Chapter 159 (1/2)

Under the big tree, people looked at the lad beside the big stone who was smirking at the magnificent scenery on the mountain top, all sorts of fellings welling up in their mind. They just smiled without uttering a word. Second Brother still sat there rigorously. A gray-haired scholar was reading an old book and it seemed that those happening around had nothing to do with him.

A melodious sound of vertical bamboo flute sounded, and it was from the man who picked up the long vertical bamboo flute lying on his lap to play the music; Then a secluded clank was played by a three-stringed plucked instrument; Seventh Sister picked up the embroidery needle as delicate as hair with her finger and slightly paddled it in the air, during which the tip of the needle trembled at a high speed, issuing some crisp sound similar to that played by metal instruments; The strong man lifted up the heavy hammer and smashed it to the ground, producing a sound perfectly matching the summit of the melody.

The sounds produced by the vertical bamboo flute, the three-stringed plucked instrument and the needle were mixed into a rather ancient song, which melodiously spread out from under the tree and shrouded the top of the mountain behind the Academy. The clouds between the cliff were stirred to slowly move ahead and the pines were slightly swaggering, seeming to welcome a guest.

Standing on top of the big stone, Ning Que listened to the ancient song that had floated into his ears. Then he turned back to see those boys and girls under the big tree, who had different appearances yet showed the same gentle smile. At the sight of the figure of Chen Pipi under the tree, he realized that those were Senior Brothers and Sisters on the Second floor of the Academy greeting him in this way, so he couldn't but feel warm in his heart.

Yet the warm feeling quickly turned to be spicily hot in his chest and abdomen. All those before his eyes went black and then he flopped down.

Prince Long Qing stood still on the lawn below the big stone, as if he didn't hear this moving melody at all. His young face, which was as charming as the spring peach blossom, was still perfect, yet it wasn't noticed when his hair had gotten dispersed, which was wet with sweat cluttering on his shoulder. He looked up and said, ”It may be ridiculous. I was not graceful just now, but I really can't accept it.”

Unnoticedly Second Brother stood up in the melody and came to the lawn. He looked at Prince Long Qing as well as the complaint revealed in his eyes, calmly saying, ”If I were you, I wouldn't accept it either.”

After a moment of silence, Prince Long Qing asked, ”If you have extincted all your feeling and love and still can't see through, then who can?”

Second Brother looked at him with a touch of pity and answered, ”If you want to extinct them, it means you are fearful of them in nature, whether it is for choice or something else. Although I do not know what you saw or experienced, I can see Ning Que is different from you, because there is no fear in his nature, so he needn't struggle to wipe it out.”

Prince Long Qing stared at his eyes, and asked with strong puzzle, ”Fear is the nature of humanity. If he is a man, he will certainly feel fearful. Ning Que is also a man, why not fear exist in him?”

After a long time of silence, Second Brother shook his head, seeming to think the issue really confusing. He then said, ”Perhaps this is the difference between small fear and big fear. Both of you can overcome small fears in instinct, but as for big fears like life and death, day and night, things will be different.”

Prince Long Qing got the meaning of his words. Then the end of his eyebrows suddenly tilted up, and he asked, ”You mean Ning Que has no faith.”

Second Brother replied, ”Perhaps so.”

Prince Long Qing startled, who then immediately shew a self-mockery sad smile, muttering, ”Because I am so firm in my faith, so I was beaten by a guy who has no faith and always considers himself first. How can I be convinced?”

Second Brother answered after a moment of pondering, ”Maybe he has faith, yet it is hidden too deep in his heart, and even the illusion along the stone path can't stimulate it out. Or perhaps even he himself is not clear about his true faith.”

At this time, Chen Pipi carried Ning Que who were in coma on his back and walked off the big stone out of breath. For each step ahead, his plump face would gently tremble, which looked like ripples in the lake. He was well aware that the mentality of Ning Que was fiercely impacted, which had consumed most of his energy. Then after his final success of reaching the top, the sudden relaxation had made him fainted. Therefore, he was not much worried about him, just like those Senior Brothers and Sisters under the big tree, who all looked peaceful and calm.

Looking at the back of Chen Pipi and listening to the faintly calling for the little Younger Brother to fetch water, Prince Long Qing squinted at the thought of the guy who was at times mentioned by the hierarch Lord and that woman, then he incredibly asked, ”That... guy is him?”

It seemed that Second Brother never intended to conceal the ident.i.ty of Chen Pippi from others, so he nodded and answered, ”It is him.”

Prince Long Qing stared blankly at by that fat lad who was ordered about, recalling the sighs, regret or anger when the Hierarch Lord and that woman in red skirt mentioned him. He found it hard to accept the sharp contrast between what he was in legend and in reality - The lad in Taoist Temple, who was said to be more talented than that man by the Hierarch Lord, should just be a humble Younger Brother on the Second floor of the Academy!

