149 View the Mountain Scenery on a Speechless Nigh (2/2)
”No, I mean you are indeed a foodie!” Ning Que exclaimed, ”You claim yourself the baby of the Academy and the most favored little brother of the Second Floor, but you still don't know what the exam is about. I actually pinned all my hopes on you and bought you such an expensive bowl of porridge!”
Thinking of Prince Long Qing's protracted posture in the opening of the Second Floor tomorrow and thinking of his own dismal situation and Chen Pipi's helpless look, he got more irritated, then he took the bowl of the porridge back and quickly poured it into his own stomach.
”Oh, how can you eat it all!”
Chen Pippi seemed rather angry, not knowing whether it was because his crab porridge was stolen or he was scolded as a foodie by Ning Que. He indignantly denounced him, pointing at Ning Que's nose. ”I'm a useless foodie, but without me, you ah...”
”I'm... indeed a dead dog.”
Ning Que bowed his head, and his expression could not be seen. Only his tired voice and gloomy tone could be heard.
”Actually I always consider myself as a real genius who learns things fast, including killing horses, cattle, and chickens, but I am really discouraged about cultivation. I've struggled with it for many years and finally made it out last year. However, I don't have any confidence in confronting Prince Long Qing. Thus, I subconsciously come to you for help.”
He looked up and said in self-mockery, ”I'm dying to enter the Second Floor, but I really have no confidence in defeating Long Qing and finally becoming the unique one.”
Chen Pipi had witnessed Ning Que progressing from an ordinary lad who knew nothing about cultivation to the present state step by step over the past six months. He was sure that this friend of the same age was also a genius, but it was interesting that Ning Que was not aware of it due to his lack of a normal frame of reference. Needless to say that Chen Pipi, and even Prince Long Qing, were both beyond the reach of Ning Que, since the time he spent in the world of cultivation was too short, after all.
Looking at Ning Que's expression of self-deprecation, he gave birth to a strong sense of sympathy, and then sighed before smilingly saying, ”Though I can understand your distress of being an ordinary person, but... You still can ask me if you have any questions about cultivation, just as you have over the past few months. In that case, there aren't too many differences whether you can enter the Second Floor or not.”
Ning Que shook his head and replied, ”I'm learning from you presently, but I will never surpass you no matter how well I learn. But what if I have the chance to learn from the Dean?”
Hearing these words, Chen Pippi stared with his small, round eyes and immediately ended up pitying him, and shouted, ”If you reach my level, you won't be dissatisfied!”
Ning Que wearily leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. He was too exhausted to talk and seemed disappointed to the extreme.
Chen Pipi felt sorry and suddenly raised his two tight eyebrows on his forehead, then whispered, ”In fact... not all the students who can enter the Second Floor are geniuses in cultivation. Sixth Brother is a good blacksmith born by the Good blacksmith.”
Ning Que suddenly opened his eyes.
Instead of watching him, Chen Pipi continued with a frown. ”The Headmaster holds the nature of students in high esteem. Yet it remains essentially the same although methods of the exam at the opening of the Second Floor vary every time. So, no matter what type of exam it's going to be tomorrow, your first priority is to stick to your heart, and make it to the ultimate, and then maybe you can have a chance.”
”To the ultimate?” Ning Que said to himself.
”It's late now, please go back.”
Chen Pipi took a glance out of the window at the stars in the spring night, and said, ”There are only a few hours left before the opening of the Second Floor.”
...
...
After returning the Old Brush Pen Shop, Ning Que could not fall asleep. He lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling above his head. And his seemingly calm eyes were actually hidden with anxiety and loss, due to which his body seemed tense.
Even he himself could not make it clear why he had such a strong desire to enter the Second Floor of the Academy—presumably due to his immense yearning for the world of cultivation. For instance, his arduous efforts, such as blood vomiting for getting upstairs last year, made the love of each cell in his body for that world deepen, and as he finally stepped into the magical world and saw more strange scenery last year, he was increasingly eager to see more scenery.
When people had gone through plenty of hardships and finally mounted a dangerous peak, they would look around and find a higher peak amidst the white clouds faintly in the distance. If one could overcome his fatigue, then he always wanted to reach the higher peak, to see more beautiful scenery that he had never seen. Ascending the tower to view the mountain scenery, climbing a high peak to view the city scenery, and sitting on clouds to view the scenery of the entire world—a meaningful life should have been like this.
Sangsang sat on the bed staring at his cheek, and wanted to pass him some power by holding his hand with slight strength. She would like to transfer some kind of confidence with her reluctant, but sincere, smile.
At night in spring of the 14th year of Tianqi, the entire Chang'an City, and even the whole world, were concerned about the opening of the Second Floor tomorrow. However, no one knew how important it was to that ordinary lad who was living in the old shop of the rough lane in Eastern City of Chang'an City, who had been mercilessly predicated to be incapable of cultivating.