Nightfall

Sangsang never gave the impression of being wise, and she appeared to be a little slow in some aspects even though she was Haotian. Racking her brains to God’s Plan, she was best at mathematical inferencing and had difficulties dealing with the trivial matters of daily life.

However, it didn’t mean that she was actually slow. As long as she was willing to put her mind to it, she could reason out the abominable truth hidden in Ning Que’s words.

Ning Que was very clear about this, so he continued to say before she reasoned out, “It’s even more ridiculous that you named me as the monarch of the Great River Kingdom.”

Sangsang asked, “Why is it ridiculous?”

Ning Que answered, “It’s unrealistic. Even if the Great River Kingdom were to not dare to oppose your will under the pressure of fearing the Divine Hall of West-Hill, we have to return to Chang’an one day.”

Sangsang said without any expressions, “When did I say I want to go to Chang’an?”

Ning Que sighed in his mind and then said, “But we can’t stay in Great River Kingdom forever.”

Sangsang said, “If you don’t want to be the monarch, then just give the throne away when you leave.”

Ning Que thought about it and said, “That will do.”

God knew how many bloody conflicts were caused by the throne of a country in the human world. However, for Sangsang and Ning Que, the throne was no different than a toy. Ning Que said that all the things on earth were trivial in Sangsang’s eyes, and he was right from this point of view.

Strolling out of the palace, they were getting farther away from the flower trees. Sangsang looked at the lonely flower tree in the corner of the Imperial City and said, “I just don’t want to see this tree cut off.”

Ning Que knew that she was explaining why she had helped him break down the Splash-Ink that was casted by the Sage of Calligraphy, but he couldn’t help but smile. She was just as unyielding and sensitive as before even after becoming Haotian.

He didn’t want to discuss the issue further and force Sang Sang to say that she cared about him, which might make Sangsang turn shame into anger. Therefore, he changed the subject.

“I saw you put a cloud on the branch on the way here and I found it amazing, but what Sage of Calligraphy did was even more magical.”

“His name is Calligraphy Wang now. Besides, the clouds he collected are dirty.”

“You can guarantee that the clouds you collected are clean?”

“All my clouds are coming from the middle of the Storm Sea of the Song Kingdom thousands of miles away. There are no human traces or dust pollution, so it’s absolutely clean.”

“I don’t feel that it’s so low-carbon and environmentally friendly.”

“Don’t say any word from your world.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t like it.”

While talking, they walked out of the palace and came to the royal road covered with red leaves. The big black horse looked down and sniffed the faint smell in the maple leaves. Looking into the distance, Ning Que suddenly did not know where to go.

“Where should we go?” Ning Que looked at Sangsang and asked.

Sangsang answered, “Mogan Mountain.”

Ning Que went silent for a moment and asked, “Why?”

Sangsang stared at him quietly and then said, “Don’t you want to go there?”

Ning Que answered without thinking, “Indeed I don’t.”

Staring at his eyes, Sangsang said, “I know what you are thinking.”

Ning Que said, “Then I’ve got nothing to say.”

…

…

Mogan Mountain was verdant and beautiful, just a few miles away from Jingdu. Ning Que and Sangsang saw the lake on the mountainside at sunset.

The cottage on the shore of the lake was decorated with lanterns and colored hangings to welcome the upcoming wedding. It seemed to be quite lively, but no sound could be heard. The Ink Fountain was very quiet, and even the lotuses floating on the lake found the situation odd and faced to the cottage curiously.

Ning Que and Sangsang walked toward there but didn’t see any guests or disciples along the way. Ning Que sensed the situation to be a little weird.

Approaching the gate of the cottage, he pushed the door open, and several lights of sword flied at him.

The sword’s will was fierce and decisive. It was the famous Windward Chop of Black Ink Garden!

Facing the fierce lights of sword, Ning Que kept calm and said, “It’s me.”

The lights of sword were restrained immediately, and the three slender Xiu Swords stopped in front of his eyebrows. Seeing Ning Que, the women who held the swords were surprised and cried out.

“Ning Que!”

“Mr. Thirteen!”

“Master Ning!”

Not only the three women who held the swords, but at least a dozen disciples of Black Ink Garden recognized him and cried out surprisedly. They called him by different names due to their old habits.

Ning Que was very familiar with the female disciples of the Black Ink Garden since they had journeyed together to the Wilderness and fought against mounted gangsters and the Yuelun Kingdom in the past. Although they haven’t seen each other in a long time, their friendships remained the same as before.

Ning Que walked into the cottage in smile and saw Mo Shanshan.

She wore a cotton white dress, standing next to a fine yellow horse with a bag on its back. It seemed like she was ready for a long journey instead of a wedding.

Looking at her, Ning Que had mixed feelings and didn’t know what to say.

The big black horse Ning Que was holding was much more direct. Looking at its former mistress, the horse opened the thick lips and revealed the big white teeth, whinnying cheerily toward her.

