420 The General I (1/2)

That was the method that the Headmaster had taught him with a rod on the balcony of the Building of Pines and Cranes. Eldest Brother had also taught him a vague lesson about it in the Wilderness. He had also thought of that method when he was imprisoned in the cliff cave.

The method was simple, clear and was filled with power. However, from another respect, one could also say that it was a foolish one. It was completely at odds with Ning Que's take on life, which appeared bright on the surface but was actually dark inside.

Standing on the street of Chang'an in the slowly darkening spring day, Ning Que thought about what would happen after autumn. In a while, he felt passionate, and then he felt sad. He did not notice a cloud drifting from the north.

”Are you Mr. Thirteen?”

Ning Que turned around to see a man bowing to him respectfully. The man wore ordinary clothes, but the clothes did not hide the unique tough aura that belonged to someone from the military.

He had become a famous person in Chang'an since last spring. But there weren't many who have seen his face and could recognise him on the streets.

Ning Que was a little wary, especially due to the identity of the other person.

The man's next words state his identification.

”General Xu Shi would like to invite you over.”

The Tang Empire was renowned for its military power and martial strength and it counted on its military force to unite the whole country. Naturally, the people of the Tang Empire respected those from the military and revered the four great generals of their empire.

Defender-general of the State, Xu Shi, had fought for the empire on the battlefield for decades and had gained countless victory and glory. He conquered numberless territory for the empire. His efforts in gaining more territory for the empire were unparalleled. Even Xia Hou, who had built his great reputation in the recent years could not compare to him. He was the most highly regarded person in the military of Tang no matter in battle experience or in reputation.

Ning Que knew that the most powerful general in the military did not have a good impression of himself. He did not know the exact reason for his bad impression, but he knew that he would definitely meet the general eventually. He just did not expect he would do that today, and did not expect himself to be followed by the Tang military just as he left the palace.

General Xu Shi did not choose the Military Ministry, but had chosen the General's Mansion near the Vermilion Bird Avenue as the meeting place. It meant that this was a private conversation.

Ning Que frowned slightly as he followed the man into the looming General's Mansion. He was aggravated by the chilling aura exuded by the trees and rocks in the mansion.

Entering the depths of the General's Mansion, he saw the general sitting by a desk on a quiet platform.

The old general did not wear his court uniform or his official robes, or his armor as well. Instead, he put on a simple cloth shirt. He was not gardening or sharpening his sword. Instead, he was eating.

The dishes on the table were simple. There were two bowls of brown rice, a bowl of pork belly and three slices green vegetables.

The man who brought Ning Que into the mansion left silently.

Ning Que stood outside the platform. After a moment of silence, he went up the stairs and bowed slightly to the general.

The old general said, ”Sit.”

Ning Que tidied his Academy uniform and sat facing the general.

The old general said, ”I did not think that you'd come so quickly. Please, allow me to eat before we speak. Mr. Thirteen, please forgive me for not treating my guest in proper manners.”

Ning Que lowered his head and said, ”General, please do not say that. It makes me feel stressed.”

The general did not say anything else and continued to finish his food concentratedly.

The old general's hair was white and his slightly tanned face was full of wrinkles. He was slightly hunchbacked. In the ordinary cloth shirt, he looked like any old man on the streets of Chang'an. However, when he used his chopsticks to pick up the meat, it looked like he was holding a riffle and piercing it through his enemy's chest. He looked incredibly mighty.

The general might be old, but he wasn't an old general.

A general was a general.

Especially before his enemies.

The pork belly sauce mixed with brown rice smelt aromatic. However, it tasted ordinary. But the general enjoyed it as his white beard twitched occasionally. When he crunched the three slices of boiled vegetables, it made great clear sounds, it looked like a devil in the Underworld was chewing human bones.

The general ate very fast, perhaps because he had established such a habit in his military career. The dishes on the table were cleared quickly like a tornado had torn through it. Then, he swirled some tea around in his mouth and gargled.

Ning Que said, ”It is bad for your health to eat and drink so hurriedly.”

The general looked at him quietly and said, ”You do not have to pretend before me.”

Ning Que was silent. Then, he decided not to pretend to be a gentle and caring young man.

The general said, ”A cultivator should leave the human realm, not enter it.”

Ning Que did not think that this conversation would be so direct that without any lead-ins or warning ,it got the key point at the start. He was slightly shocked and did not know what to do.

He had thought that this would be a long conversation that was like boiling chicken soup. He thought it needed gentle flames, but did not expect that the fire was so strong and grew so rapidly. If he did not pay attention, the vegetables in the wok would char and become inedible.

”Why shouldn't we enter the human realm?”

Ning Que asked after a pause.

The general looked into his eyes and said blandly, ”Because to cultivators, mortals are too weak. They are like ants to them. A cultivator who enters the human realm will become arrogant and proud.”

Ning Que raised his head and looked back to the general's calm and pressing gaze. He said. ”General, you have fought for the Tang Empire and have been living in the secular world for decades.”

”My identity as a soldier comes before my identity as a cultivator.”

The general said calmly, ”This is the greatest difference.”

Ning Que said, ”I am also a soldier.”

The general shook his head slowly and said, ”You were a soldier, and you were an outstanding one. But regretfully, you were not a cultivator when you were a soldier.”

”What is the difference?” Ning Que asked.

The general squinted and said in a low voice, ”If you were able to cultivate in the City of Wei, I would have trained you well into an impressive martial cultivator. You'd then be able to understand what the battlefield is and then there would be no more stories that had happened later.”