Chapter 77 77 Madman "Only the Spring and Autumn Annals can understand me and judge me."...

August 27, the first year of the spiritual recovery, Jinwuyuan·Backyard.

"The leaders are here for the final exam, so everyone should perform well!" Ning Changkong clapped his hands jokingly.

Chi Zhaoming walked a little behind him and continued with a smile, "I can't lead you, Deputy Director Ning."

Behind Chi Zhaoming followed Yue Jingting and Zuo Langning, who came to Jinwu Garden to join in the fun, and in front of him stood the four little ones lined up in a row.

Today is the last day that the four of them will stay in Jinwuyuan. After today, they will return to Longyuan Academy to prepare for the start of school.

"Then please ask Director Chi to check your learning results." Ning Changkong moved back a few steps to make room for Chi Zhaoming who was flexing his wrist, preparing to let him practice a one-on-four match.

Gu Minghui bravely asked, "Senior Ning, can we have a fight with you?"

Ning Changkong stopped in his tracks and asked helplessly, "Why?"

He has not been in good health for the past two months, so the sparring has basically been left to Bai Xian. Bai Xian is also happy to stretch his muscles and help deal with this bunch of little radishes.

Gu Minghui said confidently: "There will be plenty of opportunities to fight with Master in the future, but this may be the only chance for me to fight with Mingqi-kun - ouch!"

Chi Zhaoming slapped him on the forehead and rubbed Xiao Gu's head twice: "What, I haven't beaten you for two months, so you want to be punished?"

Ning Changkong stepped forward with a smile, and took out the black spear named "Liuxian" in his hand. He weighed it twice in his hand, and spiritual energy circulated throughout his body.

He smiled and said, "You asked for this."

Before he finished speaking, the spear had already rushed towards the group of four with great force.

When he was still Lin Jinsong, he chose the bow and arrow in the practical class because he was in poor health and lacked physical strength. Even if he could win in close combat, the consumption would be too great and the loss would not be worth it.

After accepting the Phoenix inheritance on the night of the Lantern Festival, his strength increased greatly. In terms of combat power, he was ranked among the best in the entire Eastern cultivation world. The enemies he had to deal with on a daily basis were mostly small minions with evil spirits, so he could kill them one by one in close combat, which saved costs.

His lack of physical strength had not yet been cured. Ning Changkong frowned and blocked Gu Minghui's heavy blow with his gun, which made his palm numb.

But it was just a little brat, he could still handle this short-term outburst. Ning Changkong did not use Phoenix Fire, but used his gun to block Wen Qingsheng's sneak attack.

"Very good." Yue Jingting, who was watching from the side, praised, "It's at the level of a college graduate."

Ning Changkong curled his lips when he heard this: It's just the level of a graduate.

Not to mention his current supermodel combat power that relies on the phoenix spiritual power, even Lin Jinsong, who just entered the school last year, has the level of a graduate of Longyuan Academy. For the protagonists who have to bear the future of mankind and the survival of the world, this level is not good enough.

Chi Zhaoming was a little distracted.

There is no doubt that everyone standing here can be called a genius, and there are even many who have Grade A superior spiritual roots that are rarely seen in a century.

But Lin Jinsong, no, Ning Changkong, at the age of just eighteen, had reached the pinnacle of both the human and demon races in terms of combat power and knowledge. This talent was dazzling enough to illuminate an era.

…so dazzling that it makes people wonder whether Lin Jinsong’s feat that once amazed everyone was just a simple effort made by the phoenix when he descended to the earth to train.

After all, Ning Changkong has not yet explained how he became a phoenix from Lin Jinsong, and he even worked wholeheartedly for the demon clan. Maybe he was a phoenix who transformed into a human form and walked into the human world to travel.

Lin Jinsong has no father or mother, but his every move does not seem like a child who lacks love. Perhaps it is because this identity was fake from the beginning.

