The Orthodox Academy and the Hundred Herb Garden were separated by only a single old wall. The wall was crawling with ivy and its base was overgrown with moss.
Guardian Jin and Guardian Li were on ladders, mounting the wall and eavesdropping on the activity in the distant library. The two possessed lofty cultivations and their little princess was not deliberately concealing anything from them, so they could clearly see what was going on in that place. When they saw what their little princess did, they instantly fell off the wall and crashed to the ground.
The sound of something heavy falling came from the distant academy wall, but it had no effect on the library. In the quiet and tranquil building, on its pitch-black and shining floors, a static picture seemed to be preserved. In this scene, Luoluo was tightly hugging onto Chen Changsheng's thigh while Chen Changsheng was like a sculpture, not daring to budge an inch.
"Release me, release me first."
Chen Changsheng was very nervous, such that even his voice was somewhat trembling. Although this girl didn't seem more than ten years old, she was still a girl. To have her petite hands tightly gripping his thigh was already an extremely awkward matter, so he didn't dare move and could only incessantly call out.
"The moment I release, Teacher will just run away," Luoluo very seriously replied.
Helpless, Chen Changsheng quickly promised, "Relax, I absolutely won't run away. First release me, and then we can talk after that."
Luoluo appeared very obedient, faithfully believing his words. Her two hands loosened their grip and then pointed at the floor, indicating that he should sit.
Chen Changsheng thought of how agilely this girl had moved and confirmed that he would be unable to escape her petite hands. After sighing in his heart, he sat down.
Seeing that he really wasn't planning another escape, Luoluo became very happy.
The library was very quiet. Chen Changsheng didn't know what to say and felt the situation rather embarrassing. However, it was very obvious that Luoluo did not feel this way.
She sat in front of him, her hand propping up her chin as she attentively stared at him, a smile on her face.
The two were so close that Chen Changsheng could see his own face in her shining black pupils, could sense the happiness in her heart—this extremely pure happiness seemed somewhat infectious for some reason, and he also felt a sort of happiness bubble forth from the depths of his heart.
But just because he felt happiness, or perhaps fondness, did not mean he would agree to her request, because no matter how he looked at it, this was an utterly unreasonable matter. He seriously explained, "I really am an ordinary person. You also said before, I've just fixed my Fated Star. I haven't even succeeded in Purification. You're already stronger than me, so how can you acknowledge me as your teacher?"
Luoluo was still propping up her chin while staring at him, as if she found him rather handsome, as if she wouldn't get enough no matter how long she looked. "Teacher, if you're just a normal person, how could you have done those things? Moreover, you're a good person."
Chen Changsheng didn't understand what those things the two had discussed had to do with being a good person, so he asked, "And then?"
"Last night, before I fell unconscious, I saw Teacher holding his sword in front of me as the sky fell, so Teacher is a good person."
Another meaning suddenly appeared in Luoluo's smile as she said, "But in fact, that wasn't the final scene that I saw. The final scene that I saw was a sky full of stars, real stars, and at that time...Heaven Defending Divine General Xue Xingchuan had not arrived."
Only then did Chen Changsheng realize that she had seen. He somewhat helplessly asked, "And so what?"
"Teacher, your sword can break through the Heavenly Net, so it's naturally no ordinary sword. Then you are naturally no ordinary person."
Luoluo's gaze moved down to that seemingly very ordinary dagger at his waist.
Chen Changsheng gazed out the window to get a feel for the time of day, then suddenly exclaimed in shock, "Ah!"
Luoluo followed his gaze out the window, somewhat uncertain. What's wrong? she thought.
"It's no longer early."
Chen Changsheng pointed out the window and said, "I have to eat first. Why don't we talk more afterwards?"
Luoluo's cheeks slightly swelled like a steamed bun, very cute. It was also like a little tiger, also very cute.
She was preparing to pounce.
Chen Changsheng's voice slightly changed as he shouted, "Don't grab me!"
Although they had only interacted with each other for an extremely short time, Luoluo already had a rough estimation of his personality and knew that pressing him too hard would not be good. Somewhat reluctantly, she put down her hands. As she watched Chen Changsheng noiselessly walk to the door of the library, she said, "Teacher, just accept me."
On the floor, her dress spread out like a flower and she sat in the middle of it, pathetic and cute to the extreme.
Chen Changsheng did not dare to turn his head, or else his heart would certainly go soft. Waving his hands, he ran like he was escaping.
...
...
After eating a bowl of vegetables in rice soup in Hundred Flowers Lane and strolling about the capital for half a day, he guessed that the strange girl should have left. Only then did he return to the Orthodox Academy. Upon walking into the library and glancing around, he saw that there really was no one around and finally relaxed.
As the sky gradually darkened and he thought about how he had shamefully wasted so much time, he completed his preparations as fast as possible and began to meditate, intending to draw in starlight for Purification. Yet before he had time to close his eyes, he saw the swaying of a dress in the starlight as the girl walked in.
Chen Changsheng helplessly said, "I've already said that it's not possible."
