Why do I have so many masters?-Chapter 770 - 61: Qin and Shu (2/2) (4000 words)_2

Chapter 770 -61: Qin and Shu (2/2) (4000 words)_2

At last, Li Qidao got tired of listening and simply shoved the wine jug into his embrace. Grabbing the old man’s shoulder with one hand, he stepped through the air with inner Qi, soaring directly up a hundred or a thousand zhang, even reaching several thousand zhang.

The old man seemed to have been waiting for this moment, not scared at all, only laughing heartily, saying how exhilarating it was.

What a visual spectacle!

Li Qidao, provoked, scoffed at the old man’s great appetite, “Try and keep it up,” and with a step forward, leaning into his stride, he moved with the speed of thunder and instantly disappeared from sight.

Wang Anfeng watched in awe and ultimately, since they weren’t far from Liangzhou City, discussed with the people from Divine Martial Mansion. They decided to go ahead using their Qinggong, while the Divine Martial Mansion would catch up and meet at an inn they had talked about in the city.

Since Gong Yu was traveling with Lin Qiaofu and Lv Baiping, he hadn’t considered going with them. Although Wang Anfeng initially wanted to persuade Gong Yu to bring them along, seeing Gong Yu unmoved and considering his aloof nature, he probably did not like such arrangements and decided not to persuade him further.

The group took to the air, each employing their skills. Li Qidao, out of concern for Liu Ling’s old and frail body, restrained his speed while flying. Wang Anfeng and his companions quickly caught up in just a moment.

The group hurried along and just at twilight, they entered Liangzhou City.

By that time, the city was already decorated, everywhere one could see lanterns made of bamboo and colored paper, all sorts of divine and exotic beasts were represented, and although it was not yet the peak of this year’s Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival, it was still overwhelmingly crowded.

The lantern festival here was ordinarily mundane compared to the truly bustling major cities, but it had grown livelier each year after the Provincial Official made use of the Liangzhou Wine Festival to showcase the event.

Since the Martial Artists were not allowed to fly during curfew hours in the State City of Great Qin, the group had to land and move forward on foot, facing a mass of people so dense and congested that movement through the streets was sluggish, a sight enough to give anyone a headache.

Liu Ling looked up at the full moon, which was now high in the sky, and exhaled deeply, muttering:

“We finally made it…”

Wang Anfeng was quite curious, clearly, they hadn’t made it in time for the wine festival, so could it be that Liu Ling’s primary goal was this lantern festival?

The elderly man straightened his back, slightly lifted his chin, and said:

“Take a good look, lad.”

“Our Great Qin…”

Noises from the crowd drowned out his voice, the boisterous mix of countless adults and children, men and women, su습edsed his words.

Wang Anfeng strained his ears to capture the entirety of those words.

…

In One-Leaf Pavilion, Zhang Zuosheng had not received any harsh treatment. In fact, nothing changed from the usual days; albeit his residence wasn’t luxurious, it was located at the most scenic spot on the mountain.

Upon opening the window, one could see a waterfall cascading down a thousand zhang, with a distant view of bamboo-lined walkways. If during the day, the loud reading voices of newly admitted disciples could be heard.

Zhang Zuosheng’s expression was calm as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Despite the chaos outside, the morning and evening scripture readings at One-Leaf Pavilion had not ceased. The sound of reading resonated around him, and with each breath, the mist from the waterfall brought a cool sensation that penetrated his chest and invigorated his spirit.

His mind dwelled on past events.

Regardless of how the world of Jianghu fought and killed outside, One-Leaf Pavilion seemed as if it had never undergone any change – at least, the sound of reading and the comforting mist from the waterfall had never altered.

It looked exactly as it did thirty or forty years ago.

It was as if a clear, youthful voice tirelessly explained scripture next to him, beside the waterfall. As the waterfall fell, a young child sat beside on cold, damp rocks.

Zhang Zuosheng had already stepped over to that same rock where they used to read scriptures.

The stars and moon above, the water shimmering with light.

Jiang Yang, a truly noble man, had no disciples wielding weapons guarding his door, only a few patrolling the paths leading down the mountain.

The middle-aged Confucian Scholar was still dressed in his long azure-purple robe, standing before branches of mountain pine exploring outwards, and the waterfall thundering down like thunderous applause.

Zhang Zuosheng straightened his clothes, adjusted his Jade Crown, and began chanting softly.

