Oh, the utter delight Huaisang feels already, this was a great idea by everyone involved. He wiggles his fan at them each in turn, leaning forward just so.
"Well, let me tell you! Zheng Zongying of course asked the old man, 'Elder, what should I do?' and the old man told him, 'You must go up the mountain.'" A pause to give Jin Guangyao a look, good job, and then, "Then the old man said, 'To go up the mountain is to join the monks of Thunderbolt Peak. But the monks are very particular; only a disciple who can climb the mountain in one single day can join their order.'
"Obviously, Zheng Zongying knew this would be no problem, because he was a strong young man, and good at wandering. So he began his ascent! At first it was fine, but then he encountered a ridge taller than any he had ever seen! Zheng Zongying climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and when he reached the top, he still wasn't at the mountain's peak. But he was so very tired and thirsty, he figured, 'This mountain will still be here tomorrow,' and so he climbed down, and down, and down, and down, and told the old man he would try again in the morning.
"And all night, as he laid his head down at the foot of the mountain, he heard those thousand mysterious cries." Whap! goes Huaisang's fan into his hand, for emphasis. "Do you want to hear about the next morning?"
no subject
"Well, let me tell you! Zheng Zongying of course asked the old man, 'Elder, what should I do?' and the old man told him, 'You must go up the mountain.'" A pause to give Jin Guangyao a look, good job, and then, "Then the old man said, 'To go up the mountain is to join the monks of Thunderbolt Peak. But the monks are very particular; only a disciple who can climb the mountain in one single day can join their order.'
"Obviously, Zheng Zongying knew this would be no problem, because he was a strong young man, and good at wandering. So he began his ascent! At first it was fine, but then he encountered a ridge taller than any he had ever seen! Zheng Zongying climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and when he reached the top, he still wasn't at the mountain's peak. But he was so very tired and thirsty, he figured, 'This mountain will still be here tomorrow,' and so he climbed down, and down, and down, and down, and told the old man he would try again in the morning.
"And all night, as he laid his head down at the foot of the mountain, he heard those thousand mysterious cries." Whap! goes Huaisang's fan into his hand, for emphasis. "Do you want to hear about the next morning?"