radicalducati Chapter 12 Town School
Chapter 12 Town School
Listen to what Zuo Ruotong said.
Li Muxuan clenched his fists involuntarily.
"Is this... an insult to me?"
Li Muxuan stood in the courtyard, watching Zuo Ruotong's figure disappear outside the door.
The fist clenched and then loosened, then clenched again.
For a fleeting moment, he even considered setting fire to the dilapidated courtyard, burning it down, and then going home to continue being the wealthy young master of the Li family.
Even if he wanted to cultivate, with his family's wealth, his father's connections, and his own intelligence, it wouldn't be difficult for him to find another sect to become an apprentice without joining the Sanyi Sect.
Why put up with this nonsense here?
But the thought had barely formed when it was suppressed by another voice.
We can't leave!
A contest.
Zuo Ruotong's last words were about a competition.
He said there would be a competition in three months to convince him of his superiority.
Li Muxuan took a deep breath and slowly loosened his fist.
Of course, he could just walk away.
But what happens after they leave?
Once he leaves, it will truly confirm that he is inferior to Lu Jin and Li Cunzhen.
Not only would Zuo Ruotong look down on him, but his father would also be disappointed, his brother might shake his head, and that white-haired boy might even give a hypocritical sigh.
Why should I?!
From childhood to adulthood, I, Li Muxuan, have never submitted to anyone.
Now, you, Zuo Ruotong, are trying to make me admit that I'm inferior to Li Cunzhen and Lu Jin with just a few words?!
I don't think about it!
Li Muxuan stood in the empty courtyard, surrounded by stacks of firewood and large vats filled with water. Three months.
He wanted to see who was inferior to whom three months later.
Zuo Ruotong said he performed poorly, so he was determined to prove Zuo Ruotong wrong.
You, Zuo Ruotong, are wrong!
Thinking of this, Li Muxuan bent down, picked up the wood-chopping knife from the ground, and continued chopping wood.
He figured it out.
To walk away is cowardly; to burn down the lower courtyard is to be a mad coward.
There was only one thing that could make him proud.
That means staying here, using Zuo Ruotong's rules, and defeating the person Zuo Ruotong favors.
............
The next morning.
The sky was just beginning to lighten.
Zuo Ruotong pushed open the door to the lower courtyard and saw that Li Muxuan had already packed his luggage and was sitting on the bed waiting for him.
The boy's face was expressionless, as if he had truly become an honest child like Lu Jin.
"Let's go."
Zuo Ruotong didn't say anything more and turned to leave.
Li Muxuan shouldered his bundle and followed behind him.
The two walked out of the lower courtyard one after the other and walked down the mountain path.
The bluestone steps were wet with morning dew and a little slippery when stepped on. Dense bamboo forests lined both sides of the path, and occasionally the chirping of birds could be heard.
No one spoke a word the whole way.
Li Muxuan followed behind, watching Zuo Ruotong's back. This person walked slowly, each step steady, his white Taoist robe swaying slightly in the morning breeze, exuding an indescribable air of elegance.
The Great Immortal of Great Harmony, the leader of the Taoist school.
One after another, incredibly powerful titles, recognized by the entire world, were bestowed upon the person before them.
He admitted that he admired this person.
It started from the first time we met many years ago.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have changed his name to Li Muxuan, and he wouldn't have given up his good life at home to come to this mountain to fetch water and chop wood.
He did all this so that he could get closer to this person, learn his skills, and become like him.
But this person insisted that he wasn't sincere.
Li Muxuan gritted his teeth and finally couldn't help but speak.
"Master, do you still think I'm not sincere?"
Zuo Ruotong did not turn around, nor did she stop walking.
"Li Muxuan, you're always trying to figure out what others want and then catering to their desires. That's not sincerity."
"But I have never done anything deceitful since I entered the House of Commons; I have only told the truth."
Zuo Ruotong stopped speaking.
Li Muxuan gripped the strap of the bundle tightly.
He knew Zuo Ruotong was right; he was indeed trying to figure things out and cater to her preferences.
But he didn't mean to deceive anyone; he just wanted to become Zuo Ruotong's disciple.
This was the second time Li Muxuan had considered being honest with Zuo Ruotong, but in addition to his arrogance, the resentment he felt yesterday also surged up.
He still didn't tell the truth.
At this moment, Zuo Ruotong stopped in her tracks.
"Little one, what is a teacher?"
Li Muxuan answered without hesitation.
"To impart knowledge, teach skills, and resolve doubts."
"Heh." Zuo Ruotong chuckled lightly and sighed, "Being a teacher is truly difficult."
Li Muxuan looked up at Zuo Ruotong and said again.
"If someone possesses even one skill, he can be my teacher."
Zuo Ruotong nodded.
"It's even harder to be Li Muxuan's teacher."
"How can I teach someone who has done nothing wrong? How can I teach someone who understands everything?"
He looked at Li Muxuan, his tone devoid of blame, more like stating a fact.
Zuo Ruotong was waiting for Li Muxuan to make a mistake, so that he could help him correct it.
But aside from that mysterious and so-called dishonesty.
Li Muxuan, however, did not make any mistakes.
This is precisely the biggest mistake.
Upon hearing this, Li Muxuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.
In the end, he still stubbornly refused to admit it.
As he proudly proclaimed, he went down a path to the bitter end.
"Master, I know you still think I wasn't sincere, but I truly repent."
"Everything I've done since entering the House of Commons has truly not been an act for you!"
Zuo Ruotong paused for a moment.
Turn around and keep walking.
"Well, words are the most empty, but actions are the most solid. Let's see how it goes."
Li Muxuan stood there, watching the figure recede into the distance.
A morning breeze blew from the other end of the mountain path, rustling the bamboo leaves and making Zuo Ruotong's snow-white hair a little disheveled.
Li Muxuan clenched his fists and quickened his pace to catch up.
He had said everything he needed to say; whether Zuo Ruotong believed him or not was beyond his control.
But it doesn't matter, he'll make this person believe it.
Use his method.
The mountain road came to an end, and ahead lay the outline of a small town.
The school was located at the entrance of town, with blue bricks and gray tiles, and an old plaque hanging above the door. The sound of children reciting could be heard from the courtyard.
A gentleman in a suit, wearing glasses and leaning on a cane was standing at the door. Upon seeing Zuo Ruotong from afar, he hurried over to greet her.
"Master, what brings you here?"
Zuo Ruotong nodded.
"Dongshan, this is a child from the lower courtyard this year. He has a good foundation, but he's gone a bit astray. I'll leave him here to be trained for a while."
"Okay."
The man known as Dongshan looked Li Muxuan up and down, then smiled and nodded.
Zuo Ruotong nodded, not saying anything more about Li Muxuan.
The two entered the school one after the other.
"How's your leg?"
Dongshan walks with a limp.
"It's the same as always, you can't run or jump, but it doesn't stop you from walking."
The two figures grew further and further away.
Li Muxuan stood at the school gate, carrying a bundle, with the curious gazes of the other children in the courtyard behind him.
He ignored them all, staring at Zuo Ruotong's back as the white figure disappeared from sight along with Mr. Dongshan.
He slung the bundle over his shoulder, turned, and walked into the school.