Volume 9 Chapter 84: Our Past Selves

When he heard these seemingly meaningless words of teasing, that cultivator whose hands were like iron, his will sturdy like steel, Li Wu's soul force supply was suddenly completely cut off, to the extent where he didn't even look at Nangong Weiyang's flying sword, only looking in the direction where the voice came from.

Sixteen years ago, Principal Zhang who helped Yunqin's late emperor establish the massive Yunqin Empire was still in Green Luan Academy. Even though almost no one in the academy knew what he was doing normally, at that time, some of the outstanding students who had just entered the academy still had a chance to meet this most glorious great person.

When some outstanding students occasionally did some things that overstepped the bounds of what was proper, or made some interesting hiccups, he might just appear, shake his head and say with a sigh, "Wukong... you are being mischievous again."[1]

In this world, apart from Lin Xi, perhaps no one else would understand 'Thunder is rumbling, it's raining', and 'Wukong... you are being mischievous again', the meaning behind these words.

No one knew who the Wukong he spoke of was... they only remembered this catchphrase he spoke in front of students.

Because of the absolute respect they had towards Principal Zhang, at the time, those young and vigorous students almost never dared imitate Principal Zhang and make fun of his catchphrases when joking... only that one individual who would always stir up mischief, occasionally being beaten up miserably when leaving the academy, that Internal Study Department who still remained extremely happy after being beaten, would heartlessly say these things.

Later on, this Internal Study Department student was no longer beaten.

Since his cultivation speed was ranked number one among all youngsters throughout history, soon, there were no longer not that many people who could beat him to the ground.

It was because even though this Internal Study Department student often did bad things that drove some people crazy, he indeed helped many people block hidden blades, helped them carry black pots.

Later on, this Internal Study Department student ventured into the desert behind Sanskrit Passage and entered Tangcang... never returning since.

Nangong Weiyang's flying sword was already less than five feet from Li Wu. However, when she saw Li Wu's expression, Nangong Weiyang's toes tapped lightly, once again rushing towards the great army. The flying sword was also retracted faster than her own speed, drawing out a faint white line through the sky.

"You shouldn't have been trapped in Tangcang." Li Wu finally spoke, looking into the forest where the voice came from.

Judging from that previous sentence, he already knew that Gu Xinyin's cultivation was still far above his own. However, Gu Xinyin's injuries were indeed extremely serious, serious to the point where even Tangcang's court doctors were left helpless.

Gu Xinyin's voice sounded again. "The principal has said before... some things matter, some things don't."

Li Wu became quiet.

A small troop slowly appeared from the forest, a modified small carriage emerged alongside it.

Gu Xinyin who was a bit scared of the cold, lying in some soft blankets, moved aside the carriage's curtains. He looked at Li Wu from the distance, seriously waving his hand in his direction.

The rims of Li Wu's eyes became moist.

...

In front of the straw hut, Lucky who already gulped down the pill medicine Lin Xi threw into its mouth without a second thought felt a stream that was extremely comfortable starting to spread through its body.

It immediately intelligently gave Tang Yuren who stood in front of it a grateful look. Right at this time, its three tails' black fur couldn't help but stand on end, its mouth also releasing a light yi cry of alarm.

It was because in its perception, a wave of aura that was even more powerful and terrifying than that Heaven's Lens Mermaid from before, one that made its heart tremble, impossible for it to contend against, was slowly approaching.

Tang Yuren also already heard the sounds of battle between the two armies. Even before Lucky sensed this aura, he already sensed it. However, he didn't feel any alarm, instead finding it hard to suppress his emotions.

His age was greater than Li Wu and the others', the age at which he entered the academy a bit greater than other students of his class. Moreover, his figure was even a bit greater than Gu Xinyin and the others. However, back then, because of some things, he and a few others had given Gu Xinyin a beating... Right now, he knew that apart from Gu Xinyin, no other Sacred Expert's aura could be this terrifying, yet also this weak.

Lin Xi who already entered meditation cultivation opened his eyes. He immediately followed Tang Yuren and the others' eyes, seeing a small group appear in his line of sight. Inside of this group was a modified carriage.

Gu Xinyin was still moving aside the curtains, looking at Tang Yuren and Lan Qifeng from the distance.

Then, he laughed. "Old Tang, Old Lan, it's been a while."

"You're courting death! How am I old!" If it was sixteen years ago, if Lan Qifeng heard this Gu Xinyin who often ran over to Medicine Department's medicine garden to joke around with the female students say this, she would have definitely thrown out a bunch of poisonous weapons out of anger and humiliation. However, right now, when she saw this extremely weak man and thought about the dozen or so years of suffering he went through, she opened her mouth, but instead choked on her emotions, unable to utter any sounds.

Lin Xi's attention was immediately drawn to this pale faced, indifferent expressioned man.

He knew that this person was precisely that Internal Study Department student whose records were always above his own.

Even though he only heard about some of Gu Xinyin's past deeds through the mouths of some cultivators, not understanding too much about him, just by looking at Tang Yuren and Lan Qifeng's expressions right now, he felt a bit more respect towards this Internal Study Department senior.