The scene in front of him had greatly comforted him for he suddenly found what he encountered today was not so bleak and unacceptable. After a moment of silence, he then sighed, ”A real genius like him should actually be ordered about on the Second floor of the Academy. I have intended to startle the Academy by successfully reaching the top, but now it seems really stupid and arrogant.”

”A real genius is a genius no matter where he is.”

Following his sight, Second Brother looked towards the big tree, saying, ”Since he is a genius in the Taoist Temple, he will certainly be a genius in the mountain behind the Academy. Although you are still not comparable to me, yet you needn't be so disappointed. Actually your performance has been very good today. If it were not for the bit more favorable conditions and luck Ning Que had than you, the person I pleasantly greet now would be you.”

Prince Long Qing sighed and made a deep bow to him, then he turned back to go down the mountain.

The tranquility of the lawn in front of the Academy had already been replaced by buzzing discussions similar to that of humble bees. Those bigwigs in high position still refrained themselves from showing curious, yet those ordinary officials, instructors and students couldn't depress their excitement and curiosity, eager to see the final result of today's contest to enter the Second floor. They just wondered who was the winner.

The professor in charge of opening the Second floor of the Academy slowly walked out. There seemed to be a little weird on his face, which was a mixed expression of being delighted and shocked, as if he wanted to laugh, yet refrained himself from doing so for his anxiety over something.

Few knew the origin or ident.i.ty of the professor, including all the students in the Academy. However, this person presided over the whole process of mountaineering for the entire day, which indicated the n.o.ble status of him. After several inquirings, they finally knew that he was a Divine Talisman Master secluded in the Academy to practice cultivation, then n.o.body dared to disrespect him. The moment they saw him appeared on the stone step, they immediately stopped talking. However, the complex look on his face stimulated ripples in their heart again, who thus felt something unexpected things would occur.

”Huang He'er, what are you dawdling for?”

The only person on the spot who dared to speak to a professor in such a tone, called out his name directly and even deliberately added ”Er”(the word used to call a child) to his name was naturally Yan Se, the Divine Talisman Master from South School of Haotian in Tang Empire. Whether in terms of state, generation or age, he was above Professor Huang He, what's more, he had already felt anxious about the result and couldn't help speaking so impatiently in the face of his dawdling.

”Now, I get the result of who can be enrolled into the Second floor of the Academy today.”

Professor Huang He was unwilling to dispute with this Divine Talisman Master who was famous for his s.l.u.ttery, so he just slowly announced to the crowd on the pavement.

Suddenly, Yan Se thought of something possible, so he quickly stood up and reached out his hand to stop him. ”No hurry!”

At the moment when a full-sacle drama which had lasted for a day and a night drama was about to end and people could finally see the real look of the hero after he put down his silver mask. The drama was so rudely interrupted, so a catcall actually bursted out from the crowd on the pavement despite their revering to the ident.i.ty and status as a Divine Talisman Master of Yan Se. - The law didn't punish numerous offenders. No matter how strong a Divine Talisman Master was, he still couldn't exterminate hundreds of people present here.

Professor Huang He bluntly gazed at Yan Se, thinking,

”It was you that urged me to give the result, and now it was also you that asked me to hold it for a longer time, then what's wrong with you?

So he helplessly asked, ”Why?”

Yan Se rushed to the stone steps, and awe-inspiringly said with righteousness, ”What a big event it was to open the Second floor of the Academy! Although the Headmaster of Academy is on tour and absent, you cannot be so perfunctory. Before announcing the result, don't you think you should first take a bath, change your dresses and burn incense to offer sacrifice to Heaven?”

His words suddenly stimulated louder hissings, and even the Prince Li Peiyan and Lee Yu could not help taking glances at this old Taoist.

Hearing the catcall from the crowd, even a brazen-faced person like Yan Se would feel flushed with fever. However, his strong thirsty for a successor had finally defeated his less sense of shame, so he rudely shouted to the crowd, ”Who doesn't agree? Just stand up and rebut me!”

The crowd sank in silence again. No matter it was Priest Moli or those instructors and learned scholars of the Academy, all of them turned back, figuring silently in heart.

”How dare we challenge you, a Divine Talisman Master of rather high state one-to-one? We are not mad.”

Professor Huang He unhappily looked at him, ”Uncle Yan, what on earth do you want to do?”

There were very few Divine Talisman Masters in the world, the rankings among whom were not involved with their respective sects. They used another set of simple system which was in another way also complex, so we needn't explain more here.

Professor Huang He asked Yan Se what he exactly wanted to do, but in fact, what he wanted was very simple.

”If the Academy announces that Ning Que is the winner, and if this result is known to all those present on the pavement which was then known to the world, it will be a done deal. Then how can my Younger Brother and I vie for him?”

Regardless of the indignant eyesight from all those on the pavement, Yan Se forced Professor Huang He to walk into a study room with him. Together with them were bigwigs who were qualified to be involved in the affair, or powerful enough to change the final result.

