Nightfall

Ning Que looked at the young Talisman Master in front and said after a long time, “I also like it.”

Upon listening to consecutive confessions, especially his bad master’s, the Big Black Horse opened its mouth to expose its white teeth and felt extremely happy.

Mo Shanshan glanced at the Big Black Horse and asked, “Why did you come back?”

Ning Que glanced at the Tang camp and said, “I went there to deal with something. But I’m used to staying here.”

The words “used to” sounded rather pleasant. Mo Shanshan’s expression relaxed. She gently tucked her hair behind her ears and looked at him, saying, “I’ll go north with the Divine Hall the day after tomorrow. What are your plans?”

Ning Que did not listen to the second half of the meeting carefully. At that time, the Revelation Department Priest had recounted a letter from the hierarch Lord. In the letter, the hierarch Lord demanded that the powerhouses of the younger generation should take advantage of the winter season and sneak into the northern wilderness tribes to gauge the strength of the other, search for Devil’s Doctrine survivors, and even carry out some cleansing if necessary.

Of course, these were nominal claims. In fact, Divine Hall also wanted to test and trial all the sectarian disciples through this visit. Although the Divine Hall had not fought with Desolate Man tribes for more than a thousand years, it was clear that they were still strong. Otherwise, the Left-Tent palace’s elite cavalry would not be so miserable. In order to avoid vain sacrifices, the demands were stringent on the group of young cultivators marching north again. They had to be masters above Seethrough.

As a leader in the younger generation, Mo Shanshan was naturally in the group.

“You want to go north?”

Ning Que frowned slightly and looked at the beautiful face of this young girl in front. He thought of the conflict between Black Ink Garden and Divine Hall these days and could not help feeling worried. So he asked, “Who else is going?”

Mo Shanshan’s answer was concise as usual, or completely confusing.

“The same people.”

Ning Que smiled bitterly and became speechless. He knew that everyone thought that he was clear of the strength division of the world’s sectarian cultivators as a disciple of the Second floor of the Academy. The problem was that he really did not know who exactly those people were.

Mo Shanshan saw his expression and thought that he was thinking of something else. She said, “Prince Long Qing has not appeared yet. I think he should be in the north now.”

Ning Que shook his head and said, “Don’t believe those rumors. I have no thoughts of contending with that Prince on everything every time. The so-called enemy of life is too arrogant and not suitable for me.”

Then he remembered the powerful girl Chen Pipi had once mentioned and became curious. He looked at Mo Shanshan and asked, “I have seen two of the three Addicts in the world. What kind of person is the Tao Addict? Will she appear when you all head to the northern Wilderness?”

“I haven’t seen Tao Addict. I don’t know if she has come to the Wilderness. As for Prince Long Qing, you’re really not his opponent now. So I don’t think you would want to challenge him.”

Mo Shanshan said, “In addition, you don’t like others comparing you to Prince Long Qing. I don’t like to be called as one of three Addicts in the world. But I can clearly tell you that Tao Addict, Ye Hongyu, is addicted to Taoism cultivation and is stronger than Long Qing. And Long Qing is stronger than me. So she’s the strongest one of us three.”

Ning Que looked at her slightly glittering eyelashes and said, “Before we become Divine Talisman Masters, Talisman cultivators like us are always at a disadvantage when fighting with the people in the same state. So you don’t have to care about it.”

Mo Shanshan looked at him puzzledly and asked, “What don’t we have to care about?”

Ning Que was startled and said, “Don’t care about Tao Addict being better than you.”

Mo Shanshan shook her head and said, “There is always someone stronger than you in the world. Why should I care about this?”

Twilight had long arrived and it was dark everywhere. The cold wind of the Wilderness blew on the girl’s face, fluttering her long and thin eyelashes gently. She looked calm and tranquil and there was no trace of reluctance.

Ning Que looked at her for a long time and lamented about the girl’s state of mind. It was just that he had been floating in the stinking world for so many years that every pore of his was full of a stench of bronze and a thirst for success. So he could not understand this kind of calm attitude. Just like a porter on a dock who could not understand why some stubborn learned men would rather starve than to write flattering articles, he did not know how to express his appreciation even if he could understand her a little.

