Nightfall

Ning Que smiled happily.

Ye Hongyu felt that his smile was very detestable and asked him coldly, “Can you smile any happier?”

Ning Que said, “If you wish to see that.”

Ye Hongyu ignored him and continued, “I have already said that becoming a student of the Headmaster is something to be proud of. However, there would definitely be a fight between the West-Hill Divine Kingdom and the Tang empire within the next few decades. If I study under the Headmaster as a person from the Divine Hall, what shall I do when the battle begins?”

Ning Que had not expected such a reason and frowned. He said, “Long Qing had attempted to study in the Academy.”

“Unlike Long Qing, I am not trash. I know how important I am to the Divine Hall and I know what role I will play in that war.”

Ye Hongyu said expressionlessly, “I am also not like that idiot Chen Pipi. He did not think of the consequences of his actions before running away from the abbey and into the back of the mountain of the Academy.”

Ning Que said, “Even so, you can just watch from the sidelines.”

Ye Hongyu said, “I believe in Haotian and my life belongs to Haotian Taoism. How can I just watch from the sides when the war begins?”

Ning Que felt uncomfortable hearing the girl talk about battles. Was she a person who was mad about wars?

He could not help mocking her, “Why did you run from the Divine Hall if your life belongs to Haotian Taoism? You should have fought to your death if someone wanted to kill you.”

Ye Hongyu said, “The Divine Hall doesn’t represent Haotian Taoism. Those from the Divine Hall are not qualified to represent the will of Haotian, at least not all of them could. Furthermore, even though I have left, I will return one day.”

“Well said.”

Ning Que nodded slightly and looked into her eyes. He said, “However, you might become the greatest opponent of the Tang Empire. Why should I provide you with a shelter in Chang’an?”

Ye Hongyu said, “I have also thought of this, so I have decided that I shall spare you once should we fight on opposite sides in a battle.”

Ning Que shook his head and said, “It does sound tempting, but I don’t think it’s really suitable. War doesn’t happen just because you want it to. The Tang Empire and West-Hill have been in peacetime for years. Even if they disagree over something in the future, they might not go to war. And even if they go to war, it might not happen while we are alive. Your offer is like the flowers in the mirror or the moon on the lake surface.”

Ye Hongyu frowned slightly and looked at him as if she was looking at a fool. She said, “Have you not noticed that the cultivation world has been changing over the past decades?”

Ning Que ignored the way she was looking at him and replied honestly, “I have only entered the cultivation world for less than two years. What kind of change would I notice?”

“If you have read the teachings of the West-Hill or some historical classics and understood more about the history of the cultivation world, you should know that cultivation is a difficult task. There weren’t many Grand Cultivators who could enter the Knowing Destiny State.”

Ning Que said, “There aren’t many now either.”

“However, there are many more comparatively.”

Ye Hongyu said expressionlessly, “Ever since Mr. Ke of the Academy entered the Knowing Destiny State, many cultivators in the world have done so and have even gone beyond the Knowing Destiny State. Other than Divine Lord Lotus, many, including Mr. First, Mr. Second, that guy Chen Pipi, many powerhouses from the West-Hill Divine Palace, Qi Ye and my brother, those from the Buddhism Sect and other abbeys from the Taoism Sect have entered the Knowing Destiny State.”

“Even though my state might have been damaged, I will join the Knowing Destiny State eventually.”

Ye Hongyu said it matter-of-factly as if she was saying that the cabbage should be stir-fried and not stewed.

Ning Que shook his head.

She looked at him and continued, “You don’t have much talent and you’re dumb, but you’ve managed to rise in the state quickly. You will enter the Knowing Destiny State eventually.”

“What do you want to say?” Ning Que asked puzzledly.

“The power in the cultivation world has risen collectively as a whole over the past decades. Even though the best of us might still be powerhouses of the previous generation, but a new generation of powerhouses have appeared.”

Ye Hongyu said, “Everything is fixed in the world. Haotian has already arranged everyone’s place in the world. Why would there be so many powerhouses?” “It might not make sense now, but I know that conflict is inevitable when there are too many stars in one sky. The appearance of many cultivators in the world would mean that there would be a battle to get rid of the weakest amongst them.”

Ning Que fell silent for a long while when he heard that. He had not completely accepted Ye Hongyu’s calm but passionate deduction. However, deep in his heart, he too, had felt that something was about to befall the cultivation world.

Ye Hongyu looked into his eyes quietly and said, “I do not care about the fate of others. But since Haotian had made me a star among many, I intend to become the brightest of all.”

Ning Que raised his head and looked at her seriously, “If war comes, no matter whether you win or I do, let us think back of this day as we watch the stars fall from the skies.”

…

Ye Hongyu’s reason for refusing to enter the Academy had left a dark spot in Ning Que’s heart. It was not fear, but it pointed to a curiosity vaguely. It did not make him uneasy, but just like Ye Hongyu, he began to look forward to the future.

He had to hide that dark shadow deeply in his heart because he had more pressing things to worry about right now.

