Yin Tiger#

Wind fans the flames, the hammer strikes, Swords dance, blades sweep the dust aside. With iron will, one finds their way, Between stillness and motion, greatness will stay.

In the Hall of Yuanchen, Yin Tiger stood before the anvil, hammering away. Several young Daoist apprentices surrounded him, fanning the flames and adding wood and charcoal to the fire. Suddenly, the hall doors were kicked open, and the gatekeeper boy chased in with the Great Sage. Yin Tiger signalled to the apprentices with a glance, and they quickly left. The Great Sage approached the anvil, threw a set of armor on the ground, and placed one foot on the edge of the anvil, laughing,"Brother Tiger, this armor those immortals granted me doesn't suit me at all. Why don't you better it for me? I trust your craftsmanship."

Yin Tiger glanced at the Great Sage's Cloudtreaders and said, "You come to ask for my help with such disrespect? Your foot."

The Great Sage, with a cheeky smile on his face, lowered his foot and said, "I care nothing about those grand rules above. We've known each other for ages; why bother with manners?"

Yin Tiger didn't respond. The Great Sage grabbed the large cleaver the Tiger had been hammering, tested its weight, and shook his head, "Too light, that is. It doesn't suit you."

Only then did Yin Tiger pick up the armor from the ground, examine it, and say, "Your gold armor is excellent. Why bother with this scrap metal?"

The Great Sage leaped onto the Tiger's large chair and laughed, "That's why I brought it here. You don't really have to waste your hammerings on it. If anyone asks, just say you're working on it."

Yin Tiger refused, "Take it back. I won't play along with your act." The Great Sage wasn't offended. He untied the precious gourd from his waist and said, "Actually, I came to drink. Go call everyone. Remember to invite my good brother Shen Monkey and bring some of his homemade wine. To drink mine, you guys got to offer something too."

Later, the Great Sage drank and reveled with everyone in the Hall of Yuanchen until he was hammered and had to be escorted back by celestial officials. After he left, Yin Tiger noticed that the armor was still lying beside his anvil. Well then, he would have to return it to him another day.