“I’ll go there too.”

He raised his arm and pointed at the vast Wilderness in the faraway north.

Mo Shanshan frowned and asked, “Why? The Divine Hall’s edict can’t force you to do so.”

Ning Que looked at the end of the Wilderness and said after a short moment of silence, “I’m going to find something or to prevent others from finding that thing. I didn’t need to do it, and just yesterday, I was still considering if I should just leave. But today I find that this thing is still worth doing.”

Mo Shanshan’s facial expression gradually disappeared and became stiff. She asked, “Why?”

Ning Que looked at her and said with a smile, “Because it is no longer a matter of the imperial court or the Academy. It’s also my private affair.”

Mo Shanshan quietly looked back at him, his side profile under the last twilight and that little dimple. She suddenly opened her mouth and said, “Those who made a special trip to kill you should know your identity of the Academy disciple.”

Ning Que nodded.

Mo Shanshan looked down slightly and said, “But they dared to kill you. Similarly, in the face of so many people in the tent, no matter how you provoked and mocked Quni Madi, and even showed disrespect for Divine Hall, no one dared to offend you. But if you enter the depths of the Wilderness, those desolate places, anyone can kill you. As long as one buries your body in the snow, no one would know who the murderer was.”

Ning Que shook his head and said, “They can’t kill me so easily.”

Mo Shanshan looked up at him and said, “Although you’re the core disciple of Headmaster of Academy, your strength is too weak and your state is too low. The Desolate Man is powerful. Those who are going to Desolate Man tribes for an inquiry are in Seethrough at least. In other words, any person can beat you. So how difficult could it be to kill you?”

When she said these words, her gaze was casual as usual and her facial expression was calm and dull as usual, not deliberately showing any mockery or ridicule. But because of this, it showed that she was very serious and honest when saying these words.

The more honest one was, the more hurtful his words were.

So Ning Que felt that she had hurt his feelings and self-esteem.

The fiery heart in his slightly stiff body was riddled with blood and sweat because of this Calligraphy Addict girl’s words, as if she had gotten a stronger means than Divine Talisman and her each word could cut him one time.

In his opinion, when the food team was attacked, he would have walked away lightly with his horse if Calligraphy Addict had not stuck with those Yan Kingdom soldiers. Even that northeast Border Army Psyche Master could not stop him from doing so. However, he never expected that he was so vulnerable in the eyes of Calligraphy Addict.

“Can everyone beat me as if they were beating a dog?”

Ning Que stared at Mo Shanshan’s beautiful small round face with his eyes wide open and forcibly suppressed the shame and anger in his heart. He said annoyedly, “Do you want to try? I still haven’t shown my many abilities. If you really force me, beware that you may not beat me into a dog and this dog will bite you first.”

Upon listening to those extremely indecent words, Mo Shanshan felt angry and ashamed, her cheeks flushed slightly.

Ning Que stared at the blush creeping up her face and instantly forgot his previous anger. He asked curiously, “You said that Black Ink Garden disciples didn’t like using rouge. When did you begin to use it?”

Mo Shanshan was increasingly shamefaced. But this time she was ashamed as well as angry.

She did not want to pay attention to this guy, so she flicked her sleeves and turned around walking towards the tent.

Ning Que looked at this girl’s back and was startled. He speeded up and chased over, shouting. “Don’t rush off. I haven’t said everything clearly. You have to listen to me.”

Mo Shanshan stopped and did not look back. She said indifferently, “What?”

Ning Que turned around and stood in front of her, very solemnly bowing to her.

Mo Shanshan was slightly startled.

Ning Que flushed and said, “I’d like to discuss a matter with you, Hill Master.”

Mo Shanshan looked at his smiling face and thought of that face reflected by Ink Lake water surface in summer. She could not link these two at all. So she felt more and more depressed, whispering. “What?”

“I knew, even as a child, what danger was.”

Ning Que’s smile disappeared and he said very solemnly, “The Divine Hall didn’t require all factional powerhouses in Seethrough to enter Desolate Man tribes. Since it is to check the place out, of course, furtiveness is key. So you can go alone. If that is so, can’t we go together?”

