Chapter Forty-Nine: The Long Road Ahead, The Long Journey of Life

“Yang Wuyue?”
“Is it really going up just like this?”
“Aren't heavyweight figures supposed to make their entrance last?”
As everyone watched Yang Wuyue be the first to step onto the small path, they all panicked, even Longqing felt a bit restless. The scholars of the academy exchanged glances.
Ning Que glanced at Long Qing and gritted his teeth, saying, "I can't stand this kind of pretentiousness. The whole world knows he is exceptionally powerful, and everyone is waiting to see how he demonstrates that power. Yet he insists on waiting until the end. But I know there is someone who also dislikes this attitude. He will only tell you that as long as he is in front, we can only chase after his back!"
Having said that, he took his first step, and the second one stepped onto the stone path of the small hill, because Chen Pipi had told him that his only chance to defeat Yang Wuyue was to wait for him to make a mistake.
Although the mountain is steep and dangerous, it poses no real obstacle for these young practitioners. However, the mountain path is not easy to traverse; as they step onto this narrow road, each step feels painfully strenuous, as if they are battling against the very earth itself.
Only the sun, without the moon, continued to stride upward, even taking the time to admire the scenery around. Watching as the second group of distant people was being separated by a great distance, Longqing could no longer sit still and quickly stepped onto the mountain path.
“Boiling water, coming through!”
The familiar voice rang out, and everyone saw a steward carrying a stretcher, continually moving outward. On it were people who had fainted and were vomiting blood. Only then did the crowd realize that climbing this mountain was probably not going to be that simple.
Amidst the green woods by the roadside, one can see cliff walls covered in moss. If you look closely, you might discern, beneath the dense moss, lines resembling cracks in the stone; these pressures emanate from here, as these are the characters left by the talisman masters.
Yet these posed no hindrance to Yang Wuyue. As the clouds and mist dispersed, a broken gate appeared before him, with a stone tablet in front, inscribed with the four characters "A gentleman is not a tool."
There were also the three characters "A gentleman is not" on the broken gate. He raised his hand and penned the character "tool," causing the broken gate to open, allowing him to pass through this obstacle without any difficulty.
“The mountain path is long, just like the long journey of life!”
Yang Wuyue walks steadily and unhurriedly up this mountain road.
On the back mountain, Chen Pipi said angrily, “I thought he would have the demeanor of a master and wait for the latecomers!”
The boy beside him, wearing a high-crowned scholar's robe and holding a square iron sword, arrogantly said, “He never regarded those people as opponents.”
As he spoke, he moved forward; he was waiting for that person.
On the top of a sheer cliff, there is a tree; beneath the lush tree, there is one person.
The four words "high-crowned scholarly attire, proper gentleman" are absolutely fitting here: "I am the second in rank!"
“二先生君陌，久仰大名！”阳无月淡淡道。
Jun Mo said expressionlessly: “Climbing onto that rock will grant you access to the second level, but there are two later arrivals behind you. You can wait for them if you like. Although it's unfair to make you wait, that step will be harder than all the distance you covered to climb up the mountain. You can use this time to adjust yourself!”
“The deceased flow like this, never pausing for day or night; I never wait for anyone!” Yang Wuyue said nonchalantly, then stepped forward and onto the stone platform.
With one step, what lay before him was an otherworldly space, on a desolate plain, the dark night was rolling, seemingly poised to engulf the entire world. On the desolate mountain stood an elderly man in a black scholar's robe, compassionately asking: “The sky is about to darken, but there is still light over there. So, between light and darkness, which side will you choose?”
Yang Wuyue said somewhat disappointedly, "It seems that since Mr. Ke has passed away, it's better not to come to this academy."
The Master looked at him with suspicion and said, "But I still want to know the answer; how would you choose?"
Yang Wuyue said, "As long as I want him to shine, he better shine; if I don't want him to be dark, then he can't be dark. Otherwise, what's the harm in breaking this sky?"
The illusion before him shattered with a bang, and Yang Wuyue had already stepped onto that stone, ascending to the peak.
“How is this possible!” Long Qing was just one step away from the giant stone, filled with immense regret. If he hadn't been so arrogant and had waited until the last one to make his entrance, how could he have lost to Yang Wuyue?
```htmlThe people below also saw the person standing atop the high platform.
“Wuyue!” Li Yu looked at the person who had reached the peak with excitement and a little agitation.
Ning Que was panting heavily, seemingly having exhausted all his strength to arrive at the front of the giant stone, but he knew that he seemed to have lost.```
However, Yang Wuyue turned to Ning Que and said, "The academy isn't really suited for me. I can give up this opportunity and let it go to you."
The two of them had strange expressions on their faces.
Ning Que quietly looked at Jun Mo beside him and asked, "Does he have the final say?"
Although Jun Mo frowned slightly, he still said, "Of course, the academy never requires anyone to join. I only recruit one."
Nie Que couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth: "Why are you being so kind? What is your condition?"
“Sang Sang!” Yang Wuyue said without hesitation.
“No…” This time, Nie Que hesitated. Climbing to the second floor of the academy was his only opportunity for revenge.
```htmlYang Wuyue revealed a hint of a smile: "I never force anyone against their will."
Ning Que stared at Long Qing with hostility: "Why don't you want his infatuation?"
Long Qing clenched his fist: "Infatuation is not my maid; if you want, I can offer you a few beautiful servants."```
“I don't want anything else, just Sang Sang!” Yang Wuyue looked at Ning Que and said, “I don’t want his things because he has no chance of passing this final test.”
“How about this: you two come up and talk, whoever wins can talk to me, then you can also feel more at ease!”
With a glance exchanged between them, Ning Que said, "What if I go up but don't want to agree to your terms?"
Yang Wuyue smiled and replied, "Then you'd better weigh whether you can take my knife!"
Ning Que naturally lacked confidence; Yang Wuyue's sword was too fierce, too fast, too ruthless, leaving no room for error. However, at this moment, he was also prepared to step up and give it a try, because if he paid the price yet couldn't become one of the Thirteen Scholars of the Academy, that would be a huge loss.
Longqing naturally did not believe that he couldn't ascend. The two of them took a step forward and entered the illusion. The choice between light and darkness was, in fact, a test of their fear of eternal night.
All of the master's disciples are here to confront the Eternal Night.
Longqing boasts of his enlightenment and firmly believes in Haotian, yet he fears the Eternal Night. Ning Que, on the other hand, cares little for what is light and what is dark; though he resides in darkness, his heart leans towards the light. He remains a small blade of grass swaying in the wind on the wall.
Confucius was also swaying, unsure of how to choose, which is why he discussed it among his disciples. The undeniable winner is Ning Que.
Long Qing has failed once again, still in disbelief, but he indeed fell down.
“How is this possible?” Long Qing furrowed his brows and said, “Although it may lack grace to say so, I still refuse to accept it!”
Jun Mo said calmly, “If I were you, I wouldn't accept it either.”
Prince Longqing fell silent for a moment before saying, "If one can achieve the state of extinguishing emotions and desires, yet still cannot see through the choices, then who truly can?"
Second Senior Brother looked at him with a hint of pity and said, "Extinguishing emotions and desires indicates that there is fear in their nature, a fear of choices. And they are all fearless lunatics!"