Nightfall

Divine Talisman Master Yan Se’s mood was very bad now.

He stared at Professor Huang He in the front and coldly said, “Anyway, your Academy can’t have Ning Que.”

Professor Huang He slightly furrowed his brows and said with mockery, “If uncle can have that kid, why can’t our Academy?”

Yan Se loudly shouted, “That lad is naturally suitable for practicing with Divine Talismans. Who else in the world is qualified as his teacher except me?”

Professor Huang He contemptuously smiled and said, “Only the Divine Talisman Master is qualified to be his teacher? Well, although our Academy can’t pick out other powerful figures, we can still find two or three Divine Talisman Masters.”

The tone of those words was like saying that he could always pull out two or three green radishes from his garden. A Divine Talisman Master was indeed rare and honorable. However, the Academy was not an ordinary place after all. Even he himself was a Divine Talisman Master. In addition to the West-Hill Divine Kingdom, who could compete with the powerful Academy?

Yan Se suddenly paused and then stubbornly said, “Anyway, I saw him first. I’ll never give him to you.”

Huang He sighed and said, “Uncle, you’re a venerable man. Stop making a scene, okay?”

“Bah!” Yan Se angrily spouted, then said, “Look at me, your uncle. I’ve spent every day soaking in the brothel and hugging girls. My every pore is acting like a wretched rogue. So why do you think I’m venerable?”

“Even if uncle gives up his self-esteem to act shamelessly today, it won’t be of any use.”

Professor Huang He looked at him and earnestly said, “It may work in front of His Majesty, the Nation Master, or even with the hierarch and the Great Divine Priest of the West-Hill Divine Palace. But our Academy won’t buy it.”

The conversation in the study room might seemed ridiculous. However, no matter how they acted like rogues, the dispute between the two Divine Talisman Masters was bound to be excessively tense because of their identities. Therefore, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became dense.

At this moment, Prince Li Peiyan suddenly smiled and said, “In fact, why argue about this matter? In my opinion, the Ning Que’s cultivation has only reached the No Doubts State, far less than Prince Long Qing. Why not let Prince Long Qing enter the Second floor and let Master Yan Se have Ning Que? As a result, both the Tang Empire and the West-Hill Divine Palace would be satisfied, as well as Master Yan Se. Besides, Ning Que would still retain the identity as an Academy student. Therefore, the Academy will have two very promising students at the same time. Doesn’t it sound like the perfect ending?”

Professor Huang He listened to him and was slightly moved. It sounded reasonable, but it was not so persuasive.

Li Peiyan looked at him and mildly said, “If the Academy is limited by the system and inconvenienced by this decision, you can let Ning Que quit on his own. As long as he himself gives up the qualification of entering the Second floor, who in the world would dare gossip about the Academy?”

Professor Huang He frowned and said, “Why would Ning Que give up?”

Instead of immediately answering his question, Li Peiyan turned to Master Yan Se and asked with a smile, “Master, I want to know if Ning Que becomes your disciple and enters the South School of Haotian Taoism for cultivation, how will you and the Nation Master treat him?”

“We’ll regard him as a son or nephew and teach him all we know.” Yan Se resolutely replied.

Li Peiyan looked at Professor Huang He and smiled with hands unfolded. He said, “We all know that the Nation Master doesn’t have any outstanding disciples, neither does Master Yan Se. If Ning Que enters the South School of Haotian Taoism and diligently continues his own practice, with the two masters’ careful training he might eventually be the Master of Tang Empire. With such a bright future, why would he refuse it?”

Professor Huang He finally understood where the previous question in his heart came from. He slightly closed his hands inside the sleeves and stared at the eyes of the Prince, secretly thinking how ruthless His Highness’ trick really was. If Ning Que was really tempted by the prospect of being Nation Master of Tang in the future and decided to withdraw from the Second floor of the Academy, then they would loose their leverage to keep this lad from the South School of Haotian Taoism.