They have been together and even in the same carriage in that long journey. Was it not enough? What did he want to do? Mo Shanshan opened her eyes, watching him in close proximity, and suddenly did not know where to put her hands. She asked in a very low, tremoring voice, “Why?”

“If we go to the Desolate Man tribes together, we can cooperate with each other to increase the chance of surviving even if we really encounter those legendary Devil’s Doctrine Elders. The most important thing is that we can perfectly neutralize the danger should the Divine Hall men or Yuelun Kingdom monks secretly attack us.”

Ning Que felt that his idea was more and more reasonable and waved his arm excitedly, saying, “If we meet Tao Addict, Ye Hongyu, or a person even more powerful than Tao Addict, we certainly can’t beat her. Then you hang on to the Tao Addict and I ride the Big Black Horse to escape. As long as I can escape, I can be a witness. Would the Tao Addict dare kill you?”

Suddenly, he noticed Mo Shanshan’s face becoming kind of pale. Her usual scattered dull eyes became extremely sharp and faintly angry flames were jumping in her eyes.

Ning Que thought she might misunderstand him, so he hurriedly explained. “Vice versa. I can drag this strong enemy, and you escape. Then the other would still not dare to kill me, the core disciple of Headmaster of Academy. So it’s just a small game where we each become witnesses. I don’t want to make you a scapegoat.”

Hope and disappointment ensued. And in particular, this heart-wrenching expectation would make every young girl feel ashamed and annoyed.

Although Mo Shanshan was not an ordinary girl, she was a young girl after all.

Just as Ning Que was not normally shameless, he was shameless after all.

Mo Shanshan stared at his eyes. The burning flames in her eyes gradually tapered down and turned into indifferent coldness until they were about to exhaust the virtuous and quiet temperature of the legendary Calligraphy Addict. She said slowly, “In the face of strong enemies, you just want to flee… Don’t you think you look too weak and shameless?”

Her calm and indifferent words revealed an apparent sense of contempt and disdain. Although Ning Que was used to this young Talisman Master indifference and quietness along the journey, it was totally different from contempt. He was somewhat annoyed and said, “I’m going to be beaten into a dead dog. Why not escape?”

Mo Shanshan looked at his self-satisfied face and thought he was actually shameless to express dissatisfaction. Her hands in her sleeves slightly trembled, as if they might be clenched into a fist and hit out at any time.

She stared at him for a long time, just like studying a piece of inkstone. She seemed to see clearly whether this was a precious yellowstone, or a cheap and worthless yellow mud inkstone.

A long time went by.

The girl looked at him and asked disappointedly, “Headmaster of Academy… how could he accept you as a student?”

Ning Que stretched both hands before him and honestly replied. “Because he himself didn’t know he had a student like me. Sometimes I also think whether he would regret after knowing I’m such a person.”

Mo Shanshan looked at his sincere look and did not know what to say. This time she understood that her original view was correct and judging a person by his calligraphy was a very stupid thing.

Reality and imagination were two different things. She has been psychologically prepared for this. As she got to know him better, she just did not understand how a person writing those sections could be so shameless. Why was the man in real life so different from the man on the Ink Lake surface?

“Come here.”

Mo Shanshan suddenly spoke up and went to the side of a table, spreading a reel

of bud paper made in Xuanzhou.

Ning Que did not understand why, but walked over and sat down. He looked at the thickness of the slightly yellowish paper and those soft floccules on them. Then he loudly praised. “Good paper. I have only seen such good paper in His Majesty’s imperial study.”

Mo Shanshan ignored his praise and poured water into an ink stone expressionlessly. She lifted up an ink stick lightly and ground it for a short moment. Then she pointed at those curtain-like brushes on a pen holder and said, “Pick one.”

Ning Que vaguely guessed what she wanted him to do and could not help but feel a little nervous. After a short moment of silence, he very carefully picked a purple brush he usually used and then began to adjust his breath.

Sure enough, Mo Shanshan said without any facial expression, “Write.”

She did not mention any reason for the request, but just a single word, concise and straightforward.

Ning Que asked honestly, “What should I write?”

