Chapter 34 – Apprentice (Part 2)

Ever since he was picked up by his master next to the lake, the phrase Chen Chang Sheng heard most was: ‘you have a very unfortunate life.’ Especially the night when was ten, after his body began to emit a strange fragrance, these words were like reminders. They always stayed in his heart.

If he wanted to change his unfortunate life, there were only two methods. One way was to xiu xing up to the deify stage. At this stage, he obviously wouldn’t be regulated by destiny. But the deify stage only existed in legends — even Du Fu, who was unbeatable in the past probably did not get to that stage.

The second method obviously was to fight against his fate. His master told him that it was rumored that from the beginning of Zhou Dynasty, only three people were able to fight against the Heaven and change their fate. These three people were unmatchable geniuses and they held the power of the world. Chen Chang Sheng was just a regular person, how could he accomplish this?

It didn’t matter if he was able to do it or not, it was something he had to do. Therefore he had to compete in the Great Trial and obtain the championship. Only if he did this would he have a chance at entering the Ling Yan Pavilion which had strict entry requirements. Only if he entered the Ling Yan Pavilion would he be able to look at the people in the paintings and discover what they had left him.

The Ling Yan Pavilion had twenty four painting of the most important officials of the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty. New paintings of important officials are constantly added. Nevertheless, the most important ones were still the first twenty four paintings. In those twenty four paintings, there was hidden evidence and a trace of the second successful Fate Change of the Zhou Dynasty.

Chen Chang Sheng woke up from his deep thought and his eyes glanced from the royal palace to the young girl sitting on the floor.

He really liked this child, but he couldn’t accept her as his apprentice – this young girl lived in the Herb Garden and was ambushed by a demon the night before. Her background was unordinary. The greatest possibility was that she was part of the royal bloodline that was exiled by the Divine Queen and was escorted back in private. He could not have a relationship with such a character.

Plus he didn’t want to misguide the girl.

“I need to clean up and rest. Go back home and don’t come back anymore.” Chen Chang Sheng said.

He wanted to sound harsh and cold so that the young girl would back off. Without waiting for her response, he left the library.

He hoped that she would leave knowing the difficult. Chen Chang Sheng returned to the library at night and saw that the girl wasn’t there. He could finally relax. He continued to absorb starlight to purify his body. During his state of meditation, the dawn returned. Once again the night had passed.

He didn’t know if the energy of stars was absorbed by his body. He just knew that his skin and hair didn’t change a bit and no progress was made in the Purification stage. But he was used to this. However, when he opened his eyes, he felt empty in his right arm. He felt unusual.

Chen Chang Sheng was silent for a while. He then left the library and returned to his small building and started showering.

The hot water in the wooden barrel was releasing steam and it floated along with the ivies on the wall. Slowly, it was separated into countless strings of smoke. He sat in the hot water and laid against the wall of the barrel and closed his eyes. He was tired. The morning was so quiet that he felt something was missing.

Just like earlier when he opened his eyes, he felt something was missing on his right arm.

There was no pretty and crisp voice and no one hugged his arm dependently.

Only for a few days, he was used to the presence of that young girl. Thinking about this, he felt a little embarrassed and his face was a little warm. He realized that matter how he followed his heart and calmed his mind, he couldn’t completely diminish vanity and some other feelings.

He placed the wet towel on his face. He didn’t want his warm face to be shined by the light.

Suddenly, the wall next to the barrel came crashing down and dust flew everywhere. Bricks and stones fell down from the broken wall.

Chen Chang Sheng removed his towel and stared at the wall in surprise. Under the dust, there was a huge hole……in the wall.

The dust gradually fell to the ground and Luo Luo walked in through the big hole in the wall.

She turned around and saw Chen Chang Sheng in the wooden barrel and was extremely happy, “We didn’t calculate the wrong spot, it’s here!”

She didn’t say this to Chen Chang Sheng, she said this to her subordinates holding the construction tools behind her.

For a while, behind the quiet small building, next to the old wall was filled with construction noises.

Not one of the busily working people looked at the wooden barrel. It was as if they could not see the youngster in the hot water.

Looking at this scene of lively construction, Chen Chang Sheng felt the water in the barrel was cooling rapidly and his body was cooling as well. He was so surprised that he couldn’t speak a word. His mouth was open slightly. He felt this scene was crazy, but what was more crazy was that he himself was in this scene.

Not for long, a brand new wooden wall appeared in the wall.

The people went back into the Herb Garden and closed the wooden wall. The Tradition Academy was just as quiet as before.

