Chapter 580: The Old Scholar Sits in the Middle

Chapter 580: The Old Scholar Sits in the Middle

Diezhang glanced outside the shop, a bit puzzled. There really weren't many scholars on the Sword Qi Great Wall. There were no schools here, and thus no teachers. For someone like Diezhang, born in a poor alley, learning to read and write came from all sizes of crooked stone tablets scattered haphazardly in nooks and crannies of streets and alleys. Recognizing a few characters each day, over time, if one truly applied themselves, they could flip through books and read. But as for deeper knowledge, there simply wouldn't be any.

Although Ning Yao had never met the Literary Sage, she vaguely guessed the old gentleman's identity. At the moment, she didn't feel much. Her only impression was that compared to the portraits of the Literary Sage in books that hadn't been completely banned during her travels through the Haoran World, those paintings looked nothing like him. Those books were mostly the same—whether half-body or full-body portraits, they all depicted the Literary Sage as imposing and dignified. Now it seemed he was just a thin old man.

Diezhang looked puzzled. Ning Yao said, "Let's talk among ourselves. Don't mind them."

Outside was an unexpected reunion after a long separation.

Chen Ping'an, besides smiling, didn't say much.

The old scholar turned his head to look at the two young women inside the shop and asked softly, "Which one?"

Chen Ping'an whispered, "The prettier one."

The old scholar was immensely gratified. He clenched his fist at his chest and extended his thumb.

Chen Ping'an asked the old gentleman to wait a moment. He went inside to inform Diezhang, then moved a stool outside. Hearing Diezhang say there was no food to go with the wine in the shop, he asked Ning Yao if she could help buy some. Ning Yao nodded and quickly went to a nearby tavern, returning with a food box. Besides several dishes to accompany the wine, there were also cups and bowls. Chen Ping'an and the old gentleman were already sitting on small stools, using the chair as a wine table, which looked somewhat comical. Chen Ping'an stood up to take the food box and open it himself, but Ning Yao glared at him. She arranged the dishes, set out the wine bowls, placed the food box aside, and then said to the old scholar, "Please, Literary Sage, enjoy your wine slowly." The old scholar had already stood up along with Chen Ping'an. Now he smiled even more broadly, unable to close his mouth. The phrase "blooming with joy" was exactly this.

Ning Yao called Diezhang and left the shop, heading out for a walk together.

The old scholar slurped a mouthful of wine, shivered as if cold, took a deep breath, and said, "Exhausted to death, finally getting to live like an immortal."

Chen Ping'an drank slowly, smiling as he looked at this old gentleman who seemed unchanged.

The old scholar picked up a chopstickful of the accompanying dish. Seeing Chen Ping'an not moving, he raised his chopsticks and mumbled, "Dig in, dig in. Just learning to drink won't do. Drinking without food to go with it gets boring. Back in my day, I was poor, so I had to use the sacred books as my side dish. That little bastard Cui Chan, at first, was dead set on thinking that drinking while reading was some elegant thing. Later he followed suit. But if I had money, I'd have the table covered with dishes. To hell with the sacred books."

Only those who scold themselves the most can scold with the most reason.

Chen Ping'an picked up a dish, chewed slowly, took a sip of wine—very skilled.

It wasn't that there was nothing to say, but rather he simply didn't know how to start, what could be said, and what couldn't.

The old scholar ate quickly, drank continuously, luckily Ning Yao had bought plenty.

When the old gentleman's wine bowl was empty, Chen Ping'an bent over to help refill it.

After finishing the food and wine, Chen Ping'an put the bowls and dishes back in the food box. The old scholar wiped the wine stains and soup from the chair with his sleeve.

Then, in an instant, Zuo You appeared at the shop entrance.

The old scholar asked, "Why are you here?"

Zuo You replied, "Student wanted to look at Master a few more times."

The old scholar pointed to the empty chair and said with a wry smile, "You're the best swordsman, so you sit here?"

Zuo You glanced at Chen Ping'an. Chen Ping'an had no choice but to give up his small stool, go around the chair, and stand beside the old scholar.

The old scholar could only sit on the chair, and then Chen Ping'an sat down.

The old scholar asked, "Have you two acknowledged each other as fellow disciples?"

Zuo You said, "Didn't feel like it."

Chen Ping'an said, "Same here."

Sitting on the chair, the old scholar naturally favored his last disciple, so he slapped Zuo You, who was a head shorter, on the head. "What kind of senior brother are you? Just because you joined earlier, you think you're so great? How many years have you been a bachelor? Let's not talk about anything else; on this major matter, our Literary Sage lineage now relies on your junior brother to save face! Carrying a sword around, running east and west—can that warm your bed for you, or pour you tea?"

Chen Ping'an said, "Senior Zuo earlier on the city wall intended to teach junior swordsmanship. Senior Zuo was worried that junior's realm was too low, so he was quite conflicted."

