690 Turning the World Upside Down I (2/2)

”So I wanted to find other possible ways. I traveled around the world and tried to find talented people in all fields. I brought them back to the Academy, including your Fifth Brother, Song Qian, and Wang Chi. Instead of teaching them how to cultivate, I let them study what they were interested in. We tried to find a way to defeat Haotian by studying mathematics and geometry.”

”I told you that West-Hill's Haotian Taoism was the starting point, where I began cultivating. So, in the end, I went back to the beginning. Your Twelfth Brother, Chen Pipi, was the most outstanding genius among all in Haotian Taoism. He had the best qualities of Haotian Taoism but was not hindered by backward ideas. That's why I chose him.”

”But my time was limited. And now I know that there may be a chance that those efforts would also fail. Even if the plan was to succeed, I would not be alive to see it. It's lucky that I have you now.”

Ning Que was listening without saying a word until he heard his own name. He looked up in surprise, and asked, ”I am not as talented as Chen Pipi. And I could barely win against my Senior Brothers or Sisters in Talisman or in Go games. Why am I the one?”

”Firstly, you are a selfish man.”

”Should I take that as a compliment?”

The Headmaster said, ”Thousands of years ago, I taught people kindness, righteousness and propriety so that they could be well-behaved and moral. And I brought them laws to maintain social stability. Now the Tang Empire and your two Senior Brothers have all made this a reality. People are living peacefully and quietly, but they're not aggressive enough. Only the selfish can push society forward.”

Ning Que argued, ”I know that love can save the world. I never heard that selfishness could do the same thing.”

The Headmaster then said, ”Sometimes a new world has to rise up from the old one's ashes.”

Ning Que sighed, ”That is a lot of pressure on me.”

The Headmaster laughed, and then halted. He looked at Ning Que and said, ”The most important reason why I chose you as my last student was that I could never get you.”

”On Peach Mountain, Wei Guangming saw a boy in Chang'an born with knowledge. I've seen it, too. He thought you were the Son of Yama, but I didn't agree. I did feel confused and wonder why there would be a man born with knowledge, especially when it was you— a boy who seemed no more than ordinary.”

The Headmaster said, ”And my question had its answer recently after I knew that you were not a man of Haotian's world. You're from another world. That's the answer.”

They hadn't talked about how to defeat Haotian, neither had they discussed the world Ning Que belonged to. The two had already ascertained the two facts without conversing.

Ning Que was looking down at the footprints the little Vermilion Bird burnt on the floor. After a long silence, he looked up and then at Sangsang. The Headmaster was wise enough to accept his identity as a man from another world, but what about Sangsang?

What would she think of him?

There was nothing like terror or resentment in her. She was surprised and looked at Ning Que curiously. When she found Ning Que looking at her, she laughed out loud.

Ning Que was touched by Sangsang. He didn't care if Sangsang was the Daughter of Yama or not. All he cared about was Sangsang being herself. And Sangsang didn't care where Ning Que was from. All she cared about was Ning Que being himself.

”So far I haven't found a way to defeat Haotian, neither did your Youngest Uncle. Actually, nobody in this world has succeeded, because the world we're now in is Haotian's territory.”

The Headmaster smiled at Ning Que and said. ”But you're an outsider of this world. At least your soul and your mind do not belong here. If the world we're in now is an endless circle of living and death, and you are not of this world, then you will be the person who will break the cycle. This is good.”

That put even more pressure on Ning Que. He looked out of the window. The blue sky and white clouds there suddenly became so heavy. Ning Que felt like his mind and heart were being crushed into pieces by the pressure.

”Am I going against Heaven?”

There had been a well told cliche about how a rookie screamed and vowed to go against Heaven . For thousands of years, the Headmaster had been considering and practicing to break the chain of the world and let folks breathe fresh air. When a man like the Headmaster said ”going against Heaven”, he literally meant it. It was going to be a really brave and great fight.

Ning Que used to be a selfish man. His reasons for fighting were quite limited. Now, he knew he was going to fight for the freedom of humankind.

”Why do I have to do that?”

Ning Que felt confused but he was afraid to ask.

The Headmaster once mentioned that he was not a man of this world. But in this world, he had gone through pain and sorrow, laughter and joy, partings and reunions. How did that happen?

Everything happens for a reason, and everyone has his reason for living.

But Ning Que's reason to live now seemed too burdening.

He looked up to the Headmaster and for a long time, he said nothing.

Just as the Headmaster and Sangsang though Ning Que was about to refuse or avoid the burden.

He asked, ”Then how can I be as powerful as you are?”