Chapter 46 - Empty City School’s Strange School Master
46 – Empty City School’s Strange School Master
“Finally back.”
The wide main road is crowded with traffic. On both sides of the road, hawkers shout loudly. All this paints a lively scene.
Chang’an – even after being away from this place for a long time, people will still “think longingly” of it.
And now she’s back.
“Girl, you’re in the way.” An impatient voice came from behind. At the same time, someone patted her on the shoulder.
At this moment she realized that she was standing here for a while, standing in the middle of the main road to boot.
“I’m sorry.” The girl smiled apologetically and quickly made way.
With large bags on his back, the paddler passed by the girl and grumbled, “Really, standing in the middle of the road like this. Don’t you know that you’ll be in the way?”
The girl smiled bitterly.
Just now, she was absorbed in her melancholy, a faint melancholy that can be described by – things have remained the same, but people have changed.
“I need to find a lodging first.”
Following the stream of people, the girl walked ahead.
She came back to Chang’an this time to participate in the annual admission conference. The host the Leisure Manor will provide accommodation for the representatives of the various sects. However, this treatment isn’t available to the applicants, who have to find a place to stay themselves.
Then, she suddenly noticed the pipa in her arms and snickered a few times, “Almost forgot, this thing has to be dealt with.”
The pipa is just a prop she used as a guise. The girl disguised her identity.
Chang’an’s entry checks are the strictest in the Hua Dynasty. Without a pass, it is difficult to enter the city.
There is only one exception – untouchables.
No matter where, untouchables can easily enter, even easier than rangers and travelers.
In the eyes of others, they are no different from goods as they can be “bought and sold”. Their value is just a measurable number.
This has been the case since ancient times.
Just as countless people sing – each person is unique and priceless, those who have a price aren’t people.
The reason why the girl has disguised herself as a performer is because changji [1] is a kind of untouchable that has a price.
The soldier in charge of the checkpoint only asked her one question: “Which brothel are you from?”
They didn’t ask where the girl came from nor why she came, and they didn’t even check the girl’s suspicious pipa.
This pipa isn’t an ordinary pipa, it won’t ring even if you play the strings, because… there is a sword hidden inside, a sword that can kill people.
If the soldiers had inspected the pipa, it would be easy for them to find the sword. But they didn’t. Thus, the girl could enter the city easily.
The girl looked up again.
“Ah?” Her gaze caught a petite figure, a little girl.
Her hair is combed into two ponytails with a bun each, and she has bright yellow eyes, and is surrounded by some kind of unusual aura.
The girl has seen this unusual little girl while waiting for her turn in the queue in front of the city gate, and now she saw her again.
“Is that person from the Merak Temple?” The girl muttered.
Two months ago, the Merak Palace’s Young Ancestor who has just recently exited closed door cultivation has rushed into the Heavenly Sword Gate and killed Heavenly Sword Gate’s Gate Master by herself. This information has already spread throughout the Hua Dynasty like wildfire.
No one thought that the Merak Temple that has gone stagnant for a long time still had a Young Ancestor, and no one thought that this Young Ancestor would be this powerful.
“If I could become a disciple of the Merak Temple…”
Will it be possible to accomplish what I want soon?
The girl doesn’t know, but she can only believe it.
“I must become a disciple of the Merak Temple and meet this Young Ancestor.”
The Merak Temple’s Young Ancestor who rushed into the tiger’s den by herself and killed her enemy, I must meet her. Yeah, I must. The girl made up her mind repeatedly.
Maybe she heard her inner voice, or maybe she noticed her gaze… the little girl looked back suddenly, and her bright, clear, and deep eyes met accurately the girl’s eyes.
Her sight entwined with a threatening aura penetrated straight into the bottom of the girl’s heart, as if she has the power to see through her heart.
The two looked at each other until the girl smiled and nodded.
The little girl responded with a sweet smile, and then turned around and left.
*
Xue Qilin quickly caught up with Xia Xue.
“Young Ancestor, what were you looking at? I can’t imagine myself looking for you like a parent who lost their child!” Xia Xue’s tone contained a hint of dissatisfaction, like she was a little angry.
However, Xue Qilin felt that Xia Xue’s temper wasn’t too good to begin with, so she didn’t care too much.
“Oh, I saw that girl again.”
“Who?”
“The one with the pipa at the city gate!”
“Looks like there’s some fate between you guys…” Xia Xue dragged out the last word and raised the corners of her mouth, “Then you should ask her which brothel she’s from.”
“Why?”
“So that you can find her one day when you have nothing to do and talk to her about he old days!”
Xue Qilin fell silent – what’s wrong with Little Xue?
“Are you jealous?” Soon after, she blurted out.
“Why would I?” Xia Xue responded with a look of disdain.
“No no no, what mean – there’s clearly a beautiful girl by my side, yet I talk about another girl, what’s wrong with me?”
Gong Tianqing who followed silently couldn’t help laughing.
Probably afraid to laugh loudly, she suppressed her laughter, which sounded like a squirrel’s call.
“Why don’t you write a novel?” Xia Xue put a hand on her forehead and sighed helplessly, “Little Sister Temple Master likes such unreasonable novels the most.”
“Did I guess wrong?” Xue Qilin blinked her eyes and asked, puzzled.
Xia Xue uttered a “huh” and cast a look of concern mixed with ridicule at Xue Qilin, “What makes you think that you didn’t guess wrong?”
Xue Qilin uttered “oh” dejectedly, and assumed a dispirited expression.
“Let’s go!” Xia Xue urged and ended the topic.
