734 Discussion on the City Wall Part I (2/2)
The black pattern was a sculpture with a white outer layer that looked like endless brightness. The contrast of sculpture against the illumination seemed dark and gloomy; its facial feature and body were both infused in dark shadow.
Ning Que asked, ”What was carved upon the ID token when you gave it to me the time I rushed to the Wilderness?”
Looking down at the Chang'an City, Yu Lian walked towards the sides of the city wall. ”Yama or Haotian.”
Walking beside her, Ning Que looked down towards the direction where her sight had guided. ”What kind of ID token is this?”
Yu Lian said, ”It is the Enlightenment Doctrine master's nameplate.”
”I could not figure out why Desolate Man would place Sangsang and I under their protection at the risks of extermination of their entire clan. As far as I am concerned, it was for the sake of this ID token. In retrospect, Lotus's one last hit in the Front Gate of the Enlightenment Doctrine, failed because of this ID token. This ID token saved me many times. It was so foolish of me not to have realized it until now.”
Ning Que put the ID token back into his belt again in a natural manner, without any intention of giving it back to Yu Lian. He took a serious deep bow down to the ground towards her and gave a grave salute to show his appreciation and gratitude.
What he did not understand was how when he was leading disciples of the front yard of the Academy to practice in the Wilderness, why had the Third Sister handed him the master's nameplate of Enlightenment Doctrine, which was of so much importance, in such a casual way.
”Remember what I told you when you were prepared to take part in the Floor-Opening test?” Yu Lian asked.
Ning Que had been an ordinary student in the front yard of the Academy. He had been under a great deal of spiritual pressure when he was ready to take part in the opening test of Second floor of the Academy. He had a conversation with Yu Lian in Sword Forest.
”Yeah, I remember it. You told me that you were going to introduce me to a powerhouse who was no weaker than Liu Bai and would be my teacher.”
”Exactly.”
”Who were you going to introduce me to?”
”Of course, it was me.”
Yu Lian said, ”At the time your Snow Mountain and Ocean of Qi were in a mess. They still are. Moreover, your gift on the Talisman Taoism was not yet revealed. In no way were you fit for cultivation. But your extraordinary bone structure and your appalling willpower were the exact quality and condition to cultivate the technique of Enlightenment Doctrine. I had intended to make you my inheritor.”
Ning Que was beginning to understand exactly what he had missed before.
Yu Lian said, ”Though you refused me, I had always had a certain feeling that you would still tread upon this path sometime in the future. So before you went to the Wilderness, I gave you this ID token. As I had expected, you came across the Lotus in the Front Gate and then mastered the Great Spirit of the Youngest Uncle. You were still infatuated.”
Yu Lian stared at him and said, ”When Lotus wanted to name me as his successor, I said no to him. When I wanted to pass on my legacy to you, you also refused me. You inherited his legacy in the end. If seen from this way, there is not much difference.”
Thinking in retrospect, Ning Que could not help being filled with a thousand regrets. He smiled. ”It is better as so. Or I would have had to be inferior to you for a generation.”
He retrieved his smile bit by bit. ”Could it be that destiny made its own arrangement?”
”I've told you that as long as you stick to your original intention, you can reach it with ease. It refers not only to the gateways along the path which you are climbing, but also things like destiny.”
Yu Lian said, ”On the first day when I met the Headmaster, he told me the exact same words. He then said that I would be better looking if I was a girl and that was what I should have accepted. So I put this sentence into practice on the spot and stomped on the hem of his black robe with one kick.”
Ning Que asked, ”Then?”
Yu Lian said expressionlessly, ”I did not pass, but the Headmaster tripped badly.”
Ning Que thought this was exciting. ”How did it feel?”
She thought for a moment and smiled. ”Pretty good.”
Ning Que replied, ”The Headmaster wasn't angry?”
”Now that I am a girl, I am privileged to enjoy the right to act cutely and lose my little temper.”
With still no expression on her face, Yu Lian was silent for a few moments before she continued, ”Later on, it occurred to me that the Headmaster tripped on purpose to make me happy. At the time I was in a pretty down and gloomy mood.”
On the city wall, they were silent for a long time.
Looking down on the Chang'an City down below, Yu Lian asked, ”Do you detect anything wrong?”
In this tense situation, even the most shocking and memorable things could not be discussed at length. They were here to see the view.
Yu Lian was leading him around Chang'an City.
The city was much quieter than it usually was. Staring at the wide, quiet streets, Ning Que said something strange, ”Chang'an City is in a jam.”
Yu Lian agreed, ”Exactly. The problem you need to resolve is this jam.”
Ning Que said then, ”It could be difficult to resolve.”
The streets of Chang'an City were wide and there were not too many people on the street. There were barely any carriages. The traffic of Chang'an was extremely convenient and loose. There were no collisions or accidents. The disciple group who had been preaching over the past few days was also not seen.
But Yu Lian and Ning Que, the Senior Sister and Brother, both had seen the jam that Chang'an City was in.
Their expressions were solemn.