**Chapter 156: Anniversary Speech II**
Inside the grand auditorium, in the front row of the audience, an elderly man with graying hair was intently staring at the stage, appearing somewhat anxious as he turned to ask the person beside him something.
“Xiao Wang, is the order of appearance you gave me accurate? Why hasn’t Luxianbei gone up yet?”
“Professor Ma, I just asked while I was in the restroom. They said there was a small issue, so it has been delayed. It should be his turn soon.”
Yes, the elderly man was Professor Ma. He had heard that Luxianbei was participating in the anniversary speech and had hurried back to the school from the hospital.
“Oh…”
Luxianbei having an issue, isn’t that a common occurrence? As long as he can make it… Professor Ma relaxed a bit, nodding thoughtfully.
“By the way, Professor Ma, may I ask what relationship you have with Luxianbei?”
Professor Ma glanced at the young man beside him, straightened his back, and said, “An esteemed student.”
“No wonder you made a special trip back,” the young man smiled and agreed, slightly parting his lips, wanting to say something more when suddenly the host’s voice came from the stage.
“…Next, let’s welcome our next speaker, Luxianbei!”
“Hurry, hurry!” Professor Ma urged, waving his hands.
The young man, having parted his lips a couple of times, ultimately swallowed the words he was about to say and nodded in agreement as if to accommodate Professor Ma, quieting down and looking toward the stage.
A handsome young man slowly walked to the center of the stage, his expression remarkably calm, exuding a sense of confidence as he stood in front of the microphone.
“Ahem, ahem! Good afternoon, everyone. I am Luxianbei, and the topic of my speech today is ‘The Mishap of Being Stabbed While Being Righteous’…”
“Although many people think being righteous is a glorious big deal, in my opinion, it’s indeed a small matter—not only a small matter but also a particularly foolish one…”
…
As Luxianbei continued his speech, the young man turned to Professor Ma and whispered, “Professor, your esteemed student seems to…”
“Isn’t he still speaking?” Professor Ma said, his face darkening.
d*mn it, what is Luxianbei doing? Can’t he even write a speech properly? At least throw together a pretentious, grandiose piece!
As Professor Ma was thinking this, he suddenly heard a chorus of boos from the audience, mixed in with someone’s shouting.
“Is this all? I expected more! Can this even compare to my ‘How College Students Should Start a Business’? Hurry and get lost!”
Professor Ma, “…” This Luxianbei, when I get back, I need to teach him properly how to write a speech. If he doesn’t write ten essays that satisfy me, he can forget about earning credits in my class!
…
On stage, Luxianbei was still continuing his speech.
“…
Romain Rolland said that there is only one kind of heroism in this world, which is understanding life and loving life.
Being righteous belongs to this kind of heroism and is a glorious big matter.
Being righteous and getting stabbed eighteen times, nearly dying, however, is a foolish small matter.
This foolish small matter is neither worthy of praise nor worthy of emulation. Loving the lives of others while also loving one’s own life is the truly meaningful thing.
May all who treat life kindly also be treated gently by life.
Well, that concludes my speech as a counterexample. Thank you, everyone.”
It was passable, barely acceptable, but don’t think I didn’t hear—this is just cowardice, complete cowardice! No matter how well you cite references to cover it up, it’s useless!
Professor Ma watched Luxianbei bow and step back, feeling disdain yet standing up to applaud enthusiastically, shouting, “Excellent, very well said!”
Originally, Luxianbei’s performance could only be considered barely adequate, combined with somewhat quirky viewpoints and expressions, resulting in dead silence throughout the auditorium after the speech ended.
However, with Professor Ma leading, the others followed suit and began to applaud.
After all, most people in the audience hadn’t seriously listened to anyone’s speech. It’s likely that each person’s content was quite similar. Since the professor had said it was good, clapping along was sufficient!
…
Amidst the applause rising and falling, Lin Yiqi squinted her eyes at Luxianbei, who was bowing as he exited the stage, a contemplative look crossing her face.
May all who treat life kindly also be treated gently by life?
Well said, as a Spiritual Ability User, you surely know of urban legends. But I wonder, when facing an urban legend, can you still say such things?
Even if you can…
She thought, gently caressing the infant ghost on her shoulder, her eyes flashing with warmth and gentleness.
Even if you can, as just a beginner-level Spiritual Ability User, what could you possibly do? Lin Yiqi pondered.
…
On the other side, backstage at the grand auditorium.
As soon as Luxianbei left the stage, he didn’t have time to pay attention to the news agency’s vice president, who was crying in excitement, and quickly grabbed his guitar bag, running out of the auditorium.
Although the process of the anniversary speech had been fraught with twists and turns, it was ultimately a shock-free success. Now, as he saw the sky begin to darken, his mind was only focused on one thing—finding a secluded place for the urban legend transformation and waiting for the Bamboo Slips Illusion to descend, which could happen at any moment after dark.
When Luxianbei hurried to the auditorium’s main entrance, the sunset’s glow had almost faded, leaving the horizon a leaden gray, and night was about to fall. He could feel the two forces inside him—one cold, one hot—beginning to stir restlessly.
However, as soon as he stepped out of the auditorium’s main door, he spotted Professor Ma, who had been waiting there for a long time, and couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.
d*mn it, why is the professor showing up right now? Isn’t this asking for trouble?
Luxianbei thought to himself, just as he was about to turn and escape, he heard Professor Ma’s call.
“Luxianbei! Stop right there!”
