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Chapter 516: Sister, You Are Truly So Beautiful
The students of the Hanshan Academy could broadly be divided into two categories.The first category consisted of the children of the great dynasties and major sects.
They came to the Hanshan Academy to study, partly to receive the gift of Confucian literary fortune, and partly to gild themselves with a measure of prestige.
More important still, the founding of the Hanshan Academy had drawn a considerable share of the Demon Realm's fortune to itself. The rulers of those dynasties and the masters of those sects naturally wanted their own children to claim a portion of that benefit as well.
The second category consisted of demon students of ordinary background who had come purely to pursue their studies.
The family backgrounds of these students were, for the most part, far from distinguished, their origins relatively humble, even at times genuinely poor.
These students, in truth, were the ones who represented what the Hanshan Academy was meant to be in its truest sense.
After all, they were the ones who studied earnestly and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to learning.
As for whether any of the noble-born students applied themselves diligently, certainly some did, but very few.
After the strange phenomenon appeared over the academy that day, all manner of speculation began to circulate within the Hanshan Academy.
Some guessed that the Dean's cultivation had advanced further, triggering that heavenly phenomenon.
Others speculated that some great Confucian scholar from the Ten Thousand Laws Realm had quietly come to the Hanshan Academy.
Cun Caiguang made no effort to dispel these rumors, nor did he pay them much attention.
A few days later, with no further developments, the matter gradually faded from people's conversation.
And during these days, more and more students from noble families gradually left the Hanshan Academy.
They had each received letters from their respective dynasties, sects, or families urging them to return as quickly as possible.
Though they did not understand why their families were in such a hurry to call them back from the Hanshan Academy, they had no choice but to comply.
As for the remaining thousand or so students at the academy, they were quietly informed that they would be going on a journey of study to a distant place, though they were told nothing of where exactly they were headed.
On Qianxue Peak, Tushan Jingci had long since packed her belongings.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, three days from now she would leave the Hanshan Academy with Xiao Mo and set out for Tushan.
Looking at this place where she had lived for over a decade, Tushan Jingci's heart was naturally full of reluctance to leave.
And so, whenever she had a free moment, she would walk through every part of the Hanshan Academy, wanting to capture each of its beautiful scenes in painting, one by one.
Otherwise, there was no telling when she might have the chance to return again.
In her heart, Tushan Jingci would have much preferred to walk through the academy together with Xiao Mo and paint side by side.
But ever since her mother's visit that night, she had noticed that Xiao Mo's cultivation had become more diligent than ever.
He even seemed to carry a certain sense of urgency about it.
As a result, he naturally had far less time to spend walking around with her.
Still, Tushan Jingci did not mind too much.
After all, she and Xiao Mo had a long life ahead of them together. What difference would this little while make?
On the day before they were to leave the academy, Tushan Jingci decided to go and see Crescent Moon Peak.
Crescent Moon Peak was a rather secluded peak, its surroundings quiet and elegant, used mainly to receive guests of the academy.
Precisely because it was reserved for guests, most academy students were not permitted to enter without express permission, so as not to disturb any visitors.
Given the academy's strict rules, and the fact that everyone within it was a scholar well versed in propriety, over time everyone had simply developed the habit of giving this peak a wide berth whenever they happened to pass it.
But Tushan Jingci thought to herself that since she was leaving tomorrow anyway, if she happened to be discovered, so be it. At worst she would receive a scolding.
She was determined to paint the Crescent Moon Lake on this peak no matter what.
She made her way successfully to Crescent Moon Peak and followed the path toward the lake.
Just as Tushan Jingci reached the lakeside, she saw a young woman sitting in the pavilion by Crescent Moon Lake.
This young woman was dressed in a white gown, her face exceptionally beautiful.
This celestial-looking woman was gazing quietly at the surface of the lake, those beautiful peach-blossom eyes seeming to hold within them the colors of the entire world, while also seeming to conceal an endless loneliness and melancholy. A single glance was enough to break one's heart.
As though sensing Tushan Jingci's gaze, the woman in white turned her head slowly and looked in her direction.
The two young women's eyes met across the space between them.
"This young one has come here without due care and disturbed the senior's peace. I ask the senior's forgiveness."
Coming back to herself, Tushan Jingci quickly gave the woman in white a respectful bow.
"You have not disturbed me." The woman in white smiled faintly, her gaze settling on the painting easel tucked at Tushan Jingci's waist. "Has the little sister come here to paint?"
"Mm." Tushan Jingci gave a nod. "This young one will be leaving the Hanshan Academy in a few days, and feeling some reluctance about it, wanted to paint the scenery here to take back with me to my clan."
"I see. Then it is I who have disturbed you, little sister." The woman in white gave a gentle nod, her voice soft. "Why not come into this pavilion? The view is best from here."
"Truly? Many thanks, elder sister." Joy showed in Tushan Jingci's eyes, and without further hesitation she happily walked into the pavilion over the lake.
In the pavilion, Tushan Jingci alternated between picking up her brush to paint the scenery and stealing glances at the celestial-looking woman beside her.
The woman, for her part, simply watched the fish swimming back and forth in the lake, her expression composed and unhurried.
"Elder sister, you are truly so beautiful."
Tushan Jingci found that with this celestial woman beside her, she could not focus on her painting at all, her eyes drawn toward her again and again without meaning to.
"Thank you." The woman in white drew her gaze back and smiled gently. "Actually, you are even more beautiful, little sister."
"Not at all, elder sister is clearly more beautiful." Tushan Jingci shook her head, her tone entirely sincere.
"Ha ha ha." The woman in white covered her mouth and laughed softly, and said nothing further to Tushan Jingci, simply turning her head to gaze into the distance.
Tushan Jingci felt that, although the blue sky and white clouds were clearly reflected in those peach-blossom eyes, it was as though nothing of them had truly settled into her gaze at all.
"Elder sister, is there something troubling you?" Tushan Jingci knew it was somewhat improper of her to ask, but could not help herself.
"Why do you say that?" The woman in white tilted her head slightly and looked at her.
"I am not sure." Tushan Jingci could not quite explain it herself. "I just feel that elder sister does not seem very happy, as though there is something on your mind."
"It is not really something on my mind."
The woman in white shook her head, her tone calm.
"It is only that I have been searching for someone for a very long time, and I still have not found him."
"I keep wondering where he might be right now, what kind of life he is living, whether there is a woman looking after him..."
"This person..." Tushan Jingci asked softly, "Has elder sister been searching for a long time?"
"A long time?"
The woman in white considered for a moment, then smiled, her tone gentler than even the ripples on the lake.
"Compared to his whole lifetime, what is this thousand years of mine, in the end?"