Chapter 1803: Li Leider's Request

Li Leider's Request

The hand Li Leider used to hold his chopsticks paused slightly.

Over these years, he had experienced too much. Establishing the Fire-Stealers sounded like it might be very simple, but only he himself knew the twists and turns and hardships involved... Coupled with how strict the Chengtian Domain's supervision over the major bastions was now, he had to be cautious at all times when outside. Even the slightest carelessness would lead to exposure.

Rank 8 sounded quite formidable already, but in this era, although Rank 8s couldn't be said to be as common as dogs, they certainly couldn't be called tyrannical figures who could come and go freely either.

But Li Leider naturally wouldn't say these things. After a brief silence, he ultimately just gave a casual answer:

"...It's alright."

"What do you mean alright? You've already lost a whole circle of weight," Luan Mei sighed. "Now that you're back this time, let your Third Martial Uncle give you some good nourishment... Strive to get fat again."

Li Leider hesitated to speak, a touch of helplessness surfacing on his face.

Coming back after so long, his martial uncles and aunts hadn't changed a bit...

Later, Li Leider had also asked his martial uncles and aunts this question. Most of them cleverly avoided the topic. Only Ning Ru Yu patted his shoulder and said the reason they were surprised was because they had never thought Chen Ling would take a disciple...

But thinking about it, it was reasonable. No matter how you looked at his Master, he seemed accustomed to being alone. Suddenly bringing a disciple back would indeed make people surprised.

Later on, as time passed, the attitudes of his martial uncles and aunts toward him went from subtle at the beginning to gradually gentle and patient, and later it was as if they had completely accepted him, caring for and looking after him meticulously.

The things Li Leider had never felt from his Master were filled in by his martial uncles and aunts. It was exactly because of this that he quite loved and respected these seniors, and it was also because of them that he slowly began to accept this "new home," the Ancient Vault of the Drama Path.

Right at this moment, as if remembering something, he hesitantly spoke:

"Right, Martial Uncles, Martial Aunt... Do you know of a ballad?"

"A ballad?" The three looked at each other. "What ballad?"

"A couple days ago, when the Ruoshui Bastion was destroyed, Master sang a ballad..." Li Leider recited two stanzas of the ballad's lyrics from memory.

Hearing this, Ning Ru Yu chuckled lightly:

"Oh, you're talking about the [Requiem Ballad]?"

"Requiem Ballad?"

"It's one of the four great secret arts of the Ancient Vault of the Drama Path, able to appease the souls of the dead. It's usually only used during a domain funeral... This is a secret art created by your Master's Master."

Li Leider was somewhat surprised. "Master also has a Master?"

"Of course."

"Then Grandmaster... What kind of person is he?" Li Leider was uncharacteristically curious. "Where is he now?"

Ning Ru Yu and the others fell silent.

The sound of stir-frying in the Kitchen also halted for an instant.

Li Leider meticulously caught the subtle change in the atmosphere. A vague thought surfaced in his mind... Sure enough, after the silence, Ning Ru Yu still softly answered:

"He... sacrificed himself."

Li Leider's pupils contracted slightly.

Sacrificed.

Li Leider immediately realized what this word meant... Grandmaster hadn't died of old age. This word was usually only used when confronting some powerful enemy. He died in battle?

Li Leider narrowed his deep blue eyes. For the first time since returning to the Ancient Vault of the Drama Path and withdrawing his edge, he revealed a fierceness that belonged exclusively to the King of the Fire-Stealers:

"We have an enemy? Are they still alive?"

"...Martial Nephew." Luan Mei's gaze was as deep as water.

"There is only one true enemy of our Dusk Society..."

She raised her hand and pointed at the sky.

Li Leider's gaze sharpened, as if understanding something, his expression somewhat complicated.

The Red Star, huh... If it were a creature like a human or a Calamity, no matter how strong, Li Leider felt he would definitely have a way to crush the other party in the future. But the Red Star... Putting aside just how unsolvable that existence was, it wouldn't even easily descend upon Earth. In other words, in any given era, there were only one or two opportunities to deal with the Red Star.

Moreover, his Master was already strong to this extent. Li Leider didn't dare to imagine how strong his Grandmaster must have been. Even at that level, he had still lost to the Red Star.

"So, the Lord of Ruoshui is only the beginning," Li Leider paused for a moment. "Afterwards, the Dusk Society will give funerals to all the domains before the world can be rebooted..."

"Correct." Ning Ru Yu nodded.

"However, your Master is already looking for a way to completely destroy the Red Star... If things go smoothly, that would be best. If not..."

Ning Ru Yu didn't say the latter half of the sentence, but Li Leider already understood his meaning.

But even Grandmaster had failed. Could his Master really defeat the Red Star? In case he also failed, would he also be like Grandmaster... and sacrifice himself?

Li Leider was silent for a long time. Finally, as if making up his mind, he looked up at Ning Ru Yu and the others:

"Martial Uncles, Martial Aunt, I... want to learn the [Requiem Ballad]."

Once this sentence came out, Ning Ru Yu and the others were somewhat surprised.

"You... want to learn the Requiem Ballad?"

"Is that not allowed?" Li Leider asked in return. "The Requiem Ballad shouldn't be something only the Path of the Actor can learn... Master also isn't of the Path of the Actor. If he could learn it, I should be able to as well."

"Although it's not strictly necessary to be of the Path of the Actor to learn the Requiem Ballad, it's not that simple either. Unless one has very strong talent in 'Theater', it's very difficult to learn." Mo Jue seemed to recall something and added a sentence,

"Your Master's talent in 'Theater' is extremely formidable."

Li Leider frowned tightly, falling into deep thought.

After an unknown amount of time,

He still spoke unwillingly:

"...I want to try."

Ning Ru Yu and the others looked at each other and nodded imperceptibly. Then, Mo Jue turned his head and said to Li Leider:

"If you want to try learning it, I can also teach you... However, it's best you don't hold too much hope."

"Thank you, Fourth Senior Uncle!" Li Leider was somewhat delighted. He subsequently said, "Also... Martial Uncles, Martial Aunt, regarding this matter... can you temporarily not tell my Master?"

"Why?"

"..." Li Leider didn't answer.

Ning Ru Yu and the others understood Li Leider's meaning. He was too competitive and cared too much about face. If he ultimately failed to learn something his Master had previously learned, he naturally wouldn't want Chen Ling to know.

Before Ning Ru Yu could say anything, Wen Renyou walked out of the Kitchen carrying the food.

"Time to eat."

Wen Renyou placed Li Leider's small bowl in front of him.

Li Leider stared wide-eyed in astonishment at the "rice tower" stacked up from the small bowl before him. It was thick, round, and a full hand's span high...

Wen Renyou satisfactorily handed this bowl of "eight-in-one" rice to Li Leider, then contently went to serve the other dishes, dropping a sentence:

"Remember to eat it all."