Luxianbei, “…”
Seeing him halt, Professor Ma stepped forward and blocked his path with a serious expression, “Luxianbei, tell me, what was it you just spoke about?”
“I’m telling you, your level of muddling through won’t work! I feel it’s necessary to teach you how to write a speech properly.”
“Otherwise, as a student from the College of Arts and Literature, as my student…”
Before Professor Ma could finish, he suddenly saw wisps of white smoke rising from Luxianbei’s hairline, and his words halted.
This scene was all too familiar to him; once upon a time, a nearly identical scene had played out in his research lab.
Feeling his body temperature gradually rising, Luxianbei glanced at Professor Ma with a hint of resentment, “Professor, you saw it too; today’s situation is special. I can only learn from you another day.”
Is he… about to go into a fit again? Professor Ma’s lips parted slightly, not saying anything further, stepping aside to let him pass.
Luxianbei hurried past Professor Ma, but hadn’t gone far when he was stopped once more.
“Luxianbei, wait a moment!”
“What is it, Professor…?”
“Where are you planning to go? I can drive you,” Professor Ma said solemnly. “I’ve seen you during a fit; just in case—I’m saying just in case—you don’t make it to where you wanted to go in time and… uh, in my car, I can help cover you a bit.”
“After all, being a girl, you should pay attention to the impact, right?”
Luxianbei, “…”
Earlier, there was a hint of being moved, but what was that last sentence?
Frustrated, he looked at Professor Ma and said solemnly, “Then I will trouble you, Professor; take me to a place where no one else is around.”
It seems there’s something off about what I just said… Professor Ma thought, gesturing for Luxianbei to follow him, “Come with me!” He then headed toward the parking lot.
…
As the saying goes, the old ginger is sharper; Professor Ma was quite prescient.
Seated in Professor Ma’s car, as soon as they left the vicinity of Huacheng University of Technology, the two forces within Luxianbei started to surging restlessly.
“Thump—thump—thump!”
His heart was racing; something must have influenced it as it seemed to be beating more violently than at the same time on other days. A fierce beast was violently colliding, and a bloody chill was gradually spreading.
His eyes erupted with hotter energy, as if to combat the intensified coldness.
In an instant, his bl**d felt like it was igniting; the vessels beneath his skin erupted with golden-red light, surging like lava within his veins.
In an instant, the coldness and heat within his body collided violently, chasing and battling.
“Ugh—!”
Luxianbei’s body twitched as if electrocuted, a painful groan escaping uncontrollably from between his teeth.
Hearing the unusual sounds from the backseat and sensing the temperature in the car rising, Professor Ma glanced back with his peripheral vision, silently adjusting the rearview mirror to avoid looking at Luxianbei, then turned on the car’s audio player, selected “Symphony of Fate,” and cranked up the volume.
As the saying goes: “Do not look upon what is improper; do not listen to what is improper.”
Taking advantage of one’s student, especially one who is suffering from an incurable illness—that is truly a disgraceful act. Professor Ma thought.
“Ah—so painful—!”
Suddenly, a delicate cry came from the back seat, nearly drowning out the passionate music, causing Professor Ma’s lips to twitch uncontrollably.
This… is not what I wanted to overhear!
d*mn it, I’ll have to clear the dashcam footage later; otherwise, if my wife finds out, how will I face her? Professor Ma thought.
Huacheng University of Technology is located on the outskirts of Huacheng’s city center. Driving out from the campus, Professor Ma took a shortcut, and soon, the surroundings turned into wild mountains and hills, with only a sliver of the faint sunset remaining on the horizon.
After driving down a rugged and bumpy mountain road for a while, the view suddenly opened up, revealing an abandoned sand mining site piled with sand and stones near the riverbank.
As the speed of the car slowed, before Professor Ma could stabilize the vehicle, Luxianbei threw open the car door and jumped out, his pale, tender yet exceptionally warm little feet stepping over the sand pile, leaving behind a trail of shimmering crystals before plunging into the icy river water.
“Glug glug—!” The river’s surface bubbled as if it were boiling.
Professor Ma glanced at the back seat, where the seat had been burned into a loli shape, and felt a wave of worry.
Ah, I hope the repair shop doesn’t find out during this time; otherwise, it’ll be the end for me!
…
A few minutes later.
Professor Ma and Luxianbei sat side by side on a large stone by the river, each holding a cooked wild river whitefish, the air filled with a tantalizing aroma.
“You came here to deal with that set of Bamboo Slips,” Professor Ma asked, looking at Luxianbei with a serious expression. “Do you have to go inside the Bamboo Slips?”
“Professor, don’t worry; it’s not as dangerous as you think,” Luxianbei said expressionlessly, tearing off a small piece of flesh from the whitefish with his small pink mouth.
Hmm… There’s flavor? It’s rather delicious! Could it be that this fish was almost transforming into an urban legend?
Professor Ma gazed at Luxianbei, pondering for a few seconds, “Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Probably not?” Luxianbei tilted his head.
Rather than helping, it would be better for you to return home sooner; in this wilderness, who knows if some urban legend might pop out later. Luxianbei thought.
“Do you need me to keep an eye on the Bamboo Slips? If no one watches it and some wild beast runs off with it, you wouldn’t know what would happen when you come out.”
“This…” Luxianbei opened his lips, just as he was about to say something when he suddenly felt something, quickly turning to look at the Bamboo Slips that she had placed on a large stone not far away.
Under the night sky, the Bamboo Slips had opened by themselves at some point, an unsettling aura permeating the air, with a bright light gathering around, as if it were inhaling and exhaling moonlight…
