Nightfall

The little servant could only stare at Ning Que as he behaved unreasonably and pushed the doors open and requested to bathe and sleep. The boy only recovered from his shock after a long while and he asked in a trembling voice, “Sir, what… what are you going to do?”

Ning Que smiled and said, “I want to eat you alive. Quick, bring me some soy sauce and horseradish.”

The little servant was shocked and a little ashamed. He said shyly, “Sir, I am not tasty. Young master often telled me that I do not like to wash my feet and am very smelly.”

Ning Que froze for a second and he laughed loudly. He said, “Alright, I shall clean and eat myself.”

The little servant was an obedient child. He did not know how to refuse Ning Que’s ludicrous request and went to boil a large pot of water in the kitchen.

As the steam rose, Ning Que leaned comfortably against the large bucket. He looked at the little servant who was busy trying to find a towel and asked, “Hey, I still don’t know your name.”

The little servant put the towel beside the bucket and answered softly, “My name is Xu Jialun.”

“It is a good name, but it is too scholarly. You have to change it.”

Ning Que waved his hand and said, “You speak so softly, you shall be called little mosquito. It sounds rather cute.”

The little servant smiled and fetched another bucket of hot water. Then, he said seriously, “Little mosquito is a good name, but Xu Jialun is the name that my young master gave me. Shall I go to ask him?”

Ning Que got a shock and his head slipped and was submerged in water. He almost choked and he quickly said, “Don’t you tell him. Don’t you know how your young master is like?”

After his bath, Ning Que really slept in Second Brother’s yard. When he woke up, it was already past midday. The sun moved slowly to the west and shone on the courtyard.

Ning Que looked at himself in the mirror after changing into brand new black Academy robes and having the little servant style his hair. He was very pleased, and thought that anyone could style hair better than Sangsang.

After thanking the little servant, Ning Que left the little courtyard.

Even though he was very reluctant to battle with the younger brother of Liu Bai, the Sage of Sword, he knew that the man would not leave until waiting outside the Academy for three months. He could not hide in the Academy forever, so the battle had to take place eventually. Then, he had better do it early.

After having been in seclusion in the cliff cave for three months, his physical and mental state were perfect as he was able to smell the spring breeze and see wildflowers.

It felt similar to how he felt when he had broken the realm at the Daming Lake in the Wilderness.

…

…

The news re about battle between the younger brother of South Jin Kingdom’s Sage of Sword, Liu Bai and Ning Que, Mr. Thirteen of the Academy had been spread for too long. Thus, compared with the battle between Ning Que and monk Guan Hai or Dao Shi, it attracted the attention of all cultivators and even folks from the secular world.

Even though the Senior Brothers of the back of the mountain were anxious to have Ning Que settle the matter, they were disinterested in the matter. They were each obsessed with their individual obsessions and had long lost the desire to win. They did not care if Ning Que could beat the young powerhouse, or that he might get injured or die…

No one in the world dared to kill the Headmaster’s core disciple outside the Academy’s doors. The young powerhouse from South Jin Kingdom might be the Sage of Sword, Liu Bai’s brother, but even Liu Bai himself would not dare to do something like that because Academy had the Headmaster.

That was why nobody came to send Ning Que off after his bath and quiet contemplation. Ning Que wore black Academy robes and walked to the front courtyard in the spring breeze. In his mind, he was ready for the death fight.

Of course, Sangsang would follow him.

Tang Xiaotang followed Sangsang.

Chen Pipi followed Tang Xiaotang.

Ning Que suddenly stopped when he reached the meadows by the cliff platform of the back of the mountain. He looked at the stream below the meadow.

Second Brother’s big white goose was near the stream.

It did not feed the fish today, but raised its head high and walked in the meadows proudly.

The big black horse followed behind it with its head lowered like being defeated. It did not dare to slow down nor walk faster.

The little white wolf followed the Big Black Horse timidly. It carefully maintained the same pace as the two ahead of it.

The big white goose walked seriously. It turned back when it reached the end of the meadow, walking in a perfect straight line.

When it turned around and saw the Big Black Horse’s look of being defeated, it honked angrily and sternly two times.

The big black horse lifted its head fearfully as if it had seen Ning Que. It pretended to look proud and elegant while trying to make friend to the big white goose. He tried to smile, making him look extremely funny.

The four of them stood above the meadows and stared at the scene shockingly.

Tang Xiaotang glanced at Ning Que and said mockingly, “The horse that Youngest Uncle have raised is indeed quite like you. It is a scaredy-cat that is good at pleasing to others.”

Ning Que felt ashamed at how the black horse was behaving and was annoyed at Tang Xiaotang’s words. He said, “The little snow wolf of yours is quite energetic, but why is its tail always down?”

Tang Xiaotang smirked, “It’s better than having your opponent wait outside the Academy in the sun while you take a bath and sleep to recuperate. Youngest Uncle is indeed devious.”

Ning Que said, “Well.”

Chen Pipi had wanted to defend for Ning Que, but when he looked at Tang Xiaotang’s youthful eyes. He said, “Indeed, this act of Younger Brother is quite devious.”

