Chapter 1507: Seventeen Years

Jiang Wang had long departed.

Within the spacious and bright study,the Duke of Huai, of this generation, was writing with vigorous strokes.The pile of official documents awaiting processing was stacked high, seemingly without end…He always seemed to have unending matters to attend to.His son had perished in battle, and his eldest grandson had also fallen.None of this caused his back to bend even a fraction.He merely worked calmly, as he had for so many years past.

After a period of rapid writing, he suddenly seemed to recall something, pausing his brush slightly.“Pass a message to Lu Shuanghe.”“If he cannot manage his own people, then he need not manage them at all.”Having spoken these words so casually, he lowered his head and resumed writing.There was no answering voice within the room.But the will of the Duke of Huai of Great Chu would, without doubt, be implemented throughout the State of Chu… and even the entire Southern Region.

Within the borders of the State of Yue, there was a mountain, nameless.Upon this mountain resided a academy, also nameless.However, because the retired and renowned Prime Minister of Yue, Gao Zheng, resided here in reclusion, it was widely known among the upper echelons of Yue.Some of the time’s people called it: Hermit Prime Minister Peak.Yet the mountain gate remained closed year-round, and few traversed its path.This place did not receive visitors.For years, only the clear moon and mountain wind were present.

Gai Fei, in a high-crowned scholarly robe, walked the mountain path. His unsightly face was as rugged as the path itself.In truth, Gai Fei was not born unsightly. As a child, when raising insects, he was stung by a venomous one, disfiguring his face. Though the poison had left, his facial features had changed. His current appearance was the result of many years of care.However, given his family background and his strength, his appearance was not a source of distress for him.

Behind him followed two guards of the Soaring Dragon realm…To call them guards was perhaps inaccurate; the term ‘servant’ might be more fitting. After all, a cultivation of Soaring Dragon realm could hardly protect Gai Fei.One held a zither, the other bore a sword.Following respectfully behind him was a display of his status.The zither was excellent, and the sword was excellent.The failure in the Mountain and Sea realm had not caused Gai Fei’s status to decline.In this generation of the Gai clan, none could contend with him.Even looking across the entire State of Yue, in the younger generation, only one Bai Yuxia could be called a genius and compared to him in some measure. Going back a hundred years to the present, perhaps only a young Gao Zheng could be said to surpass him.The State of Yue was, in the end, too shallow a pool to nurture dragons. A talent like Gai Fei, who would not be considered weak even in the State of Chu, had truly no need to worry about his peers in Yue.However, conflict is never divided by age strata. The pressure he faced sometimes stemmed from the entire Gai clan.

In such a moment, he ascended the steps, facing the mountain wind. His scholarly robe billowed, his steps were leisurely, and his demeanor was composed.The world knew him as the disciple of the retired Prime Minister Gao Zheng.It had been several days since his return to the country, and this was the first time he had come to see his teacher… Not coming sooner would truly be improper.Gai Fei was not an improper person, and thus he came.

“Young Master.”The guard bearing the sword hurried forward a few steps, holding a white千里傳聲匣 (thousand li sound transmitting box) in his hand. He respectfully said, “News from below the mountain says that Yi Shengfeng of the Southern Dipper Palace wishes to pay you a visit.”Gai Fei flicked his wide sleeve. “I shall not see him.”The guard immediately relayed the message. “The Young Master says he shall not see him!”

Only a moment passed.From within the千里傳聲匣, a panicked voice sounded: “He has forced his way up the mountain!”“Is this person mad?” Gai Fei’s brows furrowed together. He waved his hand. “Go, go, go, all of you go and stop him, and say I am not here! Forcing his way in for a visit, what kind of person is this!?”The guards bearing the sword and zither exchanged glances, about to turn back.A voice, piercing through space, rapidly traversed from the foot of the mountain to the mountainside—“The famed Gai Fei of the Gai clan, why do you not dare to see me, Yi Shengfeng?”This voice was like the ringing of metal, possessing a compelling sharpness.To dare to force his way onto Hermit Prime Minister Peak within the borders of the State of Yue, and to pressure the direct descendant of the Gai clan, was in itself a sharpness sufficient to wound.His voice had arrived, and his person was swiftly approaching the sound.Clearly, there was no avoiding him now.

Gai Fei stopped his steps, narrowed his eyes, and looked back.He saw the long, winding mountain path stretching into the distance. On the rugged path, a person was striding forth.He wore a jade crown and a long sword.His face was stern, his brows sharp.His eyes were like a calm lake.Limitless killing intent surged beneath the surface of the lake.His entire being was like a sword that had been hidden in its sheath for many years but was about to be unable to conceal itself any longer!Gai Fei, adopting the demeanor of a noble scion, opened his mouth to reprimand: “Are the people of the Southern Dipper Palace all so lacking in courtesy? You are…”However, this person, filled with killing intent and approaching the sound, said nothing and transformed into a flash of sword light, leaping forth and disappearing in an instant!Such a sharp figure,upon seeing Gai Fei, actually departed!