Except there was an extra wall and one more person.

“Now it’s much more convenient to come over everyday, I don’t need to ride the carriage anymore.”

Luo Luo’s hands were on her waist. She looked at the door and was satisfied.

It was silent, no one answered her.

She turned around and looked. She saw that Chen Chang Sheng was like a frozen swan. His two hands were on the wooden barrel and it was funny seeing him like this.

Luo Luo said sincerely, “Master, please continue. You can disregard me.”

Suddenly, Chen Chang Sheng’s expression turned extremely serious and his eyes were filled with boundless terror.

He looked at the blue sky behind her and his voice shook, “Dragon?!”

Luo Luo was surprised, she turned her head to look, but the navy sky was empty; there was no dragon.

Just this moment behind her back, a watering sound was heard.

She turned around and saw Chen Sheng Sheng who had dressed up quickly and flipped out of the barrel and ran crazily into the forest. As he was running, water was dripping from under him. It was as embarrassing as it could be. He was like a dog in the water. Or perhaps, a homeless dog.

Looking at this scene, Luo Luo couldn’t help but laugh. She waved and yelled, “Master, you will return!”

Chen Chang Sheng slowly disappeared into the boundary of the forest.

The smile on Luo Luo’s face gradually disappeared. She seemed sad and sighed, “Master, why won’t you accept me?”

———————————————————-

Chen Chang Sheng was wet all over, his black hair wasn’t tied up and there were no shoes on his feet. He felt embarrassed but he didn’t dare to return to the Tradition Academy to change his clothes. An entire capital and he couldn’t find a place to go. Since he was too embarrassed to meet anyone, he couldn’t find people to help either.

The room in the tavern outside of the Mausoleum of Knowledge was still registered, but the walk to the north of the city was way too long. Chen Chang Sheng didn’t want the patrolling guard to arrest him for inappropriate dressing. Therefore, he could only go to the Heavenly Academy, which was closer.

He successfully attracted the eyes and mocking of the Heavenly Academy students. He just acted like he didn’t see or hear anything. Finally, he found the house of Tang Thirty Six and without hesitation he kicked the door and entered. He said seriously, “Let me borrow a set of clean clothes and I owe you this time.”

Tang Thirty Six saw his appearance and was at first stunned. Then he started laughing loudly. The time between his confusion and his laughter was a little long which showed his slow reaction. But this laughter was still a little harsh in the ears of Chen Chang Sheng.

“Rare guest…..truly a rare guest…..what happened to you?”

“Although I never like wearing another person’s clothing, this is an extremely circumstance. Therefore, please be quick.”

Chen Chang Sheng was very serious.

Tang Thirty Six knew that if he was any slower, Chen Chang Sheng might get angry. He held in his laughter and found a set of clean clothes and gave two towels along with it, “Go whip your hair and feet, don’t worry, they are all new.”

“Thank you.”

As quick as humanly possible, Chen Chang Sheng cleaned himself up and then relaxed. He checked around the surrounding to make sure this guy was the genius that was ranked thirty sixth on the Honor Roll of Green Cloud. Even in a place like the Heavenly Academy, he was able to have a small house to himself. But looking at the paper balls, leftover food and waste all over the floor and chairs, Chen Chang Sheng discovered that although the small house was spacious, there was nowhere for him to sit.

“Sit down.” Tang Thirty Six couldn’t connect with his pain.

“Where?” Chen Chang Sheng asked sincerely.

Tang Thirty Six now remembered this guy’s weird habit. He stood up unwillingly and said, “Let’s go eat.”

As they were walking on the path of Heavenly Academy and leaving the school, Chen Chang Sheng once again attracted the eyes of strangers. But this time, it wasn’t his embarrassing look but rather because he was walking next to Tang Thirty Six. The students of the Heavenly Academy were surprised and wondered who this youngster was and how was he able to talk with Thirty Thirty Six who was famous for his pride and coldness?

Sitting down in a nice restaurant next to the Heavenly Academy, Tang Thirty Six suddenly realized something and wrinkled his eyebrows. He looked at Chen Chang Sheng and asked sincerely, “I went to the tavern once and saw the message left for you…..you actually entered the Tradition Academy?”

Chen Chang Sheng nodded and said, “What are you doing recently?’

But he actually wanted to ask Tang Thirty Six why he didn’t visit him after knowing he entered the Tradition Academy. Chen Chang Sheng only had one person he knew in the capital. Although he didn’t mind loneliness, he thought it was nice to enjoy company as well.

