Nightfall

Zhuo Zhihua got married a few years ago, but she was still focused on cultivation at Mogan Mountain, which her husband had no issues with. Since the monarch was about to marry Mo Shanshan, the master of Mogan Mountain, she was the busiest one. Feeling too tired, she went to the lake to enjoy a bit of leisure time and saw Cat Girl there with a sad look. She comforted Cat Girl and heard her words.

The whole world knew the history between Mo Shanshan and Ning Que, and the cultivation world would be happy to see them tie the knot. People all thought that Mr. Thirteen of Academy and Calligraphy Fanatic were undoubtedly meant to be together, but things between them did not work out.

Thinking about this, Zhuo Zhihua was in low spirits and smiled barely. “What’s wrong with marrying the monarch? Our master would be a queen, and she will still stay at the mountain most of the time. Don’t be sad, you can see her very often.”

Cat Girl looked at her and said, “Sister, you know that I’m not sad about this. I feel upset because I know master loves Ning Que. Why doesn’t Ning Que love her?”

Zhuo Zhihua sighed and shook her head, wondering how to explain these complicated things to her.

In a cottage at Ink Fountain facing the cliff, Mo Shanshan sat by the window and traced the tiny regular script calmly. She still wore the white dress, with her cascading black hair in a simple bun. Her face was fair without cosmetics and her lips were rosy without rouge – she was as gorgeous as ever. However, she didn’t look like a bride-to-be indeed.

With a light creak, the wooden door was pushed open, and a man in a black long gown walked in slowly. The man had a full head of silver hair and deep wrinkles around his eyes due to old age. However, his eyes were still very bright and his posture was elegant as if he was still quite young. He was the famous Sage of Calligraphy, His Excellency Wang.

A man must be incredibly extraordinary to be called sage, such as the Sage of Sword, Liu Bai.

His Excellency Wang was the most famous calligrapher in the world, and also the most famous talisman master. He was the most powerful guardian of the Great River Kingdom as Liu Bai was for the South Jin Kingdom. He enjoyed an esteemed position. Even the monarch treated him like a mentor.

Hearing the sound, Mo Shanshan stood up and bowed to her teacher. Then, she sat back down. She dipped the brush pen in the ink stone and continued to focus on her writing.

Walking to her back, the Sage of Calligraphy looked at the neat and elegant writings on the paper and surprised to find that she was so calm. He frowned and worried about her.

“Don’t you understand? You are my favorite student, a talisman master who no one dares to scorn. After I die, you will be the guardian for Great River Kingdom. It’s never my intention to deprive you of happiness. The monarch doesn’t deserve you, but he is your best choice if you must get married.”

The Sage of Calligraphy looked at her and spoke solemnly.

Mo Shanshan’s right hand trembled slightly and said, “I understand.”

After saying this, she continued to write quietly and calmly.

However, the calmer she was, the more worried Sage of Calligraphy was. The look on his face became more and more serious and his voice became more severe.

“I must warn you again. If you don’t want Jingdu to be swallowed by the flood and millions of people in Great River Kingdom to die, then you must die or get married soon.”

Looking at her attractive face, the Sage of Calligraphy felt a dull ache in his heart, but he suppressed his pity and unwillingness. He said severely, “We human beings can’t fight against the god.”

“I got a message from West Hill that Ning Que had entered the Divine Hall of Light but never came out. Nobody knows what is going on in the Divine Hall. Even though Haotian will kill Ning Que eventually, she would hate to see you still unmarried. You know that the world can’t survive from her anger.”

After saying this, the Sage of Calligraphy turned to leave.

Putting the brush pen aside, Mo Shanshan stood up and looked at his back and calmly said, “I know you like me, and you’ve always liked me since I was young.”

His Excellency’s body trembled slightly, and even his straight back looked a little stooped.

“The only pity was that I grew up too fast, and you didn’t think I would become a talisman master at such a young age. Just like you said, no one can deprive me of my happiness, but you still have to see me marry someone else. Do you feel a bit of happiness other than pity and unwillingness?” Mo Shanshan continued calmly, “Of course I admit that you are right. Nobody knows what Haotian would do and the Great River Kingdom can’t afford to take the chance. I will get married soon as you wish.”

“Nonsense!” The Sage of Calligraphy snapped and then stormed out of the cottage. He left Mogan Mountain and went directly to the palace of Jingdu and met with the monarch to arrange the marriage. Whether or not the reason for his haste departure was that Mo Shanshan revealed the secret he hid for many years remained a mystery.

The door was closed and opened repeatedly by the breeze from the lake. Staring at the swaying door, Mo Shanshan went silent for a long time and then sat back down.

She continued to write quietly, but her lips were slightly raised, showing a smile of joy. She felt very comfortable to finally speak out after so many years of silence.

Moments later, Zhuo Zhihua and Cat Girl arrived at the cottage. Sitting beside Mo Shanshan, Cat Girl held her hands and looked at her pitifully. “What to do now?”

