Nightfall

“Then why didn’t you strike when the Headmaster was still alive? Second Brother was right, you were no match for the Headmaster and Youngest Uncle. You’re cowards, no better than pathetic dogs.”

Ning Que stared at the Drunkard and said. His words were simple, but the simple words contained three edgy points, each stabbing the Drunkward like a knife, or like painful face-slappings.

The Drunkard’s expression remained still, and he said, “You will realize that honor and shame actually mean nothing if you reach a certain realm someday.”

“Then what else is meaningful?”

“Eternity is the one and only meaning or goal of life.”

The Drunkard looked into the blue sky and said, “To reach the destination and realize the goal, and to fulfill the meaning of life, we shall pay any price even if we have to bend like a dog. You should thank God that it was me rather than the Butcher that showed up outside Chang’an City today, or no one knows what could happen.”

Ning Que said, “If you would like to be a dog, you should’ve been one in West Hill.”

The words were mean but there was still no change of expression on the Drunkard’s face. He said peacefully, “The precondition of eternity is to exist, and the precondition to exist is self-existence, which is what we’ve been persisting.”

Ning Que realized something after the conversation, so he asked, “Is that what you’ve been promised?”

The Drunkard didn’t answer. He pointed at the carriage before the city gate, and said, “Those were things given back to you, and I have a message for you from somebody else.”

Ning Que asked, “What is it?”

The Drunkard said it with a calm and even dull expression. Obviously, he was reciting the quotation from somebody else without any emotion of his own.

Then he turned away, with his flagon swinging in the spring breeze. It reminded Ning Que of Eldest Brother’s wooden dipper on his waist, and even their walking postures looked the same.

Many years ago in the back of the Academy’s mountain, while Eldest Brother was walking seemingly slow on the mountain path, Ning Que tried to catch up with him; however, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t make it.

Watching the Drunkard leaving, Ning Que looked pale and felt restless, thus he ignored the message the Drunkard had for him.

The war flames kept burning for months. The Empire of Tang and the Academy paid every price to stabilize the situation. The future had turned bright, till the Drunkard and the Butcher came out of their endless years’ seclusion.

And suffering from the dramatic change of the world’s situation, the bright future turned dim.

The clear sky turned grey, then raindrops started falling, cold and chilly.

Ning Que looked up at the grey sky and fell silent for a long time.

He walked into the black horse carriage and saw a black box in the corner.

The black box looked familiar even if it had been deformed; Ning Que would not be able to forget about it because the box had traveled with him through mountains and rivers, witnessing how he defeated countless enemies.

He reached out to feel the edge of the black box with his fingers. The dirt on the box was dusted away. Then the box was opened, revealing the iron bow and glittering arrows inside. They were waiting for him.

The black carriage stopped by Yanming Lake. Those horses were assigned to pull the carriage temporarily, now they looked exhausted.

Spring rain had washed lots of the dirt on the carriage, yet the talisman in front had yet to be activated.

Liu Yiqing had been waiting at the Academy gate with a sword in his arms. As he heard the carriage wheels rolling on the ground, he stood up slowly.

Ning Que got off the carriage with the black box in his hand, walking towards the yard.

Suddenly Liu Yiqing felt the terrifying killing aura. The white cloth wrapped on his eyes was soaked by spring rain, but his heart was dry and restless. His soul was so shaken that his right hand held the sword more firmly.

Ning Que barely looked at him as he passed by. He ignored the powerhouse and looked extremely peaceful even though this Knowing-Destiny-State powerhouse could pull out his sword at any time.

Liu Yiqing failed to pull out his sword because several cracks appeared on his wrists like drought farmland, and bleeding. Chilly wind with rainwater unwrapped and tore the white cloth on his eyes.

Ning Que walked in the yard by Yanming Lake.

Liu Yiqing lowered his head. Blood kept dripping off his hands holding the hilt, pitter-pattering, just like the sound of raindrops falling off the eaves.

“Such a terrifying rage and killing aura.”

Nobody could tell if Ning Que was angry, neither did Ning Que have any rage in his expression. He was like an abandoned dry well, too isolated to be measured.

Under the porch, Ye Hongyu was admiring the plum blossom in the rain with a cup of light tea in her hand.

Ning Que walked to her and asked, “Are you aware of that?”

Ye Hongyu put the cup on the stone window and answered, “I knew it moments ago, no earlier than you.”

Ning Que said, “You once told me that the Academy would definitely change its mind.”

Ye Hongyu said, “I was told of this by somebody else.”

Ning Que asked, “Who?”

Ye Hongyu said, “Who else could order me to come to Chang’an to negotiate with the Academy on behalf of the Divine Hall, except the Hierarch?”

Ning Que said, “He’s now a total wreck.”

“Or maybe you were telling the truth.”

Ye Hongyu looked at him and continued, “Nobody has ever seen him again since he returned to the Divine Hall, so his words still carry weight no matter if he is a wreck or not.”

“His words make sense, and the Academy will change its attitude.” Ning Que stood by the stone window and looked out. The plum blossoms were glowing in the chilly spring rain, then he said, “But the Divine Hall should know its limits.”

Ye Hongyu looked at his back and said, “The Divine Hall’s requests were totally reasonable considering the sins the Tangs has been committing.”

Ning Que didn’t turn around, and he said, “No way would we go to the Divine Hall to apologize.”

“The Tangs are too prideful. We can skip that.”

Ye Hongyu said, “Besides the requests we made the other day, the Divine Hall also demands that your little Emperor should abdicate and the Empress should leave Chang’an City for the reason we both know.”

Ning Que fell in a moment’s silence. He watched the glowing plum blossom faded in the rain. He said, “You know clearly that people had to gamble their lives when there’s no way back.”

Ye Hongyu said, “But you have another way. The Lis still have the Prince.”

Ning Que didn’t move his eyes away from the plum blossoms. “F**k your mother,” He said.

His voice was calm and gentle, but with firm determination.

“She died long ago.” Said Ye Hongyu without any change on her expression.

Ning Que turned around and looked at her. “Then f**k you.” He said.

Ye Hongyu said, “Haotian wouldn’t give the Academy that much time. You should go and negotiate with others instead of getting angry or afraid here.”

Ning Que looked her in the eyes for a while, then he turned away.

Ye Hongyu fell into moment’s silence. Then, she picked up the half cup of tea. Golden ripples waved in the cup, not because raindrops had fallen in the tea; it was because of her shaking hand.

Ning Que was in the most dangerous state she had ever seen. He didn’t do anything. He might look peaceful and talk calmly, but actually, he was on the brink of a melt down.

If she hadn’t been able to calm him down, he might have tried to kill her with the God-stunning Array, or he might have really raped her.