Ning Que had never been much of a clean freak for he had grown up drenched in blood and rot. He would do anything in order to achieve his goals. As such, he had never thought that he would die from charging into a camp after not being able to beat Xia Hou with his skills.
Some might think that it was glory, but he thought it was an idiotic behavior. Xia Hou would be still alive and kicking while you were dead. He might even use your skull as a wine cup. You wouldn’t be able to do much if you were a white piece of bone staring at your enemy with empty holes for eyes.
This did not mean that he would be a coward against Xia Hou’s formidable strength. He would always take note of this General with all his gleaming medals and seach for a loophole and plan every single detail for his inevitable fight against him. He even thought of how to drag Second Brother into this pile of dung even though it was quite immoral of him to do so.
According to his analysis, Xia Hou was at the peak state of martial arts. It was equivalent to being in the Knowing Destiny State. Along with Second Brother and Chen Pipi, who were both in that state, they should be able to defeat him. He just had to think about how he can drag them along with him into this war.
However, before he could think of how to use the Academy against Xia Hou, he heard of news of the seven Tomes of Arcane being lost in the Wilderness. The thought of sneaking into the company of travelling merchants from Tuyang City worried him slightly. If Xia Hou managed to get the Tomes and break the realm as easily as rumored, who would be able to get rid of him?
He opened the windows and looked at the blizzard outside. He thought of the enemity between Xia Hou and himself and how he had to get revenge for darkie. He shook his head and said, “I won’t allow such a thing to happen.”
There were over a hundred thousand relief troops from various countries on the North Yan border. Of which, some came from the white towers of Yuelun Kingdom, the Sword Garret of South Jin and the Black Ink Garden of the Great River Kingdom. However, no matter how you see it, only the strong general who had many years of experience fighting wars on the border had the ability to fight against the Judicial Department of the Divine Hall for the Tomes of Arcane.
Of course, this would only be the case if the Tang empire or the Academy did not show their hands.
Ning Que muttered to himself, “His Majesty guessed that the visiting professor of Divine Hall is in cahoots with the Divine Hall. Will Xia Hou enter into a conflict with the Divine Hall for the Tomes of Arcane? What can you gain from this?”
Thinking about things while enjoying the sights would not result in a true solution. But he became more certain of his decision after this.
Now that all the strong cultivators such as the Judicial Department of the Divine Hall, Prince Long Qing and even the Tao addict, Ye Hongyu, that Chen Pipi feared had gathered in the Wilderness, his appearance at the wilderness would make no difference given his mere No Dobuts State. However, he would still go.
He would cross the river of rocks and the grassland covered with snow and react depending on the situation. He would even help the West-Hill Divine Palace and was eeven willing to burn the Tomes of Arcane as long as Xia Hou cannot get his hands on it.
With nothing happening around him, he closed the windows, stripped off his robes and climbed into his warm and toasty bed. He regreted that he did not bring along the pornographic novel he took from the cave at the Academy. As he laid on the heated bed, he agonised over the happenings in the wilderness and how there was no one to tuck him in. He fell asleep shortly.
The snow outside landed even heavier as he slept. The sky was bright when Ning Que woke up the next morning. He rubbed his eyes as the rays of sunlight pierced through the windows and into the room. The vast whiteness of the lands outside the windows made his heart beat slightly faster.
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…
The lake had long iced over. The lake further away had yet to freeze completely. White snow floated on the ice, resembling mounds of beautiful white grass. The branches on the bank were weighed down by snow, which made them look like someone had knitted giraffes paltry white scarves.
The big black horse exhaled, hot steam emitting from his nose. The horse tracks left behind an abstract drawing on the snow. Ning Que rode on the horse and felt at ease as he looked at the blue sea covered with snow.
He only realised that the water had frozen into a a piece of crystal clear jade after passing it. There clean surface had nary a snowflake on it. He extended a hand and felt for the wind and understood that this was due to the northen winds getting stronger.
