Way of Choices: Book I - Youths We Were, Schoolmates

by Mao Ni

  After a pause, Xuanyuan Po replied, "Just like my lady said before, in order for me to come to the capital, the people of the tribe collected a lot of money. It was very difficult, and I'm certainly unwilling to just go back like this…but the teachers in the academy have already said that the constitution of demi-humans is different from humans. A crippled right arm is very difficult to treat, so what reason is there for me to stay?"

  He sighed, "The teachers were actually willing to let me stay in Star Seizer Academy and do some manual labor, but if I were to see my former schoolmates advancing forward step by step, I might feel even more unwilling."

  Luoluo said, "If you remain in the capital, you'll eventually find a way. What need is there to so quickly leave Star Seizer Academy?"

  Xuanyuan Po replied, "The elders of the tribe have taught since we were children to never receive the slightest sympathy, especially from humans."

  Luoluo quietly looked into his eyes, finding him more and more admirable. She said, "Follow me."

  Luoluo quietly looked into his eyes, finding him more and more admirable. She said, "Follow me."

  Xuanyuan Po felt somewhat odd. He blankly stared but couldn't find any means of refusing. After speaking with the owner, he followed her onto the street.

  Only when they were just about to exit the long street and on the verge of seeing the well of Hundred Flowers Lane did Luoluo finally remember something and turn, rather embarrassed, to Chen Changsheng.

  Chen Changsheng chuckled but said nothing.

  Luoluo had never opposed anything he wanted to do, so he naturally would not oppose the things that Luoluo wanted to do. As for what this demi-human youth called Xuanyuan Po would bring, he was also not much concerned. He knew that Luoluo's clansmen were always watching from a distance, protecting her.

  The Orthodox Academy at night was as peaceful as usual. The prying gazes within Hundred Flowers Lane were greatly reduced because of the second night of the Ivy Festival. This made Chen Changsheng feel even more relaxed. However, he had not imagined that Xuanyuan Po, who was coming to the Orthodox Academy for the first time, would be even more relaxed than he was.

  The demi-human held his tree-thick waist and looked all around, occasionally even stroking an old sculpture. His eyes were brimming with curiosity without the least bit of anxiety.

  Taking out the key and opening the door to the library, Chen Changsheng did not go in. He turned to Luoluo, who seemed to be hesitating to speak, and asked, "What do you want to say?"

  Luoluo somewhat bashfully pulled upon his sleeve and said, "Teacher, can you help him? Teacher knows…he's a member of my race."

  Chen Changsheng asked, "I don't have any problem helping him, I'm just curious to know—this is an injury that not even the teachers of Star Seizer Academy thought could be cured, so why are you so certain that I can cure it?"

  "Teacher isn't one of those ordinary people." Luoluo widened her eyes and said, "On the first day that I took you as my teacher, Teacher only needed to take my pulse to know my problem, and then immediately knew of a method to resolve it. Compared to this, how can curing that guy's injuries be a challenge?"

  The girl spoke very matter-of-factly, like there was nothing in the world that he could not do. Confronting her gaze of absolute confidence, Chen Changsheng felt that the pressure was truly very great. Scratching his head, he said, "Let me look at it and then talk, but I won't dare guarantee anything."

  Luoluo happily affirmed and rushed over to the lakeshore. How could she possibly believe in those last few words about not guaranteeing anything?

  Chen Changsheng looked at her back and couldn't help but shake his head.

  Luoluo ran over to the lake and said a few words to Xuanyuan Po, who was comparing his left arm against the great banyan tree. Stunned, Xuanyuan Po repeatedly shook his head as if not daring to believe what he had just heard. Soon after, Luoluo said a few things more and Xuanyuan Po was even more stupefied, and if Luoluo had not stopped, he might have bowed to her.

  When Xuanyuan Po walked with her to the library, he was still somewhat dazed. It was plain to see that Luoluo's words had delivered too heavy a shock. Chen Changsheng guessed that Luoluo had probably revealed some of her identity to this demi-human. Indicating that the pair should follow him into the library, he lit the oil lamps and seated himself on the floor.

  Xuanyuan Po did not even glance at Chen Changsheng. His eyes were fixed upon Luoluo, and he was very nervous, finding it difficult to suppress his agitation.

  Luoluo did not even glance at him, saying to Chen Changsheng, "Thank you for the troubles you've taken, Teacher."

  In Xuanyuan Po's heart, Luoluo was currently more important than his own family, worthier of respect than the elders of his tribe, yet she actually displayed such respect towards a human, and this human accepted it with such normality. He couldn't but find the matter incredibly absurd, and grew furious, wanting nothing more than to tear this human apart.

  Chen Changsheng looked at Xuanyuan Po's eyes that seemed about to spew fire in confusion, indicating that he should extend his right arm.

  Xuanyuan Po didn't understand, but huffed and puffed. His tone extremely unkind, he asked, "What do you want to do?"

