Chapter 346 (1/2)

Chapter 346: The Person Entering the Human Realm (Part II)

Ning Que did not know that he had become the male protagonist in a novel and was about to face numerous challenges brought by other minor characters in the book. He might succeed continuously or fail continuously before finding out if he was the male protagonist or if someone like Long Qing was supposed to be the male protagonist and end up running around in dead-ends.

He had been thinking about an important question since he returned to Chang'an from the Wilderness. He did not dare to cultivate at the back of the mountain of the Academy if he could not solve the problem, much less to engage in battle with others.

In order to solve this question, he had made his way to Chang'an using his ID token as a visiting professor at the Imperial Center Administration in the morning of the second day, before the sun even rose. He came to the mountain path behind the old library of Academy and waited quietly.

The fog on the mountain path dissipated the moment sunlight appeared in the east. Eldest Brother, who wore a pair of old straw slippers walked down the path slowly. He looked at Ning Que who was yawning beneath the tree in surprise.

Ning Que bowed and asked, ”Senior Brother, where are you heading to today?”

Eldest Brother smiled and replied, ”I have been traveling with teacher for the past two years and did not know that the imperial court had dredged out a large lake under the Yanming Mountain south of Chang'an. I took a walk there yesterday and the air was fresh, and the water beneath the ice was clear. There were fishermen who broke the ice and fished and I really liked that, so I want to go and look at it again today.”

Ning Que had already gotten used to Eldest Brother's talking speed and his nagging. He could filter useless information about the scenery and how he felt and capture the essence of the conversation. However, there wasn't a main point in Eldest Brother's statement. So he asked in annoyance, ”Senior Brother, I have something to ask you.”

Eldest Brother asked in surprise, ”Is it bothersome? I want to go look at the lake, how about you ask me another day?”

Ning Que said with great conviction, ”We can't do it another day. We have to do it today.”

”Is it long?”

”It could be long or short.”

”Youngest Brother, it would not be fun if it is just a riddle.”

”Eldest Brother, do I look like someone has nothing better to do?”

After the short conversation, Eldest Brother and Youngest Brother of the Academy began to climb the mountain path.

”The important question is... the question I wanted to ask you while we were roasting sweet potatoes by the fire in the Wilderness. You told me to ask the Headmaster of the Academy when we returned, but he is still not back yet.”

”Why do I feel like this question is a riddle by itself?”

Ning Que stopped before the row of trees that had once scratched him badly and looked at Eldest Brother. He fell silent for a moment and breathed in deeply for several times. Then, he said as calmly as he could, ”I have inherited Youngest Uncle's mantle at the Front Gate of the Devil's Doctrine. In Lotus' words, it means that I have joined the Devil. And it is true that there are some issues with my body.”

There was a slight breeze. Eldest Brother looked at a single gingko leaf that floated in the breeze on the mountain path. After a long silence, he turned to look at Ning Que. He nodded his head and said smilingly, ”Alright.”

Ning Que looked at his eyes nervously and waited for what was about to happen. However, Eldest Brother did not do anything or say anything, but shook his head with a smile and continued up the mountain path.

”So, you know that I have joined the devil... then?” Ning Que shouted at Eldest Brother's back puzzledly.

Eldest Brother's voice could be heard from ahead. ”I know, so I know, what else can I do?”

Ning Que chased up to him and asked irritatedly, ”Senior Brother, have you heard me clearly? I have joined the devil. Will the Academy burn me to death or will they close me up in the Back Cliff and not allow anyone to see me? What do the Academy rules say?”

”They can't.” Eldest Brother sighed softly, ”The Back Cliff was used by teacher to imprison Youngest Uncle. You did not get into as much trouble as he did and have not sinned enough. You are not qualified to be imprisoned there.”

Ning Que was startled, and he asked, ”So what will happen?”

Eldest Brother looked at him and said solemnly, ”Wait for teacher to return.”

Ning Que asked, ”What if teacher doesn't?”

Eldest Brother patted his shoulders and said, ”Then let us pretend that we don't know, alright?”

At this time, the two had arrived at the wooden door. After the long path through the mountain, Ning Que had considered the situation at hand seriously. However, he still could not understand Eldest Brother's att.i.tude. Why did Eldest Brother not react in the way he had antic.i.p.ated?

The wooden door that could stop cultivators under the Seethrough state opened before the two.

Eldest Brother took out a silk handkerchief and slowly wiped a bronze mirror clean before keeping it in his sleeves again.

”I heard that you visited Mistress Jian at the House of Red Sleeves yesterday.”

”Yes.”

”She has had a hard life.”

Ning Que looked at the bronze mirror but did not know what Eldest Brother had used it for earlier.

The two had finally reached the peak of the back of the mountain of the Academy. Ning Que stood at the edge of the cliff and looked at the clouds beneath his feet. His thoughts wavered as he felt the cold wind blowing him and thought of the scenery of that night when he ascended the mountain.