Without any suspense, another slap landed. Zuo You scowled, thinking, "When Master leaves the Sword Qi Great Wall, I, Zuo You, won't be conflicted at all."

Chen Ping'an added, "But when Senior Zuo first met Old Mr. Yao, he did stand up for me."

"Oh?" The old scholar turned his head and said lightly, "Then that slap just now was a mistake by Master. Zuo You, why didn't you explain? You've been like this since you were young. Change it. If I hit you wrongly, you won't hold a grudge against Master, will you? If you feel wronged, remember to speak up. Knowing a mistake and being able to correct it, correcting without hesitation—that's great goodness. Back then, I used that very sentence to spin out a whole basket of profound principles, leaving the Buddhist and Daoist disciples dumbfounded, right?"

Master was naturally always right. So Zuo You remained silent, but he decided to teach that kid swordsmanship twice. Once definitely wouldn't be enough.

Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "The vice mountain master of the Cliff Academy has always been worried about... Master."

This was the first time Chen Ping'an had addressed the Literary Sage old gentleman as simply "Master."

The old scholar forced out a burp, pricked up his ears, and pretended to be puzzled. "Who, what? Say that again."

Zuo You rolled his eyes.

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "Senior Brother Mao is very worried about Master."

The old scholar turned around, leaning on the chair arm, looking at Chen Ping'an with a grin. "Little Dong, huh? He's the most willing to use the clumsiest methods to teach and nurture people. Extremely patient. Most like me. It's just that he's as stubborn as Zuo You—once he digs in, he can't turn around. Back then, I almost had to tie Mao Xiaodong up, stuff him in a sack, and toss him into the Rites Academy. I even threw away my old face to help him smooth things over privately, but he refused to go. As his master, I had no way."

Zuo You suddenly asked, "Why didn't you acknowledge Master back then, but now that you're at a higher realm, you've accepted him?"

Chen Ping'an replied, "Back then, I hadn't even read any books. On what basis would I acknowledge a master? Just because he was the Literary Sage? If the Supreme Saint, the Ritual Saint, or the Second Saint appeared before me and were willing to take me, would I acknowledge them? A master is willing to take a disciple, but the disciple must also choose the master before entering the door! Having read the books of the three teachings and a hundred schools, it's like comparing goods. Only after confirming that Master's knowledge is truly the best did I acknowledge him. Even if Master regrets and refuses, I myself will tirelessly seek to become his disciple. Only then is it sincere and proper."

Zuo You was stunned for a long time.

He had seen shameless people, but never one so shameless. Was Chen Ping'an running a shop of principles at home?

Three lessons!

The old scholar kicked Zuo You. "What are you standing there for? Go get wine!"

Zuo You said helplessly, "Master, I don't really like drinking, and Chen Ping'an has plenty on him."

"Zuo You, you're a bachelor. You don't have to worry about debts or anything."

The old scholar reasoned with a sincere tone, patiently teaching, "Your junior brother is different. He has his own mountain peak and is about to get married. That must be a huge expense? Back when you managed Master's accounts, you should know the hardships of supporting a family, right? Show some senior brother demeanor. Don't let people look down on our lineage. If you won't offer wine to Master, then go. Go to the city wall and shout that you're Chen Ping'an's senior brother. That way, when Master isn't here, your junior brother won't get bullied."

Zuo You pretended to be deaf and dumb.

In his former student days, this was Zuo You's greatest protest against his master.

Chen Ping'an took out two jugs of wine from his storage artifact and handed them both to the old scholar.

They were all glutinous rice wine from his hometown, Longquan. All the immortal wine he had he had given to the sword-bearing man at the gate of Daoxuan Mountain.

The old scholar handed one jug to Zuo You.

Zuo You didn't refuse.

Chen Ping'an took out one for himself.

The old scholar asked with a smile, "Zuo You, how does it taste?"

Zuo You had to say something with as little violation of his conscience as possible. "Not bad."

The old scholar shook his head, tsk-tsking. "That's exactly what someone who doesn't understand drinking would say."

He turned to look at Chen Ping'an.

Sure enough, Chen Ping'an didn't disappoint.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Free booze tastes best."

The old scholar laughed heartily.

After laughing for a while, he found Chen Ping'an staring at him.

The old scholar coughed a few times. "Don't worry. I'll have your eldest senior brother treat you to drinks. On the Sword Qi Great Wall, whenever you drink, whether alone or with friends, just put it on Zuo You's tab. Zuo You..."

Zuo You sighed. "Got it."

The old scholar called out again, "Zuo You..."

Zuo You already said, "I'm not wronged."

Only then was the old scholar satisfied.

Chen Ping'an drank his wine, feeling that the more this went on, the harder his days ahead would be.