  Chen Changsheng said, "I'm going to examine your injuries."

  "You? A human? How much older than me are you?" Xuanyuan Po felt more and more that Chen Changsheng was not a good person, was assuredly a swindler, or else how could his Princess display such respect to him? He angrily roared, "Don't think that the people from my tribe are all obedient and easy to bully. I've seen quite a few bullies!"

  In order to resist their joint enemy that was the demons, the humans and demi-humans formed a natural alliance. In addition, during the last several thousand years, the firmness of this alliance had been proved countless times. The two sides interacted with each other all the time. At the very least, if a demi-human appeared in the capital, it would assuredly not attract any onlookers.

  But there were still some barriers between humans and demi-humans difficult to remove, primarily due to differences in temperament and ways of doing things. Humans always felt that demi-humans were too straightforward, too ignorant, and too violent, like the beasts of the field. Meanwhile, demi-humans always felt that humans were far too crafty and also too fickle, so that a human as a friend was truly a terrible idea.

  In Xuanyuan Po's view, Chen Changsheng was clearly just an ordinary youth, not even having broken into what the humans called the Purification Realm, and he actually dared to say that he could cure the injuries that had caused even his teachers to despair. If he wasn't a swindler, then what was he?

  There was a dull thump.

  Luoluo gripped the teaching stick and stared as she yelled at him, "What sort of attitude is this!"

  The Orthodox Academy did have a teaching stick.

  It was a straight tree branch that Chen Changsheng had personally peeled clean of bark.

  This teaching stick was primarily used by Chen Changsheng when he was instructing Luoluo on how to cultivate.

  Now it seemed that this teaching stick would truly be used for its traditional purpose.

  A teaching stick was used to teach people, to hit them.

  The teaching stick was very hard and striking it upon the forehead was very painful.

  Xuanyuan Po held his forehead, his eyes a little red because it truly was very painful. Of course, it was primarily because he felt wronged, thinking, The Princess would actually strike me because of a human?

  “Extend your hand." Chen Changsheng couldn't help but smile.

  Xuanyuan Po stubbornly raised his head, not willing to obey.

  Luoluo raised the teaching stick in her hand, looking at him and commanding, "Extend your hand."

  Xuanyuan Po sorrowfully lowered his head and extended his hand.

  Chen Changsheng's smile faded as his fingers gently fell upon Xuanyuan Po's vein and his eyes closed.

  Even without Luoluo's request, he would
still have wanted to see if he could cure this demi-human youth's injury. It was because on that Ivy Festival night, when Tianhai Ya'er was arrogantly humiliating the Orthodox Academy and everyone else was silent, only this demi-human youth laughed.

  That laughter was a cry, a cry against injustice. This demi-human youth had cried out against the injustice aimed at the Orthodox Academy, so the Orthodox Academy should naturally repay him.

  Of course, all this was established on the foundation that he had absolute confidence that he could treat this demi-human youth's injuries.

  His master was Daoist Ji. Although he might be obscure in the cultivation world, in the medical world, he was one of the continent's best. The engagement between Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong was precisely because Daoist Ji had cured the Grand Minister that not even the Pope had been able to cure.

  Chen Changsheng had become well-versed in the Daoist Canon as a child and learned medicine from his teacher, and crucially, he had always been ill.

  Although he could not cure his own illness, this did not mean he could not cure the illnesses of others.

  He very much wished to cure Xuanyuan Po's injuries.

  Time slowly passed and the multitudinous stars in the night brightened and dimmed with the drifting of the clouds.

  The library was silent.

  After a long time passed, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes.

  Chapter 50 – Copper Needles

  Chen Changsheng gazed at Xuanyuan Po in front of him. After a moment's thought, he said, "Try metamorphosing your right arm."

  Xuanyuan Po had never held the slightest hope that Chen Changsheng could cure his injuries. After sitting on the floor for such a long time, he had begun to lose his patience. Upon hearing that Chen Changsheng wanted him to metamorphose his already-crippled right arm, his complexion turned very unsightly. He looked at Chen Changsheng like he wanted to swallow him up.

  "Did you not hear what Teacher said?" Luoluo asked.

  Xuanyuan Po's demeanor instantly took a turn as he obediently began to attempt metamorphosis.

  Although his right arm was crippled, back in his tribe he had already cultivated to the level where he could casually metamorphose. His right arm began to visibly change, incessantly swelling and bursting through his clothes. Countless black hairs began to sprout from his arm, as tough as an iron brush.

  Chen Changsheng reached out to grip his wrist, feeling his powerful pulse, sensing the clearly twisted meridians, sensing those tangled clumps of true essence. He very seriously sensed, analyzed, and simultaneously compared what he saw to the records in the Daoist Canon.

  Time gradually passed. Seeing his solemn expression, Xuanyuan Po suddenly felt a little hope and thus grew nervous.

  After a long time, Chen Changsheng released his hand.

