Many years later.
Golden oilseed flowers blossomed over the open fields.
Tang Ke sat in his own small courtyard. He was currently carving out toys for his two children.
His daughter looked more like him, while his son looked more like his wife. This was the time when they just learned to speak, at their most adorable and playful ages.
The toy was already starting to take form. This was a small bow that wouldn’t hurt anyone.
Footsteps sounded by his small bamboo fenced courtyard entrance.
Tang Ke raised his head. He saw Lin Xi and many other familiar people walk into his small courtyard.
He stood up. He felt happiness and wasn’t surprised, because he knew that Lin Xi wouldn’t forget a friend like him.
He told his children to call the others. Then, he had his shy wife cook some of the meats they had already prepared and brought out some old wine buried under a tree.
This peaceful and auspicious small courtyard became lively.
Tang Ke saw Gao Yanan’s slightly bulging belly. He was a bit stunned, and then he laughed heartily. He asked Lin Xi and Gao Yanan, “You’ve succeeded?”
Lin Xi also laughed. “We were much later than you.”
Tang Ke turned around to look at Jiang Xiaoyi. “Xiaoyi, what about you?”
Jiang Xiaoyi became embarrassed. “I’ve just recently become a father. I wanted to inform you and invite you over for my kid’s one-month celebration.”
“Then you’re doing a bit better than Lin Xi here.” Tang Ke and everyone else laughed. “Is it a boy or a girl?” He smiled as he continued to ask Jiang Xiaoyi.
Jiang Xiaoyi’s eyes closed as he smiled. “A girl. Just like yours, she looks more like dad.”
Tang Ke chuckled. He asked his own children to guess if the child in Gao Yanan’s belly was male or female. In this town, the elders all said that children were more accurate in guessing the gender of babies before they were born.
“I think it’s a little sister,” said his son.
“I think it’s a little brother,” his daughter said.
“It’s probably a little brother…” His son was a bit discouraged.
Everyone laughed.
“What about Meng Bai?” Tang Ke didn’t see Meng Bai among their friends.
Lin Xi smiled and explained. “He and Ai Qilan started teaching near the former Purgatory Mountain. There are many impoverished people who used to be Purgatory Mountain slaves… Teacher An is also there to help provide treatment. When he has free time, he will come back to visit us. When you have time, you can also pay him a visit.”
“If it’s too difficult for him to come back, then once my kids grow up a bit, I’ll bring them out for a bit and pay him a visit.” Tang Ke nodded and said.
…
Some more people arrived outside this peaceful small town
These people didn’t disturb the peaceful lifestyles of the townsmen. They only set up some tents on a slope with beautiful scenery.
Tangcang’s Emperor Feng Xuan, Yunqin’s Imperial Princess and Zhantai Qiantang were all waiting for Lin Xi in a tent.
Lin Xi walked into this tent.
“I learned many things from Principal Zhang.”
He looked at Emperor Feng Xuan, the Imperial Princess and his good friend Zhantai Qiantang who took the initiative to meet with him. With a smile, he explained, “I naturally have a lot of my own ways of thinking regarding this world as well, but I cannot force my way of thinking onto this world. This world is a great river, one that will advance with each passing day. That is why what Green Luan Academy will do is only become a gentle rain that moistens and gathers towards this river. We will not try to forcefully redirect the path of this river.”
The Imperial Princess pondered over these words that seemed like a promise. After thinking for a long time, she asked Lin Xi seriously, “Then what exactly should we do?”
“Purgatory Mountain is already no more. This world should become more peaceful and beautiful now. Our Green Luan Academy actually doesn’t have anything we need to interfere with. We can only be a target of some people’s admiration.” Lin Xi looked at the Imperial Princess and calmly said, “All of you can think for yourselves regarding what you should do. I believe that after the conclusion of so many events, all of you have realized this as well. We are all ordinary people, we are all the same. As long as we do not forget this, do not forget that we cannot be above this world, cannot rule this world, then that is already enough.”
…
Gu Xinyin and Nangong Weiyang were chatting by a river not far from this tent.
“Green Luan Academy will be rebuilt.” Gu Xinyin said while looking at Nangong Weiyang.
