Chapter 109: The Last Afternoon

The Imperial Preceptor had been waiting at home all this time. Originally, he should have gone out to stroll the streets by now, but for some reason a sudden revelation had appeared in his heart. So he endured his impatience and stayed in the residence to wait.

For some unknown reason, ever since he had received three heavenly revelations in a single day last time, he had not been contacted by them again. He even suspected whether he had exhausted all his strength by receiving them three times in one day.

And that time when he went to the palace, nothing had happened at all—not even the new emperor had come looking for him to cause trouble.

But he was used to it. Although the ability had been gained only after he was promoted to master wizard, being unreliable was truly unreliable. Just like his own fortune-telling, in the end the right to interpret belonged entirely to him.

It was only today that he received another heavenly revelation.

Coming once every few days was different from coming every day. An occasional quick bite always left one unable to resist.

So the Imperial Preceptor had waited a long time, wanting to understand what this revelation meant.

“Master, the second young master of the Ji family has come to visit.”

The servant’s face was ashen green. He walked in stiffly, bowed his head, and reported. In doing so, the shreds of flesh on his body fell away.

“Oh?”

The Imperial Preceptor wore a smile across his entire face. “This stinky brat has just returned, hasn’t he? The moment he steps through the door he comes to visit me. Hmm, not bad at all, not bad! Invite him in!”

When Ji Huo brought Xia Ning Shang inside, he saw the Imperial Preceptor squatting with his backside raised, rummaging under the table.

“Um… what is the Preceptor doing?” Ji Huo asked curiously. Had the Preceptor developed some strange hobby after dying?

He had seen it clearly on the way over: the entire National Preceptor’s residence was uninhabitable, a gathering of demons and monsters in chaos.

“Ji brat, wait a moment. I hid some good tea under this table. I was afraid your father would smell it before, so I tucked it away in such a place.”

The Imperial Preceptor fished out an incense burner from beneath the table. It was covered in incense ash. He shook it casually; the restriction on the burner dissolved, and a small packet of tea flew out.

“Today, for some reason, seeing you makes me happy. I was thinking of taking this tea out to drink.”

The Imperial Preceptor treasured the tea in his hands, then looked toward Ji Huo. Only then did he notice the woman standing beside him—wearing purple robes, face veiled, curiously studying him.

The Imperial Preceptor’s rough hand trembled. He suddenly understood and muttered, “So that’s how it is… Heaven’s will is like this…”

“Preceptor, what’s wrong with you?” Ji Huo waved a hand, looking puzzled.

“Hahahaha! Nothing, nothing!” The Imperial Preceptor suddenly burst into laughter. He took out the tea, set out three cups, and added a generous amount of tea leaves as though they were free.

“Isn’t this your treasured collection? You’re just going to add it like this?”

Ji Huo’s heart ached at the sight. Even the fragrance alone made his nose tingle. As a teacher he had never once smelled it, so it was obviously a rare treasure. Perhaps he was simply accustomed to living poorly and drank at too low a level.

“It’s nothing. Today I’m happy! Drink more!” The Imperial Preceptor smiled and personally brewed the tea, then served it to the two of them.

The two exchanged glances and accepted the cups. They set them on the table and looked at each other.

“You know, even the late emperor never drank much of the tea I brewed myself. You two are truly blessed.” The Imperial Preceptor spoke with a smile, then turned to Xia Ning Shang and asked, “And who is this?”

“This humble girl is Xia Ning Shang. I am… I am…” Xia Ning Shang hesitated, at a loss for words.

Ji Huo quickly answered, “Xia girl is a good friend of mine.”

“Oh! A good friend! Good, good friend!” The Imperial Preceptor opened with a smile.

This only left Ji Huo and Xia Ning Shang bewildered.

Ji Huo cleared his throat, picked up the cup silently, and took a shallow sip. “Indeed good tea.”

Xia Ning Shang followed suit, took a sip, and her eyes instantly brightened.

“Isn’t it? It’s been treasured for who knows how long.” The Imperial Preceptor proudly raised his chin, then suddenly felt an itch on his neck and reached up to scratch.

In their line of sight, the Imperial Preceptor’s scratching tore open the wound, exposing rotting white flesh and pus, along with swarms of milky-white maggots that scattered across the table and spilled into the cups.

The maggots writhed inside the tea leaves. The Imperial Preceptor lifted the cup, took a slow sip, and smacked his lips.

The two held their breath, scalp prickling.

Ji Huo inhaled sharply and asked instinctively, “How is it?”

The Imperial Preceptor chewed for a moment, saw a bug still rolling in his mouth, frowned, and complained, “A bit astringent. Probably got damp.”

Ji Huo gave a dry chuckle. “Rain has been heavy lately. Dampness is normal.”

“So it is.” The Imperial Preceptor fell silent for two seconds, glanced at the tea packet in his hand, then tossed it to Ji Huo. “Ji brat, take this.”

“This…” Ji Huo caught the packet with both hands, slightly dazed.

The Imperial Preceptor waved a hand and laughed loudly. “Just take it. Today I’m happy seeing you. A thousand gold cannot buy this happiness. Hahaha!”

Ji Huo looked deeply at him, then exchanged a glance with Xia Ning Shang. They both saw a trace of speculation in each other’s eyes.

“Ji brat, I’ve often heard stories of you in the jianghu while I was in the capital. Tell me about them,” the Imperial Preceptor said with a smile.

“You’ve already heard them all.” Ji Huo spoke with narrowed eyes.

“The stories you’ve heard are always a bit false. I just want to hear you say them yourself.” The Imperial Preceptor glared at him. “The old man is already this old. Aren’t you going to satisfy the old man’s wish? Don’t you know how to show respect to elders?”

“You old bastard, you’re already dead—how are you still acting like a senior?”

“Fine, fine.” Ji Huo took a sip of water and began to speak slowly. He recounted not only the events of this journey through the jianghu, but also the people and things he had encountered in earlier years when he first rose in the world.

“Speaking of which, those years I wandered the jianghu…”

One incident after another unfolded in a calm tone without much passion, like a series of paintings slowly unrolling, even like the light rain of the jianghu.

Xia Ning Shang sipped her tea, her little feet swinging. At some point she set the cup aside, propped her chin on one hand, and listened quietly as Ji Huo told the stories of those years.

The Imperial Preceptor had long brought out an old man’s rocking chair. He sat in it, rocking back and forth, eyes half-closed, the corners of his mouth always curled, saying nothing, a satisfied smile in his gaze.

When it came to later, Ji Huo didn’t know whether the Imperial Preceptor had fallen asleep. He maintained the same posture for a long time; the rocking frequency never changed.

Ji Huo paid no attention and kept talking. He spoke for a long time until the sun had already set behind the mountains.

“Enough. It’s getting late. You two should go.” The Imperial Preceptor suddenly spoke, opening his eyes. His eyeballs were murky and his voice hoarse.

The two rose to take their leave. Just as they were about to depart, the Imperial Preceptor called out to Ji Huo again.

“Ji brat.”

Ji Huo turned. The Imperial Preceptor wore a cheerful smile and said slowly, “This afternoon, the old man was very happy. It has been decades since I felt this happy.”

Ji Huo lowered his eyes slightly. He suddenly clasped his hands in a fist and bowed deeply. “So much the better.”

The two bathed in the last light of the setting sun and gradually walked away.

The Imperial Preceptor stood in the shadow of the main hall, his expression unreadable, like a lonely, dilapidated statue, quietly watching them leave.

A soft sigh spread through the darkness.