Chapter 152: The Show Is About to Begin
This was Xie Huailing's first meeting with this old man. Compared to Lei Sun and Yuan Dongyuan, he could be described as having an otherworldly air. Beyond his scholarly demeanor, Grand Tutor Li possessed an ethereal and otherworldly transcendence, as if he lived not in the mortal world but in a remote mountain. This inspired awe in all who saw him, and from then on, no one doubted his position as the leader of all scholars. Simply being with him brought a sense of tranquility and peace to one's entire being.
She was adept at adopting the mannerisms favored by the older generation, smiling slightly, like a gentle spring breeze, docile and polite, impeccable in every way, and greeting Grand Tutor Li: "I have long admired your name, Grand Tutor, and only today have I come to pay my respects. I hope you will forgive my ignorance."
When there are important matters to discuss, one naturally has nothing to offer, but Xie Huailing knows that Grand Tutor Li is not the kind of person who cares about such things. A proper attitude and sincerity are the most important things. Although she had never met Grand Tutor Li before, her understanding of him was second to none. She had handled all of Su Mengzhen's interactions with Grand Tutor Li, and Lin Shiyin dared not say she knew more about what Grand Tutor Li liked and disliked than she did.
"Miss Xie, please have a seat," said Li Taifu gently as he brewed tea. "Let's skip the pleasantries and have some tea."
Xie Huailing then sat down gracefully opposite Li Taifu, a gentle smile playing on her lips. She picked up the teacup with perfect poise, and the steps of waking and appreciating the tea were completed in one smooth motion. Upon tasting the tea, one couldn't help but marvel at Li Taifu's tea-making skills; the aroma was delicate and full yet not overpowering, just right.
She couldn't help but praise: "I had only heard people say how well the Grand Tutor wrote his articles before, but today I learned that the Grand Tutor's tea brewing is no less excellent than his writing. It can be said that 'the sleepiness in the six internal organs is gone, and the poetic thoughts are clear for several mornings.' It is undoubtedly refreshing and invigorating."
Xie Huailing's words were perfectly measured and sincere. Li Taifu could not tell that she was being insincere, but seeing that she was eloquent and knowledgeable, he felt a rare sense of goodwill towards this junior and said, "It's just that I've been idle in the manor for the past few years and haven't accomplished anything, so I've been studying tea art in my spare time. I'm glad that Miss Xie likes it."
Xie Huailing took another sip and said, "How can you say that he has accomplished nothing? The so-called accomplishment is not determined by what he has done. The Grand Tutor has mastered the art of tea to such an extent, which is already an accomplishment, and he absolutely cannot bear the label of 'no accomplishment.' Those who have truly accomplished nothing are not like the Grand Tutor. Some have wasted their time, while others seem to be busy all day long and have gained many favors, but in reality, they have made mistakes in everything they do. Even if they have achieved something, they can never be considered accomplished."
“Miss Xie is right.” Grand Tutor Li let out a breath, and the topic steered back on track. “If what the latter did can be called an achievement, then throughout history, for hundreds and thousands of years, there will be no more treacherous officials and cowards in the world.”
Flattery and direct remarks flowed through Xie Huailing's few words, and she successfully dispelled Li Taifu's doubts before he questioned her abilities. Li Taifu also accepted her flattery, and thus, it was bound to be a pleasant conversation.
“However…” Grand Tutor Li paused deeply.
Without further ado, he prepared to be direct: "In these past few years, as Miss Xie said, it is true that I have mastered the art of tea, but there are four kinds of achievements. I sigh with relief and still don't feel that I have accomplished anything."
Xie Huailing respectfully replied, "I am willing to hear what the Grand Tutor has to say."
Grand Tutor Li stroked his beard and said loudly, "Of course, one should cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world. As a Grand Tutor, I have spent several years cultivating only the art of tea, which is nothing more than self-cultivation. I cannot help but feel ashamed and indignant, and I often lament whether I have wasted these years."
"Please forgive me, Grand Tutor, but you must not speak in such a way." Understanding Grand Tutor Li's meaning was a piece of cake for Xie Huailing.
She said, “Those who in ancient times wished to manifest their virtue to the world first governed their states; those who wished to govern their states first regulated their families; those who wished to regulate their families first cultivated their personal lives; those who wished to cultivate their personal lives first rectified their hearts.” Hence the saying, “Cultivating oneself, regulating one’s family, governing one’s state, and bringing peace to the world.” She also said, “Those who wish to rectify their hearts first make their intentions sincere; those who wish to make their intentions sincere first extend their knowledge; the extension of knowledge lies in the investigation of things; when things are investigated, knowledge is extended; when knowledge is extended, intentions are sincere; when intentions are sincere, the heart is rectified; when the heart is rectified, personal life is cultivated; when personal life is cultivated, the family is regulated; when the family is regulated, the state is governed; when the state is governed, the world is at peace.”