All of sudden, Mo Shanshan remembered how Ning Que answered her when she asked the same question back in the Wilderness many years ago. She didn’t quite understand the humor of his answer, but she still laugh amusedly.

“What to do now? Just do it like a cold salad.”

Cat Girl asked, “Are you gonna marry the monarch?”

Mo Shanshan answered with a smile, “Of course not.”

Cat Girl was somehow happy and upset at the same time and said, “Mr. Thirteen was such a heartless man, but who are you gonna marry if not the monarch?”

The more beautiful and powerful a woman was, the harder it was for her to get married, due to the difficulty of finding the perfect match. It won’t be easy for Mo Shanshan to find a perfect husband, for she was famous for her beauty and her excellence of becoming a talisman master at a very young age.

“Why must I get married?”

Mo Shanshan touched Cat Girl’s head in a spoiled way and said, “It would be a joke to force a talisman master to get married. Remember to perfect your calculations if you don’t want marriage either.”

Cat Girl thought what her master said made sense and thought, I won’t marry a man who is not good enough. However, I heard that the man I like comes from a long line of generals. I must improve myself to be the perfect match for him.

Zhuo Zhihua didn’t say anything and just worriedly stared at Mo Shanshan.

Mo Shanshan knew her concerns and said to her calmly, “The whole world admired but feared Haotian, and I am no exception. However, I have already fought against her before, so what’s the point to fear her now? If Haotian were to destroy the world because of me, then that’s her sin, not mine.”

…

…

The winter maples in Luomeng Mountain of Jingdu were known to the whole world. Luomeng Mountain would have been crowded with tourists if Jingdu hadn’t imposed a curfew for the sake of the monarch’s forthcoming wedding.

The royal road outside of Jingdu was covered with red leaves. As she was salking on the royal road, Sangsang crushed the withered red leaves, making a very crispy sound.

Compared with the time they left the Divine Hall of West Hill, Sangsang had changed a lot. Urged by Ning Que, she wore shoes and no long held her hands behind her back.

With a bowl of fish balls in her left hand and a bamboo skewer in her right hand, Sangsang continued to eat. Although the look on her face was still indifferent, she seemed satisfied due to the speed of her eating.

For Sangsang, the red leaves were obviously not as attractive as the fish balls. Thus, she didn’t show any pity for the crushed red leaves, like normal girls would.

Upon arriving at the main entrance of Jingdu, she just finished eating and handed Ning Que the bowl.

Ning Que led the big black horse and walked behind her all along. Seeing her gesture, he took the bowl from her immediately. He was accustomed to taking care of her as her servant.

“How are you going to choose?”

Sangsang’s lips were slightly red due to the hot fish balls, which looked very cute.

Should I choose to break up the marriage between the monarch of Great River Kingdom and Mo Shanshan? That proves that I love Mo Shanshan which then proves that there is no true love. This will prove that I don’t love Sangsang!

Or should I just let Shanshan marry that damn monarch, proving that I don’t love Shanshan? This proves that there is true love, and I can choose to stay with Sangsang forever.

“Why do you have to make me chose?” Ning Que said, “You know that Academy only pursues freedom. Not choosing is also a kind of freedom.”

“As I’ve said before, humans are all hypocrites.” Sangsang stared at him and continued, “You know very well why she must get married.”

Ning Que did know why Shanshan had to marry the monarch in such a hurry. It was because Shanshan had a history with him, which angered Haotian.

Sangsang said, “Am I responsible for forcing her to get married?”

Ning Que shook his head and said, “I’m not that stupid to make such a judgement.”

Sangsang said, “Then who do you think should be responsible for that?”

Ning Que pointed to himself and said, “I am, but I don’t know what to do.”

“I have an idea for you. Why don’t you just kill the monarch?”

Looking at the main entrance of Jingdu, Ning Que went silent for a moment and said, “It sounds like a pretty good idea.”

“Then why the delay?”

Ning Que looked at her and said, “I’m afraid that you will leave me after I go to the palace by myself.”

Hearing this, Sangsang became quiet.

Ning Que added, “Your logic is flawed, so I can’t do anything.”

Sangsang looked down at the tips of her shoes.

Ning Que asked, “Maybe you want to help me?”

She looked up and said sincerely, “Men are despicable.”

Ning Que said, “I want to be the most despicable one until I die.”

Sangsang said, “I can’t kill you right now, so I have to endure your despicable behavior?”

Ning Que swore, “From now on, you will the the only one who can see my despicable behavior.”

Sangsang asked, “Why should I help you?”

Ning Que answered boldly, “You set up the problem. I can’t solve it, so you have to help me out.”

Sangsang asked, “Are all humans like you?”

Ning Que said in astonishment, “After sharing a bed with me for so many years, you still don’t know that I’m odd?”

Sangsang fell into a flutter, sensing the complexity of this matter.

Ning Que added, “All cosmetics of Chenjinji Cosmetics Store are now in the palace.”

Sangsang thought about it and found that it was indeed a problem.

She headed to Jingdu, holding her hands behind her back again.

Ning Que led the big black horse and followed her obediently.

Then he began to smile secretly.

…