Chapter Fifty-Seven: "The Forbidden Book of Luban"!

The night was long, capable of unfolding countless stories.

Or perhaps, simply one, two, or three rounds of passion...

An Ning climbed out of bed, tidied herself up a bit, and leapt over the courtyard wall, heading toward the back mountain.

Had any outsider witnessed this, their eyes would have nearly popped from their sockets. The residents of the Hate Mountain settlement would never have guessed that the frail, thin girl—who looked no sturdier than a bean sprout or a blade of weed—possessed such skills. Even a wall nearly two meters high posed no obstacle for her.

An Ning entered the mountain, finding her way to the cliff she knew so well—the Ghost’s Edge.

By the cliff stood the silhouette of a man.

He was gaunt, ancient, standing at the precipice as if, at any moment, the fierce winds might sweep him into the abyss.

“Master!” An Ning approached the old man’s back, bowing to him with respect.

He turned to look at her, smiling. “No sound when you land, no trace on the snow—this ‘Walking the Nine Provinces Spell’ seems to have improved lately.”

“It’s all thanks to your guidance, Master.” An Ning grinned, her scar becoming even more striking.

The old man gazed at her. “Do you know why I took you as my disciple?”

She shook her head. “No. You’ve never said.”

“Tang Fei cannot teach you, and Little Fatty cannot learn...” The old man explained, “You lack Tang Fei’s insight, and Little Fatty’s innate talent... but you possess tenacity. Your will is unwavering—once you set your mind on something, nothing can pull you back. That’s why I believe you will succeed.”

“Thank you, Master, for your guidance.” An Ning bowed again in gratitude.

“The spells and formations you practice come from a divine book called ‘The Dead Book of Luban,’” the old man began, shifting into lecture mode. “The book has two volumes. The first deals with strange and cunning magical formations and talismans; the second, with mechanisms and hidden weapons—true arts of governing a nation and strengthening an army.”

“I taught you the first volume. The second, I gave to Tang Fei... but only you have made real progress. Tang Fei has yet to even begin.”

“But Brother Tang Fei is so gifted—how could he fail to learn?” An Ning asked curiously.

“The environment doesn’t allow it,” the old man replied. “Spellwork can be practiced at home alone, but mechanisms and hidden weapons require systematic study, a great deal of handiwork, and machine tools... None of which Old Earth can provide.”

An Ning nodded, understanding the reason.

She looked at the old man, reluctant to part. “Master, you’re leaving, aren’t you?”

He was surprised. “How did you know?”

She smiled again. “Although you liked to teach me at night, you never spoke of the origins of our practice before. Besides, someone with your abilities is no ordinary person... I don’t know why you came to a place like this, but I know that one day, you’ll leave.”

“This mountain is full of hate—no love at all. Where there is no love, people cannot stay...”

The old man nodded. “You are a clever child, observant and insightful... Someone like you would be a great help to Tang Fei. Pity I cannot take you with me this time...”

“I can’t go,” An Ning shook her head. “My mother is still here. I must stay and look after her. If I’m gone, she wouldn’t survive.”

After a moment, the old man said, “I could take her with us.”

An Ning met his gaze and replied, “I appreciate your kindness, Master, but I don’t want to trouble you. If you’ve hidden yourself in a place like Hate Mountain, there must be reasons you can’t speak of. Going back this time... surely won’t be easy either?”

He nodded. “Life or death is uncertain; luck is unpredictable. I haven’t returned in so many years—I fear everything has changed. That’s also why I’m hesitant to bring you along.”

“I understand your concerns, Master,” An Ning said lightly, smiling. “If even you are uncertain about the future, our presence would only burden you further.”

“Besides, I want to stay here myself...”

“You want to stay?”

“Master, Brother Tang Fei will leave too, won’t he?” she asked.

The old man, knowing her feelings for Tang Fei, nodded. “Yes, he will go as well.”

“On the new world—do you truly believe it can be a safe haven for Brother Tang Fei?” she asked.

The old man fell silent.

A safe haven?

Or perhaps a place of sacrifice.

Life is unpredictable! So unpredictable!

“I have another reason for staying. I want to help Tang Fei complete his arrangements here on Old Earth. He’s had Wang Tianlong infiltrate the Flame Shrine, and lately, Wang Tianlong has been recruiting and scheming—he wants to accomplish something big. If I stay, I can keep an eye on him...”

The old man asked, “Did you do what I asked?”

“I did.” An Ning nodded. “I’ve already given him the Bone-Melting Elixir. Without my antidote, he won’t survive.”

“One should always be wary of others,” the old man said. “From his face, I see he’s no great villain. With proper guidance, he could be a fierce general... With his protection, you and your mother should be safe, and the residents of Hate Mountain might find hope.”

“Master, I also plan to join the Flame Shrine,” An Ning said.

“No.” The old man refused. “Such a den of filth is no place for a young woman.”

“With the skills you’ve taught me, where can’t I go?” An Ning replied. “Even if I fail, I can always protect myself.”

