Chapter 143 (1/2)

Chapter 143

Cleansing, Harmonizing Intent

Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)

Tang Yue-Hua nodded with certainty,

“Evenings are your time, you plan them on your own. However, in the daytime you will learn these with me. Until I’m satisfied. Do you know what the Moon Pavilion does?”

Tang San shook his head.

Tang Yue-Hua smiled calmly,

“My place here is the Heaven Dou Imperial school of courtly etiquette, specialized in teaching all kinds of noble etiquette. You should have felt my Domain. My innate domain is called Noble Circle. And my spirit power, at present, is ninth rank.”

“What?”

Tang San looked stupidly at Tang Yue-Hua. He could never have imagined that she, as a directly related Clear Sky School disciple, would actually only have nine ranks of spirit power,

“You, variant spirit?”

Tang Yue-Hua smiled and nodded,

“Perhaps you would think of me as the most useless disciple of the Clear Sky School, but I can tell you that if your father could possess everything I am skilled in, the result of the events twenty years ago would be completely different. At times, strength doesn’t mean everything. You must learn to protect yourself even without relying on power. You must further learn how to exploit the art of language, and still how to walk between powers of all sides as well as how to control authority. I can see that you’re outstanding, however, you still have many, many things you must learn.”

Tang San finally nodded with some difficulty. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, he still had no choice but to compromise with this graceful woman. After all, she was his aunt.

Tang Yue-Hua smiled faintly,

“Don’t look so embarrassed. I think that before long, you will understand the importance of everything I teach. Walking out of Slaughter City, what you need most right now isn’t strenuous cultivation, but rather to let all that you possess grow more stable. I already know about your father’s condition. Don’t worry, I won’t push him again later. The sect won’t either. Even if he’s no longer at the sect, the sect has never forgotten him.”

Sighing, Tang Yue-Hua looked deeply at Tang San,

“If you don’t want your father to be troubled again, you must become even stronger. The responsibility of everything he should accomplish, will fall on your shoulders.”

……

One year later. Heaven Dou City, Moon pavilion.

Heaven Dou City’s night scene was very beautiful. This was deeply related to the highly developed commerce here. As the capital of Heaven Dou Empire, in the entire Douluo Continent, perhaps only Star Luo City could manage to compare.

The beauty of Star Luo City lay mainly in the exquisiteness of the south, while Heaven Dou City was brimming with the northern generous atmosphere, both victors in their own ways.

Graceful and quiet light spread from the several lower floors of the Moon Pavilion, a continuous stream of people constantly presenting their invitations and entering.

As the Heaven Dou imperial school of courtly etiquette, in order to be able to enroll in the Moon Pavilion, one had to at least have a title of nobility, and one’s age couldn’t surpass thirty. This was undoubtedly the place where the new generation of Heaven Dou Empire’s nobility was cultivated.

Therefore, even though the Moon Pavilion itself didn’t count as much, there was still no power that dared meddle with it. Not even the imperial family.

Reportedly, Emperor Xue Ye and the Moon Pavilion’s master Madam Yue-Hua had a somewhat intimate relationship. Of course, this was just a rumor.

This evening was the annual graduation ceremony.

With each batch of students graduating, all these students’ parents and elders were invited. These were undoubtedly the most influential characters of Heaven Dou Empire’s capital.

In fact, the Moon Pavilion only admitted one hundred students per year. In order for these one hundred places, the nobility of the entire Heaven Dou Empire practically racked their brains. Everyone knew that to be able to smoothly graduate from the Moon Pavilion, was equivalent to being plated with gold. The graduates from here were considered true nobility.

Before anything else, in marriages between noble families, the stronger side would frequently ask the weaker side whether their child had passed the education of Moon Pavilion. This alone showed the influence of the Moon Pavilion in the entire upper layer of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Of course, nobody knew that the master of the Moon Pavilion without the strength to truss a chicken, Madam Yue, was actually from the world’s first Spirit Master sect.

The graduation ceremony was held on the third floor of the Moon Pavilion, where numerous high ranking officials and nobles had already arranged their seating. They all wanted to see how their children had improved through the cultivation of the Moon Pavilion.

As the master of the Moon Pavilion, Tang Yue-Hua still wore silver adorned courtly dress, standing to the side of the reception hall with a smile on her face. Subordinates told her everyone was present. She nodded an indication. The graduation ceremony formally began.

A line of silver dressed young men and women began to enter through doors on two sides. The one hundred people didn’t make the hall noisy. Each person’s face revealed equally graceful smiles, the pace between each harmonious, with casual ease. The faint grandeur didn’t give people an impression of arrogance, but could still surprise.