Previously it was Yan Se who had made concessions and pretended to retreat while moving ahead. However, the situation had changed this time. It was time for the Academy to make concessions and think about a common ground. Professor Huang He undoubtedly said, “No matter how Ning Que thinks about it, I have to ask for all the Academy instructors’ advice on this matter. Otherwise, isn’t it too absurd?”

…

…

In the early morning, still at dawn, Ning Que rubbed his eyes and woke up.

Glancing at the shimmer outside the window, he silently calculated in his heart and knew that he had not been unconscious for too long. He got up and went to the table. Then he lifted the pot of herbal tea and almost drank it all to refresh himself. He looked around and found that this should be the Academy’s dormitory.

He walked to the door and reached out his hands to slowly push the wooden door open. The delicate dawn light weaved in through the narrow doorway and shone into his eyes, making him squint. Suddenly he further roused up and watched that light, standing still in front of the door like a fool.

What returned to his mind was the long mountain trail, the arduous climb from midday to late at night, the reliving those life memories of joys and sorrows, the dark Wilderness and the strange dreams.

“I… reached the top.”

“I… entered the Second floor.”

Ning Que stared at the morning light from the door crack and realized what he had gone through. He could not help going blank for a moment, his face showing a confused smile. It seemed that even the smile could not believe everything that had occurred.

When he remembered the last step on the boulder last night and the painful choice on the Wilderness, he could not help shake his head with a smile. He thought about person responsible for the illusions, forcing a secular guy such as him to make metaphysical choices, which was like asking the butcher to think philosophically. Even if he could make the correct argument, he would never know the reasoning process.

He looked up laughing and went out, refusing to be a conservative man. Ning Que smiled and pushed the wooden door open. He walked into the beautiful morning light and then found several officials standing outside. In fact, he would have a very difficult choice to make.

“You are not yet a student on the Second floor of the Academy, so you still have a chance to quit and choose another path. It’s completely different, but absolutely of equal brilliance, setting your destiny to rock the world.”

Prince Li Peiyan sat in the chair and then took a slow sip from the hot tea next to him, which slightly diminished the tiredness caused by the lack of sleep. He watched the silent Academy student in front and continued to say, “I think you should choose the second path, for it involves the harmonious diplomatic relation between the imperial court and West-Hill. Although the Tang Empire never feared any enemies, nor surrendered to any external pressure, to have Prince Long Qing enter the Second floor was an agreement drawn by His Majesty personally and the Divine Hall.”

“As long as you take the initiative to withdraw from the competition for the Second floor, it would solve the predicament many people face, mitigate the pressures on the Tang Empire, and make you benefit from all aspects.” Li Peiyan noticed that Ning Que kept his head down and remained silent. He became slightly unhappy and then said, “As one of the Tangs, you should think for the Tang Empire. Of course, if I use this reason to make you exit the Second floor of the Academy, not to mention you, even I myself would feel it too absurd.”

“So I’ll give you another good reason.”

Li Peiyan slowly leaned his body forward and stared at Ning Que’s head. He said, “Master Yan Se is a prestigious Divine Talisman Master who did not hesitate to act a fool so as to take you back to be his disciple. You can imagine how he’ll value and nurture you in the future. Decades of years later, you’ll become a Divine Talisman Master with high status and the hope of South School of Haotian Taoism. Master of Nation Li Qingshan has only two disciples who are good for nothing. And he respects his Senior Brother very much, and knows the meaning of a Divine Talisman Master for a denomination than anyone else.”

Ning Que was still silent, but had emotional waves rippling in his heart. He just entered the Second floor and then got the favor of the Divine Talisman Master. Just for a night, he had changed from an ordinary student, a nobody selling calligraphy in the small alley of Eastern City, to a person that both the Academy and the South School of Haotian Taoism fought to rope in. He was even seen as the hope for development – the hope seemed so big and incomprehensible, which even caused a headache. Wasn’t it one of Prince Long Qing’s private vocabulary?

“I know you have a good relationship with the Princess.” Li Peiyan mildly said, “Here I can give you a promise. As long as you’re willing to think for the imperial court, it won’t treat you unfairly. I will personally owe you a favor. When you later enter into the Knowing Destiny State and become a Divine Talisman Master, of course, you’ll be the next Nation Master of the Tang Empire.”

