Chapter 111 – Before Leaving (1)
In the next few days after this, Ye Qingyu really rushed to settle everything within the Ye mansion.
Three days later, the decree of the Emperor that Hon Kong would become the fourth Dean of White Deer Academy was formally announced to the entire city. This caused a commotion that was neither large nor small. This represented that the previous great teacher of the first years would completely become one of the three major players of Deer City.
For those well informed influential and noble families, they had nearly digested the news of this appointment, the initial shock close to gone. Everywhere around the city, there were many people who were unable to understand this appointment. Why was it that a great teacher of the first years became the Dean, and not the great elders who already possessed a high position and status?
The city became more and more restless.
Hidden currents moved.
Such news, from Ye Qingyu’s perspective, was unquestionably a great and fortunate incident.
Entrusting the safety of the Ye mansion, as well as the various properties of the Ye family to Hon Kong who was now one of the three big shots of the city, represented that there was basically not a need to worry anymore. Originally, Ye Qingyu was thinking of a method to settle Registrar Liu Yuancheng and Sun Yuhu, these two calamities. But from the current situation, there was not such a need any longer.
Hon Kong did not refuse Ye Qingyu’s request.
“You don’t need to thank me right now. If there’s one day that White Deer Academy encounters trouble, I hope that the you in the future will be able to come to our aid. That will be thanks enough,” Hon Kong said with a smile.
Ye Qingyu naturally promised to do so.
If there really was such a day, then of course he would extend his aid.
Ye Qingyu also thought of an unresolved matter. It was regarding that old fellow who had appeared in the [Grievance Hall] and in the living quarters of the second year area, that tall and thin teacher. With a violent disposition, every time he appeared he gave Ye Qingyu a beating that caused lumps to appear all on his body. But he had helped Ye Qingyu to combine his body and his inner yuan without any imperfections. He was a strange person that Ye Qingyu had not seen during this period of time. Before leaving, he wanted to at least see him and say his thanks for what he had done for him.
Ye Qingyu had originally thought that regarding this old fellow, Hon Kong would at least have some idea as to who he was.
But who would have thought that after considering for a while, Hon Kong shook his head. “Perhaps you have remembered wrongly. I can very responsibly say to you that there is not such a person in White Deer Academy.”
“What?” Ye Qingyu was greatly surprised. “How is this possible?”
Hon Kong said, “These days, because of the fact that I am taking over various matters of the academy, I have completely tidied up the roll of register for every teacher in the academy. My memory cannot be wrong. On the list, there is absolutely not such a person.”
Ye Qingyu was dumbfounded.
Just what was this?
That tall and thin old teacher was evidently wearing the robes of the academy’s teachers when Ye Qingyu met him. And in a place like the [Grievance Hall] where security was extremely tight, he could come and go as he wanted. Was he really not a person belonging to White Deer Academy?
This was something that was far too peculiar.
“I will investigate this matter in detail.” Hon Kong was able to sense the seriousness of this matter. To think that there would be such a strange person in the academy and that even he was not aware of this existence.
Afterwards, the two discussed about some other matters, then Ye Qingyu said farewell.
On the way back to Ye mansion, Ye Qingyu thought about the dates and realized that tomorrow was the day that the expedition of Azure Phoenix Academy would leave Deer City. Remembering what he had promised Xu Ge, that no matter what his final decision was he would notify him of his choice. This was the most basic courtesy.
The temporary residence of Azure Phoenix Academy was right next to White Deer Academy.
As Ye Qingyu came to outside the entrance, he coincidentally bumped into the Xu Ge walking out of the residence.
“Eh? Senior Brother Ye, you’ve come. This is too great, I was just about to go and find you.” Seeing Ye Qingyu, a delighted expression instantly appeared on Xu Ge’s face, quickly rushing forwards to say his greetings.
“Junior Brother Xu, I have come here looking for you.” Ye Qingyu saw this was the opportune moment, and that he no longer needed to go in search for Xu Ge. He notified Xu Ge of his final decision.
An evidently disappointed expression crept on Xu Ge’s face. “This is really such a pity. I was originally hoping that I would be able to drink and discuss martial arts with Senior Brother Ye.” One was able to see that after the battle of the [Boundary Canyon Battlefield], heartfelt admiration had really been born within Xu Ge for Ye Qingyu. “But since Senior Brother Ye has made his decision, then we shall not force you. We will definitely meet again later if we are fated.”
Ye Qingyu expressed his thanks with a smile.
Xu Ge asked again, “Then does Senior Brother Ye plan to stay at White Deer Academy?”
“No, I’ve decided to answer the enlistment of the country, to head towards Youyan Pass.” Ye Qingyu did not hide anything from Xu Ge. For such a matter, the country would very quickly transmit this news through official military papers and channels. If there were people that used their heads to inquire about this information, they would very quickly find out. Concealing this information was pointless.
“Entering the army?” Xu Ge was shocked. Evidently he had not expected that Ye Qingyu would make such a decision.
Compared to the peaceful environment of the academy, the army was much harsher with the military rules and much more strict. And Youyan Pass was a dangerous place where battles went unbroken year after year. The Human Race and the Demon Race would often kill and slaughter each other, all kinds of different forces snapping at each other. There was an extremely high mortality rate. Nearly every moment, every minute, every second there would be an expert falling… Xu Ge possessed a high opinion about himself. But even he absolutely would not have the courage to enter such a location.
“En, perhaps the environment within the military will be more suitable for me.” Ye Qingyu smiled, expressing his thanks yet again and turned to leave.
