City Master"s Invitation18 Apr 2016
The sound of wheels rolling…..
A coach carrying three male youngsters, one female youngster and a wheelchair was galloping towards the Zhai Feng inst.i.tute.
Eventually, Lu Ping had hired a ride. At first, Mo Lin was very happy, but after hearing a few lines of coachman’s idle talks, his mood immediately began to decline.
Peng! Peng!
The coachman was brandishing his whip. However, it was only the sound of the whip lashing out in the air, the coachman, with extreme caution, didn’t let it fall upon the body of the horse.
” How is it? Isn’t it running fast?” The coachman was talking very proudly.
“Very fast.” Lu Ping nodded.
” As I said, I always felt that this horse of mine has, at least, third Heavenly Layer of strength’s soul. You all are students of Zhai Feng, help me take a look whether it’s true or not.” The coachman said.
Soul’s power is not some sort of secret thing. Every person on the continent knows about the existence of this kind of strength. Many inst.i.tutes also distribute cultivation teaching methods outside. Ordinary people by getting their hands on these are able to perceive Soul’s Power. Some even break through into realms.
However, the absolute majority of people are only able to perceive the power of one or two types of souls. And in terms of the realm, just breaking through into the first or second Heavenly Layer is already considered pretty good. This is also the reason why everybody felt that Lu Ping is too wasted. Within these three years, he didn’t perceive Soul’s Power at all. Such a thing could only mean that either perceiving Soul’s Power was not his intention or he absolutely lacked talent. Otherwise, by the instructions of Zhai Feng inst.i.tute, even a pig would be able to perceive Soul’s power.
That’s right. Animals can also perceive Soul’s Power. For example, the coachman was incessantly talking about his beloved horse.
Lu Ping, Su Tang, and Xi Fan; none of them said anything. All three of them were looking towards Mo Lin.
Mo Lin’s expression was dark as if he was going to kill the man to shut his mouth. One of his hands tightly squeezed inside the leather bag located in the interior of his clothes.
Even the horse possessed Strength’s soul…..this was truly a bit too big of an injury on his pride.
Su Tang was keeping herself from laughing. Her realm of Strength’s soul was sixth Heavenly Layer. She was much familiar with the Strength’s soul. She immediately said to the coachman:
” Uncle, this horse does have a bit of Strength’s Soul, however, it is not as high as you speak of. It is not even the first Heaven Layer.”
” Is that so?” The coachman was a bit disappointed. It seemed his hopes had been a bit too high.
Why was it that even after trying their utmost, so many people could only halt at the first or second Heavenly Layer? What’s more, it was just a horse. Having even a little bit of perception was already quite rare considering the fact that it was not a demonic beast with unusual abilities. It seemed like the coachman also realized this fact shortly after, as he was smiling ear to ear once again: “That seems pretty good too. Always better to have something than nothing. What do you people say?”
“Calm! Calm!” Lu Ping restrained Mo Lin at once. Mo Lin had immediately pulled out a skewer. The skewer had its length in three folds. With a single fold opened, its length was no less than 1 chi(1/3metres). If stabbed, then the length of this skewer would be enough to deliver the poison to any position desired by the user.
“Stop obstructing me!” Mo Lin struggled. “A true a.s.sa.s.sin never lose his temper? I kill people with my eyes closed, I am telling you.”
“Know the old ways…know the….” Lu Ping was repeating again and again. However, at this moment, the cart suddenly stopped, causing the four people inside to sway unstably.
“Know the Fear!” Mo Lin was shouting. Su Tang hurried to provide an explanation, but then she saw that cart had stopped because some people were obstructing its path. A perfectly horizontal line of dark-armored soldiers was arranged in front of the chariot.
The coachman at once hopped down from the chariot and went forward to greet them. He wouldn’t be daring to offend these Xia Feng city’s patrol guards even if had ten times more courage. At this moment, his entire face was terrified. Why would I be obstructed…don’t tell me they have taken a fancy to this Strength’s soul possessing horse of mine?
His heart was aching, but before he could his open mouth, the leader of the dark-armored soldiers had already arrived in front of him in quick steps. He absolutely didn’t look towards him, rather directly walked up to the chariot’s front.
“Who is Lu Ping?” He asked while looking towards the four people inside the chariot.
Their tiny squadron was originally patrolling in the city. Then all of sudden, they received an order to from the City Master’s Mansion requesting to bring back a certain individual.
Lu Ping, male, 15-16 years, a student of Zhai Feng; walking with three males and one female, then took a ride in a square shaped coach carried by a dark horse.
