Chapter 1135: Brother Lu, Walk a Little Slower... I'm Afraid I Can't Catch Up Anymore...

Lu Ding drank his wine and added, "Remember, there's also the matter with Xuehai Academy and Shushan Academy. Handle it after I'm gone."

He didn't want to waste what little time remained for celebration running back and forth arguing with Xuehai Academy over pointless nonsense.

So he just left it to Yan Feifan and the others to handle.

After all, their strength was no longer low—Zhan Tingzhou and Qin Jinghao had even broken straight into God Ascension.

And Senior Uncle Celestial Master Zhu was still there.

There was even less reason to worry.

Fu Xinghe asked, "Brother Lu, with Xuehai... what kind of outcome were you thinking?"

Lu Ding didn't mince words: "I'm a man who repays grievances. Xuehai's composition is too complicated—they won't contribute any positive value to the education of the new city, only harm."

"After I leave, you all investigate. Gather the dossiers on those teachers at Xuehai. Figure out who's pure despite the mire, and who's all the same pitch-black crow. Pick them out."

"The good ones, merge into Shushan Academy. The bad ones, choose one of three based on the actual situation: punish, put on trial, or execute."

Shushan Academy had helped him. Lu Ding remembered the kindness.

Xuehai had caused trouble. So they would be crushed by the greater tide.

Scholars should just study properly.

If they liked meddling in worldly affairs and stirring up trouble, then they could die.

Call Lu Ding a dictator, call him tyrannical—he didn't care.

The new city couldn't accommodate forces that had grown crooked from the root.

Fu Xinghe said in a low voice, "Understood, Brother Lu."

They continued drinking. They continued laughing and chatting.

Until the next day.

Lu Ding said goodbye to everyone. He left, setting off for Ji Continent.

The originally cheerful atmosphere instantly turned heavy the moment Lu Ding was gone.

He was the center of everyone in the western region. He was also the uncrowned king who crushed the new city under his rule.

Once he left.

The western region had no leader—everyone would have to stand out on their own.

A new challenge was about to begin.

The one who had been a tier-smashing, overwhelming presence—once he was gone—what followed would be a needlepoint-to-spearhead clash among all the prodigies under Lu Ding.

But compared to others.

Lu Ding had laid an excellent foundation for Xiao Bai and the rest.

As for himself, he had never truly belonged to any one place. His growth was too fast. Everywhere he passed was like a hurricane sweeping through—only the lingering echo of his name could tell the story of how powerful he had been when he stood there.

Yan Feifan turned. He caught the hint of sadness in Xiao Bai's emotions.

He asked, "What's wrong?"

Bai Hemen said in a low voice, "He's gone again."

Beside him, Huangfu Lingyun—no one had even asked him—chipped in on his own: "We've worked so hard already!"

"So why can we still not keep up with his pace?"

For once, Bai Hemen didn't shoot him a glare with his eyes.

The truth was, Huangfu Lingyun's words hit right where it hurt.

Why can we still not keep up with his pace?

They chased from Yunhai to the training ground. From the training ground to the National Campaign. From the Third Circle to the Second Circle. And now Lu Ding was setting off again.

He was always on the road.

Always up ahead.

Bai Hemen didn't resent Lu Ding for walking too fast. He only resented himself for chasing too slowly.

Time after time, he failed to catch up. Failed to stand shoulder to shoulder with him in battle.

Not enough!

Still not enough!!!!

Bai Hemen turned without a word.

Huangfu Lingyun hurriedly called out, "Hey, Bai Hemen, where are you going? Bai Hemen?! Bai Hemen!!! Are you deaf?!!!"

He quickened his pace and chased after him.

Then, because he had cursed "Are you deaf?", he got kicked by Xiao Bai straight into a trash can, stuck headfirst.

Yan Feifan was still standing there.

"Brother Lu, walk a little slower... I'm afraid I can't catch up anymore..."

People aren't without emotions and desires.

It's just that Lu Ding knew exactly what he wanted most.

Bai Hemen and Yan Feifan—they weren't without emotions and desires either.

It's just that the obsession to catch up to Lu Ding had already surpassed everything else. When you're young, you shouldn't meet someone too dazzling—otherwise, they become a yardstick, and measuring anyone else never feels right.

That saying doesn't only apply to romantic love.

It also applies to the influence Lu Ding had on Bai Hemen, Yan Feifan, Huangfu Lingyun, and the others.

They had all been watched over, led, and raised up by Lu Ding along the way.

Yan Feifan's cowardice. Bai Hemen's extremism. Huangfu Lingyun's self-deception. And everyone else's flaws.

All of it had been corrected and grown out of, step by step, thanks to Lu Ding.

Yet they watched him walk farther and farther away.

Like Lord Cao watching Gongtai fade into the distance—a feeling of utter powerlessness.

A white moonlight isn't just between opposite sexes.

Yan Feifan missed the story of when Lu Ding's name first rose, choosing him from the crowd.

Bai Hemen missed the story of when they went far to the northwest together, fighting side by side.

Huangfu Lingyun was a bit more of a bastard—he missed sparring with Lu Ding, hiding deep in his heart the gratitude that Lu Ding's brutal beatdowns had actually been him holding back.

The others all had their own stories with Lu Ding too.

.....

On the Lü Mountain Flying Vessel.

Lu Ding gazed into the distant, unfamiliar horizon.

Then he looked back at the familiar new city.

This time, who knew when he'd be back?

It definitely wouldn't be too long, but then again, it hadn't been long since his Golden Finger had fully activated.

His whole life seemed to be spent walking on lonely roads. Damn it.

Lu Xiu—he really deserved to die!!!

If it weren't for him, he could've returned to the Great Han much earlier. Now he had to waste time going to Ji Continent.

Your mother...

All the curses were just about to rise in his heart.

But Lu Ding choked them off mid-thought.

Same father, same mother—what the hell!

Although he didn't care if others cursed his parents, cursing them himself felt weird.

Lu Ding found a topic to chat about, just to ease the boredom.

"Senior Gongyang, now that you're going back to Ji Continent, how are you feeling?"

Gongyang Qingrou held Wang Qingge's hand as she stood beside Lu Ding, feeling the wind blowing against their faces with him.

She sighed.

"I don't know."

That's what Gongyang Qingrou said.

Her emotions were complicated right now.

Lu Ding saw through her thoughts: "If you don't mind, you can tell me. I can help you think of something."

Sometimes, the little details are what provide a sense of security.

Lu Ding's mastery of language was always the source of security for those around him.

He wasn't the type to just say, "What now? What's wrong? Are you okay? Don't be sad. Don't be upset..." when something happened.

Gongyang Qingrou swept her wavy hair back and tucked it behind her ear.

"I don't know how to face him anymore."

"Lu Xiu wants to kill you. You want to kill Lu Xiu. You're both his sons. And I'm stuck in the middle—I exposed everything, leading to brothers turning against each other, siblings at each other's throats, with one destined to die."

"If it weren't for me..."

Lu Ding looked at her. "Don't you have your own difficulties too?"

Gongyang Qingrou's body stiffened sharply. Her heart trembled as she slowly turned her gaze toward Lu Ding.

Lu Ding continued, "He threatened you. Dangled things you desperately wanted in front of you to lure you. Made you take risks."

"Since he went that far, why shouldn't you weigh the pros and cons?"

"Killing me—you couldn't do it. And even if you could, you wouldn't get what he promised. Not to mention whether he'd actually follow through—I won't judge his character, since I don't know him—but just the Lü Mountain hurdle alone would've been impossible for you to overcome."