While he was doing so, the wind brought along with it a several sounds. It sounded like the meeting between a metallic object and something hard and wooden. He stood on the saddle and looked towards where the sounds came from. He could see two figures extending blows from afar.
He had come to the lakeside even though he had decided to enter the Wilderness. Of course, there was a reason for this. It had something to do with the women of the Great River Kingdom by the hot spring. He had yet to decide on a plan and did not expect to see this scene so soon.
He could see a greater distance standing on the saddle and he saw the scene playing out clearly.
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…
Zhuo Zhihua stood up with some difficulty with the help of her junior sister. A stream of blood dribbled from her lips and splattered on the snow.
An ascetic monk wearing a bamboo hat stood not far away from her. He was barefoot despite the cold weather. He held prayer beads between his thumb and index fingers in his right hand and a metal staff in his left which was stuck deeply in the snow.
Zhuo Zhihua was the third disciple of the Black Ink Garden and was the strongest amongst all the young people there. However, she was still no match for the ascetic monk. She stared at the monk as she thought of the humiliation she suffered in the Yan Kingdom and today. She said, “The Military camp is one of the coldest and most humid place and yet, you allowed us to stay. We couldn’t wait to leave and hide away in the Wilderness. Are you still not satisfied?”
The monk raised his head slowly. The bamboo hat shielded half his face and the only half that could be seen was cold and held no expression. He said, “The general of Yan Kingdom allocated your accomodations. What has it to do with the Yuelun Kingdom?”
Zhuo Zhihua wiped off the blood at her lips with a sleeve and asked, “Why would you want to fight us over this hot spring?”
“You have used this hot spring for days. It should be enough.”
The reason given by the ascetic monk from Yuelun Kingdom was simple and crude. It was evident that he was more interested in chasing the young men and women from the Great River Kingdom from the hotspring than giving a real reason.
“We have to be reasonable in all things.”
Zhou Zhihua looked down and tightened her hold of the long sword by her waist. She said in a low voice, “Even young children understand what “first come first serve” means. Do you not understand?”
The monk replied coldly, “I am a monk. I do not bother with worldly things.”
Zhuo Zhihua adjusted her breath and raised her eyes. Determination flashed brightly in her eyes.
The sadhu noticed that she was prepared to draw her sword and knew that she might use a move from the Black Ink Garden. He frowned and said unhappily, “We are all righteous men and women. Must we fight to death? To be honest, I am but just looking after this place for Aunt and the Princess. You’d all better get out of here soon.”
Upon hearing the names the sadhu dropped, the determination that flashed in Zhuo Zhihua’s eyes dulled. She looked at the yellow cloth curtain behind her subconsciously. The girls behind her became even more silent.
The aunt mentioned by a monk from the White Tower Temple of Yuelun Kingdom would of course be Aunt Quni Madi, the unreasonable woman of an extremely high cultivation state. The Princess he was talking about was one of the three renowned addicts in the world. The Flower Addict, Lu Chenjia.
“So what if she’s the flower addict? Does this mean she can take over a place that belongs to others?”
Cat Girl said loudly. She looked extremely adorable even while ranting at someone with her face was flushed in the cold and she had on a piece of fur covering her head. It just made someone want to laugh.
However, the monk from White Tower Temple did not laugh. His face which was shaded by the bamboo hat seemed even darker when he heard how the girl talked about the beloved and respected princess.
“Young alms giver, do mind your words.”
Cat Girl hurrumphed and walked to Zhuo Zhihua’s side. She said, “Senior Sister, rest a little.”
Then, she took off her shoes and walked forward, holding onto the long sword by her waist. She said to the monk, “I am Cat Girl of the Black Ink Garden. Do teach me something.”
Her girlish and adorable countenance dissipated the moment she wrapped her hands around the hilt of her sword. It was replaced by a quite deadly aura. It was a strange sight for those watching to see her hissing as she stepped on the white snow in her white socks.
The ascetic monk grew solemn. He extended his right hand and started turning the prayer beads between his fingers.
“Kill!”