Li Peiyan continued to say, “The Second floor of the Academy surely has a very wonderful environment. But if you look back in its records, how many of its students could go down in history? But if you become the next Nation Master, your name would be remembered by countless people for a thousand years.”

The Nation Master of the Tang Empire in the future?

Although Ning Que looked calm as usual, he had long been agitated by the words.

He seemed to see a brilliant road developing at his own feet. It was really an incomparably hard choice, whether giving up his hard earned place on the Second floor to follow the Divine Talisman Master and contend for the Nation Master of Tang in the future, or, entering the Second floor to follow the Headmaster of the Academy to learn exquisite cultivation methods. He even felt that the choice on the cliff-edge and the Wilderness was much easier than this one.

Ning Que looked at the Prince’s face, knowing that as long as he nodded, he would have an infinitely bright future. He believed these words. As long as he had the chance to follow the Divine Talisman Master to study, he might really become the Nation Master in the future. If it wasn’t this man who asked him to make a choice, maybe he would have already been tempted.

Li Peiyan saw the emotional reaction in Ning Que’s eyes, vaguely guessing how this lad would choose. He suddenly became serious, firmly holding the handle with his right hand, and then stared at his eyes to say, “This is a chance Haotian makes the imperial court grant to you. If you miss it, you would be about to embrace damnation.”

It was doubtlessly a pure threat. In the face of this threat, even if Ning Que really became a student on the Second floor of the Academy, he also had to think it carefully. Because he lived in this world, and he was bound to accept the rules of this world.

Ning Que respectfully bowed with hands folded in front and said, “Your Highness, after all, I was an Academy student and have been studying in the Academy for one year. So I have deep feelings for it. I’m willing to think for the imperial court, but I must also consider the Academy’s interests.”

…

…

Some people put the pressure of the choice on Ning Que’s shoulders without hesitation in order to avoid irritating the Academy. However, for Ning Que who seemed to be honest but slippery, how could he take the initiative to bear the responsibility? With a few sentences, he directly threw back the pressure of the choice.

Ning Que was not worried whether the Academy would give him up and let Prince Long Qing enter into the Second floor. He and Lee Yu had the same understanding in this matter; since the Headmaster of the Academy hadn’t returned, no one in the Academy dared to make the decision. In fact, there was an idea deep in his heart that if the Academy could not even withstand the pressure of the imperial court and eventually gave him so that he fully enrolled in the South School of Haotian Taoism, he did not need to stay in such an Academy. Why not be the Nation Master of Tang instead?

What he and Lee Yu thought was not wrong. But there were always some deviations between reality and thought, for they did not realize that the instructors of the Academy quite adored Prince Long Qing and the instructors were not all from Tang.

In the early morning, the Academy instructors sitting in the room were fiercely arguing. It was true that they were unable to reach the quickest conclusion, with the Headmaster absent. However, it was precisely for the same reason that they had the courage to express their own opinions.

Vice professor of Etiquette Cao Zhifeng angrily said, “Many people think our Academy cheated in this exam. I don’t know whether this is true or not. I only know that Prince Long Qing came out of the fog very early, so why did he stay outside the fog for so long? Why in the end did he make the last step with Ning Que? What happened during the process?

Professor Cao was a senior professor of the Academy. What he said naturally made some sense. Although everyone in the room knew that the professor from Yan Kingdom expressed his doubts due to his unwillingness to accept the failure of Prince Long Qing, no one could explain this question he raised. And even some instructors secretly wondered whether those people in the Back Mountain cheated in the exam.

An old woman in a blue coat, holding a bamboo broom in her hand, regarded the debating people as idiots and said, “What a boring discussion. First come first served. Why do you make it so complicated? Cao Zhifeng, you have gone to Chang’an City to see your Prince every day and sorrowfully cry on your way back to the Academy. You think he is the hope for developing your Yan Kingdom, but it has nothing to do with the Academy. I can’t listen to you anymore. I’m leaving.”

