248 Someone in the Mountain (1/2)
Chapter 248: Someone in the Mountain
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
Their silly smiles seemed exceptionally white against the snow white forest. Their smiles were so infections it could be felt by each snow particle on every branch and every strand of grass beneath the snowy ground. However, the burning flames from the Fu paper in the snow pit before the two did not catch on. The flames did not grow any larger as the bitter winds blew across it.
Ning Que looked at the tiny flames on the black robes covering the body of the Judicial Department's deacon. It was then, when he discovered, rather awkwardly, that his abilities were very much beneath the young Talisman Master beside him. The talisman that Mo Shanshan had drawn without much thought yesterday had reduced the Judicial Department's deacon into ashes without a single scorch mark on his black robes. However, the fire talisman he had worked hard on in Chang'an City was very weak compared to it. How many days would it take to burn the corpse completely?
Mo Shanshan noticed the awkward expression on his face and could barely stop herself from laughing out loud. She lowered her head in order to hide her smiles. Her fingers which were left outside her robes made a flicking action and the flames in the snow pit grew larger.
The dazzling white embers flickered. Ning Que who was standing by the side had barely been able to feel the warmth of it before he realized that the snow had melted and was seeping through the ground. The body of the deacon had already burned completely, this time, together with the black robes and could no longer be seen.
Ning Que sighed as he looked at the sight before him. The art of drawing talismans depended on one's potential. Using a talisman depended on how one applied it. His talismans were a far cry from the Calligraphic Addict's and felt rather resentful when he couldn't even understand how she had applied it.
”Master Yan Se said that I was a rare genius in Talisman Taoism in over one thousand years. But now that we have been together for some time, I feel that he hadn't been truthful. Either that or his views must be really different from the Master of Calligrapher.”
He looked at Mo Shanshan's beautiful clear eyes and was certain that she was about his age. However, he couldn't ask for her age without feeling awkward. So he shook his head and said with regret, ”You are a true Talisman Taoism genius.”
Mo Shanshan looked at him and asked in a serious manner. ”Senior Brother XIII, when did you start studying Talisman Taoism?”
Ning Que counted back and replied, ”In spring. It's been almost six months.”
Mo Shanshan looked into his eyes quietly and sighed softly after a long while. She said, ”Well, Master Yan Se is indeed right. You're indeed a genius in Talisman Taoism.”
Ning Que was very happy when he heard that. This was especially so when he thought of his bragging to Chen Pipi. He felt much more secure about his abilities and he smiled while asking seriously, ”Am I really very strong?”
Mo Shanshan nodded. She thought of something and asked curiously, ”What is your teacher like?”
Ning Que thought for a while before he replied honestly, ”He is a creepy and perverted old man.”
Mo Shanshan was slightly surprised. She thought of it for a moment before coming to a conclusion. She said softly, ”I was asking about the Headmaster of the Academy. I am very curious as to what kind of person could teach the students of the Second floor.”
Ning Que smiled bashfully. He replied, ”You might find it hard to believe. Even though I am traveling through the Wilderness as a core disciple of the Headmaster, I have yet to meet him.”
Mo Shanshan blinked. She did not seem to think that this would be his reply.
Ning Que considered the question for a while before he said seriously, ”According to the Senior Brothers and Sisters of the Second floor, I imagine the Headmaster must be a very proud, showy and amazing dude.”
Only the guys from the Back Mountain of the Academy would dare to address the Headmaster as a dude. Ning Que's description was mostly nonsense though. Someone like Mo Shanshan, the Calligraphic Addict, would, of course, be well aware of how the Headmaster was like. Wouldn't someone in a high cultivation state like the Headmaster have every right to be proud and showy?
”How is your master, the Master of Calligrapher, like?” Ning Que asked curiously.
A mix of emotions appeared on Mo Shanshan's face upon hearing the mention of her teacher. There were respect and uncertainty. She lowered her head slowly and turned to walk towards the snow forest, unwilling to talk about this.
Ning Que looked at her retreating back and frowned. He turned back to look at the snow pit to make sure that the corpse had been destroyed completely before speeding up to catch up with her.
Hooves landed on white snow. The Big Black Horse lowered his head and trotted on with the heavy luggage on his back.
He looked at the clear prints on the snowy ground of the forests and the young man and woman before them. He wondered to himself why they weren't worried about leaving prints when leaving but had to drag grass behind them when they came.
The Big Black Horse had a sudden epiphany and could not help but be annoyed. He shook his head angrily, kicked up his hooves and sped towards the periphery of the forest just like the way he did on the way there.
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Ning Que tied the branches and some firewood that the Big Black Horse had searched high and low for behind the horse. He patted the back of the horse in satisfaction before drawing an odd grass from the front of his robes and stuffing it in the horse's mouth as a reward.
Mo Shanshan looked at this display curiously and thought to herself that those from the Second floor of the Academy were really odd. Even their beasts were odd. It seemed as if it could understand humans. She wondered how this was possible.
Ning Que spoke, ”We have to clear all traces of our journey from the snow. The best solution would be if Haotian deigns to send snow. However, if it doesn't snow, we have to be more cautious. We mustn't take the same road we took when coming here.”
Mo Shanshan did not understand. She asked, ”I know that the grass used previously was for this, but why did you burn them and have Big Black search for branches?”