After a short moment of silence, Mo Shanshan said, “Write a memo.”

Ning Que shook his head and said, “I don’t need to leave a message to anyone right now. Why should I write a memo?”

As soon as he finished his words, he adjusted his breathing and calmed down slightly. He slightly stilled his wrist and the sharp brush tip fully dipped in ink fell on the bud paper made in Xuanzhou.

He was now a famous Calligraphy writer in Chang’an City. However, the girl he faced was a world-famous Calligraphy Addict. Of course, he did not dare to slight it. Contrarily, he wanted to show his respect by performing at his highest level.

Within a short moment, he raised his brush and moved back his wrist. Then a cursive Calligraphy was done.

His force was vigorous and his craft was changeable. The characters were round as well as significantly steep.

Ning Que put down his brush and looked at them for a short moment, very satisfied.

Then he looked at Mo Shanshan and felt somewhat worried, for he did not know if she was satisfied.

Mo Shanshan turned to the opposite side of the table and pushed him aside. She leaned into the ink paper and carefully read it for a long time, not showing any emotions on her face or eyes.

She looked at those flying cursive characters on the paper and silently thought it was indeed an expensive Huangzhou Clay inkstone.

Her own inkstone was a Huangzhou Clay inkstone.

Twilight had faded away and night came. Unnoticedly there were several lights ignited in the tent. A dim yellowish light shone on Ning Que’s side face and clearly reflected his quirky expression combined with uneasiness and confidence.

Mo Shanshan looked at his side profile and suddenly remembered that side profile by a carriage window on the journey. She recalled the young man with a dark and poisonous mind who taught people to kill. Then she gradually understood something.

Whether it was an expensive Huangzhou Clay inkstone or cheap yellow mud inkstone, it was a good inkstone as long as one could use it to write good characters.

At that time, he was the same man and the man she liked very much. Why else would she be in a hurry to say that there was already someone she liked when he told her that he kind of liked her?

Mo Shanshan understood her own mind and could not help feeling shy and lowered her head, revealing a silent smile. This smile was so unspeakably beautiful under the glow of a dim light.

When her eyes fell on the ink paper, the smile on her face became a bit reluctant. She thought these characters were indeed good, but unfortunately not the words she wanted. She did not want a wide scroll but just wanted a small memo.

“When will you write a memo for me?”

“I like your calligraphy.”

Mo Shanshan looked up at Ning Que and calmly said. There was no pause or unnaturalness in this sentence.

…

…

In a corner of a camp at night, the young female Talisman Master held the piece of paper and quietly looked at it. No one knew what she was thinking of.

Cat Girl looked over and furrowed her thin brow tips. Her bright eyes were full of dissatisfaction. She said indignantly, “There are so many ungrateful men in the world. I never expected that Senior Brother Ning was also such a person.”

Zhuo Zhihua startled slightly and thought she really should not tell these things to this little girl. Then Zhuo Zhihua said with a smile, “Since Mr.Thirteen doesn’t know about Hill Master’s affection for him, how could you call him ungrateful?”

Cat Girl put a milk piece into her mouth and chewed it hard, saying with a grunt, “Not knowing is worse.”

Zhuo Zhihua said with a smile, “It’s not your business. Hill Master isn’t a normal girl who doesn’t dare tell him.”

…

…

The cold wind was rustling and snow was drifting. There was still a long way to go, so they stopped to rest.

In the depths of the Wilderness, almost near to Desolate Man tribes, it was pure white between heaven and earth. Occasionally one could see a few trees in the snowfields and some footprints left by beasts.

Just before entering this piece of the snowfield, Ning Que received the last intelligence report sent by Imperial Center Administration and secret guards, confirming that the caravan from Tuyang City did not stay in the palace for too long and turned north at a mountain mouth in front and then disappeared.

He picked up a branch and sketched a map in the snow and his own route thereafter.

“I want to see your characters.”

Mo Shanshan picked off her snow-capped hat. She watched him and calmly said.

Ning Que said painfully, “I’ve written all journey. We’re about to see Desolate Man. Should I still write?”

Mo Shanshan pointed at the flat snow field in front and said, “Hurry up. I like to see your characters.”