Chapter 130: Chapter 95: Academy_1
Translator: 549690339
“Elder gentleman, please enjoy the tea. The young master will be here in a moment.”
In the living room, a maidservant presented a fragrant cup of tea.
“There’s no hurry, no hurry.”
Atop the guest’s seat, an elderly gentleman with white hair stroked his beard and smiled, “Li Jie Yuan is a busy man, it’s only right for the likes of me to wait.”
He was clad in brocaded robes, resembling a wealthy Officer, and despite his white hair and ancient years, he did not show signs of twilight years. Instead, his face was ruddy, full of life and vigor as though he belonged to a family of Immortals.
Behind him stood another figure, a young girl in red, her petite frame hidden beneath a large red cloak, with even her face mostly concealed by a fur-lined hood, its color unclear.
An elderly and a young person, one seated and one standing, waited a moment like that until someone finally entered the room.
“To have esteemed guests visit and not greet them from afar, how impolite of us!”
A light laugh sounded throughout the room.
The elderly gentleman turned around, following the laughter, and saw a young man stepping in gracefully, devoid of the frailty of scholars; instead, he emanated an aura of valor and bravery.
“Li Jie Yuan!”
The elderly man immediately rose to his feet, greeting with a smile, “It’s I who doesn’t deserve such a reception from Li Jie Yuan. It is an honor simply to enter your abode.”
“You flatter me, elder. Please, take a seat!”
“After you, Jie Yuan.”
Xu Yang grinned and took the seat of honor, casting a glance at the girl beside the old man, then quickly redirected his attention to him and directly inquired, “May I know your esteemed name, elder?”
“I apologize for the sudden visit and lack of introduction, my apologies!”
The elder stood up, clasping his hands together and said, “My surname is Xin, commonly known as Huang Shi, and this is my daughter, Shisi.”
“So it is Elder Xin.”
Xu Yang nodded, then chuckled and asked, “May I inquire as to the purpose of Elder Xin’s visit?”
“I dare not deceive Li Jie Yuan.”
Old Man Xin laughed, straightforward as ever, “I have indeed come here to seek a favor!”
“Oh?”
Xu Yang’s eyebrows raised slightly, showing no surprise, “Please speak, elder.”
Old Man Xin observed Xu Yang, then glanced again at the young girl beside him with her head bowed low, before returning his gaze and inquiring with an unexpected light chuckle, “I’ve heard that Li Jie Yuan has not yet taken a wife?”
“Hmm?”
Xu Yang gave him a look, then shook his head, “I have no such intentions yet!”
“What a pity, then.”
Old Man Xin shook his head with a sigh, then swiftly changed the subject, “Jie Yuan, what do you think of my daughter Shisi?”
As he spoke, he gestured with his hand.
The young girl shuddered slightly as if bashful but still reached out to lift her hood.
One could see she was about fourteen or fifteen years of age, draped in a brightly colored red cloak that nevertheless did not seem vulgar or flamboyant, but instead exuded a lively and ethereal charm.
Underneath the red cloak was a gown of white, with a belt of gold-threaded jade wrapped around her waist, graceful and delicate. She was like a delicate bud on the verge of blooming, showing a hint of stubbornness within her tenderness — truly alluring.
She lifted her head, biting her red lips slightly, eyes filled with shyness. She seemed ready to meet his gaze but quickly became flustered and lowered her eyes, nervously giving a curtsy, “Shisi pays respects to the young master!”
A beauty in her modesty is always a sight to cherish.
However, Xu Yang cast only one glance at her before turning away, “Elder, what is the meaning of this?”
Old Man Xin smiled, “Does my daughter Shisi meet Jie Yuan’s standards?”
Xu Yang looked at him, then shook his head, “Elder, please speak frankly.”
“Li Jie Yuan speaks straightforwardly indeed.”
Despite such words implying rejection, Old Man Xin wasn’t discouraged; he clasped his hands together and said, “No use beating around the bush, and I dare not deceive you, young master, we are not beings born of human essence; instead, we belong to the race of Spirit Monsters!”
“Your sincerity towards others is commendable, elder,” Xu Yang nodded, seemingly not surprised.
Seeing this, Old Man Xin also nodded inwardly.
In this world, Ghost Gods were manifest, and Demons roamed freely.
The existence of Spirit Monsters, though perhaps an earth-shattering secret to the common folk, meant little to the upper echelons. To those who had reached a certain level of understanding, interaction with such beings was natural.
This man had achieved the title of Jie Yuan, a scholar of the Confucian Gate, and knowing about the existence of otherworldly beings was only to be expected. If he had panicked, screaming “talk not of ghosts and spirits” like those indigent Confucians, Old Man Xin would have been disappointed; disappointed that he had misjudged and chosen the wrong individual.
Seeing that Xu Yang remained unfazed, Old Man Xin began to narrate his own origins.
“I am of the fox lineage, living in seclusion in Yellow Mountain. Although we might be categorized as Spirit Monsters, we do not practice Demonic and Evil Skills, nor do we harm the natural order or the innocent. Instead, we devote ourselves to practicing Buddhism, seeking no quarrel with the world!”
“However…”
Old Man Xin let out a deep sigh and continued gravely, “When the world fell into chaos and Demons ran rampant, we aspired to live in seclusion, yet calamities repeatedly came knocking at our door. This has forced my family to flee far away, leaving Yellow Mountain in search of refuge.”
“But in these times, where in the world are there no Demons and evil spirits preying upon innocents? We, the Kind Spirit Monsters, are coveted by Demons and eyed by Evil Cultivators. Each one watches us like prey, longing to seize our flesh, souls, Mana Essence, to use it in their practices and enhance their Taoist Cultivation!”
A bitter expression crossed Old Man Xin’s face, “Even the venerable practitioners of the Righteous Path from both Taoism and Buddhism often carry biases against our kind. The extremists would strike down any Spirit Monster they encounter, indifferent to whether we have perpetrated evil!”
“In this way, although the world is vast, there seems to be no place for my family. After moving from Yellow Mountain, troubles continued to pursue us, forcing us to keep moving to avoid them. Unexpectedly, it led to even more tribulations, and we even incurred the wrath of a particularly formidable enemy!”
Old Man Xin sighed, “I have lived for over two hundred years, and my time is coming to an end; death holds no fear for me. However, beneath me and my wife’s knees are many children. If we were to pass away, they would be left destitute and vulnerable, likely to be bullied incessantly. Therefore, these past years, my wife and I have been marrying off our daughters, hoping to find them a refuge.”
