284 Join the Devil XIII (1/2)

Snow covered the yellow grass by the Hulan Sea. The surface of the lake had gradually frozen. The man on the grassland was seizing the last opportunity to catch fish.

The middle-aged man wearing a felt hat looked at the lake silently. He looked powerful with the hard lines of his face and the beginnings of a beard. A subordinate stood behind him respectfully.

This team of traveling businessmen from the Central Plains had stopped here for days. Those from the tribe did not know what they were waiting for. They were too early to be waiting for the leather goods that would only be ready at the end of summer. But they did not bother the businessman due to the taels of silver and goods that they had gifted them with.

His subordinate looked at the ice and snow gathered on the surface of the lake and asked in a low hesitant voice, ”Will the Tomes of Arcane really appear here?”

The middle-aged man was silent before he said, ”The Great Divine God had released news about the Tomes of Arcane being in the Wilderness since he returned from the south. He must have received confirmation from the abbey dean. I heard that Li Qingshan had also worked with Huang Yang and ascertained that the Tomes of Arcane would appear by the Hulun Sea. There shouldn't be any mistakes.”

The subordinate frowned. He thought for a moment before saying, ”Sir, I should not question you. But I feel that it is a little risky for us to place all our hopes on the prophecy of the Great Divine God.”

After a momentary pause, he said softly, ”We can't keep the news from Tuyang City. If the imperial court finds out that you have left the General's Mansion without permission... Furthermore, we have received news that Lin Ling is indeed dead.”

The middle-aged man looked at the loyal adviser who had followed him for the past twenty years. He thought of the subjects that had been equally loyal but had died. He then touched the hair on his temples lightly and said, ”We shall settle that later. The situation at hand right now is complicated. We can only make a further move in this situation should we get our hands on the Tomes of Arcane. Everything else is just a small matter.”

He looked at the mountain ranges in the north, on the other side of the lake. He said expressionlessly, ”I believe in what the Great Divine God had said. Other than myself, there are not many in the world who would know that the exit of the Front Gate is at the Hulun Sea.”

The adviser asked with furrowed brows, ”Why didn't you enter the Front Gate to search for the Tomes of Arcane? Even if there are many powerful parties who are scrutinizing us now, there are not many who have the power to enter the Front Gate. Grasping the opportunity would still be better than waiting passively.”

The middle-aged man looked at a spot in the far-off north silently. He did not answer the question.

Mr. Ke had not taken the Tomes of Arcane away. They should still be on the sacred land.

He was unwilling to return to the Front Gate. Instead, he waited silently by the lake for the opportunity to steal the tomes. Other than tactical considerations, it was also due to the fear in his heart. He was not very old then, but he clearly remembered the bloody images and the cold expression on his teacher who had several incarnations.

The advisor looked at the middle-aged man who had a pondering expression on his face. He wondered silently about what the man would do after he steals the Tomes of Arcane. Would he present it to His Majesty, or would he return it to the Divine Hall, or would he keep it for himself?

Could the Tomes of Arcane really change everything? In the past twenty years, the adviser had followed his master to several lands, in search of a living. They seemed to have weaved a dense web, but the web had eventually wrapped around them, making it difficult to breathe. He could not help but sigh deeply in his heart when he thought of this.

The middle-aged man stared at a far-off spot on the other side of the lake. He once again thought of his teacher who had departed from this world.

Over the years, he had struggled and fought to survive between the empire and the West-Hill Divine Palace to protect himself who was from the Enlightenment Doctrine and his sister who was hidden in the palace of Chang'an.

His teacher had traveled around the world amongst the various forces but was like a fish swimming in the lake. He was at ease and exuded satisfaction and happiness. How had he managed that?

...

...

Rough fingers stroke the stone platform. Animal skin fluttered in the wind. Tang stood in the abyss and looked at the huge vertical and horizontal stone beams as he recalled how his teacher had described the sacred land. He compared it to the world that laid before his eyes. It was made more desolate due to its magnificence. He was silent for a long time.