The honored female professor of Mathematics in the Academy went away. And so did several professors who dedicated to academic services and were unwilling to be troubled by trivial matters. Therefore, the debate in the room was getting fiercer. Many instructors thought that the imperial court’s proposal really could make everyone satisfied. In that case, why not choose this? Was it necessary for Ning Que to offend all forces?

When Vice Professor Cao Zhifeng got angry and passionate again, the door was suddenly pushed open with a squeak. All the instructors looked back in surprise, only to see a tender face stretching in after a short moment and a pair of black moving eyes.

The little boy came in; fresh, lovely with a bit of bashfulness. He looked at the instructors and asked softly in a mosquito-like voice, “My young master has something to ask you. So I carry the message for him.”

The instructors in the room knew the identity of this little boy, so they asked gently, “What’s your master’s question?”

“My young master got up early this morning and found that there were still many unrelated people staying at the Academy. He was really angered by.” The little boy opened his eyes wide and looked at the crowd in the room to say, “He would like to ask you why the notice has not been posted after a night. What are those unrelated people doing here? Do you want him to treat them?”

Listening to these words, the instructors looked at each other and did not know how to answer. They all knew that Second Brother from the Second floor of the Academy was a bit slow-witted in reality. But they never thought that he would call the Prince and Master Yan Se as unrelated people.

Professor Cao Zhifeng glanced at the little boy and said, “We haven’t decided the person entering the Second floor, so naturally we haven’t yet posted the notice.”

He thought that such an answer would make the other party unhappy. So he had already made his preparation to explain it in detail. However, he did not realize that the young boy was so shy that he lowered his head as he went out, just after hearing the answer.

…

…

The instructors’ debate in the room was resumed. But after a short time, the door squeaked again.

There was sweat on the little boy’s pink face. He obviously ran there and back very anxiously. The boy looked at the instructors and said, “My master asked, what do you mean by saying ‘we haven’t decided the person entering the Second floor’?”

Professor Cao Zhifeng unhappily said, “We mean what we mean, we haven’t decided the person. Ning Que actually was able to defeat Prince Long Qing and first reached the top. A lot of people have doubts about that and suspected about someone cheating in the Back Mountain. If people are doubtful, how can we decide it?”

The little boy confusedly looked at Cao Zhifeng and woke up after a long time. He said okay and turned away to leave, not making entirely clear whether he actually understood the words of Vice Professor Cao Zhifeng.

It was quiet in the room and the instructors did not argue again. Because they strongly felt that it would not be long before the Second Brother’s little helper came back and continue asking stupid questions.

…

…

Just then, the door was pushed open with a squeak.

The little boy widened his eyes and looked at Vice Professor Cao Zhifeng, asking, “Young master asked, who’s doubtful?”

Professor Cao Zhifeng was stunned for a moment, looking at the little boy’s confused yet fresh and lovely face. It was impossible for Cao Zhifeng to tell lies or speak about those people outside the Academy. So the professor moved his sleeves and frowned saying, “I’m doubtful.”

“Oh,” the little boy was about to turn away to leave. Suddenly, he thought of the latter half of what the young master said to him in the mountain and quickly turned around, embarrassedly scratching his head. He asked, “May I have your name?”

“I’m Cao Zhifeng.” Vice Professor Cao Zhifeng unhappily said, “Why ask this?”

The little boy took it for granted and said, “Because my young master wondered about who was doubtful.”

After finishing this sentence, the little boy turned around and ran to the Back Mountain again.

…

…

Just then, the door was again pushed open with a squeak.

The breathless little boy placed a hand on the door frame for support and looked at Cao Zhifeng. He said, “Young… young master said…”

Cao Zhifeng could not help laughing and shook his head to say, “What did your young master say again?”

The little boy swallowed saliva and looked at the professor. He seriously said, “My young master said ‘The Academy enrolls talents from all over the world, regardless of the nationality. Cao Zhifeng, you’re one of the Yans, so I don’t blame you for supporting Long Qing. But you should remember that you are a professor of the Etiquette course. How is it you have the first class for the Academy students? What’s the Etiquette of the Academy?'”