"——Okay, that's enough." Ning Changkong knocked the double swords from Su Yunyao's hands, announcing the end of the sparring match.

Zuo Langning clapped his hands and said sincerely, "These children have made great progress. Thank you, Mingqi-kun."

Gu Minghui collapsed on the ground and gasped: "Thank you, Mingqi-kun, you are really good at teaching--"

Wen Qingsheng picked up his sword that had been thrown off the ground and asked in confusion, "Didn't we agree to say thank you together?"

"Oh, yes, I forgot." Gu Minghui blinked blankly and was hit on the head by Yan Xiaoling.

Ning Changkong coughed twice. He couldn't help but smile in front of these people: "Don't thank me yet. I have gifts for you."

He took out a few golden crystals inlaid with red lines from his pocket: "These spiritual stones store some of my spiritual power and can temporarily resist evil spirits."

He deliberately did not mention the runes engraved inside, pretending that he did not care too much.

Chi Zhaoming gave him a teasing look and then turned his head away.

When he was asked to deliver it himself, he actually did it.

Ning Changkong ignored him and continued to instruct: "But the spiritual power sealed in here is not much, it can only be used for emergencies. If you really encounter evil spirits, you still have to use the amulet I gave you before."

"Okay, then, happy graduation." Phoenix put his hands together and smiled, "I wish you all good luck in your future practice."

I don’t know when and where we will meet next time, but as long as these little brats don’t get into trouble again, I’ll just ask him to pick them up.

After the three human children finished their greetings and expressed their gratitude, Yan Xiaoling spoke hesitantly: "Um, Senior Ning..."

"Can we take a look at your true self...?"

Ning Changkong glanced at the little fox pretending to be dead, and Su Yunyao covered his lips with his fist in embarrassment.

Well, she just mentioned that the phoenix's true form looked cute, that's all.

August 27, the first year of the Reiki Recovery, Jinwu Garden.

"So bird demons generally don't like to wear narrow sleeves?" Gu Minghui turned his head and asked Su Yunyao while wiping his sweat.

Phoenix declined the request to show his real body, but settled for the next best thing and agreed to show them his wings, but he had to change his clothes first.

The little fox patiently waited with his chin in his hand: "Yes, they usually have wide sleeves or no sleeves, otherwise they will feel their wings are restrained."

"Even though we have transformed into human form, we all retain some of the habits of animal form. For example, even though it is not necessary, I still like to show my tail, otherwise I always feel like I can't keep my balance."

Yan Xiaoling reached out and grabbed the tip of the waving fiery red tail, and rubbed it against the fur with evil intentions. Su Yunyao said "Hey" in dissatisfaction, and was about to pull the tail out, when the phoenix, who had changed his clothes, came out.

"I... don't have much time to take care of my feathers." Ning Changkong's right hand under his wide sleeves had already turned into wings. He shook his feathers uncomfortably, trying his best to maintain a gentle smile.

In order to prepare for the ceremony of paying homage to the phoenix, he privately spent a lot of time practicing how to transform into an adult phoenix, but after trying again and again, he found that the strain on his body was too great and he could barely maintain it for even a moment.

It was okay that only one wing appeared. Ning Changkong slowly adjusted his breathing and complained in his heart: "Why did I agree to hold the Hundred Birds Pay Homage to the Phoenix in the first place?"

Chu Qingge continued, "Uh, to confirm your identity as the Phoenix?"

"It seems like we've reached halfway now." Ning Changkong lowered his head, while several excited human children took turns stroking his wings.

Revealing the true form of the phoenix was partly to cut off the thoughts of several old friends, and partly to solidify the identity of the phoenix in front of the entire demon clan and consolidate one's own influence.

There is still not enough time. Ning Changkong sighed in his heart. When he brings enough benefits to Penglai, even if all the demons know in their hearts that he is just a human who inherited the power of the phoenix, they will have to pretend that they know nothing.