The mountain path was silent for a time, with only the wind moving his long robe.Gai Fei was silent for a long while.Suddenly, he chuckled softly. “Heh heh heh, upon seeing me, he left.”He looked at the guard beside him. “What’s wrong, do I look very frightening?”The guard bearing the sword only remembered to shake his head, shaking it desperately.The guard bearing the zither was in a state of unspeakable terror: “No… no.”Gai Fei casually walked a few steps, then stopped in front of the guard bearing the sword. He lightly sighed, and then abruptly drew his long sword like a flash of lightning across the sky!The chilling light had completely dispersed.Thud! Thud!Two corpses fell to the ground.Gai Fei 半蹲下來 (half squatted down), took out the千里傳聲匣 that the sword-bearing guard had put back into his embrace, lightly pressed it, input Dao Origin, activated the communication formation, and then spoke to the person on the other side of the transmitting box: “Yi Shengfeng forcibly entered Hermit Prime Minister Peak, disturbed my teacher’s pure cultivation, and killed my guards. Use my name slip to issue a decree; I want him nationwide wanted.”Having said this, without waiting for a response from the other side, he casually tossed the transmitting box in his hand.As he stood up, he had already severed it with a single sword strike.He paused for a moment, the anger in his eyes seemingly still difficult to dispel, and with a backhand sword strike, he also severed the stringed zither that had fallen to the ground and remained intact.The zither strings broke, and the zither body cracked.Then he casually tossed away the long sword that had just killed two people.Clang-a-lang!The blood-stained long sword rolled down the mountain path.Gai Fei bared his teeth.“A little too unlucky, ah.”He raised his head to look at the sky, silent in thought for a while.Then he took a step, continuing to walk towards the mountain peak.At first, his steps were somewhat floating, as if he was hesitating, thinking, but the further he walked, the more determined he became.Da, da, da.His boots stepped on the stone steps leading up the mountain, and he finally reached the summit.The building at the summit was, to call it an academy, quite forced, as there were few scholars within. There weren’t even many books.From its structure, it resembled a Daoist temple more.It was a pity that it did not worship the Dao here.No gods or ghosts, no human presence, no entanglements.The main gate was tightly shut, the beast-head iron rings barring it were already rusted, and the red paint on the door had long peeled off.The reason for Gao Zheng’s sudden retirement back then remained a mystery to this day. And the time spent locked on this nameless mountain had never provided the answer to the mystery.Perhaps it never would in this lifetime.Gai Fei walked to the side door, lightly pushed open the ajar door panel, and amidst the groaning sound of being overburdened, stepped into the courtyard.The tall, embracing-trunk trees were silent.The courtyard was again full of fallen leaves.No other people were allowed to visit here, and there were never any servants.Gao Zheng had no wife or children, and after his retirement, he severed ties with friends and neighbors.In these seventeen years, only Gai Fei had come here.Therefore, in the past, the courtyard full of fallen leaves was always swept by Gai Fei when he came.A large broom woven from bamboo branches leaned against the wall, its color withered.But Gai Fei simply walked past.He walked through the fallen leaves, amidst the rustling sound, walking through the empty front courtyard.Leaves swirled in the wind.He faintly felt a sense of unease.Where did it come from?“Whew…”He let out a long breath, and continued to walk forward.His aura was very stable.But his eyes were black one moment, and white the next.They changed color back and forth for a while, and finally returned to their normal state—slightly upturned, and not very spirited, eyes that matched this face rather well.He crossed the central gate, stepped onto a path of crushed stones, and walked for a while, winding and twisting, until he reached the backyard.The backyard was equally desolate, with cobwebs in the corners of the walls.He walked a few steps, looked around briefly, and then found the small door to the backyard. He walked over and gently pulled open this wooden door.Thus, he saw the back mountain.A wooden door opened onto a cliff.Everything as if in a painting, blended with time, entered his eyes—A smooth white stone chessboard, an old man sitting in front of the chessboard, his brows furrowed in contemplation.His brows were so tightly furrowed, as if stitched together with invisible threads, as if hiding endless sorrow.He was solitary, stern, like a stone sculpture.Behind him and the chessboard were the high cliff and the mist.He played chess by the cliff, but on the chessboard with its nineteen vertical and horizontal lines, there was not a single piece.This scene, this situation, this person.An unspeakable loneliness, an eternal solitude.Who was he playing against? And with what was he placing the pieces?

Gai Fei walked forward.“Sit,” Gao Zheng suddenly said.Although the fine lines on his forehead were already somewhat apparent, his carved facial features still showed some of the charm of his youth.He must have been a handsome man back then.Of course, like all beautiful things in the world, he had been weathered by time.Although he had spoken a sentence, spoken a word.But this sentence seemed entirely unrelated to him.His eyes were still looking at the chessboard, his face full of worry. He didn’t know what he was worried about.Gai Fei thought for a moment, then sat down opposite him.

