Chapter 2534: The Old Mischief’s Discourse on Heaven and Earth (2)
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“It’s alright,” Yu Zhiwen said without a smile.
Dao Qiongcang gazed at the young girl with a look that seemed to say, “I don’t want to talk anymore, just let me go,” as he hesitated to speak.
Finally, he crouched down slightly, matching Yu Zhiwen’s height, and forced a stiff smile:
“Give me a smile,”
“Hehe.”
“Haha, that’s a very forced smile.”
Silence followed Yu Zhiwen’s unresponsive glare, signaling the end of their conversation.
But she had more pressing questions.
She wanted to ask why the tampered Guilan didn’t intervene when Bei Huai attacked her.
She also wanted to know why, even though the Supreme Master couldn’t come out, Grandpa Yu, who had no restrictions, didn’t show up again after being repelled with one blow.
Yu Zhiwen wasn’t a child anymore.
She knew the answers.
Yet, she also understood that asking questions she already had the answers to, wouldn’t just hurt one person, but two.
One person’s pain was more than enough.
There was no need for another.
The atmosphere quieted briefly due to Hallmaster Dao’s awkward smile.
Dao Qiongcang wiped the playful expression off his face, straightened up, and turned to gaze into the night, lost in thought.
He stood still for a long time, then pointed to the night sky and said, “That’s the sky.”
Before Yu Zhiwen could respond, he pointed to the ground. “This is the earth.”
As if engaging in a dialogue with himself, a faint smile crept onto his lips. Like a child, he put aside Divine Sinan and measured the distance between the sky and the earth with his hands:
“The distance between sky and earth is what I aim to break. That’s what I said at that time.”
Shaking his head with a wry smile, Dao Qiongcang continued, “In their eyes, this is very amusing.”
Yu Zhiwen was taken aback, facing this question she had initially dismissed as another sarcastic joke.
Turning away, Dao Qiongcang crouched slightly, scanning his surroundings like an old mischief wary of ghosts in the night. Then, placing a finger to his lips, he made a very small, very light gesture…
“Shh…”
Yu Zhiwen was stunned.
It was the first time she had seen Hallmaster Dao behave like a mischievous child, almost amused by his antics.
Seeing Yu Zhiwen’s incredulous expression, Dao Qiongcang chuckled, stood up, and placed his large hand on the girl’s head, gazing into the distance and said in a wistful tone:
“No matter what you want to say or do, others may not give you the answers.”
“The only advice I can give you remains the same.”
“Follow your heart and stay safe.”
Yu Zhiwen’s lips parted slightly, gazing at the night sky, her starry eyes inexplicably tinged with imperfections.
Dao Qiongcang picked up the broken Divine Sinan arm and toyed with it for a bit before handing it to the girl.
“A masterpiece by Xu Xiaoshou.”
“The distance between sky and earth.”
Night crept in, and the snow on the mountains s.h.i.+mmered faintly.
Amidst his busy schedule, Xi was suddenly summoned back.
Strangely, Hallmaster Dao chose to admire the night mountains with him alone, without bringing anyone else, even sending Yu Zhiwen away.
It was very odd!
Returning to this mountain.
This mountain, a nameless forest peak, was about a hundred miles from the Southern Zone entrance of Jade Capital City.
People rarely set foot here; only the cries of night birds could be heard.
Occasionally glancing back, one could faintly see the Southern Zone gate of Jade Capital City under the moonlight.
The snow in Jade Capital City wasn’t heavy, but here on the mountain, it had acc.u.mulated to a layer just above the ankles. Stepping on it produced a sharp sizzle, and the cold seeped into the ankles.
Xi s.h.i.+vered uncontrollably.
He had seen the image recording bead from the battle and realized he had misunderstood Hallmaster Dao’s interests.
Naturally, his search direction was promptly adjusted from the women and macho men of the capital to the Southern Region’s evil cultivator, the thief.
But with “half a day” left until the deadline, it seemed there was still some time. Why had Hallmaster Dao brought him here so quickly?
“Do you know why I dragged you here?” Dao Qiongcang trod through the snow, hands behind his back.
Dragged… Xi solemnly replied, “Yes, this is the place where ‘he’ stayed!”
“Oh? Have you confirmed it?”
“Reporting to Hallmaster Dao, almost.”
“Then how do you know someone stayed here?”
“Excellent visibility, it’s a great vantage point, and there are no traces… Before Hallmaster Dao brought me here, I hadn’t even considered this place… This is clearly suspicious!” Xi carefully chose his words, feeling as if he were beside a tiger ready to pounce at any moment.
“Oh, just because I brought you here, you a.s.sumed it to be true?” Dao Qiongcang asked calmly.
“Uh…” Xi didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
“As an intelligence worker, as the Chief of the Transformation Division, you’re not reckless. You act on instinct and, as an ancient swordsman, you follow the whims of a Spiritual Cultivator well.”
“Uh…”
“The inability to find the person doesn’t mean the Transformation Division is incompetent. It indicates that the enemy is well-hidden and extremely powerful. The lack of traces is the best trace. This is very thought-provoking. I have learned from this.”
“Uh…”
“Respecting elders and superiors, following every step, your words are full of respect for my choice of this place… It seems you’ve been in the Transformation Division long enough to thoroughly understand the little rules of Saint Mountain. You speak appropriately to different people, adapting to situations, pleasing everyone, and leaving no room for error.”
“Uh…”
Xi’s scalp tingled.
Was it because of the weather?
Or was the place filled with too much negative energy?
Why did Hallmaster Dao sound so sarcastic?
If he wanted to criticize the Transformation Division, he should have just said it. If he wanted to criticize him, he should have just said it too. Why beat around the bush?
“Are you speechless?”
Dao Qiongcang turned to look at the young man, who seemed to be sweating profusely in the snowy night, and said nonchalantly, “Or is the weather too cold, freezing you to the point of stuttering? Are you a goose?”