At the strong request of Xue Qilin, Xia Xue and Gong Tianqing got out of the carriage and accompanied her on foot, so it took them a lot of time to reach the Leisure Manor.
The moment the Leisure Manor came into view…
“Hey hey hey, they don’t play around!” Xue Qilin exclaimed in surprise, “How many silver taels did they spent?”
It is said that the founder of the Leisure Manor was a meddlesome and lively idler. Having inherited this trait, the Leisure Manor often hosted some Martial World events.
According to the words of the Leisure Manor, it is: a lively picture.
Be that as it may, the Leisure Manor isn’t casual, but rather particular about their pursuit of “lively”.
On this point, the huge manor in front of Xue Qilin’s eyes is the best proof.
The Leisure Manor is located in the flourishing west of Chang’an and occupies an extremely wide area. It may be a little larger than the Heavenly Sword Manor.
Even though the scopes are similar, but the value of the two is not in the same league. The Heavenly Sword Manor is built outside a city, while the Leisure Manor is built inside a city, inside Chang’an to boot.
How many resources had to be spent to be able to own such a large estate in Chang’an? Xue Qilin didn’t dare to imagine.
“Why are you spacing out again? If you don’t go in, then I’ll leave you behind, Xue Jiujiu.” Without missing a beat, Xia Xue walked through the main entrance of the Leisure Manor and walked in.
Because of the Heavenly Sword Gate matter, Xue Qilin’s reputation has already spread far and wide. In order to disguise herself as an ordinary disciple of the Merak Temple, she naturally had to change her name.
Xue Jiujiu – she borrowed her father’s name as an alias.
After getting a name, she naturally needed to get an identity.
After talking it over with Xia Xue, Xue Jiujiu’s identity was determined to be that of Xia Xue’s disciple and Gong Tianqing’s junior disciple sister. But…
“Jun… ior Disciple Sister, Elder Xia has already, already left. We, we should go as well.” Gong Tianqing prompted timidly.
“Qing’er, I’m your junior disciple sister now! Who would be so nervous talking to their junior disciple sister?”
If she could have it her way, Xue Qilin really wanted Gong Tianqing not to be so nervous when facing her, even though she is an ancestor.
The other party’s attitude, which resembled someone facing a ferocious beast, really hurt her fragile soul.
Unfortunately…
“Oh oh…”
Seeing that Gong Tianqing still looked timid, Xue Qilin shook her head gently, and then stepped into the gate of the Leisure Manor.
The Leisure Manor has arranged a house for the people of the Merak Temple. Although the courtyard house isn’t large, but it is beautiful, has everything you need, and doesn’t lack a front yard and a backyard.
After changing into a blue and white sect dress in her room, Xue Qilin put the Empyrean Universe on her back and went out for a stroll.
After Xia Xue settled in, she went to the Leisure Manor to discuss the details of tomorrow’s admission assembly. Gong Tianqing followed her. According to Xia Xue, she is very capable, and is more useful than Xue Qilin.
But it’s understandable. As the saying goes, you are the product of your environment. Under Qi Qiqi’s tutelage, Gong Tianqing should have a certain ability to handle affairs – Xue Qilin consoled herself.
At this moment, Xue Qilin’s perception caught a majestic aura.
“Excuse me, Yong Miss, are you from the Merak Temple?” A soft and pleasant voice escaped the beautiful lips of a woman.
She is probably in he twenties, is very tall, at least two heads taller than Xue Qilin, and her jet-black and beautiful hair is very long, so long that it touches the ground.
A dark green dress covered her perfect body and made the elegant and beautiful face look even fairer.
Her skin is very white. Not sickly white, but rosy white.
“And you are?” Xue Qilin asked in reply, cautious.
The woman gave off a sudden, inexplicable sense of incongruity.
Soon, Xue Qilin discovered the anomaly, and her eyes fell on the woman’s chest.
There are women even flatter than Qi Qiqi? Xue Qilin first observed silently, and then her eyes widened abnormally.
“Are you a man?” There was a fantastic look on Xue Qilin’s face.
Faced with Xue Qilin’s rude response, the woman wasn’t angry, and instead smiled slightly.
“I am the Empty City School’s School Master – Lin Yu.” She responded to Xue Qilin’s blurted-out question by introducing herself, glossing over the crucial point.
“Is it…” Xue Qilin executed a clumsy salute, “Hello, I am the Merak Temple’s Young… disciple called Xue Jiujiu.”
Xue Qilin emphasized the words “Xue Jiujiu”.
Lin Yu was taken aback slightly, and then showed the expression of sudden realization.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Xue.”
“Nice to meet you. Were you looking for me?”
“I’m afraid I mistook you for somebody else.” Lin Yu showed a meaningful smile.
Xue Qilin knew that the other party has already figured out her identity. Before a Heaven Realm master, her disguise is flimsy.
Nevertheless, Lin Yu didn’t expose her, but rather went along with it.
“I wonder whether Miss Xue can pass the message – the Empty City School’s Lin Yu wants to make friends with you – to your ancestor.”
She wants to make friends with me? Xue Qilin was puzzled, and then realized that this should just be a pleasantry.
“Oh, of course. If I have a chance to meet her, I will pass on your words.”
“Then I’ll thank you in advance, Miss Xue.”
Lin Yu bowed slightly and walked away in quick, short steps.
Watching the back of the elegant figure, Xue Qilin whispered in a daze: “Another outrageous character…”
[1] – Changji (娼妓) has two meanings – in ancient times, it first meant performer/entertainer and then prostitute