Over the decade, through wind, rain, and the daily setting of the sun, Ning Que had never worried. This was because he had become used to it so it came naturally to him. It was his greatest strength. However, he had not expected that this trip to Lanke Temple in Tile Mountain would change habits he had for so long.
Beside the Jumping Tiger Stream, Sangsang had said that she wanted to solve the chess puzzle. This surprised him greatly. He knew that while she might be vain at times, she was never one for competition. Most importantly, in the past she would just sit quietly by his side and wait for him to solve the problem when they were in such situations.
He thought of many reasons for this change. For example… the other girl outside the carriage. However, he had heard Sangsang say many things in the meditation room earlier. That was when he understood that Sangsang had done this just to prove herself.
She wanted to prove to herself that she could do it. It had nothing to do with the world.
She wanted to make it clear she was no longer just the quiet handmaiden by Ning Que’s side. She was now his wife who could shoulder burdens for him. She could even try to shield him from wind and rain.
Sangsang wanted to feel needed by Ning Que. She needed Ning Que to be proud of her.
Ning Que looked at the autumn tree with furrowed brows.
Then, he softly touched the red leaves falling into the yard. He said, “You’re such an idiot. I raised you. Do I need you to be considerate towards me and protect me?”
He had felt the urge to cry many times in the meditation room where they had spoken; he only managed to hide it due to his cold temperament and his expertise in performing. He was the only one in the courtyard right now, and he could bear it no longer. He wiped his eyes.
Ning Que felt really embarrassed. He looked at the leaves still on the tree and scolded angrily, “Even if you die, I’ll fetch you from the Underworld and give you a sound thrashing.”
There were light footsteps approaching.
Shanshan, who wore a white cotton dress, approached him and stood by his side. She did not look at him.
All was silent in the meditation courtyard. Sangsang’s painful coughs could be heard occasionally as she slept.
The two watched the leaves in silence.
Ning Que suddenly said, “Aiyayaya.”
Mo Shanshan said, “Em em ah ah.”
Some things can only be shared in silence.
…
…
A loud noise was suddenly heard outside. It seemed as if someone wanted to enter, but was stopped by the monks in the temple. The two parties were embroiled in a fierce argument, disrupting the peace in the courtyard.
Ning Que could hear that it was the voice of the chess master from South Jin Kingdom. He frowned slightly and looked toward the door.
“Why do I want to see her? I want to become her teacher, of course!”
“You are all monks from Lanke Temple. Do you not understand what her calculation skills mean?”
“There hasn’t been someone like her in the last millennia. How can she cultivate in Taoism? She has to play chess!”
“The girl might be someone with great calculation skills. But the art of chess is as deep as the sea. It is not something so simple. If she is willing to learn from me, I will teach her everything I know.”
“The girl has such talent. If she has a teacher like me, and focuses solely on chess, she will sweep the chess world within 10 years. She will be stronger than Master Dongming of Lanke Temple. She might even surpass the greatest chess master of South Jin Kingdom, Master Song Qian. She will become a legendary Sage of Chess!”
“Why would she become the Lady of Light if she could become the Sage of Chess?”
“Quick, let me pass. What would we do if she gets away?”
The South Jin Kingdom chess master yelled all of this angrily outside the courtyard. It was evident that no matter how much he scolded and raged, the monks of Lanke Temple would not allow him to bother Ning Que and his companions.
Ning Que thought that the man was indeed obsessed with chess. He was very similar to his peers at the back of the mountain at the Academy. At first, he was annoyed that Sangsang might be woken up by the man, but he could not bring himself to get truly angry.
Mo Shanshan suddenly said, “Actually, I am very jealous of you and her.”
This shocked Ning Que.
“I know that you and Sangsang used to have a hard time in the past. I am sorry for the bitterness that you have experienced together.” Mo Shanshan smiled and said, “I will get that man to pipe down. Don’t worry.”
…
…
It is not clear what Mo Shanshan told him, but the South Jin Kingdom chess master did not insist on seeing Sangsang again. All was silent in the meditation courtyard once more. However, she did not return to watch the red leaves with Ning Que again.
Ning Que knew what this meant, and he felt slightly agitated. Then, he calmed down and looked at the branch that extended into the meditation courtyard. He looked at the leaves on the tip of the branch while he kept an eye out for any movement from Sangsang within the room.
There was a stone window in the shape of a fan on the white walls of the meditation courtyard. It was used for ventilation and one could also see the scenery outside the courtyard from it.
The face of a girl appeared at the window.
The face was emotionless; devoid of any happiness, anger, sadness, or joy. However, it was simply too beautiful, like a flower bathed in dew. It appeared in the stone window, looking like an exquisite scenery.
She was the Princess of the Yuelun Kingdom. She was Lu Chenjia, the Flower Addict.
Ning Que looked at Lu Chenjia and raised his eyebrows. He did not say anything.
Lu Chenjia looked at Ning Que through the window. She had an inconspicuous little yellow flower in her fingers. She said dispassionately, “I did not expect your handmaiden to become the inheritor of the Divine Priest of Light.”