  Luoluo asked, "Teacher, how is it?"

  Chen Changsheng did not reply to her question. From the needle box that he had previously requested her to retrieve from the house, he took out a copper needle and very casually stabbed it down.

  This copper needle was the thickest one in the box and its primary use was to help with the circulation of blood. Now, however, it was being used by him for another purpose.

  The needle's surface gleamed with a cold light, its point extremely sharp, but after metamorphosis, the skin of Xuanyuan Po's arm was incredibly tough. Normal weapons would find it impossible to break and so logically speaking, it was impossible for the needle to enter, but unimaginably, the needle pinched between his two fingers easily stabbed in.

  "What do you feel?" he asked as he looked into Xuanyuan Po's eyes.

  Xuanyuan Po was a little perplexed. After a few moments, he replied, "Somewhat…numb?"

  Chen Changsheng's finger lightly rubbed the end of the needle, and then he asked again, "What about now?"

  "It aches somewhat." Xuanyuan Po's expression became excited.

  No matter if it ached or was numb, any feeling was very good. Even if it was pain? Anything was better than the rock that was his right arm in these days after he was injured!

  Xuanyuan Po stared at Chen Changsheng, his lips trembling, his shock and admiration at their peak.

  Although it was just a small change, this youth had really managed to do what the teachers of Star Seizer Academy or even the imperial physicians could not!

  Seeing the look on his face, Luoluo gave two grunts of satisfaction.

  She had never doubted Chen Changsheng's ability. She firmly believed that he was only hiding himself and his abilities away for some sort of special reason.

  The countless matters that had occurred in these days where she went from the Hundred Herb Garden to the Orthodox Academy all proved her view.

  At present, even members of her own race, such as Guardian Jin and Guardian Li, were almost convinced by her.

  "Dispersing the true essence and repairing your meridians is not a one-day affair."

  Chen Changsheng put away his needle box and turned to Luoluo, saying, "It might require a very long time. I don't advise him to leave the capital and return to his tribe."

  Luoluo replied, "We will all obey Teacher."

  Chen Changsheng turned to Xuanyuan Po and said, "Just stay in the Orthodox Academy. There's still a lot of empty space."

  The Orthodox Academy was very large, but at present, it only had him and Luoluo as students. It was truly too spacious and desolate, so one more person wouldn't count for anything.

  Xuanyuan Po was still caught amidst shock and elation, and when he thought about his discourteous attitude towards Chen Changsheng, he also felt somewhat uneasy. Upon hearing Chen Changsheng's words, his face turned red and he tightly shut his mouth, unwilling to speak, too embarrassed to accept this act of charity.

  Chen Changsheng turned to Luoluo and said, "You solve this."

  Luoluo raised up the teaching stick and looked at Xuanyuan Po, commanding, "Say it yourself."

  Xuanyuan Po did not speak. His meaning was, If my lady beats me to death, I still won't say it.

  Luoluo was helpless, so she looked back at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"

  Chen Changsheng advised Xuanyuan Po, "To refuse any sort of sympathy or assistance is at times not pride but foolishness."

  Xuanyuan Po was very distressed. Scratching his head, he answered, "I know, but I can't do it."

  Chen Changsheng sighed and said no more.

  Luoluo was rather angry and asked, "Why aren't you willing to stay?"

  Xuanyuan Po awkwardly responded, "I'm not even a student of the Orthodox Academy."

  Luoluo's eyes glowed as she said, "That's easy to fix."

  "Ah?"

  "We just need to make you a student of the Orthodox Academy."

  "Ah?"

  "There's no need for a test."

  "Ah?"

  "You just need to register."

  Receiving Chen Changsheng's approval, Luoluo removed the Orthodox Academy's register from a drawer. She dipped a brush in ink and offered it to Xuanyuan Po.

  Xuanyuan Po's mouth was agape. Holding the ink brush and staring at the two names on the register, he felt that this affair was far too lacking in solemnity.

  Even if the Orthodox Academy was in decline, it was still one of the Six Ivies. He just needed to casually write his name and would become a student?

  He thought it over and, in the end, still chose to write his name down.

  He wrote his name down, his strokes rather stiff and his way of holding the brush rather clumsy.

  Luoluo said, "Congratulations to you for becoming the Orthodox Academy's third student."

  Xuanyuan Po asked, "What are the academy's rules?"

  "There are no academy rules." Luoluo elaborated, "Teacher's words are the academy's rules. Whatever Teacher asks you to do, you do."

  Confused, Xuanyuan Po asked, "There is no principal or teachers?"

  "Teacher is the principal.

  "Teacher is the teacher.

  "Of course, Teacher is also a
student.

  "The three are in one body, so Teacher is the Orthodox Academy."

  Luoluo did not believe in any way that her words were like the brainwashing sermons of the Orthodoxy's priests to the faithful because she truly did think this way.

  Xuanyuan Po was somewhat at a loss, asking, "Then I will be learning from him?"