Following the Rules

As Si Ming was lost in thought, the car arrived at the Codex University.

Cuan Er asked, "Would you like to go see where you'll rest and stay first, or go and complete the transfer procedures?"

Yan Jinghong said to Ling Huanxi, "You take these two to complete the formalities; I have to go out first."

Ling Huanxi stared at Yan Jinghong for a while, then nodded without saying anything.

Si Ming watched Yan Jinghong's departing figure, stroking his chin and pondering, "Master must have gone to see the eldest aunt. He's in such a hurry; there's definitely something fishy going on."

He then asked Ling Huanxi, "Master, does the eldest master enjoy drinking? When we went through customs, I saw Master carrying a bottle of Jade Jade Dew Wine, which I suppose was a special gift for the eldest master."

Ling Huanxi nodded and said, "Jade Jade Dew Wine was Second Sister's favorite wine when she was alive. It was also the wine we drank on the day we became sworn sisters..."

"B-before death!"

Chapter 481 Rules

The Heroic Martyrs Garden is a cemetery where only heroes who made significant contributions during their lifetime or sacrificed their lives for a greater cause are qualified to be buried.

Unlike crowded and monotonous public cemeteries, the Heroic Martyrs Garden is very spacious, with each hero having their own private space. Their tombstones are usually surrounded by marble railings, making the graves look like the owner's private courtyard. Even the ground is paved with marble slabs and is very clean. The per capita area is even larger than the per capita living area of the citizens of Faxian City, and each grave is arranged according to the deceased's hobbies and habits during their lifetime.

The tomb courtyard where Yan Jinghong was located was filled with all kinds of weapons, including knives, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks, far exceeding the eighteen kinds of weapons. This proved that the owner of this place must have been fond of wielding weapons in his lifetime. In addition to weapons, there were all kinds of wine vessels: zun, hu, qu, zhi, min, jian, hu, gong, weng, bu, yi... almost every kind that could be named was there, like a museum of wine culture.

"Yinglan, I've come to see you."

Yan Jinghong placed the Jade Jade Dew Wine in front of the tombstone, stared at the name on it, hesitated to speak, and ultimately said nothing, standing there silently for more than three hours.

As the sun set, its light faded, the sky darkened, and the earth turned crimson, he finally spoke, "I have so much to say to you, yet I don't know where to begin. The Mohist School don't believe in reincarnation, and I don't know if you can hear me. If you return to Taiwei, you'll surely know everything... Don't worry, although my brother and I walk different paths, our destinations are the same. There's no conflict between us; we're just racing to see who reaches the finish line first. The reason I haven't gone to see him is because I'm afraid he'll question me about why I didn't protect you. I'm ashamed to face him, so I can only hide from him."

As they were speaking, a fallen leaf drifted by on the wind and landed right on top of the tombstone.

Just as Yan Jinghong was about to reach out to brush it away, she noticed an ant crawling on the leaf. So she picked up the leaf and carefully placed it on the ground.

"It's about time I leave. I hope my monkey-like apprentice won't cause any trouble. Don't worry, I'll stay here for a while and come see you whenever I have time."

Before leaving, Yan Jinghong gathered his energy in his palm and used it as a rag to wipe away the dust on the tombstone. Then, his fingers traced the inscription on the tombstone, from the deceased's name to the epitaph. "I would spare no expense to buy a precious sword, and exchange a fur coat for wine. I cherish my passionate blood, for even when it is spilled, it can still transform into a blue wave."

Let go of my hand!

An angry voice suddenly came from behind. Yan Jinghong turned around and saw a young man who looked very young.

"Ying Tao, are you here to pay respects at your sister's grave too?"

"Don't call my name! Who gave you permission to see my sister? Get out of here!"

The young man rushed forward to shove him. With Yan Jinghong's cultivation level, he could have easily dodged, but he ultimately did not dodge. He stood still and let the other party push him away.

The young man, still seething with anger, glanced down at the Jade Jade Dew Wine placed before the tombstone, immediately picked it up, and threw it forcefully away. "Don't use your Xilai insult my sister!"

Yan Jinghong leaped forward and caught the wine bottle, saying, "This is your sister's favorite wine. Even if you hate me, there's no need to prevent your sister from drinking it."

"Shut up! My sister has no interest in anything from a murderer like you. You're just crocodile tears, pretending to be kind. How dare you even show your face here? My sister must have been blind to have ever fallen for you!"