Time, and more time.

Carefully stroking the feathers, Yan Xiaoling exclaimed sincerely: "So beautiful." The main body of the wings that Ning Changkong transformed into was a beautiful golden-red color, with colorful feathers at the ends.

Wen Qingsheng subconsciously stroked the feather pendant on his neck. Ning Changkong laughed dumbly: "That is not my feather. Before my spiritual energy was revived, I practiced in the illusion and never came to the world."

After saying this, he glanced at the people watching meaningfully. Yue Jingting tried his best to hide his disappointed look, while Chi Zhaoming seemed to be thinking about something.

In order to analyze the motives of Li Bo and Phoenix, Ning Changkong and Chi Zhaoming shared what they saw on the night of the Lantern Festival, but did not explain in detail how he came back to life - after all, if Chu Qingge had not used the skills of a fast traveler to forcibly put the soul back into the dying body, Lin Jinsong would have really died in the Tongshan illusion.

Exposing the identity of the fast traveler would result in a deduction of wages, so he would not do such a thing.

The confrontation with the little fox gave him a new inspiration. Rather than saying that Lin Jinsong turned from a human into a phoenix, it is more credible to say that it was the experienced phoenix pretending to be a human. It can also explain the excessive strength he showed when he rescued Yan Xiaoling and Gu Minghui, and even during the midterm exam.

Director Chi narrowed his eyes slightly, obviously receiving his hint. Chi Zhaoming stared at the phoenix's golden-red feathers in a trance, recalling the words Ning Changkong had mentioned lightly.

"...How can that be possible? Of course I died once and for all." Feng Huang said this in Chi Zhaoming's office.

No matter what the truth is, Lin Jinsong, as a human being, is indeed dead. Chi Zhaoming glanced at Yue Jingting, whose face changed slightly.

I am determined to cut off contact with my old friends. When we meet, we don't recognize each other. It's no different from being dead.

"Director Chi?" Ning Changkong's words interrupted Chi Zhaoming's thoughts, and he came back to look. The phoenix had already folded its wings that it had briefly let out for viewing, and was looking at Chi Zhaoming with its sleeves raised.

Chi Zhaoming just remembered what he had agreed with Ning Changkong. He calmed himself down and called out to Gu Minghui: "Minghui, Mingqi and I have something to tell you."

August 27, the first year of the spiritual recovery, Jinwuyuan Study.

“你這段時間表現不錯。”寧長空倒了茶，把茶杯分別推到顧明輝和池昭銘面前：“池局和我商量了一下，準備告訴你一部分真相。”

來了。顧明輝繃直脊背，僵硬的手指捏緊茶杯，好像對滾燙的溫度渾然不知。

從期末考那天起，他夙興夜寐地努力修煉，為的就是這一天。

—— 請告訴我，我該拔劍向誰複仇？

他目光灼灼，池昭銘似乎被這目光燙到了，不由自主地挪開了視線。

鳳凰已經如他們倆之前商量好的那樣，面色如常地講述起了元宵節那晚的他的“所見所聞”。

“你們期末考那天，在萬兵之地所見的那兩位賊人——黎博和菲尼克斯——在元宵節那晚，闖入家父一手開辟的桐山幻境。”

只是将林錦松被菲尼克斯的擄走後的所見，以契合鳳凰之子視角的方式重新組織一遍，還做了大量的簡化。

“桐山幻境避世已久，重新建立現世與幻境的通道需要不小的力氣。綁架你，大概就是為了借你身上的應龍氣息，‘敲’開桐山幻境的大門。”

顧明輝突兀地打斷道：“除了他們兩個，你有見到別的人嗎？比如說，一個和我差不多大的年輕修行者？”

“……不曾見過。”鳳凰有些不忍心地垂下眼，向顧明輝表示遺憾。

“我明白了。”顧明輝平靜道，“我只能知道這些嗎？”