Eldest Brother had asked about his new house by the Yanming Lake when he was at the back of the mountain. Ning Que had fended him off, and Eldest Brother had not continued with his questions.

Their conversation had seemed casual, but Ning Que knew that this wasn’t the case.

Throughout their journey from the Wilderness to Chang’an, Ning Que had confirmed that Eldest Brother knew about what had happened between Xia Hou and himself even though he did not say so plainly. Even if he did not know about what had happened more than ten years ago, he knew about what happened in the past two years.

Eldest Brother knew what he planned to do. He was sure that Eldest Brother had guessed why he had bought that house by the Yanming Lake.

However, no matter Eldest Brother, Second Brother or his teacher, the people on the back of the mountain in the Academy all remained close-lipped regarding his actions.

The Academy respected the law of the Tang Empire. Eldest Brother would not agree with Ning Que’s methods like the assassination of Huang Xing and Yu Shuizhu, but there was no evidence pointing to him.

Ning Que knew that his decisions did not fit into the Academy’s ideals.

Eldest Brother had come to an agreement with Xia Hou on behalf of the Academy, asking him to disarm and retire. Having Xia Hou removed from the past and wiping away the old stories of the Devil’s Doctrine and West-Hill, and allowing the world to look towards the future peacefully was the best decision for the Tang Empire.

It was a pity that it would never be Ning Que’s choice.

…

The next day, Chen Pipi brought Tang Xiaotang to the Yanming Lake just as dawn broke. He looked at the opened doors of the courtyard and scratched his head puzzledly. He said, “What happened?”

He had visited the Yanming Lake again after a day of thinking. He had thought through those things and could answer Ning Que’s questions in the lotus land fearlessly. He was so eager to show Ning Que his loyalty that he wasn’t too concerned about the doors being damaged.

Since the doors were broken, they didn’t have to wait for anyone to open them. Chen Pipi extended a leg and kicked wildly, damaging the doors further. He made a hole large enough for a person to pass through, and then held Tang Xiaotang’s hand and led her in carefully. Tang Xiaotang thought to herself that the skill she practiced was that of the Enlightenment doctrine. Even if splinters pierced thousands of holes on Chen Pipi, they wouldn’t leave a mark on her. Why did he have to be so careful?

However, the girl did not have any intentions of moving away even as she thought so. She allowed Chen Pipi to hold her hand and they walked into the courtyard. The air was crisp and clear after a bout of rain. Her dark braids swung in the clean breeze.

They walked through the corridor and met Sangsang. Chen Pipi did not want Tang Xiaotang to hear what he wanted to speak to Ning Que, so he had Sangsang take her to catch frogs by the lake. Sangsang brought Tang Xiaotang towards the lake but recalled that she seemed to have forgotten something. When she turned around, she saw that Chen Pipi had already entered the main hall.

Chen Pipi crossed the threshold and saw a girl in maidservant uniform drinking porridge at the table. He asked curiously, “Is this your new maidservant?”

Ning Que raised his head to look at him in shock.

Chen Pipi did not wait for him to reply. He sat down at the table unceremoniously and hit the bowl on the table lightly. He said to the girl dressed in a cloth shirt beside him, “Bring me some porridge.”

He looked at Ning Que and said, “I have already told you, how can you manage without a dozen of maids in a house this big?”

The girl in the handmaiden uniform had really risen to get Chen Pipi porridge. Ning Que held his bowl of porridge with an incredulous expression on his face.

“Sir, your porridge.”

The girl placed the bowl of porridge before Chen Pipi lightly. Her words were humble, but her tone was cold. It was so cold that it sounded bordering cruel.

Chen Pipi was startled when he heard the voice. He looked up and saw a stunning face and he inhaled deeply.

Ning Que held his bowl of porridge and was prepared to hide in a corner.

He had to abandon his furniture if he didn’t want to die when a fight broke out between the two genius of Haotian Taoism.

“Your maid is so beautiful!”

Chen Pipi praised. Then, he picked up the porridge and began eating it. He mumbled, “How much did you spend?”

Ning Que opened his mouth and only said carefully, “I can’t afford her.”

Chen Pipi studied the maid’s beautiful face and grew to like it even more. However, the more he looked at her, the odder he felt. He furrowed his brows and said, “Why does she look so familiar?”

The girl who was eating porridge by the table was Ye Hongyu. However, her green taoist robes were dirty and damp, so Sangsang had washed it and they had yet to dry. She was wearing Sangsang’s handmaiden uniform, and even though they were a little small for her, it made her look fragile and charming.

Ye Hongyu looked at Chen Pipi and said calmly, “Ten years ago, it was you who used to bring me porridge, how could you forget?”

There was a splat.

Chen Pipi had spat out the porridge in his mouth.

Even at a moment like this, he had managed to turn his fat neck around so that he would not splatter porridge over Ye Hongyu.

It was evident how afraid he was of that person.

Then, there was a shrill strangled shout and he flew upwards and knocked into the heavy beams before landing on the ground like a ball. He did not stop, but rushed out of the main hall like the wind.