At that moment, Ji Zichang felt a tight grip on his arm and instinctively looked up, only to see the young man standing in the sunlight suddenly reach out and grasp his arm, his palm forceful as if pulsing with the rhythm of a beating heart and pulsating veins.
Li Guanyi said, "I see that expression on your face, and it doesn’t seem like it."
"Besides, you were just here drinking sulkily, and you haven’t done much yet, but you’re already planning to go back."
"Being the head of an aristocratic family must be so exhausting and stifling for you."
"I have thought of a way to repay you."
Ji Zichang said, "I... "
The young man smiled and exerted force.
Sitting under the dense, large tree, Ji Zichang instinctively resisted.
But as an Emperor of the Fourth Layer Heaven, who still relied on his ancestral artifact to summon the Red Dragon Dharma Form, how could he possibly match a fierce general known for his combat prowess on the battlefield?
This ancient tree, planted by the hands of the Red Emperor himself eight hundred years ago when the Academy was established, had been well cared for by generations of scholars, and now it was not just towering but lush to the extreme, blocking out any sliver of the intense summer sunlight.
Like the canopy of a sovereign.
Ji Zichang was pulled up, staggering from beneath the shade and stumbling a few steps into the sunlight.
Li Guanyi laughed heartily, "Perfect, I see you have some free time right now."
"Perfect, I have some free time as well, and some money too."
"It’s very lively outside. Come out and have a drink. I’ll treat you to a meal as a way of repaying you for the drinks."
Ji Zichang said, "No, I mean..."
He paused, then smiled, "My drinks are quite expensive."
"One meal might not be enough."
Li Guanyi laughed heartily: "Now that sounds reasonable."
He grabbed the scruffy-looking man by the arm, took a step forward, embodying the strengths of the Military School and the Buddhist Sect, and eventually following the legendary path of Zhang Ziyong, seeing that the man was somewhat reluctant, he simply pulled him along firmly.
Ji Zichang was almost lifted off his feet by the young man as they rushed toward the Academy’s exterior.
Gongyang Su Wang and Master Mo walked out side by side.
Master Mo said, "The matter of discussing the Tao in the future seems to have determined Guan Yi’s future in Jiangnan and Qilin Army, with Ying Country and Chen Country having profound heritages. Jiangnan, despite only rising for a year, seems robust, yet you don’t seem worried at all."
Gongyang Su Wang said, "A gentleman has no worries."
Master Mo clicked his tongue: "Everything is concealed within yourself; externally, you always appear courteous. That’s why I detest Confucianism."
"Why did you come to see me today, and why are you staying at my place?"
The elderly man in the black Confucian robe cleared his ears, his expression unchanging:
"Old Qilin is handling that young fellow."
"The screams are too intense. Gentlemen stay far from the kitchen, and by extension, they are distressed by brutal scenes, yet cooking is necessary and proper."
"Though it’s proper, hearing and seeing it still evokes compassion."
Master Mo said, "So what then?"
Gongyang Su Wang smiled:
"So, keep your distance, do not look, listen, or think."
"Do not listen to, look at, or think of impropriety."
Master Mo shook his head, "Is this abiding by desires without transgressing?"
Gongyang Su Wang laughed loudly: "No!"
He teased, "It’s just that too much screaming can cause auditory hallucinations..."
At that moment, they felt the presence of Li Guanyi hastening their way. The two elders stopped walking, awaiting their esteemed younger friend. As they turned around, they heard the vibrant voice of the youth:
"Su Wang, Master, two esteemed seniors, how are you today!"
Gongyang Su Wang smiled, "As usual..."
Master Mo was more exuberant, saying, "You young man, you finally show up. You don’t even visit an old man like me, I was... "
Su Wang and Master turned around.
They saw Li Guanyi and the pendant he held.
Confucianism’s Gongyang Su Wang.
The Mo School’s premier giant.
The two old men simultaneously fell into a deathly silence.
The joyful laughter ceased abruptly.