? Do you need something that needs Grandpa's help?"
Donghai Lin took a sip of the tea in the cup and said, "Um, yes Grandpa, you are correct! I'm here for another request that only Grandpa can help me with, and it's just a simple task for you."
"Alright, shoot it!" Old Patriarch Lin Ren said.
"Grandpa, um, I need a mule." Donghai Lin said. And he further added, explaining. "Oh, and I need it purely for training my martial art."
"Mmm-hmm, okay. Wouldn't it be better to choose a horse from our stable if it is for practice only?" Patriarch Lin Ren responded.
"No, Grandpa! I just need a mule…not a horse to practice my martial art. Yes, earlier I've given an order to my family servant to get me one. But he refrained, saying that bringing a mule inside the Lin Manor is a huge felony. For this reason, I am here to request permission to rare and have a mule for myself." Donghai Lin replied.
Old Lin pondered deeply and finally, he opened his mouth, saying: "So, you need a mule to practice your martial art, right?"
Donghai Lin nodded his head.
"Hmm," Patriarch Lin Ren heaved a heavy sigh and said, "Fine, I give you my permission to have a mule inside the Lin Manor. Is this all? Do you need something more?"
"This is all, Grandpa. And I give my sincerest thanks for agreeing to my selfish request."
Then the two chatted for a while and Donghai Lin excused himself from the room.
Just after Donghai Lin was out of the Patriarch's mansion, a middle-aged-looking man appeared and sat over the couch Donghai Lin had occupied before.
"Daoist Chu Yin, do you have any idea Dong Er is going to practice while riding the mule?" Patriarch Lin Ren said as he passed a cup filled with tea.
Taking a sip, Daoist Chu Yin said, "Nope! Nothing that I'm aware of. I can understand riding a horse but a mule. I've never heard of someone practicing while riding a mule and I'm curious too… So, why don't we watch and see what your favorite grandson is planning to do with a mule?... Hahaha, this will be a lot of fun. And my attention is also already hooked with him after seeing his performance at that dog selection ceremony a few years ago."
He then further added, "Considering his young age, he is quite witty, cunning, and devious... Maybe you're right. This kid might bring your Lin family back to its former glory."....(stay tuned!)