Chapter 331 (1/2)

Chapter 331: There Was Snow in the Lane at the Beginning of New

The military counselor's body was burnt to ashes in the courtyard, while the snow on the flagstone gradually melted away around the human-shaped island, under the effect of the weak fire talismans once mentioned by the deceased with such contempt.

Ning Que stood aside in silence and felt satisfied with his former performance. He was not aware of his Eldest Brother's happiness for him in the Winter Courtyard of the General's Mansion.

Ning Que had never expected the military counselor Gu Xi to be such a powerful Talisman Master that he could tear the Qi of Heaven and Earth apart into numerous broken turbulent flows. Gu Xi had used at least thirty Fu characters, yet it was incredible that these Fu characters didn't interfere with each other. Faced with the long-cherished preparations of the enemy, Ning Que withstood it in the most straightforward way. He had faith that he could crush all plots with his strength, and he was satisfied that he made it.

When he tore through Gu Xi's head, his sorrows and bitterness seemed to fade away. He became clear-minded and recalled the thousands of stones at the Front Gate of the Devil's Doctrine. He suddenly understood a lot of things.

Under the shade of a tree in winter, he felt depressed. ”How must I eliminate this depression? Call upon the Great Spirit from the chest? Or shed aside all indecisiveness and excessive caution, and simply focus on killing those that deserve death.”

”I come from the mountain, the river, and the gra.s.sland, and I come from the General's mansion in the village, and I come to end your life.”

Ning Que spoke out the simplified version of Sangsang's poetry of revenge in a gentle voice as he held the podao and erased the footprints left on the ground. He was not worried about leaving traces to be noticed by Xia Hou, instead, he was only trying to hide any hints that he had joined the devil.

After getting it done, he gently jumped back over the gray-white wall. As he once again smelled the fragrance of shallots from a residential house nearby, he paused for a moment and then walked out the lane. There was only calmness and sedateness on his face, nothing like a Devil of Death come from ghostdom stretching his bony hand out for revenge. He was just another traveler who pined for home and hearth.

By the time Ning Que returned to the General's Mansion, the Winter Courtyard was in chaos as all the captains and servants were terrified and in shock over the death of military counselor Gu Xi. Ning Que walked silently, with no expression, to the horse carriage waiting outside

the stone door of the Winter Courtyard and received his luggage from Shanshan.

On the stone terrace outside the Winter Courtyard, General Xiahou was bidding farewell to his Eldest Brother. There were no feelings visible on his callous face, as though he was not bothered by the death his most loyal subordinate.

Suddenly Xia Hou turned back his head to look at Ning Que.

Ning Que stared back at him with a calm expression.

Though he had just chopped off one of Xia Hou's arms, Ning Que didn't show any signs of elation or discomfort. Both he and Xia Hou had killed many people and violated several laws of the Tang Empire. They both knew that as long as they had the protection of their uncommon ident.i.ties, as long as they left no traces behind, there was nothing that could be done against them.

Seeing the arrogant eyebrow of the middle-aged man on the stone terrace and his undisguisedly murderous look, Ning Que recalled the unstoppable fist at the border of the Hulan Sea, and the striking fist he had just used earlier, and broke into a laugh.

Ning Que wanted to tell Xia Hou that he would be waiting for him in Chang'an to kill him, but he held back and said nothing. He just took up the knapsacks, followed Eldest Brother onto the horse carriage, and gently lent a hand to Shanshan.

”As a man, it is most important to stay happy.”

In the simple and crude carriage, Eldest Brother was watching the streets of Tuyang City pa.s.s by through the window when he said suddenly, ”Hatred cannot be swept away with blood, thus killing is just meaningless.”

Then he looked back at Ning Que and said gently, ”I'm not talking about naively showing mercy to your enemies, but if the situation goes on like this, there will be no end to it. Furthermore, it is troublesome to be hunted by others continuously. Your senior brothers, senior sisters and I can hide in the back of the mountain of the Academy, but you cannot escape in the mortal world. Even if the name of the Academy is just as significant and the law of the Tang Empire is still as strict, the opponent wouldn't care if they has no fear of death.”

Listening to the teachings of his Eldest Brother, Ning Que thought for a while, then nodded his head and said nothing.

The cold wind raised the curtain of the horse carriage, a strong scent of shallots wafted in from outside again. Ning Que looked out the window with wonder. The streets of Tuyang City, which were scarcely populated in the daytime, became boisterous at dusk. Soldiers and common folk were wearing a joyful

joyful smile. It seemed that the b.l.o.o.d.y incident that had happened just a little earlier hadn't made much of a difference to their lives.

Recalling something, Ning Que jumped out of the horse carriage and walked into a store selling local specialties. He bought some souvenirs for Sangsang and walked out of the store. Suddenly, there boomed a resonant sound from the wall far away. He shot a glance at it in astonishment and saw that several fireworks were firing into the sky and lighting up the gradually darkened night.

He stood in the middle of the bustling street, a paper bag in hand, and watched the beautiful fireworks.

Today was New Year's Eve, every single household in Tuyang City was wrapping dumplings, it was no wonder that the whole city was filled with the fragrance of shallots.

Fireworks were blazing, and the fourteenth year of the Tianqi era came to an end.

Night had just fallen in the City of Chang'an.

There was a black horse carriage at the corner of the Lin 40th Street with no horse there. Forged with stainless steel and cast iron, the darkened carriage was carved with complex lines, between which was a lot of acc.u.mulated ash, all of which seemed decadent.

A white dishcloth showed itself from the bottom of the carriage, cleaning the ash wedged inside the complex lines on the carriage plate. Soon the lines were visible again, and the whole carriage began sparkling.