894 Those You Could Never Understand (2/2)

He Mingchi kept silent for a while and then replied, ”No one disobeys Haotian.”

Ning Que said, ”My Master did it, and so had my Youngest Uncle. And I've tried several times myself.”

He Mingchi reasoned, ”That's why the Headmaster and Mr. Ke were both dead.”

”But I'm still alive,” said Ning Que.

”Indeed.” He Mingchi agreed.

Ning Que continued, ”I am the living proof that Haotian is not almighty.”

”Yes.” He Mingchi agreed again.

Ning Que said, ”Therefore, you desperately want to kill me.”

Ning Que had finally led their conversation back to the point because he knew clearly that him being still alive was blasphemous to Haotian for the devout Taoist followers like He Mingchi.

He Mingchi stood up in silence, and tucked the umbrella in his armpit.

Ning Que reminded him. ”The umbrella is wet. You won't look good with your armpit soaking. It will seem like you have body odor. Likewise, you should hide your killing intent if you do want to kill me. Otherwise you will hardly succeed.”

He Mingchi shifted the umbrella to his hand and stared at the water stain on the floor in front of his feet. He sounded confused, ”How come it feels like you are so desperate to be killed by me?”

Ning Que pondered and replied, ”This is again something you would never understand.”

If he were to die, Sangsang would also die. Then, the Academy and Tang Empire would win this battle and his Master would have a better chance of winning in Heaven. Thus, there would be hope for the human world. Plus, he had been continuously tortured by slow slicing and was almost at the edge of collapse, so he had various reasons for seeking death.

Yet he did not want to commit suicide, or did he like the idea of Sangsang dying. He was both afraid and unwilling to do so. Therefore, he would prefer to be killed. In that case, he would die together with Sangsang for any reason that was out of his control.

He Mingchi could not figure out what he was thinking about and felt humiliated. He mocked Ning Que instead. ”Is it a pity that you can no longer kill me?”

Ning Que replied, ”It was. Now I realize that although I'm a wastrel I still have various ways to kill you. To be more precise, if I'm going to leave Peach Mountain or the human world for good, I'd definitely kill you before that. This means you don't have much time left.”

He Mingchi still did not understand his words. However, he could not help feeling but feel some chills deep down his heart. He asked, ”How?”

Ning Que stared at him and said, ”If Haotian wants you dead, how much time do you think you have left?”

...

...

He Mingchi retold every single word of their conversation in the Secluded Pavilion.

”Although you have made tremendous contributions to Taoism, I still have to grind you into dust should you ever dare to do such things again.”

The Hierarch conveyed to He Mingchi, who was kneeling on the rock stairs.

He still looked gorgeous inside the layers of gauze. Although after the Rite to Lite everyone knew that he was merely a skinny old dwarf, no one dared to challenge him due to the radiating figure in the Divine Halls.

Though the Hierarch was upbraiding He Mingchi, he kept his voice low and humble. That was because he knew that the one inside the Divine Hall of Light would hear him if she were spontaneously listen.

He Mingchi questioned, ”I just don't understand why Haotian is keeping Ning Que alive.”

He knew that Haotian was there in Peach Mountain and that Haotian was almighty. He still asked such a question not because he had lost his respect but because he thought he was asking for the good of Taoism. He reasoned that Haotian would definitely forgive him because of his devoutness.

Many in the Divine Halls of West Hill also did not understand why Haotian did not kill Ning Que. If he were to die, the God-Stunning Array would lose its master. Then the Drunkard and the Butcher could kill the rest in the Academy upon their request. Additionally, Chang'an, the Tang Empire, and the Academy would be destroyed in no time.

The Hierarch frowned to his question and reprimanded, ”How could ordinary human beings like us comprehend Haotian's will? You are not in a position to ask such questions.”

He Mingchi kept his head down and did not speak further. All of a sudden he realized that perhaps Haotian could use some help, just like Ning Que wanted to be killed by him. However, he knew that his thought was too disrespectful. He dreaded and sweated profusely due to this disrespectful thought.

In order to dispel his fear, he brought up something else: ”I heard that the Divine Priest of Judgement has been feeling depressed lately. And she stares into the Divine Hall of Light from time to time.”

...