But it was hard for him to ask directly because of his personality.

Hearing him admit to the fact that he entered Tradition Academy, Tang Thirty Six’s expression became heavy. But seeing Chen Chang Sheng changing the topic, Tang Thirty Six thought he didn’t want to talk about sad things and answered, “The Ivy Festival is about to start, although I’m not afraid of anyone, I need to prepare.”

Chen Chang Sheng was wondering what was the Ivy Festival?

Tang Thirty Six asked again, “So, what happened today? I only wanted to be the third place in the Great Trial and I was staying up all night to prepare. Your goal is the first place and you were able to water fight with people? or…..did you encounter trouble?”

“The Tradition Academy……I really can’t stay there anymore.”

Chen Chang Sheng thought back to the past few days. No matter if his eyes were open or closed, showering or reading, he could always see that young girl. He was a little dejected. For him, this emotion was something hard to experience.

Tang Thirty Six thought Chen Chang Sheng was enduring countless mocking and cold shoulders while he was studying in the Tradition Academy and sympathized with him. He patted Chen Chang Shen on the shoulder, “If you really can’t do it, then leave. I…..can write a letter and let you study in Wen Shui.”

Chen Chang Sheng sighed.

Tang Thirty Six looked at his worrying and sad expression and felt a little unhappy. He thought to himself, you were calm and confident even when you were rejected twice by the Heavenly Academy and Starseeker Academy or else I wouldn’t respect you. But why are you like this now? Is the Tradition Academy actually a cursed location?

“Drink a little and sleep.”

He requested two bowls of strong alcohol and pushed one bowl to Chen Chang Sheng.

Chen Chang Sheng looked at the bowl and was curious, then he said honestly “I never drank before.”

Tang Thirty Six helped him uncover the seal and said, “You drank after you drink today.”

Chen Chang Sheng had things on his mind and so did Tang Thirty Six. Plus speaking from truth, these two youngsters weren’t that close yet and didn’t know each other that well. It was only natural that they didn’t have things to talk about. Therefore, they could only hold the bowls and drank silently.

Drinking silently without talking makes people drunk fast. Especially for first timers like Chen Chang Sheng.

Of course, Tang Thirty Six’s tolerance wasn’t that good either.

“A genius like me has no time for some Ivy Festival. But those idiotic students dared to underestimate my strength…..”

Tang Thirty Six looked at the students outside of the restaurant wearing the uniforms of the Heavenly Academy and smiled coldly, “This time I will prove myself and slap their faces!”

Chen Chang Sheng held the bowl with two hands and his eyes were half closed. It was clear that he was drunk, “Ivy Festival…..what is it?……..what do they have there?……food?……is there alcohol?”

—————————

The capital has the Heavenly Academy, Starseeker Academy, Academy of Priests…… in total of six oldests and most respected schools.

The power of time was represented by the ivies growing on the walls of those six schools, therefore these six academies were called the Six Ivies. Only the students of the Six Ivies were able to enter the Great Trial without going through the entrance exam. From this, it was easy to see the status of these six academies.

The entrance exam of the Trail Trial usually began in the summer. Although the Six Ivies didn’t need to participate in it, they didn’t want the students to miss a chance of enhancing themselves. Therefore after the scores of the entrance exam of the Great Trial were released, the Six Ivies would invite the students who passed the entrance exam with their own student to join a great festival

Since the students of the Six Ivies would also join the festival, it was more competitive than the entrance exam. It was also shown in history that the ranking obtained from this festival was similar to the final ranking of the Great Trial. For this reason, the festival was viewed as the basic guideline for the Great Trial.

Of course, the ranking of the festival didn’t include the southern students and the xiuxing geniuses who wouldn’t easily show their techniques.

This festival is the Ivy Festival.

For Tang Thirty Six’s personality, he was too prideful to join the Ivy Festival. But due to his relationship with the vice principal of the Heavenly Academy and some previous mocking from his schoolmates who were also on the Honor Roll of Green Cloud, he decided to join.

For this festival, he isolated himself in the Heavenly Academy to xiuxing. Even after knowing Chen Chang Sheng entered the Tradition Academy, he didn’t have time to visit.

Chen Chang Sheng put down his bowl and covered his mouth to burp. He was a little embarrassed and excused himself. He then said, “I wish you luck.”

Since the Ivy Festival was a competition between geniuses, it naturally had nothing to do with him.

This is what he thought, but he forgot that the school he attending right now was also one of the Six Ivies.

Of course, the entire world also seem to forgot about this.