Chapter 83: Sunrise

The story's ending completely surprised the young man; even though he was a bit dim, he still grasped something from it.

Sang Lao paused for a moment, then suddenly said, "But he wasn't dim at all. On the contrary, he was extremely intelligent, unmatched before or after his time."

Xu Xiaoshou: "......"

What a shameless boast!

"At this point, the old bald donkey appeared again."

"The young man questioned him..."

Sang Lao turned back to look at Xu Xiaoshou. "What did he ask?"

Xu Xiaoshou scratched his head and stared straight at Sang Lao. "Why are your dark circles so heavy?"

Sang Lao was stunned for a second.

The next moment, he exploded in rage.

He viciously flicked the young man in front of him on the forehead. "Be serious!"

"I am being serious..."

Xu Xiaoshou swallowed those words, thinking better of it—joking around could cost him his life.

"Why give me the fire seed in that way?"

Sang Lao held up one finger. "That's the first question."

"The old bald donkey said, 'I like it.'"

Xu Xiaoshou's eye twitched; he really wanted to beat this old man, but he held back.

Can't win, can't risk it!

Sang Lao held up a second finger.

Xu Xiaoshou already knew Sang Lao was tricking him into asking questions, so instead of playing the role of the story's young man, he voiced his own doubt:

"That ugly dead bald donkey never considered that others might not want such a painful opportunity?"

Sang Lao's mouth twitched. There are only two of us here—who are you indirectly criticizing?

He snapped irritably, "Cut out those extra adjectives for me!"

"The old bald donkey said, 'Those who are content with mediocrity and live ordinary lives belong in the secular world. Only those with an ambitious heart will appear in the Sheng Gong.'"

"Your question already has an answer."

Xu Xiaoshou was about to retort, but Sang Lao cut him off:

"The young man thought to himself that it was true; if given another chance, he might choose to swallow the fire seed again. But just thinking about that pain..."

"If he lacked a vengeful spirit, he probably couldn't have endured the process of having his Xian Tian Rou Shen destroyed, then rebuilding it, and finally breaking through to the Zongshi level."

Sang Lao gave Xu Xiaoshou a meaningful glance, but Xu Xiaoshou just had three question marks floating in his mind.

What do you mean?

Not letting me speak, not letting me ask questions, and forcing your ideas on me?

I suspect you're brainwashing me, and the evidence is solid!

But to be fair, that last point from this old man does make some sense...

Hmm?

No!

I almost got brainwashed!

Xu Xiaoshou glared angrily, using his eyes to protest.

"The last question." Sang Lao held up a third finger.

The last one?

This is a serious question...

Xu Xiaoshou pondered for a moment and said thoughtfully, "Who was that masked person, exactly?"

His eyes were full of curiosity.

A vein bulged on Sang Lao's forehead; he was about to lose his temper.

This kid is really toxic!

He suddenly felt like he might have chosen the wrong person.

"Be serious!"

"Oh." Xu Xiaoshou straightened up and said, "Why did you choose me?"

Sang Lao adjusted his sparse eyebrows and nodded in satisfaction. "Now that's a normal question."

His expression turned very solemn as he said, "I have to tell you the truth: although 'Jin Zhao Tian Fen' is said to have ruined one Xian Tian Rou Shen,"

"There are over a hundred deaths that were never mentioned!"

Xu Xiaoshou showed an "I knew it" face, which was beyond Sang Lao's expectation. He continued, "Before you, I tried more than a dozen people, all geniuses outside Ling Gong, but without exception, they all died."

"At first, I didn't have high hopes for you either; I was just giving it a try. At worst..."

"It's just one more life."

He glanced at Xu Xiaoshou and saw that the boy seemed completely unfazed—though he wasn't sure if it was an act.

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't acting; he was used to Sang Lao's style. If he claimed to care about some stranger's life, that would be surprising.

This old man being honest was already pretty good.

Sang Lao continued, "Going back to that story earlier, the young man asked the same thing, but the old bald donkey's answer had a few more lines."

He seemed to be imitating the tone from his memory, speaking deeply:

"This world is a prison, and everyone is seeking freedom.

"People start from nothing, and in their insignificance, no one can see their light.

"When you strive hard enough, others will notice your light, but by then, you still don't have freedom.

"You're just a pawn, a tool for others to pursue their freedom. Your life and death aren't in your hands; they depend on those who discovered you."