“Such as these departed ones, ceaselessly proceeding day and night.”

In the blink of an eye, decades of spring and autumn had passed.

Twenty years ago, a young Scholar had traveled eight thousand li in one night, experiencing a backlash of inner Qi, coughing up fresh blood, all just to deliver a message.

A youth, because his hometown was devastated, took up his sword as a commoner and charged into the enemy’s army, his body bearing thirty-four wounds, nearly dead, rescued the captured women, and returned to fight, claiming the heads of eighty-four officers and higher-up officials.

In the room, old classmates swore in the rain-written pledge to kill Qin.

Seven hundred thirty people left Chu, but only three returned.

Every inch of his skin was drenched in his comrades’ blood.

Zhang Zuosheng stood on the bluestone facing the direction of the former capital of Shu Kingdom, stars and moon above, today being Mid-autumn Festival. Yet, the world no longer had a home or country, nor a place for him to return. He closed his eyes, his face trembled slightly, finally showing a hint of frailty, tears streaming, he murmured:

“Mid-autumn…”

“You long for your great world, you embrace all humanity, you wish everyone in the world to be as dragons, but have you ever turned to look back, even just once, at the young neighbor who once joyfully tugged at your robes, now dead on the battlefield, or the sister who once offered you water, died after relentless humiliation.”

“The peach and plum trees in the homeland ripe yet lacking the fragrance of Shu wine…”

“You never went to see, or perhaps you saw but buried it deep in your heart.”

“Zhang Zuosheng is not like you.”

“I only gaze upon my small world, my small homeland.”

He took a deep breath, suddenly opened his eyes, the weakness previously shown vanished, replaced by the spirited vigor as of old. Under the moonlight, in the Mid-autumn season, after enjoying fifteen years of great fame, Zhang Zuosheng deeply bowed toward his old country.

Then he straightened his back, enveloped in darkness, while distant gates lit up with lights, people releasing Kongming Lanterns, filling the sky. Laughter and spirited poetry reading echoed from the gates, a scene of joyous bustle. Yet, the mountain was engulfed in darkness, save for the deeper shades of pine trees within the night and the company of stars and moon in the sky.

Seemingly very close, yet like two neighboring paintings, too far apart.

Zhang Zuosheng raised his hand, meticulously adjusted his clothing, straightened his Jade Crown, and in a thick Shu accent that could not be dissipated, he calmly said:

“Zhang Zuosheng.” free𝑤ebnovel.com

“Age thirty-seven, from Zhuo Zhou, Shu Kingdom.”

He stepped forward, his body weightless, following the perpetually rushing waterfall, crashing toward the rocks below. Faint shouts of alarm echoed to his ears, he kept his eyes open, letting the moonlight fill his eyes, calm within.

Mid-autumn…

Mid-autumn, returning to the old country, to meet old friends.

How splendid.

Actually, it wasn’t about how loyal he was to the Monarch and Imperial Clan of Shu Kingdom.

It was merely that, in his youth during the Mid-autumn lantern festival, the lights were too bright, the tunes of Shu too captivating. Once heard, they’re unforgettable for a lifetime.

Old country, old dreams, lands and prosperity.

Zhang Zuosheng closed his eyes, the lanterns and youth of his memories came vividly alive, weaving through the streets endlessly, insatiable to the eyes and ears.

A muffled noise.

Splash of water.

Amidst the falling waterfall, a bright red of blood appeared.

Reflecting the quiet scenery as thirty years ago, forty years ago, like peace during the prosperous times of Shu Kingdom, but now irreversibly dyed in red, ultimately different from the past.

The noise erupted like a wave, resounding across various parts of Liangzhou City, men and women, old and young, layer upon layer converged together, starting from the outer edges of every District Market, then swelling like a furious tide towards the center of Liangzhou City, surging enough to cause trembling hearts.

Next to Wang Anfeng, Liu Ling suddenly widened his eyes, shouting loudly:

“Light the lanterns!!!”

The voices merged into that roar, Fufeng accent, Capital City accent, Danyang accent came together, the entire seventy-three Districts of the State City lit up instantly like daylight.

Liu Ling straightened his back; his pupils reflecting the light, his white beard fluttered.

“My Great Qin.”

PS: Here’s the second update of the day… four thousand characters~ I always feel it should be divided, but alas