A sharp but clear voice fell from Cat Girl’s lips. A light green light flashed from the snow forests. She whipped out her sword quickly and rushed towards the monk, crossing the distance of two men within a moment.
The monk had no time to defend himself and backed away with a huff. His bare black feet kicked up puffs of snow along with roots of grass beneath it. The black prayer beads in his right hand flew up to his chest and started spinning around.
A light green light flashed and disappeared.
The monk caught his black prayer beads. There were multiple scratches on the hard beads.
There was also a deep gauge on his robes. Traces of blood seeped from the torn cotton robes.
If Cat Girl had managed to cut even a little depeer, he would have died with his guts spilt on the ground.
Cat Girl held on to her sword and stayed in position. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed lightly. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were bright with excitement. It was her first true battle and she did not think she would gain victory.
The monk lowered his head and looked at the sword mark on his chest. His strong chin trembled in rage. He stared at Cat Girl and said coldly, “You’re just a young girl who’s barely in the No Doubts State. Why are you so cruel?”
Cat Girl’s “Welcoming Snow with a Twist” was a secret sword move from the Great River Kingdom. It focused on being sly and decisive without allowing one’s enemy any chance of fighting back. However, to the monk, this move was practically a sneak attack. How would she be able to hurt him if it wasn’t so?
The monk muttered his prayers and exuded his psyche power. The Qi of Heaven and Earth around him gathered as the fallen leaves and snow on the land rose and began flying around him. The prayer beads in his hands flew up with a woosh and towards Cat Girl’s face.
Cat Girl could feel the gust of wind heading towards her. She saw the black prayer beads heading towards her, but could not react in time. After all, she was but just a girl on her first kill. She had thought that she had won and had spared her opponent, and that the fight had come to an end. Who would have thought that her opponent would strike again?
At this crucial moment, her training by the Ink Lake under the Mogan Mountain kicked in. She gave a clear shout and trekked backwards and did a back flip. In the air, she whipped out her sword and cut at the prayer beads.
However, the prayer beads which were hurtling at high speed seemed to be alive. It contorted and avoided the sharp blade before turning back and wrapping itself on Cat Girl’s sword.
The prayer beads wrapped itself around the gleaming sword and exuded a great force. Cat Girl could no longer move her sword and cold only watch as the ascetic monk raised his staff and brought it down against her head.
“Buddha is benevolent!”
The ascetic monk shouted.
Cat Girl could not avoid the prayer beads and could only watch as the staff headed towards her red face.
The girls of the Great River Kingdom screamed in fear and were not able to render any help in time.
At the yellow cloth curtain by the hot spring, a hand clutching a brush held still, as if it was preparing to do something.
At this moment, a whistling arrow surprised all of them.
The arrow appeared like a lightning strike. It passed over Cat Girl and her sword and managed to land in the small area between them and on the prayer beads itself!
The arrow managed to lift the prayer beads off the sword and into the the trunk of a tree. The end of the arrow quivered, but the prayer beads which were pinned down by it quivered even more forcefully, unable to free itself.
The sudden turn of events surprised everyone.
Cat Girl’s sword was freed and she used the opportunity to flip over and move her face away from the staff. The heavy staff landed by her side, causing snow and mud to fly all over the place.
The monk from Yuelun Kingdom did not need to turn around to sense that his natal beads had been attacked. His awareness prickled. However, the monk who was used to killing did not care about his enemy hidden in the dark. He bellowed and held his staff with two hands and rushed towards the young girl once more.
The snow on the forest ground had countless of footprints. A shadow drifted by and a gleam of light landed on the staff. The monk’s fingers turned colder than the winter gales of the Wilderness.
He dropped his staff and retreated.
The gleaming blade did not retreat. In fact, it moved forward, tearing through sleeves and cutting sholders before it landed on a throat.
The monk dropped his hands and did not dare to move.
Ning Que held on the thin and long podao and looked at the monk that was under it. He said, “Sir, you seem not to understand what benevolence means.”