他的目光此時投向了池昭銘。池昭銘對他微微颔首：“告訴你是怕你胡思亂想、道心不穩，處理這些事是我們大人要做的。”

鳳凰則表現得比他這個師傅更關心顧明輝，他擔憂道：“別沖動，也別做傻事。有什麽事多和長輩溝通。”

顧明輝完全不見剛剛踏入書房時的激動和緊張，他以一種異質的冷靜拉開椅子，站起身：“好的，我都明白。”

“黎博，和菲尼克斯。”他頓了頓，平淡道，“我記住了。”

直到顧明輝離開書房，池昭銘還沒回過神。

寧長空饒有興致地目送顧明輝的背影徹底消失在走廊中，才開口：“他身上的應龍氣息突然暴漲，剛剛那副冷靜過頭的樣子，應該就是應龍碎片作祟。”

“是……啊。”池昭銘慢了半拍才應道，他深吸口氣。

寧長空咂了下嘴，随口揶揄他：“葉公好龍，好沒出息。”

狠狠利用了一把應龍碎片，把顧明輝出賣給黎博，到頭來真的窺見應龍姿态之時，自己卻先畏縮了。

如果真的只是葉公好龍就好了。池昭銘嘆了口氣。

寧長空擡眸看他，面色是從未有過的嚴肅。他問道：

“你不後悔嗎？池昭銘？”

鳳凰敲了敲桌子，鄭重道：“主動和黎博合作，出賣顧明輝，引發靈氣複蘇，引發一個時代的動亂，直接或間接害死很多人——你不後悔嗎？”

書房外響着用法術模拟出的蟬鳴聲，如果池昭銘仔細去聽，還能聽到走廊另一端燕曉靈等人的說笑聲。

年輕的書院學生期待着在靈氣複蘇的時代大展拳腳，向往着走到修行之途的終點。

“絕不。”池昭銘斬釘截鐵道，“我很抱歉，但我不後悔。”

池昭銘起身，他對着唯一知道他出格謀劃的盟友，第一次講述自己心中所想。

“我知道，在靈氣衰退的這千年間，人類做到了很多。不需要修煉，不需要與生俱來的翅膀或鱗片，我們也能夠上探九霄、下探汪洋。”

“但是我們明明能做到更多。”池昭銘眸光似火。

“人類已經擁有了足夠的知識，可以科學地認知靈氣的本質。靈氣全面複蘇之後，我們會獲得新的能源，會開發以靈氣為基礎的新的科技。”

“或許有一天，我們能讓所有人都擁有被靈氣增強過的身體素質，治愈以前的絕症，人類壽命被大幅延長。”

“這會是人類的一次集體進化。”他如此總結道。

“但并非沒有代價。”鳳凰打斷他，用審視的目光注視着他。

不是所有區域都像華夏一樣，有着悠久的修行傳統，能夠平穩地度過靈氣複蘇初始，心懷不軌的修行者下手犯罪的階段，更不要說還有邪氣的影響。

即便是在華夏，即便池昭銘預先做了準備，也有人因為瘋長的植物壓塌房屋，因為突然開了靈智的寵物沒有分寸，因為普通人在這個充斥靈氣的世界如紙一般脆弱而喪命。

今年的清明節寧長空是在妖族過的，但他并非不知道那一天華夏集體默哀3分鐘的情形。

靈氣複蘇，這修行者祈求千年的奇跡……并非沒有代價。

池昭銘平靜道：“我明白，我願意承擔這份責任。”

“但我不能在這樣一個時刻把異處局交到別人手上，我必須要确保華夏的修行者勢力能夠走上正軌。等異處局不需要我了，或許我會主動自首、坦誠此事。”

作為異處局局長私自和邪教組織合作，等待他的一定會是無窮的審訊和牢獄生活。

但無論成為人類歷史上的功臣還是罪人，無論要承擔怎樣的罵名。

“承擔責任有個什麽用，人死又不能複生。”寧長空涼涼地刺了他一句：“你是有幾條命能拿來賠？”