"Therefore, I believe that the Grand Tutor can do anything by cultivating himself. He must first cultivate himself before he can manage his family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world. None of these can be neglected."
Xie Huailing poured more tea for Grand Tutor Li and calmly continued, "As for what you said, Grand Tutor, you've wasted these past few years. A person's ambition is not limited by age. Grand Tutor, you are devoted to the people, and it's never too late to regroup. We shouldn't jump to conclusions. Starting from today, one day is not enough. There are still a hundred days, a thousand days, a year, two years, ten years... By then, mountains will be leveled and seas will be cut off. For Grand Tutor, there is surely nothing you cannot accomplish."
"Let's go back to these years of rest. No one is perfect. Everyone gets tired sometimes. Everything in the world has its own trials and tribulations. There are also stories of fathers who are not kind and sons who are not filial, brothers who are not friendly and brothers who are not respectful. The Grand Tutor should not blame himself for these years of rest."
The father is kind and the son is filial, the brothers and friends are respectful, the king is benevolent and the minister is loyal.
A dark light flashed in Li Taifu's eyes as he gazed at Xie Huailing's face, which was still beaming with a gentle smile, conveying a sincere sense of comfort.
How could he not feel admiration, and also regret for his own words being so accurate? He replied, "Miss Xie's words have comforted me greatly. When Master Su visited me last time, he left behind a game of chess. Miss Xie, we have been corresponding recently, and we have discussed chess in our letters, but we have only discussed half of it. Today is the perfect time, so why don't we finish discussing this game?"
Xie Huailing had been waiting for this, and said, "There is nothing wrong with it. The game cannot be delayed any longer. Please, Grand Tutor."
The game itself isn't a real game, but the actual game is.
.
Night breaks through the treetops; the sweltering summer is already late.
Lei Gun sat on the grand chair at the head of the main hall, listening to his three subordinates report on the last tasks of the day. He also heard the sound of moths flying into the lamp. Even as he pretended to doze off, he felt restless and wished the day could end quickly.
He was the fifth master of the Six and a Half Hall. Judging from his surname, he was already considered an elder in the hall, despite his young age. Lei Gun's reputation was not as illustrious as Di Feijing's, and he was slightly less prominent than Lei Mei. The rumors about him in the city were mostly negative. However, the fact that he could sit in this position at such a young age demonstrated his ability. Even if he still had many shortcomings compared to other heroes, he was still a first-rate figure in the martial arts world.
And coincidentally, he never causes trouble for himself, and he sees himself in the same way.
Those more capable than him have no power, those smarter than him have no status, and as for those superior to him, he doesn't really respect many of them. This might be called arrogance—no, it is arrogance, but so what? Short-sightedness also has its advantages, which can make one's good mood last a long time.
So even though he was annoyed, he wouldn't urge his subordinates. Firstly, he needed credit, and secondly, he liked this feeling.
The feeling was stifling and oppressive, yet completely under his control.
But everything has an end. Even in the most suffocating heat, a cool breeze can still blow in, gently entering and barely perceptible, its source difficult to discern.
He was still squinting, and then it was too late.
The most terrifying thing about a surprise attack or a sudden change is speed—speed that is beyond human control, speed that is so fast that people cannot even perceive that their death is imminent.
The subordinate who was reporting to Lei Gun had his voice cut off in half; half of it had been spoken, while the other half had fallen back into his stomach, devoid of any warmth. A thin, hair-like silver needle had appeared on his throat, its tip gleaming almost imperceptibly under the lamplight, so fine it was unbelievable that it weighed more than a human life.
Before he could even register a look of surprise, he collapsed to the ground.
There's no need to be sad or in pain, because someone will be there to keep him company soon.
Before the other two could react, a white figure emerged from the boundless twilight outside the hall, like a ghost, like a fleeting shadow, elusive and unpredictable, deadly and utterly fatal.
The two subordinates felt a chill on their wrists, followed by excruciating pain that pierced their hearts and brains. Before they could even regain their senses, they found their severed hands lying on the ground, realizing that they only had two broken wrists left. Blood gushed out, surging and blooming in a mournful manner.
The flowers are unrestrained, crimson, and carry the abrupt turn from life to death. In the instant when the flowers are at their most beautiful and perfect, yet also most ruthless, the ghostly beauty solidifies her body, revealing her stunning face amidst the lush foliage of the blood-red flowers.
Only then did the first body fall to the ground with a loud thud.
After the loud bang, thunder rumbled.
