8mi Chapter 518 : Let’s Take a Trip to the Western Regions
Chapter 518 : Let’s Take a Trip to the Western Regions
Many people know that the Headmaster of Bailu (White Deer) Academy keeps chickens.As for the chickens raised by the Headmaster of Bailu Academy, very few people would dare to harbor any improper thoughts—even though those chickens look extremely plump and delicious.
After all, these are the Headmaster's chickens.
In most people's hearts, the Headmaster is the highest authority—the most learned person in this world, and the most imposing figure in all of Bailu Academy.
You dare steal the Headmaster's chickens?
The Headmaster might very well send you down the mountain tomorrow to "train" for ten or twenty years before letting you come back.
But Xiao Mochi and the others dared to set their sights on these chickens.
Wang Shenghan felt this was definitely inappropriate, so he wanted to talk them out of it.
The problem was that Xiao Mochi and the others simply wouldn't listen.
And for his friends' sake, he couldn't very well go report them to the Headmaster himself, saying, "Headmaster, they want to steal your chickens."
So in the end, Wang Shenghan could only choose the peace of "out of sight, out of mind," and pretend he knew nothing about it.
Right now, Wang Shenghan only hoped the Headmaster wouldn't be too angry when the time came—and also hoped the three of them wouldn't go too far and steal all dozens of chickens away.
As for whether the Headmaster would notice, Wang Shenghan thought the chances were pretty high.
After all, those chickens were all raised by the Headmaster himself, day by day.
During the day, Xiao Mochi and the three others went into town and bought four pearl chicken chicks.
They didn't know whether the Headmaster's chickens were truly pearl chickens, or whether they merely looked like pearl chickens but actually carried the bloodline of some kind of divine beast.
But it didn't matter. In any case, buying a few pearl chicken chicks and swapping them in for the Headmaster should be fine, right?
Night fell.
Taking advantage of the fact that the Headmaster had gone out drinking, Xiao Mochi and the other three made their way into the back courtyard of the Bailu Academy Headmaster's residence.
Staring at those plump pearl chickens, the three of them easily caught four, then placed the pearl chicken chicks into the chicken coop.
About an hour later, Qi Zhengju returned to the courtyard.
Qi Zhengju had a habit: whenever he came back to his residence, he would always take a look at the pearl chickens he had painstakingly raised.
When Qi Zhengju looked into the coop, he rubbed his eyes, suspecting he had seen wrong.
Why had four of his pearl chickens turned into chicks?
Could it be that those few chickens had somehow become young again?
Qi Zhengju activated the formation in the courtyard to review what had happened during the time he was away.
If he hadn't looked, he wouldn't have known—once he did, he was utterly shocked.
Those three rascals—Xiao Mochi and the others—had actually used pearl chicken chicks to swap out the pearl chickens he'd raised.
Qi Zhengju could only press a hand to his forehead, speechless.
In all these years, they were the first ones who dared to come into his courtyard to steal chickens.
And weren't these fools just deceiving themselves?
Did they really think that by swapping in four chicks, he wouldn't be able to tell?
Meanwhile, after stealing four chickens, Xiao Mochi and the other three drained the blood, plucked the feathers, and scalded them clean, then put the four chickens on a fire rack to roast.
Before long, a rich fragrance of roast chicken wafted through the air.
Xiao Mochi brushed them with honey, then sprinkled on cumin and chili powder.
Everyone swallowed hard, practically dying to pounce on them.
Once the pearl chickens were done roasting, the group began to eat.
They didn't know whether it was because the pearl chickens had been raised so well, or because they had stolen them from the Headmaster, but somehow the meat felt even more tender, juicy, and delicious than usual.
Still, they were sure of one thing: these pearl chickens were completely ordinary, with nothing strange about them.
That made them relax even more. After all, it was just four normal chickens.
They didn't know why the Headmaster would raise such ordinary chickens, but the Headmaster truly had a knack for raising them—so much so that they even wanted to buy a few more pearl chickens and let the Headmaster raise them.
Originally, Wang Shenghan didn't want to eat.
But Xiao Mochi and the other two pinned him down and shoved chicken into his mouth. Forced to become their accomplice, Wang Shenghan could only accept his fate.
Besides, Wang Shenghan figured it was only four ordinary chickens. The Headmaster probably wouldn't be furious—but punishment was unavoidable.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before Xiao Mochi and the others were summoned.
Qi Zhengju directly exposed their chicken-stealing deed.
In the end, all four of them were punished with copying ancient texts, and their daily coursework was doubled.
Even Wang Shenghan didn't escape.
Although Wang Shenghan didn't appear in the formation recording, who could say he hadn't been standing watch from afar?
In any case, those four were all in it together—if they were to be punished, they would be punished as one.
Besides, Wang Shenghan didn't even bother to argue.
But to them, these punishments were nothing.
In the time that followed, Xiao Mochi and the other three still stole chickens from time to time—or else stole eggs.
As time went on, Qi Zhengju even grew used to it. Let them do whatever they wanted.
However, one new item was added to their curriculum: taking care of those pearl chickens.
Days passed one after another.
Life at the academy for the four of them was relaxed and pleasant.
Xiao Mochi even thought—
If life could go on like this forever, it wouldn't be such a bad thing.
When they reached the late stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, the four of them each refined their own natal magical artifact.
Xiao Mochi refined a Confucian classic named Collection of Heavenly Questions.
Lu Xiaoliu refined a Confucian blue robe.
Nan Wenmo refined a painting.
And Wang Shenghan refined a set of brush and inkstone tools.
All four of them were very satisfied with the natal objects they had refined.
They had already gone from ordinary scholars to Confucian sages.
Even if one didn't speak of their virtue, based on their learning alone, it wouldn't be long before they could contend for the title of Confucian Libationer.
"These past few years, you have all learned very well what I have taught you," Qi Zhengju said to the four of them during this lesson.
"Now, just like Teacher Jia before me, there is nothing more I can teach you.
"As Confucian scholars, we must go to the mortal dynasties and temper ourselves for a time, then decide whether to remain in the mortal world to take office, or return to the academy to study and cultivate further.
"You should do the same.
"But before that, there is one matter I need you to handle. This will also count as a trial for the four of you."
Wang Shenghan stepped forward, cupped his hands in salute, and asked, "Sir, what is this trial?"
Qi Zhengju stroked his beard and spoke slowly:
"I want you to make a trip to the Western Regions."