With the righteousness of Heaven and Earth, and the manipulation of the six atmospheric forces, one wandered boundlessly.
The strength of an Upper Third Rank Martial Artist was clearly revealed in front of Wang Anfeng, showing just a corner of its capacity.
The fierce wind brushed against his face, making it almost impossible for the youth to think. All he could see was the rapid retreat of mountains, rivers, and earth beneath him, whether it be towering rocks or surging waves, bustling towns merely flashed by as fleeting sceneries.
Velocity came to an abrupt halt, yet a tranquil force enveloped Wang Anfeng, preventing any discomfort. Only upon landing did his legs feel a bit weak and he staggered a few steps before steadying himself. Behind him came a soft snort from the Scholar, and turning back, he caught sight of the Scholar retracting his right hand, holding a bamboo in it.
No doubt, had his stance been unstable and he not stood firm, that bamboo would have struck him without hesitation.
The youth suddenly felt a slight headache.
The Scholar was stern and did not speak, but slightly lifted his chin, signaling Wang Anfeng to look forward. The youth, puzzled, turned around to see a mountain range soaring high into the sky, its majesty almost toppling over him, instilling a sense of awe and terror, and he involuntarily gasped.
A familiar voice reached his ears.
"What do you see ahead of you?"
The youth steadied himself and responded:
"How about this mountain?"
Wang Anfeng exclaimed, "Majestic and towering... lush and verdant."
Mr. Ying gave a slight nod but said nothing, taking the lead as the youth, accustomed to his mentor's temperament, quickly caught up, knowing Mr. Ying wanted him to follow. They walked in silence, witnessing the flourishing expanse of forests, indeed, a splendid vista, which somewhat lifted the indescribable emotion in the youth's heart momentarily.
It seemed the mentor had brought him to admire the scenery of the mountain,
but then, at that moment, the Scholar's steps suddenly halted again.
Curious, Wang Anfeng listened as Mr. Ying spoke again, asking casually:
"Look again, what do you see now?"
Puzzled, the youth stepped past the Scholar and looked intently, his expression shifting slightly. Before him lay a wasteland-like area, blue rocks pocked and bare, stark under the glaring sun, dust-covered, growing not even the slightest bit of vegetation, which contrasted sharply and starkly with the lush forests around them.
The Scholar spoke again, asking:
The youth scanned the unattractive bare Qingyan compared to the surrounding forests, responding:
"How do they compare to the forests?"
The youth said nothing, but it was enough to convey his thoughts. The two continued along the bare rocks, and after some time, they finally saw the source of the barren rocks. Looking back, they could hardly locate the barren rocks on the hillside. Mr. Ying casually picked up Wang Anfeng, leaped up, and in a few breaths' time, they had reached the mountain peak.
Setting down the youth, he pointed in a direction and said:
"Look again, what do you see?"
Wang Anfeng steadied his racing heart, nodded at the Scholar's direction, and looking there, all he saw was lush greenery, a magnificent sight. Slightly startled, as if realizing something, the Scholar's voice echoed again:
"What you see is the location of the barren rocks on the hillside earlier. But can you see it now?"
"Tell me, what do you see now?"
Wang Anfeng opened his mouth, saying:
"It's still the mountain..."
"How about this mountain?"
Understanding the intent of Mr. Ying, the youth's voice, for some reason, sounded a bit weary:
"Majestic and towering... lush and verdant."
The Scholar frowned, asking:
"What are your thoughts?"
Wang Anfeng fell silent, gazing at the distant mountain, his expression growing complicated, eyes lowered, he said:
"Sir, are you trying to tell me that even majestic mountains have bare rocks, yet these do not diminish their grandeur?"
"Even the mightiest nations have their filth, but this filth does not erase the era's own strength and greatness..."
The youth felt somewhat complex and uncomfortable in his heart.
Just then, a sudden pain struck his forehead, causing him to involuntarily cry out and step backward. The complex expression on his face instantly vanished, leaving him covering his reddened forehead with both hands, widening his eyes, and looking helplessly and innocently at the scholar in front of him, who was holding a green bamboo, smirking coldly.
The scholar sneered, his hand moving slightly, making the green bamboo seem to disappear and then reappear, precisely hitting the youth, who he sternly questioned:
"Filth, golden age? What bunch of nonsense are you talking about, hmm?"
It seemed that what Wang Anfeng had just said deeply angered the scholar. As he waved the green bamboo, it struck the youth each time he spoke; Wang Anfeng instinctively tried to dodge, but how could he escape? He listened as the scholar continuously questioned him.
"A frog in a well, prattling about how high the sky is."
"Could you have seen that bare rock from the foot of the mountain?"
"Could you have seen the source of the bare rock from the mountainside?"
"After teaching you for so long, how are you still so foolish?"
The youth took a few steps back, covering his swollen and reddened forehead, cautiously watching the scholar holding the green bamboo; the latter, with the bamboo as his sword, pointed directly at Wang Anfeng's brow amidst the whistling sound, saying:
"You can't see the naked rocks of the mountainside from the foot of the mountain, and even if you reached the mountainside, staying there for ten or twenty years, you still wouldn't see the source of those bare rocks."
The green bamboo tapped the youth's forehead, then lifted and forcefully knocked on his head.
"Little ability, yet a great ambition."
Wang Anfeng exhaled lightly, touching his reddened forehead. Yet, he felt a sense of enlightenment rising within him, realizing that he had been thinking too much recently, showing signs of increasingly radical thoughts.
At this moment, an ease of mind emerged from the pointed tip of worry and the burning pain on his forehead mixed together, with the youth's instincts taking over, inadvertently stepping back again, saying:
"I understand, I understand, Sir, please don't knock any more..."
The scholar looked up, noticing that the youth's eyes had regained the clarity he was familiar with; although there were still some issues, it was no longer as pessimistic as before. He slightly relaxed, pleased that his admonition had worked, yet his face broke into a cold smile as he struck with the green bamboo once more.
"I see you've grown bolder, daring to talk back."
"It hurts, Sir... I was wrong."
"I don't think you were wrong, where did you go wrong..."
The next day, Wang Anfeng slowly pushed open his little wooden hut door, his demeanor usual, yet continuously rubbing his forehead, occasionally grimacing and gasping from the pain.
On the way to Wind Character Tower, he encountered Baili Feng and Xue Qinshuang dressed as a man, whom he had not seen for several days. The former seemed to relax greatly seeing his normal complexion, while the latter appeared hesitant and concerned for her friend but also afraid of being misunderstood, therefore her smile was somewhat stiff.
The youth nodded towards Baili Feng, then turned to look at the bright young girl.
Looking at her lively eyebrows and the sparkling brown eyes under the sunlight, he still liked her very much.
But now, he could understand the girl's intentions.
She wanted to become the number one hero under Heaven and Earth, and he too had greater things he wanted to do, surely very big and very good deeds.
He decided to put away this youthful infatuation for now.
The youth exhaled, gently touched the Eight-Sided Han Sword behind him, the wooden sword seemed to emit a low whistle. Wang Anfeng walked boldly towards his friends, his eyes no longer showing any signs of distress.
When she becomes the most formidable hero in the world.
When he swept away the discontent in his heart, intending to retire from his heroic path and live in obscurity.
Then they would talk.