池昭銘重新坐了回去，泰然自若道：“我知道會有人犧牲，我也知道我無法代替別人犧牲，但我仍認為這個選擇是必要的。”

“——知我罪我，其惟春秋。”

“對于‘害死’你這件事，我很抱歉，很遺憾，但不後悔，錦松。”池昭銘直直地看向寧長空。

就在顧明輝離開書房的那一刻，池昭銘突然明白了他心中異樣感的來源，明白了他為什麽在顧明輝的目光下畏縮。

鳳凰對顧明輝複述的是林錦松的死亡，幕後黑手正是他池昭銘本人。

寧長空不耐煩地又敲了敲桌子：“誰在和你說這個？我在說別的人——那些在靈氣複蘇導致的秩序動蕩之中喪命的人。”

“我是說，你相信靈氣複蘇後的世界，一個人和人之間有着懸殊武力差距的世界，會更美好嗎？你不覺得這像是把互相傷害的匕首塞給了懵懂的孩童嗎？”

池昭銘失笑：“你這樣想，和黎博有什麽區別？不都是把人類當做需要看護的對象嗎？”

黎博正是深刻體會到了修行者和普通人的武力差距，才認為要有強有力的修行者來建立秩序，來看護和飼養弱小的普通人。

池昭銘：“凡人已經度過了悠久的歷史，有了完善的政治制度和組織，遠遠不能算是懵懂的孩童。生命會找到出路，我只是相信這一點。”

書房裏陷入了短暫的沉默。鳳凰沉思着喝了口茶，緩緩開口道：“關于元宵節那晚的事，我勸你早點和你徒弟說清楚。哪怕遲早要反目成仇，主動自首總歸比他自己查出來效果要好。”

寧長空含糊道：“……我這邊不要緊。即便沒有這件事，我也會離開的。”

雖然林錦松的死遁确實是死得有點徹底，但就算不出事，他也會主動找個機會死遁離開的。

當然，他現在這麽說，還是想向池昭銘暗示：林錦松本就是鳳凰游歷人間的化名，不過是借了菲尼克斯将人擄走的機會假死脫身，回歸鳳凰的身份。

這個臺階寧長空一日不遞給池昭銘，林錦松就一日要橫在池昭銘和顧明輝這對師徒之間，當兩人關系裏解不開的死結。為了他心心念念的“死後勝利”，寧長空還是更樂于見到作為內定的下一任異處局局長的顧明輝和他師傅好好合作的。

反正他是遲早要死的人了，這個順水人情送了也無妨。

而池昭銘……池昭銘可悲地發現自己松了口氣。

不管做了怎樣的心理準備，真的和自己親手害死的人面對面時，他還是不可遏制地心虛了起來。

幸好死去的只是一個假身份，幸好鳳凰只是回歸了應有的位置。

“沒出息。”寧長空嘀咕了一句，卻沒有收斂音量，擺明了要讓池昭銘聽個一清二楚。

池昭銘苦笑。他便是如此矛盾：他要是當真不相信人類、不愛人類，便不會狂妄到要以這種方式開啓一個新時代。

但他要是當真全心全意地愛着世人，便會猶豫，要不要犧牲一部分注定在混亂中喪生的人，換取人類發展的可能；便不會不為林錦松的死感到愧疚。

作聖人太狂妄，作狂人太心軟。寧長空在心中對他下了評語，嘴上問道：“話說回來，你們公辦修行學校的* 教材編得怎麽樣了？我能看一眼嗎？”

池昭銘顯然沒料到話題就這樣一百八十度大轉彎，愣了一下：“啊？”

寧長空恨鐵不成鋼：“一個你，一個黎博，都瘋得不像樣。我真想看看你們面向修行者的思想政治教材都是怎麽編的，真是……”