Chapter 138 (2/2)

Pretending to make a deep thought for a while, Ning Que said, ”It is indeed inappropriate to bully an instructor. How about targeting Prince Long Qing who is in Chang'an right now. Though he is a great figure of the Judicial Department in West-Hill Divine Palace, yet he is still a n.o.body in your eyes. What's more, he will be a suitable target for your proving, for he is just one step close to Knowing Destiny State.”

”This target seems really pretty good...”

Chen Pipi frowned as he was thinking of how to give a lesson to that prince in Chang'an without alerting Second Brother. Suddenly, he realized something and angrily said as he stared at Ning Que with his soybean-sized eyes, ”Something seems wrong with this idea! Have you been irritated at the study room and then you want to stir up trouble on purpose?”

”Your elder brother is never the kind of person that stir up trouble.”

There wasn't any shame on Ning Que's face though his evil plot was directly revealed by Chen Pipi. Instead, he confidently added, ”You always say you are a rare cultivation genius, but n.o.body knows you. In comparison, another cultivation talent arrives in Chang'an now and everyone admit that he is a real genius. So how can you call yourself a rare genius?”

”If I were you, I wouldn't have put up with it. You don't have to degrade him in front of the public, but at least you should tell him that only who is in your state could have the right to be called a real genius!”

”Come on,” Chen Pipi scornfully glared at him and said, ”Now I believe what your experience is true. If you didn't grow up in an evil and dirty condition, how could you possibly be this evil at such a young age?”

Upon hearing it, Ning Que burst into laughter and stopped goading Chen Pipi. Out of the curiosity on Chen Pipi's state, Ning Que suggested with a low voice, ”How about having a simple performance now?”

Chen Pipi stared at Ning Que as if he was looking at a ghost, and then unbelievably said, ”Showing the ability of Knowing Destiny State? Ning Que, we are the well-respected cultivators, but not those monkeys performing in streets and alleys.”

”Of course you are not a monkey, and I am not a street performer whipping a monkey, either. How could it be a street performance in the old library where there isn't an audience? Just show your state ability as a lesson to me.”

As Chen Pipi refused to show his state ability, Ning Que became more curious about it and kept persuading him. When he referred to ”a lesson”, it successfully persuaded Chen Pipi. For this similar-aged friend, Chen Pipi's cultivation state was much higher than Ning Que. However, he never got any corresponding feeling of pride and Ning Que never showed any shocking and admiring expression, either. Heretofore, it seemed that Ning Que finally showed his admiration.

”The old library isn't a suitable place,” Chen Pipi carefully explained after thinking for a while, ”Every character, written in the books by the precedent masters in the old library, represents a Divine Talisman. If I show the ability of Knowing Destiny State in this building and cause the backfire from the Divine Talisman, it will be impossible for me to withstand it, even for Second Brother.”

Among five cultivation states, Knowing Destiny State was the most advanced and enigmatic one. Ning Que knew it from Lyu Qingchen on his journey to Chang'an from frontier fortress. At that time, he was just a green hand in cultivation, an extremely long distance with the Knowing Destiny State. As if the ant was never envious of the flying eagle, Ning Que never thought about the Knowing Destiny State. Therefore, even if there was a young and mighty Knowing Destiny State genius beside him, Ning Que never gave a thought on viewing the enigmatic power of Knowing Destiny State before.

Today, when Ning Que heard from his schoolmates' heated discussion about Prince Long Qing's arrival in Chang'an, he could not help but felt envy and jealousy, and of course, a little resentment, since they usually ignored Ning Que in daily life, as if he was just a stranger for them. Such different treatments naturally made the young lad realize that he was facing a huge gap in states between him and Prince Long Qing.

Ning Que didn't feel the same way towards Chen Pipi who had already entered Knowing Destiny State, for Chen Pipi was his friend and once saved his life. However, Ning Que indistinctly felt resistance and hate to Prince Long Qing who had been treated as a genius and in a high position since he was born. Maybe such thought was similar to the poor's hostility to the rich?

Unfortunately, no matter how Ning Que persuaded, Chen Pipi refused to show the enigmatic ability of Knowing Destiny State all the time. As the spring night became darker, Ning Que had no other choice but to leave with disappointment at the thought of Sangsang, who was waiting for him at home.

When he walked along the edge of wetland before entering the building complex of Academy, he suddenly stopped. A shocking expression gradually appeared on his face as he stared at the shallow wave of water plants.

The wetland of Academy was shallow but clear. If you walked along the river in daytime, you could clearly see countless of red and black carps swimming around the water plants, like a beautiful picture of fish snuggling plants. If you walked at a starry night, you could see fish's squama reflecting the star light. The glittering light on the wetland formed an illusory starry sky which was more beautiful than the real one.

Ning Que went to the old library every day, and usually left after the sun was blocked by that big mountain behind Academy. Therefore, he was very familiar with the wetland and the beautiful scene of fish in daytime and at night. Tonight, however, he suddenly realized that there was something different between the present wetland and the usual one.

It seemed that the star light reflecting from the water plants of the wetland was a little darker than usual. Carefully looking at the water, Ning Que found that those red and black carps were totally still like various-color sculptures between the water plants, which should be happily swimming around!

