Chapter 1778: Disciple

"My... home?"

Li Laide’s expression was subtle.

"But, didn't you ask me to join the Twilight Society? It doesn't seem appropriate for an outsider like me to enter the base..."

"You, indeed, haven't joined the Twilight Society..."

Chen Ling looked at Li Laide, his ruby-like eyes seeming deeper than the starry sky. He paused, and in the quiet alley, only the rustling of leaves in the wind remained.

After an unknown amount of time, he spoke again:

"...Li Laide."

"What?" Li Laide frowned. He couldn't quite understand what Chen Ling was trying to say.

After a brief silence, Chen Ling’s voice sounded again:

"Would you like to become my disciple?"

Li Laide froze in place.

*Rustle—*

A breeze brushed through Li Laide’s dark hair, and his deep blue pupils contracted slightly.

This was a sentence he had never imagined... From the beginning, when Chen Ling tied him to his side, he had thought through all the worst possibilities. Even later, when Chen Ling showed no more malice toward him, he didn't relax at all; instead, he became even more vigilant.

He had never believed that anyone would be good to him for no reason, except for his mother.

But everything that happened afterward kept changing his impression of Chen Ling. He found that Chen Ling didn't seem to have any ulterior motives, and after discovering that the other party was also a heretic, he felt an inexplicable sense of identification.

Li Laide might not have realized it himself, but at some point, he had truly begun to trust Chen Ling and accept his kindness.

The moment this sentence echoed in Li Laide’s ears, it felt as if a heavy stone in his heart had silently fallen into place.

All the kindness, all the help, seemed to have a foundation at this moment. So, from the very beginning, he had really thought highly of him and wanted him to be his disciple... This way, everything made sense.

For some reason, Li Laide suddenly felt at ease. He didn't know where this peace came from... Was it because he wouldn't have to live a life of hiding in the Chengtian Boundary anymore? Was it because he had finally found a powerful backer? Was it because he could finally accept Chen Ling’s kindness? Or...

Because he didn't have to worry about being suddenly discarded by Chen Ling one day?

In this instant, countless thoughts flashed through Li Laide’s mind, but his subconscious reacted immediately.

*Thump—*

He knelt gently in front of Chen Ling.

The shadows of the trees swayed silently on the ground. Li Laide took a deep breath and bowed heavily to the opera-robed figure:

"Disciple Li Laide..."

"Greets Master."

……

Chengtian Boundary.

Imperial Palace.

Beneath the cinnabar-red walls, a figure rode a horse, galloping along the main palace road.

This road ran through the palace and the palace gates. Usually, except for the Emperor and high-ranking officials, no one else could easily step on it and had to enter and exit through side gates.

It was like an arrow shot from the dragon throne, with the halls on both sides as the string and the moat as the bow, the tip pointing directly at the world.

And now, on the back of the horse, a figure in black fluttered in the wind. He Jing’s eyes were narrowed, his expression calm. But his already mature-looking gray hair was inexplicably covered in a layer of decay, and there were a few more aged furrows on his face, as if he had aged more than ten years overnight.

The officials entering and exiting through the side gates saw someone daring to gallop along the main road and immediately widened their eyes:

"Who is so bold?! Daring to ride a horse in the palace!!"

"Is he tired of living??"

"This person is provoking the Emperor’s majesty. I reckon it won't be long before his head rolls... I wonder whose foolish person this is."

"I find this person unfamiliar; he doesn't look like an official..."

"Have you seen him before?"

"Never..."

"Neither have I."

"Hmm? Is he from the Grand Historian's Office? I saw him beside Lord Chong before..."

"Where did this petty thief come from, daring to cause trouble in the palace!? Quickly, stop him!"

“……”

Many figures attacked simultaneously, flying toward the horse-riding figure. These officials were usually timid, but since the Grand Historian's Office was slaughtered by the Mockery Disaster last night, there must be many vacancies, and this was a great opportunity to show loyalty to the Emperor. How could they miss it?

Just then, Eunuch Zuo stepped on flowing light and flew out behind He Jing!

At the same time, he opened a golden imperial decree in his hand, and the imperial pressure of a demigod descended suddenly, forcing everyone back to the ground!

Eunuch Zuo’s piercing voice echoed leisurely within the palace walls:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

"Yesterday, the Grand Historian's Office was slaughtered by the Mockery Disaster, and on the same day, the former Chief of the Grand Historian's Office died in the line of duty in the Gray Realm... The Grand Historian's Office is the pillar of Chengtian and cannot be without a leader for a single day."

"He Jing is appointed as the new Chief of the Grand Historian's Office, holding the power of military construction and transportation in all boundaries, and may enter and exit the palace freely. No one is to obstruct him."

"Respect this—"

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the ministers changed drastically!

They looked at the back of the person riding out of the palace in disbelief. They never expected that the Emperor would appoint He Jing as the new Chief of the Grand Historian's Office... Didn't that mean the biggest piece of meat had been snatched away?

And they would have to look at this new Chief’s face to snatch the remaining small pieces of meat?

For a moment, everyone’s thoughts flew, their eyes fixed on the direction He Jing left, wondering what they were calculating in their hearts.

……

Imperial Study.

A figure walked slowly from behind the beaded curtains.

Ying Fu’s figure was no longer as hunched as it had been in the reflection. Although he still looked a bit old, his posture was much straighter. He looked at the two dice on the gambling table—one showed three points, the other four.

The one with four points landed in the direction where Ying Fu had just sat.

He won.

Ying Fu took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He narrowed his eyes and looked in the direction He Jing had left... No one knew what he was thinking; his gaze was incredibly deep.

Ying Fu didn't lean on anything around him, walked to the edge of the study on his own, and looked slowly at the wall...

On the innermost wall of the Imperial Study hung a painting.

In the painting was a weak and shy young girl. Although it wasn't a modern realistic painting technique, and the skill wasn't particularly high or rare, the vividness of her features made the figure seem to leap off the paper...

"A-Qian..."

Ying Fu stopped in front of the painting, looking at the girl’s figure, a touch of indescribable exhaustion and complexity rising in his eyes...

Under his sleeves, his hands, covered in shallow wrinkles, clenched silently. He muttered to himself:

"There are only ten years left until that star returns..."

"I..."

"Will definitely not let you down."