Luoluo acted like she hadn't heard him speak. Minding her own business, she said, "Teacher, I moved those items into your bedroom. Only one of those houses had a stove, so that should be the one that Teacher lives in? I put the herbs in the attic to dry, but the rest of them I placed under your bed."
Chen Changsheng had noticed that the Night Pearl, sword manual, and those other items had all vanished. He had originally thought that the girl had taken them away, but he not imagined that she would actually help him store them away in his house and was utterly clueless as to how to respond.
"I want to cultivate."
He felt very helpless, and he truly did not feel like wasting more time and missing out on a night of drawing in starlight for Purification. He could only treat the girl like she didn't exist and tightly closed his eyes.
Suddenly, he smelled an extremely dull fragrance coming from his right side.
He opened his eyes in surprise and saw that the girl had already seated herself by his side, her small face not even a foot from him. Even closer and they would be touching.
He helplessly asked, "Just what do you want to do?"
Luoluo's eyes instantly brightened. "Teacher, I want to acknowledge you as my teacher."
Chen Changsheng had no words, so he could only give up, close his eyes, and begin to meditate.
It was easy to see that he had grown up with only the Daoist scriptures and boredom as his companions. Under the close gaze of a girl, he was actually able to enter meditation.
As the sky brightened, the crowing of a rooster resounded through homes and into the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and slowly awoke. He suddenly felt that his right arm was somewhat heavy and rather ached.
He turned his head and was given a fright, and then he sighed.
The girl was hugging his arm, her head resting on his shoulder, soundly asleep. It looked like she had been sleeping the entire night.
Chen Changsheng lightly pushed her awake, saying, "Go home."
"Don't want to," she said rather aggrievedly as she rubbed her eyes.
Chen Changsheng sighed, asking, "Why do you have to act this way?"
"Last night when Teacher was drawing in starlight for Purification, I hugged Teacher and smelled for a very long time...I confirmed it, that smell is the smell from your body. That smell is really nice. I was very comfortable by Teacher's side, like I had eaten a fruit of longevity."
Luoluo thought of last night and her eyes grew even brighter, just like the Great White Star that not even the morning light could conceal. Then she began to chuckle embarrassedly and continued to speak, "I've never eaten a fruit of longevity, but I've heard Mother talk about it before."
Chen Changsheng was once more speechless, thinking, because I smell good, you want to become my student? Just because you want to smell that scent every day?
"My cultivation has encountered a very troublesome obstacle that no one can solve, not even the professors of the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy, yet Teacher could resolve it...the method of circulating true essence for the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong. I can only use Teacher's eight words from that night. This is proof."
Luoluo seriously declared, "So, I must acknowledge you as my teacher."
The method for circulating true essence for the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong concerned the secrets of Chen Changsheng's body. Of course, this was not at all the primary reason behind his rejection of this girl. "I'm not qualified to teach you, nor do I have the time to teach you. I have to study, I have to cultivate, I have many important things that I need to do."
Luoluo had watched him for an entire day, so she naturally knew that he cherished his time, even somewhat excessively. She asked, "Teacher, why are you in such a hurry?"
Yes, to value time so much seemed to reflect some anxiety.
Chen Changsheng saw the vivid concern in the girl's eyes and suddenly felt a little warm. He had always displayed a very calm exterior, but very few people were able to see that anxiety and unease hid behind this calm. For some reason, he suddenly wanted to talk.
"I want to participate in the Grand Examination, and also...I have to take first rank of the first banner," he explained very seriously to her.
The early morning was when the library was most quiet. There was no chirping of cicadas or singing of birds, and even the frogs and insects were asleep.
After a very long time, there were no jeers nor a reply of shock.
Even Tang Thirty-Six's emotions changed somewhat when he heard of Chen Changsheng's goal.
But Luoluo's expression did not change in the slightest. She earnestly gazed at Chen Changsheng, waiting for his next words.
Chen Changsheng asked, "You...you don't feel that this goal is too laughable? At least...a little shocking?"
"Laughable? Shocking? Why?"
Luoluo heard his question and was, on the contrary, rather puzzled. "If Teacher participates in the Grand Examination, of course you should obtain first rank of the first banner."
The library fell silent once more. From the distance came the faint song of a bird, but this only magnified the silence.
Chen Changsheng was at a loss.
Her tone of voice made him feel that if he were to participate in the Grand Examination and not get first rank of the first banner, that would truly be the odd outcome.
He had never eaten a legendary fruit of longevity, but he thought that even if he ate several hundred fruits of longevity, they would not make him as happy as those words.
"But why must Teacher participate in the Grand Examination?"
Luoluo had no idea how much comfort her response had brought to Chen Changsheng as she asked in curiosity, "Do you want to see the Mausoleum of Books? I can take Teacher in to see."
Chen Changsheng did not pay attention to the latter half of her words.
He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed in the direction of the nearby Imperial Palace, in the direction of the Lingyan Pavilion.
Those who attained a place on the three banners of the Grand Examination could enter the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths and comprehend the Dao. This was something he wanted.
But only the Grand Examination's first rank of the first banner had the opportunity to enter the Lingyan Pavilion for one night of contemplation.
This was what was truly important to him.