Shizun, Absolutely Not

The master cultivated the Dao of Heartlessness, always cold and self-restrained, appearing gentle and frail—yet he had long ago set his sights on the little disciple who revered him with all his heart. The disciple was devoted to the Dao, with the master filling his heart and eyes, strictly upholding the proper bond between master and disciple, and repeatedly murmuring that line: “Master, absolutely not.” Little did he know that all the restraint and tenderness were part of the master’s long-concocted trap. Forbidden feelings burst forth from the soil; the heartless Dao heart shattered. Pulled back and forth step by step, the two finally became Dao companions.