Just at this moment, a door opened to the side of the hall, and a white dressed youth slowly walked out, holding an exquisite and elegant golden harp to his chest.

Blue eyes so clear the bottom could be seen, a head of deep blue hair draped across the shoulders and back without giving people the slightest impression of lacking manners, all over a spirited quality, handsome, noble, graceful.

Against expectations there was also a particular quiet contentment. When he walked out from the door, he became the focus of everyone present in practically an instant.

Even the graduating students stepping into the hall with graceful smiles before, for the most part couldn’t help throwing their gazes in his direction.

Especially the female students had no lack of intoxicated expressions.

The white clothed youth carefully arranged the prize harp on a table, sitting straight backed on a special stool, first facing the audience with a smile and a nod, then slowly raising both slender hands to lightly start playing.

Elegant, pure like the sparkling translucence of precious stones, ephemeral limpid tones flowed from that exquisite golden harp. The hall immediately calmed, the beautiful sound of the harp making the listeners’ hearts untroubled. A marvellous aesthetic just like a fountain rushing under moonlight, filling the air with a poetic atmosphere.

Let alone others, only looking at outward appearances, this white clothed youth undoubtedly made all the graduating students present turn pale. The aloof quiet contentment he carried was no doubt what gave people the most favorable impression.

Tang Yue-Hua stood there quietly, listening to the beautiful sound of the harp. To her ears, this harp music naturally sounded different to what other people heard. She heard whether the sound of this harp truly was as quiet and contented as the surface of the white clothed youth.

One year, a whole year had passed. He had indeed changed a lot. Perhaps, this was his natural instinct.

The youth bent over the harp was Tang San. Compared to one year ago, the current Tang San had undergone a heaven and earth revolving change. That was a change in temperament. There was no longer any murderous aura spreading from him. That didn’t mean that the killing intent he had obtained from Slaughter City had disappeared, but rather that it was truly contained.

When Tang Yue-Hua gave Tang San his first lesson, she had told him that a true power first had to learn to control everything about himself. Especially his mood and aura.

Tang San had undoubtedly done very well in this year. Well to the extent that even an exacting lady like Tang Yue-Hua couldn’t pick out any flaw. What others would need three years to learn, he had completed in one, and moreover done it better than anyone.

To be able to represent the graduating class to play the harp was an honor that had always by tradition in Moon Pavilion only been awarded to the most outstanding student. That Tang San was able to sit there really wasn’t because he was Tang Yue-Hua’s nephew, but because of his own accomplishments.

The graduation ceremony advanced in sequence amidst this graceful music. The high ranking officials and nobles had already begun to stealthily ask about Tang San’s background, but nobody could obtain any results. Even their children couldn’t tell them where Tang San was from.

To the other students, Tang San was like a riddle. When he had just appeared here, nobody had wanted to approach his ice chill, and nobody was optimistic about his chances of fitting in.

Even if he was handsome, how could there be any lack of handsome people here in the capital?

However, after a few months, everyone looked at him with different eyes. In the study of all kinds of etiquette and music, Tang San had displayed a learning ability far exceeding that of ordinary people. Most notable was that the ice chill that surrounded him had gradually disappeared.

But for some reason, he only very rarely interacted with people, and spoke even less, only quietly studied.

In the audience, the most illustrious of all the nobles was a young person, his age appearing to be where youth and middle age flowed together. He was the Heaven Dou imperial crown prince, Xue Qinghe.

This time Xue Qinghe was here for his little sister’s graduation ceremony.

And his little sister, should originally have sat in the position Tang San now held.

His little sister had told him not long ago, that the choice of person playing the harp had changed at the last moment, but she wasn’t the least bit upset, because she cheerfully and committedly admired that youth called Tang Yin, resigned to falling short of him in all areas.

Xue Qinghe knew that his little sister, as an imperial princess, as well as being doted on by their imperial father, always was proud and unyielding, very rarely believing others. Even this older brother didn’t have any power to deter her.

Sending her to study at the Moon Pavilion was undoubtedly in order to properly foster his little sister’s courtly etiquette, and being eighteen, it was also about time for her to marry.

No matter how, he was unable to understand why his always haughty little sister would think so highly of anyone. Even to the extent that when that person was mentioned, she displayed a faint bashfulness.

As Xue Qinghe saw Tang San sitting there playing, he was also stunned. He unexpectedly couldn’t find the slightest flaw in that youth.

Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)

Even more astonishing was that the youth unexpectedly gave him a familiar feeling. He couldn’t say why, it wasn’t because of aura, but rather a kind of natural intuition.