Nangong Weiyang gave him a look. She felt like he was speaking the obvious.
Gu Xinyin saw through her intentions, but he instead said with a smile, “But Green Luan Academy will have some changes. We will no longer hold entrance examinations like the one by Summer Spirit Lakeside. We will choose our students ourselves from the world. That is why I wanted to ask you for your help. If there is anyone who catches your eye, you can bring them into the academy to become a Green Luan Academy student.”
Nangong Weiyang thought for a bit. She felt like this was a bit interesting, so she decided to just nod her head.
Bian Linghan and Qin Xiyue were walking around the nearby slopes on the other side of these tents. They held the hands of Tang Ke’s children while looking at the oilseed flowers.
They weren’t worried about Lin Xi’s meeting with Emperor Feng Xuan, the Imperial Princess and Zhantai Qiantang at all. Green Luan Academy didn’t have any more enemies. Powerful cultivators emerged from the academy. That was why the world would definitely become peaceful like the period after Principal Zhang fought the battle of Meteor City. They believed that with Zhantai Qiantang and the others’ ability, they will definitely rule this world even better.
“Sometimes, I still feel like he’s too mischievous. He just wants others to do all the work.” Bian Linghan said while looking at Qin Xiyue.
Qin Xiyue smiled. “I can understand his way of thinking. Not even the most formidable cultivator can control the world. No matter how many different types of thinking he has towards this world, he still can’t guarantee that any of his choices are correct. Since he already knows that the world is improving for the better, then he might as well let nature run its course and watch from the sidelines.”
“You understand him better than the rest of us.” Bian Linghan nodded. She gave Qin Xiyue a serious look and asked, “But are you really going to just continue like this?”
Qin Xiyue chuckled and said, “Love isn’t possessive. I do not seek a lifetime, I only sought a moment. I already obtained my happiness, my satisfaction. This is already enough. As for the future… If any other man who can make my heart skip appears, then I obviously won’t refuse. But none of this can be forced, I can only let fate do its thing.”
Bian Linghan looked at her. She suddenly thought of something else and laughed. “Do you think Meng Bai and Ai Qilan are going to get together?”
“I don’t know, how would I know?” Qin Xiyue laughed happily to the point where even her eyes closed. “But as long as this beautiful world continues to exist, then anything is possible.”
Bian Linghan understood Qin Xiyue’s intentions. As long as beauty remained in one’s heart, as long as one didn’t feel that life was meaningless, didn’t feel that everything in front of them was ugly, then they could face even the wind and rain with smiles. There will be endless great possibilities in the future.
“I wonder how Principal Zhang is now.” Bian Linghan raised her head. She looked at the quiet fields, at this world that became even more beautiful after the great storm.
…
Long, long ago, or perhaps long, long after, in another space whose positioning relative to this world could be deduced.
An uncle who changed Green Luan Academy and established Yunqin Empire looked at the unfamiliar city before him. He shook his head.
He entered through that gate in Green Luan Palace’s remains, but he didn’t end up in his previous technologically advanced world, but rather another world filled with antiquity.
Everything in this world was also different from the Yunqin he was familiar with.
He called out to a random passing pedestrian and asked, “What kind of place is this… what kind of empire?”
This pedestrian looked at him like he was looking at an idiot, but he felt like this person was rather pitiful. Thus, he replied, “This is our Great Ming’s Heavenly Obedience Manor.”
“Great Ming?”
When he realized that he wasn’t able to return to his previous world, he stared blankly for a long time by the side of the street. But what had always been eating away at his mind was also finally released.
He understood that bygones are bygones. When he tried to turn around to look at his past, he discovered that many of the things in his memories might have already changed beyond recognition.
Instead of being trapped in the past, it was better to just start a new life.
“This sir seems to be exceptional. I wonder what your name is?” A carriage passed by his side. A graceful scholar felt like he was different from the others, so he took the initiative to be friends, stopping to talk to this uncle.
“Ming…” This uncle whose historical knowledge really wasn’t that great thought for a bit to himself, and then he suddenly laughed. “My surname is Zhang. Just call me Zhang Juzheng.”[1]
1. Zhang Juzheng was the grand secretary during the Ming Dynasty