Xu Ge stood at the entrance, seeing Ye Qingyu off until he disappeared in the crowd far away. There was a hard to describe feeling within his heart.
He shook his head and prepared to return. Just as he turned around, he nearly knocked into a figure standing behind him.
“Elder Chen?” Seeing this figure, Xu Ge rushed to say his greetings.
The person called Elder Chen seemed to be around sixty years of age and had grizzled hair. A gold silk hair band held his hair together. His long eyebrows were like blades, with long oblique eyes and possessing a tall and sturdy body. His entire person radiated with a hard to describe baleful and biting cold atmosphere. Like a naked blade, there was an extreme imposing feeling emitting from him. He was namely the highest person in charge of the visiting expedition of the Azure Phoenix Academy this time.
He was looking at the place Ye Qingyu disappeared, as if he was thinking of something.
After a short while.
“He declined?” Elder Chen asked.
Xu Ge nodded his head.
Of course he understood, who the ‘he’ in Elder Chen’s words was.
Elder Chen gave a faint smile. “It’s a pity. A pity that a genius will be lost.” …… ……
The next few days after, Ye Qingyu stayed within the Ye residence to focus and train.
In these several days, Ye Qingyu had once again managed to successfully consolidate a [Yuan Qi Kindling]. He was able to plant within his body the fourth [Yuan Qi Kindling]. It only needed the accumulation of a period of time, absorbing yuan qi of Heaven and Earth during this duration. Once the yuan qi in his body had concentrated to a certain level, then he could begin to excavate another Spirit spring. The days where he would enter the realm of four Spirit springs were not far off.
It was only that in these days, the crowd surrounding the Ye mansion began to increase.
It was unknown where the young man in charge had managed to find so many men. They nearly completely covered the outside of the Ye residence, causing the surroundings of the Ye residence to be jam packed.
The patrols of the [Capture Barracks] had already chased them away several times without too much effect. They would simply disperse and gather, disperse and gather again. By Ye Qingyu’s estimate, there were at least around three or four hundred people. All of them were idle ruffians with many beggars wearing ragged and incomplete clothing mixed in. Once the winter season set in, cold and hunger was enough to make many people take risks. Even for half a bun, they were willing to place their life in danger. Normally, there were very little people who dared to surround a residence in the wealthy district because there was a danger of being captured and executed. But once winter hit, there were simply far too many people who were not afraid of dying.
There were several times that Ye Qingyu’s killing intent nearly struck out again.
But after seeing the faces that, due to hunger and the biting cold, had become completely apathetic, he abandoned such a thought. The beggars only wanted to earn a little bit of food to feed their family, even if he had the Asura killing martial heart, at this time his heart could not harden.
They were only a pitiful group of people forced to do this by the bitterness of life.
Ye Qingyu managed to restrain himself for the moment.
Qin Lan and the servants of the residence were somewhat frightened and scared.
In these past days, there would often be scenes of people throwing dead cats and dogs over the walls of the residence, scaring the little servant girls so much that they began crying.
The guards of the residence were only five or six people. Even if they did not sleep, they had more work than they could handle.
Ye Qingyu’s instructions were for the others not to pay attention to such matters. He told the others to burn the dead rats and the like that were thrown over and just ignore the commotion.
But after several consecutive days of this occurring, everyone was enraged in the mansion. If not for Ye Qingyu’s obstruction, perhaps they would have rushed out in anger.
Another several days passed.
Hon Kong sent someone to inform Ye Qingyu that the matters regarding the Youyan Pass had nearly been settled. But because Ye Qingyu was the inheritor of the brass heroic badge, there were some special procedures that would cause the whole process to be slightly delayed. Perhaps he would not set off with the first batch of recruited soldiers. The departure would be delayed for several days, telling Ye Qingyu to patiently wait.
Ye Qingyu was not in a hurry.
He utilized every minute and second in the residence to train, absorbing yuan qi of Heaven and Earth. He was preparing to excavate the fourth Spirit spring.
Another two days had passed.
Another great snow had fallen in Deer City.
The Ye mansion was still surrounded by the surging crowd. Such chaos had persisted for such a long time that even the patrols of the [Capture Barracks] did not pay attention to this commotion anymore. After all, time after time of them coming had no effect whatsoever. The disordered citizens were like flies; after chasing them off for a while, they would disperse but very quickly flock back yet again.
The time was midnight.
Ye Qingyu had his eyes closed. He stood with his legs apart in the [Determination Garden], displaying his naked torso. The steam emitting from his flesh was like a jade pagoda, an intangible mist lingering around his body.
The clouds within the skies were dark and gloomy.
Without any wind.
The world was completely dark.
As the practice of the nameless breathing technique ended, Ye Qingyu opened his eyes.
Sensing the increasingly vigorous inner yuan within his body, a satisfied expression appeared on Ye Qingyu’s face.
The nameless breathing technique his father had passed down had an incomparable efficacy in regards to the growth of his inner yuan. Compared to the inner yuan cultivation techniques passed on in White Deer Academy, it was many times more profound. Ye Qingyu trained relentlessly every day, and his inner yuan grew extremely rapidly. If things continued on at such a rate, in approximately twenty days’ time, he would be able to excavate his fourth Spirit spring.
He gradually exhaled a breath of murky air.
A clamour and din indistinctly emitted from outside the residence.
A cold light streaked by within Ye Qingyu’s eyes.
“The time is about right. It’s about time I took care of this group of clowns.”
He returned to his room and changed into clothing fit for acting in the night. Wearing the bronze Asura devil mask* that he had prepared before, he walked out of the Ye mansion without the slightest of sounds. Like a wisp of green smoke, he disappeared in the night.