Chapter 86 (2/2)
The female professor stared at the ink on the pen on the inkstone, and after a moment of silence, she said in a soft voice, ”I remember that the professor once said many years ago if a person's willpower was strong enough, then even G.o.d would be frightened... The child named Ning Que is probably one of those people with strong willpower.”
Things seemed to be as usual after a few days, cla.s.ses in the morning, lunch at noon and boarding in the afternoon. Under the gaze of all the students and instructors of the Academy, Ning Que and Xie Chengyun entered the library and were carried out one after the other. Things finally settled when this situation seemed to become a daily scene.
Ning Que had inquired the Lecturer if he was allowed to bring sh.e.l.l-less, oil-free and chipless food into the old library, thus today he took several pieces of white breadcakes with him to the library. However, he was stopped by someone when he was ready to walk into the old library.
”When on earth will you stop being in a rage?” Situ Yilan looked at him bulgingly, holding Jin Wucai's little hand. Her heart softened when she saw his pale cheeks, she then said in a low voice, ”Now the whole Academy has known you're the most perseverant students. Why do you continue?”
Ning Que rubbed his dry eyes, and inexplicably looked at her as if he did not understand what she had said. In fact, he did not understand, but his expression seemed more like provocation in the crowd's eyes.
Situ Yilan said hotly, ”Look at you now. You are going to be blown down by the wind, with your dark circles and pale face, like Chu Youxian, the Lovelace. We all know you're the same as us who wouldn't succeed in cultivation. In this case, what's the meaning of going upstairs? Why must you grudge Xie Chengyun and continue to go upstairs?”
Chu Youxian pushed his way out from the crowd, leaning on Ning Que's left hand and looking at Situ Yilan. He lifted his eyebrows and said, ”Miss Situ, although you're the daughter of General Yunhui, please don't make the irresponsible remarks. I'm a l.u.s.tful but not a ghost. ”
He then turned to look at Ning Que's pale cheeks, and sincerely and regretfully said, ”But, to tell the truth, I also advise you to not go upstairs anymore. Why are you so obstinate? Even if you give up now, you'll still be appreciated since as an ordinary person you can stay here for such a long time with the cultivation genius, Xie Chengyun.”
Ning Que, watching the crowd in front of him, smiled and said, ”I think you're really mistaken. I just want to read books in the upstairs, and it has nothing to do with grudges and cruelness. I think it's the same with Mr. Xie.”
”You don't know what he thinks.”
”The only purpose for Mr. Xie to enter the Academy is to get on the Second floor. If he isn't even better than you, how can he have enough confidence to get on to the real Second floor?” Situ Yilan spoke solemnly while looking at him.
”The Second floor?” Ning Que slightly frowned, as if he hadn't heard these remarks. He said scratching his head, ”Do Mr. Xie and I read on the second floor every day?”
”You don't even know the Second floor, why are you so desperate to go upstairs every day?”
Situ Yilan watched him with round eyes just as if looking at a fairy, and explained in surprise, ”The Second floor of the Academy is not the second floor of the old library, but what's fantastic is that the so-called true sages have ever learned on the Second floor. I've heard that there're still a lot of Supermundane Experts there.”
”What does it matter with the upstairs?” Ning Que pointed to the roof blankly.
”Because the gate to the Second floor is on the second floor of the old library,” Situ Yilan said sourly. ”I know it's a bit hard to explain, but what you only need to know is that the Second floor of the Academy is very difficult to enter. It's said only seven or eight people have been admitted in the last ten years. If you don't have the intention, why do you mingle with Mr. Xie?”
Ning Que looked at her smilingly and said, ”Do you mean that, in order for me to not affect Mr. Xie's cultivation and to not discourage him from getting on to the Second floor, I should... give up voluntarily?”
After these words, all the surrounding onlookers became silent, because this request was, in any case, unreasonable and particularly rude. Jin Wucai, who had been quietly standing behind Situ Yilan, bit her lower lip and broke away from her companion's hand to walk in front of Ning Que and give a serious salute. She then said in a trembling voice, ”Please help Mr. Xie... Mr. Xie vomited blood last night after he was back to the mansion. He can't really hold on anymore.”
For the first time, Ning Que knew the heavy price paid by the young man who went upstairs with him every day. He thought of his vomiting every night lately and Sangsang's concerns on her little face. He fell into silence.
At this moment, Zhong Dajun looked at him coldly, and said, ”Do you need to implore such a person so humbly? I don't believe a normal guy can stay upstairs for so many days. While Chengyun was reading books weeping blood upstairs every day, no one knows what he was doing. Perhaps he was just closing his eyes for rest.”
Xie Chengyun was the talent of the South Jin Kingdom. This time when he went north pa.s.sing by Yangguan to attend school, he stayed in Zhongda Jun's mansion. Both of the two were well-known, and they appreciated and got along well with each other.
Seeing that his friend was forced to go upstairs and vomited blood last night, Zhong Dajun had long been extremely angry. Of course, what indeed made him speak out in such vicious speculation was his unwillingness to allow the border town soldier to draw the attention of the whole Academy.
But, the vicious speculation seemed very consistent with the real situation. The way the students looked at Ning Que became a little complicated. At this moment, outside the stone trail came two horse carriages. Xie Chengyun who looked as pale as snow-white was helped down to the horse carriage, he stared at this site without saying a word the whole while.
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