Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

"An ’important person’?" After seeing Teacher Shangguan’s performance last night, Ling Xiao was very curious. He wondered what kind of person could be worthy of such a title from her.

"Don’t ask. You’ll know when we get there." Shangguan Yutong pulled Ling Xiao along as she walked out the door. A gentle breeze blew past, and only then did she realize she was still holding Ling Xiao’s broad hand. She quickly let go, thinking to herself, ’He’s just a boy. I’ll treat him like a little brother. It’s perfectly normal for an older sister to hold her younger brother’s hand.’

Shangguan Yutong seemed very excited, and she walked at a brisk pace. She led Ling Xiao on a winding path through the campus until they arrived before a very quiet, secluded small building. What Ling Xiao found strange was that they hadn’t encountered a single person along the way, and the place felt completely unfamiliar to him. The small building looked like it had been there for years. The exterior walls were mottled with age, and the plaster was peeling, revealing the dark brickwork beneath. The side that was always in shadow was covered in blackish-green moss.

’What kind of important person would live in a place like this?’ Ling Xiao wondered. Following a gentle knock from Shangguan Yutong, a very old voice came from inside.

"Who is it?" The voice sounded as if it took all the speaker’s strength just to get the words out, creating an uncomfortable feeling.

"Uncle Fu..." Shangguan Yutong said sweetly. "It’s me, Yutong."

"Oh, it’s Miss Shangguan. Here to see the Master again?" As he spoke, the small building’s wooden door opened with a CREAK, revealing an ancient face. The wrinkles on it were like a network of ravines, one after another, resembling the peeling plaster on the building’s exterior. His eyes were murky and lifeless. He seemed surprised to see Ling Xiao behind Shangguan Yutong and coughed twice. "Miss Shangguan... you brought a friend? Oh, a fine young man. Perhaps the Master will be pleased to see him! It seems... it’s been a long time since anyone has been able to come here!"

"Uncle Fu, this is my student." Shangguan Yutong said, giving Ling Xiao a meaningful look. Ling Xiao took the hint and said to the old man, "Hello, Uncle Fu!"

The old man smiled, and the wrinkles on his face deepened, becoming more distinct, like a blooming autumn chrysanthemum. He nodded and said, "Good, good! A good child!"

Ling Xiao calmly followed behind Shangguan Yutong. The old man called Uncle Fu seemed to trust Shangguan Yutong completely, letting her head up to the second floor on her own after opening the door.

Shangguan Yutong arrived at a room on the second floor and said softly, "Grandmaster Chen, may I come in?"

A hearty laugh came from the room. "You silly girl, why are you always so polite every time you visit? Come in, come in!"

Shangguan Yutong whispered by Ling Xiao’s ear, her breath fragrant. "You have to be on your best behavior in a moment, okay?" Her voice was gentle, almost pleading. The whisper made Ling Xiao’s ear tingle, and he nodded slightly. He naturally understood the principle of respecting his elders, so he was a bit puzzled as to why Teacher Shangguan would bother giving him such a reminder.

Opening the door, Ling Xiao discovered it was a room that faced away from the sun. Although it was bright and sunny outside, stepping inside gave one a somewhat gloomy feeling. At the same time, Ling Xiao saw an old man sitting in a wheelchair. The man had a full head of silver hair, combed meticulously. His clothes were spotless, and the buttons were all fastened neatly. He had a pair of deep, calm eyes, which were looking right at Ling Xiao as Ling Xiao looked at him.

For some unknown reason, Ling Xiao suddenly felt a wave of pressure wash over him. His heart seized, and he instantly generated a counter-will to meet this pressure head-on. At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. ’Who is this old man? What is this supposed to be? A welcoming gift?’ If he hadn’t remembered what Shangguan Yutong had just said, Ling Xiao would have felt an overwhelming urge to draw his sword!

Like a light breeze, it came and went in a flash. Just as Ling Xiao roused his strong will to resist, the tidal wave of pressure from the other party vanished without a trace. The sensation was like landing a heavy punch on a wad of cotton; it was so jarringly uncomfortable that Ling Xiao almost coughed up a mouthful of blood. He raised his head and glared daggers at the old man.

Unexpectedly, the stern and proper-looking old man now looked as if he had discovered something amusing. His eyes, full of pleasant surprise, were fixed on Ling Xiao. He then turned to Shangguan Yutong and said, "Xiaoyutong, is this the successor you’ve found for me? Haha, this is wonderful! This aptitude... it’s truly one in ten thousand! Huh? How is he a Celestial Vein Master... strange, very strange indeed!"

Shangguan Yutong seemed to have anticipated the old man’s mischievousness, which was why she had reminded Ling Xiao to be well-behaved from the start. What she hadn’t expected was that the unyielding will that had just erupted from Ling Xiao had actually fought the old man to a standstill! Others might not know how powerful the old man was, but Shangguan Yutong knew it all too well. For a moment, she couldn’t help but stare at Ling Xiao in shock. Hearing the old man’s words, she finally came to her senses and quickly said, "Grandmaster Chen, this is my student. His medical skills are miraculous. I thought he might be able to help with your illness, so I brought him here..."

"Haha!" The old man let out a happy laugh. "You’re a good girl! Much more considerate than that brat Qiu Jianhua. This little fellow... he’s quite interesting. As for my illness... it is what it is. I’m a man with one foot in the grave. You think I can’t see past something like this?"

Ling Xiao was initially quite displeased with the old man. He was certain this old fellow was an expert! And not just any expert! He was, at the very least, far more powerful than his own father! Ling Tianxiao definitely didn’t have the ability to release such immense pressure.

Hearing his words made Ling Xiao even more astonished, because as far as he knew, the current young headmaster of the Imperial Academy was named Qiu Jianhua!

"Grandmaster Chen, you’re joking again. If Uncle Qiu heard you, he’d surely complain that I’m being meddlesome," Shangguan Yutong said with a light laugh as she went to pour the old man a glass of water. Then she added, "My student’s medical skills are superb. Grandmaster Chen, please let him take a look. Who knows, there might be hope!"

The old man looked at the utterly bewildered Ling Xiao and said with a smile, "Little fellow, are you upset that this old man doesn’t know the first thing about hospitality? Hehe, my name is Qiu Chen! I am the father of Qiu Jianhua, the current headmaster of the Imperial Academy!"

Qiu Chen! A spark suddenly flashed in the depths of Ling Xiao’s memory. He abruptly recalled the person his father had admired most in his youth. ’That’s it! That’s right, it’s him!’

The former Grand Marshal of the Army of the Lanyue Empire! Qiu Chen! A Fifth Rank Demon Sword Master!

He once led the "Qiujia Army" on campaigns across the land, making immense contributions to the expansion of the Empire’s territory! Marshal Qiu’s name was celebrated by thousands upon thousands in the Empire, and he was a hero in the hearts of countless people! Even Ling Xiao’s father was a loyal admirer of Marshal Qiu. In fact, when he had just joined the army, he had even served as a personal guard in Marshal Qiu’s own command tent and had received much guidance from him!

Ling Tianxiao used to say often that without the Grand Marshal, he, Ling Tianxiao, would never have achieved what he has today!

Back then, Ling Xiao had been a different person, but the memories were unmistakably correct. He couldn’t help but look again at the old man in the wheelchair as a feeling of deep respect slowly rose from the bottom of his heart.