Chapter 455: How Many Geniuses Are There?

After a long while, Wei Yuan watched Liu Dongzhu finish leafing through "The Gentleman's Sayings", and Wang Ping'an's glossy black eyes instantly left the book; deep in his gaze, a hint of surprise could not be hidden.

Although.

He knows Wang Ping'an was only just born; let alone being literate, he hasn't even formed memories, so he could not possibly understand this "The Gentleman's Sayings".

Even a scholar who has read poetry and books for years might not be able to master this "The Gentleman's Sayings", let alone an infant.

But for some unknown reason, as he watched Wang Ping'an's glossy black eyes fixedly stare at the "The Gentleman's Sayings" that Liu Dongzhu opened, there was not a hint of impatience.

Only after Liu Dongzhu finished leafing through "The Gentleman's Sayings" did Wang Ping'an withdraw his gaze, and a wave of amazement rose in his heart.

"Could this be another qilin child? So fond of books? If he grows up, will he also make the imperial list, perhaps even become a 'Tan Hua'—no, a 'Zhuang Yuan'?"

Wei Yuan couldn't help a silent sigh, his eyes sweeping over Wang Ping'an, Liu Dongzhu, Wang Lin and Zhang Guihua; deep in his gaze, a flash of jealousy flickered and vanished, and, unwillingly, he said:

"How biased the heavens are; what difference does their family have that it has produced two qilin children in succession?"

The proverb says: at three you see greatness, at seven you see old age!

Wang Ping'an is merely a newborn infant, yet he can stare unblinkingly at a book for a long time without any sign of impatience, no different from a scholar laboriously reading a classic.

Once, twice… he could call it an accident, but this is no longer once or twice; it has happened three full times, and even if he tries to convince himself it was mere coincidence, he cannot persuade himself.

What makes this world so full of people born with extraordinary phenomena? For example, during his term, Qingyang County produced a monster like Dai Tianli.

At that time he was in the county office enjoying an opera—performed by his private troupe he kept at home, many pieces unsuitable for outsiders; he became so engrossed that he felt as if he were ten or twenty years younger.

While preparing to refine his spear technique, a sudden anomaly appeared over Qingyang County, nearly startling him, fearing that monsters might be attacking Qingyang County.

Although.

Such incidents are exceedingly rare; monsters would have to be either daring as a bear's heart and a leopard's gall, or have their heads caught in a door, otherwise they could never assault Qingyang County.

First, Qingyang County belongs to Daxia; attacking it would be a provocation against the court; second, Qingyang County is a lower‑rank county, average in all respects, with no treasures worth a monster's strong assault.

However, as the old saying goes: not fearing ten thousand, but fearing the one in ten thousand.

This world truly does not lack monsters with their heads caught in doors!

Just as he worried that Qingyang County might be attacked by monsters and was about to call Tang Anzhi to protect his life—cough, cough—to have Tang Anzhi deal with the monsters assaulting Qingyang County and safeguard the locals—

He did not expect a constable from the county office to rush over and inform him that the anomaly over Qingyang County was caused by the newly born young master of the Dai family.

He told him that this newborn Dai young master possesses a Primordial Sword Body, and that a cultivator who claimed to be the Supreme Elder of the Nine Heavens Sword Sect happened to pass by, saw the Primordial Sword Body, and wished to take the Dai youngster as a disciple.

Filled with jealousy, he slandered this so‑called Supreme Elder of the Nine Heavens Sword Sect as an Evil Cultivator posing as a master, deliberately deceiving the Dai family, claiming to take a disciple when in fact he intended to harm the Dai young master.

When he took the Primordial Sword Body Dai young master away, he didn't even know how the Dai youngster died.

How could he know.

The constable who came to report whispered that the Supreme Elder of the Nine Heavens Sword Sect, mindful that the Dai young master had just been born and still depended on his mother, planned to stay with the Dai family for a few years, waiting until the youngster grew up and became sensible before taking him to the Nine Heavens Sword Sect for cultivation!

Hearing this news, the dark thoughts in his heart were instantly dispelled; apart from jealousy, his heart was filled with intense envy. How could he still doubt that it was genuine?

He is a member of the Wei family from Qingpu Prefecture; with the name of the Nine Heavens Sword Sect, how could he not know that some of his clan have entered the Nine Heavens Sword Sect for cultivation?

Even though he is merely an inner‑gate disciple, he returns to his clan with an unbridled pride; even now, he cannot forget.

Dai Tianli was taken as a disciple by the Supreme Elder of the Nine Heavens Sword Sect; from the start he was a direct disciple. Though the difference between a direct disciple and an inner‑gate disciple may seem merely a rank, within the Nine Heavens Sword Sect the gap is as vast as heaven and earth.

Moreover.

Dai Tianli, possessing a Primordial Sword Body and having the Supreme Elder as his master, believes that being a direct disciple is not his endpoint but merely his starting point; Dai Tianli's ultimate limit is something he dares not even imagine.

At that time, it was his first time feeling jealousy toward a newborn child.

Until now, when he saw Wang Ping'an, saw Wang Ping'an staring unblinkingly at a book, jealousy rose in his heart once again.

Although Wang Ping'an's situation could never be compared with Dai Tianli's, it is not something he can match.

He considers himself a genius, yet he was born completely ordinary, with no abnormality whatsoever.

Although Wang Ping'an's background is ordinary, given the example of Wang Ruhai, he cannot imagine what achievements the book‑loving Wang Ping'an, who has been interested in books since childhood, will attain in the future.

This novel you…

At this moment.

When he thinks of the boundless future achievements of Wang Ping'an, who might meet his death at the hands of the Prime Minister's Daughter—or perhaps by his own hand—his heart, for reasons unknown, is filled with an indescribable excitement.

Lü Tu looked at the smile on Wei Yuan's face, which did not seem like a good man's; his brows slightly furrowed, and in an unfriendly tone he said:

"County Magistrate Wei, what's wrong with you? Did you think of something happy?"

Wei Yuan snapped back to his senses, meeting Lü Tu's unfriendly gaze, worried that his ulterior motive might be seen, and hurriedly replied:

"Thousand Commander Lü, you're right; I did think of something happy. When I think of it, the Qingyang County under my jurisdiction has this child—right, what's the child's name again?"

Dai Zhishang reminded: "Wang Ping'an!"

"Right, right, right… this child Wang Ping'an!"

Wei Yuan flattered: "Thinking that Wang Ping'an will become a Confucian gentleman in the future makes me, as County Magistrate of Qingyang County, very happy!"

"I even thought you were after that courtesan again, wanting to redeem her and take her as a concubine in your household!"

Lü Tu let out a cold snort, not disparaging the Confucian gentleman; although he is a martial cultivator who looks down on many scholars, deeming them thieves and courtesans, he still respects the Confucian gentleman and said:

"What does a Confucian gentleman amount to? This child Ping'an will become a Martial Immortal in the future!"

"He will also become a Sword Immortal!"

Yu Die smiled and said: "Madam Wang, could you let Ping'an take a look at my 'Light and Shadow Sword Art'?"

(End of Chapter)