Chapter 24: Grandpa Jun’s Dilemma
Translator: Novel_Saga Editor: Novel_Saga
Suddenly, Little Ke realized that Grandpa Jun was standing at the door. She was shocked. However, she quickly regained her composure, and kneeled down in salutation. She then said, “These treasures were won by the Young Master in gambling.”
“He won these treasures? He won?” Grandpa Jun said in a surprised tone. He would’ve shouted out these words if he had been alone. However, there was still a trace of suspicion in his mind. [When did this wastrel start to win money? He has never won a single liang since the time he has started to gamble.] The entire Jun estate would’ve been gambled away by Jun Mo Xie if Grandpa Jun hadn’t limited the money that he could gamble to his pocket-money. But now, Jun Mo Xie had won treasures like these…
“I’m saying the truth. These treasures have been won by the Young Master. This maid can never dare to lie in front of you. Young Master has also won three-million liang in silver bills. I think he has won all this from Young Master Li and Young Master Meng. The Young Master asked me to arrange this treasure before he left for the library,” Little Ke replied without any hesitation.
Little Ke was filled with pride since Jun Mo Xie had never won anything before. And now, he had won these extraordinary treasures. Jun Mo Xie had become extremely capable in her eyes all of a sudden. She was still a little scared of her master. However, she now felt that there was a change in his personality. He was at least not as abhorrent as before.
“That wastrel went to the library again?” Grandpa Jun was pleasantly surprised. He wasn’t only happy that he won’t have to deal with a new problem, but also that his grandson had gone to the library. He looked ahead with blank eyes. He couldn’t handle the overwhelming emotions. He felt his forehead with trembling hands to make sure that he wasn’t suffering from a fever. He then checked his ears to make sure that he had heard everything right. After that, he felt a little relieved.
“Alright. Tell him to come and meet me once he’s back.” Then, Grandpa Jun left the room along with the housekeeper Old Pang. Little Ke was once again left alone with the money. She continued to calculate the value of the treasures, “These accompaniment jades can be sold for at least one-hundred-thousand liang… this bead and this gemstone can be sold for at least a hundred-fifty-thousand liang… and that… along with these silver bills… wow…”
Jun Zhan Tian seemed confused. “What do you think, Old Pang?” He had been unable to understand the change that had taken place in his grandson’s personality during the past month. What was his grandson planning? What was he doing?
“I don’t know anything except that the changes in Young Master’s personality are extremely positive.” Old Pang also looked confused. However, it was a good thing that Grandpa Jun wasn’t supposed to deal with any kind of mess on account of Jun Mo Xie.
“Mo Xie really seems interested in reading. What do you think – should I send him to the Weng Xing Institute of Knowledge?” Grandpa Jun asked with a hopeful expression on his face. Weng Xing Institute of Knowledge was the leading place of learning for the scholars of the kingdom. The combined number of teachers and students in the institute were less than a thousand. This number was very small if the population of hundreds of millions of people in the Tian Xiang kingdom was taken into account. This meant that only the people with high talent and accomplishments were qualified to enter this place. The kingdom employed these students as soon as they completed their graduation. However, the students in this institute were made to undergo great challenges in order to complete their graduation.
The Weng Xing Institute of knowledge could be termed as a golden road for the scholars of the kingdom.
Not even a prince or a princess was allowed to enter the Weng Xing Insitute of Knowledge if they didn’t possess the required talent.
Therefore, Grandpa Jun truly believed that Jun Mo Xie had become a new person as he was planning to send him to the Weng Xing Institute.
“I think it would be quite difficult.” [How can Jun Mo Xie enter into the Weng Xing Institute of Knowledge? All the people who have been accepted in the institute in the past had studied for several years. The people who are qualified to enter this institute are the most recognized geniuses. So, how can Jun Mo Xie enter the institute after reading for a month?]
Old Pang couldn’t answer Grandpa Jun’s question in a straightforward manner. So, he continued to speak, “The Weng Xing Institute is too pedantic for the Young Master. What if he goes there and faces obstacles? I think we should wait and observe for some more time.”