The little boy repeated the words fast and smoothly, raising eyebrows on his little pink face from time to time to show the indifference and displeasure. He was obviously doing it in imitation of Second Brother, producing a very funny and cute scene, making the instructors in the room laugh a lot. Cao Zhifeng did not laugh but instantly concealed a smile, and suppressed his anger to ask, “What does Second Brother mean?”

“Cao Zhifeng, you’ve talked about it in the study room. The Academy’s Etiquette is the rule. The rule is set by the person who has the strength.”

The little boy looked at him and earnestly said, “The Headmaster of the Academy and our eldest Brother traveled to another country. In the Academy, I am currently the only one who has the strength to set the rule. Therefore, whether you’re doubtful or not, you must listen to me and immediately post the notice.”

Vice Professor Cao Zhifeng blanked out for a while and angrily waved his Academy’s gown to protest. “What an overbearing behavior. How would we convince the public?”

The little boy did not know that this was the true sentiment, even though it was a formal question. When he was ready to leave, he suddenly raised his small hand and said with joy while applauding, “Young master is really clever. He had guessed what you would say, so let me answer you. ”

Vice Professor Cao Zhifeng looked very embarrassed.

The little boy looked at him and pretended to seriously say, “I don’t need to convince them. I just need them to obey.”

Some instructors could not bear to look at Professor Cao’s embarrassed look at this time and then added, “Even if this matter has nothing to do with His Majesty, Master Yan Se and West-Hill, we have to respect Ning Que’s own choice.”

…

…

Once again the wooden door was pushed open. The little boy, whose clothes had gotten all wet by the sweat, lifted his sleeves to wipe his forehead, taking a long time to calm down. He looked up at the people in the room and retold the conclusion of Second Brother for the last time.

“Respect Ning Que’s own choice? Why should I respect him? As for the Master of our Tang Empire… ”

Here, the little boy deliberately made a long pause and lifted up his slightly sharp jaw to show a supercilious look against the roof. Then he clumsily uttered a groan from his little nose. All in all, he had cutely copied the look of that proud man on the mountain.

“Is he amazing?”

…

…

Above the cliff on the Academy’s Back Mountain, there was a pine tree showing its welcome with stretched branches and white clouds flowing around. The whole picture looked like an earthly paradise.

Two people stood beside the cliff.

One of them wore a very dirty and tattered robe.

The other person wore a very weird old hat.

The Academy’s Second Brother turned around and looked blankly at the Minister of Offerings Yan Se in Haotian South School. Second Brother said, “You actually dare to ask the Academy for my instructor’s student. Not to mention you, even the Haotian hierarch of West-Hill doesn’t have the qualification.”

Yan Se showed a weird smile and looked at him to say, “Second Brother continues to be the world’s proudest, with such a harsh tone. But I’m older than you. I won’t fight with you, lest someone say I bully you. But I really want to take away this Ning Que kid. Even if the Headmaster of the Academy were here, I would still insist on it. If you want me to remain without a successor, I have to be ruthless.”

Second Brother looked at him and slightly laughed. He said, “No more excuses. If you’re not confused, you should remember my position is higher than yours based on the Headmaster’s or Pipi’s. If you want to grab my student, you must fight with me.”

“If I say no fights, then there won’t be a fight.”

Yan Se looked at the hat above his head and mockingly said, “The Academy’s Back Mountain is your domain. I’m not so stupid to fight with you. Anyway, if I don’t start, you have no reason to fight with me. As for the matter about Ning Que, after all, it all depends on his attitude. In the future, me and my brother can promise him to be the Nation Master of Tang, which is better than staying inside the mountain every day and being bullied by those Senior Brothers.”

Second Brother showed a supercilious look towards the sky and then laughed. “Master of the Tang Empire… is amazing? You’re still bullied every day by the imperial family and those old men in West-Hill. The Nation Master of Tang is not a master at all, just purely a wife who doesn’t dare to cry when being wronged.”