He pointed at Xu Xiaoshou. "That's you right now."

Xu Xiaoshou understood, and Sang Lao went on:

"You keep striving and finally escape being a pawn, gaining the right to pursue freedom and even cultivating your own pawns. You manage to pry open the prison's lock.

"You step out of your old world and see the sky outside the prison, thinking that's freedom. But the next second, you realize this new realm is actually a bigger prison."

He pointed toward Ge Hu, where the lake's surface was smooth as a mirror, reflecting blue skies and white clouds, but now it carried an odd undertone.

"You're still locked in. How do you break free?"

Xu Xiaoshou crouched down, picked up a stone, and threw it into the lake. The sky shattered into pieces in an instant. "There, it's broken."

Sang Lao: "......"

Hold back!

You have to hold back!

"Fine, suppose you did that. You come out and look up at the real sky..." Sang Lao forcibly tilted Xu Xiaoshou's stubborn head upward. "At that point, how do you break the sky you see?"

"Even if you break it, you'll just see another layer of sky."

Xu Xiaoshou was at a loss for words and blurted out, "No nesting dolls allowed!"

Sang Lao was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing." Xu Xiaoshou turned his head back, puzzled. "So after all that, what are you trying to say?"

Sang Lao pressed down on his head and said slowly, "This world is just that dangerous. Once you leave Ling Gong, you'll see for yourself."

"Not every discoverer will handle you well. You might end up like those dead pawns I tried before."

"So, until you have absolute strength, just be a good pawn."

"At least make your discoverer think you're just a pawn!"

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. Honestly, he understood the words, but not the full meaning.

He knew the world was dangerous, but this layered prison idea was something he'd never experienced...

"Don't worry, I'll smash through all these prisons." He said it seriously.

Sang Lao smiled, his wrinkles blooming like a flower. "Back in the day, I said the same thing..."

Xu Xiaoshou looked up. "So that young man was you, and that ugly old bald donkey was your master?"

Smack!

Another slap.

"What ugly old bald donkey!"

"Then you're my master's master!"

Xu Xiaoshou: ? ? ?

"In the end of the story, the old bald donkey said, 'The first lesson of apprenticeship is already taught to you. Will you take me as your master?'"

Sang Lao snapped out of his reminiscing and repeated, "Will you take me as your master?"

"Will you treat me well?" Xu Xiaoshou instantly looked pitiful.

"......"

What time is this to mess around!

Sang Lao's scolding hadn't even left his mouth when he saw the young man bow down.

"Master above, please accept this bow from your disciple!"

Perhaps before this, Xu Xiaoshou had some grudges, but after learning about the unyielding nature of "Jin Zhao Tian Fen," those minor resentments had vanished.

Besides, if Sang Lao hadn't stepped in tonight, he might have been abandoned by Ye Xiaotian or kidnapped by that masked person.

Sang Lao was certainly aloof and creepy, but the concern he showed when saving him was genuine.

Even if you stepped back and thought about it, Xu Xiaoshou didn't feel like he had any other choice at this point.

He waited a while with no response, then looked up to see the old face under the straw hat scrunched up, eyes glistening with tears.

Xu Xiaoshou was lost in thought.

In that moment, the sun was rising behind the old man, with purple clouds in the east.

A ray of light fell, and the old man and the young man stood in silence.

Ge Hu awakened in the morning glow; the wind blew, carrying cicada chirps and goose calls, sweeping over the cracked earth and the broken willow branches.

In the midst of the mess, a dream was just beginning.

...

P.S.:

Seeing some readers absolutely hate Sang Lao's character, even wishing to eat his flesh and drink his blood...

I'm relieved.

That means I've done a decent job portraying this big dark-circled, straw-hatted old man in terms of image and personality (a little self-satisfied).

I originally wanted to add a reply in this chapter to explain a few things, but then I thought, no need.

It's like way back when some readers complained about why killings in Ling Gong go unnoticed by the elders—it's illogical, and they dropped the book!

Well, by now, anyone who's read this far should get it.

Sang Lao basically said what needed to be said. Different perspectives lead to different ways of handling life and things.

I can only say, keep reading.

Just as there was that chapter with the sunset, there's now this one with the sunrise.

That's about it.

Finally...

This aside isn't just for rambling.

The next recommendation spot is here...

Please vote for recommendations!!!

I want to climb up, wah wah wah~