A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Of the three new guests from the five courtyards, Zi Mu was still staying at Megrez Peak, Lu Ping was studying in seclusion, and almost never showed his face, and Ying Xiao left early and returned late, also rarely seen. This made the five courtyards seem to have returned to the situation when there were only four old guests. But upon closer inspection, one would discover some differences.
Huo Ying, who was still lying on the bamboo chair in the courtyard waiting for death, still looked listless, but not as lifeless as before, and his eyes were astonishingly ignited with some vitality.
The young master of the Sun family, who was so rich that people felt it was impossible to have any worries, seemed somewhat restless these few days. When he had nothing to do, he would wander in front of the door or window of a room in the five courtyards, and every now and then he would find an excuse to sneak in, serving tea and water, using all sorts of methods.
Little sister Tang, who had deep resentment towards the academy because of her teacher's death and couldn't wait to leave as soon as possible, seemed to have a bit more patience these few days, and was no longer so impatient.
In addition, there was Han Li, who had a strange schedule and always slept during the day. No one knew that when he came out at night recently, they were all on high alert, paying attention to whether any mysterious experts were approaching the five courtyards again.
A few days passed like this, and there was only one day left until the Seven Star Trials. For the guests of the five courtyards, this was the moment that decided whether they would stay or leave. But this time, the five courtyards, facing such a fateful moment, were not the slightest bit flustered. This event that the entire courtyard was paying attention to, the North Style Academy's annual Trials, did not even become their topic of discussion.
But on this last morning, Pei Ci from Alkaid Peak came to find them.
"Lu Ping? He has been studying in seclusion recently! " Huo Ying and Sun Yingsheng were both in the courtyard. Hearing that Pei Ci was looking for Lu Ping, they glanced towards Lu Ping's room.
"Alkaid Research Fellow said that he should send back the rabbit he was looking after today." Pei Ci said.
"I'll go call him!" Sun Yingsheng was very active in anything that could get close to Lu Ping recently. Hearing Pei Ci's words, his eyes immediately lit up, and he rushed towards Lu Ping's room.
"Lu Ping, Lu Ping, there's something urgent. I'm in! " Sun Yingsheng rushed to the door of Lu Ping's room and knocked on it twice skillfully. He called out, but compared to the feeble excuses like "Do you want to try this good tea?" and "Do you want three catties of sugar-fried chestnuts?", Sun Yingsheng was surprised. Today, he was much more confident. Without waiting for Lu Ping's reply, he had already pushed open the door and entered.
In the room, Lu Ping was bending over his desk, studying hard. For the past few days, Sun Yingsheng had been making excuses to come and go, but he had never seen Lu Ping in any other position. Sometimes he even seemed to be in a trance. He couldn't tell if time had passed at all. However, on the desk, Lu Ping was holding a notebook that was gradually filling up, explaining what had happened in the past few days. Lu Ping read < < A Brief History of Souls > > to crazily supplement his theoretical knowledge. In the end, he reorganized his practical notes. While tidying up, he also practiced his cultivation. It could be said that he had made great progress.
When he heard Sun Yingsheng enter, Lu Ping turned his head to look. However, Sun Yingsheng's gaze was not on him. He first sized up the book in Lu Ping's hands. It was the only copy of < < A Brief History of Souls > >. Seeing that the only copy was in good condition, Sun Yingsheng finally had the mood to talk to Lu Ping.
"Well," Sun Yingsheng said, "Pei Ci from Alkaid Peak is here. She said that you should return the rabbit. "
"Oh." When Lu Ping heard this, he put down the book in his hands without hesitation and stood up. In the corner of the room, the wild rabbit was lying there, taking a nap. In the past month, the wild rabbit had grown a lot fatter and had become more obedient. Seeing Lu Ping walk over, it was not afraid and allowed Lu Ping to carry it.
"Then I'll go," Lu Ping said.
