Chapter 162 — The Young Master Is Smitten

Shen Mu looked at Ling Yuxiu as if begging for help. Ling Yuxiu indicated that there was nothing she could do.

The Grand Academy.

The young Patriarch silently packed his things, made a small bundle, threw the cord of office to the ground, hung the official seal on the gate of the Grand Academy Hall, then looked back once at the Grand Academy and smiled.

Elder Dianxing came quickly, a small bamboo basket on his back, holding an umbrella and some scrolls and books.

"Let us go. There is no need to disturb anyone else," the young Patriarch said with a smile.

The two walked down the mountain without rousing anyone. At the mountain gate below, the dragon-qilin hastily rose to its feet and wagged its tail.

"My death is near; I cannot take you with me."

The youth stroked the dragon-qilin's head and shook his head. "If you follow me, you can only watch me grow old and die. Little fellow cultivator, you are free."

Crack.

The chain at the dragon-qilin's neck opened. The beast was bewildered; it shook its great head. "Master, if I do not follow you, where can I go?"

"You were born free. Where can you not go?"

The young Patriarch waved his hand, gazing at the Grand Academy he had built with his own hands, a trace of reluctance in his eyes, then suddenly turned and went: "The place where I would end my days, today I leave it. I do not wish to die of old age in the Grand Academy."

Old and young walked on toward the capital. Outside the city walls the young Patriarch bade Elder Dianxing halt, and himself walked toward the man opposite.

"Fellow cultivator."

Imperial Preceptor Jingping saluted. "Fellow cultivator, you are leaving so soon? Do you not mean to take your leave of the Emperor?"

The young Patriarch smiled. "When I took up the post I came empty-handed; I did not come for the Emperor, so why should I leave for the Emperor? You invited me here, and now you see me off. I am very happy."

Imperial Preceptor Jingping said with feeling, "Fellow cultivator, you can already face life and death directly. For my state of mind to reach your height, I do not know how many years of cultivation it would take. Let me walk with you a way."

The two went forward side by side, Elder Dianxing following not far behind. Imperial Preceptor Jingping said, "Knowing you were leaving, I suddenly felt a great emptiness in my heart. In all this world, none knows me as you do. With you gone, there is one fewer person I can talk to."

The young Patriarch said, "Your ambitions are great, your road beset with perils and many hardships. There is nothing more I can teach you; you must rely on yourself."

Imperial Preceptor Jingping halted. "Back then I wished to take you as my master. Why would you not accept me?"

The young Patriarch said frankly, "I realized that you were better than I, that your future achievements would surpass mine. I was unworthy to be your master, and so I could not take you as a disciple. What you wish to do is something I never conceived of, something I could never accomplish in my whole life. I have learned much from you as well; therefore I cannot be your teacher."

Imperial Preceptor Jingping stepped out and caught up with him. "Lately I am still somewhat lost, somewhat troubled. Tell me, is the road we walk the righteous path?"

"In the eyes of the so-called righteous path, the road we walk is not the righteous path."

The young Patriarch halted and looked into his eyes. "We established the primary schools, the colleges, and the Grand Academy; we reformed the sects; we gathered what the many sects had learned and taught it to scholars, making commoners and sect disciples equal. In their eyes this is heresy, a crime beyond pardon. But in our hearts, this is the righteous path! Never mind what others say. What is right is right! It will not become wrong because petty men howl at it."