He walked to the edge of the cliff slowly, looking at the dark abyss. He thought of how the Haotian Taoism could lead the Central Plains for a millennium and knew that there was a reason for that. He should not take them lightly. This was especially so for the Taoists in that Zhishou Abbey. They must be really powerful. They had placed much importance on this matter, so the Tomes of Arcane must definitely be in the Front Gate. Why have they not been found yet?

He looked palace full of bones near his feet. He suddenly opened his mouth and said, ”According to what teacher had said, Mr. Ke had broken into the sacred land with a single sword then. He did not kill everyone in the Front Gate. Before that, two disciples were evacuated southwards. Before teacher had left, he had confirmed that many of the disciples had been evacuated. Apart from those who had died in the war, many in these pile of bones had committed suicide. The front Gate had been sealed after.”

Tang Xiaotang stared at the sight with bright eyes. She looked at the palace below the beams. They had already passed by it earlier and had not discovered anything. She asked curiously, ”Where did they go?”

A gust of wind passed over the stone beam, scraping the shattered stones and their clothes. Tang could feel the aura of heaven and earth in the Front Gate through the wind. After a moment of silence, he said, ”I can't feel them. They must have already left.”

The two siblings walked into the depths of the Front Gate. Tang's thick eyebrows rose slowly. He was uncertain about many things that had happened back then. There were also many things he had not understood when searching for the Tomes of Arcane. For example, he was certain that those people had already left the Front Gate, but why was he still feeling so uneasy?

...

...

Decades ago, Ke Haoran had set the Confinement personally, separating this room from the world. As long as you did not enter it, you would realize that it existed. If you really enter this world, you would never be able to leave it as this world was a prison he had gifted Lotus personally.

”Cough ... hum ... you have actually learned the Haoran Sword!”

Master Lotus looked at Ning Que from the center of the pile of bones. He mouth was split wide open with a child-like laugh. His lips twisted downwards and he began to cry like a child. The sounds of laughter and crying came together and sounded hoarse and ugly.

Ning Que held on to his podao and looked at him. He said, ”Indeed.”

The old monk's gaze was as cold as ghost fire. He glared at Ning Que and asked, ”This is impossible!”

Ning Que replied, ”It has happened.”

The old monk's next statement came rapidly. He roared like the thunder, ”Doesn't this mean you have joined the Devil!”

Ning Que's face was blank as he replied calmly, ”Indeed.”

The old monk asked solemnly, ”Are you not afraid?”

Ning Que replied, ”I am not afraid of anything else in the face of death.”

The old monk said sarcastically, ”But you have joined the Devil.”

Ning Que frowned, ”So?”

The old monk said sharply, ”Those who have joined the Devil have to die.”

Ning Que answered, ”But you are still alive.”

The old monk shook his head slowly. He said with slight ridicule, ” These are two completely different choices. The Daming Sect is but just hiding from the Haotian Divine Light in the dark like a mossy rock. Even though we say that we do not respect Haotian, we are particularly afraid of the existence of Haotian. That is why Haotian allows us to exist, even though we are a contrast to light. However, you have lost all respect and even fear for Haotian the moment you picked up the sword left behind by that person. That is truly joining the Devil. Haotian will not allow the existence of someone like you.”

Ning Que descended into silence. And then, he replied, ”Living is better than death.”

The old monk was stunned, and then, he began to laugh maniacally. Cloudy tears streamed from the withered corners of his eyes slowly. He pointed at Ning Que's face with a skinny shaking finger and barely repressed his desire to laugh. He said viciously, ”Crazy Ke had died from joining the Devil and you are following in his footsteps. I wonder if the Academy had been cursed. All of you will be destroyed by Haotian. This must be your fates.”

He stared into Ning Que's eyes and panted, ”You have to be strong enough to be able to walk on this path resolutely. The faster you become strong, the faster you will die. Do not dream that you would be able to escape this fate.”

The old monk asked faintly, ”When have the heavens spared anyone?”