“Hmmm… It’s so unfortunate that Mo Xie’s level of Xuan Qi cultivation is mediocre. It would’ve been great if he could enter into the Divine Xuan Institute of War. Every generation of the Jun family has fought wars and become generals. Wouldn’t it have been remarkable if our family had also produced a pedantic man?” Jun Zhan Tian realized that this matter wasn’t easy to deal with. Even the Emperor had to endure Grandpa Jun’s anger when the Second Prince was entering the Weng Xing Institute of Knowledge. Grandpa Jun had always been at variance with scholars.
Moreover, Jun Mo Xie’s personality…
“Old Pang, what are your thoughts on this matter? What should I plan for Mo Xie’s future? Should I send him to study? But, I don’t think that my grandson has been designed for something like that. Should I get him trained in the military? But, he isn’t designed for that either. He can neither endure pain nor training. Should I send him to do business? But, I’m afraid that he’ll lose money to the extent of being unable to buy a coffin for me. Am I left with no other choice than to leave him as a wastrel waiting for his death?” Grandpa Jun sighed and said.
Old Pang seemed to have become frustrated. He tried to comfort Jun Zhan Tian and replied, “There have been changes in Young Master’s personality recently. It seems that he’s himself trying to achieve something… and become a new person. He’s still quite young. I don’t think that it’s too late for anything.”
“I hate this kind of a hypocritical comfort. And… you’re getting quite good at it. Old Pang, this can’t be you. Where’s that Pang Lie who fought against tens of thousands of men on the battlefield?” Jun Zhan Tian frowned and said.
Old Pang smiled bitterly. [I didn’t want to say those words. But, what else could I have said? Was I supposed to say that every grandson brings food fortune with him… but you can’t count on your grandson? Should I have said that your grandson is a smear on a wall who can’t be developed in any manner? Or that your grandson won’t stop before he ruins himself completely; irrespective of your efforts and worries… Was I supposed to tell you that? It would’ve been better if I had asked you to behead me.]
Suddenly, Old Pang recalled something. He said, “The Young Master can be saved in one way. Then, the Senior Master won’t have to worry about him.”
“What way? Come on… tell me quickly!” Jun Zhan Tian was surprised. He was only trying to vent out his anger. He hadn’t expected that Old Pang would really have a way to protect Jun Mo Xie.
Old Pang said in a hesitant manner, “This way is quite difficult to implement. I think that we should buy a young Xuan Beast of the eighth level or above… Then, we should train it…”
“Stop this nonsense! Are you sleep-talking, Old Tang? Do you really think that this way is possible?” Jun Zhan Tian interrupted Old Pang and shouted.
Old Pang pondered for a while. He then said, “Impossible!”
Jun Zhan Tian sighed and said, “Then, why are you talking about it?”
Xuan Beasts were a special kind of a life force in the Xuan Xuan continent. A high level Xuan Beast possessed great strength. It was believed that an eighth level Xuan Beast could fight fairly with a Sky Xuan Expert. Moreover, a ninth level Xuan Beast was as powerful as a Spirit Xuan Expert.
These Xuan Beasts had their own hierarchy… just like humans. In fact, their ranks were even more rigid than humans. A specially-skilled human could challenge and defeat an opponent whose Xuan Qi cultivation was higher than his own. However, this wasn’t the case with Xuan Beasts.
Xuan Beasts of the fourth level and below could easily be compared with wild animals. In fact, their destructive powers were only marginally more than that of normal animals. The Xuan Beasts started to possess some special kinds of skills only from the fifth level and above. However, the Xuan Beasts of sixth and seventh level weren’t that useful; especially when they were young. In addition, a Xuan Beast couldn’t be tamed once it reached adulthood. A few Xuan Beasts took decades to reach adulthood; while a few took as long as hundred years! What was the point of waiting for a cub to mature for such a long period of time? Moreover, a sixth level Xuan Beast was as powerful as a Silver level Xuan Qi Expert. Therefore, this kind of a Xuan Beast was easier to find, and its price wasn’t too high.
However, the Xuan Beast of the seventh level onwards possessed the innate quality to breakthrough. These Xuan Beasts were believed to give a competition to humans in terms of their wisdom. They also possessed an additional ability which made the development process of their cubs extremely difficult.
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