This was the general information about the target which had been rapidly, yet precisely, pa.s.sed on to the men up to the task. Everybody knew that the City Master greatly values the efficiency. No one was daring enough to be neglectful. Therefore, soon after, the chariot carrying Lu Ping was quickly discovered by their squadron.
” I am.” Lu Ping said to the guard.
” Get off the chariot and come with us.”
” Not going.”
Lu Ping didn’t ask the purpose of their visit, neither did he ask where would they take him, he only declined with: Not going.
” Come to the City Master’s Mansion. The City Master wants to see you.” The guard frowned. The orders were only to bring back the youngster, the City Master wants to see him. It didn’t specify if it was an invitation or arrest. Therefore, for the moment, the guard also couldn’t figure out what would be the appropriate conduct here.
Thus, the guard explained the intention; An intention which no one in the Xia Feng city or perhaps in the entire Xia Feng region could possibly decline.
However, Lu Ping was as if he hadn’t heard at all, still only two words: ‘Not going’.
” You don’t know how to appreciate somebody’s kindness!” The guard was a little enraged. Although he wasn’t able to precisely determine City Master’s intention from the conveyed instructions, but it surely didn’t seem something too bad, otherwise, why would he be exchanging so many words with the guy in front of him like this? However, this guy surprisingly declined in such a straightforward manner. Really, just what does he think himself to be?
Hmph! Doesn’t possess even a bit of Soul’s Power, just an ordinary man, that’s all.
The instructions only mentioned to look for Lu Ping, his strength was not mentioned at all, and moreover, the matter of the collapse of the two towers was also not yet widespread. The guard briefly perceived the other three inside the chariot and found that all the rest three of them were not simple at all. Though, this Lu Ping was just an ordinary individual.
” Turn around and head to the City Master’s Mansion.” The guard stopped bothering with Lu Ping and directly commanded the coachman. The coachman was inwardly cursing at his misfortune. It was true that he wouldn’t dare to offend the city guards, however, the students of Zhai Feng inst.i.tute were also a frightening existence from his perspective. All the students of the inst.i.tutes have definite realms, wouldn’t it be easy for them to cause trouble for an ordinary man like him later?
Thus, being stuck between both sides, the coachman could only hope to delay and wait for things to turn in a different direction.
The guard immediately felt the coachman hesitate, however, he was also aware of the reason: The students of inst.i.tutes. Actually, guard himself had some misgivings due to this fact. In terms of pure strength, other than Lu Ping, he was unable to make out the realms of any three of them, implying that the realms of all the other three were above him.
After all, the highest levels of achievements of cultivators are indeed represented by the inst.i.tutes. Regardless of whatever realm they attain in the end, it would always be much higher than what an ordinary person can achieve, and thus, their future prospects are also much more extraordinary. Although Zhai Feng inst.i.tute is merely an ordinary inst.i.tute among some four hundred inst.i.tutes in the continent, but when compared to this tiny squadron of theirs, it is way more glamorous, and the status of its students is also way higher than theirs.
Therefore, he also didn’t wish to have a direct conflict with them. Commanding the coachman was also his attempt to ingeniously make the coachman appear as the main offender.
Therefore, even though he was aware of coachman’s hesitation, he pretended to be clueless. As for these few students, he hoped, it would be ok as long as they don’t make too big of a commotion.
While it was true that their status was much higher than the status of the city guards, but they also couldn’t ignore what was represented by the city guards. Their emblem represented the imperial rule itself, and the inst.i.tutes were not independent of the kingdoms despite their high statuses. Possessing countless years of heritages and histories, even the four major inst.i.tutes had deeply intertwined relations with the three grand empires of the continent.
Xia Feng region is situated towards the south-east, being the part of one of the three grand empires, the Xuan Jun empire( Mysterious Arms). The Xia Feng City Master is the supreme ruler of the entire Xia Feng region. His command holds effect for anyone within the Xia Feng region. However, he definitely wouldn’t interact with everyone through the means of commands; For example, the Deans of the Xia Feng inst.i.tute and Zhai Feng inst.i.tute would receive extremely courteous treatment at his place.
However, as far as a single insignificant student is concerned, he wouldn’t bother so much.
Bring him back, I want to see him within half an hour.
These were his instructions, and at this moment, some people were already on it. However, they suffered unexpected resistance.
Lu Ping jumped down from the carriage. He was still carrying Su Tang just as before. Consequently, Mo Lin and Xi Fan also came down from the carriage. Xi Fan was still in the wheelchair and Mo Lin was still pushing his wheelchair.
” We’ll walk.” Lu Ping said to Su Tang while turning towards the Zhai Feng inst.i.tute’s direction.