Yan Jinghong said calmly, "It's fine if you hate me, but don't talk about Yinglan like that."

Realizing he had misspoke, the young man's face flushed red, and he retorted defiantly, "You're not allowed to call my sister by her name! As the murderer, you have no right to! Get out! And never come back!"

"Ying Tao, shut up!"

A middle-aged man of about forty years old stepped in through the door. He was tall and strong, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. His gaze was very mature and experienced, as if he had experienced many vicissitudes. Moreover, every move he made exuded the temperament of a leader. He had obviously been in a high position for many years. Furthermore, his internal energy was strong, round and concentrated, clearly indicating that he was also a Spirit Transformation Grandmaster.

"Jinghong, it's been a long time. Your cultivation has become even more profound. You've accomplished many great things over the years. Even though we're separated by an ocean, I often hear news of you. You've truly become a world-renowned hero. If Lanmei could see you now, she would be so glad that she didn't misjudge you back then."

Unlike the young man, the middle-aged man did not immediately become hostile and angry upon meeting Yan Jinghong. Instead, he greeted her with a pleasant demeanor.

"Brother, why did you greet him? He's the murderer who killed Sister Yinglan, our enemy!" The young man glared at Yan Jinghong. "What kind of hero is he? He's nothing but a hypocrite!"

The middle-aged man snapped, "I told you to shut up! I've told you the truth about what happened back then many times. Yinglan did it willingly, and Brother Jinghong was forced into it. He was also in great pain!"

"What's he suffering for?" The young man glared at Yan Jinghong. "I don't care about the truth you're telling me. All I know is that my sister sacrificed herself that day, and he, the murderer, became a hero praised by everyone. He used my sister's life to achieve a reputation for selflessness..."

"Enough! I thought you'd matured a bit after going to college, but you're still so immature. Don't argue in front of your sister; she doesn't want to see this... If you're truly thinking of Yinglan's best interests, and not just venting your anger."

The young man had originally intended to hurl insults, but after hearing the last words, he turned to look at his sister's tombstone, swallowed back the words that were about to spill from his mouth, glared fiercely at Yan Jinghong a few times, and then ran away.

The middle-aged man shook his head helplessly and said to Yan Jinghong, "The child is ignorant, I hope you can understand."

"I understand. If I were the one who lost a family member, I would also find it impossible to forgive. No matter how many reasons there are, it doesn't change the fact that I was the one who did it."

"Sigh, try to look on the bright side. Yinglan doesn't want to see you wallowing in self-pity. She wants the little brother she's chosen to be a heroic figure, not a gloomy, melancholic young master..." The middle-aged man suddenly chuckled. "If Yinglan were here, she'd definitely shove a bottle up your mouth and make you drink without saying a word."

Yan Jinghong shook her head helplessly and said, "That's definitely her style."

"You really are being unfair. You came to France without telling me. Do you only have eyes for Yinglan and not for me, your older brother? We've drunk together and even killed thieves together. If Yinglan hadn't stopped me back then, I would have become sworn brothers with you... I understand now. You busy man, you definitely didn't come here just to sweep Yinglan's grave. You must have another mission."

Yan Jinghong was about to explain when the other party waved his hand and said, "No need to explain. I'm not interested in your mission. In any case, since you've come to France, I have to show you some hospitality. You can't refuse, otherwise, who knows when we'll meet again."

Seeing that she couldn't refuse such hospitality, Yan Jinghong could only nod in agreement. "Alright, but I still have two juniors with me, so I can't go back too late..."

"We won't leave until we're drunk tonight!" The middle-aged man grabbed him and pulled him away, not giving him a chance to speak.

Si Ming and Murong Qing completed their enrollment procedures and were taken to the dormitory by Cuan Er. Since it was a single room, there was no distinction between male and female dormitories, and they all lived in the same building. Moreover, out of consideration, the two were assigned to rooms in a row.

Cuan Er explained, "This dormitory is in the elite section, originally only for students from noble families. There's 24-hour hot water, and the lobby downstairs offers three meals a day, including afternoon tea and late-night snacks, as well as various pastries. Remember to keep your student ID card safe; if you lose it, please reissue it promptly. If you need any help, feel free to come find me anytime."

"Thank you for your trouble, sir," Murong Qing said gratefully.