209 Enemy of the World (1/2)

Chapter 209: Enemy of the World

Translator: TransnEditor: Transn

In the days that followed, the Great Divine Priest of Light who was now an ordinary old man left and return to the inn as usual. He ate and slept and visited the sights. He drank tea and listened to music and dozed off. And he would visit Sangsang at the Lin 47th Street every day without fail.

He would watch Sangsang as he ate and slept. He watched her while he drank tea and listened to music. He watched her as he dozed off. He visited her everyday. Watching her became the most important part of his life after he found out the name of the little handmaiden of the Old Brush Pen Shop.

One day, the old man visited Lin 47th Street with two osmanthus cakes from the Lotus Store. He was slightly curious when he saw the young handmaiden riding away on a royal horse carriage, but did not think too much of it. He felt slightly lost when did not see Sangsang busying around and when he saw the tightly shut doors of Old Brush Pen Shop. After being in a daze for a while, he suddenly recalled the reason for his visit to Chang'an.

He had long lost the dark shadow in his eyes. He did not know where the person was hiding in Chang'an or if he was even in Chang'an. He had completely forgotten the matter in the recent days.

He thought of the matter as he stood in a daze near the grey walls of Lin 47th Street. He shook his head and left the osmanthus cakes outside the doors of Old Brush Pen Shop. He held the robes close to his body and walked through the tightly packed streets of the Eastern City and came to a mansion in the Southern City.

There were two ash trees standing at the mouth of the street. Their leaves wavered half-heartedly in the winter winds. It looked rather pitiful compared to the verdant green leaves peeking through the yard walls from each end of the streets.

There were two doors facing each other in the middle of the street. The old man did not even bother looking at the empty mansion on the right but walked towards the one on the left. The seals have long been battered by the weather and what was left stuck out at angles on the wooden doors between paint and wood.

The old man stood before the house. He held his hands together, back hunched and looked at the remnants of the stone lions outside the doors. A strange emotion emerged from his deep-set eyes as he looked at the mud with a color of congealed blood.

The old man stood there for a long time until a gust of wind passed through the lane and through the neck of his thick robes. He coughed and hunched even further into himself.

A voice accompanied the wind that turned through the street.

”Winter in Chang'an this year is much colder than before.”

The old man replied, still hunched over, ”It has been years since I visited Chang'an. I do not know what the past winters were like.”

Then, he turned to look at the street entrance.

A lone man walked slowly from it. His brows were straight and his eyes were bright and clear. He wore cotton Taoist robes and straw shoes and had a simple Taoist hairstyle. Behind him, he carried a long sword. He seemed more intimidating with each step he took, even the fallen leaves and mud before him seemed to fear him. They scattered to both sides of the streets even though there was no wind.

This man was the Master of Nation of the Tang Dynasty, Li Qingshan.

”You may stay in Chang'an in the future. You might understand the winter here more.”

Li Qingshan stopped and looked at the old man, inviting the visitor to stay.

If the man was an ordinary visitor, the Tangs would entertain him with good tea and wine. If the man came without invitation and was a visitor who bore grudges, the invitation to stay would, of course, mean something else altogether.

The old man looked at him and slowly straightened his back. His skinny figure became tall and intimidating with just this simple action. He exuded a strong and intelligent aura.

Facing the Master of Nation of the Tang Dynasty, he was no longer that ordinary old man who drank tea and ate and watched Sangsang.

He was the Great Divine Priest of Light.

...

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Li Qingshan was the leader of South School of Haotian Taoism, the Tang's Master of Nation, the figure of authority to hundreds of civilians in the world. No one had seen him displaying his cultivation state as he had no need to show his hands given his current status.

However, even the children playing on the streets of Chang'an knew that he was strong and capable. If not, how did he become the Master of Nation? To those in the cultivation world, Li Qingshan was a strong cultivator of the Knowing Destiny State. It was just that he did not show his cards. If he did, he would shock the world.

However, the old man standing outside the ruins of the General's Mansion was no ordinary person as well. He had many loyal followers as the most respected Great Divine Priest of Light of the West-Hill Divine Palace after being imprisoned for fourteen years. Even the hierarch would not dare to kill him. He was the first person to escape You Prison after unleashing his powers, causing much chaos in the Divine Hall.

A faceoff between the Tang's Master of Nation and the Great Divine Priest of Light; Who would be the victor?

”The West-Hill sent a letter saying that you are very strong. Senior Brother said so too, he even said that you might be stronger than the hierarch.”

Li Qingshan looked at the Great Divine Priest of Light and smiled suddenly. He said, ”I know that my heart is secular and I cannot keep my Taoist Heart clear. That is why I am lacking in my cultivation state. If you're really stronger than I am, I do not think that this is something that I cannot accept. I will not think that this is something shameful as well.”

The Great Divine Priest of Light said, ”You have been cultivating for many years and you still do not understand this. You might be just slightly slow.”

”That is why I do not understand you.” Li Qingshan wiped off the smile on his face. He continued, ” You are different from the other two Gods. My Senior Brother and I have never seen a trace of desire for power in you. You were not even interested in how Haotian had spread his glory amongst the world. You studied the classics. You help those in need. You are benevolent, but do not see it as your calling. You are cold and aloof, but you do not use it to your advantage. You are someone who is completely transparent. Or some might say, you are someone who has nothing to hide.”