462 The Small Taoist Temple and Being Free (2/2)

...

...

Standing out of the General's Mansion, Ning Que noticed the spies who did not hide very inconspicuously. He knew that there were many bigwigs who were very concerned about what happened between him and Xia Hou. After a moment of silence, he walked down the stone steps and patted the Big Black Horse's head.

He had many things to do and needed a more convenient form of transport. The steel horse carriage that Master Yan Se had left him was too heavy because his cultivation state was not high enough. An ordinary horse would not be able to pull it. That was why he had brought the Big Black Horse from the back of the mountain.

The Big Black Horse was not pleased or touched after being entrusted with such a responsibility. The horse carriage behind him was too heavy, and he would rather continue being bullied by Wooden Fish back at the Academy.

The all-black horse carriage sped towards Yanming Lake. Ning Que sat in the carriage with his eyes shut, weary evident in his face.

Sitting opposite Xia Hou in the garden and talking about the past and their grudges and enmities had tired his wits even though they hadn't had a real fight.

The sweet scent of osmanthus could be smelt from outside the carriage.

He was amazed that someone's mansion's osmanthus was still blooming even now in autumn.

The object he kept his chest began warming up. The heat emanated in the air of the carriage through his black academy uniform, thickening the scent of osmanthus.

Ning Que opened his eyes and took out the array eye pestle that was tightly wrapped in a cloth. He felt the obvious heat passed to his palm and frowned with a grave expression.

After the study in the palace and contemplation, Ning Que now had a deep understanding of the big tactical array that Chang'an was. Even though he was still not anywhere near Master Yan Se's state, he had slowly established a link between his mental state and Chang'an. He was able to perceive everything that the city wanted to tell him.

Ning Que could sense that an extremely powerful person had entered Chang'an.

It was that very moment when Ye Su had followed the grains team into Chang'an.

Ning Que did not know that the powerhouse who had entered Chang'an was Ye Su.

He only knew that the person was very strong. He was so strong that even the array eye pestle began to heat up. A heavy awareness grew within him and he told the black horse pulling the carriage, ”Turn around, go to the Academy.”

...

...

Ning Que was headed to the Academy because he knew that his cultivation state and abilities were not good enough against the powerhouse who had come to Chang'an. Also, he was about to use the issue as an excuse to ask his Senior Brothers some questions. They were questions that troubled him but had never been discussed in the Academy.

After entering the back of the mountain, Ning Que walked to the straw cottage with the sounds of the waterfall behind him. Ning Que did not see the Headmaster, and it was evident that the Headmaster did not want to answer his question, and refused to see him.

Then, he left the straw cottage, walked around the waterfall and came to the cliff. He walked by the cliff walls and climbed up a steep slope of stairs, returning to the cliff cave that he had stayed on for three months.

The wisteria flowers on the porch had long since fallen, and borne fruit. They were not cooked with meat by Sangsang but became food for the ants on the ground.

Standing on the edge of the cliff and looking over Chang'an, Ning Que fell silent. He analyzed why the Headmaster did not want to see him and thought about what it meant.

After some time.

Senior Brother walked to his side and looked at the faraway Chang'an City. He said, ”The person who came is called Ye Su.”

Ning Que had already sensed that the person who had entered Chang'an was one of the strongest powerhouses. He was not surprised when he heard Ye Su's name.

Eldest Brother looked at him and suddenly said, ”What happened in the past has passed.”

Ning Que knew that Eldest Brother was trying to convince him. He did not reply, but looked at Chang'an that was shrouded in the autumn sunlight. He suddenly felt like saying something.

”But unlike them, I did not die yesterday.”

The autumn breeze between cliffs swung the clouds around. The waterfall grew thinner than it had been in spring due to the reduced water volume.

Eldest Brother looked at the waterfall and said, ”If a person is blinded by hatred, he cannot see a bigger world and a more beautiful scenery.”

Ning Que said, ”Hatred cannot blind a person, but it can make someone's eyes red. To me, hatred had long become my eyes. All these years, I had no eyes for anything else and hatred had become my world and the most beautiful scenery.”

Eldest Brother said, ”This life is so uncomfortable, is it really worth it?”

Ning Que turned around to look at him. He said, ”Senior Brother, you are wrong. If a person wants to live freely, then he shouldn't consider too much. True freedom is doing whatever you want to do.”

...