Chapter 130 (1/2)
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Chapter 130: A Young Man Faded into Oblivion in the Academy
Following the Second Brother across the slate ground, along a trail up the mountain wreathed in mist, Chen Pipi took a while to digest the shocking news and couldn't help going back to the original question.
”Second Brother spent fifteen days to clear the three States. I took seventeen days, and it took merely fourteen or fifteen days for Ning Que. Could he already be at the same level as us? Or was it that he contemplated and acc.u.mulated the Psyche Power ever since he was born, and that now he reversed his destiny and all the Psyche Power gushed out and helped him break through three States at once? If we counted from his birthday, it was nearly the same for Ning Que as for the second brother who had put in 16-17 years to step into No Doubts State. Then, it should not be a big deal, right?”
The words came out from Ning Que the other day in old library”No one can be sure who will stay longer on this road.”Upon recalling the secret compet.i.tion between Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Ning Que and himself, Chen Pipi shuddered to think that the idiot might overtake him some day, his large figure trembled slightly.
”Among the seventeen Qi orifices of Ocean of Qi and Mountain of Snow, Ning Que had got through ten of them. Even though his built-up Psyche Power of sixteen years was pure and strong, it was highly probable that an out-of-tone tune was all he could do. Without access to Knowing Destiny State, Ning Que could only manage to pull some shoddy tricks or pilfer some silver due to his inconsistent and unstable breath of nature, even at the pinnacle of Seethrough State. I am a real deal, no doubt. There is no way he could catch up with me.”
”Alas, the poor Ning Que! Though you have been introduced to the road of cultivation, you would still be easily pushed around given your frail physique and breath of nature.”
After perusing this, Chen Pipi felt relieved and thought he'd better give the lad a heads-up, lest he might pride himself on being some gifted man and go around to show off, then get beaten up someday by real ones.
Arriving at the residence, the Second Brother asked suddenly before heading off, ”Only fourteen days?”
Chen Pipi looked down at his fingers, counting earnestly himself, and recollected the night when he saw Ning Que severely wounded. Chen Pipi was not sure that his orifices were got through at that time or after taking Heavenly Power Pill, as it simply pivoted when he reshaped the Snow Mountain. Chen Pipi looked up and said in a reverent manner, ”It could be fourteen or fifteen days, or maybe fifteen and a half if he woke in the morning.”
Staring into his eyes solemnly, Second Brother answered, ”Younger Brother, a man living in the world should conduct himself rigorously. Precision is a necessity for philosophy of life, that is, one is one and two
is two, and your answer is vague and imprecise. You go and find out how long exactly he spent on reaching the third States. This is a test for you.”
After his long preach, Second Brother crammed both his thumbs in his golden silk waistband, strode forward in a triumphant and solemn fas.h.i.+on. A few faint words wafted in the night air.
”Like I said … it can't be fourteen days.”
Though the Article on the Response of the Tao was learnt by heart; contemplation was executed all the time during the stay in City of Wei; conversations were exchanged with Lv Qingchen along the journey, chats and talks with Chen Pipi were made in the old library, Ning Que had a little knowledge of the world of cultivation whatsoever, nor did he understand why he could cultivate all of sudden, let alone he was conscious of which State he was in so far, in short, largely ignorant of the theories and the practicals.
He was not aware that his speed of improvement had troubled Chen Pipi and the Second Brother, and thought perception of breath of nature and outside world was a natural course of cultivation. Hence, it was nothing special, as he felt it was the same as those cultivators who practiced in mountains, Buddhist and Taoist temples.
The Academy life and att.i.tudes from peers gave him a hint. As the days went by, the aftershock of his sick leave in the semester exam had abated, and it started to be felt. No one continued to secretly point fingers or glanced at him from corners or by windows, as a matter of fact, no one cared about his existence ever since.
Presently, he didn't attend lessons in Toxology, Driving, Mathematics or Music, the first three were unnecessary for him, and the last one was useless for him. Without semester exams, there was no chance for him to correct the early slander or reclaim his reputation.
The Academy was one singular body, in that case, collective awareness could be both blindfolded and manipulated. Though students would not mock or scorn at you in your face, gossip never ceased behind your back, and suddenly came to a halt when you neared. Of course, Ning Que was never invited to any parties, and a growing intangible estrangement formed between them and Ning Que.
The estrangement made those who believed in him in the first place gradually drift away from him, conforming to the collective consciousness. Chu Youxian treated his as usual though, Ning Que's prolonged stay in old library and Chu's frequent absence from lessons led to decreasing contact between them, despite Chu Youxian's consistent att.i.tudes towards him. As for Situ Yilan, she knew that his majesty appreciated Ning Que and that Ning Que's sick leave was no escape, yet she couldn't bring herself to stand up for him in such atmosphere.
Ning Que's temperament would not allow him to beg for friends. On account of having no company, he leave quickly to take away lunch as soon as the bell rang and
and tour around pond to the old library. Consequently, there was much less time he spent with his cla.s.smates, and they drifted away even further.
In the course of time, Ning Que, the fortress soldier who once scored three Grade As in the Academy Entry Examination, the a.s.siduous student who made Xie Chengyun spit blood, the handsome lad who earned his name at the House of Red Sleeves, gradually faded into oblivion, and became a long forgotten student in the Academy.
The recent trends among young students in the Academy were something like —— a fine paper written by w.a.n.g Ying from Lin Chuan, a beautiful poem composed by Zhong Dajun, the achievement of Perception State by Chen Simiao, a student recommended by the Military inst.i.tute who resided in Grade B dormitory beat an instructor in a cla.s.s of Toxology, Miss Situ reprimanded Chu Zhongtian again …
Xie Chengyun, an outstanding gifted young man from South Jin kingdom, remained popular in the limelight of the Academy. Two hot topics followed since he obtained five Grade As in semester examination: one was that he was seen cuddled with Jin Wucai, the granddaughter of Old Chancellor. The other was he finally broke the Perception State, and proceeded into No Doubts State. The instructor Cao Zhifeng had a look at his improvement, and commented that it was highly likely that he could enter into the Second Floor next Spring.
Time went by quietly and quickly, a sudden cool breeze blew off some yellowish leaves from branches, ushering in the Autumn.
Ning Que in his autumn academic uniform walked out of dining hall, towards the old library, with a bowed head along the way. Before he stepped onto a lane cut across all buildings to the wetland, a group of people came into view, and a handsome male student seemed to be their leader.