The fishes were still and the star light naturally stopped glittering, so the wetland seemed darker and more peaceful than usual. What on earth kind of power could keep fishes stand still between water plants, as if the star hanging on the night sky? The standstill was neither a death nor a simple solidification, because the life breathing could be sensed from the wave and plants. It seemed that these fishes just left a virtual projection in the water but their bodies had gone to another connecting world during this period...

The miracle-like picture was a usual epitome of Knowing Destiny State?

After a long time, Ning Que gradually became awakened. Turning his stiff neck around with difficulty and then looking at the old library behind him, he saw that familiar figure disappearing beside the window.

With a gentle 'Pa' sound, a black-body fish with a red tail happily swam and jumped above the water. After enjoying a gulp of star light, it fell into the water again, having no idea what had happened before.

After returning to the Lin 47th Street, Ning Que still kept silent. The previous sight of that miraculous scene in the Academy was beyond his imagination, so his current mood became very complicated. He felt a little shocked and frustrated, but later the frustration was transformed into a slight depression and ambitious hope.

With his whole brain filled with the miraculous power, Ning Que didn't realize that today's Lin 47th Street was a little bustling. Mr. Wu in the fake antique store was pa.s.sionately describing something to neighbors below that big locust tree, and Mrs. Wu, who was usually harsh to her husband, just looked her man boasting without stopping him. Instead, she kept gently laughing on one side, with her thick rouge dropping from her face.

”Wow, the Knowing Destiny State is indeed fantastic. How could he manage to do it? Why those fishes just stood still? It looked like a previous magic that fishes marched forward like abreast soldiers. However, it wasn't the similar way because the old library was so far away from the wetland.”

”In the past, Lyu Qingchen told me that Knowing Destiny State cultivators could essentially master the running rules of Qi of Heaven and Earth and could understand the origin of the world. But...the origin of the world wasn't a particle? To be honest, its function was like a refrigerator, given that those fishes could livingly swim and jump again after being still.”

After entering his shop and closing the door, Ning Que sat on the round-backed armchair and then began muttering with his hands supporting his cheek. After a long while, he suddenly felt something wrong. Finally, he realized that there wasn't Sangsang's voice and an immediate cup of hot tea at home. If in the usual situation, the maidservant would doubt whether her young master began talking nonsense after Ning Que kept talking for so long, but today it didn't happen...

Raising his head in surprise, Ning Que saw Sangsang staring at a point in the air and uttering foolish laugh beside the desk. Her hair appeared a little unkempt like a silly girl.

”Er...Are you possessed?”

Hearing this sentence, Sangsang was suddenly awakened. She stood up in a hurry and then said, ”When did you come back, young master?”

Ning Que irritatedly said, ”Your young master had been back for over one hour! I can tolerant those naive schoolmates' ignorance in Academy, but why am I being treated the same way at home?”

A shameful expression appeared on Sangsang's slightly-dark face and then she immediately fetched a cup of tea for him.

Suddenly thinking of the heated topic in Academy today, Ning Que raised his eyebrow and looked at the back of his handmaiden. After a little hesitation, he asked, ”Did you...go to watch Prince Long Qing's arrival, too?”

Sangsang poured down half the prepared cup of tea and then filled it with boiled water. After having a try in person and confirming that the temperature was suitable, she gave it to Ning Que and then shyly said, ”There was little business...in the daytime anyway. Besides, Mrs. Wu kept inviting me, so...I agreed to have a look.”

Ning Que automatically breathed a gulp of cold air and looked at her little face in surprise. He couldn't believe that Prince Long Qing was attractive enough to charm a twelve-year-old handmaiden?

Sangsang misunderstood Ning Que's expression from his eyes. She tidied her unkempt hair in a hurry and then carefully explained, ”That Prince Long Qing's carriage group chose Tong South Street, but not Vermilion Bird Avenue. The street was narrow and crowded, so my hair was unkempt. But young master needn't be worried the safety of our taels of silver, because I didn't take it outside the shop.”

”Am I worried about this?” Ning Que angrily rebuked.

”So what are you worried about?” Sangsang asked in curiosity with her eyes open like salix leaves.

”Er...” Ning Que stroked his head and thought why he was worried and angry, but he failed to figure it out. After a while, he just skipped the thinking. Carefully looking at the little handmaiden from head to feet, Ning Que said with laughter, ”I never expect that my Sangsang will so eagerly long for love one day. However, I had a piece of bad news to tell you. That prince already had a fiancee.”

Sangsang glared at him and said, ”Young master, you said I couldn't get married if I am less than 16. This year I am just 13 years old, so it is impossible for me to think of the marriage stuff.”

”In my view, you won't be like an grown adult even if you are sixteen,” Ning Que said as he poked her smooth forehead with his finger, ”Look at your foolish behavior just now! Do you feel embarra.s.sed that you have begun longing for love at the age of 13?”

”I just followed Mrs. Wu,” Sangsang lowered her head and then explained in a low and guilty voice, ”That Prince Long Qing was indeed handsome.”

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