Unexpectedly, the old scholar understood and said, "Your senior brother Zuo You's swordsmanship is still decent. But if you're not willing to learn, you don't have to. If you want to learn and feel you need to, just tell your senior brother. He won't go overboard."

Zuo You said, "You can start learning."

Chen Ping'an immediately said, "No rush."

Zuo You leaned forward, staring at Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an looked at the old scholar.

The old scholar caught on and immediately reached out, pushing Zuo You's head back, scolding, "Give your junior brother a break."

Zuo You began to drink heavily.

It was strange. The Literary Sage treated Zuo You, one of his direct disciples, the least politely, yet this disciple was always the most inseparable from his master.

Even a nominal disciple like Mao Xiaodong was baffled by this.

But because Senior Brother Zuo You was too reclusive, Mao Xiaodong, Ma Zhan, and the others didn't really dare to actively talk to him.

Back then, before Cui Chan committed master-disciple betrayal, he was the dazzling eldest disciple of the Literary Sage, making all the academies, scholars, and gentlemen in the Central Plains dim in comparison. His knowledge was profound, his cultivation high, and his Go skills supreme. Yet he often got scolded by Zuo You without talking back. As for whether Cui Chan was unwilling or didn't dare, Mao Xiaodong and the others would never have a chance to know the answer.

As for Zuo You's knowledge, the very fact that he was a direct disciple of the Literary Sage lineage said it all.

It was a pity that his swordsmanship overshadowed it.

Thus, when people mentioned the late-blooming sword immortal Zuo You, they only talked about his swordsmanship—whether it was very high, extremely high, or the highest in the world.

Many even forgot his identity as a disciple of the Literary Sage.

One man suppressing all the innate sword embryos in the world—that was Zuo You.

But today, sitting on that small stool at the shop entrance, this Zuo You, in the eyes of the old scholar, was always just that tall, clear-eyed youth from years ago, who came to his door, said he had no money but wanted to read the sacred books and learn some principles, owed money, acknowledged a master, and promised to repay later. But if he studied, passed the imperial exams, became a top scholar, and helped the master attract more disciples, then he wouldn't repay the money.

When the young man said those words back then, he was very serious.

At that time, the poor scholar, not yet old, had not become the Literary Sage. He had just published some books, had a bit of spare cash, and could afford to drink. So he agreed, thinking that Cui Chan couldn't be without a junior brother—that wouldn't look right. Besides, the poor scholar at that time felt his greatest wish in life was to have disciples all over the world. Having a senior disciple and then a second one was a good thing. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"—that was a good line he had come up with himself. Back then, the man with only a scholar's title really didn't think too much or too far. He even felt that having disciples everywhere was just a distant dream, like drinking cheap, muddy wine bought by the pound at home, thinking of the fine wine sold by the flask in those big taverns.

Many years later, he could still vaguely remember that the tavern owner's little daughter seemed extraordinarily beautiful.

Seeing her from afar was like drinking fine wine. One couldn't look too much; it would intoxicate.

That was why later, when a great Confucian sage annotated the old man's writings, portraying him as solemn and rigid, too pedantic, twisting the original meaning a lot, the old scholar was furious. Emotional attraction between men and women was natural and justified. People are not grass or trees; who can be emotionless? Moreover, grass and trees can turn into spirits. People are not sages; who can avoid mistakes? Even sages make mistakes. One should not demand that ordinary mortals act like sages in every way. If such scholarship becomes the only standard, it doesn't bring scholars closer to sages but pushes them away. So the old scholar went to the Confucian temple to reason properly. The other party was stubborn too—he just listened to whatever was said and absolutely refused to argue with the old scholar, not uttering a single word.

Yet it was precisely such a sage, who seemed almost inhumanly indifferent, who, at the cost of exhausting his own cultivation, forcibly held up the entrance to that pass for the entire Haoran World, until the old scholar and that bookish man wielding a celestial sword appeared before him. Only then did he finally lay down his burden, quietly fall, smile knowingly at the old scholar, pass away, completely disperse his soul, with no future reincarnation possible.

Life is but a sudden moment.

Exchanging smiles, hearts in accord without words.

The old scholar finished a jug of wine. He didn't rush to get up from the chair but hugged the wine jug, basking in the sun of another world.

Zuo You said softly, "Master, you can leave now. Otherwise, the great demons at the Ascension realm in this world might join forces to intercept your departure."

Chen Ping'an was about to stand up and speak.

The old scholar raised his hand, gently pressing down. "Don't say anything. Master knows it all. Master has many words, but for now, I won't say much to you."

He leaned back in the chair, looking relaxed, murmuring to himself, "Let me sit just a little longer. Master hasn't had two students sitting beside him for many years."

One on the left, one on the right, the master sits in the middle.

Beside the master, it was no longer just Zuo You alone.