Chapter 358: The Cage
There were a lot of people listening to the lecture in the plaza.
They all sat in a circle around Li Shanyan, attentively soaking in his teachings.
Young Master Sang didn’t walk over directly to wake him up, but instead, just like the surrounding students, found a spot to sit and listen as well.
I must say, young Li Shanyan was quite the handsome one back in the day.
With his long black hair cascading down, he sat cross-legged on the ground in coarse linen robes, exuding an air of a carefree, bohemian scholar. There was always a soft smile on his face, and he radiated a depth akin to the ocean, with eyes that sparkled like distant stars.
Even from afar, Young Master Sang could feel the vibrant energy of his peak years.
Li Shanyan seemed to revel in his role, even though the teachings about fate and destiny he was sharing were the last thing Young Master Sang wanted to hear.
But patiently, Young Master Sang decided to wait it out.
“…Alright, let’s wrap up today’s lecture here.”
After what felt like ages, Li Shanyan finally finished. When he stood up to signal the end, the students around him began waving their hands and rushed up.
“Sir! I have a question!”
“Sir, Sir, I have one too!”
“Okay, okay, one at a time,” Li Shanyan smiled, answering them one by one.
He was patient, meticulously answering each student’s query until they all left satisfied.
Eventually, the crowd around him dwindled to just one person left: Young Master Sang.
“This student, do you have a question too?” Li Shanyan smiled.
Young Master Sang bowed respectfully, saying humbly, “I have a few questions that have troubled me for a while. I hope you can enlighten me, Sir.”
“Don’t worry. As long as I know, I will tell.”
“Alright then, first question.”
“That divine being Zu Cang, who traded with you in the Dream Court—who exactly is he?” Young Master Sang looked at him intently.
Li Shanyan’s expression remained calm, without a hint of surprise.
After a moment of thought, he replied, “He’s a very powerful person.”
“But he’s different from us. He comes from the outside. A much larger world outside.”
“So the content of your trade with him was that when he comes to our world from the outside one day, he’ll protect you?” Young Master Sang probed further.
“Not protect me.”
Li Shanyan shook his head with a smile, “…It’s to protect the Holy Kingdom.”
“I was once fortunate enough to wander outside and caught a glimpse of the outside world,” he said with a wistful expression. “The outside world is indeed bigger than we can imagine, much bigger.”
“This continent where I’ve lived my whole life is merely a small cage.”
A cage?
Who was it imprisoning?
“That’s something even I don’t know.”
“But I know,” he said shaking his head, “that relying solely on my own strength, I will be unable to protect the Holy Kingdom’s citizens when the great changes come to the world.”
“So, I have no choice but to bow to them.”
Young Master Sang pondered for a moment before asking, “Second question.”
“…Why are you willing to bind yourself to this dream?”
Li Shanyan fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, “Do you think I’m bound here?”
“I thought you were trapped here by the Demon Clan.”
Young Master Sang turned and looked around casually, saying indifferently, “After arriving, I realized. This kind of place can’t contain you.”
“Unless you never wanted to leave in the first place.”
Li Shanyan suddenly burst out laughing.
“Young Master Sang, you are as sharp as ever.”
“No need for flattery, I’m in a hurry.” Young Master Sang shot him a sidelong glance.
“…Indeed.”
Li Shanyan sighed, “Though I am indeed entangled with the Demon Clan, they want to trap me in the dream.”
“But the main reason is that I grew tired and wanted a place to enjoy a few peaceful days.”
“Upon closer reflection, this dream version of the Holy Kingdom doesn’t seem too bad.”
“Hey,” Young Master Sang frowned and complained, “You’ve become a hands-off manager, do you even know I’m the one cleaning up the messes back in the Holy Kingdom while you’re here partying?”
“That’s precisely why I can rest easy in the dream.”
Li Shanyan smiled at him: “After all, Young Master Sang did sign the succession document for the National Teacher in front of me, right?”
Young Master Sang was taken aback.
He suddenly felt as if he had been tricked onto a pirate ship.
“No way, you sly old fox, you were just waiting for me to take over your mess, huh?”
“Hey, it was Young Master Sang who requested it. How can you blame it on me?”
Li Shanyan shook his head: “I never brought up that request, you know.”
“However, I can tell.”
“Your words… you wouldn’t just sit by and do nothing about the Holy Kingdom.”
…Cough. True, with Huo Ningxue involved, Young Master Sang naturally wouldn’t just ignore any upheaval in the Holy Kingdom.
But this feeling of being subtly schemed against still rubbed him the wrong way.
Clearing his throat, Young Master Sang couldn’t help but avert his gaze: “You… already figured out my relationship with Huo Ningxue?”
“I’ve lived for nearly a thousand years; it’s not too hard to see through things like this.”
Li Shanyan smiled: “Lucky for you it’s you. If it were someone else, I might not feel at ease handing over the Holy Kingdom and His Majesty to them.”
“So, you’re just sleeping here because you’ve got a fallback plan?”
Seeing Young Master Sang getting a bit annoyed, a murky glimmer passed through Li Shanyan’s eyes.
“…Actually.”
“Even if the Demon Clan didn’t trap me with the dream monster, I only have about ten more years to live.”
“Ten years is just a blink of an eye in a thousand-year span.”
“I don’t mind where or when I die. Just before I pass, the one thing I can’t let go of is the Holy Kingdom.”
A hint of satisfaction flickered across Li Shanyan’s face as he smiled, “With the Holy Kingdom and that girl Ningxue, as long as Young Master Sang is around, I have no worries.”
“…Hey!”
Young Master Sang was a bit angry: “Don’t just throw your hands up and dismiss everything! I still have a ton of troubles I’m dealing with right now!”
“Third question! How did the Demon Clan find out about you? What happened after you left the Dream Court?”
Li Shanyan remained silent for a long while.
Suddenly, he asked back, “I have a question for you.”
“The person who claimed to be the Dragon Lord that day in the Dream Court, in front of me and Zu Cang… was actually you, right, Young Master Sang?”
Young Master Sang pouted, neither confirming nor denying.
Li Shanyan’s expression also relaxed.
“Is that so…”
“That’s good.”
“Let me take a guess. The Ksitigarbha Jade you gave me back then wasn’t the real deal, was it?”
“And not just the Ksitigarbha Jade from the Floating Splendor Commerce. You certainly have more Ksitigarbha treasures now, right?”
“…What are you trying to say?” Young Master Sang frowned in dissatisfaction.
“Young Master Sang,” Li Shanyan’s expression suddenly turned serious.
“The Ksitigarbha treasures are crucial for the survival of this world.”
“Please, keep them safe and use them cautiously.”
“I… entrust this to you.” He slowly bowed his head.
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