svetikya Chapter 27 True Feelings Exist in the World
Chapter 27 True Feelings Exist in the World
"Still worried about Brother Sun's matter?" Luo Su understood, reached out and grabbed Duan Yu by the back of his collar, and with a light step, the two of them floated back to the rooftop.
After sitting down, Duan Yu couldn't wait to uncork a wine pot, tilt his head back and take a big gulp. The spicy wine made him cough a few times, and only then did his face regain some color.
"More or less," Duan Yu wiped his mouth, handed another wine jug to Russell, and then, gazing at the dark outline of the city walls in the distance, said with a troubled expression, "Brother Luo, do you think I'm too useless?"
"Why did this idea suddenly come to you?" Russell took the flask and took a sip. The liquor was ordinary strong liquor, rough and potent.
"Since leaving Dali City, Brother Luo, you've basically done everything. I feel like a burden, unable to help with anything." Duan Yu's voice lowered.
"You can't say that. At least without you, Brother Duan, I'd still be wandering around in circles in Dali," Russell said, patting Duan Yu on the shoulder to comfort him.
He was telling the truth. If Duan Yu hadn't been his guide, he might have wandered around in the deep mountains and forests for a long time.
"As for Brother Sun's matter, it has nothing to do with you. It's an unexpected disaster. No one could have predicted that things would develop like this, just like whether you can enter Wudu or not."
No, they're not the same.
Duan Yu shook his head:
"My father and uncle always urged me to learn martial arts, whether it was to strengthen my body or to protect my country. But I always felt that the world was in the books of sages and that martial arts were just a means of fighting and killing. I thought it would be of little use and would only increase the killing. But today I regret it. I suddenly realized that martial arts can not only kill people, but also save them. If I had learned the One Finger Divine Skill, would I have been able to help more people in this situation?"
"You..." Russell sighed softly.
The three main characters of Tian Long Ba Bu have very different personalities.
Xiao Feng is a man of great courage and integrity, as reliable as a mountain.
Xu Zhu was compassionate, strictly adhered to the precepts, and possessed a pure and unblemished heart.
Duan Yu, however, was born into royalty, lived a life of luxury, and enjoyed a smooth and successful first half of his life. He was detached from worldly affairs and cultivated a rare and innocent heart.
Aside from regressing into a sycophant when he met Wang Yuyan, he always treated people with the utmost goodwill. Even when faced with hardships and tribulations, he was always able to respond with sincerity and kindness.
"Brother Luo, I won't accompany you on the rest of the journey," Duan Yu said earnestly after thinking for a moment. "I met Uncle Chu and Uncle Gu during the day who came looking for me. I'm going back to Dali City with them. I'll come back to find you when I've mastered the One-Finger Divine Skill."
The Uncle Chu and Uncle Gu he mentioned were Chu Wanli and Gu Ducheng, two of the four great retainers of the Dali Duan family: fisherman, woodcutter, farmer, and scholar.
"Since you've put it that way, I won't try to persuade you any further. I wish you success in your studies," Russell said, raising his wine jug and clinking it against Duan Yu's. Then he asked, "When do you plan to set off?"
Duan Yu also raised the wine jug and took a big gulp, wincing from the spiciness: "We'll set off at dawn."
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a change in mindset. This change is not a natural transition, but requires a catalyst for transformation. This catalyst may be a trivial matter or a matter of life and death.
But whatever it is, and regardless of whether one can persevere, when this opportunity arises, it means that the person has the motivation to make a change.
Just like Duan Yu at this moment.
As dawn broke, Duan Yu did not bid farewell to anyone. He and Gu Ducheng and Chu Wanli, the three of them on horseback, rode away into the distance, facing the rising sun.
Russell stood on the city wall to see him off. A gentle breeze stirred, ruffling his clothes. He watched Duan Yu disappear into the pale blue outline of the distant mountains where the sky met the earth. Suddenly, he thought to himself that the One-Finger Divine Skill required strong internal energy. He wondered if Duan Yu could still achieve what he claimed without the Northern Darkness Divine Skill as an external advantage.
A morning breeze swept by, bringing the chill of the distant mountains. Russell shook his head and chuckled. He had chosen this path himself, and he was walking it himself. All he could do now was hope that the boy would get what he wanted.
Oh, and I should mention it to Kumārajīva later, lest that the worldline he worked so hard to change is twisted back by that bald monk.
Back at the Sun family courtyard, Sun Ping's injuries had improved considerably compared to yesterday. Although he was still unconscious, at least his life had been saved, and all that remained was for him to recover slowly.
Besides the many precious medicinal herbs that Duan Yu collected from the city, the main reason for their success was Sun Ping's honest reputation built up over the years in business. When the shopkeeper learned of the family's misfortune, he generously provided a century-old ginseng root to save their lives.
The price was to sign a contract with Madam Su, agreeing that once Sun Ping recovered, he would receive an extra 30% of the gross profit every year until the debt was paid off.
Mu Wanqing simply said that merchants are greedy and callous, and that the business guilds are even more exploitative and heartless. Even Brother Sun is in such a state, yet he is still haggling over money.
Russell, however, knew that this was because true human kindness still existed.
Even Hua Tuo would have to shake his head at Sun Ping's injuries. The shopkeeper even sent him old ginseng to prolong his life, so he had no intention of getting his money back.
After all, regardless of whether it lives or dies, the value of this old ginseng is something that Sun Ping could never repay.
The reason for drawing up a contract is simply to avoid breaking the rules, and more importantly, to give the recipient peace of mind.
It's all written down in black and white, clearly stating whether it's a loan or a debt, and that the debt will be repaid when the borrower is able to. What does it matter if the borrower can't repay it or can't repay it in full?
"Where did that idiot go?" Seeing Russell return alone, with no sign of Duan Yu, Mu Wanqing couldn't help but ask.
Russell sat down at the table and poured himself a glass of water: "Back to Dali."
To be honest, he's been in the world of Tianlong for almost a month now. During this month, except for the first few days, he's spent most of his time with Duan Yu. Now that Duan Yu is gone, he's really not used to it.
"Young Master Luo, Miss Mu." Madam Su came out from the inner room at this moment. The torment of the past few days had made her lose a lot of weight, but the despair and confusion between her brows had dissipated, and her complexion had recovered a lot.
"Mrs. Su." Russell and Mu Wanqing nodded in response.
Russell noticed that little Ayan was following behind Madam Su. The little girl had changed into a clean floral jacket, her hair was neatly combed, and she looked very energetic.
"Is Madam taking Ayan out?" Russell asked.
Madam Su shook her head, gently pulled Ayan forward, and said softly, "There is a lantern festival in the city tonight, but Ping-ge can't be left alone here, and I really can't leave. So I would like to humbly ask Young Hero Luo and Miss Mu if they could take Ayan to the lantern festival. The child has been frightened these past two days, and she should see some excitement to get rid of the bad luck."