Volume One: The Wild Child Chapter 80: All Beings

Gongsun Twelve pondered for a long time before finally choosing the cherry blossom pink hemp rope.

It wasn’t that the rope from the mature lady was inferior—after all, there was an old saying in Sishan: the best women are young wives. But Kuisheng suffered from mild color blindness, and in his haste, couldn’t distinguish pink shades, so he grabbed two ropes of the same style and rushed over, flustered.

“If Kuisheng took the wrong ones, so be it. But with two ropes so similar in color, why did you still spend so much time choosing? Let me advise you: don’t play any tricks. After all, your life can’t afford a second mistake.” Lin Changtian glanced at her, picked up the hairpin from the ground, and pinned it back into Gongsun Twelve’s hair.

Gongsun Twelve bit her lip, her voice soft and sweet. “Sir, you may not know, but that one... is Death Barbie Pink.”

“You are quite particular.” Lin Changtian raised his thumb, his expression somewhat disdainful. “Adorable to death—please keep it up.”

A blush bloomed across Gongsun Twelve’s cheeks. Her ruby lips parted with a breath like orchids, brimming with charm and coquettishness. “All my life, people have praised me with words like seductive, alluring, and such, but only you, sir, have called me adorable…”

Lin Changtian found it odd. Did the people of the Northern Territory not understand sarcasm? He mused to himself, thumb raised stiffly, and blew gently beside Gongsun Twelve’s shy face, speaking with a mischievous air, “Woman, you truly are a rabbit that doesn’t eat grass—adorable to death.”

This left Gongsun Twelve stunned in place. She didn’t quite understand. Shouldn’t a rabbit that dies be a feast worth celebrating? What does that have to do with being adorable?

Is a rabbit valued for its appetite or its appearance? Perhaps, from such details, one glimpses the so-called cultural differences.

Still, a rabbit that doesn’t eat grass would surely be delicious braised, bridging any gap.

……

Sishan’s second literacy campaign was being carried out with great vigor, and the greatest victims were none other than Qi Yong and Lian Hua, who couldn’t utter a sentence without mentioning their mothers.

Qi Yong held his book obediently, learning alongside the captives under Liu Qingshan’s “earnest teachings.”

They listened attentively, for a few days prior, the old man had swapped his wooden stick for a spiked club.

“Since ancient times, the sun has given birth to all things. At dawn, everything begins, and none can escape Heaven’s grace. Yet injustice in this world is predestined: some toil for a living, some squander fortunes in pleasure houses. The vast world, whether Northern Territory or Central Lands, life lasts but a hundred years, so you must see things clearly. Don’t let grievances drive you to despair and suicide—what would that make you?” Liu Qingshan stroked his beard, sipped hot tea, and pointed to Lian Hua, who sat upright. “You’ve been well-behaved these days. Tell us, what have you realized?”

Lian Hua scratched his head, blushing deeply, and after a long moment, squeezed out, “I reckon being born is a skill—and clearly, mine isn’t up to par…”

Hearing Lian Hua’s nonsense, everyone burst out laughing, filling the schoolroom inside and out with merriment.

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“Elder, I believe fate is fixed. Each should accept their lot. Some are born servants, others destined for greatness from the womb. In this light, mediocrity seems best. What do you think?” The speaker was Qiu An, his face calm, as if everything he said were self-evident.

The laughter died down, and everyone’s expressions dimmed. Guo Huai stared at Qiu An’s back, pursed his lips, wishing to refute his “twisted logic,” but after searching for words, lowered his head in defeat.

No need to mention the Central Lands—even among the three powers of the Northern Territory, which is truly free of ties to noble clans?

Liu Qingshan stroked his beard, smiling at Qiu An. “How does my family background compare to yours?”

“Elder, after your clan’s downfall, none in the Northern Territory can match you.” Qiu An bowed respectfully.

Liu Qingshan’s smile remained unchanged. He turned and scolded the crowd, “Look at you, a bunch of mud—have you forgotten your own identities? Lift your heads! Acting like philosophers, heads bowed. I tell you to see things clearly: life is fleeting, a blink between dust motes. That’s true. But if you spend your life without accomplishing things worth boasting to your wife about, living in fear and mediocrity—what’s the point? Where there’s injustice, let it go to hell with this world. A gang of bandits, pretending to be virtuous in front of me!”

“To the North-Central, rob all the way!” Guo Huai suddenly stood, dragging Qi Yong beside him, waving his arms and shouting, reigniting the crowd. Nonsense filled the schoolroom, leaving only Qiu An stunned in place.

“What’s all this shouting?” The school’s curtain was lifted, and in strode Lin Changtian, dust-covered from escorting Gongsun Twelve back to Sishan.

