Chapter 367 - You Should Be Dead (1/2)
Translator: StarReader
Editor: Elitecoder
Face twitching, Huangpu Tianyuan clenched his fists and felt a sudden, totally understandable, urge to deck the old man, “High Priest, haven’t you always preached that no life is by accident? That heaven has decreed everything? Even if a mistake happens, it is only a fork in the road that is fate. Aren’t you the one mistaken then? Why is it that when it comes to Qingtian’s turn, it’s an accident?”
“One’s path is impermanent, heaven ever shifting, and of the world’s myriad creatures, no one can escape their destiny. With how the world has eight gates – opening, torpor, life, harm, impediment, spectacle, shock, death – to enter the gate of life is to be alive; to enter the gate of death is to die; to enter the gate of torpor is to lag in lethargy and be in a slur; to enter the Gate of spectacle is to have a bright future. But in any case, it always revolves around taking one of the eight gates, never outside them. Thus one can’t escape their destiny.”
Yun Xuanji took a deep breath. After speaking of how mysteries had intricacies and intricacies had mysteries, he sighed, “However, as there are myriads of living beings, an anomaly is bound to appear. There comes a time when a singular man stands outside heaven’s control…”
Huangpu Tianyuan’s eyes twitched, clueless where he was going with this rant. Leng Wuchang, however, did get it, “You mean to say… Zhuo Fan isn’t part of heaven’s schedule?”
Huangpu Tianyuan snapped his stunned eyes on Leng Wuchang.
[What does that mean?]
Yun Xuanji never elaborated, resuming after a long pregnant pause, “We shall stop here. I have spoken too much already. You are now on your own. Show yourselves out.”
[This coot’s kicking his guests out!]
Huangpu Tianyuan choked, and a blazing fire scorched his heart. He really wanted to thrash this geezer. Not making a word of sense and now he was giving them the boot? The two’s minds went out of commission for a second there.
Leng Wuchang was the first to act though, stopping his lord’s assault on the defenseless old man and bowing, “Thank you, High Priest, for your counsel. I understand fully and we shall now take our leave. We shall come again another time.”
“Hey, Sir Leng, understand what? I didn’t get anything out of that rant!” Huangpu Tianyuan roared.
Leng Wuchang waved, “Estate Lord, let’s go. The High Priest has already given us clear advice. Zhuo Fan is an anomaly, neither friend nor foe. He has nothing to do with us.”
“You’re calling all that nothing? He has killed so many of our people! And you want to just forget about revenge?” Huangpu Tianyuan watched Leng Wuchang in shock.
[Why is Sir Leng speaking in riddles like this coot?]
Leng Wuchang merely pulled him outside, “Estate Lord, I will explain everything when we get back…”
Rumble!
Leng Wuchang opened the door only to bump into the peeping tom. He cried, “Zhuo Fan! W-what are you doing here?”
“A total coincidence. Ha-ha-ha, just like you came to ask how to deal with me, I’ve also come to High Priest for pointers on what’s the best way to get rid of you guys.”
Zhuo Fan taunted with a snicker, “Though, isn’t it funny how we both visit the same person for our problems?”
“Humph, ignorant whelp, Parish has stood tall for a thousand years, above mundane affairs. And they won’t start doing it now for a measly conflict. They are merely here to point out our path and clarify our purpose.”
Leng Wuchang put on a cold smile, “Besides, now that I fully understand our circumstances, Luo clan may be evolving day by day but it will be at the heart of chaos. Attack us and both our houses will fall, leaving others to reap the benefits. Intellectuals like you and me aren’t dumb enough to chose this path.”
Zhuo Fan gave him a deep look and nodded, “Right on. But understand this, who was it that kept backing off in front of the Imperial Palace?”
Shuddering, Leng Wuchang clenched his fists.
It was the greatest humiliation of his life to be pushed around by Zhuo Fan.
“Ha-ha-ha, Sir Leng, you know you can’t beat me, yet you are also scared to face me. It must be…” Zhuo Fan snickered, his finger pointing at his heart, “Here is where you fall short. You… don’t have my drive, just a mere counselor unable to achieve anything noteworthy, ha-ha-ha…”
The mockery was jarring to Leng Wuchang’s ears. His eyes bloodshot, his fingers digging into his palms, unable to hold himself back from trembling.
It was a naked taunt and scorn.
But all he could do was bear with it. They couldn’t face Zhuo Fan as he was now, he was too strong. Besides the fact that he was now one of the big players in the grand scheme of things. They were not about to throw caution into the wind over this little hiccup.
The kneeling child was stumped.
Living his whole life in the Parish, all he had ever met were respectful and courteous people, even if hypocritical.
In other words, this child had only seen the light of the world, and never its black and foul darkness.
Today was the day when he got exposed to humanity’s most morbid side. Zhuo Fan hardly needed lengthy speeches to poke at Leng Wuchang, those few words contained more than enough unbridled malice that he would appear to be like a hellhound out for blood. And each word shocked the poor child’s naive heart more than the last.
He was afraid.