Sangsang looked at the meadow below and said, “That big white goose looks cool. It looks like he is training an army. Wouldn’t that mean that he is the general of the back of the mountain?”

“It’s useless. No matter how proud the general is, his training of the army is for the emperor to see.”

Ning Que said as he looked at the old yellow bull who was resting in the grass by the stream with its eyes shut.

Indeed, the big white goose led the big black horse and the little snow wolf through the march four times and came before the old yellow bull. It lowered its proud head respectfully.

The old yellow bull opened eyes slowly and glanced at it. Then, it shook its head, showing as if the matter was too boring and turned around to eat some grass and went back to sleep again.

Ning Que looked at the old yellow bull that chewed on the grass, reducing it into a paste but not swallowing it. Instead, it spat it out in annoyance. Ning Que looked at the three fellows that stood behind it obediently and wondered to himself.

This was the incredible back of the mountain of the Academy. Even the beasts here were proud, so it was natural for a person here to be even prouder. He should go and prove his pride.

…

…

The side door of the Academy was located in a very remote spot and was usually quiet. Not many came here other than those from the back of the mountain who would occasionally pass through. However, Liu Yiqing, the powerhouse of South Jin Kingdom had issued the Academy a challenge and sat outside the door on a futon to wait. Because of that, the area around the side door became crowded and bustled with people. The students from the Academy’s front courtyard and the citizens of Chang’an came to watch look at the spot as if it was a tourist site.

The side door was surrounded by more than a thousand people, especially today. If not for the imperial court’s fast reaction, sending the Yulin Royal Guards to maintain order, the quiet grassland would have been trampled by the excited crowd.

It was rare enough to see cultivators in the secular world, much less a battle between cultivators. Chang’an was a popular spot with cultivators, so the citizens here were slightly more knowledgeable about this. However, the opportunity to watch something like this closly was rare.

The news of someone challenging the Academy had spread for three months. Everyone knew that this was where the battle would take place. Many citizens of Chang’an had already come to look at the South Jin man who sat outside the Academy. Many came to watch after hearing that Mr. Thirteen of the Academy who was chosen to be challenged had emerged from his seclusion.

This was undoubtedly an interesting show.

There was a bluestone road not far from the hill. Dozens of horse carriages were parked on the side. The ladies of Chang’an had all come, as they were unable to resist the temptation of the bustling scene.

In those dozens of carriages, of course, were some nobles who could not squeeze with the commoners. They could not disregard their own status and behave like the commoners who disregarded their safety and climbed higher and higher on trees just to find the best view.

Among these nobles were officials of the Tang Empire, a few generals from the military, and cultivators from different sects who had heard about the battle.

The envoy from South Jin and a few disciples of the Sword Garret stood by their horse carriage.

A few officials from the Tang Imperial Center Administration stood near them, with smiles hanging on their faces.

Taoist He Mingchi of the Haotian Southern Gate Temple held his yellow oiled-paper umbrella under his arms and stood by a horse carriage silently.

The black horse carriage had a complicated gold pattern on it and looked majestic and beautiful. The area surrounding the horse carriage was empty on the crowded road, which was a sign of respect that everyone had for this horse carriage.

This horse carriage belonged to the delegation of West-Hill Divine Palace.

The Great Divine Priest of Relation was not in the carriage. The battle between a student of the second floor of the Academy and Liu Bai’s younger brother was not important enough for a bigwig like him to come.

A young man with white hair sat in the carriage.

He was Cheng Lixue, the priest in the Revelation Department of the West-Hill Divine Palace.

Cheng Lixue’s status in the Divine Hall was even higher than Prince Long Qing. He was on par with the Tao Addict, Ye Hongyu before her trip to the Wilderness. He was also an important bigwig.

Cheng Lixue lifted the curtains lightly and looked at He Mingchi who stood by the window. After a moment of hesitation, he smiled and said, “Senior Brother He, why don’t you get on and sit?”

He Mingchi smiled and replied, “I have gotten use to stand.”

After a moment of silence, Cheng Lixue lifted his gaze to the Academy’s side door below the hill. He looked at Liu Yiqing who sat on the futon and realized that the man remained calm despite the stares and debates that surrounded him.

Half a day had passed since the news of Ning Que’s emergence from seclusion had been let out. Yet, the person who should have appeared long ago did not show himself. The citizens of Chang’an who had come to watch were bored to death and some had already left. However, Liu Yibai did not look annoyed and neither his posture nor clothes moved. This was rather scary.

Cheng Lixue watched Liu Yibai’s countenance change slightly and he suddenly asked, “Senior Brother He, do you think Ning Que will come out?”

He Mingchi smiled and replied, “Ning Que is a person who is most unlike the disciple of the Headmaster of the Academy, so I cannot be sure either.”

Cheng Lixue thought about his meeting with Ning Que at the palace in the Wilderness and could not help laughling. He said, “He is indeed very interesting, but I suppose he should show himself soon.”

He should be on his way if he wasn’t already here.

The Academy’s side doors were pushed open slowly from inside.

A dark figure appeared before them.

Cheering ensued.

…