816 Somebody in the Mortal World (1/2)

The Drunkard turned down Ning Que's invitation and said, ”Not today.”

Ning Que raised his tone and said, ”Are you afraid?”

The Drunkard's expression vanished. His hair, white like snow and black as soil, was dancing in the wind. He said, ”All that accompanied me in these years were wine and meat. I love wine best because tipsiness eased my pain. It made people angry or relieved, and I chose the latter one, but that doesn't mean I couldn't be the former.”

Ning Que stared at his eyes and asked, ”But you're still afraid.”

The Drunkard said, ”You can come out.”

Ning Que shook his head and said, ”I am quite the coward.”

The Drunkard said, ”A coward wouldn't dare to wave his cutlass at the Abbey Dean on the street.”

Ning Que said, ”I got no guts to come out, so I am a coward. What about you? Have you any guts?”

The Drunkard said, ”You're spoiling the fun.”

Ning Que said, ”'Come if you dare' sounds so childish, and it's boring, even humiliating. I can humiliate myself because I am your junior, but how can you put up with the humiliation? Let's get this straight and just come in.”

They were talking their own nonsense and that might sound funny and adorable, but frost and snow were hiding behind it, so chilly and frigid.

Ning Que was being aggressive.

He was luring the Drunkard into the city. No matter whether the Drunkard would do it or not, the Academy had to try to find the chance because the meeting was so sudden and perilous.

That was the final decision of the Academy.

But the drunkard killed the plan so easily.

He lifted the flagon and started drinking. And he quit talking with his mouth full of wine.

He stopped talking, but that didn't mean refusal or acceptance.

The only sound before the southern gate was of wine being poured into the Drunkard's chest. It sounded like a waterfall, or a stream at first, and at last, a flooding river.

As had been mentioned, since the Headmaster had left the mortal world, nobody else was able to make the Drunkard talk, and nobody could hold his hand to introduce him into the city or to send him back home.

The Drunkard put down the flagon.

Ning Que suddenly laughed upon seeing the wine stain at the front of his clothes.

The laugh was helpless, self-deprecating and gloomy.

The Drunkard was the survivor from the last Everlasting Night, and teacher of the Headmaster. Ning Que's intention to irritate him with simple words was too conceited even if he had Chang'an City behind his back.

The laugh on his face gradually disappeared. Then he looked at the Drunkard and said, ”Just leave the carriage there and I'll send someone to fetch it if you insist.”

The Drunkard smiled at Ning Que and said, ”I can't leave without returning it to your hand.”

The situation was turned over when he said that. The initiative had been in Chang'an before, but now it was being challenged by the Drunkard's words.

It could've been hard for Ning Que to handle the situation considering his limited state. However, he was the one who had nearly died once, and he had run into another world, which made him tougher and less fearful than anyone else.

”I'm a coward, a loser, an idiot. I commited all sins a man could possibly do. I'm cruel and timid. I'm such a mess that even brooms cannot piece me together.”

Ning Que looked at the Drunkard and said seriously, ”I have no shame. And by no means would I step out of Chang'an today, not even if you revive my wife and threaten me with her life.”

A man who was indifferent to his own stuff like emotions and dignity had no fear. And there was a quote for that attitude.

Those who loved not had nothing to fear for, and those who wanted nothing had no desire, which made themselves naturally tough.

The Drunkard had understood, so he was clear that no matter what he did, or how many people he killed, Ning Que would never come out of the city, so he stopped trying.

He left the small town where he lived in seclusion and headed for Chang'an, because someone asked him for the favor. It was also partly because he wanted to visit the Academy without the Headmaster and to see what kind of person Ning Que was.

When it came to picking up students, the Headmaster had never failed him. However, he still felt a little disappointed because the world didn't seem to have changed much.

He sighed out of disappointment and patted the carriage on his side.

He patted casually and his palm fell softly without any excessive force.

The carriage suddenly seemed lower because the iron wheels had all sunken into the solid ground. Then owing to the fearful counterforce, the carriage bounced back into the air.

This carriage was Master Yan Se's relic. It was made of fine steel all over and was extremely heavy. It could overcome any roads without any runes activated. Such a heavy iron carriage had was sent to the air by the Drunkard so easily, as if he were bouncing a rubber ball.

The Drunkard waved his sleeves.

The spring breeze became turbid.

The heavy iron carriage whistled and flew to the city gate like a stone shot off from a mangonel.

Ning Que held the array eye pestle tightly.

Endless Qi of Heaven and Earth flowed in wildly through the gate; it poured into his body through the pestle, and filled his Snow Mountain at once, giving him continuous Psyche Power and strength.

Clang!

He pulled out his cutlass to split the wind.

The iron cutlass met the carriage.