"Master Ma, would you like to stay here and relax, or join me for a stroll into town?"
On this day, Hu Ma had prepared his gear early in the morning. He took a walk around the valley and glanced at Master Ma, who was lying there.
Master Ma turned his big eyes to look at Hu Ma, then turned away again, not even bothering to acknowledge him.
"Well, if you're not going, I'll just take the donkey then."
Hu Ma had no choice. Master Ma had recently survived several life-threatening incidents in this valley, leaving him in a foul mood, likely feeling deeply frustrated. Clearly, it was such a dangerous situation, with the whole valley being perilous enough to cause imminent death, yet he, being so large, miraculously avoided any harm. This was even more devastating than a person working hard for thirty years and achieving nothing.
Leaving Master Ma to rest in the valley, Hu Ma went to the stable and led a donkey out.