He was, after all, the fifth master of the Six and a Half Hall, and his martial arts skills were not low. He had sensed something from the moment the first person was hit by the needle. In his eyes, his authority could not tolerate such provocation, and the Six and a Half Hall did not recognize anyone who dared to trespass. What awaited the white figure was his meteor hammer, which came fiercely and roared incessantly under his volcanic rage.
This hammer, crafted from refined iron, wielded with incredible power and ferocity in his hands. The hammerhead, covered in terrifying spikes, unleashed a torrent of relentless, raging internal force, aimed directly at the figure that had just intruded. Weapons are inanimate, but inanimate objects, when handled by a skilled master, can be brought to life. This hammer, etched into Lei Gun's hands, was undeniably imbued with killing intent.
The double hammers covered all directions and sealed off all positions, leaving no way to escape!
But she never thought of avoiding it.
For her, being told to hide required a certain level of competence. She was exceptionally gifted from a young age, possessing extraordinary talent and having mastered the peerless martial art, the Netherworld Secret Manual. She was virtually unmatched among her peers, and with the help of her father, she had acquired profound internal energy. A single Thunder Roll clearly did not warrant her hiding.
The white figure raised her hand, her posture like dancing under the moon, her five fingers slender, as if she had never practiced martial arts, only possessing a captivating beauty. When she moved, she was like a butterfly flitting among flowers, gently brushing her hand softly near the rapidly approaching double hammers.
A subtle and unpredictable force traveled straight through the iron chain. Lei Gun felt the hammer head suddenly sink, and then felt the domineering, cold, and bone-chilling internal force within it. His own abundant internal force was instantly at a disadvantage, and his proud double hammers were even pulled to one side. The next second, they flew out of his hands and smashed the rosewood tea table next to him to pieces, with wood chips flying like rain!
His hands were in excruciating pain, and Lei Gun's pupils shrank. The price of underestimating his opponent was that his palms trembled uncontrollably, making it difficult to exert any force.
Having taken the upper hand, the white figure remained silent, pressing her advantage with a movement as swift as a white ribbon billowing in the wind, its trajectory unpredictable, and in an instant, she was on Lei Gun's left side. Her finger strikes were sharp, like thunder and lightning, a perfect fusion of softness and strength in her hands, aimed directly at the pressure points on Lei Gun's head.
Lei Gun roared, his double hammers no longer in his hands. He couldn't strike back in time, nor could he dodge faster than her. He could only endure the pain and strike out with his palm, trying to use the force of his palm to counter her attack. But Bai Ying seemed to have anticipated his attack. She spun around and slid past his palm, then turned her hand to the side, transforming it into a finger. It was all premeditated. She lightly traced a line across his wrist pulse point with her fingertip.
Lei Gun suddenly felt a tingling and numbness in half of his arm, and his internal energy stagnated and could no longer circulate. However, this was far from the end. Another silver light shot out from the white shadow's sleeve, aiming for his face.
He was terrified and desperately turned his head to the side. The silver needle grazed his cheek, leaving a trail of blood, and embedded itself in the wall behind him. The needle's end still trembled, leaving him in shock, but he already knew that defeat was inevitable.
The white figure had already closed in on him, pressing down on his right elbow joint with one hand, twisting it, and then striking his meteor hammer with even greater force, severing his arm just like that. He was in so much pain that he almost screamed, but his survival instinct made him forget about saving face and immediately want to run away at all costs. The white figure didn't give him that chance, and then delivered a crisp kick to his knee.
Lei Gun groaned in pain and knelt down in front of Bai Ying. He couldn't tell whether his arm or his knee hurt more, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.
He was defeated, defeated so quickly and so miserably, he didn't even get to see ten of his opponent's moves!
The white figure gracefully returned to the spot where she had first arrived, standing in the very center of the three corpses, hands clasped behind her back. She was still as beautiful, as ruthless as ever. When she arrived, there were four people here; now that she was leaving, only half a cripple remained.
This ruthlessness and cruelty are all contained within this beautiful face, making people fearful and afraid to look up at her.
Looking at Lei Gun, who was sweating profusely and pale-faced, Bai Ying seemed to have taken pity on him and said coldly, "Tell Lei Sun to give his regards to Bai Feifei, the deputy master of the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion."
As soon as she finished speaking, she vanished into the night outside the door, just as she had come, leaving behind only the stench of blood and deathly silence.
The oppressive heat of the summer night returned, making one feel nauseous. Moths still fluttered about under the lamp, oblivious to their fate.
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Ms. Xie: Good thing I told you not to rip people's heads off (Pokerby wags his finger mysteriously).
By the way, it seems she forgot to update her personal beauty ranking. There are no changes yet. Young Master Wang is not on the list because he is not included due to personal reasons and mixed feelings. If he were on the list, everyone would have to move down one place.
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