When simply asking the surrounding nobles about that white clothed youth didn’t yield any answers, Xue Qinghe was even more determined to build a relationship with this youth. Not because of his little sister’s begging yesterday, but rather because that might be a talent capable of becoming a future pillar of the Empire.

Tang San slowly plucked the harp, his heart very calm, perfectly in accordance with what he revealed on the surface.

One year’s time had passed. One year ago he couldn’t have thought that he would be playing an instrument in front of everyone today. When he had just started to learn from his aunt, he had been brimming with scepticism.

However, after one month had passed, Tang San discovered that the direction his father had set him on was correct.

Cultivating in Slaughter City was in order to train the heart. The Moon Pavilion was the same.

As he gradually calmed here, recalling everything that had happened in the past four years, as well as his entire process of maturing, he discovered that his mind was exhausted.

This one year had been the best rest for his mind and body. Even though he didn’t cultivate strenuously, he had gradually internalized everything he had learned in these past several years in this peace. Even the final redoubt of the eight extraordinary meridians, the Governing Vessel, had also gradually opened.

Fifty seven ranks, this was Tang San’s present spirit power level.

Rising from forty second or third level to fifty seventh rank in five years was an average of three ranks per year. It didn’t seem comparable to his cultivation speed in the more than two years and the Shrek Academy, but in fact, after passing the fortieth rank, how could the requirements to rise each rank of spirit power compare to before?

Twenty years old, fifty seventh rank. Tang San had undoubtedly already substantially surpassed Spirit Hall’s Golden Generation. Most importantly was that right now all the abilities he possessed no longer needed Tang San’s control.

Rather, all his capabilities had been harmonized. Tang San had taken the most crucial step to become a power.

From the hardly concealed praise in his aunt’s eyes these last few months, Tang San knew that it was almost time for him to leave. It was also only thinking of seeing his father that would raise ripples in his calmed heart.

He had already waited far, far too long for that unknown truth. Despite already having guessed some, how could he be certain without hearing it from his father’s own mouth?

Tang San knew that his own future road was very long, but this year in the Moon Pavilion was undoubtedly the most transformative of his life. He had already stepped out of his time as a youngster, his twentieth birthday was coming, he was already an adult.

The graduation ceremony ended smoothly, and each student had received their graduation certificate from Tang Yue-Hua’s hand, delightedly throwing themselves into the arms of their family.

When Tang Yue-Hua had finished all this, Tang San’s task for the day was also complete. She walked over next to Tang San,

“Today’s performance was pretty good. Outside and inside as one.”

Tang San smiled slightly, lightly caressing the strings, a final pleasant tune drifting out,

“Thank you.”

At this moment, a clear voice resounded,

“Auntie Yue-Hua. Can you give me an introduction?”

Tang Yue-Hua turned her head to look, finding a casually dressed crown prince Xue Qinghe gracefully walking over, accompanied by the graduating student Xue Ke.

She of course knew Xue Ke’s status from long ago, and the majority of students also knew. She even saw Xue Ke look differently at Tang San than at others. Even when Tang San snatched away her original right to perform, this princess still didn’t have a trace of resentment.

“Your Highness.”

Tang Yue-Hua saluted.

Xue Qinghe hastily returned the salute,

“Auntie Yue-Hua, what are you doing? Junior can’t accept it.”

Tang Yue-Hua laughed in spite of herself:

“Don’t always go calling me ‘auntie, auntie’, am I so old?”

To the side Xue Ke smartly said:

“Of course teacher isn’t old, you’re like my older sister.”

Tang Yue-Hua smiled.:

“That’s something you would say, girl.”

While speaking, she shifted slightly, allowing the siblings to clearly see Tang San,

“I’ll give you an introduction, This is my nephew, Tang Yin.”

Hearing the word ‘nephew’, Xue Qinghe couldn’t keep a radiance from flashing through his eyes. Tang San all along calmly observed this crown prince that had once previously given him a good impression.

In the five years since they met, this crown prince had become even steadier. His appearance hadn’t changed much, but his reserved scholarly temperament still gave people a very good impression.

His casual ease was somewhat similar to Ning Fengzhi, though whether that was because of deliberate imitation was unknown.

But from the change in his expression when he heard his aunt’s introduction, it could be assumed that he knew his aunt’s true identity. And that his aunt also didn’t hide anything for him should be because she had a great deal of trust in the crown prince.

Without batting an eyelid on the surface, Tang San had already analysed a great many things in his mind. He pondered over whether to reveal his identity to the crown prince.