Ever since the Sage of Calligraphy had agreed to marry Mo Shanshan to the monarch, the disciples of Black Ink Garden had been worried, many of which had expected Ning Que to come here. They were pleasantly surprised when he actually did.

Seeing Ning Que, Cat Girl was even more surprised. Ning Que did have a heart, and all the snacks I gave him by the Thin Blue Rognon Sea were not a waste after all. She rushed over to him with silvery laughters.

All of a sudden, her arm was grasped by Zhuo Zhihua.

Zhuo Zhihua grasped Cat Girl’s arm tightly, and even her knuckles turned pale. She seemed so frightened that her face turned pale too.

She saw the woman in light cyan walking behind Ning Que.

The woman in light cyan was very tall and a little fat, with a plain face. Standing there with her hands behind her back, she seemed to be as high as the sky.

Zhuo Zhihua was sure that she had never seen the woman before, but she guessed who the mysterious woman was. Thus her mind was instantly occupied by fear and her hands were all sweaty.

The big black horse suddenly woke up and was too afraid to whinny again. He sent his apologies to Mo Shanshan by winking and then hurriedly retreated behind Sansang obediently.

With her hands behind her back, Sangsang looked at the cottage of the Black Ink Garden, revealing no emotions on her face.

Looking at the tall figure of the woman in light cyan, the disciples of Black Ink Garden all turned pale.

Mo Shanshan had a hint of joy in her eyes which were as clear as the lake the moment she saw Ning Que, but the joy suddenly turned into bitterness and disappointment after seeing Sangsang.

Walking to Sangsang, she lifted her white dress gently and kneeled down slowly.

Seeing this, the disciples of Black Ink Garden confirmed their speculations and knew who Sangsang really was. So they all went forward and kneeled down before her silently.

Looking at the brush pens hanging between the beams of the cottage, Sangsang felt that they were not as attractive as the cured meat hanging on the beams of the farmhouses in Yanbei villages she saw last year. It took her a while to realize that the disciples of Black Ink Garden were kneeling.

“Stand up,” she said.

Mo Shanshan and the disciples got up and stood still quietly.

Sangsang looked at her pale cheeks and asked, “Do you fear me?”

Mo Shanshan said, “Respect, not fear.”

Sangsang said, “Then why are you so pale?”

Mo Shanshan said, “I’ve always had a white face.”

Sang Sang thought about it. When we met in Chang’an, she was indeed very white and I was the one who had dark skin. Actually I’m only becoming a little whiter recently.

Staring at her face, Sangsang said with an unpleasant voice, “Your face is not as round as before.”

Mo Shanshan didn’t understand her dismay, but answered, “Occupied by mundane affairs.”

Sangsang asked, “Your engagement has been canceled. What else could bother you?”

Hearing this, the disciples of the Black Ink Garden were pleasantly surprised first and then a bit stunned, for they were confused why Sangsang did them such a favor.

Staring at Sangsang’s eyes quietly, Mo Shanshan was very grateful but didn’t say a word.

As Calligraphy Fanatic, the youngest Divine Talisman master in the human world and sworn sister of Mr. First of the Academy, the one thing that bothered Mo Shanshan had to do with romance.

Sangsang said suddenly, “It appeared that you didn’t fear me at all.”

Mo Shanshan still kept quiet.

As a follower of Haotian, Mo Shanshan had the courage to stand before her, stared at her calmly and did not even take a step back, but it didn’t mean that she would utter impertinent remarks to Sangsang.

She knew for sure that Haotian could understand what she was thinking.

I’ve asked this world what is the love on earth that binds the lovers up in life and death? I don’t care about life and death, let alone fear.

Sangsang understood what she was thinking.

“I admire you.” Looking at Mo Shanshan, she continued to say, “But not your teacher.”

Nobody understood what she meant expect for Ning Que.

Sangsang said, “Humans who dare to contend with me are much more fun, such as the Headmaster of the Academy, Liu Bai, Maniac Ke, and you. Although you are not as powerful as those three people, you are indeed their equal in terms of courage. However, I don’t really understand where you find the courage.”

If contending with Haotian was rebelling against the Heaven, then Mo Shanshan was definitely doing it.

“In my memories of the human world, he was really good to me. I offered him immortality, but he refused. It’s none of my business that he wants to suffer in the human world and how he plans to deal with his relationship with you.” Sangsang continued to say, “I’m Haotian, and you are a human being. The things that concern us are naturally different. Your courage shall fall upon him, not me. ”

Mo Shanshan stared at the tips of her shoes and remained silent.

Being forgotten for quite a while, Ning Que couldn’t help but say helplessly, “Shouldn’t you ask for my opinion first?”

“Your opinion never matters,” Sangsang said emotionlessly and walked out of the cottage with hands behind her back.

The Ink Fountain in the twilight seemed to be burning and the lotuses were like elves in the fire. It looked beautiful. Sangsang sat by the lake and looked at the lake quietly.

She seemed to be as high as the sky a few moments ago, but at this moment, she looked lonely.

…