He bared his teeth, grinning at the tough warriors pretending to be scholars. “Well, you all have ambition, but is North-Central enough to feed you? The world outside is vast. That place is the most barren in all the Central Lands, just closer to us in the Northern Territory. But comparing the two, no wonder people say the bandits here are doomed to hell—their land is paradise!”

The warriors smirked, but dared not laugh too freely, stifling their amusement.

“You all know I marched all the way from Wenyuan Divine Continent. Seen all sorts. In the city of Yuzhou, there are people floating above like immortals. The Lin clan has hidden dragons below. But in the end, none can withstand my long blade. In my view, you could hole up in Sishan and eke out an existence, but if you truly want to test yourselves—then fight until all the Central Lands bow in submission!”

That day, many fierce tigers in Sishan bowed low and swore their oath.

……

The great tent was deserted. Some sat above, some crouched below, each lost in thought.

Lin Changtian sat at the commander’s seat, coldly watching Qiu An. Liu Qingshan stood at his side, Gongsun Twelve knelt nearby.

“Qiu An, you’ve concealed things from me. Will you not explain?”

Qiu An shook his head, straightening. “Gongsun Twelve and I did indeed serve under General Ma Hui, but those cavalrymen—let alone myself, even General Guo Huai likely never heard of them. Aside from these two matters, I assure you I told the commander nothing else—so what deceit?”

Lin Changtian turned to Gongsun Twelve, his long blade, somehow in hand, being idly toyed with—a silent threat.

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“I’ve already confessed all I should. I merely followed General Ma Hui’s orders, bringing these cavalry to challenge at Weinan Mountain Pass. As for their origins, I know nothing.” Gongsun Twelve kept her head bowed, subservient, eyes flicking to Lin Changtian’s expression, fingers clenched tightly on the ground, unmoving.

Lin Changtian looked at Liu Qingshan, blinking, and spoke slowly, “Elder Liu, since both Qiu An and Gongsun Twelve claim they never deceived us, then doesn’t that mean…”

“If they’re useless, keeping them is a risk—they should be killed!” Liu Qingshan took up Lin Changtian’s words, his aged face suddenly fierce, glaring at the lower seats with a cruel resolve.

Qiu An hurriedly bowed, lowering himself to the utmost, speaking slowly yet firmly. “Commander, you promised to spare my life, yet now you go back on your word? During the ideological lessons atop the mountain, though I wasn’t as active as Guo Huai, I did my part. You, high in rank, can kill as you please—it matters not. But as a man about to die, let me advise you: if I fall in a foreign land, you’d best have a sound reason. Otherwise, Ma Hui’s army may soon flatten Sishan! When that happens, your grave will surely be beside mine.”

“What power could break Sishan in an instant? I doubt Ma Hui could even breach Weinan Mountain Pass quickly. Your joke is not amusing.”

Qiu An said nothing, straightening his back. Instead, Gongsun Twelve responded for him. “Your strength, I have witnessed. If it’s only General Ma Hui against Sishan, as you say, the armies might face off for months at Weinan Mountain Pass. After all, a tiger must guard against its fellow tigers, while the provoking wolf has no such worries. But if Lord Qiu An dies here, that tiger will rage, and his peers, wary of Northern Territory rules, won’t strike while he’s down. With the beast’s full power unleashed, Weinan Mountain Pass would surely fall within ten days! And once the gate opens, can Sishan withstand such fierce cavalry?”

“Is Divine Realm not enough to speak?” Lin Changtian put away his blade, still lounging lazily in his seat.

“Divine Realm can only speak.” Qiu An replied, hands clasped, neither humble nor arrogant.

Lin Changtian frowned. Liu Qingshan stroked his beard and stepped forward. “What if there’s an elder at the Heavenly Mandate level as well?”

“In that case, my life would be forfeit here.” Qiu An bowed again, his manner deeply respectful. “Even if powerless, if you bring up my criminal clan’s status and force me to die, I have no complaints. None in the Northern Territory would avenge me.”

This made Lin Changtian puzzled, turning to Qiu An. “I had no intention of killing you. Elder Liu and I were merely testing you. But this criminal clan status—is it really so effective?”

Qiu An gazed at Lin Changtian, his eyes clear, less affected than before. “Anyone can curse the criminal clan, trample their bones as proof of superiority. But only the Northern Territory—every blade of grass, every tree—remembers the old kindness to their dying breath, whether aged elder or innocent child.”

“Why is that?” Lin Changtian sat upright, giving his full attention.

Qiu An kept silent, casting his gaze to Liu Qingshan. Lin Changtian understood—there was hope buried deep in his look.

“Perhaps because the forsaken land found justice at the hands of the criminal clan.”

Liu Qingshan hung his head, unclear whether awakened or dreaming.

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