Ning Que answered, “We have gotten engaged.”
Lu Chenjia’s voice was frigid and monotonous. She said, “How old is your wife?”
Ning Que answered, “16.”
Lu Chenjia shook her head and said, “She looks about 13 or 14.”
Ning Que replied, “She experienced a terrible illness as a child and was malnourished. She has never been fully healed, so she looks a little weak. She’ll be better once we treat her for a few years.”
He had only met the Flower Addict a few times, and they were not close. They had even had an intense fight in the Wilderness. The two will never become friends because of Prince Long Qing. Ning Que could have just ignored her, but for some reason, he explained Sangsang’s illness to her honestly.
Lu Chenjia asked softly, “Is she ill again?”
Ning Que did not want to hide anything and said, “Indeed.”
Lu Chenjia looked into his eyes and asked, “Have you come to Lanke Temple to ask Master Qishan to heal her?”
“Yes.” Ning Que replied.
Lu Chenjia’s expression finally changed, and she asked confusedly, “Not even the Headmaster can heal her?”
Ning Que replied, “Unfortunately not.”
Lu Chenjia rubbed the tender stem of the yellow flower and said softly, “Aunt is having her afternoon nap. I was bored, so I walked around and spoke to you since I saw you standing here. I did not expect you to be willing to converse with me.”
Ning Que looked at her and said, “They say that you are obsessed with flowers. I have a Senior Brother who loves flowers and grass in the Academy. He is well-versed in medicine, so I would like to know if you have any ways to cure Sangsang.”
Sangsang had been taking medication given by Eleventh Brother, Wang Chi while they traveled. Ning Que thought that since his Senior Brother was well-versed in herbs, the Flower Addict might be good at medicine. Even though a deduction like this was not very rational, since he was desperate he was happy to go for any kind of doctor.
Lu Chenjia smiled blandly and said, “We are not on good terms. In fact, we bear a grudge against each other. However, you are still willing to ask me for help. It seems that she is very important to you.”
Ning Que said, “Everyone has someone who is important to them.”
“That is true. Long Qing is important to me.”
Lu Chenjia looked at Ning Que in the eye as her smile faded away. She said indifferently, “Do you think Master Qishan can heal her if the Headmaster can’t? It is wonderful, when I think that you will watch as your loved one dies before you.”
Ning Que did not grow angry because of her words. He looked at her and said calmly, “Because you have said this, I will kill Quni Madi if Sangsang’s illness cannot be cured. I will also kill your father, the King of the Yuelun Kingdom, as well as everyone else that you care about. Then, I will kill you and bury you with Sangsang.”
Lu Chenjia’s expression was frigid, but she was not scared. She said blandly, “First, you have to get out of Tile Mountain alive.”
Ning Que said, “There isn’t any place in the world that can hold me back.”
Lu Chenjia looked at him questioningly and asked, “Are you really not afraid?”
Ning Que asked, “What do I have to be afraid of?”
Lu Chenjia said, “You have killed Master Dao Shi. Are you not afraid that the high monks of Xuankong Temple will imprison you for 1,000 years?”
Ning Que said, “If the Xuankong Temple had such guts, the Academy would have ceased to exist long ago.”
Lu Chenjia suddenly smiled. She said, “If you are indeed the Son of Yama like the rumors say, then I believe that both the Buddhism Sect and Haotian Taoism will do everything they can to kill you.”
“So this is what you want to threaten me with. It is a pity that I am not. There is no proof even if you all say that I am.”
Ning Que looked at her and said, “And I want to tell you that Long Qing told me that he was the Son of Yama just before he lost to me at the Red Lotus Temple.”
With that, he turned around and walked back into the meditation courtyard.
Lu Chenjia’s expression was odd when she heard Long Qing’s name. She looked at Ning Que’s retreating back without any emotions in her eyes. She pinched her fingers together tightly, and broke the flower stem.
The poor yellow flower landed at her feet.
…
…
Ning Que helped Sangsang off the bed and fed her medicine. Then, he sensed for her condition using the Great Spirit and ascertained that the poison from Red Lotus Temple had been neutralized. The cold aura in her body had been temporarily suppressed by Ye Hongyu’s Divine Light. It was currently dormant and would not act up anytime soon.
He knew that this was not something good because the longer the cold aura stays dormant, the more terrifying it would be when it acts up. If they temper it down forcefully, it would be more difficult to temper it down the next time. Ye Hongyu was the Great Divine Priest of Judgment, and they had already had to use her power this time. Would they need to visit the Zhishou Abbey next time?
That was why he could only pin all his hopes on Lanke Temple, and on Master Qishan, who was regarded to be like Buddha and would fulfill all requests. Ning Que only felt afraid now, when he thought back to how he had behaved at the Jumping Tiger Stream due to his anxiousness. How could he have yelled and threatened the doctor before a consultation?
“What is this?” Sangsang looked at the tiny pouch in her hands curiously.
Ning Que answered, “This is something Master left me; I used one in the Front Gates of the Devil’s Doctrine. There’s still one left. Keep it with you, and if anything happens later, tell me in your heart.”
…
