Bitter Realm: Have the Four Realms been united today?

Chapter 20 The Importance of Reading Heavenly Secrets

"I've come to ask you, is Xuanming's fear of the Soul Emperor and us even slightly genuine?"

"No!" Although Mu Yunzhi didn't understand where Xuanming's fear came from, he could tell that the fear was not feigned.

"If you were in a different place, you would suddenly be confronted with what you fear most."

"Could you, like him, suppress your panic in an instant, regain your composure, and immediately find a way to break the deadlock?"

Evening clouds, knowing the book, are speechless.

Although he didn't think there was anything in the world that could frighten him to that extent, he asked himself honestly if he were to fall into such an extreme emotion.

He was not confident that he could break free so quickly, or even think of a solution.

"Students... are too shallow," he said in a low voice.

"He is only in his early twenties, yet he can quickly remain calm and adapt to changing circumstances in dire situations. Such a temperament is truly rare." Yue Tianji's eyes flashed with admiration.

"Many experienced individuals might not have handled such a sudden change better than him!"

Although Mu Yunzhishu was convinced of this, he still insisted, "Even so, it only shows that his will is still good."

"A strategist must also be wise."

"He's just inexperienced, not unintelligent!"

"Knowledgeable people should not let appearances cloud their judgment."

"Are you truly oblivious to his intelligence?" Yue Tianji countered, his tone devoid of reproach, only guidance.

Mu Yunzhi was speechless for a moment.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forcibly dismissed his prejudice against Xuanming's timid appearance.

I quickly recalled in my mind every word and every decision the boy made after he woke up.

A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze clear and even showing a hint of astonishment.

He not only overlooked Xuanming's wisdom.

The fact that the boy could ask, "Do I really have the power to decide whether to take blood?" shows that he was no fool.

Every seemingly straightforward word he uttered, every seemingly clumsy action he took, was actually clearly targeted, aligned with the situation, and even took into account Huan Chenbuwu's intentions.

He shouldn't have realized this insight and composure that went straight to the heart of the matter amidst the chaos so late!

Seeing the disdain in Mu Yunzhi's eyes vanish, Yue Tianji's face showed a hint of relief. To be able to become his disciple, Mu Yunzhi must have extraordinary abilities.

"Zhi Shu opposes so vehemently," Yue Tianji's tone suddenly softened, carrying a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm.

"But are you afraid of being outshone by this junior disciple?"

With the planning going smoothly for several days, he seemed to be in a good mood and even joked with his students, which was quite rare for him.

"How could that be?"

Mu Yunzhi immediately raised the imperial edict in his hand, feigning a wry smile, and said, "This student has been hoping every day that someone could share this mountain of official duties!"

"One might not be enough, sir. Why don't you take in a few more?"

Yue Tianji chuckled lightly: "It seems that being Yue Tianji's student is a disservice to Master 'Strategist'."

"Very well, I can only do my best to teach Xuanming to be a good person as soon as possible, so as to share your burden."

Listening to Tianji address him by his official title in a joking manner, Muyun Zhishu relaxed, a look of amusement on his face appeared on his face, and he became even more disrespectful in his speech.

"Such a gem, it's no wonder you're tempted, sir, but..." He drawled, a sly glint in his eyes.

"I'm afraid that even the strategist Yue, who is known as 'a shrewd strategist who can see the sky at a glance, will one day run out of patience and be at a loss when faced with Xuanming's temperament."

"Oh?" Yue Tianji raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued. "I'd like to hear more."

"After Xuanming asked for the books, I originally intended to..."

Mu Yunzhi recounted every word and pause from her conversation with Xuanming to Yue Tianji.

As he finished speaking, a hint of indescribable melancholy crept into his expression.

"This child overthinks things, his mind is full of twists and turns; if one is not careful, his words may easily lead to misunderstandings. It's truly difficult to..."

He paused, as if he had suddenly grasped something.

The vision that had been clouded by prejudice has now become clear.

He re-examined the difficult conversation that afternoon, and a sense of unease that had been overlooked gradually emerged.

"What's so difficult?" Yue Tianji asked calmly.

He seemed to have already sensed something was amiss, but for some reason, he simply looked at the student who was deep in thought and offered no explanation.

Mu Yunzhi pondered for a moment, organizing his thoughts: "I previously thought that he was afraid because he was intimidated by our long history of fighting on the battlefield and our profound prestige."

"But now that I think about it, since he regained consciousness, all he has said has been either 'sorry' or 'thank you'."

"Even when he was clearly not at fault, Huan Chenbuwu never showed him any favor."

"His deep-seated fear was more like... a fear of 'blame' itself."

The more he spoke, the clearer his thoughts became, but the deeper the doubt in his eyes grew.

"The Soul Emperor possesses natural majesty, and General Ling is displaying his sharp edge. It is understandable that Xuanming fears their wrath."

"But the teacher has always been gentle, and I do not consider myself a capricious person. Moreover, this is my first time meeting him."

"Where does this 'blame' come from?"

"What is the source of this inexplicable fear?"

Mu Yunzhi's thoughts remained at the level of "Xuanming's fear of the powerful's majesty".

Unable to glimpse further into the deeper, more unfathomable truth, Yue Tianji abandoned any further attempts to explain.

He knew that, if he spoke frankly, what the boy feared was not weapons or even death, but merely an unintentional rebuke or a look of disgust from someone else.

To them, this reason was nothing short of a fantasy.

Who would believe it unless they personally understand it?

Knowing it was futile, he didn't want to waste any more words.

"I have my own plans regarding Xuanming's matter." Yue Tianji lightly changed the subject, his tone returning to its usual calm and decisive manner.

"Go and deliver the order first."

"Furthermore, I have already informed the Soul Emperor, so you do not need to go and report again."

"Yes, student takes his leave."

Although Mu Yunzhi still had some unresolved doubts, seeing that her teacher had made a decision, she said no more, bowed, and quietly left the study.

The next day, the study still smelled of ink, but it was even quieter than usual.

Yue Tianji sat upright behind his desk, his fingertips tracing the words on the paper, his expression focused.

Suddenly, steady footsteps sounded outside the door, and a soldier in black armor respectfully reported from outside.

"Strategist, Young Master Xuanming is waiting for you outside the council hall."

Yue Tianji didn't look up, only replying calmly, "Bring him here."

A short while later, footsteps sounded again, lighter and more hesitant than before.

Xuanming appeared at the door. He was still wearing an indigo shirt, but his face seemed paler than yesterday.

His eyes held a hint of barely perceptible anticipation and nervousness.

He stepped into the study, first glancing quickly at Yue Tianji, who was bent over his desk, then lowered his eyes and spoke in a low, hoarse voice.

"Mr. Yue...you were looking for me."

"Is there... a way to heal the Soul Emperor's injuries?" He unconsciously clenched his sleeves.