Someone who had already disappeared from this world for more than ten years, yet could still remain firmly in so many people's memory, make many proud and aloof people choke on emotions; this could only mean that this person might not necessarily be a hero, but the way he conducted himself was definitely extremely good.

While Lin Xi examined the hidden brilliance of this Internal Study Department student, his eyes suddenly lit up. He noticed a dark and skinny youngster in this fleet.

This dark and skinny youngster saw him, his eyes also lighting up, filled with a deeply moved radiance.

This was a scene of when true friends met. This dark and skinny youngster was precisely the one Lin Xi was always worried about, scared that his crazy ambitions would make him accidentally sacrifice his life for the country, his friend Li Kaiyun.

Gu Xinyin also saw the brilliance in Lin Xi and the others' eyes. While looking at these youngsters, his eyes became even warmer than when he looked at the little monk Yun Hai. He released a light chuckle again, half joking half serious as he said to Tang Yuren and Lan Qifeng. "Look at them, don't they seem a bit like our past selves?"

When he mentioned the past, there were immediately endless memories that were triggered.

Lan Qifeng finally couldn't hold back the tears in her eyes, teardrops scattering everywhere.

"It's been a long time."

Tang Yuren looked at Gu Xinyin, also seeing the past times. He spoke these words slowly, starting to move. His body began to float like a sailboat, arriving in front of Gu Xinyin. He reached out several fingers, pressing against Gu Xinyin's wrist.

"I won't die." Gu Xinyin saw this senior who had previously been beaten up by him before, but he had also been beaten up by him, chuckling and saying this.

Tang Yuren's expression immediately became a bit worse. He produced a medicine bottle, placing it in Gu Xinyin's hands. "If it was anyone else, they would have already died."

Gu Xinyin poured all of the medicine bottle's contents into his mouth, swallowing it all without any regard for the taste, still smiling as he said, "You know that my life has always been rather tenacious."

Tang Yuren looked at Gu Xinyin's eyes, making sure that there was nothing wrong with Gu Xinyin's mind. As such, he released a breath of relief, asking, "What about Li Wu?"

"Helping Nanshan Mu clean up the endgame, he should come back soon."

"Are there people from Tangcang who followed?"

"None... Sanskrit Temple's monk stopped behind Sanskrit Passage, waiting to receive Nangong Mo back. This is equivalent to guarding Tangcang's desert, preventing Wenren Cangyue from fleeing to Tangcang. After all, Tangcang still has Xiao Xiang's Divine Elephant Army. Tangcang's young emperor definitely wouldn't dare let Wenren Cangyue collude with the Divine Elephant Army."

...

As Gu Xinyin and Tang Yuren's conversation continued, Lin Xi and the others learned about some things they originally didn't know from their words. These academy youngsters didn't even have time to properly chat with each other... Right at this time, another youngster walked out from the forest behind Gu Xinyin and the others.

Lin Xi was the first to stare blankly.

"It's you?"

Nangong Weiyang who walked out frowned as she looked at Lin Xi. "You actually really entered Green Luan Academy?"

"Aren't you someone under the imperial princess? How did you end up here?" Lin Xi couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile. He had an extremely deep impression of this young lady who always looked serious, her appearance as if even a year or two younger than himself. Nangong Weiyang shook her head. "I am not the imperial princess' personnel."

Because of Nangong Weiyang and Lin Xi's conversation, Gu Xinyin noticed Lin Xi again. Suddenly, he was a bit shocked, looking at Lin Xi and asking, "What is your name? Are you in Spiritual Sacrifice Department?"

Lin Xi shook his head. "Lin Xi, Self Defense Department."

"Self Defense Department's Spiritual Sacrifice Priest? Interesting." Gu Xinyin laughed. After giving Lin Xi's back a look, he asked, "What kind of fiend beast companion do you have, why is its aura so special?"

Lucky who was hiding behind Lin Xi seemed to have understood Gu Xinyin and Lin Xi's conversation a bit. It was always a bit scared of Gu Xinyin's soul force aura, but right now, it already understood that the other party wasn't the enemy... it also wanted to see what kind of person this was, why the soul force aura within his body was so powerful. As such, it braced itself and reached out its head from behind Lin Xi.

When Gu Xinyin saw Lucky's head, he was first a bit stunned, and then couldn't help but laugh. "You actually dare to take in the fiend beast of calamity... worthy of being my Green Luan Academy's student."

Lin Xi bowed slightly in respect.

Gu Xinyin released a sigh, seemingly a bit weak, closing his eyes.

If one wished to make it past the most difficult times, the best choice was to forget or not think about the things of the past that brought pain or sorrow. However, while looking at Tang Yuren and the others, and then at Lin Xi and the other youngsters, he naturally couldn't help but recall the events of the past. He began to think to himself, back then, when he was as young as Lin Xi, he wasn't as respectful towards his academy's teachers as Lin Xi. However, after all these years passed, he wanted to show respect, he wanted to thank those teachers for the things they did for him, yet those teachers might already not be in this world anymore.

1. Son Wukong is the Monkey King in the novel Journey to the West. He is often scolded by Tang Sanzang, the monk companion who he must obey and protect