Gao Zheng’s long contemplation of the blank chessboard lasted for quite a while.Just as Gai Fei began to feel impatient, this renowned Prime Minister of Yue spoke.“In the past seventeen years, Gai Fei could only stand beside and watch, he could not sit on the chess stool.”“I hope he can understand, and yet I do not hope he can understand. I wonder if you can understand this contradiction?”Gao Zheng raised his head, looking at the Gai Fei opposite the chessboard, his eyes very calm. “Chaos? Candle Dragon?”Gai Fei’s face changed dramatically!His eyes instantly changed. His left eye was as dark as ink, without white, and his right eye was as pale as snow, without a pupil. A terrifyingly powerful aura awakened within his body! It surged! It was flamboyant!His blood boiled, his muscles were filled with power.For a time, the world seemed like a prison, killing intent rising like wolf smoke.But Gao Zheng merely looked at him calmly.The sky did not enter night, nor did it become brighter.Everything seemed unchanged.Or rather, he could change nothing.The silent confrontation continued for a period of time.A piece of green moss on the edge of the high cliff peeled off.

Gai Fei suddenly smiled. “Why don’t you call me Gai Fei?”His terrifying aura instantly completely retracted, and his eyes returned to normal.He sat upright and proper opposite Gao Zheng, appearing very gentle.“Gai Fei will not sit on this chess stool, will not sit opposite me,” Gao Zheng said indifferently.Gai Fei immediately stood up, stood beside the blank chessboard, and assumed a contemplative posture. Then he asked, “Teacher, this student truly cannot understand, who are you playing against?”The blank chessboard had no answer.Gao Zheng did not give one either.This Lord Prime Minister, who had presided over the Alliance of Falling Immortals, and had once sought the Dao at the Twilight Drum Academy, and was hailed as the most accomplished Prime Minister in the history of the State of Yue, now seemed to be merely a lonely old man sitting alone in the backyard.He even spoke very slowly, merely saying, “Gai Fei cannot bear to see cobwebs, fallen leaves, and dust. From the age of five, he would help me clean. I remember at that time… he wasn’t even as tall as the broom.”His eyes were very distant, as if piercing through time, imitating the cheerful, confident tone of a young child: “My height is not enough for the broom, I want to sweep the world!”He then retracted his gaze, and answered himself: “If one cannot sweep a room, how can one sweep the world?”And now, the Gai Fei sitting opposite him said seriously, “I will remember to sweep later.”Gao Zheng seemed to sigh, but perhaps he did not.After all, he merely sat there, speaking slowly. “You are too nervous.”“Yi Shengfeng felt danger, but he didn’t know who you are, nor does he understand Gai Fei enough…”He raised his head and asked, “Why can’t Gai Fei make him feel danger?”Meeting the old man’s eyes, Gai Fei smiled. “You are right.”“You have lived in the State of Yue for so many days. Your identity as the direct descendant of the Gai clan can give you enough convenience. And you surprisingly haven’t learned more about me. You presumptuously wanted to control me so I could cover up your identity for you… You are too arrogant.”Gao Zheng emphasized unhurriedly, “In this world, you have no right to be arrogant.”Gai Fei lowered his head to show that he had accepted the teaching. “Your instruction is correct.”The two were entirely like normal teacher and student.One taught seriously, the other learned attentively.

“Arrogance is an obstacle to survival, tension is the beginning of failure,” Gao Zheng said. “You must first solve these two fundamental problems.”Gai Fei said, “Please guide me, Teacher.”“Start by doing things,” Gao Zheng said very casually. “Now go down the mountain. You are not allowed to kill, not allowed to use strength beyond the appropriate scope, and resolve the mess you made today. You must give an account for the people you killed, you must properly handle their funerals, and any possible disputes with the Southern Dipper Palace… you must nip them in the bud.”“Understood,” Gai Fei said thoughtfully.“That’s all for today,” Gao Zheng said, then turned back and gazed at his empty chessboard.Gai Fei slowly raised his head, a smile on his lips. “You truly are a good teacher.”“Firstly, I am a person of the State of Yue,” Gao Zheng said without any ripple.Gai Fei straightened up, bowed respectfully, and then turned and left.This trip was too different from what he had expected, but he had gained something else.A great harvest!As he reached the wooden door, he suddenly thought of something and turned back to ask, “Oh right, how did you discover me?”“That is the knowledge for the next lesson,” Gao Zheng said, looking at his chess, without raising his head.Gai Fei said again, “I don’t think I have answered you, whether I am Chaos or Candle Dragon.”“That is not important,” Gao Zheng said.Gai Fei looked at his profile as he sat alone in front of the chessboard.It was like looking at a meticulous painting that had become mottled.He only saw a sorrowful old man.He did not know what he was worried about.His tightly furrowed brows were like rivers, like mountains, like a bleak autumn scene… but he did not know if there was even a trace of sorrow within, arising from that five-year-old child.“My height is not enough for the broom!”After all, those were truly seventeen years.