“You want to take control of the Flame Shrine?” the old man asked, studying her.

“I do.” She nodded. “I want to leave a way out for you and Brother Tang Fei. If things go poorly on the new world and you must return to Old Earth, we’ll have a place to land...”

“You’ve decided?”

“Yes,” An Ning said. “I’ve thought about it for a long time. Even if you weren’t leaving, I would want to try.”

The old man looked at her face. “It’s too dangerous.”

An Ning felt his gaze, reached up to touch the scar on her face, and said, “Brother Tang Fei has offered many times to help me remove this scar. Even if it can’t be erased entirely, it would look much better. I refused.”

“I want to keep it. I want it to remind me, always, of how my father died, and what would have happened to my mother and me without Brother Tang Fei. Master, I truly died that night.”

“It was Brother Tang Fei who saved me. So, this life of mine belongs to him. If I can do something for him, or even avenge my father... What does a little danger matter to me?”

“Long ago, I swore in my heart: the Flame Shrine—if I can’t control it, I’ll destroy it. It was just a wild dream before, but with you, and the skills you’ve given me... I want to try.”

The old man was silent for a while, then broke into a grin. “You young people are always so clear-headed, so bold, while I—so cautious and timid. Life and death—aren’t they just part of the game? If you live, live boldly; if you die, die spectacularly.”

“I’ll go with Tang Fei to carve out a path on the new world, you stay here for your revenge... As long as we’re alive, we should do all we can to keep living.”

With a thud, An Ning knelt, kowtowing three times heavily before him.

“Master, I never had a formal apprenticeship ceremony, nor a feast, but as you set out today, your disciple wishes you the strength to shatter the Imperial Court and break through the Heaven’s Heights.”

The old man started in shock—how did she know their purpose was to shatter the Imperial Court and break through the Heaven’s Heights?

But, seeing the calm darkness in her eyes, he set his doubts aside.

“Such grand ideals are for the young. As for me,” he waved his hand, yawning, “I’ll hide in a corner, drinking and singing and waiting for the end.”

“Master...”

“I’ll leave soon. I hope this parting is but temporary.”

“Take care, Master.”

“Take care, An Ning.”

He patted her shoulder, then turned and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

-------

When Tang Fei opened his eyes, he found Little Fatty sitting at his bedside, staring at him.

“What?” Tang Fei asked.

“Godfather’s gone,” Little Fatty replied, sorrow in his voice.

Tang Fei was alarmed. “How did he leave?”

He was perfectly fine last night—how could he just leave?

“I don’t know.” Little Fatty shook his head.

Tang Fei scrutinized Little Fatty’s large face. “When you say ‘gone’... you mean he left?”

“Yes.” Little Fatty nodded, belatedly adding, “He even left us a letter.”

Bang!

Tang Fei rapped Little Fatty on the head. “Be careful how you speak next time.”

“...” Little Fatty clutched his head, confused—what had he said wrong?

Tang Fei jumped out of bed and hurried to the old man’s room. He circled the place.

Nothing had changed...

It had been a mess before, and it was still a mess now.

More importantly, that familiar salty stench still lingered...

He reached under the pillow. The well-thumbed hypnosis magazines were still there.

He turned to Little Fatty. “Where’s the letter?”

If there was no letter, he couldn’t be sure the old man was truly gone. Maybe he’d just gone for a stroll at dawn, or spent the night at some widow’s house...

Little Fatty handed him a small, sweat-soaked slip of paper. Tang Fei wiped it on Little Fatty’s shirt and said, “I’ll brew you some Siberian ginseng later—you’re sweating too much.”

“Mm.” Little Fatty nodded. He agreed he could use some tonic.

Tang Fei unfolded the slip. It held only eight words: “Take care, each of you. Until we meet again!”

“This is the letter you meant?” Tang Fei asked.

“Isn’t it?” Little Fatty replied, puzzled.

“It’s just a note,” Tang Fei said.

“Oh.”

“Where did you find it?”

“On my nightstand,” Little Fatty replied.

Tang Fei accepted it. Little Fatty slept so soundly, the old man must have left it there as he departed.

But why did he leave, just like that?

Take care, each of you. Until we meet again?

It sounded like he foresaw danger and was running for his life. Was the Flame Shrine coming to kill them?

There had been no word from Wang Tianlong...

“The old man’s gone,” Tang Fei murmured.

After a long while, he said, “How could he just leave?”

Someone he had always resented—now gone so abruptly—left him feeling empty, a sense of loss.

It was a pain greater than when Phoenix left.

“Brother, I’m here with you,” Little Fatty said, seeing Tang Fei lost in those words. “I won’t leave.”

Tang Fei patted his shoulder. “Mm. I won’t make you break rocks anymore.”

Little Fatty broke into a grin. “Thank you, brother.”

Just then, someone shouted from outside the courtyard, “The Star Disk is here... the Star Disk is here... Princess Phoenix has sent a huge supply shipment... Everyone, come for your goods...”

Tang Fei and Little Fatty exchanged a look, then rushed outside.