Priest Moli looked frustrated, feeling there must be something wrong with what he had heard.

So he cast an inquiring look on the Prince next to him.

Li Peiyan looked a bit weird too. He felt there was nothing wrong with what he had heard, then it might be Professor Huang who had made a mistake when announcing it.

In order to confirm it, he took a look at his niece next to him.

The delicate face of Lee Yu was emotionless.

Although she had countlessly thought of it, and numerously expected this result during this long time of mountaineering today. But when it really came ture, she was still violently shaken and hard to regain consciousness in a short time.

The eyesight of Priest Moli slowly scanned over those bigwigs, and all the responses were the kind he did not want to see. He slowly stood up and looked at Professor Huang He confusedly, asking, ”You said the winner is... Ning Que?”

Professor Huang He nodded gently and answered, ”Indeed, it is Ning Que.”

Priest Moli stood by the chair, stiffened, and being speechless within a long period.

As the vice president of the Revelation Inst.i.tute of West-Hill Divine Palace, this time, he led the delegation to visit Chang'an City of the Tang Empire following the order of the Hierarch, aiming to implement the agreement secretly reached by the two countries, that was, to send Prince Long Qing to the Second floor of the Academy.

Priest Moli didn't have the slightest favorable impression on the Academy. He thought it unnecessary for a G.o.d-favored genius like Prince Long Qing to enter the Second floor of the Academy. However, now that it was the arrangement of the Divine Hall, and the entire world knew that Prince Long Qing was going to enter the Second floor of the Academy, then he must succeed in entering it, for it stood for the honor and dignity of the West-Hill Divine Palace.

However, no one had expected that after such a long time of waiting, the one that would finally enter the Second floor was not Prince Long Qing but somebody else!

Thinking of the consequence if the result was known by the West-Hill, the possible punishment he had to suffer under the indignation of the Hierarch and the shaking of respect and revering towards the Divine Hall from billions of believers of Haotian Taoism, Mo Li felt bitingly chilly as if he was ice-washed from head to feet, mumbling, ”Impossible, impossible.”

Suddenly he raised his head and indignantly waved his hand to Professor Huang He to show his protest, ”How can an ordinary Academy student defeat Prince Long Qing! The prince is only one step away from the Knowing Destiny State. What kind of things is that student! The Academy must have cheated in the process! ”

If those outside the study room who were still waiting for the results knew it, they probably would have the same opinion with Priest Moli. You know, the student competing with Prince Long Qing today was not w.a.n.g Jinglue who was invincible prior to Knowing Destiny, but an ordinary Academy student whose name and even whose level of cultivation were unknown to the public?

Could a field mouse defeat an eagle? Could an ant defeat a lion? Could an embroidered lady defeat general Xia Hou? No! All those were impossible, unless the wings and sharp beak of the eagle were broken, the lion was decayed to a pile of rotten meat and the empress married the embroidered lady to general Xia Hou, and unless the Academy secretly played dirty!

At the same time those bigwigs in the study room threw their confused and questioning eyes towards Professor Huang He.

Professor Huang He refrained himself from showing his anger and explained with a poker face, ”As far as I know, Prince Long Qing performed well in the mountaineering. If it were in previous years, he would absolutely enter the Second floor of the Academy. But as we all know, this year the Second floor only enrolls one person. And Ning Que has indeed surpa.s.sed the prince at the last moment.”

In distraction, Priest Moli returned to his seat. Suddenly he caught the sight of Li Peiyan, the Prince, who seemed to be the last straw to save his life. So he said to him, ”Your Highness, according to the previous agreement, the Prince is to enter the Second floor after replacing the Crown Prince to stay in Chang'an City. If he were not to be a student of the Headmaster of Academy, how can our West-Hill Divine Palace allow the prince to leave the Judicial Department? If the Academy tries to find reasons to refuse him, then... ”

Li Peiyan slightly frowned, feeling rather embarra.s.sed.

Royals of the Tang Empire had always been respectful and polite towards the Academy and never interfere its affairs. The problem was, they did secretly make an agreement about making Prince Long Qing a hostage in Chang'an City as the second-ranking figure of the Judicial Department of West-Hill Divine Palace, which was also recognized by the emperor. However, n.o.body from the royals of Tang Empire or the West-Hill Divine Palace could have expected that somebody would defeat Prince Long Qing to enter the Second floor of the Academy. So the current situation was totally beyond their expectation.

Li Peiyan looked at Professor Huang He, and after a second of hesitation he suggested, ”We'd better give the matter a further thought... ”

Professor Huang He was gla.s.sy-eyed.

Then Li Peiyan turned to Yan Se and the silent Eunuch in the corner, thinking now that the Emperor and the South School a.s.signed you two to wait for the result here in particular, you should shoulder your responsibility of supervision and show your opinion and stance in this critical moment.