"Go on, go on." Sun Yingsheng waved his hand. His gaze was already locked on the only copy on the table. He was wondering if he should just take it back and exchange it for a copy of < < A Brief History of Souls > > for Lu Ping. Wouldn't that be the same?
However, Lu Ping did not think so much about it. He carried the rabbit out of the room. Seeing Pei Ci nod, he turned into Zi Mu's room next door and carried his rabbit out as well.
Pei Ci seemed to know that something was wrong with Zi Mu, so she did not ask. Seeing Lu Ping carry both rabbits in his arms, Pei Ci turned and walked out of the courtyard, waiting outside. She turned and walked out of the courtyard, waiting outside the door.
"I'm leaving," Lu Ping said to Huo Ying, and then he followed Huo Ying. Pei Ci saw that Lu Ping was coming over, but she was still silent. She turned and walked in the direction she came from.
In the fifth hospital, Sun Yingsheng dawdled in Lu Ping's room for a while. Then, he walked out with a conflicted expression. When he saw Huo Ying turn to look at him with a faint smile on her face, he suddenly felt a little embarrassed that his secret had been exposed.
"What are you looking at?" Sun Yingsheng asked.
"Was the only copy damaged?" Huo Ying asked.
"No …" Sun Yingsheng said. He really could not accept this. Even if he used his supernatural ability to find faults, he could only find some of Lu Ping's handprints in the book. If this was considered damage, then Sun Yingsheng's sin was probably even greater. His handprints were the most on the only copy.
"So?" Huo Ying said.
"Let him see all he wants!" Sun Yingsheng said fiercely. After struggling for a while, he finally made up his mind.
"Then what's in your arms?" Huo Ying asked.
Sun Yingsheng's thoughts had been seen through, so he was calm. He took out a book from his arms. It was also < < A Brief History of Souls > >. However, it was jointly revised by the four academies 15 years ago. It was known as the most perfect version, and it was the most widely circulated version.
"Actually, if he really wanted to cultivate, wouldn't it be better to read this version than the old one?" Sun Yingsheng said.
"Who knows …" Huo Ying said, "Zhou Pi's version hasn't really circulated. Many people know about it, but not many people have seen it. There's no evaluation."
"Uh …" Sun Yingsheng wanted to say something but stopped.
"You've seen it." Huo Ying said.
"Yes." Sun Yingsheng said.
"So you think it's not as good as the later version?" Huo Ying said.
"It's also possible. I already have a preconceived idea of the new version. Zhou Pi's view is slightly different from the later version." Sun Yingsheng said.
"So, you don't dare to judge whether Zhou Pi is good or bad?" Huo Ying said.
"Who dares?" Sun Yingsheng said lightly.
Zhou Tong was an absolute genius xiuzhe. The Brief History of Souls was the most precious legacy he had left for xiuzhe. But no one would forget that two hundred and forty years ago, the first xiuzhe to break through from the Three Spirits to the Four Spirits was also Zhou Tong. And at that time, he was only thirty-one years old.
A thirty-one year old xiuzhe with the Four Spirits was not very rare nowadays. But two hundred and forty years ago, this was an achievement that would cause people to collapse.
So people would say that if Zhou Tong had continued to focus on individual cultivation instead of focusing on gathering and organizing the knowledge and theories of the cultivation world from his middle age to lay the foundation for the birth of the Brief History of Souls, then the time for xiuzhe to reach the Five Spirits would have been brought forward by a hundred years.
This saying might be just people's wishful thinking and might not be true. But Zhou Tong not only led xiuzhe to a new height, he also laid a solid foundation for future xiuzhe. This was an indisputable fact.
A hundred years after Zhou Tong's death, his statue had always stood at the Southern Sky Gate of the Southern Sky Academy.
Some people said that he was the greatest xiuzhe in history. No one objected.
Even the six xiuzhe who once again set a new height for xiuzhe could not erase Zhou Tong's status.
This genius xiuzhe was the core and soul of the compilation of [A Brief History of Soul]. Who could judge his notes on [A Brief History of Soul] as good or bad?
No one could.
*****
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