Don't Go to Da Liang, Don't Meet Pang Juan

Sun Boling bowed to Verdant Green Maiden and shook his head, saying, "This disciple is still far from matching Master! How could I speak of leaving the mountain?"

"Why are you so intense about this?"

Verdant Green Maiden muttered, drawing a confused hum from Sun Boling. When he looked up, she had already hurried away, running as she shouted, "Boling, catch that bird, and I'll let you stay!"

Sun Boling froze for a moment, his body moving before his mind, and he hastily grabbed Hong Luan midair.

"Wow! Stupid Snake, you have no honor!!"

Hong Luan struggled in Sun Boling's grasp but could only watch helplessly as Verdant Green Maiden gulped down the fruit whole.

"Boo hoo... That was a seed I finally picked out, planted it would surely bear better fruit next year, and you just ate it!"

Sun Boling looked awkward and could only soothe Hong Luan.

"Immortal Envoy, don't cry. There are plenty of fruits in the world better than this one. You and Master have eternal life, you'll find them eventually."

At these words, Verdant Green Maiden raised a thumb from the side and praised, "Mm, makes sense!"

But Hong Luan was beyond reason.

After Verdant Green Maiden swallowed that fruit, Hong Luan ignored the snake for a full month.

Without Hong Luan's chattering, Verdant Green Maiden felt off-kilter. So, on a dark and windy night, she slipped out of Gui Gu Zi's valley and vanished for over half a month. Just when Hong Luan thought she might truly have no heart and abandoned her, she returned to the valley, dusty and travel-worn.

"Bird Sister, look at this!"

Snake Girl opened her palm, where a fruit lay steadily.

In both color and plumpness, it was far better than the one she had eaten!

Hong Luan was stunned and asked, "You went looking for fruit?"

Verdant Green Maiden nodded, "Yeah!"

No sooner had she spoken than a green shadow pounced into her arms. Hong Luan sobbed and cursed, "Stupid Snake, I thought you didn't want me anymore! It's just a fruit, eaten is eaten. This bird is generous, consider it feeding a snake!"

"Hehe."

Verdant Green Maiden scratched her head.

Behind her, Sun Boling saw this and laughed as well.

He cupped his hands to Verdant Green Maiden and said, "Master, this disciple wishes to conduct another Temple Calculation with you. Please grant your guidance."

"No problem!"

Verdant Green Maiden waved her hand grandly and entered the Quiet Room. Each took command of a state's forces, waging war through strategy. Compared to the last Temple Calculation, Sun Boling had improved greatly, yet he still could not defeat Verdant Green Maiden. He always felt he was missing something, but what exactly?

He had done his best at every step, yet could only tie with Verdant Green Maiden.

Sun Boling could not figure it out.

One year, two years, three years!

By the time Pang Juan had risen to fame in Wei State, appointed as a general, and Gui Gu Zi's reputation had grown through Pang Juan's rise, with more and more visitors coming to the valley, Sun Boling remained inside, as if he would not stop until he surpassed Verdant Green Maiden!

Every time she saw him studying military strategy, Verdant Green Maiden sighed with emotion.

Can't you stop being so intense?

Still, though she thought this, having such a disciple brought her a sense of comfort.

After losing to Verdant Green Maiden in another Temple Calculation, Sun Boling looked dejected.

He lowered his head and bowed deeply to Verdant Green Maiden, blaming himself, "Master, this disciple fears he will never surpass you in this lifetime! Master, truly a Banished Immortal!"

Verdant Green Maiden tossed the fruit, glancing at Sun Boling. She was merely well-traveled and knowledgeable; when it came to true skill in Arranging Troops and Formations, a genius was always a genius. She took a bite of the fruit and said, "You're just imitating me! But you shouldn't be doing that."

"I am your disciple, Master. If I don't learn from you, what should I learn?"

Sun Boling was puzzled.

Verdant Green Maiden tapped Sun Boling's head and walked away. Sun Boling stood still for a long time, until dark, when the moon rose above the treetops. Then, as if struck by lightning, he came to his senses and sighed softly, "So that's it. Thank you, Master, for enlightening me! This disciple understands!"

The so-called grasp one, understand all, was no different.

After that night, Sun Boling entered Seclusion for over a month. When he Exited Seclusion, his face was full of confidence.

"Master, please conduct another Temple Calculation with me!"

Verdant Green Maiden readily agreed, "Alright!"

And this time, Sun Boling won.

When his army breached Verdant Green Maiden's capital, he still felt as if in a dream! He was facing Master! The one who never made mistakes, whose Arranging Troops and Formations and strategic deductions were all top-notch!

But he had won!

Sun Boling took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Verdant Green Maiden.

"Master, this disciple should Graduate!"

Verdant Green Maiden's gaze fell on him. After a long silence, she asked, "Where do you wish to go?"

"To find Senior Disciple. He is in Da Liang. We agreed on it long ago."

Sun Boling replied.

Verdant Green Maiden opened her mouth, as if to speak, then stopped. A few days later, she saw Sun Boling off at the valley entrance. Just before he left, she finally called out to him, "Lad! I have something to tell you."

Sun Boling looked at her blankly, cupping his hands and said, "Master, please speak."

"Don't go to Da Liang. Don't meet Pang Juan."

After dropping these eight words, Verdant Green Maiden waved him away. "Go on, Ghost Valley doesn't keep idlers!"

Sun Boling didn't understand what Verdant Green Maiden meant by this, but when Pang Juan learned he had left the mountain, he immediately sent someone to invite him to Da Liang for a meeting! Sun Boling hesitated for a moment, torn between Verdant Green Maiden's warning and Pang Juan's invitation, and in the end chose to accept the invitation.

When Hong Luan reported this to Verdant Green Maiden, she only sighed.

"As expected, I can't change history."

Hong Luan saw her sigh and asked, "If Sun Boling goes to Da Liang, will something happen?"

Verdant Green Maiden nodded. Hong Luan continued, "Then you could have just kept him in Ghost Valley and made sure he never went to Da Liang! You have the ability."

"Those who come to Ghost Valley to study all yearn for the world! I can't keep him."

Verdant Green Maiden shook her head, no longer dwelling on it. She waved her hand grandly and called out to Hong Luan, "Let's go! Hong Luan, today you'll accompany me to hunt a few wild boars."

Hong Luan couldn't help but shake her head at this. When Snake Girl was in a bad mood, those wild boars were just out of luck.

Wei Du, Da Liang.

Pang Juan, now a general, welcomed Sun Boling with the utmost ceremony.

He grabbed Sun Boling's hand and led him straight toward his General's Mansion, speaking as they walked, "Junior Disciple, it's been years. You've finally come! Now that your Senior Disciple is a general of Great Wei, how about becoming my retainer?"

"Whatever Senior Disciple arranges."

Sun Boling was a bit flustered, deferring entirely to Pang Juan's arrangements.

After the banquet, in the backyard of the General's Mansion, Pang Juan dismissed his attendants, leaving only himself and Sun Boling alone.

His eyes gleamed, the hawk-and-wolf gaze honed in the Imperial Court fixed intently on Sun Boling. He lowered his voice and asked, "Junior Disciple, in these years you stayed in the valley, did Master teach you any new military strategy, or... other knowledge?"

Sun Boling didn't understand Pang Juan's meaning. He shook his head honestly and replied, "Nothing else. I've been studying the military strategy I already learned."

"Just that?"

Pang Juan frowned. Sun Boling nodded gently. "Yes, just that."

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